Space Bus to Benton's Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Leyland Alexander D 60 LR -Passenger Service Configuration- These 62 meter long ships can easily be identified by their boxy appearance and the four swivel mounted ISAH pods that also include the landing gear assembly. Its triangular raised front contains the so called flight deck, where the ships control center, its sensors and Computronic is. The boxy middle section contains a passenger deck and a freight deck. The rest is dedicated to the ships engines, energy distribution, environmental systems and the fuel tanks. These D60 LR are often found in service for frontier region space bus services. They are dependable,rugged and easily serviceable. The passenger deck in general consists of seat rows, washroom facilities and a small lounge.

Baldy punched in the way points for the acceleration, checked the scanners one last time to make sure there was nothing solid in the acceleration path and then committed the engines. He did all this a thousand times before but this part could never become routine. The most accidents happened in the acceleration phase and once the ship was committed there was nothing that could be done to prevent a collision with something else. He glanced over to Wilcox who was talking to Emerson. “If there's anything I don't like is taking my bus through Shiss space.” Wilcox turned. “It's what you are doing the last ten years. All this is or was once Shiss Space.” Baldy checked the scanners and felt a little better seeing the twenty contacts of the Apache Gunships behind them. Baldy adjusted the cruise speed and said to Emerson. “Once you're done gossiping with our escort. Go and check on the coolant flow of the Main Fuel manifold. It runs a little hotter than I like it.” The Quadiped grunted. “That you are in a bad mood doesn't mean I have to be unfriendly to Wilcox...” “Don't tell me you like this better than I do and now do check on that Manifold. We might have to red line the engines before we reach Benton's.” The big Quadiped mumbled some more but made his way to the small engineering section in the back. Wilcox turns to Baldy. “Sure funny, about Mr. Sprewell taking the bus.” Wilcox however was still ranting. “I took this job ten years ago so could marry my girl Julietta. I've been working hard at it ever since.” He then opened the inter com and said. “Emerson we are running over sixty degrees now.” Emerson's voice came back. “Don't get all excited. I am not even there yet and we can handle 200 easy.” Wilcox put his feet up on a console and leaned back. “You're married, who knew.” Baldy fiddled with the sensor controls and said. “Why, certainly; my wife's got more relatives than you ever did see. I bet I am feeding half of Marlow town on Benton's.” Wilcox kept shaking his head. ”Don't it seem funny to you? About Sprewell?” Baldy isn't listening but in the middle of his rant. “And what do I get when I am home at Benton's? Nothing but reconstituted Vat grown simple dinners. Cheap they are but after ten years I know all the ten flavors they sell.”

--””-- Down on the passengers deck, the travelers sat in the small lounge. Sprewell was the last to arrive and immediatley went to the Serv-Matic. “What a horrible selection.” He complained then settled for a bottle of juice and sat down as well He eyes the other passengers and then he pointed at a large view screen that showed Rigo's Colony shrinking to a dot of light and twenty Apache Gunships in tight formation right behind the bus. “Fine looking military hardware back there. It always gives me great pride in the Union when I see such fine machines flown by such fine young individuals. Anyone know where they're going?” Mr. Peacock eying Doc Boone who in turn examined his sample case answered. “Are you not aware what happened?” Sprewell opened his juice and said. “I don't follow you, Reverend.” Doc Boone presses a sensor and a small sample bottle of gin falls in his hand. Peacock rolls his eyes and pushes his case away from Boone at the other side of him and said. “I am not a clergyman. My name is Peacock.” Doc Boone looks pleased with himself as he opens the small bottle and cuts in. “We are all going to be killed or sold as slaves of course, Mr Sprewell. Massacred or sold that's what the soldiers try to prevent from happening and that's why they escort us.” Sprewell tried to smile and looked to Lady Luna who for the first time turned her head away from the view port. But it was Peacock who answered. “Oh no, he is not. Oh dear no. I wish he was joking, Sir.” Doc Boone emptied the little bottle and then looked with a critical expression on the small label and said with a cheerful tone in his voice. “It is that old Shiss butcher...” he gives the empty bottle to Peacock with a jovial nod and continues.”...Hazzzock that's the name of our butcher. He pissed on the peace treaty his cousin the First Nestling signed and declared war on the Union all by himself. He and his raiders killing and destroying everything in sight.” Sprewell pulled the brief case he was clutching closer to his chest. “Hazzzock made his move? Why weren't the passengers notified? Why wasn't I told?” Peacock sighed. “We were.” Doc Boone eying the sample case now out o his reach with a longing expression and says. “We were told Sprewell.” Peacock nodded with unveiled fear in his eyes. “Yes, but with Dai Pirates between here and Charles Port, I was convinced by this thirsty gentleman that the Shiss were the lesser evil. Now I am not so sure anymore.” Boone turned his attention to Sprewell.”Weren't you told in that message you got from Benton's?” Sprewell looked agitated and said with a blustering tone. ”Oh yes, yes, yes, of course, of course, I forgot.”

