Welcome back readers. Just when the Lady Lex seemed to be getting into a routine all hell breaks loose. Have fun wondering who wants to attack the Lady Lex. -Ben and Douglas
The Boys of the Lady Lex Chapter 19 "Unwanted Company" Written By Douglas DD and Benjamin TC
Captain Hatcher stood looking out into space from the Officer's lounge. He was proud of what his boys had accomplished yesterday. He yawned as his mere four hours sleep was starting to catch up to him. He looked at his watch and saw that reveille was still another two hours away. He let out a big yawn and stretched. It was time to get ready for another busy and hectic day.
Scooter bobbed his head up and down. He was fighting to stay awake on the bridge. It was late and he was standing watch. Even though he was the watch bill coordinator, it didn't excuse him from standing a bridge watch, especially since he is one of the senior cadet officers. Finally the battle that Scooter had been fighting for the last 30 minutes ended. Scooter had lost. He had finally nodded off into a deep, sound sleep. As Scooter was letting out a muffled snore, a red light started blinking at the security station. Scooter was too far gone to see or even hear the beeping.
Andrew woke up as a hand came slapping down on his face. All blurry eyed he removed a sleeping Nipper's hand who just rolled over and sat up and took a few seconds too figured out where he was. Then he remembered. He and Nipper had fallen asleep on the "Lady Hawke". His bladder was talking to him. So he got off the cot and went to the bathroom. Andrew looked at the digital clock on his way out of the head. It read 0411.
"Nipper," whisper Andrew as he nudged him. "Nipper, wake up."
"I'm sleeping. I don't want to go to school today," moaned a barely audible Nipper.
"Nipper, wake up. It's me Andy. We have to go back to our room before its time for me to play my trumpet."
"Go away, I'm sleeping." Nipper rolled over and pulled the pillow over his shaven head.
Andrew wished he could leave his boyfriend sleep in, but he didn't want him to get in trouble. So he nudged Nipper one more time and told him to get up so they don't get in trouble. Finally Nipper half awake sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He looked at Andrew and then his head fell back on the pillow.
"What time is it?"
"Quarter after four."
"Why you wake me so early for?"
"We have to get back to our room. Once we get there we can go back to sleep."
Nipper let out a big sigh and finally got up. He dragged himself to the exit of the shuttle. Nipper was still half asleep and didn't realize that he was still naked. Andrew quickly followed him to get him back so he could put on his clothes just in case the watches would spot them.
"Nipper, we have to put our clothes on first."
"Huh?"
"We're naked. We better put our clothes on first before we go." Both boys stood naked in the shuttle bay. Nipper scratched his piss hard on and finally became more awake and alert.
"Are you still sleeping?" laughed Andrew.
"Yeah, you know it takes me a while to wake up. You know it feels kind a neat being out in the open like this naked."
"Yeah, I like it too."
Nipper peeked through a partially open door. "Hey look, the "Wonder Boy" is parked in the next bay. I wonder why?" asked Nipper.
"Maybe they were doing some repairs on it. Come on let's go see it real quick before we go back to our quarters."
Nipper followed Andrew and they walked up the small set of stairs that led into the shuttle. Once inside both boys looked at each other and smile. Andrew hugged Nipper and their lips touched. Their kiss was short lived as they heard a loud metallic thud. Andrew panic hit the button to close the hatch to the shuttle.
"What did you do that for?" asked Nipper.
"I think someone is coming."
Andrew and Nipper peered out of the front window to see what had made the thud. The hatch that normally would have the "Wonder Boy" attached to it was open. A group of six men wearing black outfits, a black hood, and night vision goggles exited the hatch. All six of them had impulse rifles.
The leader of the group held up a small radio and spoke. "Alpha Team 5 to Alpha Leader. We are in and heading to destination point Charlie." The six men exited the bay. Andrew and Nipper were about to open the door to go tell someone what they saw, but two more men appeared out of the hatch.
"What do we do?" asked Andrew.
"I don't know." Nipper and Andrew looked at each other trying not to be afraid.
