Jethro Goes to War (Wandering Engineer Jethro's tale) (53 page)

“
Me too. I
want to check out that woman...” Hurranna growled.

“
Can it. No
we're going to keep it clean. I'll pass it on to higher later. First
round is on me.”

“
I'm for
that!” Sergei said, moving to the lock.

 ...*...*...*...*...

“
What the hell
are they doing back?” the man growled to the speaker as she
winced and sipped at her drink. The Neo's made their way back into
the bar, spoke with the bartender who shrugged and set them up with
drinks again.

“
Settle down.
They are patrons like everyone else,” she said. She looked
around casually and then turned her eyes to the vid screen in the
corner. A football match was currently playing there.

“
I don't like
it. We should leave. We should never have pissed the military off.
Nothing has gone as you said it would.”

“
Just because
we've hit a snag... okay, I admit, things have gone a little bumpier
than I'd planned.” She had to finally admit that. She had
planned on removing the obstacle the Admiral had presented, but
hadn't foreseen the depth of the can of worms it would open up.

She cursed herself
in the back of her mind once more. She hadn't taken into account the
possibility that Irons would get word out to others. Or how the two
stories would tear the government apart. How when it was revealed
that Irons was the only one with the key codes to make replicators...
How that news had torn her little cabal of conspirators apart.

Jethro grimaced. He
had caught onto the couple early on. Now that he knew who to look for
he had their scent localized. By focusing his audio implants he could
pick their conversation out of the babble of voices around them.

“
What the hell
are we going to do? You said you could get the navy to heel! When
that idiot failed and then that panther failed to kill their
leaders...”

“
Shut up Max,”
the woman said tightly, through gritted teeth. She rubbed her hands
on the table. “Don't worry. It's going to blow over eventually.
If not now, then soon. And if it doesn't, we can always change our
appearance and leave the system.”

“
Why don't we
do that now?”

“
Because we
can't. That's why. Destiny is gone. That other ship the seven seven
nine wont leave for another four or five months.”

“
Yeah, that's
another thing. You get rid of the Admiral and even sabotage the ship
he was leaving on. Why?”

“
I don't like
loose ends,” the woman said softly. “And he was a loose
end. One I am regretting ever tying off now,” she admitted and
then sighed. Jethro tried hard not to turn and snarl at that one. It
wasn't easy though.

“
When the navy
finds out...”

“
It will be an
unfortunate accident. Rushed out of dock too fast apparently. Or she
ran into more pirates. Who knows. Space is vast you know, a lot of
bad things can happen in the dark. They will only have speculation to
go off. And speculation doesn't lead to evidence. There isn't any. I
had you take care of that remember?”

“
Those girls
who did the programming and the team that installed the virus? Yeah,
I remember.”

Jethro's claws
clenched onto the table.

“
They can't
touch us. Any attempt and it will tear the government apart. And
until they see reason and drop the charges we will keep the
government tied up in knots and the money for the navy all tied up in
red tape as well. Nothing will get done. When they realize how badly
they screwed everything up, how much they need us to get stuff done,
they'll beg for us to come back,” the woman smiled and ran a
hand through her bangs.

“
And when we
do come back?” the man said shaking his head. “You
honestly think it will be that simple?”
“No. Of course
not. But eventually, someone will see reason and negotiate. We just
have to be calm and keep low until then. These hicks are a pain, but
as long as we hide out here in the stix with them, we'll be fine.
Firefly won't send in the marines. They wouldn't dare,” she
smiled.

“
You think it
will be that simple?” he asked. “The marines are here now
you know. And they are kind of popular.”

“
Max, Max.
Don't start doubting me now. Be a good boy and go check with the
others. We've got a meeting later tonight. We're going to leave here
just as soon as Firefly isn't near.”

The man and woman
got up and left separately. Hurranna bumped into the guy as she came
back from the bathroom.

“
It's him,”
she snarled. “I know it.” She shook her head.

“
Yeah,”
Jethro sighed. “I know.”

“
Someone
really has to do something.”

“
Yeah,”
he breathed, nostrils flaring. “Yeah.”

“
Hey dumb ass,
what're you lazy punks doing here?” a voice snarled behind him.
He turned as a meaty hand grabbed his shoulder. He tried not to
inhale too deeply, the guy smelled like he had bathed in moonshine.

“
I'm talkin to
you. Moreau trash,” the man snarled and then spat in Jethro's
face.

“
I don't have
any problem with you,” Jethro said, shrugging the guy's hand
off and getting his rage under control with difficulty. “Leave
it that way,” he growled. He let some of his rage deepen his
voice.

“
Well, I got
me a problem with you dumb pussy.” The man turned grinned at
someone behind him then threw a punch. Jethro dodged but it clipped
him on the ear. Banked anger soared. He grabbed the man's arm and
tossed him over his shoulder and into the bar behind him.

Fists came at him
from several directions. He let some hit his arms while deflecting
those aimed for his abdomen and head. Hurranna snarled as someone
picked her up and hurled her across the room. She clipped a ceiling
fan and then fell into a mess of tables and bodies. A riot broke out
as the people she fell on suddenly started throwing punches and
kicks.