--””-- Up at the flight deck, Baldy turns of the GalNet Terminal. Baldy's eyes are almost glued to the scanners. “Twenty Apaches are just not enough if Hazzzock shows up.” Wilcox leaned over to look at the scanner screen too. “Apaches aren't exactly impotent you know and these guys know how to use them.” Baldy sighs. “I still would feel much safer if we had a wing of Wolfcrafts back there. My wife's grandfather is coming all the way from New Algiers to live with us, if that wasn't reasons enough for me not to go to Benton's this time. Hazzzock terrorizing the region should be.” Baldy points at the dark GalNet terminal. “I wish we could call ahead and see what happened. We take these things for granted you know. Able to talk to anyone at any time.” Wilcox agrees. “That's what I can't figure out.” Baldy turns to look at the Ranger. “No one has figured out how SII does it. The fleet uses GalCom but that's the same thing basically.” Wilcox shakes his head. “I didn't mean that. I can't figure out how he got that message.” Baldy called up the engineering panel and said. ”Who, my grandfather? Wilcox pointing is thumb over his shoulder indicating the passenger deck. “No, Sprewell.” “What's Sprewell got to do with all of this?” “He is one of your passengers. Came aboard the last second and told Emerson he got an important message from Benton's.” Baldy was listening only with one ear as he looked over the engineering read out. “We're still running hot. I don't like that.” Wilcox grunted. “Said he got a message from Benton's” Baldy's fingers keyed in a diagnostic program for the Fuel decompressor. “What's Emerson doing down there? We are at 96 degrees now.” Wilcox pointed at the GalNet terminal. “GalNet is down in the entire region.” Baldy simply nodded, but it is clear he really didn't pay any attention to the Ranger and he called Emerson. “You know we are approaching 98 degrees?” Emerson's voice came over the intercom. “I know, we got a busted coolant line. The secondary line is working but we going to reach 150-160 before we reach Cobalt Springs. Can't fix the thing while we're in Quasi Space, unless you want to drop into real space and shut of the engines.” Now Wilcox is paying attention to Baldy. “Trouble?” Baldy shrugs. “Depends,as long as the secondary coolant pumps hold we should be alright.” “I am no engineer. What exactly are we talking about?” Baldy, was glad he had something to talk about that took his mind of the scanner screens. “As you may know ISAH Engines need a lot of energy. Energy made by mixing Deuterium with Anti Matter Deuterium. The process is forced to go into Nucleo Synthesis and the production of energy saturated Photons in the trans-x ray spectrum...” Wilcox raised his hands. “I flunked this part in Union School. Can you tell me what the problem is so I can understand it?” Baldy sighed and said. “I'll try. Our fuel is matter compacted. So we can take more fuel volume along. Before we can use it, it is conditioned in the so called Sakharov Process where one half is turned into Anti Matter. That process needs to happen in a near zero environment and lots of heat must be displaced. Most of it we use for energy production, but some needs to be sent to the Exchangers, outside where it can radiate into space. These feeder lines can not exceed an outside temperature of 200,000 degrees, they are cooled with mono directional energy siphon streams, and one of these cooling systems went out and we are running on the back up system.” Wilcox sighed. “Still didn't understand it, but something down there is hotter than it supposed to be and needs to be fixed. What happens if the second cooling system fails?” Baldy pantomimed a big explosion and said. “The Shiss threat would become a mood point. We all be roasted on a nuclear level.” The Ranger sat up and stared concerned at the Bus pilot. “What can you do to prevent it?” Baldy said while counting on his fingers. “One, we can drop out of Quasi Space, shut the engines off and fix it. Two, we eject the Core Assembly and the Fuel and three, we hope it stays under 200 and we make it to Cobalt Springs and fix it there.”

