Asteroid Patrol: Trouble

"Why didn't you say something Emmy?" I asked.

"So you could do what? Give up doing the thing you were born to do? I couldn't have that on my conscience."

Her comm beeped interrupting us. She stepped forward to answer it.

---

Dave was a little concerned when he found out how I had been feeling, and upset when he realised that by not noticing earlier I'd been forced to confide in Elsie. Before we could discuss it further I got a call from the head of the team doing the initial survey of 'Mobile Rock One'. He sounded excited about something and insisted I should come and see it. I told him I'd be down momentarily. Dave came with me, but Stacey went to the Ops room, saying she wanted to see how Toddy was doing.

I looked at the lump of rock that had somehow been docked to the hub.

"All right, what's got you so fired up?" I said to the survey team leader.

"We think we've discovered why they attacked 'The Boonies'!" He said enthusiastically.

"You've got my attention; go on."

"Well, it seems that if you place a small quantity of a specific mineral around the meteorite engine, it generates a sort of field that holds nearby asteroids in formation around it."

"What has that got to do with our asteroid?" I was puzzled.

"That mineral is present in large quantities here at 'The Boonies'." He said triumphantly.

I could see the connection now.

"I can't see how stabilising the belt has any advantage to Dante." Dave said.

"Maybe he could blockade a settlement for ransom, or form a barricade around somewhere he wanted kept private, I don't know; I'm only a scientist, not a detective." The team leader seemed a bit put out by his question.

"It could help us though Dave." I said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. A few of these dotted about in the right places could keep the trade routes open when the belt is in flux for a start."

A light went on in his head.

"You're right Emmy," he smiled, "as always."

"I think we should tell central and get some bods on it." I said.

"I'll go and transmit my preliminary report straight away." The scientist said before rushing off.

"A stable belt will be a lot more attractive commercially." I mused, clasping Dave's hand.

"True." He said. "It will mean a lot more work, particularly for someone not a million miles away." He gave me a smile and kissed my hand.

"I'm sure I'll manage so long as I've got Elsie to talk to." I grinned back.

"You could try talking to me you know: I am your husband and second in command." He said reproachfully.

"A blabbermouth like you? No fear!" I laughed.

All of a sudden the emergency klaxon sounded.

"Good grief! Can't I spend five minutes of quality time with my wife?" Dave said.

"Apparently not today." I said as I snatched up a comms handset. "What is it?" I demanded.

---

Emmy repeated to me what she had been told: Dante and one of his men had managed to jump their escorts as they crossed outside the interrogation room. It had to be an error of timing on someone's part as usually prisoners don't get to see each other. The net result of the bad timing was two armed prisoners holed up in interrogation with hostages.

"What do you want to do, Big Boss? Send in the Special Squad?" I asked.

"I'd like to take them alive if possible. The Specials can be a bit trigger-happy at times." Emmy replied, carefully considering her options.

I had an idea.

"Meet me down there." I said. "I need to fetch something." She gave me a puzzled 'okay' as I dashed off to our quarters.

"Are you sure about this? Emmy asked as I handed her my old Colt, keeping the one she had bought me as a wedding present for myself. "It seems a bit risky."

"We want them alive Em; and you and I are the only ones who can fire these."

"Hey! I know how to fire one." Stacey protested, having joined us from Ops.

"Stace, you're lucky if you hit the floor." I sighed and then smiled at Emmy. "Besides which mighty leader, weren't you just complaining about a lack of excitement?"

"I was," she said ruefully, "and I'm beginning to appreciate boredom instead."

"Rubbish!" I laughed. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Okay Stacey, lose the mirror."

Stacey detonated the small explosive charges around the edge of the two-way mirror. It fell forward into the interrogation room, revealing Emmy and I with weapons cocked and aimed at Dante and the man Em had identified as the secretary molester.

"Dante!" I called out. "Surrender or we fire!"

"With that outdated shit?" He sneered.

"They did for your nephew." I said calmly.

"Don't antagonise him even more." Emmy said out of the side of her mouth.

"Now is not the time to nag dearest." I said back.

"What makes you think you can hit me and not my shield here?" He sneered again, shaking a young cop who had been his escort.

"Well, I can hit a fly at a hundred yards." I said.

"Liar." Emmy muttered.

"And my wife here can hit one while it's flying."

Dante's eyes flicked to Emmy. She gave him a cheeky wink.

Thinking our attention was diverted, the secretary molester made a move, bringing his blaster up. I put a round through his wrist and one through his shoulder. Dante immediately dropped his blaster and raised his hands as the room suddenly filled with cops.

"Nice shooting," Emmy said, "but I'd have put one through his balls."

"That's just because you're vindictive about those you hold a grudge against my love." I laughed. "Besides which there was a hostage in the way there."

"I suppose." She grinned.

---

Now it was the day after all the excitement. All the prisoners from the raid, including Dante, had been transferred to Central which meant that Paul had arrived back on the hub to Stacey's delight. We had all been busy writing out our reports so I had asked my dad to collect Mrs Grainger and bring her here to be reunited with her husband. I was holding a dinner party for Paul and Stacey, her mom and dad, and my dad in mine and Dave's quarters. I had asked Nobby too, but he claimed he had work to do on Elsie. I suspected that he just wanted some uninterrupted flirting time with my goo-goo eyed admin assistant though.

Dave was having a word in Paul's ear at my request regarding Stacey. While Toddy was otherwise engaged my dad took the opportunity to flirt with Stace! I was so embarrassed I had to go and drag him away from her astonished look. He laughed and told me he was only teasing.

"Me or Stacey?" I asked.

"Mainly Stacey." He said. "But it's funny the way you react too Michelle."

"And Paul's watching you." I hissed.

He looked at me seriously.

"That was the point, perhaps the boy needs to feel he might lose his girl."

"Did Dave put you up to this?" I asked suspiciously.

"Actually, no. I had a good talk with her mom while I flew her in, and with her dad an hour ago, they're both worried that she might let him slip away."

"You know as well as I do what she wants."

"Of course I do Baby Girl. I was just hoping that if he saw she was attractive to other men he might make his mind up."

"You old fool dad." I said kissing him. "What do you think I've got my esteemed, if slightly bemused, husband talking to Toddy for?"

"Oh." He looked at his feet. "I feel a bit silly now."

"You are silly. But I think once Stace is over the shock she'll appreciate you trying to help. Now come and help me in the kitchen. I know you can't cook, but you can open some wine."

Before we reached the doorway Dave spoke loudly so everyone could hear.

"As you all know, Officer Todd here has been asking a lot of questions recently. I believe he has one more he wants to ask."

Toddy shuffled his feet nervously.

"I-I-I don't know q-quite how t-to s-say this, b-but S-Stacey Grainger w-will...."

"YES!!!" Stacey burst out, running to him and throwing her arms around him. The rest of us applauded.

"See, I told you it wasn't so bad." Dave said, clapping Paul around the back, grinning hugely.

"You promise you'll be best man?" Paul asked plaintively.

"Well...." Dave hesitated.

"Of course he will." I said.

"And you'll be my bridesmaid?" Stacey asked.

"I'd be upset if you didn't ask. I'd probably post you to Mondas or something." I laughed. "Now we have to get organised.............

*****

I hope that ties up all the loose ends that I didn't realise I'd left hanging. If you spot any, please don't point them out, I don't think I've got a fourth installment in me!