95 of 290

Write now Article Tools

I am writing this under less than comfortable conditions. Reporting fellow members of the crew is less than desirable even for a cook. Payne stopped typing the entry. "I can't prove anythingyet." She deleted the entry and shut down the holographic display. Payne was in trouble and time was running out. Two days ago this seemed like a simple job, to cook.

The small pilot ship to which Payne had been assigned was scheduled to rendezvous with a mining freighter in three days. Point of contact was the station at Jupiter. Protocol dictated the Skipper of the freighter would give up the pilot house and navigation to a pilot from the space dock. All this would have been routine other than the fact that the pilot was dead and the crew was missing. Payne was alone.

"Hay that's mine." Payne grabbed the cloth handle of a duffel bag that Leo had picked up. "Can't be I don't make mistakes." He wouldn't let go of the bag. Tink, tink, tink Payne thumped the bag. "Unless you collect pots I suggest you drop my bag". Leo cocked his eyes toward the thumping and dropped the bag. A last second catch by Payne kept the bag from hitting the floor. "Thanks." Leo snorted and pushed his buddy Pegs through the doorway of the shuttle.

The dinged up shuttle was unfamiliar transportation for the former cruise ship master chief. Three years in prison had turned Payne Nix into a cook, a very good cook, from Chief to Chef. The last thing she wanted was for one of the crew to find out her lofty past.

Leo and Pegs sat across from the cook. Air masks were necessary during the 40 minute ride to the base on the moon. Payne tried to nap. An annoying buzzer just loud enough to make her eyes open had to go. The control panel on the wall she recognized as an O2 sensor flashing. Her semi sleep state and the annoyance of the sound made her past training and knowledge take over.

"What are you... doing?" Leo had pulled the small oxygen mask from his face. Standing at the panel with the wires to the now disconnected sensor hanging from her hand Payne just looked at him. She dropped it on the ground and sat back down. "When something gets on my nerves I shut it up." She slept.

A galley was on the third level below the sleeping quarters. It was surprisingly spotless. Not a utensil out of place. This was going to be easy. Just cook and stay out of trouble.

The bunk in the kitchen was comfortable. Noise coming from the deck above woke her from a restful dream. The floor pounded from a body slam. It was loud

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Short stories: Science fiction?
We want to hear your view. Write now!