Reaching For The Stars

He twisted a knob on the panel and the moon seemed to grow very big. The horizon disappeared from view and Maureen was able to pick out surface details. The camera zoomed in still closer and she was able to pick out a group of bubble like objects on the surface.

“Those bubbles down there is moon base six”, Bill explained, “we’re only fifty thousand feet above the surface now”.

Chris switched the camera back to normal vision but the screen image didn’t alter much owing to their low altitude. This was Maureen’s longest period in space and of course her first proper look at the moon. Her first training flight had been only a couple of orbits of the Earth, aboard a much smaller training saucer. What seemed like only seconds later, the saucer skimmed across the base at roof top height and Peter bought the craft expertly and gently to rest by one of the air lock extensions. By the time the motors had been switched off, the door had opened automatically to show the corridor extension of the air lock already in place. Peter led the way along the corridor and into the base itself.

All three men were well known here and Maureen was quickly introduced to the base second in command who was waiting just inside the foyer beyond the air lock corridor.

“Hello Jack, this is my fiancée Maureen. She’s on navigator training with us. Can you spare anyone to show her round while we’re busy”?

“Yes, I should think we can oblige you in that”, he beckoned to a young girl who was sitting behind a desk on the other side of the foyer, “Varna, this is Maureen, and she’s engaged to Lieutenant Gresham here. Could you show her round the base please while we’re busy downstairs”?

“Of course, sir. Come on love, I’m Varna; let`s leave the boys to it for a while. Is this your first time inside a moon base”?

“Yes it is. Quite a place isn’t it”?

The two girls went off chatting, Maureen all eyes and expressing admiration for practically everything she saw. People from all over the galaxy ran the moon bases and Varna came from Androx, a small planet in the Andromeda group. The men followed Jack downstairs to the detention area. As they headed for the interview suite, Jack filled them in with the case history.

“You’re probably wondering why I decided to call you boys in, as we don’t usually bother. We can deal with most minor things on our own, after all, that’s what base security is for, but I don’t like the look of this. As you know, I’m only acting base commander while Paul is away on leave and I feel if he were here he’d be following the same course of action. His name is Leon Tracy, an American by birth and a former sergeant in the world air force. He’s now technician grade, civilian employee and extremely good at his job. In fact he’s one of the best technicians we’ve got. As you are well aware, it’s base policy to carry out random spot checks on our personnel at various times, and it was during one of these checks that Tracy was found to be in possession of seventeen various electronic components, that should not have been there. Security said they were stolen from our central workshop and slapped him on a charge. At face value it appears to be a straightforward larceny case; however it goes deeper than that. When Tracy first came here, about a year and a half ago, he and Rimbauld our chief technician had a violent disagreement, but about what I’ve not been able to ascertain. Anyway, Rimbauld swore that he’d “get” Tracy, as he apparently won the argument, and there’s been trouble between them ever since. Since Tracy was first arrested and charged he’s persistently sworn that he is innocent and has no idea how the components got into his personal belongings. Knowing the basic background and with Tracy’s previous unblemished record I’m inclined to believe his story. I’ve got a nasty feeling that Rimbauld or some of his cronies are behind it but I can’t be sure, hence the reason you’re here. I don’t want to make any errors of judgement on this one”.

“Sounds quite plausible I agree”. Peter replied.

The three police officers spent over an hour with Tracy and at the end of the interview arrived at the same conclusion as Jack had done. Tracy was formally released from custody and his property was returned to him. Jack, who had been present throughout was pleased and relieved at the outcome. As the five men left the detention area and started up the escalator to the main floor of the base, a figure appeared at the top. He was dressed in a brown and yellow uniform similar to the one that Tracy wore, but the red band on his sleeve denoted him as a chief technician. When he saw Tracy he began screaming and yelling at the top of his voice.

“You bastard, you filthy swine, you’ve got off that one but you won’t escape this. I’ll get you yet, you bastard”.

