Tales From The Space Force Pt. 1

She came closer and picked up a uniform shirt he had folded and started to refold it, "That's better. Yes, why don't you." She grinned, "Besides, you need my help." She pointed to the shirt.

He laughed, and pulled her to him, "Alright, I will then. I love you so much Evie."

She smiled and kissed him, "I love you too. Even if you can't fold a shirt worth a damn."

The both laughed and just held each other.

Lucas stuffed the clothes in the bag, and said, "Okay, lets go drop these off."

They walked out to the passage way and made their way to her quarters. The had just entered the passageway her quarters were in, when a door slid open and a girl walked out. She saw them and smiled, "Hi Evie. Hi Sergeant Torson. How are you Evie?"

Lucas recognized her; she was another one of the cyborgs. There was a total of six of them assigned to the base, four were fighter pilots like Evie, and the other two drove the big troop ships. This one was Brigit O'Bryan. She was very cute, her build was like Evie's, and she had short dark red hair.

Evelyn smiled, "Hi Brigit, I'm fine. No worse for wear, I guess. Lucas here fixed me all up."

Brigit smiled, "That's good, we were worried about you. We didn't see you around much afterwards."

She grinned at Lucas, then turned back to Evie, "Word has it you two are a couple now."

Evelyn grinned, "Yes we are. I figured after crashing my second ship, I needed a full-time repair guy to keep an eye on me." She grinned at him then said to her, "And he's got some other uses that are absolutely wonderful."

Brigit laughed at that while Lucas blushed slightly. "Well then, I was going to ask him, but since he yours personally, do you think I could borrow him for a bit?"

Evelyn grinned again, "That all depends on what you want to borrow him for." She wrapped her arm around his possessively.

Brigit laughed, "No, not for that. I need him to look at something. Sergeant, I know it's your day off, but I think I have something wrong with my hand. Do you think you can look at it really quick? Please?"

Lucas smiled, "Sure, not a problem. What's wrong?" He dropped his bag on the deck and came over to her taking her hand.

Brigit sighed, "We were off loading a few things when we got back, and I was helping to guide a crate through the loading door. Well, the crate slipped, and caught my hand between it and door jamb, fairly hard really."

Lucas held her hand and it warm and soft like Evie's. Then he held his other hand up, flexed his fingers back and forth saying, "Just move your fingers like this."

She did as he asked, and he watched as they moved and nodded, "Okay, you can stop. It looks and feels like you damaged one of the joints, I don't think it broke, but it's more than likely the pivot pin. I'll scan it when we get there before I cut it open."

Brigit nodded, "Okay, will it take long to fix? And how bad will the... scar I guess, be."

Lucas smiled, "Well, it shouldn't take long if it's what I think it is, maybe half hour total. And rest your mind, I promise, there will be no "scar" to mar your hand. It'll look good as new."

He let go of her hand and said, "Why don't we just go now if you have the time, and get it over with. Evie can keep you company while I work."

Brigit smiled, "Yes please, thank you so much."

The walked over to his lab, and asked her to take a seat by the scanner. She talked to Evie, while Lucas got what he needed.

She smiled, "So, tell me, how are you two?

Evie smiled, "In a word, wonderful. Gods Bri, I love him so much. And he feels the same."

Brigit grinned, "I'm so happy for you, he really seems nice. I haven't had much dealing with him since I've been here." She looked for where he was, and asked quietly grinning, "How is he?"

Evelyn grinned and leaned down to whisper to her, "He made me empty out my lube tank." She stood back up, "Does that tell how good?"

Birgit giggled, "Yes, it does. Emptied it huh? Damn, I wish I could find someone."

Evelyn laughed, "Well, I don't recommend you do what I did to meet him. Though he had the nicest hands when he was working on me."

Brigit nodded, "I understand, just now he was so gentle when he was looking at my hand."

Lucas walked back up, and the girls went quiet. He grinned, "Discussing the hired help I suppose?"

They both grinned as he picked up her hand and laid it flat on the scanner plate. He turned it on and a picture of her hand came up on the monitor. He dialed the power level up and the picture transitioned to a picture much like an old X-ray, but much clearer.

He looked it over and saw what was wrong right away. Like he figured, the joint pin had separated. He shut the scanner off and said smiling, "It's what I thought, a separated joint pin. It'll only take about half hour to fix it, and most of that is for curing the new synth-skin. I can do it right now if you want."

