The Yellow Rover, page 15
“I understand you all have been itching to see some real action and I echo your sentiments.” Sanhueza said. “The good news is—we’ve reached our first destination.”
“And what’s the bad news?” Ono asked.
“I wouldn’t call it bad per se, but we are being thrown an unexpected wrinkle.”
“How so?” Kalayjian asked.
“We’ve discovered an alien moon base not far from our current position in space. As such, the captain has tasked me with putting a team together to check it out.” Biancuzzo said. “Ono, Hartwell, Yuliya, Sarker and our new best friend, the duplicate android.”
This announcement caused a bit of unrest among the crew as Biancuzzo could see the excitement in many of their eyes. Their ignorance was bliss.
“The rest of you will break into two teams to explore the planet—”
“Zurara. We’re calling it Zurara.” Sanhueza interjected.
“Using the WaftMars.”
This fuckin’ guy really couldn’t resist naming the planet even though they still hadn’t come close to even touching the surface. While it was exciting to discover a new planet, they still needed to exercise some caution. They were the aliens of this star system.
“Captain Sanhueza, Cayo and Seneca will offer tactical aerial support as well as communication from the Yellow Rover. Alpha team will be as follows. Kalayjian, Zepeda, Moore, Demboba, Sarracino and Leon. Bravo team. Flintroy, Roubideaux, Jonsdottir, Komatsu, Sikosek and Meneghini. Questions?”
“Yeah, I got one. Actually, I got several.” Sarracino said. “Are those grenades?”
Biancuzzo looked to a crate on the floor between Cayo and the duplicate that was filled with fusion grenades.
“Nothing gets passed you Ponch. Each soldier gets two. Anyone else?”
“You still haven’t told us who the sergeants are.” Ono chimed in.
“Jonsdottir, Meneghini, Kalayjian and Sarracino. Those are your four. Congratulations. Happy now?”
The restlessness resumed as some of the crew were ribbing Ono for not being selected as a sergeant. She seemed to be taking it in stride, which was nice to see.
“At ease!” Kalayjian shouted.
The crew stood at attention with their arms at their sides. Biancuzzo nodded to the newly-minted sergeant, who stood poised and quiet.
“Let me be clear.” The lieutenant said, his tone softening.
This was more than likely going to be one of the last times they’d all be in the same room together. Not that he enjoyed thinking like that, but in his position, he had to prepare for every eventuality, including the worst.
“Your lives all change tomorrow. So take it from me and do the smart thing—embrace each other today. I mean it. You may never get another chance to do so. Dismissed.”
He stepped aside as his soldiers made a beeline for the fusion grenades. He turned his attention to Sanhueza who gave him a quiet thumbs up. His excitement of the unknown had almost evaporated in totality now that it was upon them. They were going in blind.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
After the lieutenant’s speech, everyone minus him and the captain had piled into the galley for some semblance of a last supper. This was the first time Delly could remember them all being in this room at the same time. Normally, the max occupancy would’ve been half at the most.
“A toast.”
Sikosek raised her cup of water in triumph as all eyes shifted to her. Fifteen more cups went into the air a second later.
“This would be a lot better if we had alcohol.”
Laughter filled the galley.
“But we’ve been on this ship for some time now and I would be lying if I didn’t say—just how much I’ve enjoyed hating every single one of you. It’s truly been an honor.”
“All this because we caught you guys having sex one time?” Roubideaux asked.
“You goddamn right, Jacobi. Private moments matter.”
Sikosek took a sip as more laughter ensued. It was nice seeing everyone so happy for a change, even if the experience was going to be fleeting.
“I’d like to make a toast as well.”
Ono raised her cup as high as she could.
“To our newly minted superiors. Danny, Fenix, Sam the man and Ponch. You guys know your shit. Even if the voting may have been rigged. I mean three grunts out of four. Come on. When the shit hits the fan, you’re gonna want one of us bird-brains by your side.”
“Say it again.” Zepeda added.
“And again.” Roubideaux was next.
“And again.”
Zepeda wouldn’t let up as laughter erupted once more. It was a good thing they didn’t have alcohol. The crew was delirious off of adrenaline, water and coffee, although it wouldn’t have surprised Delly if there were a few among them who were abusing the shit out of that felaprex as well.
“Okay, I got one.” Kalayjian took center stage. “Show of hands, how many of you haven’t had sex since we left the Rover Base?”
No one raised their hands except for Kalayjian. It was amazing how obsessed with sex this crew was. It was almost as if Delly hadn’t left high school at all. Yes, they were all in close proximity with one another, but the sheer volume of lascivious conversation that she had heard on this ship was eye-opening.
“Seriously?” Kalayjian went on. “Fuck, so it’s just me? How is that possible? And which one of you fucked the captain?”
“Does self-love count?” Meneghini chimed in.
“The hell it does.”
More laughter could be heard as Delly noticed Sarracino staring at her for a brief moment.
“Hey, hey, hey. Listen up.”
Everyone’s attention went to Sarracino.
