Castaway Chapter 16

[Ed Man]

The Three Year Old Pilot
Chapter 16

Peter walked onto his floor headed for his office and was meet by several coworkers wanting to see the dog. Peter made it to the receptionist desk where the woman that had went out to eat with Peter came out from behind the desk to look at Goo-doe. The dog noticed her the second she stepped out watching her making a slight growl as she got closer until the hair stood up on his back. Peter stopped her while she was a arm reach away for Goo-doe. “He’s a little irritable right now please don’t try and pet him.”

The woman stopped as Peter walked on by thinking the dog doesn’t like her either. “Good boy Goo-doe this is my office now don‘t bite anyone! If you do you‘ll never get to come back to work with me.”
Peter watched as the dog walked around the office like he was making sure it was safe then laid down in a sunny spot of the room near Peter.

The next few days had settled into a everyday routine of Peter bringing Goo-doe to the office with him. The last day of the work week had finely arrived and Peter was planning on going to see Kirsch this weekend until Sam hailed Peter in his earpiece. “Peter the Chief has just sent a urgent message asking you to run a rescue mission.”
Peter took out his PDA and opened the message explaining how a undercover agent had herd a woman pleading for her sons life that was left onboard what he thinks is a freighter she was kidnapped from leaving the child alone onboard. The kidnapper quickly shut her up hitting her with a stunner as he took bids on who would get her first. The outpost was way out of his jurisdiction on the fringes of the system.
Their was a added memo. “Peter he’s linked to a long list of murders and extremely violent crimes don’t take any chances.”
Peter read the note and held his head down and called his secretary. “Call Mrs. Lena I need to speak with her.” A few seconds later the phone buzzed showing her number. “What do you need Peter?”
[Peter] “I need to speak with you in privet for a few minutes it’s important.”
[Dana] “Go to my office I’ll meet you there.”
[Peter] “Sam find the freighter and have a advanced team jump to the location and scan the ship and rescue the child and standby I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
[Sam] “I found the freighter a team is loading up to leave now Commander.”
[Peter] “Good work Sam keep me posted and keep our people safe no heroics.”
Dana met Peter at her office door. “Come in Peter the office is secure so we can talk what’s wrong?”
“I need to take off the rest of the day.”
[Dana] “Is that all?”
[Peter] “No I need to explain why and why I need you to keep it secret.” Peter explained why he had changed his direction about involving Her and the Governor and how they knew who he actually was giving details about their plans and private information only they knew.
[Dana] “Why tell me this now? You could have keep it all from me.”
[Peter] “I changed that future this one is still uncertain. If I’m killed I wanted you to know why.”
Peter then told Dana about the rescue mission he was going on.
[Dana] “Why not just send someone else Peter? Why risk your life for a stranger?”
[Peter] “You was a stranger when I met you. I’m the best qualified person for the mission that’s why. I want to rescue the woman and I only have a few people at my base and none of them are as experienced as I am.”
[Dana] “I recall you got shot not to long ago and about died you’re still the same man nothings changed?”
[Peter] “Yes it has my memories have been returning and I know who I was I’m not the same man who got shot.”
Dana looked at Peter not knowing what to say if she did talk him into not going and the woman was killed a child would have to grow up with out his mother. But if Peter was killed the lose could affect the entire system.
[Dana] “Peter I’ll send the best people I have just give me a few hours to get them ready!”
[Peter] “We don’t have the time I read his profile he’ll kill her when he gets bored with torturing her.
I’ll send you a message when it’s over.”
Dana nodded her head and Peter took off to get Goo-doe and leave.
Peter was in the flyer racing home when he called Kirsch and told her something had came up and he wouldn’t be able to make it up to see her until the morning for breakfast.
As Kirsch’s face turned from a smile to disappointment Peter realized he needed to put together a team to send out on missions. This time he was able to go but the next time he may not be able to drop what he was doing and go. “Sam I need to you to put together a list of military trained personnel for assault and rescue. Transport a Heavy Assault drone onboard the Tempest I may need to use it.”
As Peter landed the flyer. “Sam transport me and the dog onto the Tempest and get us going.”
[Sam] “Commander the rescue team are at the freighter and the boy is alive and has been transported onboard the support ship. A drone is onboard the freighter checking for booby traps and securing the ship.”