--””-- Palace of the First Nestling

The Shiss were a mighty and old civilization, controlling almost upgraded their Tech Level classification to seven and were fighting the Nul to a stalemate for almost 10,000 years. This fact alone illustrated that they were not easily ignored, but truth to be told no one in the known Galaxy really wanted a war against the Union. The Shiss learned that the hard way as the 32 Purple Throat Colonies joined the Union, what it meant to go against the United Stars. It was a short and very costly war and unmasked especially the Terran Humans as the true monsters of this Galaxy. The Klack had always been among the most powerful civilizations, and now they were part of the Union. When the Union and the Shiss demanded an area of space they could use to connect their regions, the First Nestling conceded an area of space to the Union and it became known as the Corridor. In galactic terms it was a very narrow and small region between Upward Union Space and the Klack Hegemony in the Coreward Sector. It instantly created a buffer zone between the Shiss and the Nul and that in itself was not a bad thing, considering that the Nul had stepped up their war efforts and were slowly but steadily gaining ground. That this area he had conceded, had been under the control of the Gray Throats for almost as long as the Shiss traveled space was unfortunate, not that the First Nestling had much choice in that matter. It was either that or war, the Union rarely took a no for an answer. Suzhz the All white nestling lounged in a traditional hammock strung between two pillars of black marble and shaded by a canopy made of tough Jutzurk leather on a balcony high above the rest of the palace. The very first All Whites had used Hammocks like these long before the Shiss Lizards left the burning sands of the Naws-Sat desert behind forever. The legends told about Zazuhr the first of all First Nestlings, and that only the tents of the mightiest warriors of then nomadic Desert Shiss were made of Jutzurk leather. The Naws-Sat Desert had long since then disappeared. In its place now sprawled the heart of the Shiss Empire, the mighty City of Naw. Here at its very center above an ancient hill rose the eleven towers of the Palace of the Pale Dune. There were few sites in the Universe that could compare, at least not in the eyes of the Shiss. Now as the twin Suns were about to slip past the horizon, their color could be distinguished, Zazz, the big red star and Uzzz her bright green companion mixed their light in a warm tone of deep orange brown that painted the entire city and the distant mountains into every shade of copper and gold. The Twin Suns of Shiss-Ta could only be seen together like that, every 110 years. Usually Uzzz was in front or behind the bigger Zazz. To Suzhz who dwelled on the Pale Dune as the First Nestling for 87 years wondered if there would be a First Nestling dwelling here in the Palace of the Pale Dune, or if he was the last of his kind doing so. Everything around him was so full and so rich of symbolism, ancient traditions and every Shiss from the cursed Purple Shiss traitors to the White Nestling knew what they meant. There was an order of things, these shamack aliens would never understand. Purple Throats came from the swamps and dwelled in mud and dirt and there were so many of them. It was only natural that they belonged at the bottom and existed only to serve. How rare were the White Throats? How hard was it for them to edge out a living in the harsh desert. It was the will of the All-eating Snake Zazz and the All powerful Invisible Lizard Uzzz and it was good and obeyed for many millenia Warazz, an almost white and trusted adviser came onto the balcony his body bent into the shape of obedience and his tail between his lower legs to signal he could not lash out with it. Suzhz gestured with both hands over the city that sprawled in all