By Beth Phillips
On approach to the platform it looked more like a pancake than a doughnut. Sharp toothpick spines needled out from the central core almost filling the section between the inner and outer rings. Gray steel plates were patch-worked over the blue alloy of the original structure. Dust and dirt from endlessly repeated landings and takeoffs left many shades of coloring on the outer shell. Blue, gray, saffron yellow all jig-sawed together across the vast slowly turning academy platform.
Mari stretched as best she could in the too new cadet uniform against the restraining straps. With her helmet hooked to the seat in front and luggage stowed under the seat she felt more like she was on an old-fashioned bus than on the shuttle to her first tour of duty at the off-world academy.
It would reflect well on her record to have been assigned to the platform so quickly after the annual grades were posted. She hoped it meant there was some officer up the line willing to sponsor her for the Diplomatic Corp. She knew her father, the Consul General, had used all his influence just to get her into the Space Service much less special training.
In the row behind her Neal woke and stretched, accidentally kicking the seat. His long red hair was loose and floated up and out like a mane. Oddly, his black eyelashes and gray eyes seemed cold when his merry wit wasn’t being directed at one or another of the classmates. He never went too far with his teasing but there had been times he came so close it made Mari nervous.
Carla curled herself out of the straps and floated over to perch over Neal’s lap. She had been after Neal since the first day of class. With her black hair and eyes and sensuous body she kept insinuating that he was missing the greatest experience outside the professional brothels. Neal steadfastly ignored her ploys with mild humor.
Mari noticed he never seemed to “go” with anyone. Not even the men, a loner in some respects. He spent time with all of them but never got close to anyone. It only occurred to her because the ability to work with the same group of people was the most essential prerequisite for the space program.
Docking was a textbook perfect procedure. The artificial gravity of the space station was evident as their bodies settled into the padded seats.
Carla gracefully slid out of Neal’s lap and returned to her own seat.
Mari called out to the cadet pilot as he came out of the cockpit, “Hey, Marcus, got it right!”
Marcus De Lany smiled back like the proverbial cat.
They all knew it meant a good reception for the ambitious few who could handle a ship well. It may lead to the highly sought training for Deep Space Probe program.
With the shuttle firmly anchored to the airlock everyone grabbed his or her personal helmet and one duffle case. They lined up and trudged into the passenger airlock. Placing their cases and helmets in front of them and stood at attention. They waited to see whom they would have as their Commanding Officer.
The airlock doors slid back with a whoosh to reveal Mari’s worst nightmare. Lt. Commander Gulliver Campbell.
He had made her first days at the planet side Academy a living cesspit. He was on of the few who believed that female recruits were less able to handle space flight than men. He had even managed to get himself reprimanded by the Admiral for ordering Mari to share his bed.
Fortunately for Mari, she was already on her way to the Admiral’s quarters and she could justify her tardiness with the honest explanation that got Campbell sent to the off-world facility in the first place. With him as the C.O. it could get very unpleasant indeed.
“Welcome to your new home,” the familiar voice sneered. “I am so happy to see all your shinning faces I could just puke.”
“We…so much for a commendation this tour of duty,” Neal quipped.
“You, Mister, are on report. Tonight you will take the first watch for garbage detail with,” Campbell looked up and down the line of tense cadets, “you, Mister Johnstad.”
Mari felt the jibe as though it were a physical blow. She had always rated high plus on her psi scores. The strong emotional current jolted. She knew it would be hard to keep out of Campbell’s way but this was an unwarranted assignment.
“I didn’t hear you, Mister,” Campbell shouted.
Belatedly Mari belted out the required reply, “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Late during the night the garbage unit was silent. The geocentric orbit of the station gave the cadets approximately the same day and night they were familiar with on dirt side.
Those few who were up quietly followed the night routine and kept occupied as best they could. Regulations meant they were required to remain at their posts in the unlikely event that for some reason anyone would attempt unauthorized entry to the academy station.
Neal sat across the desk from Mari. He apologized again for getting her assigned to the “garbage pit” duty with him.