“Since this is our last day together as a group, I would be remiss if I didn’t ask the baby of us to sing that damn song that she’s always humming in the simulator. Am I right?”
Oh shit.
All eyes landed on Delly as she tried to hide her face.
“Oh, don’t be shy, Delly Moore. You owe us a song. Right?”
Everyone began hooting and hollering, trying to cajole her into singing hush little baby for them. She wore a pained expression—still confused as to why this was so important. And here she thought she was passed the hazing stage.
“Delly. Delly. Delly. Delly.”
They all began chanting her name. Even Roko had joined in on this foolishness.
“All right. Fine. If I do this, once—will you guys leave me alone?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.” Sarracino said.
“Depends on how bad you sing.” Ono added.
More laughter could be heard as Sarracino put his hands up to quiet everyone.
“The floor is yours private Moore.”
Delly rolled her eyes as she cleared her throat.
“Hush little baby, don’t say a word. Mama’s gonna buy you a mockin’ bird. And if that mockin’ bird won’t sing, Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.”
The room fell silent for the first time. She was the center of attention. This was oddly familiar to how her mother used to quiet her before bed.
“And if that diamond ring is brass, Mama’s gonna buy you a lookin’ glass. And if that lookin’ glass gets broke, Mama’s gonna buy you a Billy goat. And if that Billy goat won't pull, Mama’s gonna buy you a cart and bull. And if that cart and bull turn over, Mama’s gonna buy you a dog named Rover. And if that dog named Rover won’t bark, Mama’s gonna buy you a horse and cart. And if that horse and cart fall down, you’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.”
The room exploded in glee as everyone was shouting and whistling. She took her rightful place on one of the benches and accepted her audience’s applause. She and Sarracino made eye contact as he winked at her. He had put her on the spot against her wishes, but it was so worth it.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
It was the calm before the storm as Roko sat in the cabin of a WaftMar. Barring any unforeseen snafus, he would be on the surface of a new planet in less than twenty-four hours. The first time he would be able to say that since his teenage years. He took a deep breath, just soaking in the last bit of peace he would have for the foreseeable future.
The fact that there had been zero serious incidents on the Yellow Rover since their departure was an achievement in and of itself. This voyage was taxing in all facets. He worked diligently to keep his physical skills as sharp as possible, but it remained to be seen just how well his mental state would hold up in an alien environment.
Since becoming a soldier, he always tried to be cognizant of his shortcomings. Understanding that he wasn’t infallible made him work that much harder. But if the shit really did hit the fan, he still didn’t know how he would react. Nor how anyone else would for that matter. The young man who tried to hang himself in the Rover Base loading bay was an eye-opener. It was at that moment Roko decided he would have to move heaven and earth to leave that place.
This mission wasn’t without its warts, but the uncertainty of running out of food, oxygen, even hope would never be enough to deter him from wanting to be a part of it. A life on the Rover Base simply meant accepting the fact that his skill-set would eventually atrophy.
But out here, in the great unknown, not only was Roko valued, he was needed. The real engineers of societal growth like Sarker, Meneghini and the Hodacova twins would lean on people like him to protect them while they did their thing. This was a challenge he was up for.
“Hehe. I knew you were a monk.”
He swiveled his head to see Delly standing before him, in her spacesuit with all of her gear in tow.
“Jesus, do you ever sleep?” She went on.
“I’m an android Delly, hasn’t anyone told you that yet?”
He climbed out of the transport and walked back towards the corridor exit to retrieve his military gear, which he had left on the floor.
“Oh, they did. I just made the mistake of not believing them. I also made the mistake of going into the gym a few minutes ago. Can’t unsee what I just saw unfortunately.”
Roko scoffed. He had also made the same error nearly an hour before she did. Although, who could blame them. Tonight was going to be everyone’s last night together for—possibly—ever. The only surprise was that something like that hadn’t happened sooner. A testament to everyone’s self-control, he reckoned.
“A lot of repressed sexual tension on this ship, I’d say.”
“Yeah, I’d say you’re understating it—quite a bit.”
He grabbed his gear and turned to see Delly approaching him.
“How come you never made a pass at me?”
He scoffed again. But looking in her eyes, she was dead serious.
“I’m sorry, would you like me to make a pass at you?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Can you just answer the question and stop being so damn vague all the time?”
Roko lowered his gear to the floor and approached her.
“To be honest?”
“Yes.”
“I thought about it. Just like every other guy on board, I’m sure. You’re a damn good-looking bird, Delly. With a very nice body, who also knows how to handle a tool.”
She smirked at him.
“But before I left the Rover Base, I met your dad.”
“Oh my God, let me guess, he told you to watch over me or some shit like that?”
“No. He didn’t. Some kid tried to commit suicide in the Rover Base loading bay.”
“Are you serious?”
Roko nodded. He was.
“Anyway, Shock and I were able to get to him and stop it before it was too late.”
“Shock?”
“Minnix. He’s on the Green Rover as we speak. He and I were usually paired up back home. I miss him a lot. Cool guy. You’d have liked him I think.”
“So what does this have to do with meeting my dad?”
