Lottery
Chapter 25
By Mark J. Silva Jr
Stacy blinked and stared around at the inside of the 'Box'. The box was a safe zone where you reappeared once you had been killed. There you waited for the round to end, so you could return to the game; or you left the box and headed anywhere else outside of the current game.
Stacy was thankful for one thing, a head shot was painless. You were there one moment and gone the next. Before she could do anything else, Julie appeared just a few feet from her.
“Damn, he shot through a wall to get me!” Stacy told her friend.
“He wasn't in either tower,” Julie said as she walked over to a large couch and sat down.
“I know. I was looking directly at the second tower. If he'd made the shot from there, he wouldn't have had to shoot through a wall to get me,” Stacy said as she joined Julie on the couch.
“You know, he's in Tabby's room, right now. Wanna go meet the real boy?” Julie said with a big wicked smile.
* * * *
Getting to and inside Tabby's room was no real problem, Julie was one of Stacy's close friends. But neither of the pets were going to let them get close to Mark while he was playing with his holoband. While Penny made it clear no one was to get close, Tina took the time to explain about the kidnapping attempt a few days earlier.
Tabby reached up and pulled her holoband off, after blinking her eyes a few time Tabby smiled seeing Stacy and Julie sitting in the room laughing.
“Your boy there is one hell of a shot,” Stacy said as Tabby got up from her seat.
“I know! That was such an amazing shot! I couldn't even see you two from where I was, and he shot you through at least two buildings,” Tabby said with a silly smirk on her face.
Mark was next to remove his holoband. After blinking his eyes a few times, he almost bolted from his chair at seeing Stacy and Julie talking with Tabby.
Stacy and Julie quieted down.
Stacy turned, smiled at Mark and said, “You were fucking awesome!”
Mark gave Julie a nervous look, and then looked back to Tabby and asked, “They're not mad?”
Stacy replied, “Oh, hell no! It's been months since I was last killed. But I have to know, where were you, and how did you target us?” Stacy asked.
Mark smiled a little. His 'hide' had been found by Rachel, so telling them was no big deal.
“It was the old school clock tower. As to how I knew where you were, you took up positions in the most common spot to target both of the spire towers. So, once you took your shot, I used thermo-tracking and shot back at you.”
“You've played this map before, haven’t you,” Julie said with a laugh.
The smile on Mark's face spoke louder than words. He held up his left hand showing off his golden bracelet and rings that had a very thin sliver chain connecting them all, the set was brought by Lily and sized before the trip so it would fix Mark when he had completed the change. It was the outward display of his ownership.
“My owner loves BorderWars, also. We played a lot when she wasn't busy with other matters.”
For the next two hours Mark and his new friends talked, laughed, and had a grand old time; until Tina interrupted them all.
“Mark, Sam is asking that you meet her at the shuttle bay.”
“Tell her I'm on my way, please, Tina,” Mark said as he got up, “Thank you for the great time. I hope we can play again, soon.”
Tina went to the door, and led the way to the landing bay, while Penny stayed close behind Mark.
Mark went through the door leading into the landing bay, and saw Sam with her back to him talking to Corporal Hughs! But, she wasn't a Corporal anymore! She was wearing Captain's tabs!
Mark yelled out, “Tammy,” and ran over to her.
Captain Hughs swooped Mark up and off his feet, and gave him a big warm hug.
“I heard you'd changed, but no one said you be even prettier than before.”
Mark blushed, then said, “But what are you doing, here?”
After putting Mark back down Tammy smiled at him and looked back at Sam, “Well, it seems you need a ride home.”
Mark looked over to Sam, and she said, “You're done here, Mark. It's time you went home to be with Mom and Lily.”
“But I thought you would be taking me home?” asked Mark with a sad look on his face.
Sam bent down to be at Mark's level, while Captain Hughs stepped over to her shuttle and checked on how the loading of Mark's gear was going.
“There's been a change in plans, because I have to transport young Ms. Ruthie Marshall to the local authorities. That trip will take me five days away from your home. So other arrangements had to be made, to make sure you got home to Mom, safe and sound.”
Captain Hughs placed her hand on Mark shoulder as she said, “Di called in a few favors to make sure whoever took you home, would make you feel safe. I do hope you feel safe enough to ride in my little ship.”
Mark looked back at the shuttle and asked, “You're saying that has an FTL drive?”
Sam and Tammy both broke out laughing.
“No this little jumper will get us to the Sudden Justice and she will get you home safe to Di and Lily,” Captain Hughs answered as an Ensign walked over.