“It’s okay, Neal. Campbell has had it out for me since that fracas dirt side.”
“I never found out what it was all about.”
“Nothing,” sighed Mari, “he resents my grandfather.”
“He doesn’t seem to be the forgiving kind.”
“Nah. Actually, I’m kinda glad to be here. It gives me two shifts out of his way.”
“Two? Yeah, sleeptime. Speaking of which…want to share a cell?”
Mari was so startled she forgot to say anything. When she did recover enough to respond she blurted out the very thing she meant to avoid.
“What about Carla?”
“What about Carla,” Neal’s voice was chilly.
“I’m sorry Neal. It just popped out. Forget it.”
“NO! I mean…she doesn’t have any claim on me. For all her boasting she hasn’t been with me any more than anybody else.” Neal turned bright red for a second but regained control almost immediately.
Mari had never seen Neal anything other than calm, even in the most frustrating circumstances didn’t faze him. She had heard the old saying red heads had violent tempers. She figured this was what they meant.
“Mari, I find you a very attractive girl. You don’t seem like the rest. You’re a real person. You don’t wear chemical perfumes and I’ve never seen you use makeup. I don’t like the plastic doll people.”
“Okay, okay, you win. I’m hungry. Shift is almost over, let’s eat first.”
“Galley food, no way. I’ve got some smoked salmon in my cube. We can feast on wafers and salmon.”
“Great, I’ve got some real cheese. Tell you what-I have to forward my cube-com. I’ll grab the cheese, get some juice and meet you at your cube,” Mari found she was looking forward to sharing a shift off with Neal.
Bleeping from Neal’s phone awoke both Mari and Neal from a deep exhausted slumber. Neal reached for the handset and pressed the privacy button. Opening the com-line the caller still had to identify himself or herself first. The feature insured what little privacy the cadets had.
“Mister Johnstad, what the hell do you mean by forwarding your comline?”
“Privacy, sir,” Mari responded with the appropriate answer.
“Privacy be damned. This is your sleep period.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So where the devil are you?”
“Privacy sir,” Mari kept her voice even.
“This is your C.O., Mister. You will answer when questioned."
“Sir. With all due respect, General Order 4944 point 3, subsection A, paragraph B…”
“Don’t quote regulations to me. Get your hinny up to the Base Commanders office immediately.” Campbell rang off.
“Whew, he really has got it in for you, hasn’t he,” Neal asked stretching his finely muscled body.
“Yeah, I’d better get up there.” Mari pulled the uniform shirt over her head, brushed at her hair with one hand and rubbed the grit from her eyes. “I’m going to look like hell, but I can’t afford to be too long.”
Neal trotted nude into his bath and reappeared with a bottle of eyewash. “Here, use these. They’ll make your eyes less bloodshot. It’ll sting for a few seconds so don’t be surprised.”
“Thanks,” Mari quickly squeezed a drop into each eye and waited for the itching to stop.
Neil retrieved her uniform culottes and helped her into it. Mari preferred the style for its comfort and the fact that it was the only style that gave both free range of motion and flattered her tiny waist. Her one good feature, in her opinion.
“Want me to come along,” inquired Neal.
“No, thanks. I don’t want to get you mixed up in this, too.”
The base commander’s office was located in the innermost ring in the most protected area of the station. It had three security locks to go through and a full scan for the last stop. It took about two minutes to get through each. In all it took Mari a good ten minutes to walk into the Commander’s office.
“What do you mean, keeping the Commander waiting?”
Mari took a deep breath; she knew this was going to be a difficult interview. She refrained from making any response except to salute.
“Mr. Johnstad, do you know why you have been summoned here?”
“No sir, Commander,” she almost looked up.
“Did you have the night shift in the sanitation detail?”
“Yes, sir,” something in that voice sounded familiar to Mari but she couldn’t dare look directly at the Commander.
“Did you permit anyone access to the log prior to your shift relief?”
“Yes, sir.”
“There, sir. You see, she admits neglecting her duty,” Lt. Commander Campbell gloated openly.
“Just a minute, there is more to this than a simple failure to protect the integrity of the log. Mr. Johnstad, did you leave your station prior to shift change?”
