Roo the Day, page 33
part #13 of Bob and Nikki Series
“Yep. His name is Joe.”
“If he’s half as handy as Jim has been, you got a bargain.”
“Go talking about him like he’s livestock, and he’s liable to up and scamper.”
Joe walked up to Topper and said, “Nice to meet you. I’m afraid I didn’t get your name.”
“Hi Joe, I’m Topper. I run things when the Boss is off finding new trouble to get us into.”
“Sorry, Sir. I didn’t realize.”
Topper said, “First, we don’t do that ‘Sir’ stuff around here, and second, you were plenty respectful, especially after I was talking about you like a side of beef.”
Joe stood a little straighter, and said, “Thanks.”
“No problem. If the Boss says you’re in, then you’re in, no questions asked. I’m just a little worried, since he didn’t have to pull his gun in your job interview.”
“Is that a regular thing around here?”
I said, “Pretty regular, yes. People with enough gumption to hold their own around here don’t tend to be good listeners. Sometimes I have to get their attention.”
Wanda came onto the bridge. “Hi, Boss. Scotti wanted me to check out the new guy, and see how we could put him to work.”
“You finally get to run around by yourself?”
“I helped with the truth detector for Roos. Scotti decided I might not be totally useless, at least not any more than the average organic.”
“Joe, if you would go with Wanda, here, she will get you set up. Matt’s found a couple of kids to play with, but I’m sure he’ll catch up with you later. If he doesn’t, just ask Gene where he is. If you get lost, ask Gene for directions.”
“Okay, Boss. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
I sat in the big chair, and watched the ship run smoothly, the rest of the afternoon. It really gave me an appreciation for how good the crew was. I was enjoying the calm, when Saucy said, “Mrs. Wilson for you, Boss.”
“Hey, Sweetheart, what’s up?”
“Are you going to eat, or what?”
“Oops. I lost track of time. You at the galley?”
“Yes.”
“On my way.”
When the connection dropped, I said, “Your ship, Topper. Thanks for letting me borrow it.”
“My ship. Dixie said your contacts are ready.”
“You too? Just what I need.”
I took the transit to the galley. I had found enough little Roos for one day. We had a good meal, and Nikki asked, “What are you up to this evening, Caveman?”
“I was hoping I could get away with an evening of playing with Becky and Gus.”
She smiled. “Aren’t there baby Roos wandering the halls that you need to go find?”
“There might be, but surely the surveillance Sue has going will find them. She found the last one about the same time as the Roo patrol.”
“Roo patrol?”
“Matt, Willy, Gina, and Lilly.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure I need some down time before we unload tomorrow.”
“Sounds good to me.”
We went home, and I played with the kids until they were ready to go to bed. Milly and Janet helped Julie get them to bed. I asked, “Are you staying here now, Milly?”
“Yes. The other place is awfully quiet since Rhonda went ashore. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. Just trying to keep up with current events.”
I looked around, and asked, “Where’s Snitz?”
Jimmy said, “I haven’t seen him since I got in, Dad. Do you think he’s in trouble?”
“Gene would have said something if Snitz needed help. He’s off helping somebody, I have no doubt.”
It wasn’t long before he showed up, wanting me to go with him. I knew what was up, but I hoped we were just going to the grass room. Jimmy asked, “Mind if I tag along?”
“Not at all. I may need help carrying them.”
“Carrying what?”
“Who, not what.”
“Alright, then. Carrying who?”
“The Roo babies Snitz found.”
“Okay, Dad, you’re going to have to explain that one. I’m lost.”
“It’s not that hard, is it? Snitz was gone, without explanation. He only does that when somebody needs help. I thought he might be helping Willy with his nightmares, but he wanted me to go with him, which means there’s a problem he can’t deal with by himself. The only people aboard who could manage to get in that kind of trouble, and not be able to call for help on their own, would be Roo babies. Where’s the hard part?”
“It starts at the beginning, and goes to the end. How do you make your mind do that?”
“It just works that way. Don’t know what to tell you.”
We got to an air vent that was missing its cover. Snitz went in, and we could hear considerable fussing, in what must pass for Roo baby talk. I said, “Gene, page Joe and Wanda, if you would.”
“This location, Boss?”
“Yes, please.”
“On it.”
Soon enough, Snitz pushed a tiny Roo out of the vent. I grabbed it before it could hop back inside. Snitz turned around and went back in. I looked at Jimmy. “You need to either take this one, or catch the next one. Choose now.”
He stuck out his hands, and I handed him the first one. He did a decent job of cuddling. Snitz came out with the next one, and I grabbed it. I was thankful when he didn’t head back in. I said, “Good job, Snitz.”
He must have been putting out at least a half horsepower with his tail. Joe and Wanda came walking up. Joe said, “What do you need, Boss?”
Jimmy and I turned to face them. “Somebody who knows something about taking care of little Roos, mostly.”
Wanda said, “They are little. Where were they?”
“Snitz found them back in that vent. I need to get Scotti to see about putting a grill of some kind over it.”
Wanda replied, “They need to eat, Boss. I’m on hormone suppressants, I don’t have anything for them.”
“Let’s go to medbay, then. Surely Dixie has a recipe for Roo baby formula.”
Joe called the transit, and Wanda asked, “Baby formula?”
“Artificial milk.”
“Sounds good, but how do you get it in the baby?”
“You’ll see.”