Brigit smiled, "Yes please, that would be great. Thank you so much."

He smiled back, "Okay, no problem. Just go sit over there at the other table, and I'll get what I need."

He walked over and wheeled over his tool box over to the table, then he checked the parts list and found what he was looking for. Then he made entries once more of what it was and who it was for, then went and got the replacement pin and came back.

He opened up his box and pulled out small repair table, then sat on the other table. He inserted some rods with sheets of opaque plastic between them, and put the rods in holes in the table.

He smiled, "Ok Brigit. Just put your hand through that hole on the end and let you hand lay flat on it."

She did as he asked, and he said, "OK, now you're not going to feel anything, just some pulling and tugging, so don't worry. Okay?"

She smiled and nodded okay. He was so nice, and he was treating her like any regular girl. She felt a little jealous of Evelyn.

Evelyn watched as he worked and asked, "Lucas, why do have it all screened off? You didn't do that to my legs."

He smiled, "Well, it's like this. You have such fine reflex's, that when I incise the synth-skin, even if you don't feel pain, your brain sees what I'm doing and sometimes it involuntarily wants to pull the hand away. On a basic level, all it senses is that I'm cutting you open and acts like it's suppose to. I was doing this same type of repair one time back on earth, and as I opened the skin up, she pulled her hand away. Instead of the small incision, I ended up cutting open the whole length of her hand. So, I did a little research, and I came up with this, it's something like doctors use and for much the same reason, but I made this one smaller so it would work on hands and feet."

He smiled at Evie, "I didn't need it for yours, you were already slashed open, your brain was calm because I was fixing you. What you have to understand is between how fast anyone's brains operate and the fast reflex's you guys have, you don't even realize your doing it, it's involuntarily, a knee-jerk reaction if you will. Like when you pull your hand back from something hot. You don't think, your brain just makes you do it so you won't get hurt."

Then he grinned, "So to put it simply, brains are smart, people can be dumb. So, it takes over when you do something lunatic."

The girls laughed at that, then they talked while Lucas worked. What he was doing was easy really, open the skin, remove the pin, put the new one in, close the hand up, heal the skin.

He sliced opened her finger from top knuckle to just below the next one, then using a small retractor, he spread the skin open. He saw the problem immediately, the cap on one end of the pin had broken and it was half on, half off. "Hummm, it must have been slightly cracked to begin with." Then holding the pin with a set of forceps, he used another set to remove the cap. Once he had it off, he pulled the pin out.

He refocused his eye and moved the lamp to make sure there were no pieces or little shards of metal left. He rinsed everything off with cleaner, then dried the area. He opened up the pack with the new pin, inspected it, then inserted it and attached it with the end cap.

He flexed the finger slightly to make sure everything was smooth, then removed the retractor. He stood up, and smile at the girls, "Just about done, I just need to heal up the skin and you'll be done."

Brigit smiled, "Thank you so much Sergeant."

Lucas smiled, "You can drop the Sergeant, in here, it's just Lucas. I'll be right back as soon as I prep the Synth-Skin Gel, just relax."

He walked over to his work table and started to make a small batch up. While he was gone, Brigit remarked to Evelyn, "He's so nice Evie, I can see why you feel like you do for him."

Evelyn nodded, "Yes he is, he's got a better bedside manner than a lot of doctors I've seen, he is just so loving and caring. I love him so much it's crazy, it only took one day or so, and we were just talking about making it permanent."

Brigit's eyes widen, "Really? Wow, that is something. But I see why, and I can also see how much he cares for you."

Evie nodded, "I know, it surprised me a lot. I've been so used to being treated like some kind of sex robot by most of the guys I was with. But he treat's me no different than any other woman. And I tell you, it feels wonderful."

Brigit nodded, "I know what you mean, I've had the same problem."

Evelyn nodded again, "I think most of us do, or at least that's the way it seems from the ones I've talked to."

Then she grinned, "And the best part is, he knows exactly what to do to drive me right into sensory overload." She looked around, "The first time he used his tongue on me, I though I was going to explode. Gods it felt so good; I think he knows my systems better than I do.

Brigit eyes went wide once more, "He used his tongue on you?? Really? I haven't had a guy do that to me since my accident. I used to love that."

