A prompt a week - 51. Space Station Hopeful - Prompt 713

The commander had called a meeting of the top members of Hopeful to the control room. It meant leaving the main promenade, the family quarters, and the rest in the hands of my security team. Trying to keep a floating space station secure was anything but easy. Between those living on Hopeful, the various visitors, and occasional space anomalies we ran into, my team was at best stretched thin, at worst we sometimes fell short. I was just praying whatever the reason for this summons didn’t break my team beyond repair.

“Everyone, please take a seat.” Commander Veela stood at before the only armed chair at the round table. She always said that the round table was so no one department felt less important. I suspected it was due to the round room and a rectangular table wouldn’t exactly fit.

The seven department heads slid into the seats and stared at the commander, waiting for the news.

Veela looked everyone over, pausing only on myself and Grendel before she took a seat. I watched as she clicked on the room recorder and smiled.

“Grendel, please fill in everyone.”

Grendel sighed and slipped from his seat. He was a half breed, being partially human and partially menthanian. The planet Mentha was a gas giant, sort of like Jupiter. The race of people from there tended to look like what fairytales described as dwarves. They were small, muscular, and incredible with technology. Grendel ran the station’s engineering department, and being part human stood at was a huge height for his people, five foot six inches. He walked over, flipped a few switches on the computer banks and suddenly we had a detailed map of the area of space we currently resided within began floating above the conference table.

“Look, you all know, given enough time, me and the rest of my team can do miracles. That last group of nuts from the region near the sector fourteen offered their data scans for a chance to relax and do some trading. They didn’t realize what their scanners picked up all.” Grendel paused and looked at the commander who just nodded. “Look, there ain’t no easy way to put it, Hopeful is doomed.”

Most blanched and began trying to talk over one another. I watched Grendel and Veela as they seemingly turned to stone. Neither made a move to silence the group and the noise was getting to me. Having had enough, I smacked my hand down on the table. The sound echoed like a bell and everyone shut up and stared at me.

“Good. Now, Grendel what do you mean the station is doomed.”

I caught the amused look Veela shot me as everyone else focused on Grendel.

“There is a huge asteroid hurtling toward us. All projections have it colliding with our present location in just over seven hours.” Grendel nervously stroked his beard.

“Can’t we move the station out of the way?” Dr. Meyers headed medical and was the most logical. She rarely let anything bother her. Her being a Xeon-medical student had allowed her to study and understand the biology of many different species. I’d yet to see anything get under skin.

“We would if we could,” began Grendel.

“The truth is we cut the power to the main thrusters to conserve energy while we were trading here. We just have the rotation thrusters going.” Commander Veela stood drawing everyone’s attention. “As soon as astrophysics had discovered the asteroid, I ordered Grendel’s team to start those engines and get us out of here.”

“But?” I injected before anyone else could take this off track again.

“The engines are cold and even I can’t speed them up any more than science allows. Plain speaking, it’s going to take eight hours for the engines to be functional and that is an hour more than we have.” Grendel collapsed into his seat.

“So a full ship evac. We start with family and non-essential personnel. All visitors back to their ships, and if possible get them to take people with them.” I looked at the commander who nodded.

“I’ll have my sick bays emptied,” announced Dr. Meyers as she strode from the room.

The remaining heads sat silently staring at the model of the asteroid barreling across the system toward us. Slowly they began to stand, but it wasn't until the commander stood that they took charge of themselves.

“The rest of you begin emergency evac procedures.” Commander Veela signaled me as everyone else but Grendel filed out.

“Alright, so what didn’t you tell us?” I stared down at Grendel who seemed to shrink in his chair.

“That someone stole part of the start up equipment, forcing Grendel to improvise. We need the parts back, now!” Veela looked up at me. Her jaw was clenched and she seemed agitated.

“A theft of that size and importance should have been noticed and reported. Why tell me now, when I should be focused on helping everyone evacuate?’

“Because, the bastard that did it, took two of my men hostage when he removed it, Dameon.” Grendel was angry but scared. The anger I could understand, but what was frightening him.

The commander turned and looked toward the view screen. I could see her digging her finger nails into her palms. Something had her personally upset.

“Who?” Then it dawned on me. There is only one reason Veela and Grendel wouldn’t look at me. Someone had taken Reece! “I’ll kill them.”

“Dameon, get hold of yourself.” Veela grabbed my arm. “Reece and Lisa were both taken. There were signs of a struggle and blood was found at the scene. Your man Sneed is on the case. I need your mind, not your anger right now.”

I wanted to rip the station apart and find Reece, but I needed more information.

“What did they take?” I nearly growled. It was taking all of my fortitude not to just let my anger take over.