“Yes, sir.” Mari was appalled at how badly this was going. She was in real trouble and could see no way of getting out of it without making matters even worse. She couldn’t drag Neal into this mess too.
“In that case I have no alternative but to assign you to the garbage detail until further notice.”
Mari was as close to tears as she had ever been. How was she to distinguish herself in the garbage detail? She wanted so much to be able to earn a place in the Diplomat Corps.
“You will stand the graveyard sanitation watch each night and report directly to me at the end of each shift. That is all. End of disciplinary action report. Mr. Campbell, you may leave. I have a few things to say to this young lady in private.”
Joyously grinning his malice, Campbell saluted smartly and marched away in triumph.
As the huge doors to the office sealed that tantalizing familiar voice spoke again, “Well, cadet. Do you have anything to say for yourself-off the record?”
“Sir, the only person I allowed to see the log was my coworker. It is true that I left the station a few minutes early but my coworker knew I had an engagement after our shift and he assured me he could handle the change over while I went to forward my com…”
“I see and you feel he should be punished too.”
“No, sir. I left regardless of the consequences to either the station or my comrade.”
“In that case my decision stands, you may look up now.”
Gratefully Mari straightened her neck and looked at the Commander. She blinked several times. Realizing the beaming face that was looking back at her was indeed whom she thought it was. “Uncle Pete! How glad I am to see you,” she wrapped her arms around his big bear neck as he lifted her off the floor and spun her around.
After they had a fine reunion she sat down with her “uncle” to discuss all the gossip from various family and friends. It had been several years since Mari had seen her uncle in person. “The last I heard you were on the last outpost settling the immigrants.”
“I got back to Earth three days ago. The assigned me up here. I came up in the shuttle after you. Your discipline is the first official action I have taken.
How have you managed to make so many enemies in such a short time?”
“Gulliver Campbell is an old problem. I was present when he succeeded in making a real chump of himself and embarrassing the whole company.”
“How about this Carla Sullivan?”
“It’s a personal grudge on her part.”
“Then putting you in the ‘pit shift’ is gong to turn out to be the best way to keep you out of trouble while we sort out the other cadets.”
“I suppose so.”
“Well, you look suitable contrite. Get out there and let them see how despondent you are. Then scoot into your cube and get some rest. That’s an order.”
Mari felt much better after getting back to her cube. She made sure to reset her comline. She wanted to tell Neal about the meeting but she knew it could be a serious mistake to jeopardize the one edge she had on Campbell.
Later in the day she went to the gym to exercise. Many of the new cadets had already heard about her misfortune and were curious about the base commander.
Carla was there too. Privately gloating in her success in getting Mari into trouble. She came over to the group around Mari. “I apologize for having to turn in an unfavorable report but you really should take more care to fill your duties responsibly.”
“Thanks for the advice, I’ll be more careful in the future.”
With that the cadets broke up into teams and dispersed to various equipment. Mari selected the multi-gym and started her routine. She felt self-conscious in the white leotard and leggings that were uniform but resolved to match the other women who were relaxed and not spending their time comparing physiques.
Neal caught up with her in the dinning hall. He sat next to her for the evening meal. They said little as they quietly enjoyed listening to the conversations going on around them.
“I’m on again with you tonight. I got my hand slapped for letting you go early,” Neal chuckled like he was enjoying the whole affair.
Late in their shift Neal leaned back in the stations padded chair. “Ya know I wish I’d tripped you into bed long before this,” Neal jested. “I can’t wait for our rest period. Come her and give me a big wet kiss.”
“Neal, frost off. Gees, let me finish logging this…” she typed the list in. “There, now what was it you were saying earlier about the thermodynamics of shared body heat?”
She wasn’t sure why Neal was being so physical. She had never thought of herself as particularly expert as a lover. She certainly wasn’t what was considered striking. Figuring out how his mind worked distracted her from enjoying his attention so she willingly gave it up.