“Madam Captain, Mr. Howland's and his pets' gear are stowed. We are ready to launch,” said the Ensign.
Tammy smiled and nodded, “Are you ready to go, Mark?”
Mark walked over and gave Sam a big hug and kissed her on the cheek, “Don't be a stranger! You have to come and visit us, sometime.”
“Of course I will, Mark, you enjoy your ride home,” answered Sam.
Mark walked around the rear of the shuttle, and met someone new.
“Tammy! This boy not ready to travel!”
Captain Hughs turned around, looked at Mark and asked, “What do you mean, Karry?”
“Look at him!” Karry said once more.
Tammy walked over and stared at Mark, who was dressed in cut-off jeans, half a t-shirt tank top that showed off his mid-drift and a pair of open toe sandals, with his long black hair hanging free all the way down to his ankles.
“What's wrong with him?”
Karry crossed her arms, “He is going to freeze solid by the time we dock, dressed the way he is, right now.”
It dawned on everyone else that Captain Hughs, Karry and Ensign Siez were wearing flight suits that had built in climate controls. Mark was basically, naked. Even his pets had fur that would help keep them warm.
“Ms. Bradly, do you think you can get a terry cloth shower robe for Mark?” Karry asked.
It took about ten minutes to get the robe. Mark was wrapped up in it, and strapped down into one of the passenger seats behind the pilot and co-pilot seats. The jumper shuttle was about the size of a nineteen-seventies Ford Club Wagon Van. It didn't leave a lot of room for cargo or passengers. The jumper was built for ship to ship use, only, and was not meant to be landed. Due to its limited design, the shuttle had only minimal heating, just enough to keep the interior at an avenge temperature of just about 35 °F. Half way through the twenty minute ride to the Sudden Justice, Mark's teeth started chattering.
Tina and Penny both leaned against him, trying to share their body heat. But the temperature was dropping fast and ensign Siez throttled the small shuttle up to full military power and did her best to rush.
“Make a hole and make it wide,” hollered Master Chief Gomez as she carried Mark as as quickly as she could towards the medical bay.
Behind the Master Chief, two more petty officers, were carrying Tina and Penny, followed closely by Captain Hughs, Ensign Siez. Bringing up the rear, with a rather nasty look on her face, was Karry.
Master Chief Gomez placed Mark down on the exam table, and two doctors and a dozen nurses moved in like a swarm of locusts. The few clothes Mark had been wearing were quickly cut away and warming blankets and packs were wrapped around him.
“What was the cabin temperature when the shuttle docked?” asked Doctor Avery.
MC. Gomez paused for a moment while she got the response to the doctors question, “The cabin temperature was negative eighty-four degrees. It had dropped down to half of standard atmospheric pressure, but oxygen was maintained at standard levels.”
A nurse took notes and Dr. Avery rambled off a bunch of orders quickly as she triple checked Mark's stats.
“Doctor, I can't get either of the pets to respond,” said an intern.
“Are you that damn stupid, Johnson? They're fucking pets, his pets,” Dr. Avery said as she pointed at Mark, “As long as he is down, they will not respond. Just make sure they're warm and safe.”
“But he's dead,” said another intern.
Dr. Avery slammed down her tablet computer, “Four years of medical school and you don't understand the facts, here? He is super-cold. Once we get his body temperature back up to eighty-five degrees and restart his heart, we can then determine if he a survivor or a corpse. NO ONE is dead until they're warm and dead. Do you all understand me?”
“Yes, Doctor,” everyone responded.
Outside the medbay, Captain Hughs and Karry spoke to the ship's senior mechanic.
“I am telling you, Captain, that shuttle was just serviced. I personally checked the power coupler. It was only four months old, and had less than sixty hours on it. It should have not failed,” Sub-Commander Redding insisted as she pulled up the check logs on the corridor's wall display.
Tammy reviewed the log while Sub-Commander Redding did everything she could think of to avoid making eye contact with Karry.
The shuttle had lost power about three quarters of the way back to the ship. They'd had to tow it in. With the loss of power, what little heating it had started with, was also lost. In the twenty minutes that it took for another shuttle to come out and retrieve them, the temperature dropped below freezing, making it impossible for Mark and the pets to stay warm at all.
Fifteen minutes out Mark body temperature plummeted to below seventy degrees and his breathing and heart stopped. Tina and Penny both stopped trying to stay warm soon after Mark's heart stopped and slowly collapsed.
“So you are suggesting that someone installed a faulty part,” Karry asked.
