Read Online Metal Boxes - Rusty Hinges by Alan Black - Free Book Online

watched Allie’s World move away. The shuttle was moving, but without the sensation of motion it looked as if the planet was shrinking away. In no time, he could see the ocean surrounding his large island. Smaller island. Smaller yet. Tiny. There in the distance, surrounded by blue water was the island prison of the Hyrocanian prisoners. The flat horizon curved and rounded as the planet receded. Before he could see the full sphere of the planet, the shuttle spun like a four-sided die rolling across the black felt of space.
    Rusty Hinges popped into view, surrounded by UEN spacecraft. The navy ships were heavy and ominous, all angles and jutting protrusions compared to the huge egg-shaped Hyrocanian ship, but they didn’t look threatening. The navy vessels looked like big brothers watching over their none-too-smart baby sister. The pilot aimed one of the shuttle points at a square shuttle hatch in the ovoid ship and guided it expertly inside.
    Stone’s ears popped slightly with the change in atmosphere as the shuttle adjusted its life support to match the internal conditions on the ship. A cluster of human shuttles lined up in neat rows filled the huge bay. The Hyrocanian shuttle with its unusual tetrahedron shape slid over to its usual deck space.
    He glanced below him, remembering the first time they’d entered the enemy ship. A desperate cluster of walking wounded had attacked the Hyrocanians with a suicidal fury that, to the surprise of everyone, succeeded in capturing the ship. They’d begun their attack by falling from the shuttle deck to crash onto the hangar deck.
    Now there was a large series of nets stretched below them. Stone threw his gear into the nets and quickly followed them with a huge leap, turning in midair to land in the nets. He grabbed his belongings, vaulted off the hanging nets, and slammed flatfooted onto the hangar deck.
    He was surprised when Dollish grabbed his belongings. The spacer said, “Hey, sir. I’ll wrangle your stuff to your new digs. Jay and Peebee can follow me, too.”
    “Spacer Dollish, what are you doing here?”
    “Volunteered, sir, just like you. What did you expect, sir? You saved my life and I ain’t done paying you back yet.”
    “Nonsense, Tim —” He was interrupted by a rain of piglets and drascos dropping off the edge of the nets. “I’m going to have to check with the captain about getting a place for Shorty, Sissie, and their people.”
    Dollish said, “I got it taken care of, Boss. There’s room for all of them at your place. You don’t worry about it. You’ve got an officer’s call to get to —”
    Stone’s dataport interrupted the spacer, “Ensign Stone, report to Captain Butcher’s office. On the double.”
    Running through the corridors, dodging spacers, marines, and civilians alike felt wrong, but “on the double” required nothing less. He waved at a few people he knew, although he was surprised at how many people were aboard that he didn’t recognize. Everyone seemed to be going somewhere and doing something. Two fireteams of marines led by 1LT Allie Vedrian passed him running full tilt in the opposite direction. They reversed course and surrounded him. Grunting and chanting in typical leatherneck fashion, they encouraged him to fall into step with them.
    Stone was stunned. He hadn’t known Allie was back from Peach’s Rest. He’d sent her a flurry of urgent messages, but hadn’t received a response. She grinned at him and winked with her good eye. Her marine issue eye glinted in the overhead lights, the pale iris dilating as it recorded and downloaded his image for her later review. Unlike many military personnel, Allie had elected to retain the scar running from her eyebrow, across her cheek, and down to her chin. The thin jagged line seemed to change color depending on her mood. Today it looked positively festive.
    “Pick up the pace, Ensign,” Allie shouted. “Come on, boy! Run it.”
    Stone’s enhanced military-grade nanites