Lost in Time Chapter 13

[Ed Man]

The Slave Pit
Chapter 13

Josh was looking over the job listings in a pub waiting for Mizar to show up they had about 26 hours left on the docking permit and Josh wanted to pick out the slaves and go. The bid on the wares in the freighter had went up to a better price than Josh had estimated. Josh headed for the docking bays to sign off on the latest offers on the way Mizar stopped him.
[Mizar] “Hay I heard you was looking for a fighter pilot with a ship?”
[Josh] “That’s right come on with me if you and your ship check out I may have a job for you.”
When they reached a secure area Josh shook his hand saying. “Glade you joined up with us Mizar welcome.”

[Mizar] “Thanks for saying my life! I would have been a dead man by now if your ship hadn’t rescued me. Besides we all know about the sector you came from it’s off limit’s a Pirate outpost is in this sector and any entering their sector is shot on sight. They patrol the gate area and their ships are fast and well armed. Some have made it back from the sector but no one has made it through the sector to even look for the other gate.” Mizar had showed Josh a sector on a paper map he had in his pocket. Josh pulled out his PDA and pulled up a sector map of the know sectors and showed it to Mizar.
[Mizar] “Where are we?” Josh highlighted the sector they were in.
[Josh] “You know what our objective is don’t you?”
[Mizar] “Yes Sir relocate about 150 thousand people on a new home world. They could settle on one of the planets here.”
[Josh] “It’s not that simple. I’m not relocating them so the Ancients can have a fresh human supply. I’m going to find a safe place for them to start over and give them the technology to defend there new home. The Ancients will have to find a new supply of humans to experiment on because the ones I’m bring out are through being used like lab rats and breading herds for their human hybrids!”
[Mizar] “I don’t want to bust your bubble but the Ancients are no push over’s. If you push them they’ll knock you down hard and fast. We seen a man with a lot of fighters stand up and defy the Ancients about a planet he wanted to harvest resources from. They told him to stop he said no! They sent four fighters in took out all his ships, factories and killed him in a fighter while trying to escape the slaughter. They did in less than an hour!”
[Josh] “I’m sorry Mizar if I sounded like I was wanting a fight with the Ancients I’m not. I want to find a safe planet light years off the grid to relocate on or terra farm if we need to.”
[Mizar] “You can terra farm a planet? Are you an Ancient?”
[Josh] “Yes we can terra farm and no I‘m not an Ancient.”
[Mizar] “If you’re as advanced as the Ancients why not just contact them and negotiate for a safe haven?”
[Josh] “I’m not as advanced as the Ancients. Some of the Ancients are good people and some are just plan evil. I can’t risk the lives of the people I’m trying to save on a 50/50 chance. Come on we need to get to the docks and sell the goods.”
Josh went into the docking office to close the deals on the goods while Mizar waited outside.
[Sales Agent] “Pilot these goods require delivery.”
Josh looked over the offer the station was one sector over, the payment was good 25% now and the rest on delivery and maybe gain a new ally in the process.
[Josh] “I’ll take payment on the goods and I’ll deliver the freight when the docking permit’s up.”
[Sales Agent] “That’s fine Pilot just make the delivery when you leave. The station owner will pay you the balance on delivery. Here’s your payment pilot the docking crew will unload your freighter and you have 23 hours left on your permit.”

Mizar led the way to the holding cells for the slaves. The cells were better than the cages pirates packed there slaves in. The whole place looked more like a jail the females were keep in one section and the men in another.
Mizar pointed to a list of names written on a large board. “These are the indebted slaves and there cost. This list is people who have got into trouble and are being sold as slaves.”
[Josh] “We can only buy five maybe six slaves you pick out four and I’ll watch and listen.”

Mizar went to the guard and told him he was thanking of exploring the outer sectors and doing a little trading and needed a guide which slaves would he recommend to buy. Then Mizar slipped him some money.

The guard got up and started calling up the slaves to the front of the cells. Mizar asked them all basic questions about why they were there, where have they been and where were they from. Sarah scanning each one as they came forward to make sure they were not carrying any contaminates that would endanger the team.
The interviews keep on while most of the people keep explaining how it was just a mistake or they were set up or they lost it all because of someone else. Josh heard one of the Pilots tell Mizar he was guilty. Josh asked what he had done? The guard quickly replied. “He took a delivery job and a down payment. He lost the money and killed a man in a fight before he was knocked out the next day. A security team spotted him with two men over him they ran off when the guards showed up. When he woke up he said he was robbed. We looked for the two men but they were long gone so we held him for two days waiting on the ship he said he had but it never showed up for the job so here he is. Pay his debt and he’s yours.”

