Free Metal Boxes by Alan Black Page A

involuntarily at the thought of open sky.
    “What, Stone? You don’t like open sky?” Allie asked him.
    Stone shook his head. “No. Not so much. I grew up on ships and stations. I haven’t had much to do with being outside without a deck over head.”
    “Well, tower one really doesn’t have open sky,” Wright said “It just looks that way to keep the goats from going crazy, and some of the marines we have on board too.”
    Allie smiled, “Goat- girl has been letting us bring over some of our transient marines for exercises in the open farm air. It does them good, rather than keeping them cooped up. It would be good for you too, Stone.”
    “I’ve got an opening on my staff. How about I wrangle a transfer for you, Mister Stone?” Wright asked in agreement.
    A smile leapt to Stone’s face at the thought of getting away from tower three-whiskey deck and Lieutenant Vaarhoo. Grandma said the navy would help him broaden his experiences. After all, he had grown up on freighters and had been doing warehouse work for as long as he could remember.
    “Commander Wright, I think I would like that very much. However, I don’t know anything about working with live animals or doing any farm work,” Stone replied.
    Wright laughed a nd pointed at Skippy. “Neither did he when he came to us, but he spent most of last night shoving his arms up to his shoulders inside a cow’s backend to help with a breach birthing.”
    Stone had a sudden urge to brush the back of his uniform where Skippy had patted him on the back.
    “I’ll teach you to farm,” Wright continued. “And Allie can teach you math, because if you can’t figure out how much grass you have then you can’t figure out how many goats you can put on it to graze. And with that lesson, we have got to go.” She raised her voice. “Okay, children, saddle up. We got chores to do and only so much daylight left to do them.”
    Stone stood, came to attention and said, “Commander Wright. It has been my pleasure to meet you. Thank you for the invitation to join your table.”
    Wright smiled, “Thank you, Midshipman Stone. You are always welcome at my table.” She raised a quizzical eyebrow at Allie.
    “ Yeah, yeah, Goat-girl. What he said.”
    After nodding in acknowledgement to each of the other officers that had been at the table, Stone watched until the group was out of the room. He sat back down and looked across at Allie. “Please excuse me, Allie. I don’t mean to sound rude, but I have never seen anyone eat so much as you just did and still keep an attractive figure.”
    “It is really a matter of math ,” Allie answered with a smile. “It is calorie intake minus calorie output. We just have to balance them. I do have a large frame to carry plenty of bulk.”
    “Large is nice. I think I like large ,” Stone said.
    “Thanks Stone. I think you are nice , too,” Allie replied.
    “And you have nice friends.”
    “Yeah, I think so too. Of course a marine has to be careful who she is seen with. Goat-girl isn’t really very navy-like so I guess she’ll do.”
    “Do you really think she will ask to have me transferred to her tower?”
    Allie nodded. “Absolutely, if Full Commander Danielle E. Wright says she will do something then you can bet your last dollar that she will do it. Not me, though; seems I am a terrible liar.”
    Stone looked crestfallen. “You really won’t help tutor me in math?”
    “That? Hell yes, I am gonna do that. However, I was supposed to meet a group of marines in rec-area one-wts-3159 for a going away bash. We have a couple of transient officers passing through that are departing when we get to Willet Station tomorrow.”
    “So what is the lie ?”
    “I said that I would go to this bash, but now I don’t want to. I think I would rather spend the time with you. I am awful, aren’t I?”
    Stone stood as his mother had taught him. He was really glad she had made him practice over and over again. Now that he was out in public