Monkey Business (Bob and Nikki Book 10), стр. 93
“Fly safe, Captain.” The signal died, and the Squirrel ships turned and exited the system, in a precise fleet maneuver. Topper asked, “Are we going to learn how to fly pretty like that, Boss?”
“No, Topper. We are going to learn to fight dirty, and kick ass.” A cheer went up around the bridge. Topper said, “Thanks, Boss. Those maneuvers are a pain.”
Saucy said, “Scotti for you, Boss.”
“Yes, Scotti. What can I do for my favorite engineer today?”
“Just calling to let you know, Boss, that Tikki is in charge down here till I get back from putting the fleet in fighting shape. I’m heading over to the Armstrong now, unless you need something before I leave.”
“Did Tikki get you in touch with Shorty and Ozzie?”
“She did. Shorty’s ideas fit in with what we’ve been working on, and I think make the whole system better. Ozzie hasn’t gotten far enough yet for me to tell where his ideas will wind up, but it looks interesting. We left the whole problem of what to do with Frank for you to figure out.”
“That all sounds reasonable. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Fly safe, Boss.”
“You too, Scotti.” Saucy’s external view was still on the screen, so we saw Scotti flying across to the Armstrong. Once she was aboard, the fleet wheeled, and jumped out. I said, “The system feels lonesome, all of a sudden.”
Topper replied, “It does, doesn’t it?” We sat there a few minutes, while I wondered what Murphy had in store for us next. Suddenly, Saucy said, “Incoming call, Boss. Commodore Mason.”
“Hi, Steve. What can I do for you?”
“I’m not sure, Boss. I’ve met some Marines who have been out here alone for a long time, and they don’t think I have any authority to salvage them, and they would really prefer if I didn’t leave these colonists on their planet.”
“Marines, you say? A whole unit, dumped on an out-of-the-way planet? Give me a couple of minutes, I might know someone who can help.” I turned to Saucy. “Intercom, please.”
“You’re on, Boss.”
“Ace, get your tin butt to the bridge, ASS-APE!!” I gave Saucy the cut motion, and he took me off speaker.
Topper said, “Boss, I’m not sure that was proper comm protocol.”
“I’m sure, and it wasn’t. Let’s see if it works.” The door flew open, and Ace spilled through it. “Yes, Boss?”
“I think Commodore Mason may have found your friends. You wanna get on the comm, and convince them he is on the up-and-up?”
“With pleasure, Boss. Thanks.” Steve put him on with the leader of the Marines, and soon they were talking about old times. The Marine on the other end tried to trip Ace up a few times, but he came back with, “Now, the way I remember it was...” Soon the Marine was convinced Ace really was who he said he was. Ace said, “He wants to talk to you, Boss.”
I said, “This is Bob Wilson. What can I do for you?”
“Quite a bit, if I can believe my old buddy. Would you have work for a bunch of tired, old, marooned Marines?”
“Come on back with Commodore Mason, and we’ll find you something to do. I’m guessing you want to stay together as a unit?”
“We sure would prefer that, Sir. We’ve been here together 50,000 years. I don’t think it would be easy for us to get used to other bots, at this point.”
“I’ve only got one problem. This is a civilian outfit. I’m not a Sir, I work for a living. Call me Boss, or keep your mouth shut.”
“YES, BOSS!!”
“That’s better. Help the Commodore get those folks squared away, and I’ll see you soon.”
“Understood, Boss.” Steve came back on the line. “Dang, Bob, that was amazing! How did you do that?”
“Ace had mentioned a unit he used to work with, and how they turned up missing when the Navy got mothballed. I just thought that sounded like your guys. Sure enough, I got lucky.”
“They’ve got a transport, but they’ve cannibalized a lot of it, to keep themselves running. What would you like done with it?”
“Do you have enough equipment to bring it back?”
“Yes, but like I said, it’s in rough shape.”
“Do you want to leave it for your passengers? We don’t know yet if this many years of being exposed to that planet has any lasting effects. Do you want to unleash them on the galaxy, if they don’t learn to behave?”
“I see your point. It’s not so much about the ship, it’s about what these loonies could do, if they were to get it flying.”
“That, and if it’s the ship I think it is, we have a pilot with a sentimental attachment to it.”
“You’d build this hunk of junk back up to flyable, just to keep Ace happy?”
“You’ve seen him fly, wouldn’t you?”
“I wanna be you when I grow up, Boss.”
“You better get with the program on that, Commodore. I think somebody expects a ring with her retirement papers.”
“Understood, Boss. I think that’s all I need. Thanks for the assist.”
“No problem. See you when you get back.”
“See you then.” I turned to Topper. “I just realized something. I’m only commanding one ship. Till Steve makes it back, I’m a Captain.”
Topper replied, “You’re still our Boss, either way.” Saucy said, “Ship incoming. Squirrel drive, friendly transponder. It’s Captain Dressi, the elder.”
“Raise him for me, if you would.”
“Captain Wilson, good to see you again.”
“And you, Captain Dressi. I met your nephew. He seems like a nice fellow.”
“Snappi was here? How bad was it?”
“Not, for us. Snappi may be in some trouble when he gets back.”
“What did he do?”
“He had to