Sub-Commander Redding swallowed hard, and chose her words very carefully around Karry. “I do believe that who ever installed that part, had no knowledge that it may have been faulty.”
Karry was a government overseer. Her job was to ensure that everyone in the military was loyal, and doing their jobs property. Her reports could make a captain into an Admiral or an up and coming Sub-Commander into a Private once more.
Karry looked at Sub-Commander Redding, “I want a full report on my desk before we jump into hyperspace.”
Fourteen hours later, Mark opened his eyes and screamed.
Nurse Holahand rushed from her duty station, to Mark's bed, “Easy little guy, your safe.”
Mark looked at her, and stopped screaming long enough for Nurse Holahand to get in a few more words and help Mark sit up.
“Little man, you had us all scared that we'd lost you.”
“I'm not little,” Mark said as he sat up.
Nurse Holahand checked Mark vital stats and smiled, “Sorry but you are the definition of little man.”
“But I'm not,” Mark pouted.
“Lets see, you are four feet tall, weigh sixty eight pounds and are nineteen years old. What would you say you are if not a little man?” Nurse Holahand asked as she adjusted the blankets covering Mark.
Mark looked at her, but he didn't smile. He knew she was right, but the idea of being a little man seemed to rub him wrong. The the door to the medbay opened and Dr. Avery stepped in.
“Well, well! It seems our guest is finally awake. How do you feel, Mark?”
Mark looked at the approaching doctor, “Cold.”
“I expect you will feel that way for some time, now. As cold as you had gotten, it will take time for your mind and body to shake off that freezing feeling. But I assure you that you're not cold. In fact if you look at this monitor, you'll see that your body temperature is a nice ninety-eight point eight degrees. If anything you're slightly warm,” Dr. Avery explained as she looked at the monitors.
Then the nurse caught Mark's attention, when she pulled out a large pair of branch clippers from under a towel.
“So, Mark, you do not like being called a little man?” Dr Avery asked.
Mark looked back at her, “Umm…”
The clippers held Mark's attention as the nurse sanitized them, “I…”
Then suddenly the doctor shoved Mark back, and the nurse wrapped a large strap across his chest,
“Well then, I can fix that! I'll make you a little girl!”
Mark started screaming and thrashing about, when suddenly he heard a familiar voice.
“It's just a bad dream! You're safe, Mark,” said Lily as she pulled Mark up from where he was curled up on the floor, pulling him close to her chest.
“It's just a bad dream,” she said, again.
Stacy was thankful for one thing, a head shot was painless. You were there one moment and gone the next. Before she could do anything else, Julie appeared just a few feet from her.
“Damn, he shot through a wall to get me!” Stacy told her friend.
“He wasn't in either tower,” Julie said as she walked over to a large couch and sat down.
“I know. I was looking directly at the second tower. If he'd made the shot from there, he wouldn't have had to shoot through a wall to get me,” Stacy said as she joined Julie on the couch.
“You know, he's in Tabby's room, right now. Wanna go meet the real boy?” Julie said with a big wicked smile.
* * * *
Getting to and inside Tabby's room was no real problem, Julie was one of Stacy's close friends. But neither of the pets were going to let them get close to Mark while he was playing with his holoband. While Penny made it clear no one was to get close, Tina took the time to explain about the kidnapping attempt a few days earlier.
Tabby reached up and pulled her holoband off, after blinking her eyes a few time Tabby smiled seeing Stacy and Julie sitting in the room laughing.
“Your boy there is one hell of a shot,” Stacy said as Tabby got up from her seat.
“I know! That was such an amazing shot! I couldn't even see you two from where I was, and he shot you through at least two buildings,” Tabby said with a silly smirk on her face.
Mark was next to remove his holoband. After blinking his eyes a few times, he almost bolted from his chair at seeing Stacy and Julie talking with Tabby.
Stacy and Julie quieted down.
Stacy turned, smiled at Mark and said, “You were fucking awesome!”
Mark gave Julie a nervous look, and then looked back to Tabby and asked, “They're not mad?”
Stacy replied, “Oh, hell no! It's been months since I was last killed. But I have to know, where were you, and how did you target us?” Stacy asked.
Mark smiled a little. His 'hide' had been found by Rachel, so telling them was no big deal.
“It was the old school clock tower. As to how I knew where you were, you took up positions in the most common spot to target both of the spire towers. So, once you took your shot, I used thermo-tracking and shot back at you.”
“You've played this map before, haven’t you,” Julie said with a laugh.