Josh looked at the man asking? “Are you willing to work off your debt and pay me back?”
[Slave] “Yes Sir.”
[Josh] “Mizar what do you think of these four and the guilty man?”
[Mizar] “I think they’re a good pick of the group.”
[Guard] “Wait I have two females over here that were sold and ended up back here after their owner returned them and charged them with assault. I’ll sell them to you for the fine just don’t bring them back!”
Josh went over and looked at the two. They had been beaten and bruised their clothes were tore and dirty.
[Josh] “Do you two want out of here and a job working for me?”
One of the women looked up and said. “We want out! But not to be somebody’s toys or entertainment for your men.”
[Josh] “I’ll take them off your hands put them in with the rest.”
[Guard] “You can pick them up in the holding cell in the shiping office. You need to get some spacesuits to load them on your ship. One at a time if you only have one suit just be loaded and gone before the permit runs out.”
[Josh] “We’ll be gone before then. Mizar pay the man I’ll get the extra suits.”
Josh gave Mizar the money and went to the docking bay locker room to put his spacesuit on.
[Josh] “Sarah have some suits loaded on a cart for the new people.”
[Sarah] “I need to construct one suit it should be ready by the time you get here. One of the crewmen is loading the suits on a cart now do you want him to bring them to you when the suit is finished?”
[Josh] “Yes I’ll be waiting at the airlock for him .”
[Sarah] “I’ll have uniforms ready for the new people when they board.”

Josh had made it through the process and was waiting on the docking bay side of the airlock when the crewman delivered the suits. Josh had him come in to help escort the new people back to the freighter and to make it look a little more like slaves were being transported onto the ship not crewmen. By the time they made it back inside the Guard, Mizar and two armed escorts and the slaves were waiting on the other side of the airlock.
[Guard] “Thanks for your trade I will increase your standing with the station. You now have charge of your slaves Pilot I look forward to doing business with you again.”
Josh saluted the Guard. “Thanks for your help.” The guard and his men left the room and locked the hatch.
[Josh] “Crewman please explain how to put on our spacesuits.”
Sarah told the crewman which suit to give to whom as he handed them out. Josh watched as the crewman did a excellent job explaining to the new people how to put their suits on while Josh the Crewman and Mizar helped check the suits to make sure they were all locked, sealed and pressurized as they went into the airlock and started the vacuum pumps. The Crewman opened the hatch leading to the docking area then lead the way with Mizar in the middle of the group while Josh followed so he could watch as they made there way to the freighter.
As soon as they got inside the hatch was locked and Sarah pressurized the room. Josh took his helmet off and showed the new people their lockers with their names on them saying. “Welcome onboard store your suits in your lockers then the crewman will take each of you to see the ships Doctor first he will give you each an earpiece and a quick examination tell him if you have anything wrong with you or if you are injured anywhere. After you get your earpiece the ships computer will give you directions and instructions just say computer and ask your question. Then if your hungry go to the galley to eat or go to your rooms where you need to clean up and put your uniforms on. Use the personal items made up for you by your uniform in a bag then store them in your rooms locker. I’ll give you four hours to settled in eat and clean up then we’ll all meet in the galley so you can meet the rest of the crew and answer your questions.”

The ship was headed for the gate the trip would take about 13 hours in the slow moving freighter. Mizar quickly caught up and docked with the freighter.
[Josh] “Welcome onboard Mizar we need to finish upgrading your ship make yourself at home but first what do you know about the fractory we’re making the delivery to?”
[Mizar] “I don’t know much about the place I delivered a few small loads of supplies to it a years ago when it was a mineral processing plant then it shut down. It was closed about a year then sold a few months ago to an individual wanting to restart the plant. I’ve seen a few small ships go in and out but no one I’m acquainted with has went there since it sold that’s all I know.”
[Josh] “I want you to run a few fight simulations on the trainer just incase to bring you up to speed on the modifications we’re making on your ship and how to maximize the new weapons. I want you in your fighter when we go through the Gate.”
[Mizar] “Do you know something I don’t?”
[Josh] “No I just don’t want to take any chances. The ship you had is nothing like the ship you’re about to get. I thank you’ll be pleased just remember you’re one of us now and keep a low profile and no one works or go’s on your ship for anything except our people.”
[Mizar] “I understand Sir I’ll go run some simulations now. I’ll be ready If a fight starts.”

Josh went to the bridge of the freighter and sat down looking out into the darkness of space thanking about home and Sherry.
[Josh] “Sarah the time capsule we left will be destroyed in the future. Remove it and place it in the asteroid Fortress Rock is on so the workers building the new addition will find it.”
[Sarah] “Do you want to update the data?”
[Josh] “Yes Tape this message. Sherry if I don’t make it back within a year after I disappeared into the past go on with your life. To all my friends I miss you all I hope that you all live long and flourish and always remember to help the down and to give a tenth because you always help yourself in the process it’s God’s law of sowing and reaping do it in love and it always works. His Word is my strength and refuge in life and my secret to success. [God said to do it and He would open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing.] So try Him at His word and see His blessings work in your lives. Sincerely; Josh Galen.”