"Trevor?" asked Ian as he woke up. "You awake?" Ian had woken up and saw the blankets pulled over Trevor's head and a light beaming through them.
"Yeah, did I wake you?"
"No. What are you doing under there?"
Trevor removed the blanket. He was holding a flashlight in one hand and Treasure Island in the other. "I am just reading a book."
"You like to read?"
"Not really,"
"Then why are you reading, especially at this hour?"
Trevor didn't want to tell Ian why. He didn't know his roommate well enough to see if he would tattle on him or not if he told him the real reason why he was reading the book. "I read the comic book and liked it a lot, so I thought I would read the real version."
Ian got up from his bed. Trevor could tell by the dim light that all Ian had on was a pair of white briefs, just like him. However, Ian's tighty whitey were tented out. When Ian realized it, he turned at an angle so Trevor wouldn't notice. But it was too late. Trevor saw it, but didn't say a word.
"I have to go to the bathroom." Ian left the room. Trevor continued to read his book. A few minutes later, Ian returned. "I'm hungry. I wish we didn't have to wait until breakfast."
Trev lifted his head back up from reading. "You want to go get something to eat?"
"Well, yeah, but we aren't allowed."
Trevor stood up. Ian glanced at Trevor in his white briefs. Ian knew that Trevor and Andrew were identical twins, but there was something about Trevor's looks that intrigued him. He didn't know what it was. Maybe it was just the way Trevor carried himself compared to Andrew.
"Are you hungry or not?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"Then come on, let's go get some food."
Trevor had a plan. He been thinking about the mistakes he made the night Mr. Wolfe caught him. Even though Mr. Wolfe hadn't taught him anything about stealth or thievery...yet, he already started to prepare himself to try it again. Trevor went to his dresser drawer and pulled out two pair of latex gloves he had stolen from the sickbay when he went and visited Ben. He gave a pair to Ian.
"What's this for?"
"So our fingerprints won't be left behind." Trevor was so excited about trying this again, that his briefs began to tent out. Trevor grabbed a piece of folded paper from his drawer and tucked it into his underwear. He opened the door to his quarters and poked his head out. The coast was clear. With flashlight in hand, he quickly ran to the closet near by and ducked in, reluctantly Ian followed. Both boys were wearing nothing but their briefs.
Trev climbed up on the shelf and removed a vent. The vent was vertical and ran about 10 feet high. Trev stood on a top shelf where his head and shoulders were in the vent. Ian looked up wondering why he was following Trevor. He remembered how he followed his brothers in their drug trade when he didn't want to and it had led him here to the Lady Lex. Now he was following Trevor.
Trevor tucked the flashlight under his chin and braced himself in the vent and lifted his right foot up and flatly on the vent wall in front of him. Since he had no shoes or socks on, his skin acted like glue and he brought his left foot up. He then scooted his way up the ten foot chute, finally making it to the top. He slipped a couple of times, but managed to keep from falling all the way.
"Come on Ian," whispered Trevor loudly. "Use your skin to help you climb."
Ian climbed on top of the shelf. He followed suit and scurried up the chute. It hurt his skin a little, but once he made it to the top, he was okay.
"Come on, let's go find the galley." Trev aimed his flashlight at the map he made from the ship's blueprints.
"What is that you're looking at?" asked Ian as he was watching Trevor with great interest.
"Blue prints to the ship's ventilation system. This is our road map."
"How did you get those?"
"We work in security. It's easy to get our hands on stuff like this. Now come, lets go get some food." Trevor and Ian started crawling down the dark tunnel. Little did the two boys know that below them in the dark corridor was a group of unwanted company creeping around.
Greg Wheeler and Tyler Young from the "Fagin" shuttle craft walked together back to their quarters. They had just been relieved by two boys who would be standing the 0400-0600 watch. Both boys were tired and they wanted to get some more sleep before another adventurous day began on the Lady Lex.
