Scowboys

Introduction

Unsung heroes of civilizations,

Society's triangular based,

schlepping trash and planet's waste

to one far away sun,

and there erased.

(Pass by the death-smell-bow-shock of one small planet,

a place where no sane inhabit,

occasional vaporization here and,

there

life is short, gritty and bare.

Stench compounded, compacted).

Load jettisoned.

And from the place where no sane inhabit

still, fermenting,

clawing to the ship's outer skin,

flybys death-scent embedded,

clawing to the ship's outer skin,

compounded

from the place where no sane inhabit.

Then,

flying through the deep continuum,

safety's always at a minimum.

Ships' a wreck,

the social contract pays,

the hauling constant, and never ever ending days.

Chapter I — As The Bottom Drops Out

The shielding in the ship was military grade. This craft was never commissioned. It was a war platform that was sold for revenue and presently being used as a super capacity freighter.

"You know, boss, the shielding may have been good for the military but for us it's added mass cutting down our load capacity and top speed. It is heavy." First mate and chief engineer Bix was always making things better even if they didn't require it. "We should sell it for a profit. There are enough independents out there willing to pony up good money for the latest and best technical tricks."

"As soon as I get a back-up ship I'll put this in dock and strip the shielding," declared commander and ship owner James Bohm Turtleback. He knew his engineer was right as usual. He could haul more and that meant more revenue. But right now, docking the ship for the time necessary for modifications, like shielding removal, would put him out of business.

"Okay boss. I'm going home for a few days. Let me know when you get enough to ship. I'll be ready. The ship is stocked, the bays are loaded as you desired, fuel is not an issue, and she's ready to ready to go." Bix left by the rear port in one of the larger survival skiffs and headed home, down to New Mars.

New Mars had no place for poverty, homelessness or even the middle class. New Mars was originally colonized by a group of adventurers. It was to be a one way trip. The discovery of massive amounts of water deep within the planet changed everybody's thinking. That was five hundred years ago.

Mars was commercially developed as a refuge from the filth, pollution, disease and wars that were endemic to Earth. New Mars, as it was now called, had been terraformed by a consortium of business leaders and politicians from all over the planet with the express purpose of being a planetary gated community. The gate was space.

Over the centuries, contact with alien cultures were made. They had always been there.

++++

Earth became a source of cheap labor, and its moon, full of necessary natural resources, was mined. Workers from Earth were allowed a two-year work visa both for the moon and New Mars. No permanent resident permits were ever issued. All alien workers, as they were called, were chipped before entry. Removal of the chip was designed to cause the death of the chip holder.

The return rate of workers back to Earth was about fifty percent by committing suicide by chip removal rather than return to Earth. One Senator, Senator D'Oleo from New Mars, likened it to, "population control. Maybe we should charge the families or the planetary government of Earth for this service."

New Mars was only for the wealthy from any part of the galaxy. It was a comfortable place to live, if the income level of the resident met the minimums; career or source of the wealth didn't matter. No questions were ever asked.

James Bohm Turtleback was not pleased. Life would be just fine, eventually. Right now he was in a bind. He believed that he had a solid business base and that it would extend for another six revolutions about Sol. The purchase of the ship was made based upon the owner of his major client stating in a meeting the previous year promising that she was in business for the long haul. It would be a safe bet to grab this opportunity. However, the financial rug had been pulled out from under him. His primary contract simply closed shop, just like that; without warning. This purchase put him out on a limb. That's why he was sitting on the bridge of this massive starship with bills piling up. Those were just one set of problems.

++++

The blue-green planet of New Mars was below Kathrine Praesidi's skiff as she scooted past the starboard side of the huge craft parked in orbit. The two moons illuminated the 6500-meter craft. Kathrine was vice president of OMG Industries, the largest ship repair and maintenance facility in this part of the galaxy. She was also the daughter of Senator Maximallion Ortem, one of the most powerful politicians in the galaxy. She went by her mother's family name, Praesidi, so as not to link her father with her business.

Kate had heard about this craft sometime in the past. Her father had mentioned in passing that some local ship captain had managed to get enough money and support to scoop it up, to the chagrin of a few other political entities. That much she knew. How this person or group managed that coup was a question more than a few military types were questioning too.

Here it was, orbiting in all its 6500-meter length. A government entity from the Seven Sisters had run into financial trouble. All new construction and spending had been curtailed. The ship was left in an almost finished state in the shipyard of Glibbs & Glocks. Kate was taken by its design and wondered about the functions she could discern. The rear of the bridge was a huge flat surface, big enough to handle a fleet of war craft, and who knew what else. There was only a temporary registration number on her hull, and no name. Kate witnessed a skiff leave the rear port just ahead of the huge loading bay.

As she surveyed the craft she pondered, maybe the new owners' plan was just flip it for a decent profit and walk away rich.

"Orbital Maintenance Group skiff, please identify yourself," came the voice in her telecom.

Kathrine almost jumped out of her skin. She assumed that those who were on the ship had left on that skiff. Only the orbiting lights were on. There was no indication anyone was on the bridge or anywhere else that she could discern. And she did look.

++++

From the bridge, freighter captain James Bohm Turtleback, known to friends and family as Jimbo, watched as a fleet of Navy cruisers, all in tight formation, were about to make a jump. They might not be the newest vessels in the galaxy, but the sight of them made his heart quicken. Frustrated, with little work he was able to line up, Jimbo Turtleback turned back to his task. He had suited up and was on board one of the ship skiff-runabouts. He was going to sail around his bright shiny Star Liner FTL freighter inspecting for post-flight damage that the sensors might have missed. In the past, the maintenance would have been conducted under his shipping contract with Ke'Tan Shipping Technologies. The runabout was a dot in size compared to this 6500-meter monster he had yet to name.

He noticed a small skiff and its markings on his starboard side near the propulsion system. "Orbital Maintenance Group skiff, please identify yourself," he commanded.

++++

Orbital Maintenance Group would have maintained this craft under contract to Ke'Tan Shipping Technologies, or KST, as it was known. KST was among the biggest galactic transshipping operations and was owned by Bleeky Clover. Jimbo had freighted for KST for quite a few years.

Jimbo and his wife Cressida had been Bleeky's friend in both business and as close family friends. Bleeky often sought Jimbo's advice on business and family issues. Everyone needed a close intimate friend outside the family, and Jimbo and Cressida were Bleeky's.

Bleeky had organized a business retreat with Jimbo, his wife Cressida, and a few others to discuss long range plans. Bleeky had said to all, "I'm looking to stay in business for at least ten more years. Your future is secure short of an invasion." She looked to Jimbo and Cressida said, "I know you want that FTL freighter. Go get it." And then to all the rest of her close contractors and friends she said, "And to all of you here, I will cover you and your families should anything occur. "

Bleeky unexpectedly closed her doors. As she put it, she was tired of the work, and wanted to explore new opportunities. He read it as she had been offered a bundle of money and was now on the "happy train" to leisure, screw everybody else.

That was then.

No, that was now, damn it, he fumed. He was so frustrated that he believed he would have pushed her out an airlock if she had done that to him in deep space.

Bleeky Clover sold her freight contracts to some outlying galactic consortium in the ABELL 520 Group for an undisclosed sum. She ignored her promise, and one's word was a promise in Jimbo's world, to keep the business running. She clearly stated that she had work for Jimbo and a number of other ships' captains-owners for at least another ten years. That promise, if she had kept it, would have paid for the new Starliner freighter loan he had taken out. And, it was on the basis of that promise that he had made the purchase and put himself into so much debt. He had closed the deal before another group came in to purchase it. They offered him twice what he paid. He wanted this boat and he thought things would be fine at the time. He had always kept his debt ratio low. And even though it was a necessary part of this business, he had always managed to turn a decent profit. Today he was in deep shit.

He remembered that final meeting. "What happened to that agreement you stated in front of me and all the other ship owners, contract captains and families a year ago?" Jimbo demanded to know.

"I changed my mind. I'm sure you'll all be just fine." She smiled, as though everything was just hunk-dory, walked to the elevator tube, boosted to the roof where her skiff was anchored and left him and the others standing mouths agape.