Peter engaged a tracking jammer and headed for the clouds. As soon as the ship was hid in the cloud he turned on the cloaking device and jumped away.
Peter looked at the scanner the jump had been a success the Tempest had jumped in a safe distance from the support ship and freighter right on the mark. Peter pulled the Tempest in to transporter range and waited on the all clear. Peter called the support ship and asked them to give him a chance to look at the ship before anyone else. Giving Goo-doe a chance to get a sent of the ones who had boarded the freighter and took the woman while leaving the boy to die alone on the freighter.

[Peter] “Sam what have you found out so far?”
[Sam] “Records show the freighter was headed for the planet. A accident report was filed at the outpost showing her husband was killed as he left his ship. A loader knocked over a stack of containers onto the man causing his spacesuit to rip apart killing him instantly.”
[Peter] “How old is the boy Sam?”
[Sam] “He is three years two mounts and seventeen days old Commander. The drone has finished the sweep and the ship is all clear. The data files have been erased. I’m accessing them to reconstruct what data I can.”
[Peter] “Transport me and the dog over.”
Peter walked the dog around the freighters living quarters ordering it to smell out the people on board.
“Sam transport us back to the Tempest. [As they transported back onboard Peter asked.] Did you get anything off the hard drives?”
[Sam] “The drives are slow but I was able to find out that the woman had taken on a passenger headed for the planet. He turned out to be the inside man that set her up. He used a alias to get by security at the outpost but video of him getting on the freighter shows his face and he is wanted by the Teladi. Commander the Teladi that sent you the 2 million is offering a 500,000 credit reward for him or his body.
The flight recorders and logs are destroyed but our records show a ship going to the freighter and hours later it went directly to the outpost where the woman is believed to be held at.”

[Peter] “We now what one of them looks like put the dog in his box and get the assault drone ready. Jump the ship to the outpost I’m going to let Goo-doe identify them if he can.”
The Tempest jumped near the outpost and landed near the main complex and scanned the area.
[Peter] “Sam transport a eye into the bar area.” Peter watched the monitor as the small bug started transmitting a live feed from the inside of the bar.
The camera stopped as Sam zoomed in on the killer setting at a table with one other man. As the man looked up Peter was surprised as he asked . “Is that Hamadryad?!”
[Sam] “Yes Commander it is. I would suggest that you don’t kill him just to be on the safe side. There’s a 100,000 credit reward for his capture the same Teladi wants both of them but he want this one alive for questioning.”
[Peter] “Where’s the woman?”
[Sam] “I can’t find her without setting off the scanner alarms.”
[Peter] “I’m going in I’ll try and buy some time with her to find out where she is.”
[Sam] “Commander you need to put on a disguise or everyone will know who you are.”