They rounded the corner and then heard a muffled zap and a quick flash appeared from where they just came from. Greg and Tyler poked their heads around the corner to see what it was. They poked their heads just in time to hear a second muffled zap and a flash hit square in the chest of one of the boys that relieved them from watch. They watched his body fall to the ground next to the other boy.
Greg let out a yelp when he saw this. Men in black cat burglar type clothes looked and saw the two frightened boys. They took aim and fired. Tyler quickly pulled a frozen Greg from his position and ran. The intruders were right behind them.
"Alpha Team 3 to Alpha Leader. We have two rodents running on corridor C deck 12."
"Alpha Leader to Alpha Team 1 did you hear last transmission?"
"This is Alpha Team 1. We heard and taking up positions to intercept the rodents."
"Alpha Leader copies Alpha 1. Alpha Team 3 continued to chase the rodents into the trap."
"Alpha Team 3 copies."
"Andrew, we have to warn Captain Hatcher that we have intruders," said a nervous Nipper.
"But how? We don't have comm watches like the officers do."
"We can use the comm station on board here."
Andrew and Nipper went to the comm. Station. They tried to get in touch with the bridge, but no one answered.
"Why aren't they answering?" asked Nipper.
"I don't know," replied Andrew. "I know I am using this right." Little did the boys know, Scooter was still sound asleep and never heard the call.
"I know, we can call directly to Uncle Steve's cabin?"
"But I don't know the frequency to his cabin," said Nipper as he fumbled around the switches.
"I don't know it either," said Andrew discouraged. "But there has to be something we can do?"
Nipper's eyes widen with an idea. "What is the closest comm system from where we are at now?"
"The comm station here on this shuttle, but we don't know the frequencies. Plus we will have to power up the shuttle to turn on comms and that would give away our position."
"What's the next closest?"
"The bridge?"
"No."
"Engineering?"
"No. Think Andrew!!"
"I don't know Nipper. Just tell me."
"Our bedroom."
"We don't have a comm syst..." then it dawn on Andrew. "The intercom I use for my trumpet."
"All we have to do is get to our room and turn on the intercom and warn everyone that we have intruders on board."
"But how are we going to get past them?"
"I'll be a distraction and while you escape and warn everyone."
"I don't want to leave without you." Andrew was afraid of going by himself. He didn't know what was happening. He was trying so hard to be brave but tears began to trickle down his cheeks anyway.
Nipper was afraid, too. He didn't know if his idea was the right one or if it would even work. He wanted to just stay in the shuttle where it was safe and be with his Andy. But he knew the ship had to be warned and he couldn't think of any other ideas.
"Andy, I love you and I will be okay. I will meet you in our cabin. Okay?"
"You promise?"
"I promise"
Both boys kissed and hugged each other. Both of them were shaking with fear, but they knew they had to do what they had to do.
"Andy, you can sneak out the emergency hatch in the back while I distract the guards."
"How you gonna do that?"
"Leave that up to me," said Nipper with a mischievous smile.
Nipper and Andrew took their positions. Nipper opened the shuttle door. It hissed as it lowered down. Nipper came strolling down the stairs naked. The guards pointed their rifles at Nipper.
"Stop where you are! Identify yourself!" said one of the guards.
Nipper stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He stuck up his middle finger. "I am number one"! He then turned around and pointed to his naked butt "and you freaks can kiss my bare white butt!" Nipper then let out a loud fart and ran.
The two guards fired their rifles, but they missed Nipper as he scurried like a cat to the exit. He ran through the door and rounded the corner. The two guards ran after him but just as they got in front of the door, Andrew appeared in front of them holding a fire hose.
"You leave my boyfriend alone." He then opened up the hose and sprayed the two guards. Both of them went flying backwards. Nipper came back to help Andrew. They wedged the door shut on the hose so that it propped the hose up and let it continue to spray towards the two guards. They laughed and giggled and grabbed each other's hands and ran towards their cabin.
The first guard crawled his way out of the line of fire from the hose and got on his radio. "Alpha Team 5 this is Shuttle bay. Two rodents just escaped from the shuttle. They know we are here."