Evelyn nodded her agreement, "It was the same with me. After he finished, I saw that I covered his face with lube, I told him I was sorry I made such a mess, but he just grinned an ran his tongue around his lips before he wiped himself off."

Brigit shook her head in disbelief, then Evelyn added, "And later, I did the same to him and before I get rid of what I didn't swallow, he went to kiss me and I told him to hold on until I could get rid of the rest, but he said he didn't care and kissed me running his tongue around my mouth. When I asked him why, he said, "I always figured if the woman I was with was willing to do it to make me feel good, why shouldn't I."

Brigit shook her head once more. Then she asked, "I don't suppose you'd let me borrow him for a few days."

Evelyn grinned and shook her head, "Ah, no. He's all mine."

Brigit looked at her, "Crap."

Lucas came back and sealed up the incision, then turned the curing lamp on. He stood and tossed the leftover gel in the trash, then walked around the table. "Okay, ten more minutes and we're done. Everything should be normal now."

Brigit smiled at him, "Thank you so much Lucas for doing this on your day off. I really appreciate it.

Lucas smiled and waved it off, "Just doing my job, luckily I like it."

Ten minutes later, he shut the lamp off and inspected it. He smiled, "Perfect, can't even tell I did anything."

He grinned, "Okay, you can pull your hand out now, were all done. Try it and see if it works right now."

Brigit, pull her hand out and looked at it and smiled, "It's perfect, I can't even tell where you cut it." She flexed her fingers and her hand and everything worked like should. Actually, it seemed even better and she remarked on that.

Lucas nodded, "I think the pin was already cracked slightly from the way it looked. It shouldn't have broke like it did from what you told me you did to it. But, no worries, you shouldn't have any problems now."

Brigit smiled and gave him a hug, then looked at Evie, "How about just one day? I promise I'll take care of him."

Evelyn grinned, "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. So, sorry, but no."

Brigit laughed and kissed his cheek, "You're the best." She looked up at the time, "Well. I guess I better go. I'll see you guys later." She gave Evelyn a hug and walked out.

Lucas just grinned and shook his head as he started cleaning up and putting things away. "I'll be done in a minute love, then we can go back to your quarters."

Evelyn nodded, "Can I help?"

Lucas looked around, "Don't worry about it, I'm just about done here, then I need to make a few quick notes in her records and my own. It won't take long."

He put all the equipment back and rolled the box back to were it belonged, then updated his and Brigit's record with what he'd done. He looked up at the clock, then said, "All done, what say we drop all this stuff off, and then go grab lunch."

Evelyn agreed, "Anything you want to do this afternoon?"

He shrugged, "Do you want head to the gym and have another shot at embarrassing me again."

She grinned and wrapped her arm in his. "Okay, if you think you can handle it."

He grinned back, "I'd rather handle you, but that sounds good to me. I think my bruises have faded enough since yesterday."

So, that's what they did, Lucas was able to beat her in one match, but she took the rest.

After that they went back to her quarters for a while. As they were watching, Evelyn got a signal that Capt. Snider was calling her. She answered it, and the image of Capt. Snider came on the screen. She smiled and said, "Good afternoon Captain, how can I help you?"

He smiled, then said, "Good afternoon to you also, I was hoping I'd find you two together. We need both of you to come down to flight control immediately."

She looked over at Lucas. Then said, "Yes sir, Ah, something the matter?"

He shook his head, "Not over the vid, I'll tell you when you get here."

Then Lucas asked, "Something official sir? Or can we come down the way we are?"

He nodded, "How you are is fine, actually it would be even better if you were like that. Don't tell anyone were your going, but we shouldn't be long."

Lucas nodded, "OK sir, be there in five."

Evelyn pushed the end button, and the vid came back on, but she ended it. Then looked at Lucas, "What do you think this is all about?"

Lucas shrugged, "Not a clue, but we'll know in five minutes I guess."

They headed down and walked into the control room. Once they did, they saw, Captains Snider and Hampton over to one side. Lieutenant Cassidy was also there and he was talking to someone on the com unit. As they walked over, they heard him say, "Yes sir, they just walked in, let me transfer this to the monitor."

He waved them over as he turned the monitor on. He smiled, "Sorry for all the cloak and dagger, we're getting an update on the problem. Were just waiting for the CO and someone from Yamato to connect up on secure."

Lucas's eyebrows went up, "Did they find out something sir?"

