Read Online T'aafhal Legacy 1: Ghosts of Orion by Doug L Hoffman - Free Book Online
Authors: Doug L Hoffman
Tags: Science-Fiction
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Mizuki.
“You will have to speak with the Captain, of course. But since you know him, and the Sailing Master, I think there should be no problems with you joining our merry band.”
“That's fantastic!” Betty said, a huge smile lighting up her face. “I was afraid the position would be taken.”
“This will be such fun,” Mizuki enthused, hugging her friend again. As she did, the flock of butterflies changed color to reds and oranges, flew a tight circle around the three women, and then exited the lounge headed aft.
“Now what's got into them?” asked Beth.
“Red is usually a danger warning,” said Mizuki, “I wonder what is happening?”
“Maybe we should follow them,” added Betty.
The three followed the butterflies' trail, heading aft at a run.
Sick Bay, Peggy Sue
Mizuki and friends found her errant flock of butterflies milling about the door to the medical section. Inside they found one of the crew, Matt Jacobs, supporting a slender man with dreadlocks. Looking on was Jesse Lowe, concern etched on her normally smiling face.
“What's going on here?” asked Beth, the ranking ship's officer present.
“Jesse showed up at the port cargo hatch with this fella in tow, Ma'am,” the sailor replied. “He's pretty banged up and Chief Zackly said to bring him to sick bay.”
“Set him on the examination table, Matt,” said Betty. Regardless of the man's identity, he was hurt and she was a doctor.
“He is the waiter from Jesse's bar,” said Mizuki, recognizing the young man.
“Yes, yes,” Jesse said fretfully, “dat be Jimmy Tosh. He de waiter and part-time cook at my restaurant.”
“What happened to him, Jesse?” asked Beth. “He looks like he was in a fight.”
“Yeah,” said Betty, easing her patient back on the table with Jacobs' help. “A fight he lost.”
“No mon,” Jimmy slurred through puffy lips, trying to make light of the situation, “you should see de other guys.”
With Jimmy lying down on the table the medical sensors lit up, showing heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. His left eye was swollen almost shut, his lip split and he was favoring his right side. Betty picked up a tablet and used it to examine his limbs and side. Holding the tablet over parts of Jimmy's body its screen revealed the bones and soft tissue beneath his skin and clothing.
“If the other guys are worse than you they'll need an ambulance. You have three fractured ribs and a fractured left ulna.” Lowering the tablet viewer, Betty looked directly at the battered man. “I'd say you were on the receiving end of a severe beating.”
Jimmy moaned and closed his eyes, unable to reply.
“It was de Ukrainians; dis be de second time,” said Jesse. “Dem rude boys is no good, I tell you.”
“Why were they picking on your waiter?” asked Mizuki, her butterflies hovering near the door, showing worried shades of dark blue and purple.
“Dis stupid boy! He got de gamblin' sickness. If dey is a card game or someone throwin' dice he has to bet on it, for true. Trouble is he don' ever win, he just lose all his money.”
“And now he is over his head in debt to the Ukrainians,” said Beth, adding one and one together. Most fleet officers were aware that there was a criminal element on Farside and much of it was controlled by the Ukrainians.
“Dat's right, Miss Elisabeth. He owe dem 500 credits.” Jesse wrung her hands and shook her head in disapproval. “I'd pay it, but he would just be back in debt de next time he found a bettin' game.”
“And just what do you think we can do about it, Jesse?” asked Beth, sensing that the Jamaican woman was leaving things unsaid.
“I hopin' dat you could take him wit you on de Peggy Sue. I heard you was needin' a cook and he can cook pretty good. He really is a good boy—he don' drink or show up for work late—he just can' resist gamblin'.”
“I am going to give him an analgesic and get a cold pack on those ribs and bruising,” said
“You will have to speak with the Captain, of course. But since you know him, and the Sailing Master, I think there should be no problems with you joining our merry band.”
“That's fantastic!” Betty said, a huge smile lighting up her face. “I was afraid the position would be taken.”
“This will be such fun,” Mizuki enthused, hugging her friend again. As she did, the flock of butterflies changed color to reds and oranges, flew a tight circle around the three women, and then exited the lounge headed aft.
“Now what's got into them?” asked Beth.
“Red is usually a danger warning,” said Mizuki, “I wonder what is happening?”
“Maybe we should follow them,” added Betty.
The three followed the butterflies' trail, heading aft at a run.
Sick Bay, Peggy Sue
Mizuki and friends found her errant flock of butterflies milling about the door to the medical section. Inside they found one of the crew, Matt Jacobs, supporting a slender man with dreadlocks. Looking on was Jesse Lowe, concern etched on her normally smiling face.
“What's going on here?” asked Beth, the ranking ship's officer present.
“Jesse showed up at the port cargo hatch with this fella in tow, Ma'am,” the sailor replied. “He's pretty banged up and Chief Zackly said to bring him to sick bay.”
“Set him on the examination table, Matt,” said Betty. Regardless of the man's identity, he was hurt and she was a doctor.
“He is the waiter from Jesse's bar,” said Mizuki, recognizing the young man.
“Yes, yes,” Jesse said fretfully, “dat be Jimmy Tosh. He de waiter and part-time cook at my restaurant.”
“What happened to him, Jesse?” asked Beth. “He looks like he was in a fight.”
“Yeah,” said Betty, easing her patient back on the table with Jacobs' help. “A fight he lost.”
“No mon,” Jimmy slurred through puffy lips, trying to make light of the situation, “you should see de other guys.”
With Jimmy lying down on the table the medical sensors lit up, showing heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. His left eye was swollen almost shut, his lip split and he was favoring his right side. Betty picked up a tablet and used it to examine his limbs and side. Holding the tablet over parts of Jimmy's body its screen revealed the bones and soft tissue beneath his skin and clothing.
“If the other guys are worse than you they'll need an ambulance. You have three fractured ribs and a fractured left ulna.” Lowering the tablet viewer, Betty looked directly at the battered man. “I'd say you were on the receiving end of a severe beating.”
Jimmy moaned and closed his eyes, unable to reply.
“It was de Ukrainians; dis be de second time,” said Jesse. “Dem rude boys is no good, I tell you.”
“Why were they picking on your waiter?” asked Mizuki, her butterflies hovering near the door, showing worried shades of dark blue and purple.
“Dis stupid boy! He got de gamblin' sickness. If dey is a card game or someone throwin' dice he has to bet on it, for true. Trouble is he don' ever win, he just lose all his money.”
“And now he is over his head in debt to the Ukrainians,” said Beth, adding one and one together. Most fleet officers were aware that there was a criminal element on Farside and much of it was controlled by the Ukrainians.
“Dat's right, Miss Elisabeth. He owe dem 500 credits.” Jesse wrung her hands and shook her head in disapproval. “I'd pay it, but he would just be back in debt de next time he found a bettin' game.”
“And just what do you think we can do about it, Jesse?” asked Beth, sensing that the Jamaican woman was leaving things unsaid.
“I hopin' dat you could take him wit you on de Peggy Sue. I heard you was needin' a cook and he can cook pretty good. He really is a good boy—he don' drink or show up for work late—he just can' resist gamblin'.”
“I am going to give him an analgesic and get a cold pack on those ribs and bruising,” said
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