"We're screwed. What the hell are we going to do now?" they asked. They all knew New Mars was uninviting to those without the requisite financial resources.

++++

Jimbo looked over the freighter. She was a unique ship, a one-off prototype. He had been given a tip that Glibbs & Glocks, Intergalactic Ship Builders and Architects was going out of business and was selling their construction facilities to Star Liner. This unfinished pursuit ship was 6500 meters from bow to stern. It held an advanced propulsion system designed for a much larger craft. It was being constructed for a military organization whose government had also run into financial trouble. That seemed to be a galactic curse. They cut all funding for new construction and there she was. When he got word of this ship and went to review it, Jimbo could envision her in a completed state. He would never sell it, not at any price. He would find a way to keep her even if he had to sell his condo and live on the ship.

The Star Liner Company wasn't exactly sure what to do with the craft until Jimbo suggested, "Instead of modifying the flight deck why not just keep the flight deck flat and strengthen it," joking adding, "making it able to hold the mass of a small moon? The modifications necessary will be few. This is a warship. It was over-built to begin with." Jimbo knew the structure had been built to handle a number of different cargoes, from loaded flight decks as it had been constructed, to bulk military transport with little or no modifications. This was going to be the fastest modular FTL ship in whatever group's navy it had been built for.

Jimbo got it for a steal and a deal. As a former naval architect and engineer he understood this ship's potential. He did a rough redesign for Star Liner. They accepted. There was nothing like it anywhere. They even offered him a job. And better yet, this turkey of a ship driver was willing to take it off their hands. This all happened before word of the ship got out. He wasn't aware of it but he had made a lot of very important people quite mad.

++++

Looking down at his home planet, he thought about his ex-wife. Upon notice of his new unemployed status, she up and left him. It was as if she were waiting for an excuse. He said to no one in particular, "Well, no sense getting wrapped around a thruster." The ship's artificial intelligence voice recognition answered, "Sir, what was that? I'm not sure I understand your command." He was alone. "Nothing Ai, just talking to myself."

"Sir, may I suggest a decent shrink if you're having psych issues? I can set an appointment if you like."

"Very funny," Jimbo replied. He had Ai designed to be as human-like as possible. Sometimes it became annoying and even nagging. Still it did come up with some good ones every now and then. On long solo runs, which were more frequent now due to the cash flow situation, it made for a decent companion of sorts, and it could run the ship without a crew if necessary. It played a wicked game of chess and Go. He didn't trust the Ai to play a fair game of poker, it was too human.

I still need work . He was brooding. And again the memory of Cressida reacting to the news of the company closing rang in his head. "Get a contract that will pay for all this, or I'm gone. I'm not going to live in a rat hole on Earth." She didn't even wait. Less than a week later she was gone and left no forwarding address. Jimbo figured she went back to her father's home, Senator Arnold D'Oleo. She had expected bigger things when she met him, something political like her father and the rest of her ruling class family. Screw her.

The fact of the matter was that she really didn't like him. He wasn't from the same background as her rich family. He was a former navy captain with a degree in space ship architecture. He was a ship driver. He loved flying.

The first time he returned home after giving Cressida the bad news, he had opened the door to an almost total vacuum in their penthouse suite. He walked into the gutted apartment. Most of all the contents removed. The apartment was empty except for a pot, two chairs, a coffee cup, some dishes, flatware and food. The bed was gone and she even took the toothpaste. He wasn't sure he really missed her, well maybe the sex, but even that came at a mental cost that he was getting tired of paying. There wasn't even a 'drop dead', or a 'go to hell' note. He expected that at a minimum.

He cleared his head of those distractions, finished his inspection and got ready to fly down to his apartment.

++++

In his past career, James Turtleback was one of the up-and-coming military officers. He had met Cressida at a formal military dinner for some ambassador years ago. Her family knew he was up for admiral on his next promotion. They had mentioned if he played his cards correctly it would be a fait accompli. She made herself available. She was pleasant enough. He figured why not. They were married shortly thereafter.

His fortunes changed when he had refused direct orders to bomb innocent unarmed starving inhabitants during the last part of the civil wars on Earth. He did that knowing he could have been shot, or more likely sent to prison. Instead he was asked to resign his commission. That was one thing he never understood. He didn't believe in guardian angels, but here must have been one that popped in and out of existence then.

There had been a commission led by a Senator Ortem looking into the abuses of power. The Senator accused some of his colleagues and galactic zaibatsu with crimes against the universe. The senator made more enemies with his public accusations. Maybe it was Jimbo's action or refusal to act that prompted the commission. Other captains followed Jimbo's action, refusing to kill innocent people just because the new leadership had given these orders. Jimbo never really looked into it. Politics was not really his game even though at his rank politics did come into play. He was willing to put his life on the line for what he thought was proper. He knew he was a lucky man.

Jimbo was having a difficult time concentrating, what with his ship payments, work and wife. His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a small inspection craft close to the starboard black-hole thruster. His daydreams vanished. He was on alert and jetted over and radioed again, "Orbital Maintenance Group skiff, identify your reason for your present location."

"Sorry," came a female voice. "I haven't seen one of these FTL's. Yours is the first in this quadrant. You're James Turtleback, correct?"

"Yes I'm Jimbo, but you haven't really answered my question." He was suspicious. He wondered who knew he was close to default on the loan. He had made the latest payment but there was not too much more in the business account. Was someone scoping his ship? That was not something he broadcast.

The voice came through clear and friendly, "I'm the shift boss for OMG. I just got off and noticed her parked in orbit. How could I not?" She laughed as she said this.

What the hell, he thought, "You want to look around?" he asked. He was proud of His Boat, as he called her. "Meet me on the freight deck by the center port. I'm opening it now." He opened the port from his runabout as he turned the internal gravity function on. The landing lights came on directing each craft to the proper location.

"I'll meet you at your port. Thanks for the invite, Captain."

He met her on the deck. Both craft were conveyed into the small craft airlock. The locking dock closed and sealed. He got out first and she followed shortly.

She was just under six feet tall, and what he could tell from the suit she was wearing, well built and strong. She held out her hand and said, "My name is Kathrine Praesidi. Everyone calls me Kate."

"Hello all, welcome aboard," Ai stated.

Kate was taken aback. "Who or what was that? She demanded. "I thought it was only the two of us."

Jimbo laughed. "That's my artificial intelligence system, Ai. Can I get you a drink of … what will you have? And I'll show you around. 'Ai'," he said, "have her drink ready." He shook her hand and noticed a very strong grip.

"Gin and tonic if you don't mind. She holds a base crew of five, correct? An AI system, I had no idea you had one built in."

It wasn't a question. "Yes," he said, and Jimbo wondered how much more she knew about this ship than maybe he did. "I'm running with two others on an 'as need' basis. Work is slow, as you must be aware. The two are old friends of mine from the navy. The ship can fly with a captain and the AI. I've been running solo. Sometimes it gets lonely."

"What, am I not a decent companion?" Was Ai insulted?

"It's almost too human," Jimbo admitted. "I had it set for advanced mode. I wanted the best I could afford. And I thought at the time, I could afford it. Ai is a good companion. It plays a mean game of chess and GO. I've only beaten it once. I think it was being nice to me."

"I was not!"

++++

Jimbo remembered the first day he walked the bridge. He viewed the control center and crew's quarters. The inertial-affect-negation system was installed. A number of the weapons systems were operational. The pods for all the additional planned weapons were still in place and ready, too. Jimbo was pleased. She was a beauty, and the fastest cross-galaxy freighter anywhere. Then reality woke him out of his daydream.

He had contacted his old engineering officer, Bix, named after his home planet from the solar system BARONI I, and his navigator, Zeno. He wasn't ever sure where Zeno came from. His record was redacted. That all said, they owed him a few favors, and neither one was not without a few connections that skirted the legal limits. He called in his chits. The two of them looked at Jimbo.

"Are you sure you want those things in there?" questioned the engineer, pointing to the ship.

Zeno, who was never one just to accept an order that didn't make sense, asked, "Why a freighter would require such equipment for navigation and flight if it was simply a freighter. What, are you going to run drugs or contraband in that thing?" He was aware that it had been designed and built as a war ship. Zeno thought Jimbo had gone over the deep end purchasing this thing. "You could start a war with all this."