Peter rushed to put on a costume and a make few quick changes to his face while the dog watched so he would know who Peter was.
“Sam is their any blind spots we can transport into close to the bar?”
Sam checked and transported a bug in first to look over the spot as Peter watched on the monitor.
“All set Commander.” Sam replied as Peter picked up the case Goo-doe was in. “I’m ready transport the drone in behind me.”
Peter was in the outpost as he stepped out into the hall the drone appeared right behind him.
[Peter] “I’m going in the bar Sam keep a lock on us and keep the drone outside the bar for now.”
Peter walked in the bar as everyone turned around to look at the new man.
[Barkeeper] “What can I get you stranger I never seen you in here before?”
Peter ordered a drink and tried to decide what to do next as he looked around at everyone looking at him.
[Peter] “Barkeep you ever seen a dog?” Peter asked as he opened the box up and told Goo-doe to go find.
[Barkeep] “No pets in here pal get it up now.”
Peter went off behind the dog as he went to the table by the killer and barked one time moved to Hamadryad known as the tracker and barked once and stopped.
Peter picked Goo-doe up as he looked at the two saying. “ Sorry he slipped away he’s a lot of company on long trips but I need to fine me a woman if you know what I mean.”
[Killer] “Ask the barkeep pal he can help you out. Now get lost!”
Peter walked back to the bar and put Goo-doe in his box and asked the Barkeeper if he knew where he could find a woman for a while. He showed Peter a few teaser videos of his working women.
[Peter] “I’m filling a little stressed you got any I can slap around and do what I want with?”
The barkeeper looked at Peter with a annoyed look on his face saying. “Not none of my women them two had one some sick /////----- is back there with her dead body now.”
Peter tried to keep his cool as he asked. “Dead body where did he get a dead woman?”
[Barkeeper] “He bought her from them two, she was alive then. He paid to have her body destroyed and to have the room cleaned. There he is now with the two he bought her from.”
Peter looked at the table the thrre were setting at and told the Barkeeper. “I’m going to give these tokens.” Peter placed five thousand credits worth of tokens on the counter.
[Barkeeper] “What do you want pal you got my attention.”
[Peter] “Do you like them three?”
[Barkeeper] “No why?”
Peter called the drone in as Sam transported the dog out and said. “I’m going to take then two out of here and the one who killed the woman and paid to have her body destroyed. I’m going to kill him distroy his body I’ll take the womans body back to her son a three year old boy they left on a freighter to die.”
[Barkeeper] “You know the Chief?” [Peter] “Yes.”
[Barkeeper] “Don’t shoot none of my people give me a minute to clear the bar you can have them.”
The drone walked over to the table and opened it’s four arms with weapons pointing at the three men.
People were already running out when the Barkeeper shouted. “Everyone OUT NOW!”
Peter looked at the three as he moved to the table saying. “Not you three! You should have left the woman and boy alone.”
Peter seen the killer reaching for his pistols as the drone shot him with a stunner sending him onto the floor jerking as Sam transported him out.
Hamadryad was next as he jumped up to run as the drone shot him with a stunner sending him to the floor jerking as he transported out.
[Sam] “I have the womans body and the two we came after.”
Peter ordered the drone back and said. “I’ll give you a chance to stand up and shoot me.”
The man turned around looking at Peter and smiled as he took out his knife placing it in his hand like he was getting ready to jump up and fight Peter. Then he plunged the blade into his own heart.

Peter watched as the blood rushed out of the wound as he pulled the knife out and fell face first onto the table dropping the knife as his arms fell limp.

“I’m ready to go.” Peter replied as Sam transported Peter onto the ship.
Peter asked as the drone moved of the tranporter pad. “Is he dead?”
[Sam] “Yes Commander. What are your orders?”
[Peter] “Can you take control of their ships?”
[Sam] “I can access the systems on the killers. Hamadryad has his systems locked out I’ll access his drone through his remote to fly it out.”
[Peter] “Get the ships and get us out of here. Jump back to the support ship and freighter.”
The Tempest eased back into a holding postion near to the freighter. Peter got himself something to drink and set down staring at the table trying to make since of what had just happened.
“Sam what happen did I take to long about finding the woman?”
[Sam] “No Commander the woman was dead before we landed. Their was nothing you could have changed or done to save her. Where do you want the captured ships to go?”
[Peter] “Contact the Teladi that want’s the two in the hole and see if he wants them. Have the support ship to jump near the ships and retrieve any valuables or tokens they are onboard and get all the data they can from the ships.”
A minute later Peter gets a call from the support ship. “Commander what do you want to do with the boy?”
[Peter] “Keep him with you for now. When you’re done with the fighters return here and repair the freighter and send it on the high road back to the planet and wait for orders.”