“
This is fun!”
Sergei snarled coming in from the open door. He roared as a bottle
smashed into his nose. The violence suddenly abated as stunned people
stared at the angry white Liger holding his bleeding nose.

“
Who threw
that?!?” he snarled. One man holding another with a fist cocked
pointed with his index finger to the guy he was holding. “He's
mine,” the Liger roared, teeth bared. He dropped into a crouch
and flexed his claws. His lips rippled in a snarl. The man's eyes
widened and then rolled back as he fainted.

“
I think the
fights about over,” Jethro growled. A few people looked at him
as he snarled. “Right?” he asked, flexing his own claws.

“
Speak for
yourself. I want someone's ass, and not in a good way,”
Hurranna said, getting up and nursing an arm. “Damn that hurt.”

“
It's over,”
Jen said from the door. “Right?” she demanded. One by
one, those holding others let them slip to the floor. They held their
hands up shook their heads and then filed out, some looking sheepish.

“
How'd this
start?” the sheriff asked, coming in and stepping up to the
bar. She turned, looking down at the barkeep hiding under the bar.
“You wanna pour me a stiff one Jesse? I think it's going to be
one of those days,” she said. The blue haired bartender looked
up from under the bar she had been hiding under and nodded fast.

“
Drunks
ma'am,” Jethro said, toeing one of the guys. “This one
and one behind the bar decided to throw some punches. I got clipped
and reacted.”

“
Ah,”
Jen took the shot glass from the bartender and knocked it back.
“Where's your security Jesse?”

“
Off shift,”
the bartender muttered.

“
Well, you can
clean up this mess then. Send them to the drunk tank if they give you
any lip. You marines best go to your quarters and stay there.”

“
Yes ma'am,”
Jethro nodded, nursing a shoulder.

“
Sore?”

“
Nothing we
can't handle ma'am. We've had worse in boot.”

“
Right then,
off with you.” She waved to the door. Sheepishly they left.

“
Well, that
was fun,” Hurranna said dryly. “What do we do for an
encore?” she asked.

“
Hmmm.”

“
Shit,”
she sighed. “Me and my big mouth.”

...*...*...*...*...

Jethro waited until
the others were asleep before he acted. He silently slipped out of
the room and then made his way down the corridor to the main
concourse. He sniffed, closing his eyes and cataloging the smells
around him. As he walked he kept his nose high, trying to pick up the
scent. After a while, he caught the scent of the woman's perfume.

He knew they'd want
to be in on this, but he honestly didn't want them to be. He for one
wasn't sure what he was going to do just yet, and besides, he didn't
want them covered in pucky if anything went down.

“
Gotcha,”
he muttered, tracking the scent. It led deeper into the colony.
Sticking to the trail he followed.

He made it to a
corner and smelled other bodies. Some were in dire need of a wash.
When he heard voices he froze, then fell into the shadows, pulling
the velcro tabs on his BDU's. In a moment he was bare. He went into
cloak and then crept forward.

“
I'm telling
you, this is a bad idea. Screwing with those marines... Damn it, what
were you thinking?”

“
He wasn't.
Max, I told you not to grow a brain without checking with me first.
Go fix it.”

“
I can't,”
the other man's voice said sounding a bit like a self serving whine.
“I can't get near it. There is some sort of party going around.
Someone will see me.”

“
And they
didn't see you tampering with the marine's sled?” the female
demanded.

“
I don't think
so.”

“
You don't
think so,” she sighed. “Sometimes, honestly, you don't
seem to think at all.” She shook her head. Jethro watched her
through slitted eyes. There were five people in the room with her.
All were males. One was the male Max from the bar. He was either a
body guard or a lieutenant. Or both.

“
So what are
we going to do?”

“
Well, we
can't leave until the next shuttle comes around. Which won’t be
for another twenty seven hours.”

“
Those marines
leave in the morning boss.”

“
I know that,”
she replied testy. “Honestly,” she sighed patiently
shaking her head. “What possessed you to do something this
stupid? Whatever happened to a low profile?”

“
They were
snooping around. I'm sure of it.”

“
They are on a
rescue mission. I checked with the gossip mill. It's true. I even
talked with the Cartwright’s and the latest catch they brought
in.”

“
Yeah, aren't
you glad I talked you out of Cinder now?” Max said, face
earnest.

“
Yes. You did
good there. But this...”

“
They won't
trace it to me. I just undid the wires holding the safety valve. When
they turn it on and rev the sled up it'll snap the wires and they
will be off on a Dutchman. It'll go faster than they can handle and
black out.”

“
And if the
ship hears them?”

“
Then it will
divert to get them right?”

“
Or it will
send a shuttle,” another man said.

“
Oh. I... ah,
forgot about that,” Max said blushing.

“
Yes. And of
course there will be an investigation if their sled is found.”

“
I was
careful. I made it look like it abraded. Do give me some credit. I've
done stuff like this before.”

“
Not careful
enough,” the speaker grumbled.

“
My sentiments
exactly,” Jethro growled.

She looked up in
alarm as the men around her pulled weapons. “Who's there?”

“
Your worst
nightmare. Poetic Justice.”

“
We ready to
go?” Sergei asked Hurranna the next morning. She turned. “Where
were you?” the Liger asked as Jethro came up to them toweling
himself off.