Don't get friendly with the cargo ( flashback )

[Shalin 0]

Of all his early assignments, Shan loved Delta Epsilon 5 the best. It was a station built into a large moon, speckled with ports and hangar bays. The station buzzed with activity constantly: from railed cars moving heavy equipment to overhead cranes hauling beams and ships about. There were few grav-levitators about, because maintenance hated the upkeep. The technology was crude, but inherently reliable.

 

As cargo carriers, loaders, and technicians on three-wheeled carts shot about, Shan walked carefully through bay after bay on his way to J-17. His latest assignment waited there: GCC-122 ... the Cryghton. It was an Almeida-class cargo carrier, and he was already in love with it. It wasn't that the ship was especially elegant or maneuverable, or even especially fast. No: the beauty of the Almeida-class was its versatility. His assignment packet indicated that the Cryghton tended to operate under-manned in the sciences and security departments, but this was based on their operating parameters. The Cryghton was a cargo carrier - plain and simple. Shan smiled when he read his orders - simple was good.

 

Arriving at J-17, he took a moment to take in the ship. At slightly over 150 meters, some people looked at it as more of an oversized shuttle than an undersized starship. Shan saw it in the reverse: simple and elegant, with a few curves of its own just to show that the designer had some sense of elegance. The cargo module was being refitted at the moment, which gave Shan a chance to watch the process from the outside.

 

"Special assignment - the contents of that module are so classified we can't even get a manifest on it." Shan looked up to see a friendly face - gaunt with graying hair, but one that seemed comfortable anywhere. "You're Shan Shalin. Hi - I'm Guy McNeil, captain of this tub." He waved his hand to keep Shan from coming to attention. "We're an informal boat; do your job well, and we can skip all the saluting."

 

Shan straightened anyway. "It's an honor to serve with you sir."

 

McNeil groaned slightly. "First order, flight officer: don't ever call me 'sir'. If it's important, Captain will do." He looked out at the ship and frowned. "Won't know where we're going until we're half-way out of the system ... I already don't like it."

 

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Shan quickly came to respect the Captain's intuition. The 'cargo' was a platoon of Marines destined for a security detail on Dracis 3 along the Orion border. Still sore from the academy, Shan would have sooner flushed the platoon and their cargo module into a passing star - but orders were orders. Carry them there, remain in orbit to provide support. The entire mission was slated for two weeks, though McNeil had suggested it would be longer.

 

At the end of his first shift, Shan wanted nothing more than to remain on station. An Almeida was a small vessel which didn't have room to set up separate quarters. The platoon was billeted in the unused staterooms throughout the ship, and all galley and rec' areas were shared. From what Shan could gather the Captain would've preferred to set up separate facilities, except that the cargo decks were full of supplies for the Dracis colony. Things were going to be cozy for a crew that was used to being able to stretch out.

 

It was shift end, though, and McNeil was picky about his crew taking down time. "I'll tell you when you have to serve overtime. Until then I want you rested and relaxed." Under orders, Shan had no choice but to accept relief and head down below. As he did, McNeil took a moment to stop him. "Hey - just a bit of advice. Get your food and exercise, then catch some sleep. Don't get friendly with the cargo."

 

Shan was a bit confused at the comment, but simply nodded before heading down to the galley to get a dinner which vaguely resembled food before tucking into a corner table to eat alone and in relative peace ... which lasted for about ten seconds.

 

"Excuse me - do you have something against eating with Marines?"

 

Shan looked up to face the typical round-headed buzz-cut. "Not looking for conversation."

 

The marine took the response surprisingly well. "That's just because you haven't gotten to know us. Allow me to expand your horizons ..."

 

The marine was one Hortense Spunkmeyer ... a detail which Shan was pledged to secrecy about. Like Shan, he was a logistics specialist: a pilot and a material mover. He was the third of five children, with a doting mother who made the best apple fritters in the whole of the South ( whatever that was ) and a kid sister who anxiously awaited every dispatch he sent just to make sure he was all right. Shan lost a total of four hours learning about Hortense and his adventures as a marine before finally insisting that he had to get some sleep.

 

The days that followed went quickly with Hortense on board; and if McNeil objected to Shan's disobedience, he didn't say anything.

 

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Upon arrival at Dracis 3, the contents of the cargo module was revealed: an armed dropship designed to land the platoon in a hot zone complete with APC and missle support. The Cryghton shuddered slightly as the ship deployed, sending the platoon down to their assignment. It was a total of six weeks before they were recalled, having been relieved by two companies ... a necessity once Command realized that the situation was a little more difficult than they anticipated.

 

Shan worked the cargo transporter to bring the platoon on board. The dropship and the APC were both listed as 'disabled'. As he watched as the Marines came off the platform, Shan quickly noted the absence of one face in particular. Swallowing nervously, he walked up to one of the Sergeants. "Excuse me, but there was a Private Spunkmeyer in your platoon ..."

 

The Sergeant shook his head. "He was on security detail two weeks ago outside of the dropship when it was hit ..." He stared at Shan intently, his eyes telling the rest.

 

Shan nodded. "I'm sorry ... excuse me - I'm needed on the bridge."

 

He felt his heart turn to a rock as the lift carried him up and over, opening out on the command deck where McNeil was waiting. As Shan walked to his station he felt the captain's hand gently rest on his shoulder - not heavily, but in a supportive way. "I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way."

 

Shan nodded. "I understand, sir - don't get friendly with the cargo."