Out of the corner of her eye Mari saw the red danger light flashing. It should have been sending out a siren wail as well. Neal had her pinned to his lap facing away from the console and was occupying her attention thoroughly. It was mere chance that led Mari to wonder if Neal closed his eyes too.
Pushing herself away from his arms turned out to be more difficult than she expected. “Neal! Let me go. The light! Look, Neal.”
Mari wrenched herself free and slapped the abort button in time to see the yellow hold light come on before a blow crashed into her back knocking the wind out of her and staggering her.
As she slid across the slanted face of the console she pulled the alarm and kneed the alert bar to wake the rest of the station.
Before she passed out she felt another blow land painfully in her ribs. With the room spinning her last thought was to wonder how much trouble she was in now.
Gray was never a color Mari liked much it was such as bland shadowy feeling. Being the first thing she saw the impression was cold and unpleasant. It was too quiet. None of the machine hum was present in the background.
“Mari,” a sweet voice whispered.
A lightening bolt of pain sheared through Mari’s head. She winced and cleared her throat, “What?”
“Mari, open your eyes again. This is Dr. Goodfellow. Open your eyes, dear. I need to check your pupils.”
Mari did as she was told. The room swam and settled, it was now blue. That was nice. Mari liked blue a whole lot better than gray.
Several hours later Mari was discharged from sickbay and told to report to the Base Commander. She still wondered how much trouble she was in, this time. The medical staff had not told her anything. Perhaps they didn’t know any more than she did.
Upon being shown into the Commander’s office she focused on the carpet as proscribed. She was surprised to see black boots of the entire complement to either side. The whole training class had to be there. They were all rigidly at attention.
Mari had to walk between the rows of cadets to reach the Commanders desk. Not a sound could be heard in the room except the tread of Mari’s boots on the gravi-carpet. She scarcely dared breathe in the silence.
Her salute was a little jerky as the muscles of her upper arms were stiff with bruises. The whole of her torso burned whenever she stretched the muscles to lift her arms.
“Cadet Mari Johnstad, you are here before the assembly of your classmates, on this universal date 04/30/2143, to receive the Medal of Valor for Meritorious Action above and beyond the call of duty.” He slipped the ribbon over her head.
Mari’s mind reeled. Only her second shift and she was receiving the award of one medal that could insure her a chance to realize her dreams. How awful if it were some kind of joke. She dared to look up.
Noting the quizzical expression on the Commander’s face, she realized she had missed the question.
“Pardon me, sir. The analgesic hasn’t quite worn off.”
“Oh-ho,” he chuckled, “I wondered if you would care to join me for a drink, mister.”
“Yes sir, I would.”
In private Mari and the commander, her uncle Pete, were much more relaxed as they discussed the incident. Pete had her repeat the entire story several times to get all the details.
“Mari, I knew you would make a good space recruit but I had no idea you would turn our to be this exceptional. I don’t know, though, if this is exactly the right branch of the service for you to be in. As you know, you are at the extreme low end of our size and strength curve.”
“Yes, sir.” Mari could see all her hopes float away.
“I’ve thought it over and I think it would be best if you reassign you to a somewhat less vigorous training program.”
Mari felt her insides crash into the pit of her stomach. Her chances slid into a chasm. Probably a dirt side desk position in some recruiting office.
“What would you say to training in the Diplomat Corp?”
Mari couldn’t believe what she thought she heard, it must be the crack on the head she’d gotten.
“I think the best spot for you would be in the one place where your grandfather can keep an eye on you. If you insist on saving secrets of the united nations, you’d better get the skills to do so.”
Mari sat very still for a moment trying to collect her thoughts. “Sir, do I understand you correctly that this was a security issue?”
“You don’t imagine we give out MMAs for spacing dirty magazines?” Pete chuckled. “You have cracked the worst security leak in the history of the Space Service. The Mutaleh have been sending their ‘moles’ into our service, having them steal our confidential plans and space them with the rest of the garbage. Then their fleet comes in for later pickup as part of the recycling of materials.”
Mari considered if she should ask how far the chain of espionage extended but thought better of it. If they wanted her to know any more they would tell her. It was enough, for now, to be in the position to train as a Diplomat.