“Oh, right, can’t believe I forgot.”
“You boys want to grab a couple of coffees for us?”
“Not likely.” Jep was quick with an answer.
“Righto. Okay, hold our spots. We’ll be back as soon as we find some coffee.”
“Leave your tablet at least,” Jep complained.
Tali was quick with her response. “Not likely.” She mimicked his voice.
“Frak. Fine. I’ll have the little turd get ‘em if you get back to work.”
“Coffee first, maybe we’ll make it a whole hour if it’s nice and hot.”
The kid who had greeted us showed up with coffees. I tasted it. Bitter - big surprise.
“Well. Back to work then,” I suggested.
We continued unloading until the first hold was empty.
“Jep, how about you raise the platform so we can get started on number two,” Tali said.
“I thought you guys always did that.”
“Nope. Drinking my coffee. More efficient breaks this way.”
Jep shook his head like we were messing with him but raised the platform.
Ninety minutes later, Tali’s plan became evident. We were halfway through the fourth cargo hold and it was clear Jenny wasn’t there. The coffee had worked its way through my system and I needed a break in the worst way. Tali noticed my discomfort and nodded.
“Break time,” I said.
“What now?” Jep had lost his patience. In his defense, we had been pushing his buttons for the better part of a couple of hours.
“I gotta tinkle,” I said with my best girlie voice.
“OH MY GAWD!” Jep exhaled. “Fine. We’ll wait. How about you?” He looked at Tali.
“Stuff it,” she replied.
“Back in fifteen. You know you could let me use the head,” I said.
“Not likely,” Jep said.
The emergency was real. I took the elevator down and went to the Stevedore’s Union office. Fortunately, Bruno wasn’t around. I finished and got out of there, walking slowly back to the ship trying to formulate a plan. I just couldn’t come up with anything.
“You sure took your time. Let’s get this done.” Jep had cooled off a bit.
“Bad news, boys,” Tali said. “Guess I have to go after all.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. What kind of crap is this!? I’m going to report you freaks.”
“Oh, I suppose we’re done here then if you’re just going to report us,” Tali said.
“No. Wait,” he said.
“Look, Jep. I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. But that little creep you had greet us needs to learn not to mess with the union and you boys have been getting the brunt of it. How about you let me use the head real quick and we’ll wrap this up? Otherwise I’ll be back in fifteen or twenty. It’s a bit of a walk to the Stevedore’s Union.”
“I’ll take her,” the mostly silent older one offered. He hadn’t said more than five words the entire time we’d been there.
“They’re not supposed to be on the ship.”
“It’s not a problem. I think I can watch one little girl.” His leer wasn’t overt but I caught it.
“Fine. Let’s get this done already,” Jep complained.
Tali and the older guard walked over to a ladder leading to a ceiling hatch. She scrambled up in front of him, opened the hatch and slithered through. I walked over to the built-in ladder and watched them move through the ceiling.
I heard Tali say, “Geez, it stinks in here. You guys have some rotten food?”
The guard said something I didn’t quite catch.
Jep and I waited in silence for better than five minutes.
“What’s taking them so long?” He asked.
Tali’s legs came through the ceiling as she lowered herself down the ladder.
“There they are,” I said cheerfully. “Time to finish up.” I picked up the tablet and walked over to the waiting robot.
Jep looked at Tali’s descending figure and hesitated, but his impatience got the better of him. He followed me to check off the container.
Tali dropped him with a quick punch to the kidneys. He wasn’t unconscious but he was in too much pain to do anything but fall to his
“You boys want to grab a couple of coffees for us?”
“Not likely.” Jep was quick with an answer.
“Righto. Okay, hold our spots. We’ll be back as soon as we find some coffee.”
“Leave your tablet at least,” Jep complained.
Tali was quick with her response. “Not likely.” She mimicked his voice.
“Frak. Fine. I’ll have the little turd get ‘em if you get back to work.”
“Coffee first, maybe we’ll make it a whole hour if it’s nice and hot.”
The kid who had greeted us showed up with coffees. I tasted it. Bitter - big surprise.
“Well. Back to work then,” I suggested.
We continued unloading until the first hold was empty.
“Jep, how about you raise the platform so we can get started on number two,” Tali said.
“I thought you guys always did that.”
“Nope. Drinking my coffee. More efficient breaks this way.”
Jep shook his head like we were messing with him but raised the platform.
Ninety minutes later, Tali’s plan became evident. We were halfway through the fourth cargo hold and it was clear Jenny wasn’t there. The coffee had worked its way through my system and I needed a break in the worst way. Tali noticed my discomfort and nodded.
“Break time,” I said.
“What now?” Jep had lost his patience. In his defense, we had been pushing his buttons for the better part of a couple of hours.
“I gotta tinkle,” I said with my best girlie voice.
“OH MY GAWD!” Jep exhaled. “Fine. We’ll wait. How about you?” He looked at Tali.
“Stuff it,” she replied.
“Back in fifteen. You know you could let me use the head,” I said.
“Not likely,” Jep said.
The emergency was real. I took the elevator down and went to the Stevedore’s Union office. Fortunately, Bruno wasn’t around. I finished and got out of there, walking slowly back to the ship trying to formulate a plan. I just couldn’t come up with anything.
“You sure took your time. Let’s get this done.” Jep had cooled off a bit.
“Bad news, boys,” Tali said. “Guess I have to go after all.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. What kind of crap is this!? I’m going to report you freaks.”
“Oh, I suppose we’re done here then if you’re just going to report us,” Tali said.
“No. Wait,” he said.
“Look, Jep. I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. But that little creep you had greet us needs to learn not to mess with the union and you boys have been getting the brunt of it. How about you let me use the head real quick and we’ll wrap this up? Otherwise I’ll be back in fifteen or twenty. It’s a bit of a walk to the Stevedore’s Union.”
“I’ll take her,” the mostly silent older one offered. He hadn’t said more than five words the entire time we’d been there.
“They’re not supposed to be on the ship.”
“It’s not a problem. I think I can watch one little girl.” His leer wasn’t overt but I caught it.
“Fine. Let’s get this done already,” Jep complained.
Tali and the older guard walked over to a ladder leading to a ceiling hatch. She scrambled up in front of him, opened the hatch and slithered through. I walked over to the built-in ladder and watched them move through the ceiling.
I heard Tali say, “Geez, it stinks in here. You guys have some rotten food?”
The guard said something I didn’t quite catch.
Jep and I waited in silence for better than five minutes.
“What’s taking them so long?” He asked.
Tali’s legs came through the ceiling as she lowered herself down the ladder.
“There they are,” I said cheerfully. “Time to finish up.” I picked up the tablet and walked over to the waiting robot.
Jep looked at Tali’s descending figure and hesitated, but his impatience got the better of him. He followed me to check off the container.
Tali dropped him with a quick punch to the kidneys. He wasn’t unconscious but he was in too much pain to do anything but fall to his
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