"Shuttle bay this is Alpha Team Six. We copy and we are heading your way."
Trev and Ian lowered themselves into the kitchen. Both of them had put on their latex rubber gloves. Their hearts stopped when they heard a loud clank. The two boys quickly ducked behind a large cook pot. They saw a group of black covered men rummaging through the kitchen making a mess.
"Who are they?" whispered Ian.
Trev knew it. Since Travis and his team became members of the Mustang Gang, Johnny was having them do what Trev was suppose to have been doing, but failed to do. It looked like they are failing too because they weren't prepared to break into the reefer like he was.
Trev was about to go up to them when he noticed something peculiar. They all had phaser rifles. That was odd. How would Travis and his crew get them? Ian and Trevor hid behind the large floor mounted pot and waited. At first Trev thought they were looking for something, but then came to realize that all they were doing was making a big mess.
"Alpha Team 5 this is Shuttle Bay. Two rodents just escaped from the shuttle. They know we are here," said a voice over a radio that one of the intruders had.
The leader of the group picked up his mike and spoke. "Shuttle bay this is Alpha Team Six. We copy and we are heading your way." The leader then singled to his men. "We got rodents on the loose, let's go hunt them down." The intruders then left the galley with one of them saying "I can't wait to fire this thing at them."
"They're gonna shoot mice?" asked Ian.
Something told Trevor that it wasn't mice that they were going to hunt. Something deep down in him knew what the rodents were. Was it knowing that his brother and boyfriend were in the shuttle after taps? Was it being an identical twin and that special bond they had that caused Trevor to sense the fear and anxiety that Andrew was having at that moment? Was it reading books like "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "Treasure Island" that put strange ideas in his head? He didn't know what it was, but he knew that rodents meant cadets and the ship was under attack. He knew what he and Ian had to do.
"Come on Ian, back to the vent."
"Where are we going?"
"To get help."
"Captain Hatcher?"
"No."
"Colonel Stone?"
"No."
"Then who?"
"Mr. Wolfe."
"Our English teacher?"
"Yeah, now come on and lets go."
The two boys shimmied back up into the safety of the vents and made their way to Harrison Wolfe's quarters.
Tyler and Greg managed to hide in the music room. They heard the intruders run by them. They just stayed in the room trying to figure out what to do.
"They killed them!" said Greg who was crying.
Tyler wanted to cry too. But because he was the older of the two, he felt it was his responsibility to stay calm and figure out what to do next. He felt he had two options. The first one was to stay and hide until help arrived. The second was to leave their safe haven and go get help and alert the crew.
"Greg, you stay here while I go get help."
"Don't leave me, Tyler. Please. I'm scared."
"We have to go get help. No one knows that they are here. We have to alert Captain Hatcher."
"But they killed them. They'll kill us too."
Both boys stopped breathing as they heard someone at the door. They quickly hid behind the piano. The guys looking for them were retracing their tracks to figure out how they lost the two young boys. They were determined to find them.
"Alpha Team Four to Alpha Leader."
"Alpha Leader here."
"Alpha Team reports that the sleeping rodents are sealed in their holes."
"Copy that Alpha Team Four. Alpha Leader to Alpha Team three you copy last transmission?"
"Alpha Team Three we copy Alpha Leader. The package to the sleeping rodents will be delivered in twenty minutes on my mark. Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Mark. Twenty minutes and counting."
Tyler and Greg held their breath as the intruder crept closer and closer to their hiding location. They knew it was only a matter of time before they would be caught and killed like the other two. But all they could do is hope for a miracle.
"Alpha Leader to all Alpha Teams," squawked the voice over the radio. "The package is being delivered, all teams vacate immediately. I repeat. All teams vacate immediately."
Just as the intruder was about to take the step that would cause him to see Tyler and Greg, he stopped and turned around and head it out. Both boys heard him say "Alpha Team 1 copies and is vacating now."
"What package is being delivered?" asked Greg.
