Justice Delayed
13 Apr 2018MMMMMalcolm
Four weeks! I have been slurping jello and gnawing nasty Salisbury steak. I’ve been fighting gowns that don’t close in the back. Not that I’m shy or anything; it just doesn’t make sense to me. If I’m going to be naked, let me be naked; not undecided. Who I should’ve been fighting were the Guangul Brothers. They were the ones who put me in this hospital. They were the ones who hurt Kay and put her a few floors above me. They were the ones who killed my child. And they were gonna pay; just as soon as I got out of here.
Nurse Louise has been my primary care giver but she hasn’t had the most pleasant bedside manner since we first met a month ago. She’s been all business; no time for small talk. If I wanted to know anything, I had to plan my questions ahead of time, make sure I asked them before she left my room, oh and make sure I only asked about my own personal health care.
“Nurse,” I say as she finished her checks.
“Yes Mr. Goodwin?” I want to tell her she can call me Malcolm, but I know it’s a lost cause.
“Is there any way I can get some real clothes? I didn’t pack any for this trip.” She didn’t crack a smile. She was tighter than a Federal station on lockdown.
“The only way is to order them and have them delivered. There isn’t a clothier within the building but there is one right across the street. You aren’t the first patient who’s made a surprise visit to this hospital.” I opened my mouth to thank her, but she was already halfway out the door. So much for asking if I could leave today. It’s the thirty-fourth century; I guess you discharge yourself. Okay.
I grabbed my data slate. Mr. Wantz brought me a new one a few days ago. My old one was still in station security’s evidence locker. A red light was flashing over one of the many unread messages that downloaded to the new device. I made a note of it, but didn’t read it. First, I needed to get some new clothes. I looked up the clothing store across the street, browsed through their inventory, and ordered some jeans, a pair of black boots, and a black long sleeve collarless shirt. A half hour later, their delivery boy came into my room followed by my nurse, and an older gentleman in a lab coat.
“Are you Malcolm Goodwin?” the boy asked.
“You are correct,” I answered still lying in my bed. “Just leave the clothes on that chair over there please. I included a generous tip with my order. Make sure you get it when you get back.”
“I will, and thank you sir. Sign here please.” The young man produced a data slate and a stylus. “Thanks again. I hope you feel better.”
“And I hope you’re not planning to go anywhere soon,” the older gentleman stated as the young man left. I rose and sat on the edge of the bed. The gentleman stood in front of me.
“I’m way past planning. I’m well into the execution now.”
“As your physician, I must advise against it. We are still monitoring you. Head trauma can have hidden affects that manifest even after treatment. And you need another Progenitor treatment on your chest. Strenuous activity could set back your recovery in both areas. At best you would have a nasty scar on your chest. At worst you could have internal bleeding or a brain bleed that would kill you.” I stood; intent on using a real bathroom for once.
“I feel much better doc,” I said. My chest still had a dull ache, like I had worked out too hard and was paying the price. But my leg and my head felt fine. “Thank you for all your help.” When I returned from the bathroom, I began to get dressed. I frowned at the fact the bathroom didn’t have a shower in it and the fact the nurse and doctor were still there. “Your advice has been noted doc. If you tell me which room Kay Wantz is in, I promise to take it easy.”
“I’m sorry Mr. Goodwin,” nurse stick in the mud answered. “We can’t disclose confidential patient information.” I glared at the woman who ducked behind the doctor.
“Look I already know she was pregnant, and that you removed the unborn child; MY CHILD. In my book that makes her family; MY FAMILY, what’s left of it. Please, what room is she in?” The nurse just hung her head.
“We’re extremely sorry for your loss,” the doctor answered. “She’s in room 512A; three floors up.”
“Thank you; thank you both.”
Other than the noise coming from her breathing machine and heart monitor, Kay’s room was quiet. Her whole family was crowded into various areas of her room quietly waiting for her to wake. They all looked at me when I entered; everyone except Kristina. I just ignored them. My attention was locked on Kay. She was so still, so lifeless, so much the opposite of what I knew her to be. I gently squeezed her hand. When I bent to kiss her cheek, I whispered in her ear.
“Don’t worry about anything but getting better. They won’t get away with this.” For a moment I rested my forehead on hers. Then, without another word, I rose up and marched out the way I came in; my boots clicking against the polished tile floor with purpose.
My next stop was at Overseer Brewer’s office. He had a beautiful new assistant manning the front desk. I stopped long enough to ask if he was in.
“Yes, but he can’t see you now. He’s in a meeting.”
“Don’t worry, this won’t take long.” I pushed past the receptionist into Kris’s office. He was talking to a gentleman who was looking over notes on a data slate. The stranger was an older man who wore black shoes and slacks with a white button down shirt. His sleeves were rolled up past his elbows and a black tie hung loose around his collar. He had thick brown hair. Piercing brown eyes were set in a hard tanned face wrinkled by what they had witnessed.
“I’m sorry Mr. Brewer; he forced his way in here.”
“It’s alright Ms. Simms. Please close my door behind you when you leave.” After the receptionist left he continued. “Welcome back commander; how are you feeling?”