The smile on Mark's face spoke louder than words. He held up his left hand showing off his golden bracelet and rings that had a very thin sliver chain connecting them all, the set was brought by Lily and sized before the trip so it would fix Mark when he had completed the change. It was the outward display of his ownership.
“My owner loves BorderWars, also. We played a lot when she wasn't busy with other matters.”
For the next two hours Mark and his new friends talked, laughed, and had a grand old time; until Tina interrupted them all.
“Mark, Sam is asking that you meet her at the shuttle bay.”
“Tell her I'm on my way, please, Tina,” Mark said as he got up, “Thank you for the great time. I hope we can play again, soon.”
Tina went to the door, and led the way to the landing bay, while Penny stayed close behind Mark.
Mark went through the door leading into the landing bay, and saw Sam with her back to him talking to Corporal Hughs! But, she wasn't a Corporal anymore! She was wearing Captain's tabs!
Mark yelled out, “Tammy,” and ran over to her.
Captain Hughs swooped Mark up and off his feet, and gave him a big warm hug.
“I heard you'd changed, but no one said you be even prettier than before.”
Mark blushed, then said, “But what are you doing, here?”
After putting Mark back down Tammy smiled at him and looked back at Sam, “Well, it seems you need a ride home.”
Mark looked over to Sam, and she said, “You're done here, Mark. It's time you went home to be with Mom and Lily.”
“But I thought you would be taking me home?” asked Mark with a sad look on his face.
Sam bent down to be at Mark's level, while Captain Hughs stepped over to her shuttle and checked on how the loading of Mark's gear was going.
“There's been a change in plans, because I have to transport young Ms. Ruthie Marshall to the local authorities. That trip will take me five days away from your home. So other arrangements had to be made, to make sure you got home to Mom, safe and sound.”
Captain Hughs placed her hand on Mark shoulder as she said, “Di called in a few favors to make sure whoever took you home, would make you feel safe. I do hope you feel safe enough to ride in my little ship.”
Mark looked back at the shuttle and asked, “You're saying that has an FTL drive?”
Sam and Tammy both broke out laughing.
“No this little jumper will get us to the Sudden Justice and she will get you home safe to Di and Lily,” Captain Hughs answered as an Ensign walked over.
“Madam Captain, Mr. Howland's and his pets' gear are stowed. We are ready to launch,” said the Ensign.
Tammy smiled and nodded, “Are you ready to go, Mark?”
Mark walked over and gave Sam a big hug and kissed her on the cheek, “Don't be a stranger! You have to come and visit us, sometime.”
“Of course I will, Mark, you enjoy your ride home,” answered Sam.
Mark walked around the rear of the shuttle, and met someone new.
“Tammy! This boy not ready to travel!”
Captain Hughs turned around, looked at Mark and asked, “What do you mean, Karry?”
“Look at him!” Karry said once more.
Tammy walked over and stared at Mark, who was dressed in cut-off jeans, half a t-shirt tank top that showed off his mid-drift and a pair of open toe sandals, with his long black hair hanging free all the way down to his ankles.
“What's wrong with him?”
Karry crossed her arms, “He is going to freeze solid by the time we dock, dressed the way he is, right now.”
It dawned on everyone else that Captain Hughs, Karry and Ensign Siez were wearing flight suits that had built in climate controls. Mark was basically, naked. Even his pets had fur that would help keep them warm.
“Ms. Bradly, do you think you can get a terry cloth shower robe for Mark?” Karry asked.
It took about ten minutes to get the robe. Mark was wrapped up in it, and strapped down into one of the passenger seats behind the pilot and co-pilot seats. The jumper shuttle was about the size of a nineteen-seventies Ford Club Wagon Van. It didn't leave a lot of room for cargo or passengers. The jumper was built for ship to ship use, only, and was not meant to be landed. Due to its limited design, the shuttle had only minimal heating, just enough to keep the interior at an avenge temperature of just about 35 °F. Half way through the twenty minute ride to the Sudden Justice, Mark's teeth started chattering.
Tina and Penny both leaned against him, trying to share their body heat. But the temperature was dropping fast and ensign Siez throttled the small shuttle up to full military power and did her best to rush.
“Make a hole and make it wide,” hollered Master Chief Gomez as she carried Mark as as quickly as she could towards the medical bay.
Behind the Master Chief, two more petty officers, were carrying Tina and Penny, followed closely by Captain Hughs, Ensign Siez. Bringing up the rear, with a rather nasty look on her face, was Karry.
Master Chief Gomez placed Mark down on the exam table, and two doctors and a dozen nurses moved in like a swarm of locusts. The few clothes Mark had been wearing were quickly cut away and warming blankets and packs were wrapped around him.