"I don't know. But we have less then twenty minutes to find out. Come on." Tyler grabbed Greg's hand after checking to see if the coast was clear and they headed to the bridge. They knew they had no time to get help now. They knew they had to stop the package from being delivered whatever it might be.
Ian and Trevor made it to Mr. Wolfe's cabin. They knocked and rang the bell, but there was no answer. Trev tested the door and it was locked.
"Damn it, why isn't he answering his door?" asked Trevor.
"Maybe those bad guys shot him?"
"Not Mr. Wolfe. He's too smart to get shot. You should have heard what Andrew told me that Mr. Wolfe did on Lucifer with a knife. Come on, let's go get Uncle Steve." As the boys turned to go get Captain Hatcher they were greeted by two men in black, just a little taller then they were. They couldn't see their faces because of the black fitted hoods.
The two intruders aimed their weapons at them. "Where does the crew of the `Wonder Boy' sleep?" asked one of the intruders.
"Deck 12," said Ian. He was cut short by Trevor ramming his elbow into Ian's side.
"You were always the feisty one, weren't you?" said the second intruder. "What cabin are they in?"
"For me to know and you to never find out, asshole," said Trevor.
"You tell us now Trevor or we will have to shoot you," said the second intruder.
"Fuck you!!" Then Trev realized the intruder knew his name, but before he could do anything about it he felt a hot blast hit the center of his chest and everything went black.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" cried Ian. "You killed him!!"
"What cabin and we will let you live," ordered the first intruder.
"Cabin 32, 33, and 34."
"Thank you!!" said the first intruder. He then fired his rifle and Ian collapsed on top of Trevor. The two intruders made their way to Deck 12, cabins 32, 33, and 34.
Andrew and Nipper finally made it back to their cabin. Andrew ran over to the intercom system and flipped it on. As he was grabbing his trumpet their bedroom door slammed shut and sealed itself.
"It's locked! I can't get it open," yelled Nipper. "We're trapped. Hurry and blow that thing!"
Andrew flipped the switch to turn it on. Nothing happened. "It's not working!"
"What's wrong with it?" asked Nipper.
"I don't know. It worked earlier." Andrew spent five minutes fumbling around trying to get it to work.
"Andy, is it plugged in?"
Andrew looked down and saw that it wasn't plugged in. He must have accidentally tripped over the cord, unplugging it. Andrew plugged in the intercom system and it flickered on.
"It works."
What seemed like five years instead of five minutes, the intercom system buzzed on and was ready for action? Andrew took a deep breath and blew with all of his might into his trumpet. He started to play any notes that came to him. Once he was out of breath. He spoke into the microphone.
"WAKE UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPP!!! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!"
Cadets started to wake up only to find themselves locked up tight in their rooms.
Tyler and Greg made it to the bridge. But the door was sealed tight. By this time Andrew had been yelling for everyone to wake up for about five minutes. According to Tyler's estimation, they only had ten minutes to figure out what the package was and stop it from being delivered. Tyler and Greg immediately started to work at the lock on the door. They were determined to get in there.
The two intruders made it to deck 12, cabins 32, 33, and 34. They powered up their rifles. They knew which door they had to go in first the one where the trumpet noise was coming from. The second intruder jimmied the lock and the first one kicked in the door. Nipper and Andrew were caught off guard. Sounds of phaser and screaming and then a thud were heard throughout the entire ship over the intercom system.
"Alpha Leader to all Alpha teams you have 8 minutes to vacate. I repeat. Eight minutes to vacate."
"Can you handle 34 yourself?" asked the first intruder.
"Yeah, you take 32. And don't forget to deliver to them what we have in our packs."
"Oh I won't. I've been wanting to deliver this for a long time."
The first Intruder jimmied the lock and kicked the door in. He aimed and fired at Ben, who fell to the floor.
"YOU FUCKER!!!!" Douglas jumped onto the intruder and tackled him. Douglas and the intruder wrestled on the floor. Douglas reached for the mask and yanked it off. "You!" Then Douglas saw black as the intruder fired his rifle into Douglas's chest. The intruder rolled Douglas off of him and quickly got up and did what he wanted to do. He put his back pack back on.