“They took the sealant matrix and capacitor. That is why they needed Reece and Lisa. Only members of my team are coded to open that area, and it takes two high ranking members to shut down the engines, and force operations over to the sub-stationary system.” Grendel gripped the edge of his chair hard enough to deform it. “Normally, it wouldn’t have been discovered ‘til they end of the shift, but naturally once we learned of the asteroid I called for them to start helping me turn everything on and found the engineering room a mess, there was blood, and then the hatchway was open and parts missing.”

“We found Ensign Lisa, Sir. She is unconscious and bound in a trader box set for deportation with our next trade,” Lieutenant Davison reported via communicator.

“Anything else with her?” I inhaled and tried not to sound annoyed.

“Sorry, Sir. No equipment or signs of Reece.”

I smashed the bulkhead and slowly counted to ten. “Have her taken to medical. Inform the commander. Close down that sector and move on. Good work Davison.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

That was every docked ship and most of the outer ring cleared. Whoever had Reece was going to pay. They were stupid enough to take the commander’s daughter, but when they took my mate, they earned death and their time was running out.

“Dameon, There are only two shuttles left. The asteroid will be here in less than an hour. Grendel needs those parts in the next ten minutes or we lose Hopeful.” Veela's tense voice snapped at me.

“I’ll find them all!”

I turned the corner onto the Promenade in time to see someone dive into the clothier. Considering I had personally checked the man who ran that business out, and seen him to a shuttle an hour ago, whoever had barged into his locked shop didn’t belong. I stormed over and swung the broken door open.

“I’d suggest you come out, before I come get you.”

“Eeep.” A voice squeaked from nearby.

“Now!” I bellowed.

The small figure of Martin Abe crawled out from under the nearest table. The man worked maintenance and had only recently joined the crew as a civilian worker. I was at the table in two strides, and flipped the table exposing a bag. With one hand I grabbed Mr. Abe and then grasped the bag which fell open revealing the missing capacitor.

“I’m only going to ask once,” I stated as I raised him by the scruff of his neck and looked him in the eye. “Where is Reece?”

The strong smell of urine filled the air and the man passed out.

I tossed his unconscious body onto a table and slapped my communicator. “Grendel, I have your capacitor. Davison, come to the clothier shop and collect Mr. Abe. If we have to evacuate handcuff him in the jailcell and leave him.”

“Sir?”

“You heard me, Davison. How long?” Even as I asked I could hear the sound of someone running toward me.

“Here, Sir.” Davison stood breathing hard.

“The bastard passed out and pissed himself. I need to find Reece, now!”

Davison nodded and grasped Mr. Abe as I hurried out. Abe had only one person he was seen with, Dr. Meyer’s assistant, Dr. Donald. The man was always complaining he didn’t make enough, how he was smarter than everyone else, and he was always stressing how humans needed to remain pure. In a word, the man was scum, but being a doctor allowed much of his behavior to be overlooked.

I nearly ran into Donald as he left the main medical lab with a giant satchel. “Damn, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Get out of my way. I need to hurry to the shuttle. The ship leaves in a few minutes and I sure as hell don’t plan to die on the station.”

As much as I wanted to reach out and crush his skull, I needed to find Reece and the sealant, immediately. “Where is Reece?”

Donald’s eyes darted to the lab and he attempted to run. I knocked him out with one punch and tore open the satchel to find the sealant sitting on top.

“Grendel, your sealant is at the main medical lab.”

“Damn, we might just make it. I have Barrymore on her way.”

I went to move into the lab when I heard footsteps behind me. Security agents Balthor and Drake arrived and took a look at Donald and then me.

“Drake, watch him. If he moves, kill him. Balthor take this and meet Barrymore. Hurry.”

The men snapped to attention and did as they were told.

I entered the lab. I checked the tables and floors. Finally, I checked the office in the back and found Reece unconscious, naked, bound, gagged, and bleeding from a cut on his temple. Gingerly, I lifted Reece from the floor and carried him to a med table.

“Dr. Meyer, I need you in the main lab. I have a medical emergency.” The main computer immediately summoned the doctor and turned the equipment on with the announcement of an emergency. I found a blanket and covered Reece. I gently stroked his cheek as I noticed the swelling around the left side of his face where the cut was.

After what felt like an eternity, but was probably only a moment, Dr. Meyer rushed in. She took one look, grabbed her instruments and turned her attention to Reece, “You! Out,” she kept rushing around and I knew I would just be in the way.

I headed toward the medical bay doors just as the station jerked. “Dameon, we have propulsion. Grendel said to say thanks,” came Veela’s sharp voice.

I smiled, knowing I’d have lots of time to deal with Abe and Donald now.