directions to the very horizon. “Unbend thyself my old friend and behold. Such magnificence will not be seen again for a long time.” Warazz straightened himself and walked to the railing putting all four of his clawed hands on it. “Indeed, First Nestling, and it might as well be the last Zazz-Uzzz, Shiss will know.” Suzhz did not mention that he had a similar thought just moments ago. “Do you really believe the Nul will join the Union?” “All intelligence indicates it is indeed so. I received very reliable reports that the Union is about to share the secret of their Translocator Cannons with the Nul. They would never do that if the official announcement of Nul membership is a mere formality.” Warazz turned. “We can not stand against the Nul if they have Union shields and Translocators.” The First Nestling did not look into the face of his adviser, “It will take many decades to integrate the brutish Nul and who knows what the Kermac think about the whole development.” Warazz did not agree. “No one ever believed the Klack would join anything and when they did all scholars agreed it would not last.” Warazz pointed into the sky and with lot of imagination perhaps even into the direction of the Klack Hegemony. “Yet today no one questions or doubts that these crawling menaces are as Union as these filthy war monkeys from Earth. Just recently a species called the Siucra dared to destroy a Union Explorer. The Queen herself sent her precious ancient battle moon to rescue a handful of humans. My liege, these moons are sacred and have not been moved since the Y'All came for the first time. It illustrates more than anything how wrong our scholars were. No one believed the Narth would ever partake and yet they are Union members. No First Nestling, it will happen quick and all the Nul need is a little incident to step before their Assembly and cry foul and they will declare war.” “Then let us take steps to prevent that until we can devise a path for our people.” Another Shiss came onto the balcony and only bowed briefly then he said. “The Incident the Union Assembly needed has been delivered by your Cousin, first Nestling! Hazzzock has destroyed every Union communication buoy and is attacking and destroying every colony that he deemed was once his!” The Shiss entering was the Ambassador to the Union, the First Nestling had appointed himself. Warazz, the proud warrior dropped to his knees before the twin columns representing their highest Gods and lowered his head and retracted his spine comb. “All Eating Snake and a Invisible Lizard. Let this not be the last Zazz-Uzzz.” The First Nestling got up and said. “Waste not time on superstition and stone effigies, call upon the Host of Shiss and let everyone able to carry arms prepare. We shall face this as Shiss and if we must we will die like Shiss.” The Ambassador said. “Your highness consider! Reign in your Cousin and offer reparations.” “Hazzzock is Hazzzock and nothing short of the All-eating Snake himself could reason with him now. He will not stop, not listen. He is old and he is proud. To stop him I would have to do it by force and I shall not. No Ambassador your job has ended, words and treaties have lost their value. Let us answer any aggression of the Union against our kind with a response they will remember in a million years.” The Ambassador said. “So it shall be, First Nestling. I too will fight but I fear it is all that will remain of Shiss Ta is their memories.” “Defeat is not certain. The Karthanians, the Dai, the shattered Kingdoms the Togar and most of all the Kermac have much to fear from a Union with Nul.” “None of which are our allies.” Said Warazz. The Ambassador was still trying to prevent war and said. “First Nestling reconsider, even if they all fight side by side with us, we will only delay the inevitable. I do not fear the Klack or the Nul, but the Terrans as they will not stop until we are utterly gone!”

