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A Moment's Inattention - Chapter 6
"That should do it," said Beka. "At least till we can get you to a real sickbay."
The salvage crew was gathered in the Maru's common room which Beka was using as an improvised sickbay. Covas was sitting on one end of the common room table her legs dangling over the end. Harper and Vexpeg were standing nearby watching anxiously as Beka finished adjusting the sling she had placed on Covas' arm. The New Caledonian had injured herself while trying to remove an equipment console from the body of one of the Victorious' crewmen. She had pulled the console towards her rather than pushing it. When the console began to move it had carried her into the opposite bulkhead crushing her between the console and the bulkhead, breaking a wrist and Beka suspected several ribs as well. Fortunately Harper had been nearby and was able to render assistance, quite possibly saving her life.
"I told you to be careful. You're lucky Harper and Vex were around otherwise you might be keeping the Victorious' crewmen company. Now the question is can you tough it out till we get you back to your home planet or do we disconnect from the Victorious and take you down to your base on Serenity."
"I'm fine really I am," argued Covas, jumping off the table as if to prove her point, and grimacing in pain when her feet hit the deck. "I'll just need some painkillers from my ribs. My wrist will be OK till we get back to New Caledonia and my ribs are just sore that's all. I want to see this through to the end."
Beka looked as if she was about to object than changed her mind.
"Ok, "she said, "but if you start having trouble breathing and it will be quicker to take you to Serenity than New Caledonia you're going back to Serenity. And the lot of you," she waved her hand to encompass Vexpeg and Harper as well as Covas, "don't forget to take your anti radiation tablets, the missile battery was hotter than is healthy."
"The whole thing is a foolish waste of time," complained Beckenworth. "We should already be en route to the slipstream point. You were hired to recover the Victorious. Not to recover bodies." Beka had ordered the undersecretary released from confinement after the aborted body recovery expedition. She had hoped that the period in confinement would temper the man's ill manners and petty officiousness. It hadn't. He had been alternating between making threats and complaining ever since he had been released.
"Actually, Mr Undersecretary," said Covas determined to prove that she was as tough as any of the salvaging team and doggedly trying to ignore the fact that her body was telling her to lie down and take a nap, "they were hired to recover the bodies of the Victorious' crewmen." She emphasized the 'were' "The contract was quite explicit about that."
Beckenworth gave the petty officer a hostile glare. "Your lack of enthusiasm for the successful completion of this mission and and your insubordination towards your superiors will be reported when we return to New Caledonia, Petty Officer Covas. I suggest that if you ever want to make Chief Petty Officer you will fully support me from here on out."
Covas returned the undersecretary's glare with one of her own. Her 'yes sir' was more sarcastic than respectful.
Beka heard Vexpeg's mandibles click together and hurriedly spoke up before the Umbrite tried to throttle the undersecretary again. "We'll get your ship back home, Mr Undersecretary, but we're going to recover the bodies first. Now unless you have something positive to contribute to the discussion, I suggest you stay quiet. We're going to finish recovering the bodies and then we'll start preparing for a towing operation."
"Tow?" asked Beckenworth. "Isn't that dangerous. I've heard that tow cables can snap and recoil back towards the towing ship. Why can't you repair the Victorious so it can follow you through the slipstream."
"It is and they can," said Beka. "And if we could we would. But unfortunately transiting through the slipstream requires fuel and the Victorious ejected both it's AM containment units. It's not going anywhere under its own power without an AM containment unit."
"And you didn't think to bring a spare one?" asked Beckenworth sarcasm dripping from his voice. "What sort of incompetents are you people?"
Beka began a slow count to ten while reminding herself that planetary governments generally objected when one of their own was spaced. No matter how deserving the individual was. But before she could count past three Harper stalked over to the undersecretary closing the distance till they were virtually toe to toe.
"Because unlike you, Beckenworth," he said "we're not stupid. We actually know something about spacecraft. We would have had to carry a charged AM containment unit since the Maru has no way of transferring anti protons from our AM containment unit to one on another vessel. And installing a charged AM containment unit is a good way for the installer to see just how much E there is in emm see squared."
The undersecretary clinched his fists. His face began to turn red then purple while he made spluttering sounds. But before the undersecretary could either form a sentence or have a stroke Rev spoke up.
""Restrain your self, Master Harper." he said. When Harper moved away from the undersecretary to stand beside Covas, Rev continued. "We've done this sort of thing before, Mr Undersecretary. We wouldn't presume to give you advice on how to conduct negotiations with the inhabitants of Kolk Seven. We simply ask that you return the courtesy and let us conduct our job without second guessing us."
"Rev's right, Mr Undersecretary," said Beka. "Just let us do our job and we'll have the Victorious back in orbit around New Caledonia in a couple of days."
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