Scent of Treachery by Smith, T.L. (free books to read txt) 📕

with these two. Get them loaded and hooked up to auxiliary power, then we’ll start on the other patients.”

“Yes, ma’am.” An old scraggly man turned to the others. “You two take that tube. You and you, that one.”

He stepped out of the group as they broke into teams. “Doc, our medic asked about medicine and, if you can spare it, food. We're running a bit low on inventory. If we get those items taken care of, I can have all my people available for patient transfer.”

“Oh, yes. I didn’t think of that.” Taylor looked to Jayda. “What can we do? Most of our medical supplies are exhausted.”

Breeze joined the men maneuvering the stasis tubes. “And our rations are still on the ship, probably too contaminated if we could get to them.”

Jayda grumbled a bit to herself, before speaking up. “This station is designated an auxiliary emergency depot. I have sufficient food rations. As for medical supplies, take all the bronchials for the respiratory problems.”

She looked to the leader of this pack. “As far as any other medicine, we don’t have much left, mostly pain meds. The best your medic can do is keep the wounds clean and address the pain.”

“Also depends on how many patients he can take.” Taylor chimed in.

He frowned. Jayda could see him cock his head, just like Breeze had done. He was getting instructions through a comm implant. “Two in stasis. They don’t need anything. We got capacity for nine people, after tripling our crew up.”

“That fits the payload description for a GR ship.” Nick whispered in her ear. “So far they’re doing everything right.”

“Dr. Taylor, if you’ll pack up the medical supplies…” She looked around the room at the patients. “…I’ll deal with the rations.” She shifted to the remaining man backed up against the wall, the fidgeter. “You can come with me to the storage bay.”

The pack leader nodded to fidget-boy. “Kid, go with the nice lady and see what she’s got to spare.”

If they had to split up, Jayda could handle the boy. She let out a sigh as they headed away from the med lab. She didn’t have to stretch faking her annoyance. “You’ll have to pull inventory yourself.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Fidget-boy avoided eye contact.

“Breeze is at the portal. One tube is aboard, second one waiting their turn.” Nick whispered in her ear. “This should take a little while, time enough to get supplies together. Maybe a chance to pry a bit out of this kid.”

Jayda glanced over her shoulder at fidget-boy. He followed quietly, virtually tip-toeing, which only grated on her nerves worse. “So, kid, got a name?”

He twitched and stuttered. “Ummm, ah, yeah. Sorry, Denny. I’m Denny.”

“How long you been out, Denny?” She put a bit of emphasis on his name.

“Out? Out of what?”

Jayda reached the storage compartment for the food supplies, turning back on the boy. “Out in the field.” She looked at him closer. “How old are you?”

“Ahhh, twenty… twenty…” He stammered, staring down at his feet. Was he stuttering naturally, trying to make something up, or both? “…four. Twenty four!”

If he was twenty-four, she’d been isolated so long she forgot what that age looked like. If he was legit the GR was desperate for recruits, or he was special in some way. “Denny, how long have you been out here, with GR?”

“Oh, not long. First time.”

Still no eye contact and two syllable answers. There certainly wasn’t any threat from a boy too scared to even look at her. “Well, it gets easier.” She opened the storage bay and the lights came on automatically.

Denny came in after her, his mouth opening slightly as he stared at the compartments. “All this is food supplies?”

“Yes.” Jayda went to the terminal. “I have to keep an inventory on hand for emergencies, such as this.” She started tapping in instructions. “General rations, nine people, one week and... Your boss said you were running low. I can send additional supplies. How many of you are there?”

“Good girl!” Nick whispered in her ear.

“Ummm, ahhh…” Denny was stuttering again. “Twelve.”

“Twelve.” That sounded about right. She plugged in the number. “Here we go.” Container lights started blinking in the upper levels of the storage racks. Sealed compartments hissed as vacuums were released. “Oh, sorry.” Jayda shrugged. “The containers are picked according to expiration dates.”

Denny was looking up at the racks. “How do I get up there?”

Jayda laughed, softly. “That much I can help with.” Another order into the computer and a rack-lift rolled itself out of a corner bay, sliding down a track along the bottom of the containers. It slid to a smooth stop in front of Denny. “Hop on.”

He climbed onto the lift and Jayda used the controls to raise it up to the top container rack. She remained at the computer as he opened the first door. “Inside are crates. The computer unlocked the ones you’re allowed to take. Look for green lights.”

The boy entered the first container. In a second he appeared with a crate, heavy, even with the lighter gravity. He didn’t complain, putting it onto the platform and returning inside for another crate, then a third. The computer indicated he’d removed all the allowed crates from that container. Jayda moved him on to the next one.

By the third container Denny looked winded. There was a lot to be said for working in lighter gravity, but it required the use of different muscles to maintain balance while performing tasks. He leaned on the rail of the bot.

“Do you need to rest, Denny?”

“Yes ma’am… please.” He stammered. “Just a minute.”

“I’ll bring you down and you can move this batch out into the corridor.”

 

 

 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

 

Jayda drew the platform back towards her, bringing it down. As it reached eye-level, it slowed for a smooth landing. That sick feeling in her stomach returned.

The boy’s back was turned to her as he leaned against the railing. He wore the light grey uniform of the GR, but the pants legs hung long enough to cover his boots.