--””--

COBALT SPRINGS

Cobalt Springs was the second planet around an orange K spectrum sun in a system with eight planets, an asteroid belt and many moons. Cobalt Springs was a beautiful blue and green planet when seen from space. It had been colonized by Union settlers only about 60 years ago. The space around the system was deemed unclaimed by both the Nul and the Union, but considered one of Hazzzock's systems by the Shiss.

Valthim cocked his head and put down the cards he was holding, playing a game of solitaire. “We just dropped out of Quasi Space. That means we are decelerating into Tangerine system.” Lady Luna who had not spoken a single word sitting removed from the rest of the passengers looking pale and sickly said with wide eyes. “I thought the next stop we make would be Cobalt Springs?” Daphne sat reclined and not very lady like in her seat and rolled her eyes. “You haven't traveled much have you? Tangerine is the name of the System, Cobalt Springs is the name of the second planet and also the name of the Colony there.” Valthim gave Daphne a scolding glare. “Not everybody is compelled to move on every so often.” Peacock opened his sample box and said to Boone. “Dr. Boone, for local information about this colony I would consider letting you sample another one of my whiskeys.” Doc Boone who had dozed for most of the time straightened up in his seat. “My dear Hitchcock, you are a man of my heart.” “Peacock, my name is Peacock.” Boone rubs his hand across his face and said. “Well, Cobalt Springs is environmentally pretty much the opposite of Rigo's. The planet is in the innermost life zone region and overgrown from pole to pole with the densest Jungles known to the Union, well perhaps not as dense as Green Hell and certainly not as dangerous. Even though it does have its life threatening challenges, I've been there a few times in my capacity as a physician.” At Boone said that, Sprewell snickers. “You are as much a Physician as this bus is a Luxury liner. You couldn't cure a hangnail.” Boone straightens even more and looks offended and angry into Sprewell's direction. “I happened to be a Chief Medical Officer aboard a Union Battle Ship. You could not begin to understand what training and skills I needed to get such a posting.” Sprewell is even more amused and Valthim too smiles with dis contempt and says. “You are nothing but a windbag. No Union Fleet Officer would ever sink so low and beg a stranger for Liquor samples.” Peacock however hands doc the little bottle and says. “Do go on, Mr. Boone, about Cobalt Springs I mean.” Everyone noticed that Peacock no longer addressed Boone with his medical title. Boone took the bottle with a slight hesitation and it is clear that his desire for alcohol became stronger than his sense of self dignity. He realizes that himself and only Daphne noticed the sparkling tear that shimmered in Doc Boone's eye. He cleared his throat and said to Peacock. “Cobalt Springs the settlement is build on pillars above a large swamp. The humidity almost always hovers around 100 percent and then it rains. Average temperature is around fifty degrees and visibility seldom exceeds 10 meters. While it has plenty of water, to standard Terrans it is almost unbearable.” Peacock shudders and then said. “There are bars, right?” “Oh yes there are, four of them. The Thousand Molds Saloon is the biggest.” “What is the industry there?” Doc Boone unscrewed the little bottle and drained it in one swallow. “Main industry would be the Blue Tree Oil company. They make an exotic food and cosmetic oil from a local tree nut. Then there is Nut farmers, Jungle Scavengers, Exotic Wood Cutters, Insect collectors and Wunka Hunters. Shaill love the place.”

--””--

Baldy had taken the bus down and as they passed the first clouds water moisture was dripping in heavy streaks across the front view port. The local sun looked like a pale orange and was barley penetrating the heavy fog. Wilcox, shudders.”I've been here three times and every time I hope it is the last.” Baldy shrugged. “Thousand Molds has a very good menu. The guy that runs it is from Earth and what he calls Creole cookin' is worth the trip from Blue Moon. Trust me!” Through the fog Cobalt Springs lights become visible. Thousand strong lights with huge soft halos and the shadowy outlines of buildings and structures. The local space port was a hexagonal platform big enough to accommodate the Meteor class freighters that came once a month to collect the local wares. Unseen from above were the immense Duro Crete pillars keeping it about ten meters above the jungle canopy and hundred meters above the soaky swamp ground. Along with the bus the twenty Apaches descend,looking almost like huge glowing insects in the soupy mist, tinted green from their ArtiGravs. Baldy released a huge sigh of relieve as he powers down the engines and said. “That was cutting it close, we were almost at a 190.” Wilcox got up and smiled. “Well at least we did not run in any Shiss or Dai.” Baldy gives him a smile and then opens the Inter ship Communicator. “Dear Passengers, we have arrived at Cobalt Springs. Due to necessary maintenance we will leave for Shallow not before 0500, that is in eight hours. For those who leave us here I like to thank you for choosing the Coreward Space Bus Company as your transportation provider.”

--””-- A flexible tunnel attached itself at the main hatch of the bus and seconds later the heavy airlock door moved aside. Lady Luna is the first, eager to leave the bus and find her husband. Valthim wordlessly takes her bag. She acknowledges his service with the faintest nod and pays no further attention to the man. Yet to the others it seems as I she had paid him a million credits. Valthim looks as if he just had been knighted. After a short slide belt ride that takes them to a large elevator at the edge of the elevator. Peacock carefully remains in the middle of the big transparent elevator car as it descended past the tree canopy towards the actual settlement.

