Free Last Flight For Craggy by Gary Weston Page A

fly?'
    'No. I've been
in a few ships, but not as captain of one.'
    Forbes asked,
'Stella. Will we be ready for take off on the set launch date?'
    'Hopefully.'
    'Hopefully?'
    'Hopefully.'
    Cragg sensed
the friction and decided to defuse it. 'Commander Forbes. Maybe we
should let the young lady get on with her work.'
    'Okay. I see a
ship coming in. That, if I'm not mistaken, is Commander Dillow. I
hope you get to spend some time with your father. Allow me to take
you to him.'
     

Chapter
24
     
    Space Security
Commander Lance “armour” Dillow had a black ship. Not a nice shiny
attractive black, but a dull, angular, single plasma drive thing,
bristling with laser canons, so it was no surprise when the space
legend himself appeared at the top of the ramp as the hatch opened.
A dozen officers in similarly uninspiring black suits and helmets
parted and marched down on either side of the giant.
    In his helmet,
he stood a shade over seven foot tall. He saw his daughter waiting
for him at the bottom of the ramp. He seemed to pause as if
deciding whether or not to go down the ramp to her. The ramp shook
as he stomped down towards her.
    'Commander
Forbes,' he said, tilting his black sun visor out of the way. He
had piercing, suspicious green eyes, that chilled anyone he
encountered. He glanced briefly at his daughter before giving his
undivided attention to Moon Commander Forbes. Forbes kicked
off.
    'Good to have
you back, Commander Dillow. You know Captain Cragg?'
    'Craggy. Not
brought beer back from Mars, I hope?'
    'Me? As if. Oh,
by the way. Allow me to introduce Freighter Captain Fawn
Dillow.'
    'Yeah? It looks
like everyone's either a captain or a commander these days.'
    'Thanks,
Dad.'
    The big man
grinned and a flash of pride showed in his green eyes. 'I'm winding
you up. I am extremely proud of you. Thanks for looking after Fawn
for me, Craggy.'
    'She earned her
tickets. She's a natural.'
    Forbes
interrupted the reunion. 'Lance. You have a report for me about
Earth?'
    'For your ears
only.'
    Forbes said,
'Off to my office, then. I'll drop you two off on the way.'
    * * *
    Forbes locked
his office door and told admin to hold all calls.
    'Lance?'
    'Not good.'
    'I'd be
surprised if it was. I'm listening.'
    'The solar
storm didn't help. We got info in bits and drabs. The West is up to
something.'
    Forbes said,
'The West is always up to something. So is the East. Are you
talking about something new?'
    'Some new
weapon. They're plotting to take over the East with it. They can't
even feed each other, they're ravished by drought, dropping like
flies with diseases, and what do they do? Spend their time making
new weapons and killing each other.'
    Forbes agreed.
'Earth makes no sense whatsoever to me, these days. As long as we
get that laser powered steelworks here, they can do what they damn
well want to, as far as I'm concerned.'
    'Okay. If you
don't mind, I'd like to see Fawn. Or should that be Captain
Fawn.'
    'You're as
pleased as punch with her. Get the hell out of here.'
     

Chapter
25
     
    'Mars.'
    Freighter
Captain Dillow said, 'Dad. It isn't that far away. Well, actually
it is. But what choice do I have?'
    'Not Earth,
that's for sure. The Moon?'
    'Seriously?'
    'Thirty or
forty years from now, Moon will be a little paradise.'
    Fawn said,
'Mars already is. Have you been there?'
    'Not for a few
years. Is that monkey man still there?'
    'Foreman. The
GenMop man. No. Dad. Craggy said...'
    'Craggy? What
you do has nothing to do with that old fossil.'
    Fawn flared up.
'That old fossil took half a dozen space walks to get us and the
haul safely here. He's one of the best. And he was right. The
future is Mars and I intend to be a part of it.'
    Lance agreed.
'Craggy's right. I Just hate to admit to myself what everyone
knows. The Earth is over and those who remain must carry on without
it the best we can.' He stared at his daughter. 'You look so much
like your mother.'
    'I'll take your
word for that. I never met her.'
    'She held you
for