A.W.O.L. - [NS]

[Note: No Sex In This Chapter]
When Eric Bauer reported back to the 5-EX, struggling with two large suitcases and what could best be described as a laundry bag, Lieutenant Hammer, who was the Officer of the Watch, greeted him with, "You were supposed to be back at 0400 Hours, Ensign. It is now five o'clock."

"Yes, Sir," Bauer said, putting down Doctor Boyce's luggage from Stratos. "I was talking to O'Connell."

Lieutenant Hammer looked over Bauer's shoulder at the second man lugging up more baggage. But instead of it being O'Connell as expected, it was someone wearing a one-piece jumpsuit. Red. With a red helmet and a wide black leather belt that had a night-stick attached. A member of the Space Port's Security ****. Once he had placed Commissioner Anderson's belongings next to Doctor Boyce's and departed, Lieutenant Hammer asked Bauer where O'Connell was.

"He's still in Stratos," Ensign Bauer answered. "Since we will not take Lavella back to Merak II with us, he's going to stay here on Ardana with her."

"Oh, shit!" Lieutenant Moonwalker exclaimed. "I'd better go wake the Captain on this one."

Less than three minutes later, Commander Smith entered the Control Room. He had on his pants and shoes, although they were untied, and was slipping into his tunic. When Ensign Bauer repeated his story, confirming what Lieutenant Hammer had told Commander Smith, the Captain's reply was the same as the First Officer's.

"Well, shit," Commander Smith sighed, rubbing his hand across his face. Turning to Lieutenant Hammer, Commander Smith asked, "Who's watching the ore-loading operation?"

"Guardian Gladden," the First Officer answered. "Lieutenant Moonwatcher was doing it from 2000 Hours to 0400 Hours when you gave those two," he indicated Ensign Bauer with a nod of his head. "permission not to report back until 0400 Hours. Gladden relieved him an hour ago."

"What about the Boatswain?" Commander Smith questioned as he tied his shoelaces.

"Oh, Chief Wallace was back on board by 0100 Hours," Lieutenant Hammer answered.

"Go wake him," Commander Smith said as he fished in his pocket for the key to the small arms locker.

By the time Chief Wallace arrived, Commander Smith and Ensign Bauer were wearing weapon belts with sidearms. A quick glance at the Boatswain's waist confirmed that he still had the weapon that he had been issued prior to going on liberty.

"Sorry to have to haul you out of your rack, Boats," Commander Smith said. "But I need you to go out and relieve Gladden and send him up here." Even though he did not have to, the Captain nonetheless explained his order. "Guardian O'Connell has jumped ship."

"Shit!" Chief Wallace growled, hurrying towards the access ramp. Seconds later, the noise of footsteps running up the ramp heralded Guardian Gladden's approach. When he came in, Commander Smith had him swap weapons, giving him a belt with a neural disruptor and accepting the Security Guardian's holster and blaster.

"Set your weapons on stun. Level One," Commander Smith told the other two men in the Control Room who were 'strapped'.

"What's going on, Captain?" Guardian Gladden asked. Smith mentally nodded to himself. Chief Wallace was what centuries ago was known as an 'old salt'. He had not said anything to Gladden, leaving it to the Commanding Officer as to what and how much to say. When the Captain advised him of the situation, the Security Guardian, who worked for the Central Banking Commission of Merak II and was not a member of the Solar Guard, was not a 'spacer', gave an original response.

"So what are we going to do about it, Sir?" he asked.

"Do?" Commander Smith repeated the question and then answered with, "We're going up there and try to find his crazy ass. Do you have a set of handcuffs?"

When Guardian Gladden said they were on his blaster weapon-belt, Commander Smith removed the small, clip-on leather case and passed it to the Security Guardian. Securing the small-arms locker, Commander Smith handed the key to Lieutenant Hammer, saying, "You are in Command."

As he turned to lead the other two down the access ramp, Commander Smith paused to call back to Lieutenant Hammer with a grin, "And don't leave without me."

Walking across the cement of the landing pad towards the vertical transport station, Security Guardian Gladden remarked, "If Ramesh has a brain in his head, he'll be in hiding."

"Which is why I want Bauer with us," Commander Smith said. "If O'Connell is 'hold up' someplace, Lavella will know where. Hopefully Bauer and Darcina will be able to get that information from the servant girl. However," he took a few more strides before continuing, "When you hear the beat of hooves, look for horses before zebras. We'll check his room in the Palace first."