As the elevator doors open the passengers get their first feel for the local conditions. The heat and the humidity is almost like a solid wall. Baldy walks out and greets a huge spider like being. “Hi Frabbel, can you go up and check the Lines? We had some heat problems. Emerson is already taking it apart.” Lady Luna recoiled in fear and with a shriek coming from her lips as she too sees the spider. Baldy turns actually a little annoyed. “No need to act like that, ma'am. This is Frabbel from Archa and he is our engineer.” She simply ignores him and rushes on across the metal graded walkway towards the buildings of the town. Valthim behind her turning to Baldy. “I expect you to keep your monsters out of sight while she is around.” Baldy steps closer. “She can take a bath in the swamp for all I care and you better watch your mouth or you can find other transportation. Valthim swallowed whatever he wanted to say and made his way after the lady. Even though it is was barley noon in local time, there was virtually no day light down here. The light came from pole mounted flood lights and despite the strong light everyone and everything looked like a ghostly shape after only a few meters. Beyond the chest high metal railings was the jungle but it appeared more or less like a black wall. The air was so wet, Wilcox was soaked to the skin after only a few meters out of the Elevator. Doc Boone had slipped on his Union fleet coat, as old as it was it still worked and repelled the moisture. “Come on Mr. Peabody. I introduce you to Amos Sanders the owner of the Thousand Molds Saloon.” “My name is Peacock, Mr Boons but I will take advantage of your offer.”

--””--

Peacock and Boone arrived at the saloon only to find most of the other passengers there as well. A man with slick black hair and a fine mustache walks past everyone and greets Boone. “Mon Ami, Doc Boone, how delightful to see you, but all my kids are fine and my dear wife is not expecting. How did you get here?” “Why with the bus of course.” “We didn't think the bus would come with the Old Gray Throat rising hell all around the region. Everyone who could has left.” Sprewell interrupts. “Where are the troops of this station?” Lady Luna standing somewhat lost in the guest room rushes over. “Yes where is Captain Lodyn? I was told he would be here!” The Saloon owner spreads his arms. “There are no soldiers here, except the one s that came with you.” One of the locals sitting at a table of the Saloon turns. “Captain Lody was here. Got orders night afore last to support the colonists at Bumblebee, repelling an attack there. The Thauran noble lady looked very upset and disturbed, trying hard to be courageous she turned away. She makes a few steps and then sits down on an upholstered bench by the door.

A young handsome looking man wearing a Bioseal suit as most locals around here seemed to wear, along with Terran All Terrains and set of SII TKU 09's in a double hip holster approached Baldy.” Hello Baldo?” Baldy delighted clasps the hands of the young man. “Hawk, what a surprise. Figured you bein' in Benton's by now.” “I would be, but I had a run in with a Shiss fighter, shot my ride to pieces. Barley made it here.” Wilcox coming from behind ,his TKU leveled. “Hi Mr. Hudson.” Hawk turns smoothly. “Hello Mr Wilcox.” There is suddenly a deadly silence no one speaks. If the young man was impressed by the TKU he didn't show it. He smiles. “Didn't expect you providing Federal Escort for the Bus, Mr Wilcox.” “Figured I would run into you, somewhere along the way, Hawk. I take those TKUs now.” Just then the Army Captain and two of his troops in their augmented and armed flight battle suits come in. Hawk eyed them and then unclasped his gun belt from hips and legs and held it towards Wilcox with an unreadable expression. Wilcox takes the guns and says. “Mr. Hawk Hudson you are under arrest.” Wilcox draws a pair of plastic cuffs from his leg pocket and puts them around the mans wrists. Hawk says. “You haven't won yet. Mr. Wilcox. The truth will come out and I will kill the men who murdered my father and my brothers.” Then he adds and those who hide behind badges and sell it to the highest bidder.” Wilcox hissed. “Shut up Hawk, you going back to the pen and that's the end of it.” The Army Captain gives the law man a glance and then said to everyone. “The troops that were supposed to be here have been dispatched to Shallow. Since we can not reach Headquarters, I must follow orders and return to Fort Three Corners.” Baldy shrugs. “Well that means as soon as the Cooling lines are fixed we are going back as well.” Sprewell steps up, “I have important business in Benton's. I purchased a fair and it is your duty to get us there. That's why your company gets those outrages subsidies.” Then the DeNoir manager turned to the Lieutenant. “And it's your duty, my boy, to come along with us and give us protection.” The Army Officer tried to remain polite but his tone was sharp. “It's my duty, Mr. Sprewell, to obey orders. I'm sorry. We are the Army we are not here to protect any Will and Jones.” Doc Boone raised his finger.”Actually that is your only duty, my Son. I am a former Officer of the Fleet and all the Armed Forces exist for one reason only...” The Army Lieutenant gets angry. “I am not discussing Army business and my orders with civilians and a drunk want to be Officer. I got my orders to escort you to Cobalt Springs and then return and that is what I do. What the civilians do is none of my business but the Bus is a designated Post ship and you carry a dispatch of the Army and you must go to Benton's.” Doc Boone mutters. “I might be a drunk but you have been an Officer the longest time when I make it to Benton's. The folks in Rigo are right. What this region needs is a Fleet Base and what the Union needs is to get rid of this useless branch.” The Captain snored turned on his heels and stomped out with his two men right behind him.