Dixie was standing in front of medbay, waiting, when the door opened. “Bring them on in. Gene told me what was happening, I have the formula heating already.”
Once we were inside, she handed me a blanket. “You know how to swaddle, Boss?”
“More or less.”
“They need to be wrapped, so that they feel like they are in a pouch.”
Jimmy grabbed a blanket, and did his best to copy what I was doing. Dixie came back out, and handed us bottles. Once they figured out what the bottles were for, they ate like there was no tomorrow. I asked, “Do Roos need to burp?”
Dixie said, “I believe so, Boss.”
I took the bottle, to much protestation, and turned my Roo over, to pat it on the back. The ringing in my ear would tend to say the answer is yes, Roos need to burp. I looked the baby in the eye, and asked, “Feel better?”
Then we went back to eating. Jimmy was having trouble burping his, and Wanda took over for him. She asked, “I thought you were male, Captain?”
“I am. Why do you ask?”
“Very few of our males are interested in taking care of children.”
I looked at Joe. He said, “She’s right. I learned, because Matt’s parents died when he was little, but I’m a rare bird.”
“You’re elected. You two can keep these two until we unload. I’m sure their Mothers will make it known that they are missing something, when they wake up without them.”
Joe said, “No doubt about that.”
“See you folks tomorrow.”
Jimmy, Snitz, and I got on the transit. I asked Gene to take us to the grass room. Snitz had a lot of business to take care of, and then we walked back to the cabin. “Night, Jimmy. Thanks for your help.”
“No problem, Dad. I’m still amazed how you figured it out so fast.”
“I know Snitz. See you in the morning.”
“Yep.”
I went to bed, hoping there weren’t more joeys out there, that we hadn’t found. I didn’t bother calling Sue, because I was sure Dixie had updated her on the situation. Nikki snuggled up to my back, and my troubles melted away, until Snitz licked my ear. I got up and did what I needed, and then we headed for the grass room. Once he did what he came for, he took off. I sincerely hoped he didn’t find any more, but I knew if there were any out there, Snitz was their best chance. I headed to the galley, and tried not to worry about it. Stella said, “Good morning, Captain.”
“Good morning, Stella. At least today we get to unload. I’m tired of worrying about all these people.”
“You’ve done a good job of taking care of them, Boss.”
“I hope you’re right, Stella. I keep thinking about those two little guys we found last night. If it hadn’t been for Snitz, they would have died in that vent, and we wouldn’t have known until they stunk up the place. We’re not hauling any more colonists on carriers. They can wait till the people movers are done, or do without.”
“Sounds like a plan, Boss. Anything special you want for breakfast?”
“Nope. Whatever is handy will do fine.”
Joanna came in, and sat down with me. “Hey, Bob.”
“Hey, yourself. Where have you been?”
“Sally and Topper have me working on logistics. I’ve been trying to get a system set up, because so far, you’ve just been running on ‘Buy too much, and trust to luck.’ That’s going to catch up with you, someday.”
“Sorry, I know I should have been doing better, but I have a few other things on my plate.”
“I know that. That’s why I’m taking care of it, so you don’t have to.”
“Thanks. I’ll be glad when we get these people off the ship.”
“I think everyone will. All the people I talk to are looking for joeys everywhere, hoping there isn’t a hiding place we’re missing.”
“I thought it was just me.”
“Nope. Those little fellas have everybody in an uproar.”
“Snitz took off like a shot, this morning. I hope he doesn’t have another stash, somewhere.”
“Another stash?”
“You haven’t heard? He took me to two of them, hidden in a vent, last night.”
“Thank goodness for Snitz. We never would have found them in there.”
“Ain’t that the truth.”
I ate my breakfast, and went to the ready room. I took another course from Sally’s list, and then I went to the bridge.
Saucy and I did our little dance, and Topper said, “Good morning, Boss. Find any Roos on the way in?”
“Don’t even joke about it, Topper. It was too close with those two last night.”
“Sorry, Boss.”
“No, I’m sorry for being so uptight about it. I’m scared silly there are more of those little guys, hidden out where we can’t find them.”
Sue said, “Scotti has had the small bots running the ducts and anywhere else big enough to hold one of them, since you found those two. If they were there, she would have found them.”
“Thanks. How long till we emerge?”
Ruth said, “About that, Boss. We made better time than we predicted, I’m not at all sure why.”
“How much so?”
“I had thought we would be there about six this evening. It now looks as if we will be about eight hours ahead of schedule.”
“Ten this morning?”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Did we find the FTL jetstream?”
“I don’t have a clue, Boss.”
“Send all the data you have to Scotti and Frank. Whatever it is, we need to know more about it.”
“Yes, Boss.”
I strapped into the big chair, and took the ship. No point in doing something else, if I was going to need to be back that quick. Stella brought me a coffee and a doughnut, about a half an hour before we were going to come out. Something was wrong with the environmental controls on the bridge, they both evaporated. At least, they vanished pretty fast. Soon enough, we slid out of FTL, and Ruth announced, “Welcome to Deadbot.”
The system came up on the main screen. It all looked pretty normal, except for the huge, glowing, orange sausage of steel in the outer system. I said, “Lordy, look at the size of that thing!”
Thanks for sticking with my books. I hope you had as much fun reading as I did writing. I sure would appreciate it if you took the time to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anywhere else that strikes your fancy.
Jerry Boyd, Roo the Day