“As well as can be expected under the circumstances.” I sat in the empty chair facing his desk.
“Allow me to introduce Inspector Broussard.” The inspector turned his piercing gaze my direction. “Inspector, this is the man responsible for breaking up the Guangul Brothers, Commander…”
“I know who he is,” the inspector spat. “He’s the hot-shot who ruined five years of detective work and got his girlfriend shot up in the process.” I ground my teeth together as he continued. “I was this close to shutting them down. But now, thanks to your heroics, the Guangul Brothers have changed their tactics. I’ve lost track of them.”
“I know it’s tough when someone else does your job inspector, but…”
“You don’t know anything boy, that’s the problem! There were eight brothers running the pirate faction in the Guangul system. You killed four and captured two. The remaining two have selected four of their best pilots and are terrorizing citizens in the system. Before, they were just robbing transports, sending pilots home in crippled ships or escape pods. Now they are murdering innocent men, women, and children without mercy. If it were up to me you would be locked up next to Asher and the now blind dummy they call ‘Bull’.”
I sat for a moment shocked and angered by the inspector’s accusations. Then I sat saddened as the truth added its pain to the ache in my chest. My goal was to help Kay’s family; not put innocent people in harm’s way. I rose to silently leave another room.
“Hey, I’m not finished with you. Where are you going?” the inspector asked.
“To finish your job.”
‘Breathless’ was patched up a week ago. I paid the storage fees and ordered her to the surface for pre-flight checks.
“Welcome back commander.”
“Thank you S.H.E.A. Run a complete diagnostic on systems, engines, and weapons. I want a full status report before we take off.”
“Beginning diagnostic. Will Ms. Wantz be joining us on our journey?” I closed my eyes and swallowed hard.
“No S.H.E.A., not this time.”
“That’s unfortunate. Diagnostic complete. All systems are fully functional, including the fighter hangar bay. However, there is no crew to pilot the fighter.”
“Thank you S.H.E.A. Locate Dave and Aticus for me please.”
“Scanning; stand by. Dave is in HD 63154 studying Guardian artifacts. Aticus is in HIP 19201 studying black holes.” Crap, both were a thousand light years away. My needs outweighed my urgency.
“Create a conference holo-communication to both wing members please.”
“Contacting wing; stand by.”
“Dave, Aticus, how’s it going guys?”
“Great so far,” Aticus replied. His digital image flickered in and out above my display. “I found a couple black holes to add to the twenty five other systems I’ve scanned.”
“I'm ok too,” Dave added from the seat of his rover. He was never one to waste words.
“That’s good to hear fellas, but I’m afraid my news is not as positive. Kay’s father has been having problems with a pirate faction raiding his transports near Sol. I offered to help but they were a bit tougher than I expected. Long story short, Kay is in the hospital. I just got out myself after a month’s hiatus. You think you would be interested in helping me clean up this mess?”
“Sure,” Dave said. “I just need to smooth an erratic frequency in my shield generator first.”
“Count me in as well,” Aticus stated. “I just need to swap this Diamondback Explorer for my Python.”
“Great! I’m glad I can count on you. I have some work I need done to ‘Breathless’ as well. I’ll contact you with further details when that’s done.”
“Looking forward to it,” Aticus said.
“Thanks again guys, Malcolm out.” Cool, the cavalry was organized. Next I needed some big guns. “S.H.E.A. patch me through to Li Yong-Rui in the Lembava system.”
“Initiating communication link. Stand by. In the meantime, would you like me to decrypt the high priority message that’s been waiting in your que?”
“There’s an encrypted message in my in-box?”
“Affirmative.” That would explain the red light I ignored earlier.
“Cancel my call to Rui.”
“Connection cancelled.”
“Decrypt the message and display it on my console.”
“Decrypting; stand by.”
PRIORITY MESSAGE
FROM: Admiral Gareth G. Goldsmith, Federal Navy
TO: (undisclosed recipients)
STANDBY ALERT, CODE YELLOW
Gentlemen,
I am contacting you as high - ranking officers of the Auxiliary Force in the Federal Navy. We have just been informed by the (CLASSIFIED) about a possible upcoming high - priority counterespionage task in the San Tu system.
We have reasons to believe that Commander James Barrett is working under orders of (CLASSIFIED). He is being quietly followed by (CLASSIFIED), but a forced take over or even take down may be required in the coming days or weeks.
Please indicate your readiness to accept this task should it be issued by responding to this message.
This is on a need - to - know basis only. This message will be automatically deleted after you confirm reading it.
Fly safely commanders,
Admiral Gareth G. Goldsmith
Head of Operations Department for Auxiliary Forces
Federal Navy
Great, just what I didn’t need. The Federal Navy Auxiliary Force requesting my services. I should have known that Corvette they gave me came with strings attached. One thing kept me from ignoring the message and resuming my pursuit of Rui, the name James Barrett.
“What have you gotten yourself into my friend? S.H.E.A. request permission to leave the station and then plot a course to the San Tu system.”
“As you wish commander.”