Josh turned and gazed out into space at the Gate that looked like a little spot of in the distance.
[Sarah] “Have you given up on getting back home Commander?”
[Josh] “No I haven’t give up on getting back, but it’s not right to ask Sherry to wait on me. I have the gift of long life she doesn’t. Two or three years or ten or twenty years from now when we master time travel I can pick the time I return to.”
[Sarah] “Commander it’s been 3 ½ hours and the new personnel are in the galley waiting.”
[Josh] “Have the crew assemble in the galley I,m on my way. Set the freighter and fighter on auto pilot and transport the fighter pilot over for the meeting.”
Josh went down and welcomed the new personnel and introduced them and the crew to each other.
The meeting was short and effective at easing the tension of the new people as Josh explained what he wanted from them and set a time up for each of them to be interviewed. Josh decided to wait about explaining their operation to them till after their first interview then give them the whole story and a second interview just to be on the safe side not knowing how they would react to their mission.

The freighter had reached the Gate and was lined up ready for the jump.
Mizar and the other fighter had already went into the sector and the last picture sent by the spy satellite showed the two fighters were all clear. The freighter eased into the sector and set a course for the station.
One freighter was headed for the Gate while a small fighter was hopping between the stations running taxi missions and small deliveries. A small ship was on the outskirts of the sector in a asteroid field looking for that rare find that would make them rich. At least until they give up and mine something that will sell.

Josh watched the small ship as they looked over a asteroid trying to make a decision about which one to start on. Josh thought a mineral scanner and a quick ship and they would know exactly what and how much was there. Then a small freighter with a mineral collector could mine more in one days than they could in a month with a full crew. Josh thought just stick to the mission to give advanced technologies to these people would change the time line. Saving thousands of people no one knew existed and moving them to a unknown system and planet was a off the chart move as far as the time line was concerned but if Josh had learned one thing about time travel and the time line nothing was risk-free.
He had done changed the time line when the future Josh sent a package back warning himself about the disaster that was to happen. Was that Josh still there stuck in that sector? Or did Josh start a different time line when he changed the outcome or is it still moving in a different direction and this is a different time line.
[Josh] “Sarah we changed the time line in theory will the armband at some point in time cease to exist?”
[Sarah] “In theory no because it became a new piece in our time when it was transported back. It’s was the same at one time but now it’s not in a way it’s like replicating. But we have no real way of knowing because we have no way of testing the theory at this time.”
[Josh] “Then have we stopped that timeline when we changed ours?
[Sarah] “That’s unknown and theory’s get questionable at this point. Some say yes some say no. But according to some records we hacked there have been people that have used damaged jump drives and swore they were from a parallel universe different from ours. Their computers have even showed sector maps that were different but the systems and ships were about the same. One ship was totally different and the pilot was from an unknown race so the theory he was from a parallel universe was quickly rejected but his sector maps matched perfect. So I would say they are the proof and they are parallel universes”

The freighter finely reached the factory and docked Josh went through the airlock where a man was waiting on him. “Come with me pilot I’ll show you where the office and boss are.”
The man lead Josh to a office in the back of the station.
[Josh] “I have the materials you ordered from the traiding station here’s the contract.”
[The Boss] “I have a new deal for you now pilot you have the two fighters ouside our station land and have them and your crew surrender and I’ll let them live or the first one to die will be you.”
The Boss layed a blaster on his disk with it pointing at Josh while the other three men in the office started snickering at the remark. Then the one that showed Josh the way in grabbed Josh by the arm.
[Sarah] “I have alerted the crew do you want me to transport you out?”
[Josh] “No.”
[The Boss] “That’s the wrong answer.” Josh bashed the Thug holding him in his face with his elbow as the Boss reached for the blaster to shoot Josh. But mutch to the surprise of the others a bullet was already in his head as he fell face down in the desk. Two of the other men hit the floor as Josh droped them as they tried to pull their pistols.
Josh turned to the other one and said. “Did I just say no out loud I was talking to my ships computer.
To bad your Boss thought I was talking to him. Now did I hear you say you were going to shoot me or was that the dead man behind the desk?” [Thug] “It was him ! Not me!”
[Josh] “Now I got a new deal for you and the rest of your people you surrender and I’ll let you live.”

[Sarah] “Commander four fighters just lanched from the station.”
Josh pointed his pistol at the mans knee. “Talk or the knee is gone who ordered the fighters to launch?”
[Thug] “The Boss ordered them to get ready and launch to take control of the two escorts right before you came through the airlock when he seen they were not going to dock with you.”
[Josh] “Sarah tell our pilots to lure the enemy fighters away from the station and shoot them down. Now how many more people do we need to shoot to end this?”
Sarah had transported a three man team in assault gear into the hallway leading into the office. The lead man opened the office door saying. “Do you want us to take him Commander?”
[Josh] “No not wet he’s going to tell us who else to shoot to end this.”
[Thug] “No one the rest are just workers and slaves. Seven workers in the station and five slaves in the back locked up and two mechanics near the docking bay.”