Jimbo just said, "Do it. I like to be prepared." Laughing he added, "I can finish one too."

The two of them saluted and said, "Consider it done."

Then Bix added, "I suppose this is all hush-hush?"

Jimbo pivoted. He couldn't believe the question. Then he saw what he thought might be a smirk on the engineer's face. That he could tell. Trying to read his engineer's face was always difficult, if you could call the mask of his engineering officer a face. He was featureless as all get up. Beings from Baroni didn't have features like most human types. Jimbo couldn't tell where his eyes, ears, or mouth were at any one time exactly. They shifted about. The organ of importance would be facing the direction it was required. No one ever wanted to play cards with a Baronian. You could not ever read their face. They were banned from most casinos, too.

He said he was from the far end of the galaxy. He never spoke of his home planet and his papers claimed he was an orphan found adrift on a crippled freighter as a boy. He went to engineering school and joined the navy upon graduation. He took on the task as weapons master. He gave himself the name Bix. That was it, just Bix. He never spoke of it and Jimbo never asked.

Bix patted him on the back. "Don't worry captain. We know to keep our mouths shut."

Zeno nodded and went to begin the task at hand. He was a creature of few words. Jimbo liked that. The less talk the better. They had been a good crew when they were naval officers. Now they were good trusted friends. Trust was a rare thing, as he was beginning to discover.

"Just get the necessary goodies and emplace them, and nothing illegal. You figure out the best configuration. That's your expertise."

"Hey, what's your boat's name?" asked Zeno.

"Don't have one yet," replied Jimbo.

"No name? That's a bad sign, Captain. Every boat needs a name. It's cursed without one." The navigator was serious.

Jimbo never got over Zeno's superstitions. He still held on to the belief that the dead could be raised. "You're probably correct. I will give her a name soon." He didn't ever belittle any beings' beliefs as long as they did their job and it didn't interfere with the tasks and the crew. Jimbo really didn't care. Speaking of crew, he had to locate the Gemini Twins. They were the best weapon experts in the galaxy. He had heard that they were off a contract and looking for work. They were inseparable. They flew with him in the navy. He'd have Bix find them.

++++

While Kate was talking, Jimbo, lost in thought, missed part of the conversation. All he heard was something about scow-barges. This was not like him. He rarely drifted off like this. Lately something was wrong with his concentration; work, wife, and all the financial burdens were getting to him.

"Not all sectors," she said quickly. "The scow-barges are in constant flight. They are the backbone of our work and …" Kate noticed that his eyes had glazed over for a bit and seemed to be elsewhere. Staring at him, she banged the table with her glass.

Jimbo jumped. He got back into the conversation as if he were coming out of FTL travel. He just spouted, "Garbage-scows, the lowest of the line. These people can't fly and their ships are barely held together. How many are lost due to maintenance issues? They're based from Earth. New Mars would never let them operate from here." He spat these last words.

Instead of arguing with him she looked him straight in the eyes and said, "As a matter of fact you are correct except for one thing."

"And what might that be?" He answered sarcastically.

"I've never lost a ship I worked on due to maintenance issues. I will not issue flight clearance unless my ships meet more than just the basic requirements. Don't forget that." She was insulted, pissed and proud. "One more thing."

"What's that?" he said sarcastically.

"It will work. I'm betting on it. I rarely loose."

"Do you want another drink," he asked, attempting to lower the level of antagonism. Shit, he thought. Here's a space woman, and what do I do? I piss her off by insulting her work. "I'm sorry. I didn't know your record." It was the best he could do.

"Apology accepted. Now," she said with a slight smile, "Please show me around. I would really like to see how she's built."

Looking at her, he was thinking the same thing, but kept it to himself. He'd already stepped on at least one land mine.

After showing Kate about most, but not all, of the ship, he said, "You want to go to the mess? I can cook you up a decent meal. I'd like to just talk, just a bit more if you don't mind."

Kate looked him over asking, "Food and more talk? Another gin and tonic, too, please?"

"Sure, why not." This girl can drink, he noticed. Jimbo led the way to the galley. It was a gourmet kitchen in space. It had been built as a top of the line pursuit class. The galley was just one of those expected features.

"I'm impressed," she said. "You didn't show this to me."

"I thought you just wanted to see the mechanical and all that. This is what I do. I cook and I fly. My crew loves it," Jimbo boasted. "Let me whip you up a decent meal. Go ahead; I can listen and cook."

It was simple meal of ground meat in a fast-cooked tomato sauce mixed with some sautéed onion, garlic, celery, carrots, spices and wine, topped on curly pasta. "That," as Jimbo explained, "Held the sauce and the mixture better." He cleaned up and then said. "Listen, I'm sorry about those comments before, but …"

Kate held her hand up, tumbler tipped in hand and said, "I understand. You were right. For the most part scows are the bottom of the food chain. But more and more displaced captains are taking it up. It pays. And you're correct again, most of the ships look like crap and there are high-level losses. But it is steady work."

"Why are you telling this to me?"

"Word's out that they're going to repossess your ship. Your ex-wife has been talking that up. What happened?"

Jimbo had guessed that. He nodded his head and exhaling slowly, said, "That's where the leak came from. Her gravy train ended when Bleekly Clover sold her company to the ABELL520 Group. Cressida just tolerated me because of the money. I never thought she would do this. I have enough put away for a few more payments before they come after me. But you're right, I do need steady work. Tell me more."

Kate spent the next four hours explaining the ins-and-outs of scow-barging, which contracts were the best, who paid and who didn't. She finished up with, "This ship will hold a small moon's mass. It's FTL. You have an opportunity to get some decent contracts. I can put you in touch. I have those connections."

"Why are you helping me? Why should I trust you? I don't even know you. Even more so, you don't know me. Why should you even trust me?"

Kate thought about that. "I'm not sure I can say exactly. I like you. I love this ship and I want to work with you. If we can work out a deal, my company will maintain this craft. I'm willing to take chances. I'm usually right. I trust my gut. Trust me."

Jimbo looked at Kate and said, "Let me think about this. How do I get in touch with you?"

She handed him her holocard. It read 'Kathrine Preasidi, Vice President Maintenance, Deep Space Vehicles, OMG Industries.' She added, "I like working them too. My daddy built this company from scratch. I expanded it to what it is today, and now I own and run it. I've been hands-on ever since I could fly." She held her hand out, "Partner?"

"Your father?"

"Maxamillion Ortem."

He looked at her. He couldn't believe it. One of the richest women in the world wanted to work with him as his partner. She could pick anyone, why him?

She read his thoughts, "Why you? I want to do something new and I have some personal things I want to do, and you're one of the few not associated with all the wheeling and dealing that goes on down there." She pointed to the planet below with her hand extended.

"What, no contract?" he exclaimed.

She kept her hand extended. He took it. It was a strong grip. This was a hands-on working woman.

Kate grinned. Then a smile broke out over her whole face.

Jimbo noticed he lit up as well and became a bit flushed.

She then said, "We just shook. That's good enough for me. If you can't trust the person you just shook hands with on the deal, well … I don't make mistakes, and if I do, I take care of them myself, one way or another." She was serious and meant every word of it.

"You're quite old fashioned," he said. "A handshake locks the deal, huh?" His head was spinning as Kate laid out her plans.

Before she left she said, "I'd like to make a run with you to see how this craft works. I have an old star chart I picked up. We can use it and I will program them in for you." And with that she shook his hand again and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Jimbo was at a loss. He watched her leave until after the elevator door closed.

Chapter II — Scowboys

They are called Scowboys and fly their interstellar garbage ships as fast as physically possible. They make the quick dump then deadhead back for the next load of filth. The stinky ships, scow-barges, the lowest of the space world low, are always on the go. Money is money, and someone has to do it.

In the past, unmanned rockets loaded with toxic waste had been boosted to the closest star. The few failures that either exploded in the atmosphere or crashed into populated areas ended those enterprises quickly. Death from the sky was unacceptable. A new business grew in its place. Crewed garbage ships boosted from the planets. The ships were called garbage-scows, and their captains and crews were the derision in the galaxy. They were a necessity. All societies, from ancient times to the present, had garbage that had to be disposed of.