"Alpha Team Leader to all Alpha teams. Three minutes to vacate. If you are not in your shuttle now, get there immediately."
The intruder ran out into corridor to see if his partner was ready. But instead of being greeted by his partner he was greeted by laser fire. He quickly fired back and ran down the corridor to his shuttle.
Scottie was going to chase the intruder after he missed shooting him, but he didn't want to leave Jesse alone with the intruder that Jesse tackled and rendered unconscious. Scottie ran back into the cabin.
"You okay?" asked Scottie.
"Yeah,"
"That was awesome how you tackled him, catching him off guard and knocking him off guard and him hitting his head on the floor."
"Yeah, but he was going to shoot you. I didn't want that to happen."
Scottie and Jesse jumped and about shit their pants as a siren sounded. Shortly there after, the sprinkler systems in all the cadet's quarters turned on. The wetness caused the unconscious victim to wake up.
The cadets were yelling to get out of their quarters. But they were trapped. The cold water from the sprinkler system was spraying on them getting them all cold and wet. Puddles of water were forming in the living spaces.
Captain Hatcher went to Johnny Cooper's door. He took out his special key and unlocked it. There was Johnny and Jeff drenched. Johnny was fuming and yelling and just plain pissed off.
"What the hell is going on here?" demanded Johnny.
"You're the CO; you should always know what is going on your ship."
"How the fuck am I suppose to know when I am locked up in my quarters being pissed on by the ship?"
"I think you better get to the bridge Cadet Cooper."
"Why do I?"
Captain Hatcher raised his voice. "Because you are the cadet CO and your ship was just under attack!! Now you need to get your ass to the bridge and take charge of the situation."
"Under attack by who?"
"The other academy ships."
"What? The War Game isn't until the August during the Olympics."
"That is correct. But yesterday we went functional when we made our first trip around the block. It is a JSFA Academy tradition that when a new ship to the academy fleet becomes operational they initiate it into the fleet. And that, Cadet Cooper, is what just happened."
"You knew they were going to do this?"
"I did. It is tradition."
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because I wanted to see how well you and your crew would react to it. And from the sound of it, only Cadet Collins and his trumpet did something to protect this ship. Now get your ass to the bridge and take charge of the situation."
Johnny and Captain Hatcher headed to the bridge.
Ely Storm turned the corner and joined Captain Hatcher and Johnny to the bridge. "Good morning Ely."
"I hate these initiations. Because it always mean a big mess to clean up. Especially in my engineering spaces. And the sprinklers. They are one of the worse gags."
"I have to admit Ely, the sprinklers weren't original, not even locking the doors, but I think it opened up some eyes," said Steve.
"I just wish we would have caught one of the intruders. That would have been perfect." Ely grinned at the thought and then lost it when he didn't think anyone was caught.
"Why would it have been perfect?" asked Johnny.
"Because if one of them would have been caught during this, it would be a disgrace to him and his ship. Being caught on this mission shows weakness and dishonor. If you get caught you are branded and you will be busted down in rank. The entire ship loses respect for you, because no one ever gets caught."
"Has anyone ever been caught?" asked Johnny.
"They have, but the last one caught was four JSFA Academy Ship commissions ago. This will make five now."
Ely, Hatcher and Johnny made it to the bridge. They saw Greg and Tyler still trying to get into the door.
"Step aside boys," said Ely as he pressed a couple of buttons and the door slid open.
The two officers and the three cadets stepped onto the bridge. It was a mess. Toilet paper was stranded all over the place. Eggs were splattered on the walls and view screen. Spray paint was spayed over the bridge too. Johnny walked over to the chair he sat in the day prior and sprayed on it was "Quit now juvie losers" Laying on the chair were six patches. Each of them with a different logo. Each patch represented one of the six regular academy ships.
"Just as I thought. All six of them were involved," said Captain Hatcher. "Where's the watch?"