The support ship jumped away as Peter held his position waiting on a reply from the Teladi about the two in the hole and their ships.
[Sam] “The Teladi wants the ships he is willing to give you the fair market value plus a 100,000 credit bonus if the ships records are undamaged.”
[Peter] “Inform the team about not damaging any of the ships systems or recorders and pilot them to the Teladi. How is the team doing on the ships?”
[Sam] “They have removed the tokens and hidden goods a PDA was found hid what do you want to do with it they are about finished?”
[Peter] “Copy the data and put the PDA where it can be found.”
[Sam] “The killer has a Buster that was being upgraded at one of the outpost he owes 98,000 credits on the ship. The team recovered 65,000 credits from the killers ship and 255,000 credits from Hamadryad’s ship.
I propose that someone take the credits collected from the ships along with the paper work and pay the bill off on the Buster and get the ship. It’s worth over 500,000 credits and it would be well worth the time it took to get it.”
[Peter] “Contact the support ship and have one of them get ready to pickup the Buster and whoever is taking care of the boy transport over with the boy when they jump back.”
Peter set woundering what to with the boy and decided to go and see the Chief and see if he would take the boy and his freighter. The three transported over as Peter looked at the scared little boy holding on to the woman who had been taking care of him and said. “Hi my name Is Peter and I want you to know you’re safe now and no one is going to hurt you.”
Peter explained that first stop was the Teladi base to drop of the prisoners then the Alpha Site and the boy and then the Buster.
Peter jumped to the Teladi base and docked to a team of Security Officers and Guards ready to take the prisoners as soonas the drone handed them over. Peter went to the office and transferred the credits over into one of his accounts. Then he gave them the codes and location of the two ships that were headed their way and received a account number that the credits would be transferred into after they were inspected or he could wait.
Peter walked back to the ship and left the outpost glade them two were out of his ship heading for open space and a jump to the Alpha Site.
Peter sent a message ahead to the Chief telling he was about to land. A Officer was waiting as Peter stepped of the ship to escort him to the chief and after a quick ride in a cart Peter was directed to a room where the Chief was.
[Chief] “Did the mission go well?” Peter held his head down as he said. “No it didn’t. We saved the boy but the mother was dead when I got their.”
[Chief] “Did you get the two that did it?”
[Peter] “Yes I give them to the Teladi so he could deal with them. Where do you want me to leave the boy?”
[Chief] “What do you mean leave the boy? He can’t stay here we ship all orphans to the planet he can’t stay here. Give me his ID I’ll see if he has some family.” The Chief pulled up his file.
[Chief] “He has some family in the core sectors but not here. The best thing to do with him is take him to the planet I’ll give you the paper work and you drop him off on you way. Do you have his mothers body?”
[Peter] “Yes it’s in the ship. Chief the freighter is still in good shape and it’s still his.”
[Chief] “A three year old pilot that’s funny. Sell the ship or hire a pilot to run it for him but if you do that you’ll have to be the one responsible for his welfare. If you don’t want to he’ll be put in a orphanage and they’ll sell the ship and anything he has. You need to leave the mothers body here so we can record her DNA I’ll send someone after it.”
Peter told Sam about the aid coming to get the body of the boy’s mother. While Peter’s thoughts keep troubling him about how he had told the boy he was safe and no one was going to hurt him. That wouldn’t be the case if he went to a state run home.
[Peter] “And if I decide to help the boy what then?”
[Chief] “I can make you his guardian. You make sure he’s taken care of until his family can get him or he comes of age.”
[Peter] “I’m not the fathering type Chief.”
[Chief] “Hire him a nanny. Do you want to take the boy or give him to the orphanage I need to know how to make the paper work out?”
Peter was speechless for a minute as the Chief looked at Peter waiting for a answer. “I’ll take him with me.” Peter stated as the Chief turned and started fillling out the forms. Afew minutes later the Chief looked up. “All done the boy is your responsibility now. You’ll do fine Peter don’t worry he’s just a little boy. You did a good thing Peter.” The Chief replied as looked at Peter smiling.

Peter set their for a minute and got up to leave and remembered the data chip with all the information for the two ships the team had gathered. He gave it to the Chief explaining what it was.
[Chief] “Thanks I owe you one.” Peter laughed at the remark saying. “Yes you do.” As he walked out of the room to the cart and Officer. He took Peter back to the Tempest and droped him off.

As Peter took off the woman watching the boy asked Peter. “Commander what about the boy?”
Peter knew the woman was expecting to leave the boy at the Alpha Site so he explained what had just happened and how the boy was his responsibility now.
[Peter] “Sam I need to find a nanny for the boy make me up a list.”
[Sam] “Commander you need to interview a nanny to see if they have a personality suited for the boy and you. You can’t hire a nanny on merit alone the boy has to like her.”
[Peter] “Well make a list of the nannies available then.”

[Ed Man]

Deep Six will start when Castaway is over I'm wanting to wright about a normal everyday guy.
Josh is to easy to place on top of the game I keep falling right back into the same kind of story for Josh but this time he didn't save everyone he wanted to You'll just have to keep reading to find out the rest of the story

The short time travel was just a warning of what could have been not what was. It was like a look into a different reality. Like this could happen to you kind of thing

[collins50]

Hi Ed, You did a good job with an unexpected turn of events, Josh as a father figure? this ought to be good, will be waiting to see how he fairs.