By law, waste too dangerous to recycle could no longer be dumped on inhabited planets or nearby moons of any populated planets. This cargo had to be shipped off to distant and uninhabited, and in many cases, uncharted solar systems.

The Scowboys relieved their planet of uber toxic waste. Each captain had his or her own set of star charts because the galaxy, for a greater part, still remained un-mapped. Each captain had their special no-questions-asked dump zone worth their weight in the rarest of metals and drugs, and defended their territory to the death. New legal dumpsites were nonexistent close in to any civilized planet.

No one ever planned for this career, if it could be called a career. Skill-wise, many were the poorest of captains. But they had a ship and were willing to freight trash. Others were unlicensed gypsies, or disbarred captains from legitimate work. Their bravery or stupidity, and daring or luck, and many times their lives, were played like a card game. Sometimes they won and retired, and many times they lost. When they lost, it was their life and the lives of the crews.

Most of these ship owners were one step ahead of the repo man, the law, or both. A crewmember had to be desperate to fly with them. There was no glory, and only the occasional rare find that could be sold on the black market could free them from this job. Otherwise payment was made in negotiable metals or illicit drugs. Scowboys were paid by the load, and not on the clock. They never held a flight contract. In and out quickly, on-the-cheap, that was the way they made a living.

As for their ships, they were stripped down, bare bones, where maintenance bordered on criminal negligence. They were flown with a complete disregard for safety. The ships eventually became toxic themselves if they even survived any decent length of time. The older the ships, the more the transoms would leak, from take-off to dump. Many a time the captain would simply jettison the load in deep space hoping not to be caught. The captains were not environmentally concerned. When on planet or in orbit loading, the pulse jets kept the boats hovering on the loading docks, pulling at the restraining cables, almost to the point of fatigue. It took too much fuel to conduct a dead lift launch, and too much time was wasted.

Scow barges were never scrubbed down, and no respecting shipyard would allow a contaminated scow barge in their yards.

But times were changing. Competition for loads came from an unexpected corner. What were once high-end ships with fully qualified captains and crews, proud and just as dangerous and willing as the barge captains to defend their shiny craft, now out of work due to economic slowdowns, had to swallow their pride and began to freight garbage. They too began to forgo basic maintenance in order to make a profit. It was like a disease that spread across the hulls infecting the minds of the once able-bodied independent officers, crew, and in the end, the spacecraft.

When maintenance was put off, airlocks barely held, and that was the one contributing factor to the high losses. Maintenance was put off until the gauges and needles swung into the red or the ships weren't able to escape a planet's gravity. And that's when the crew and captains were lucky.

These foul, swill-filled freighters roamed galactic space. Insurance rates were astronomical as were the losses. New laws were instituted to forbid the use of these uninsured ships and unqualified captains, but cash, always a drug for an official's blind eye, kept them in business. The scow boats were a necessity. All societies have garbage that has to be dumped in some "landfill". Modern galactic society was no different.

Chapter III — Paradigm Shift

Kate met him the next week at his apartment. Between the time he had met her and today, he had ordered some furniture, dishes, a new bed, and had the place repainted. Underneath his cool demeanor, Jimbo Turtleback was pretty excited. He didn't sleep at all the night before. He felt like a high school boy on a first date. He couldn't believe one of the richest people on the planet wanted to work with him. He wanted his place to look decent. But then in the next thought he warned himself to be on guard. If it appears too good to be true, it usually is. But there she was at his front door. She had flowers too.

"Well Mr. Turtleback, are you going to ask me in or what?" She stood in the threshold wearing a big smile.

"Right, yes, Ms Praesidi, sorry, please come in," he stuttered. "I'll find something for the flowers, thanks. My Ex took most all we had. I had the place redecorated and new furniture ordered."

"I heard about it. That sort of news travels quickly in our business," she said pointing upward. "Who did your decorating work? It looks good. Was it you?"

"I know some architects and they recommended some group that had some free time in their schedule. What can I get you?"

"A gin and tonic. It's my drink of choice. While you're at it, I've had some ideas that I think you'll like. Mind if I look around?"

"Sure go ahead, feel free to snoop."

Kate was coming out of the bedroom, drink in hand and was about to comment on the decorating when Cressida barged in.

"Damn, I forgot to change the locks," said Jimbo. He didn't expect this at all.

"I'm gone a few days and you have some booze-drinking whore in our home?" Cressida looked around. She noticed the changes. "Looks like shit."

He didn't have an idea what to say, and he didn't want to make a scene.

Kathrine Praesidi walked up and into Cressida's personal space. Her full height and her clothes accentuated her build. And, in a voice and posture that didn't belay the point that she was not used to being insulted, said, "Ms Turtleback—if that's still your legal name—I am his business partner and his lawyer. You are trespassing on private property. By our laws, you left, and cleaned out this hard-working man. You abandoned him. The marriage is null and void. Now if you care to insult me again I will make sure you are taken care of, if you understand me. And from what I know about you, you are familiar with what I mean."

Jimbo had no idea what Kate was talking about. There was something about his wife that Kate knew and he didn't. What the hell? He had still considered Cressida his wife until that moment. Law was not his strong point. He hired soldiers for those tasks.

Cressida stopped. She didn't expect this. She knew he still cared and could have had him on the ropes quite easily. Dismissing Kate's introduction Cressida snarled, "Just who the fuck do you think you are?"

Kathrine handed her holocard to Cressida.

Cressida was about to say something. She looked at the card, and Kathrine, and the card again. She didn't say a word.

Kate recognized that pull back and said, "You have it right. Now I suggest that whoever told you that your hard-working ex-husband was shacking up with some bimbo, had his or her facts twisted around a black hole thruster. I suggest you apologize to Jimbo and to me. I have this whole incident on recording." She was lying about recording but Cressida didn't have to know.

Cressida's face turned bright red with rage. "I'm sorry I was wrong about you Ms Praesidi. I never meant to insult you."

Kathrine said, "And you owe him one, too."

"Fuck him, that lazy no good space jockey. I hope you wind up flying Scows and your precious freighter is repoed. I could never stand you. I only stayed around for the prestige and position of an admiral's wife. You fucked that up! My parents said you were a useless coward. Fuck you." She turned on her heels, slamming the door as she left.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.

Jimbo was speechless. When it came to interpersonal interaction, especially with regard to Cressida, he was on the losing side. He felt he was always out flanked.

Kate said, "I think she and a friend were hoping to set you up, thinking you had no clue about the divorce laws and would cave to whatever she wanted. And she had no idea about me." Kate was smiling. She liked this sort of combat.

Jimbo poured himself a gin and tonic and looking at Kate declared, "I need this."

She added, "And maybe one more to make things even." Kate sat down sipping her drink.

Jimbo chugged his and mixed himself another. He sat down across from Kate and said, "Okay, what's up?"

"I had one idea but your ex just gave me another. Your ship is huge. It can carry what at least 18 other freighters can carry. There's only one type of load that will get you to capacity."

Jimbo guessed where she was going, slammed his drink down and yelled, "No fucking way am I hauling toxic waste, the shit of the planet!"

Kate knew he would respond something like this so she just waited not saying anything. She kept her mouth shut for over ten minutes watching Jimbo pace the floor.

Finally he turned to her and asked, "Oh shit, just tell me what you have in mind."
Kate answered, "You have a big ship. It's FTL. No one else has this. You can carry more than anyone in the whole galaxy, at speed. Jimbo, you can get to the dumpsite and be back before anyone has left the system. You could clean up, please pardon the pun. I will have our yard maintain your ship, including cleaning your ship. You will never be like the rest of them."

"And?" he asked. "What then?"

"I think we just might have something here. There are no organized operations shipping shit. It's just a bunch of independents or losers."

"I don't get it."

"Let's get the first load and see what you can do with it."

"And where do I dump? I don't have a license or a dump site."

"As I mentioned earlier, I have an older star chart. There's a medium-to-small sun in this unused part of the galaxy." She pointed to an area he had never been to. "It's never been used. I'm not sure why, but you can make it in quick time. I'll take care of the legal paperwork."