The Guard at the entrance to the official residence of the High Advisor allowed Commander Smith and company to pass unchallenged. The people from the spaceship had been routinely coming and going since it arrived. When they reached the floor with the family and guest bedrooms, they spoke in whispers and walked on tip-toes. Bauer pointed out the door to O'Connell's room. Smith drew out his disruptor, checking that it was set on S1, and said, "I know."

It did not occur to the other two to ask how he knew. They drew their weapons, also double-checking the settings, and Gladden stepped in front of Smith to be the person closest to the door. Smith accepted that breach of protocol, acknowledging Gladden's superior training and experience in such a situation. The Guardian looked back over his shoulder and both men standing behind him nodded.

In one smooth motion Gladden flung the room door open and dropped down into a crouching position while at the same time reaching up with his free hand to flip on the light switch. The loud banging of the door against the adjoining wall and sudden light caused O'Connell to bolt up and reach under his pillow. Gladden's two concentric circles of blue light instantly dropped his fellow Guardian. Lavella set up in bed, pulling the top sheet up around her neck, about to scream, when Smith shot her.

Gladden holstered his ray gun and entered the room. When he picked up the blaster from the floor, Bauer's eyes went wide. O'Connell had not been joking the other night, he actually did sleep with the weapon under his pillow. After the other two followed Gladden inside, Smith told Bauer to close the door and lock it.

Holding his left hand under the blaster, Gladden pressed a button on the side and a black box, slightly smaller than a pack of playing cards, fell out into his hand. The weapon's power source. He shoved that into his pants' pocket and stuck the now impotent blaster into his waistband.

"Sit down, Gentlemen," Smith said, brushing clothing off a chair and onto the floor. "We have a half-hour wait."

"Maybe less, Captain," Bauer replied as he lowered himself to the carpeting, leaving the other chair for Gladden. "They're both young and healthy. Their recovery time should be much shorter."

Smith nodded his head. The Captain knew that as well as the Ensign, but it was a good sign when a Midshipman tried to show off his knowledge. It meant he was taking his responsibilities to learn as much as he could as fast as he could seriously. Addressing Gladden, Smith asked, "What would you have done if the door had been bolted from inside?"

"There's a fire station at the end of the hallway," Gladden answered. "I saw it when we first came up the stairs. It has the standard alarm button, fire extinguisher, and axe. You would have been standing behind me." The Guardian smiled. "I saw your marksmanship back in the mine. We would have been O.K."

Like a spectator at a tennis match, Bauer's head moved from side-to-side, following the conversation in awe. Evidently a lot had been going on while he was up in the clouds getting his ass pegged.

Several minutes later, the stirring of O'Connell on the bed caused everyone to jump to their feet. Gladden drew his weapon and approached the bed to hover over his fellow Guardian as the man struggled to swim up from the depths of unconsciousness. "Wh-what happened?" he asked with a gravelly, halting voice.

"We're taking you back to the ship," Gladden answered. Despite O'Connell's stunned state and blurred vision, the would-be ship-jumper realized that he was no match for three armed men. His difficulty in rising to a full upright sitting position prompted Smith to say, "Ensign, go see if there is a glass in the bathroom. Get him some water to drink."

He was almost fully dressed when Lavella began to stir. Like O'Connell had been, she was dazed and disoriented, but his answer that he was being taken back to the ship, caused her to scream out a loud, "Noooo!"

Bauer clasped his palm over her mouth and in a low, gentle voice said, "Don't wake Ishlass. You just got back."

She nodded and Bauer slowly removed his hand while Smith told Gladden, "Cuff him."

O'Connell protested that was unnecessary but did not offer any physical resistance when his arms were jerked behind his back and the cold bracelets made contact with his warm skin. Lavella sprang from bed, her sheet falling away, unconcerned or unaware about her nudity. Her full breasts bounced as she sprinted to O'Connell.

Bauer gently tugged the sobbing girl's arms from around O'Connell's neck while the captured man spoke words of assurance. Telling her that he would come back for her. That was a promise. Gladden forcefully but not aggressively pushed his prisoner forward, Smith trailing behind. Bauer hesitated by the bed, feeling helpless as he watched Lavella toss herself back into it. Her face buried in the pillows as her body shook and shivered.

"Come on, Ensign," Commander Smith ordered.