Baldy said. “The bus is going to Benton's. The troops are at Bumblebee and maybe they give us escort to Shallow from there it isn't far to Benton's Colony, but we won't go anywhere tonight. We leave at 0500 and anyone is welcome to come along at their own risk.”

Wilcox shoves his gun towards Hawk. “We will be on it, he has an appointment with the Federal Police there, but till then I will lock him up with the local Sheriff.” Hawk wordlessly obeys and the two leave the Saloon. A pretty black haired woman joins the Saloon owner looking almost like his sister. “Doc Boone, why did no one tell me you're here! How have you been?” Doc Boone puts his hand over Peacock's shoulder. “Let me tell you over a bowl of your gumbo and then introduce you to my new friend, Mr Pearson.” Peacock smiles at the Saloon owner. “Peacock, my name is Peacock and I represent Thomspons Bar Supplies...”

--””--

Lady Luna is sitting on the bench looking forlorn when Valthim brings her a cup of tea. “Your excellency, why don't you sit over thee by the Air Conditioner it is much cooler there.” She looks at him. “Do we know each other from somewhere?” “I am a Thauran my Lady and it is my sacred duty to see that the daughter of the Baron of Swandyr comes to no harm.” “You do know me, know my family, my father!” “I am but a humble servant.” She asks no further questions as to her it was perfectly normal to have dedicates servants. Daphne looks forlorn but then makes eye contact with one of the locals and smiles. He waved her over and soon she was talking and giggling.

--””--

Wilcox and Hawk dripped with water and sweat as they entered the office of the local law enforcement agent. A neon blue five pointed star and the illuminated word “Sheriff” above the door showed them they found the right place. Wilcox however was surprised to find a blackish giant slug behind the counter. The local sheriff was a Shaill. Wilcox snarled. “Where is Melvin?” The Shaill's voice box was modulated to a pleasant low male tone and said. “And good afternoon to you, Ranger Wilcox. I am the duly elected Sheriff of Cobalt Spring. My predecessor Melvin Shuster was arrested for taking bribes.” Wilcox sounded a little less harsh and gruff as he said. “I have arrested an escaped Convict and want to place him into your jail until we can leave tomorrow.” The Shaill wiggled his feeler stalks and said. “Of course Ranger Wilcox, this makes it of course an official affair and I will report that you arrested Mr. Hudson without incident and that he was in good health.” Wilcox blinked and said. “What are you trying to say, Sheriff?” “That I am a Law mollusk, Mr. Wilcox. I can't be bribed. No amount of Carpenters Credits can make me sell out and that I expect Mr. Hudson to arrive healthy and alive at Benton's.” Wilcox slammed his flat hand on the counter. “You be careful Mollusk. I am the Ranger in these parts and the Judge at Benton's has already convicted this man.” “Then it comes as a surprise to you when I tell you there is a real District Court at Benton's now, with a Federal Police precinct. You know the kind using Poly analyzers and such.” Wilcox said. “Makes no difference to me. I got a clean nose and a long distinctive career. Now put that man behind force fields.” “Of course right after you identified yourself properly and showed me your credentials. Then we fill out a report together and then I will take temporary custody of Mr. Hudson.”

--””--