"Any life forms on any of the planets?" he asked. There was something familiar about the location she was pointing to. He made a note to himself. He'd have to conduct some research later.

Kate was sure of herself and said, "Nothing we need to be concerned with. One planet has minor orbital space capabilities. They do have nuclear weapons but rather primitive in most respects. They are isolated."

Jimbo thought this over. He knew that the scow ships stank to high hell. At ten orbits out most sensors could detect a scow barge. The stench hung thick on airlock doors. The crews stank. No one would even serve a scow crew, in all but the worst dives. Refueling, dangerous for most types of spacecraft, was worse with a scow. The jobs were given to convict labor.

He also knew owner-operators were cutting as many corners as possible. Many ships' galleys were inoperable. The crews lived on pills. It was space-time hell. The need for crews was so desperate that laws were passed to allow convict labor, experienced and inexperienced, to volunteer. They made up many of the crews. There were mutinies and accidents. If they stayed alive for a year, their convictions were overturned and they were free men and women. This job was that dangerous.

How was this plan of hers going to be any different?

Kate guessed what he was thinking. "Trust me on this," she said. "I will keep your ship in top shape and clean. You will not be anything like the others. And that, my dear, will be our calling card. You and the crew will wear uniforms and conduct yourselves in a businesslike manner. No drugs or drink while on duty or in uniform."

She opened a hologram and showed him what she was thinking. The total program was amazing. The uniforms were handsome. There were cuts for men, women, and alien types if they wanted to fly. She noted color differences for rank and duty stations. "Your work will speak for your business. Every member will be sent to classes explaining what we are about, and how to conduct themselves in public. They will be trained and certified for their duty stations and will be cross-trained so that, should something happen to one of the crew, we have back up. They will be fully insured.

"The certification, uniforms, and strict code of behavior will be a standout. Keeping the ships clean will be an issue that I think in the beginning I can handle. We'll see what happens as we grow."

"You're pretty confident about this enterprise, aren't you?" He like what he heard and what he saw.

"I wouldn't go out on a limb like this if I didn't. What do you think?" Kate could tell even before he said anything. There was a slight smile that he was attempting to suppress.

"So you want to remake my boat into the corporate flag ship, the only one like this in the galaxy, and a high class garbage scow? And you want me to dress up like I was back in the navy and all that?" pointing to the hologram.

"In a word, yes. If you want to make something from shit, this is a way to do it. No one else has even thought about it. All they see is shit and garbage and think stink."

Chapter IV — The First Run

Jimbo, Kate and their crew loaded up and blasted for the solar system and star she had mapped into the navigation system. They came out of FTL at the solar system's edge and ran into some rather large rocks that hit the containers.

"Ai, any damage?" queried Jimbo. Turning to Kate he said, "You didn't have this programmed into Ai."

Kate was looking at her notes and a copy of the print out of the system. She was embarrassed. She looked up and said, "There's nothing here mentioning rocks this far out that I have." She was interrupted when the Ai reported.

"No damage, but I am picking up an odd emission. The only thing I can equate it to is," and it stopped its report for a second or two, "it can only be described as the stench of death."

"In deep space? Where is it coming from?" Jimbo queried the computer. He would be a bit more cautious.

"We are down solar wind from the source. It appears to be coming from one of the inner planets. Four of them are aligned. I'm not sure which one it is. The residue is coating the bow of the ship back to the load."

"Thank you, computer." He was getting formal. Kate noticed a change in is posture and a tightening of his face as he said, "Keep the visual shields in place. We'll fly in on instruments. We don't need to gum up the visuals." Jimbo turned to Kate and asked, "Did you know about this?" He was annoyed. What other things were missing from the flight plan, he wondered?

Kate answered, "No, of course not. I only have what I have here. But it explains why no one comes here to dump into that star. Well, here we are. I suggest we cloak the boat." And she thought about it for a second and asked, "Can you cloak? You can, right?" Then she emphasized her point, "I had mentioned that my information on that primitive planet might not be as current or as complete as I was informed." She wondered if there was a reason behind that too. Kate knew a number of people did not like her, including Jimbo's ex, who also had connections in high places. I'm just being paranoid, she thought.

He had programmed the cloaking device to turn on as they left FTL travel as a precaution. Then he remembered he never told her about all the systems this ship had. She either figured it out or she knew a lot more about this craft than she let on. He made a mental note to do a bit more digging about her background when he returned.

"Captain, we are being pinged by some sort of primitive deep space radar from one of the inner planets," declared the Ai.

"Is the cloaking on?" She asked again this time with a bit more concern in her voice.

"Affirmative." Jimbo was annoyed and beginning to be more than just concerned.

Kate asked, "Do you carry weapons?" She actually appeared worried. "I didn't expect this level of sophistication from that one planet."

"No one did," he said sharply. "Your data must be old," he said to her. "Here we go," Jimbo spoke to the computer. "Prepare and ready all systems now."

Then Jimbo smiled. Kate either didn't know or was hiding the knowledge. "Weapons," he said with a smile. "We have some. I had all the empty weapons bays filled. Some of my old navy friends owed me some favors. These things are state of the art. Where or how they came by them, I have no idea. But it appeared to be legal. We shouldn't have to worry unless we meet another one of these," and he wide-armed pointed to the whole ship. Until then she didn't know the ship was fully armed. No one except Bix, Zeno, and the Weapons Twins knew. The guys who made this possible were on patrol on the other side of the galaxy. They could keep their mouths shut.

The next run he would make from an upwind location and use the star to shield his presence. There was no point in getting the natives all excited. He stopped his thoughts when the AI came on again.

"Ship's AI to the Captain. We are picking up more of that foul coating. Be advised."

"Thank you, Ai," he said. He thought that this was rather funny; a whole solar system stank throughout the heavens. And using Cressida's terms for anything less than luxurious, what a primitive rat hole that planet must be.

Zeno laughed, "Can you imagine being blinded by shit? That's a new on me. It must smell to high heaven. I wouldn't want to be working on the hull anytime soon."

"Thank you, navigator. I appreciate your comments and they will be duly noted in the log." Jimbo was serious but was smiling and patted Zeno on the shoulder. He had been his navigator in the navy. In fact his whole crew, outside of Kate, had been hand picked. Most were out of work and those few that weren't quit for this opportunity. They thought both Jimbo and Kate were a bit nuts. They would follow Jimbo to hell and back. In this case they were carrying hell to be dumped into that midsized star that had someone somewhere pinging them with radar. And that was more of their concern. Pinging meant weapons.

"Keep the cloaking on and keep alert for anything that would indicate that they can break through our shielding. Maybe the load we're carrying is leaving a trace that could be followed."

Chapter V — Cressida

Meanwhile, back at New Mars, the scows flew back and forth as usual. Ships were lost, ships disintegrated and the crews died. Insurance refused to pay out because the ships were not inspected or certified spaceworthy. Families on Earth were thrown from their homes. Who cared that mattered? These people were the dregs; they sat at the bottom of the social pyramid. They were less worthy than prison slaves. The slaves could be used anywhere. Cressida now hoped Jimbo would share their fate.

Cressida and her father, Senator D'Oleo had attempted to "guide" Jimbo in a direction that would satisfy his daughter's ego and allow or force Jimbo to plant his feet on solid ground. Had it worked, the money would have been nice, the status welcome, and the marriage, such as it was, saved.

It was her father who had "arranged" the purchase and sale of Ms Clover's company hoping it would make his son-in-law reconsider a land job that might bring respect to the family. Instead, much to Cressida's and his shock, Kathrine Praesidi, the daughter of her family's rivals, changed all that.

Cressida didn't know Kathrine personally. It wasn't until that day when she thought she had Jimbo cornered in a compromising position in their old apartment that they came face to face. Kathrine took her off her guard and forced her to retreat. That was something she would never forget. Now it was personal as well as political.