Cassidy shrugged, "They didn't say, but I doubt they go through all this if they didn't."

Lucas nodded, "Yes sir, that makes sense."

One of the com guys said, "Secure connection establish sir. Coming on line."

The captains join them, then the screen blurred momentarily, then the picture came through.

The image of their CO, Colonel Thorson came on. "Good afternoon everyone. Sorry to bother you on your off day, but I wanted you to have this info before we got back there tomorrow. I'm still waiting on the Yamato representative; he's going through security right now and should join us soon."

"Which is just as well, I need to take care of something first. "Pilot Saito, I'm glad to see your no worse for wear due to the crash. I'm glad you're alright."

Evelyn nodded, "Thank you sir. I was lucky, and I had excellent treatment by Sergeant Torson here. He's the one responsible for making me look "no worse for wear."

He nodded, "Yes, I know. Which brings me to the next thing, Sergeant Torson very good work finding the problem and saving those other pilots lives with your quick thinking."

Lucas nodded, "Thank you sir, but I did have help, and the other was a lucky guess, but it seemed like the right thing at the time."

"Sergeant, there was and old earth emperor called Napoleon, who said, "I do not want a good General, I want a lucky one." Luck has won more things than I can count."

"However, I have something to say to you, you've skated long enough. Congratulations, I just signed your field promotion to Lieutenant, you are now an officer and gentleman by the grace of god and me."

Lucas's eyes widen when he heard this, "But... but sir, I don't nothing about being an officer."

The Colonel, nodded and said grinning, "Neither do a lot of officers. If it will make you feel any better, you need the rank since you run the cybernetics section. We can't have a mere Sergeant do that; it needs to be an officer."

Then he frowned, "Now, no more complaining or I'll make you a captain."

Lucas nodded, "Yes sir, anything you say sir."

The Colonel grinned, "Good answer LT. Besides, from my understanding, you can use the extra money and the bigger quarters, now that you and Pilot Saito are now permanent."

Both Lucas and Evelyn looked at him in shock. The Evelyn asked, "Uh, how did you know sir?"

The CO grinned, "Because I know everything that goes on Saito, it goes with the job."

The he looked over his shoulder, "Well, we can get started in a minute, I see the contact from Yamato cleared security."

They waited a bit, then Lucas and Evelyn smiled, the contact was Haruki Nakamura.

Then the colonel said, "Allow me to introduce the Yamato representative Doctor Haruki Nakamura. Doctor allow me to introduce my people from Moon Base, Capt. Hampton our security officer, Capt. Snider our flight commander, Lieutenant Cassidy our maintenance officer and I'm sure you know Pilot Saito and newly promoted Lieutenant Torson."

Haruki smiled back, "Evelyn, Lucas, it is so good to see you again. Congratulations on your promotion Lucas, I suppose this means I'll have to wait even longer for you to come work with me."

Lucas grinned, then bowed, "Nakamura-san, Kon'nichiwa Anata ni aete (Hello, it's so good to see you to). I hope you've been well." He grinned again, "I suppose we'll have to wait; they gave me no option."

Evelyn smiled and twined her arm in Lucas's. "Nakamura-san, Kon'nichiwa. Don't let him fool you, he deserved it. You trained him magnificently."

Haruki grinned, "The skill was always there, I just brought it out. Much like when the artist said, "The statue is in the stone, I just remove what isn't statue."

He looked over at the colonel, then said, "We can talk more later, I think the colonel would like us to continue."

Colonel Thorson nodded, "Well, now that the greetings are over. We have some answers to the problem. Between Doctor Nakamura, Yamato's security people and some of ours, we at least figured out how this happened. Though, still not the who and why, that's the reason for this sort of secretive meeting.

"Yes," Nakamura replied. "The company Yamato uses to get the circuit cards made, have been doing it for years and years. So, it had to happen there to do this, and since the cards are all made robotically, it has to be either be someone who loads the assembly machines, or the company that supplies the chips. That's my theory, it wasn't the card company, but the company that supplied the parts. Under a naked eye, they look just like normal ones, but once inspected closer, you could tell it wasn't the correct item."

He smiled, "Luckily, my student used his cyber-enhanced eye to inspect them, or we never would have known."

The colonel agreed, "We've also checked on some of the new fighters that are waiting to be delivered. Out of the twenty new ones still on earth, twelve had the bad ones and of the twelve, six of them had the other chip also."