As he was yelling he drew a laser pistol from his belt and brought it up to point directly at Tracy, who promptly dived to one side. Before he could steady the weapon long enough to take proper aim, Chris had drawn his own weapon from his belt and squeezed the trigger. The chief’s gun was sent spinning from his hand as the beam from Chris’s pistol hit it. He stepped back a pace in surprise and shock at the speed and accuracy of Chris’s shooting and by the time he had recovered his wits, both Peter and Bill had bounded up the escalator and had his arms pinned securely behind his back. Peter produced a pair of electronic locking handcuffs from his belt and these were snapped on to the chief’s wrists. He had taken on the look of a wild animal with his whole face being distorted by rage, frustration and jealousy. His face was completely devoid of colour and he still struggled in vain to free himself. The sharp and practised eyes of the policemen had picked up the beginnings of a tremble around the corners of his mouth. He was aged about forty and came from the planet Sygnet1. The sound of his insane yelling had bought quite a crowd of people to the top of the escalator, including Maureen and Varna who had been only yards behind the chief at the start of his violent outburst. As the crowd gradually dispersed, Maureen came forward looking a bit pale and shaken by the incident. Peter smiled and put his arm round her shoulders.

“C`mon love. It’s all over now. Just another routine incident successfully dealt with”.

Maureen smiled back and tried to look as if she believed him, then, turning to Chris she asked;

“Chris that was great shooting and you drew so fast. Where did you learn to handle a gun like that? It was marvellous”.

Chris blushed slightly at her praise and mumbled “training school” before turning and pushing the still struggling chief onto the escalator to go back downstairs to the detention area. By now the senior base security officer and four of his men had arrived on the scene.

“Hello John, I’ll go down and charge him formally in a minute”, Peter said, “will you be okay to keep an eye on him until we come back later? We’ll have to take him back to Earth to answer the charges”.

“No problem Peter. Cooper, go down to the store and bring a robo-guard up to cell one. Program it for a dangerous prisoner, also arm it up”.

“Yes sir, right away”. The guard replied and hurried away.

Peter led the way down to the detention areas charge room where the handcuffed prisoner was standing sullenly behind the desk. The desk had a microphone attached to it coupled directly to a computer system, which automatically transcribed spoken words into written text. Peter took a charge sheet from a drawer beneath the desk and inserted it into the top of the printer device. He tapped the microphone and knew that the system was working by the short line produced on the paper.

“What is your full name and job title”?

“Carlos Rimbauld, Chief Technician Class 1, Moon base six”.

“You are charged under galactic law 314/17/BE paragraph 271 in that you on April twentieth 2029 did produce a weapon namely a laser pistol and attempted to assault one Leon Tracy, a technician in your department, with intent to endanger his life or person. You are further charged under regulation GF24C applicable to moon bases and deep space stations that you also on twentieth of April 2029 were in possession of a dangerous weapon in a prohibited area without the prior written consent of your base commander. In addition you are charged under galactic law 719/3c/OF7 that on an unknown date prior to today’s date that you falsely accused the previously stated, Leon Tracy with being in illegal possession of certain electronic components, allegedly for his own use, which we now have reason to believe were planted in his possession by yourself with intent to deprive him of his liberty or employment or both. You have now been formally charged and will at a later time be transported back to Earth to answer the charges. You are not obliged to say anything but anything you do say will be recorded and used in evidence in a galactic court. You are reminded of your right to silence and you should be aware that anything you do say now at this point could be prejudicial to you defence at a later date. On arrival on Earth you will be given every opportunity to consult with a member of the legal profession of your choice and to formally answer the charges made today against you”.

Peter had quoted the charges and the various regulations completely from memory and Maureen was fast beginning to see why the men were known as Britain’s `crack crew`.

“You’re a jolly lucky girl Maureen, to be doing your training with this crew. They’re the tops”. Varna stated.

“Peter and I are engaged and we hope to get married at Christmas time. It took a lot of persuasion with the boss to get him to agree to me coming with them”.

“Congratulations”, Varna replied with feeling”, “I wish you much happiness and success for the future”.