Cressida knew Jimbo had no idea about the interfamily rivalry. That was none of his business. She knew he thought she married him for his money. He was a fool. She had more money for her own private use than he could ever imagine. He was a tool. She needed a husband. It was de rigueur in her world. Affairs were also part of her world. Marriages were planned, organized and made for alliances. However, Jimbo crossed the line in the past. He was forced out of the navy. She could never live down the shame.

She just wanted to rub his face in the dirt for the embarrassment he caused her to carry from that episode. An Admiral was an acceptable husband; a ship captain was not. An unemployed captain was a total disgrace. And as she heard he was flying a garbage scow she was glad she left when she did. "We're no longer married," she could proudly say. All her family breathed a sigh of relief. She started hanging out with her old circle of friends that she had abandoned on her own volition.

Cressida was with an old friend, John Harlo, sitting in her new apartment. Cressida sat in her favorite chair that she had commandeered. She tried to consider her whole life with Jimbo objectively. "I never, really never, ever loved him," she said. "He was nice and respectful, decent in bed and never abused me," she recalled. "But he wasn't of our class and he would never measure up. It was a marriage of convenience and in the beginning, fun. When Jimbo refused that order and was asked to resign his commission, as opposed to a Court Martial, that was it. He embarrassed me, and my whole family. I could never forgive him for that. My father was right. He is a coward.

"The Court Martial was being pushed to make an example of him. But through the good offices of Senator Ortem, who was my dad's main rival, everything changed. I have no idea how that happened. Dad never spoke of it. I remember he was madder than any time I have known him. He swore he would get Max for that.

"Jimbo refused to plant his feet on the ground and fly a desk. That was the last straw. I couldn't stand him. He loved his ship more than me. Another woman, I could compete with, but a space ship? And now, no job? There was no way. All together was too much for me." With that, all her actions were satisfactorily rationalized. Cressida smiled and finished the bottle of wine, passing out on the couch.

John covered her with a blanket and left.

Chapter VI — The First Dump

Jimbo looked at the sensors. He had guessed correctly. He stated to the crew, "The radioactive waste streaming behind us could be giving our position away."

Bix interrupted him, "Jimbo, we are being tracked by what I do believe is a not so primitive targeting beam. I think they may have more superior weapons than we were led to believe." He pointed to Kate.

Jimbo nodded and then commanded, "Prepare to defend, shields up maximum, weapons loaded and locked on. Navigator, you have the helm. I will begin the new programming for evasive action and the load dump. The next time, we come in from the other side of this star."

"If there is a next time," said Zeno. "You never know."

Kate stood on the bridge. She had never been on a warship before, had never been in a combat situation and was scared shitless. "Weapons, you have weapons, shields and what else?" He had never really answered her earlier question.

"Ms Praesidi," he said formally using her family name, "this is a fully operational combat vessel that has been slightly reconfigured to carry trash instead of war craft as per your suggestion. You surprised me with you ideas and offers and now I am surprising you with our capacity to take on most any comer and do the job we set as our goals. I knew what this ship was designed to do. I made sure it maintained the capacity.

"We will not engage this planet unless we have to. By doing so we will let them know they are not the only beings in the galaxy. I heard about them years ago in military school. This is a warlike planet. The stench we are picking up is the stench of death that this planet emits and has emitted for ten thousand years. They are a crude culture, not fit to be members of our society. That's why it's been avoided."

He continued, "There was something familiar about this solar system and I had the computer research it. This solar system is quarantined. They are not allowed to probe deeper than the beginning of where deep space begins for them. We have destroyed a number of their exploratory efforts. We are not supposed to be here, either. I think you might have been set up. I think we all might have been set up." He said that louder so all would hear. He didn't think this was her idea and didn't want the crew to even consider they had a traitor in their midst.

She was about to ask about the dump. Instead she asked, "Set up by whom, and why?"

He answered her first unasked question as a matter of course. He was calm though underneath he was concerned and wanted to know just what was going on. "We will make our dump and return home. I'm programming for the FTL jump as soon as we drop our load. This is no different than a bombing run under fire."

"Oh, great, a bombing run under fire! What are you talking about? Are we here to start a war?" Kate yelled and was shaking quite a bit. She had never been in combat.

"As for who," he continued ignoring her outburst, "I suspect Cressida's father and his people. I would think that he would like to see me disappear. You just happen to be an innocent bystander, though you are his chief rival's daughter. Your loss would constitute a slight benefit to all in this disaster. Now if you don't mind, I have a garbage dump to make, and defend this ship."

She took all that in. She looked about her. The crew wasn't talking. They seemed to know just what to do. The ship headed straight for the star. "I'm going to die," she said to no one. "We're all going to die."

Jimbo commanded, "Shields on full. Let's keep from firing unless we have to. Can we fake some space rock so they think it's other than a spacecraft? They don't need to know we exist."

One of the two other weapons engineers, brothers called the Gemini Twins that Kate had never been introduced to, piped up and said, "I have diversions programmed in and emitting. We should appear to be a meteor." The other added, "I think we might have a problem with that, too. If they're at this point in development, they might launch a missile to destroy this rock that might impact their planet."

Jimbo said, "Damn, I didn't think of that. But we're not headed for the planet. We're bypassing it by a safe margin. Can we get more speed out of this thing and still dump?" Jimbo didn't want to have to go to weapons, but he would.

Zeno added, "We are about as fast as we can considering our location and the drop. We're locked into a flight path."

"ALERT! Satellite Particle Beam ALERT." The AI system was on full alert and was now making the computations necessary for defense and counter attack. The bridge automatically went dark except for red combat lighting. "ALERT! ALERT! We are being targeted. We ARE being targeted. Weapons systems confirmed. Nature of weapons, designed from our sectors … confirmed. I repeat, they are emitting signatures from weapons systems of our design. They are using our orbiting weapons design. ALERT."

Who is smuggling advanced weapons to this planet, wondered Jimbo? He had an idea, but why? He thought he had it figured out or at least part of the situation. He didn't have the whole game plan. Now it stank like this planet.

The AI announced in a 125 decibel level voice, "Sir, missiles launched with nuclear warheads."

Jimbo stated to all on board, "They are attempting to kill us. We have discovered more than just a toxic dumpsite. There's more going on here than anyone back home is aware of."

All kidding was dropped. They were being attacked. They had been set up. It was a trap, only the people who set the trap probably didn't know Jimbo had outfitted the ship with a full complement of weapons.

"Sir, your orders?" requested the weapons engineers.

Kate sat in the co-commanders position on the bridge and took in as much information as she could understand. She had got herself under control. She would make sure her father got a full report, if they lived to return.

Jimbo commanded, "Neutralize the beam, vaporize the missiles. Destroy the satellites and geolocate the source of any planetary weapons focused on the ship and destroy them. Shields on full to the stern."

To Zeno he said, "manually override the flight plan. Prepare the dump. Change the heading for the solar flare beginning there." He pointed to the screen monitoring the approaching star in X-ray emissions that was filling the screen.

"A solar flare sir? Really?" asked Zeno. This was the end he thought. What is he trying to prove?

One of the weapons engineers stated matter-of-factly, "Beam and beam origin neutralized. Missiles destroyed. Weapons destroyed." The other engineer added, "They are still probing with other sensors. They are not that technically primitive."

The rest of the crew turned to give Kate a look and quickly returned to work.

Jimbo was mad. "Affirmative, fuck them. Take out all their comm systems. Darken the planet and jam any communications, especially any subluminal communications. If anyone back home says anything, they'll be showing their hands."

He whispered to Kate, "Your dad needs to be informed about this. I don't think he'd let you go if he knew. This is bigger that anything I imagined. Heads will be rolling. We need to get back as soon as possible. We need to dump this load too. Might as well, we're just a few seconds from the drop."

She said to him, "You can be sure of that. Do you have a comm system that I can use? I'm not dead, but someone will be when he hears about this."

"I have a subluminal system. Use the one in my cabin. Wait, no time, use the one right here." He commanded, "Open up a channel for her. Here's the code. It's secure. Is the Senator's line secure?"

"Most assuredly," she said. She made her communication.

No one paid attention. They were under attack.

She spoke to her father. She wanted to know what he knew about the ship that no one else did. Why was he so calm? Her father ignored her concerns. That was strange. Maybe someone was there with him?