“What was the cabin temperature when the shuttle docked?” asked Doctor Avery.
MC. Gomez paused for a moment while she got the response to the doctors question, “The cabin temperature was negative eighty-four degrees. It had dropped down to half of standard atmospheric pressure, but oxygen was maintained at standard levels.”
A nurse took notes and Dr. Avery rambled off a bunch of orders quickly as she triple checked Mark's stats.
“Doctor, I can't get either of the pets to respond,” said an intern.
“Are you that damn stupid, Johnson? They're fucking pets, his pets,” Dr. Avery said as she pointed at Mark, “As long as he is down, they will not respond. Just make sure they're warm and safe.”
“But he's dead,” said another intern.
Dr. Avery slammed down her tablet computer, “Four years of medical school and you don't understand the facts, here? He is super-cold. Once we get his body temperature back up to eighty-five degrees and restart his heart, we can then determine if he a survivor or a corpse. NO ONE is dead until they're warm and dead. Do you all understand me?”
“Yes, Doctor,” everyone responded.
Outside the medbay, Captain Hughs and Karry spoke to the ship's senior mechanic.
“I am telling you, Captain, that shuttle was just serviced. I personally checked the power coupler. It was only four months old, and had less than sixty hours on it. It should have not failed,” Sub-Commander Redding insisted as she pulled up the check logs on the corridor's wall display.
Tammy reviewed the log while Sub-Commander Redding did everything she could think of to avoid making eye contact with Karry.
The shuttle had lost power about three quarters of the way back to the ship. They'd had to tow it in. With the loss of power, what little heating it had started with, was also lost. In the twenty minutes that it took for another shuttle to come out and retrieve them, the temperature dropped below freezing, making it impossible for Mark and the pets to stay warm at all.
Fifteen minutes out Mark body temperature plummeted to below seventy degrees and his breathing and heart stopped. Tina and Penny both stopped trying to stay warm soon after Mark's heart stopped and slowly collapsed.
“So you are suggesting that someone installed a faulty part,” Karry asked.
Sub-Commander Redding swallowed hard, and chose her words very carefully around Karry. “I do believe that who ever installed that part, had no knowledge that it may have been faulty.”
Karry was a government overseer. Her job was to ensure that everyone in the military was loyal, and doing their jobs property. Her reports could make a captain into an Admiral or an up and coming Sub-Commander into a Private once more.
Karry looked at Sub-Commander Redding, “I want a full report on my desk before we jump into hyperspace.”
Fourteen hours later, Mark opened his eyes and screamed.
Nurse Holahand rushed from her duty station, to Mark's bed, “Easy little guy, your safe.”
Mark looked at her, and stopped screaming long enough for Nurse Holahand to get in a few more words and help Mark sit up.
“Little man, you had us all scared that we'd lost you.”
“I'm not little,” Mark said as he sat up.
Nurse Holahand checked Mark vital stats and smiled, “Sorry but you are the definition of little man.”
“But I'm not,” Mark pouted.
“Lets see, you are four feet tall, weigh sixty eight pounds and are nineteen years old. What would you say you are if not a little man?” Nurse Holahand asked as she adjusted the blankets covering Mark.
Mark looked at her, but he didn't smile. He knew she was right, but the idea of being a little man seemed to rub him wrong. The the door to the medbay opened and Dr. Avery stepped in.
“Well, well! It seems our guest is finally awake. How do you feel, Mark?”
Mark looked at the approaching doctor, “Cold.”
“I expect you will feel that way for some time, now. As cold as you had gotten, it will take time for your mind and body to shake off that freezing feeling. But I assure you that you're not cold. In fact if you look at this monitor, you'll see that your body temperature is a nice ninety-eight point eight degrees. If anything you're slightly warm,” Dr. Avery explained as she looked at the monitors.
Then the nurse caught Mark's attention, when she pulled out a large pair of branch clippers from under a towel.
“So, Mark, you do not like being called a little man?” Dr Avery asked.
Mark looked back at her, “Umm…”
The clippers held Mark's attention as the nurse sanitized them, “I…”
Then suddenly the doctor shoved Mark back, and the nurse wrapped a large strap across his chest,
“Well then, I can fix that! I'll make you a little girl!”
Mark started screaming and thrashing about, when suddenly he heard a familiar voice.
“It's just a bad dream! You're safe, Mark,” said Lily as she pulled Mark up from where he was curled up on the floor, pulling him close to her chest.
“It's just a bad dream,” she said, again.