"Over here," said Tyler. He spotted Scooter lying in the corner of the bridge. He was stripped naked, tied, and gagged. Written on his forehead in black marker was `loser'.
Captain Hatcher pretty much knew what had to happen up here. He knew Sergeant Murdock has been trying to instill how important standing watch is to Scooter and maybe this will be the case that will prove Sergeant Murdock's point.
"Until him and get him off this bridge Cadet Young. Cadet Wheeler you have the watch."
"Yes Captain," said Greg as he took up the station and Tyler escorted a not so happy Scooter.
Ely went to the Engineering station. He punched a few buttons. The intruders had encrypted the codes to unlock the doors to the cadet's quarters and stop the sprinkler systems, but they were no match for Ely.
"Okay, the doors are unlocked and sprinkler systems off."
"Sickbay to Captain Hatcher,"
"Go Larry. Hatcher here. Casualties?"
"We found four boys so far. All of them stunned. They will be okay. They will just have a headache when they wake up. Nothing major. My corpsmen are still looking for more casualties."
"Roger that. Keep me posted."
Johnny stood staring at the command chair. His chair. He wanted to get even with them. He wanted to hit them hard where it hurt. No one called him a juvie loser. Captain Hatcher walked over to Johnny.
"You pissed?"
"Yes, I am."
"You want to hit them hard, don't you?"
"I am about to get in the John Buford and take care of them myself."
"How would you like to do something that no other ship can do?"
"Would it piss them off?"
"Oh yeah," said Captain Hatcher.
"Would it humiliate them and prove to them that I am no loser?"
"Without a doubt."
"What do I need to do?"
"Let my crew and I help you to get your crew ready for the Olympics so not only can we win it but we will show those sons of bitches up so much that they wouldn't know what hit them."
"That would make them feel the way I feel now?"
"Worse!"
Johnny thought for a second. "You're on Captain Hatcher. I am ready to lead the Lady Lex into battle."
Captain Hatcher smiled. Now maybe, just maybe this incident will pull the crew together with Johnny leading them and they can start acting like a real ship and not a bunch of individuals.
"Dad, Dad, we did it," said Jesse as him and Scottie dragged the now awake intruder onto the bridge.
"Well I'll be," smiled Captain Hatcher. "Well done Cadet Brothers. You did something that hasn't been done in many years. This cadet will never live this down.. He is now branded for the rest of his junior academy days."
"It wasn't me Captain Hatcher. It was Jesse. He was the one who captured him. Not me."
Ely stood there proud. It was finally time for Steve to see what his son Jesse was truly made of. It was time for Jesse to get the credit that was long over due to him. Captain Hatcher didn't say a word. He was surprised that Jesse had anything to do with this. He knew Jesse wasn't capable in doing a task like this, especially alone.
"When I woke up because of Andrew's warning, I remember how Mark told mom that after their first trip on the Orion the five other academies raided their ship. They tried to capture one of the intruders, but couldn't do it. Since I knew how important it was to capture one, I tried to get out but the door was locked." Jesse was overly excited telling his dad what have happened. "But then the door opened and I stepped to the side where he couldn't see me. He stepped in and I saw he was going to shoot Scottie. So I tackled him and knocked him out. Then the sprinklers went off and woke him up."
Captain Hatcher stood there looking at the hooded intruder. He was only half hearing what Jesse was telling him. He still couldn't and wouldn't believe that his son, Jesse, had anything to do with capturing the intruder. A task that all newly commissioned academy ships tried to achieve, but rarely ever did.
"Well, let's see what cadet Brothers captured."
Jesse's smile turned into a frown. He realized his father hadn't listened a word he had said to him. His thunder was gone and all he wanted to do was cry and run away. He finally done something that his brother had never done and he still wasn't being recognized for it.
Captain Hatcher walked over to the intruder and grabbed the hood and pulled it off. This time Captain's Hatcher's smile turned into bewilderment. He couldn't believe his eyes.
"Mark?"
To Be Continued...