Jimbo wanted out of here as fast as possible. He hoped the flare would disrupt any additional weapons systems on that planet that they may have missed. He did not expect this. This was supposed to be a milk run, not a combat scenario.

Those beings might be planet-bound but they were dangerous and had ship destroying weapons that were made and sold by some entity from the New Mars sector. Shields or no shields, this situation could make their first trip their last. He wanted out of there. Screw the law about letting them know we exist, those in power on that foul rock knew it.

As the solar flare rose and just licked the bow of the good ship, he ordered the dump. They immediately went FTL, multi-tachyon speed. They were back in their home system in hours.

No one spoke.

Chapter VII — Scowboys

The ship was quickly parked in orbit close to the OMG facilities for cleanup. It was moved to a large private area that Kate had set aside for its normal repair and overhaul. This was different. She had no experience with warships. She had no idea what to expect. Before the crew left for R&R, Jimbo commanded, "This is secret. No one will mention this to any one. Not even on your deathbeds. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," each one said.

He turned to Kate, and in that same, calm, almost cold demeanor that he showed on the bridge during the attack, he said, "Let's see what damage we took. Sensors, report."

She didn't like it. It reminded her of her father when she was young and she was in serious trouble. He didn't say a word about the incident. How could he not talk about it? They could have died.

"Ai, report any damage."

"No damage sir, and …" Ai hesitated for a bit. Ai was almost too human. But Jimbo wanted it that way.

"Yes Ai, what?" Demanded Jimbo.

"There is a strange coating on the ship that seems to be baked on. The sensors do not detect any indication of damage and a foul odor that usually accompanies these disposal craft seems to have been eliminated. I'm working on the possibilities. In fact when you go to observe, the bow of the ship is now black. This coating is rather slippery. Will there be anything else?"

"No, thank you, computer. We will go inspect. Let me know what you come up with."

Kate looked at him a little differently. "You're really the person everyone said you are."

"And what might that be?"

"You're the best there is. You may be nuts too," she said pointing up into space, "but I'm proud to be your partner. Now let's go over this boat. Does it have a name yet?"

"I'll tell you in a few. I'm guessing we have a surprise in store."

She asked, "Like what?"

He didn't answer. He was in his suit. "Suit up and come out with me." She did.

As he ran his gloved hand over the blackened ship he started laughing.

"What's so funny? Really!"

He turned to her and asked, "Do you know what we just discovered?"

"That you can almost get us killed by flying into a star?"

"That too, but—look, better yet, let's go back into the air lock." He pointed to the hull.

"Are you nuts? What's got into you? We almost died. You were attacked by a planet that is supposed to be quarantined. It has our weapons and you're …" She couldn't finish; she was beside herself. She followed him into the air lock, got out of her suit and kept at it. "What's the big deal? What, what, what?" She almost threw up in her suit.

He stood there smiling, then laughing he asked, "You want to know what I'm going to name this craft?"

"What?" She thought he lost it.

"Breathe deep," he instructed.

"Yeah, big deal I don't smell anyth … Oh shit!"

"The name Scowboy sounds good to me. How about you?"

"We, you—discovered a way to neutralize the stench. Yes, Scowboy sounds great." She was still shaking inside. She was also pleased. That was something else she would report to the Senator.

"The coating was an accident, and I'll have to work out how we can do this without putting our ships in jeopardy. I think you were right." He pointed to the coating. "There is potential here, that I think with development, we both never imagined. I have an idea. Let's clean up and have dinner. Your choice, partner."

Kate looked at Jimbo and thought that she had a decent, hard-working partner. He was capable and had the respect of his crew. He would command the respect of their employees. Yes, this was going to work. She said, "I have an Idea. Meet me at my place instead."

Jimbo had never been to where she lived. They had conducted business in his apartment or on board the Scowboy. "Where is your place?" he asked. She handed him her address. It was a section of the planet you needed an invitation just to get into.

"Really? You live there? Do I rent a tux?"

"Jimbo, just clean up. I'll see you in a few hours. There's no need to be formal." She left him standing there, headed for the flight deck and after suiting up, boarded her skiff and headed back to New Mars.

He returned to his apartment, showered, shaved and got into one of what few articles of suitable clothing he owned. He got into his skiff. He headed to her address.

Chapter VIII — Back on New Mars

Jimbo was met at the landing port by an armed servant-guard-escort. He noticed an official OMG ship parked in the distance. She has one foot in each business, he thought to himself. He was ushered into a large sitting room that would have swallowed half his apartment building. The guard interrupted his thoughts and observations. "Ms Ortem will be down in a few moments. May I get you a drink?"

"Yes thank you, a gin and tonic, twist of lime, thanks." He noticed the guard used her father's name.

"My pleasure," said the escort.

Jimbo observed the escort was rather muscular, with side arm, and was carrying a light fully-auto long gun. I guess it comes with the territory.

"Mr. Turtleback," boomed a male voice, surprising Jimbo out of his thoughts. Jimbo turned around and was face to face with a rather large being about a head and a half taller than he was with an outstretched hand in greeting. "Good evening, I'm Senator Maxamillion Ortem, Kate's father."

Jimbo shook his hand. "It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you sir." This man ran the planet.

"Please call me Max. And it's my pleasure and honor. Kate told me all about it. She told me about your performance out there. I always knew you were a great captain."

Jimbo was disarmed. He didn't know what to say.

The Senator was a consummate politician. He could read people, and he read Jimbo to a tee. But he was being truthful. He did respect his daughter's business and would do nothing to harm her. He was proud of her accomplishments, though he had hoped she would get married and carry on the line. Husbands could be "adopted into the family and take the family name to continue the line." It was an ancient custom that Jimbo had no idea about and the Senator felt it unwise to mention.

Jimbo noticed that the Senator was in full dress attire.

"I had no idea this was a formal dinner," Jimbo stated and a little upset that he was taken off guard.

Max laughed, "No, no Captain." He used the honorific title of captain, and both were aware it had more than just polite meaning. "I just stopped by to see how Kate was doing. She'll be down in a few more minutes. I'll be leaving. You may have noticed my craft parked further out. One thing we do need to speak about is the smuggling. I had a guess for some time. Kathrine is an officer in my military cabinet. No one knows that except you and three others. I'm sorry that she broke your oath, but this is critical."

"Regarding the ship, yes sir, I did. I thought it was Kate's. Sir, I have no issue with what you just told me and Kate told you. That planet was using our older weapons. If I hadn't outfitted my ship with a full complement of defensive and offensive weapons, under cover of course, we would have been eliminated. Something stinks out there, and it isn't garbage scows."

Kate came down and gave her father a kiss.

He smiled and then got serious. "Captain, Kate, lets go to our secure room. There are some things I need to discuss with both of you, now."

They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders and gave each other an I have no idea look. Jimbo wondered if it had something to do with the combat on that planet. Outside of the crew, the Senator was the only one who knew about that.

As they entered the room, the guards shut the door and waited out of earshot. Jimbo didn't even hear them following. Cats, he thought, they're just like cats.

Senator Ortem pointed to two chairs and beckoned them to sit, "Please sit down. This is important." He looked at Jimbo. "Captain, you know I know about the incident in that solar system. What you don't know, and neither did Kathrine until this very moment, is that I—we planted that map on her."

Kate looked at her father and was about to say something. He held his hand up to stop what he knew was coming.

Jimbo sensed there was more to all this, so held back from saying anything just yet. He wanted to hear the whole story. He said, "Go on."

The Senator looked around and in a solemn tone said, "There is a coup planned against the Republic, or what's left of it, by the same people who sold us out during the rebellions. We had to make sure. We suspected that Cressida's father and his party were selling and training outliers. They were going to use them as mercenaries. The only way we could be sure was to have what most people believed to be an unarmed ship, a scow in this case, to draw them out."

"Jimbo stated in a flat tone, "So you were willing to sacrifice your daughter."

The Senator smiled, "Do you think you could really hide the armaments you loaded on to that cruiser? You may have thought your connections would do it all, and they did most of it before we could make sure you had the best. I made sure you got that boat and knew that Kate wouldn't be able to stay away from it. My only variable to consider was getting the two of you to be there at the same time."

