Ghost Station (The Wandering Engineer) Read Online Free PDF

gear.
    Defender
tapped the security system, and it showed him his corridor, as well as bits and
pieces of shots from still functioning sections nearby.He had it pull
in to the party outside the shuttle bay, and frowned as the woman informed the
captain that the shuttle was protected.
    “That's
Quinna the chief engineer admiral,” Sprite informed him.
    “Great,”
he said. “So this isn't a casual act of theft. Even better. At least they
didn't wait until we were in hyper before they tried this,” he said coming to a
decision. It was definitely time to leave. He wasn't happy about being stuck on
the mud ball in this system, but right now any port in a storm....
    He
picked up that they were planning to strip the shuttle and either enslave or
space him, and he growled darkly over the idea. “So, that tears it,” he
snarled. He could feel Defender pulling up his systems and booting his shields.
“Sprite, Comm. the bridge,” he ordered.
    “Yes?
Who is this?” a voice asked testily. He winced at the harmonics in the voice.
The volume was also all over the place.
    “This
is admiral Irons. I am assuming I am speaking with the executive officer of
this ship. Am I not?”
    The
voice sputtered. He snorted as he finished closing his duffel. “There have been
four security breach attempts on my shuttle. Would you care to explain?” he
demanded.
    “Who
the hell is that?” another voice asked. He could hear the exec shushing someone
in the background.
    “I'm
going to check out my shuttle. Make sure there hasn't been any damage,” he
said.
    “You
can't do that. Remain in your quarters,” the exec snarled.
    “If
you do not wish for my company then I will leave. I'll even be nice and not
demand my money back for trading with you,” Irons growled. “I suggest you keep
out of my way. You won’t like the consequences if you don't,” he growled
coldly.  The sputtering exec was cut off as Sprite cut the circuit. The
engineer shouldered his bag & toolkit, and then pulled out a stunner. He
didn't really need the weapon, his own arm can act as a stunner, but the threat
of the actual weapon can be a better deterrent than his arm.
    He
tried to open the door, and found it locked. A quick hand on it unlocked it.
Before he opened it a stop sign appeared on his HUD. He hesitated.
    “Admiral;
the female chief engineer, identified as Quinna O’Mallory is on her way, as are
the exec and several more guards.” Defender reported.
    The
AI opened the door and he stepped out in the corridor. Surprised, the guards
protested, and he brandished his stunner and then ordered them into the room.
Startled one stepped forward and he stunned him. The man crumpled like a puppet
with its strings cut. The other stepped back, eyes wide.
    “Take
him in there,” he said, motioning with his stunner. “Son don't try to be a
hero,” he growled. The kid shook his head, sweating heavily. He had him drag
his partner into the room. Closing and locking the door, the engineer made his
way to the shuttle bay.
    “I'm
trying to cover for you the best I can admiral, I can spoof a camera if we're
near, but not all,” Sprite cautioned.
    “I
know. Do your best,” he replied.
    Sprite
informed him the direct path was cut off. She pulled up the ship schematic and
gave him alternate routes on his HUD in different colors. He stepped into an
alcove when his sensors reported the exec coming, and smiled at the shocked
tones when the exec and crew noticed the cleaned and repaired corridor.
     
    “What
the hell's going on here? Who did this? Are we in the right corridor? Did we
make a wrong turn?” First mate John Warner demanded, looking around in
confusion.
    “No,
we are where we're supposed to be sir...” the guard said.
    “Oh
I've so got to talk to O'Mallory about this; maybe she had someone do it? Why?
Why the hell now?”
     
    O'Mallory
was having her own troubles as she got a report that the reactor was having
trouble. They had stepped it back another