“And here I thought I was known for my brevity.” He scoffed. “After the incident, your dad came to see me and asked me what I wanted for my silence. Now I knew it was a rhetorical question because—officers don’t typically give people like me shit.”
He pointed to her.
“But not your dad. Your dad—he’s a man of his word. I told him I wanted to be on one of these ships. And he offered me and Shock that same opportunity. And for that, I’m forever grateful. You come from really good stock Delly; you should be proud.”
“I am. I am.” She smiled, taking a moment to soak in his words. “So if I’m hearing you correctly, you basically never wanted to try anything with me because you were worried that it might not work out?”
“If you want to paraphrase everything I just said down to that, sure, why not? But if you’re asking if I would turn down a sloppy BJ, no—I would not.”
“Okay. Good. ‘Cause I wasn’t offering one.”
“All right, but if you change your mind though.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Roko threw his hands back and ran his finger across his lips. For some reason Delly thought it would be a good idea to ask him all of these personal questions. She got down on her knees, placing her gear out in front of her, indicating to him that she was ready to get started.
“Hey.”
She looked up at him.
“What exactly are they doing in there?”
“I don’t even want to taint your mind with such filth.”
“Now you really have me curious. It’s that bad?”
Delly nodded.
“Maybe we should join.”
She shook her head, indicating no. She wanted no parts of it. Roko joined her on his knees to commence their final training session before first landing.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Ono reached inside the locker and pulled out her sidearm. Unlike Moore or the other soldiers, everyone else was only provided with one weapon, not even a baton. She turned to Sarker, who was wiggling her way into her spacesuit.
“Is it wrong for me to feel some kind of way about us only getting one of these?” Ono said. “Like I get that we’re not soldiers, but why’d they give us these pea shooters instead of a shotgun?”
“Probably because they’re light and can be used in close quarters.” Yuliya remarked from behind her. She was also getting ready.
“Yup. Considering you’re one of the few among us who knows how to fly a StarForger, the last thing you should be worried about is that pea shooter.” Sarker added.
“Yeah, I guess.” Ono said. “Honestly, this all just feels so weird. Like two days ago, the three of us were just twiddling our thumbs and now we’re about to explore an alien moon base. That’s fuckin’ mind-blowing.”
“Time waits for no man, Tess. Or woman for that matter.”
Sarker readjusted herself inside the suit as Ono secured the sidearm to her hip before grabbing her backpack next.
“What’s really gonna be weird is not having everyone else around. I don’t understand why we can’t just do every-thing as a group.”
“Because it’s way too dangerous for that, Yuliya.” Sarker said. “What if the base was booby-trapped? Then the mission would be over.”
“Well, if the base is booby-trapped, why even go in the first place?”
“She didn’t say it—never mind. Are we ready to go yet?” Ono asked.
“I am.”
Sarker tapped her helmet. She was geared up and ready. Ono turned to Yuliya, who was still taking her sweet ass time. She approached her.
“This is about Leon, isn’t it?”
Yuliya sighed. “We’ve rarely spent a lot of time apart. And never in a situation like this.”
“Understandable. But your brother’s gonna be with Sam and Ponch. I know those guys. They’ll look out for him.”
Yuliya nodded. All Ono could hope was that her words were at least somewhat reassuring. The comfort station exit door slid open, revealing the lieutenant.
“Is everybody decent?” He said.
“I think you’re supposed to ask that before you enter sir.” Sarker remarked.
“My mistake. Anyway, Quin and I are ready, so when you all are, meet us in the loading bay.”
“Yes sir.”
⧖
The corridor was empty save for Ono, Yuliya and Sarker. They approached the ship’s loading bay as Sarker waved her hand over the control panel. The door slid open revealing the rest of the crew awaiting them with big smiles. Roubideaux and Zepeda made a beeline for Ono as other crew dispersed to say their goodbyes.
“I’m assuming they don’t have much oxygen out there, so—you better soak it up now chica.” Zepeda said.
“Haha, very funny. I wish you guys were coming with. It’s gonna be weird being the only fly-girl.” Ono responded.
“Not that weird. Just remember everything I taught you.” Roubideaux said.
Ono rolled her eyes and scoffed as her two sisters-in-aeronautics laughed at her expense.
“Seriously though, you kickass out there.” Roubideaux went on. “I wanna hear that sharp tongue again, real soon.”
“You got it.”
She and Roubideaux exchanged a peck kiss on the lips, before she repeated the action with Zepeda. They engaged in a group hug. These three women had known each other for years. And just like the soldiers, they were elite.
“Damn, how can I get some of that?”
They released their embrace to see Sarracino approaching them with a goofy look in his eyes.
“Really Ponch?” Ono said.
“You didn’t really think I was gonna let you go without a sendoff, did you? And that’s sergeant Sarracino, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I could’ve sworn we had that sendoff last night, but I must be mistaking you for someone else.”
He wrapped his arm around her spacesuit and pulled her in tight, their noses practically touching as Roubideaux and Zepeda gave them some space.
“You and me still have some unfinished business Tess Ono, so you be safe out there. You hear me?”