Jimbo was thinking all this over. He faced the senator and said, "So we were set up in the hope that we would do what Kate proposed, and that I would take the offer she made. That was a dangerous long shot on your part, don't you think, Senator?"

"Yes and no. I knew Kathrine wanted to build something. Your boat, and your family situation, of which I, we had nothing to do with, happened in quite the fortunate manner. Even though Kathrine was part of my inner circle, she couldn't know all the facts, and we certainly couldn't tell you, not then anyway."

"What's going to happen to Cressida's father and his cronies?" asked Kate.

"They are being exiled to that planet you just fought off. That solar system will be blockaded. They will be forced to exist in a more primitive state for the rest of their lives. We've rounded up all the conspirators. I think they will find the environment, the society that they are being injected into, more to their way of thinking. And at home, we will be attempting to restore the republic as it should have always been.

"Captain James Bohm Turtleback," the Senator went on in a formal voice, and he stood up. "I would like to offer you a commission in our navy. Your refusal to bomb those people back then indicated to us that you were our type of man, of warrior, of human being."

Jimbo looked at Kate and at the Senator. "Sir, let me think about this. Right now I will have to decline. I have some promises I made to some people to help them out of the rut they found themselves in. And your daughter has a business plan that would allow it to occur. I have given my word."

Kate nodded as he was talking. She would have words with her father next time they were together, alone. She would not be nice.

The Senator tried again to lessen the built up tension. "I know you two have a date. I will be leaving. And Captain Turtleback," he said in a formal manner, "please reconsider what the Republic is offering you."

His bodyguards opened the door as if on cue, and they left. The Senator looked toward both of them and said, "No matter what the two of you do, you have my gratitude," and looking at Kate, "my blessings."

Now Jimbo was totally in shock. War, combat, subterfuge, those things he knew and could deal with. What the Senator was suggesting, hinting at, was yet another universe he did not even think of entering. He looked at Kate. He liked the idea.

"I have to make this official party. We need to speak soon, very soon," said the Senator. The Senator felt needed to lighten up the conversation a bit before he left. He didn't want to spoil anyone's evening. He wasn't sure just what to say. So he gave Kate a peck on the cheek and shook Jimbo's hand. Looking him straight in his eyes said, "You're everything I believed you were right from the start. Have a good evening."

Jimbo was a bit relieved to not be underdressed. Before sitting for dinner with Kate, he motioned to the escort that had been standing slightly out of earshot. "Sir," he said to the guard. He was always polite to everyone no matter rank or job. "I will have another drink."

"As you wish."

Chapter IX — A New Arrangement

Jimbo and Kate soon contacted a few of the ship's captains that they knew and trusted. These men and women had their own crafts. They were nothing like the Scowboy, a converted war ship, but they were in good condition. Some were already hauling trash to make a living. Others were out of work. Those that were out of work were at first repulsed by the idea. When Kate presented the whole picture and presented the rules of employment, and the crew of the Scowboy modeled the uniforms, their ideas about the prospect changed.

The fact that Jimbo and Kate had discovered a way to neutralize the stench was the key. Once the non-disclosure forms had been signed the final details were presented. Jimbo had figured a way to get each vessel protected. Kate had the maintenance facilities at her command. The operation should garner attention in no short time. All those who started with them in the beginning had a piece of the future profits.

One or two didn't want to take the opportunity for any number of reasons. They knew they could not reveal the nature of the business. And by their very character they would not. Those that declined would be given another opportunity but not with the same perks.

++++

The first fleet was put together. The ships were all the same color configuration in front. Ten ships, with the burned on black, with individual color choice on the stern to indicate the owner-operator, made up the original fleet. The first demonstration and announcement of the new Scowboys Consortium was made by a low flyby of the planet and other space-based orbital locations, and broadcast over the galactic-wide web.

The ships were clean, spotless, and all in top shape. There was no radiation or stench. All of them had made at least one flight to prove the concept. It was a new black fleet, clean and neat.

The ships were quick, and lightning fast. And with the coating, the stench was something in the past. Jimbo called the coating his secret sauce.

The discipline was strict. All had to wear the uniform of the organization. The ships had to be maintained. Crews were doubled up so that there was always backup on board. Loads were dumped and quick turnarounds became races, internal competitions to see who could carry the most loads. Drinking and stopping to party were forbidden on work time.

After a period of time the derision heaped upon scow-barges began to diminish. There were others that kept to the old ways. They soon disappeared under the weight of the Scowboys Consortium. Pilots were now requesting permission to join.

Those first ten captains now became the program directors for different space-time business locations. They maintained the tight discipline and organizational order that was one of the trademarks of the Scowboy business model. There was a waiting list. And since no one but the original few knew the trick of the coating, and most would never attempt to even duplicate the necessary maneuver, there was no real competition.

++++

By the time other businesses took notice, the cost of entry was prohibitive. Scow barges and their ilk were seen as just that for a long time. That fact was not lost on Jimbo and Kate and had been assumed by all from the beginning. The coating discovered through the near-fatal incident at the original dump sight made the business a guaranteed success.

Kate's dad, proud of his daughter's business acumen, invested heavily through the construction of the various maintenance facilities required throughout the realm. He also had the connections to assist with new legislation.

Jimbo was aware that not all captains who were capable and trustworthy could afford to convert and upgrade their crafts that would meet the necessary levels commanded by the organization.

He, Kate and her dad held a meeting. They spoke of potential, expenses and financing. Max had a few ideas and presented them to Kate and Jimbo.

Max said, "If you could offer a decent level of financing, do you think it could work?"

"Sir," began Jimbo.

"Please, seriously, call me Max, please. We're informal here and you're almost family. You were saying?"

Jimbo looked at Kate and turned red for the first time in his life. He gathered himself and began, "Sir … Max … the ability to loan at a low interest rate would be beneficial. One other problem exists. Most of the ships that are out there are flying wrecks. I would like to have a standardized freighter. I have a design that I worked out. If the ships were standardized, the work would be simpler, parts accessible for all. Modification would have to be reverse compatible, or as much as possible. And, if we purchase the facilities, we could have them built in our yards to maintain quality."

"How would you schedule the debt?" Max asked and quite intrigued by this opportunity. "I assume your ship design is not what you have in mind."

"No sir, my ship is unique. There isn't another ship like it anywhere. It's really not a freighter, as you are aware."

Max nodded.

Jimbo continued, "What I'm about to suggest isn't the nicest thing in the world. My program would allow hard working folk to get a leg up."

Max said, "Go on."

Jimbo hesitated at first and then said, "We could pass the debt on to future generations. The captains could live a life they would like and most likely pay the loans off. However if they didn't, or couldn't, we'd have their future in our debt."

Max looked at Jimbo with new respect. "Son," he said, "I like it but it will require some modifications with our tax and finance laws. I think I can manage it. It may change the way we all do business. Work your payments through time." And Max thought to himself, to the future generations, the chains that hob. Max then said with a smile on his face, "Governments do it with bonds. Maybe this could be a government loan supported by bonds that in some form and fashion obligate the loan holder and his or her heirs. As I said, this will have to be worked out."

"I like the way this man thinks and acts," he said looking at Kate. "Welcome to the family."

++++

Within two years Scowboys Intergalactic® was the up and coming business. There was little scorn, and less derision. Pilots lined the business offices throughout the galaxy to sign up. There was a waiting list years long. First to come and qualify were first served and hired. All the planets required this service in one form or another. Here was a legitimate business fulfilling that need, run by one of the best captains in the navy, backed by the most powerful senator on the World Congress.

The smuggling operation had been uncovered. The coup d'etat that had been planned using outlying and quarantined systems as invading military was smashed. The barbarians were turned back before they got to the gates.

As for Scowboys Intergalactic®, their ratings were AAA. They provided good jobs, benefits and other quality-of-life aspects that made the company a model for others to emulate.

THE END

Bio: Rick Tornello is almost more force of nature than author, cranking out an amazing amount of flash tales, short stories, and poety here at Aphelion. If you don't know him yet, you should head to our Forum and meet him. You'll be glad you did.

E-mail: Richard Tornello