Dark as Daylight Ch. 13

When she arrived at the meeting room no one was there, and she was livid. She found a note on the desk. "Dear Captain, the next time you call a meeting for 40 people, make sure the room you want it in can hold that amount of people. Get your ass into the auditorium. Love Gordon."

"I'll kill him. I won't bring him before a quorum, I'll just kill him. I'll take a rifle, put one bullet in it, stick it in his big mouth, and pulled the trigger."

From underneath the oval desk Gordon shouted, "Nothing would happen to me, when you pulled the trigger."

"Why not smartass?"

Gordon got out from underneath the desk, and looked at her. "You forgot to take off the safety. Can I be your best man?"

"A woman doesn't have a best man asshole. They have maids or matrons of honor."

"Does that mean you are going to say yes, when Jackson asks you?"

"Is nothing sacred around here?"

"Monty, I live with the newspaper editor. If anything happens, I'm the second person to know it. May I give you a hug, because if anyone on this ship deserves happiness, it's you."

"Don't you dare make me cry. If I shed one tier, I will find something to kill you with."

"Monty, you've lost 70 pounds. If we were on earth, no one would recognize you. The women on this ship are making you a bridal gown. It's not because they have to do it, they want to, for what you've done for everyone.

Jack has measured you with lasers trying to get your approximate size. Newton measured your height, and your hips. I don't know how, but Elizabeth measured your breasts. I won't get into that.

Everyone loves you. My dad made you senior captain, because everyone trusts you, and everyone trusts your judgment. It's the reason he pressured you take the two captains tests early. You did so well. You made him so proud of his faith and trust in you. We all are. Some of the decisions you had to make were really tough. Each one you made was correct. No one, and I mean no one could have done a better job than you, except me, of course.

He didn't know which way it was coming from, but he knew it was coming. He put up both arms to protect his head and neck, and ducked.

Monty knew he would go down, and that is the way she swung at him. She twisted her hips to the right, and swung her left fist first. She aimed down towards the top of his head trying to move his left arm away from its protective position. She followed the left hand with a blazing straight right hand, aimed towards at his left temporal lobe.

Unfortunately, her left hand landed flush on his cheekbone, staggering him further down and further away from her right. Monty's crushing right hand, flew by his head, like a welcome Zephyr. She screamed in anger, and disgust.

Gordon bounced up quickly laughing.

"You missed me, you missed me, but I was kind enough to stop you from crying."

"I would not have cried if I hit you either, you pain in the ass."

"Can I hug you now?"

"Okay."

"Congratulations Monty, I wish you all the luck, and love in the world. I mean that from a scared 4-old boy, and from a 23-year-old man."

He put his arms around her, and put his cheek against hers, and then he kissed her.

The picture was all over the ship within seconds.

Come on Monty we have a meeting to go to.

*****************

When they walked into the auditorium everyone stood up, applauded and cheered. Monty and Gordon looked at one another, and shrugged. They took their seats, and Monty called the meeting to order.

There was a constant giggle going on among the senior staff as Monty was trying to get the people to listen to what was important about this meeting. She pounded her fist on the table and asked, "What the hell is going on?"

Laura pointed at the screen behind them.

Monty and Gordon turned and saw the blown up picture of them kissing.

Gordon screamed, "Zoey, you're not getting any for a month. That was a private moment between us. Can't you leave anything alone."

Monty looked at him with blood in her eyes.

"Swear to me you knew nothing about that."

"I swear on my father I knew nothing about that picture. That was between you and me, and I wanted it to stay that way."

"Thank you Gordon."

"Now I'm going to ask all of you gathered here at this meeting, and if I feel any of you are lying to me, you're going to lose rank, and your jobs. That is not a threat, that is a promise. If you tell me the truth, you will keep your rank, but you will be punished for doing that to us. If you had nothing to do with that incident stand up.

Everyone but Janet stood up.

"This meeting will reconvene at 2200 hours; dismissed, triple time. Janet stay where you are."

"Monty should I stay and act as referee or should I leave?"

"Since I, as senior captain, am involved; I think you'd better take over that role Gordon. If you can't be impartial get someone else."

"Janet do you want me to get someone else?"

"No, that won't be necessary."

"Monty you will not open your mouth, while Janet is speaking. You will not interrupt her. There will be no outbursts of any kind. Wait, I forgot something.

Security sends six agents to the auditorium please, on the double."

***********************

"Yes Captain Luck, how can I help you?"

"Senior Captain Jamison is temporarily relieved of her duties. Place three men behind her, and three men behind Captain Dover. I hope to keep this a civilized proceeding, and hope that tempers do not flare. Do you understand me ladies?"

"Yes Captain."

"Yes Gordon, I understand."

"That's captain to you, lady."

"Don't push me Gordon. Yes, Captain I understand."

"Captain Dover, you have five minutes to explain yourself."

"When Zoey approached me..."

"I'm going to kill that bitch."

Jason, a senior security agent said, "Captain Luck, you just broke one of your own rules."

"Forgive me for interrupting you, Captain Dover. Your five-minute starts again now."

"When Zoey Luck approached me, and told me you might want to congratulate our senior captain in private, because of your long relationship together, she said you would want to do it in the conference room. If it was at all possible, I was to complain that it was too crowded in there, and ask that it be moved to the auditorium.

I had no idea if we were going to get a private picture of you two hugging or not, because Zoey was in control of everything. When I saw it, I was overwhelmed by it. It was such a beautiful moment, we all applauded. Only Zoey, and the people in security knew the picture came out that fantastic. That's all I have to say, and that was my only involvement in it."

"Jason, who was the supervisor in security tonight?"

"Quincy Nesbitt."

"Would you ask Mister Nesbitt to join us, under guard if necessary."

"Yes Captain."

"Captain Jamison do you want me to cross-examine the witness now, or would you like to make your statement first?"

"I'll make my statement now. I love you Janet, as if you were my own sister. You didn't do anything wrong. The next time you are involved with something like this, I'll break both your legs, your neck, and both your arms. What is Jackson going to think when he sees me kissing another man? He was having trouble deciding if he wanted to ask me to get married or not. What is he going to do now?"

"Monty can I say something?"

"Sure go ahead."

"Don't yell at me, I'm only the messenger. It was Jackson's idea. He talked to Zoey, and she took it from there."

"I will kill that son of a bitch. Gordon get the Good Luck 1 ready to go up to five miles above Atwater Luck. I have no idea what you're going to do with Zoey, but I sure as hell know what I'm going to do with Jackson."

"I will remind the former senior captain that it is illegal to throw someone overboard without his consent, or a quorum of the membership of this ship. However, if you let me throw Zoey off with him, you have a deal."

"You can't throw Zoey overboard; she has a baby to take care of, and she is pregnant."

"There are plenty of eligible 16 and 17-year-old young ladies that are looking to get married to a handsome, bright, intelligent, rich young man, with a very bright future ahead of him. I'll ask Doctor Finch if we can put the baby in stasis, until we can find a willing female to implant it into and bring it to term."

Janet said, "We can always implant it into Monty. She would look ravishing pregnant."

"I'm beginning to think you would look ravishing dead, Janet."

"Captain Luck, Mister Nesbitt is here."

"Mister Nesbitt would you please stand before the court."

"Yes Captain."

"Mister Nesbitt who authorized you to put that picture on every screen around the ship?"

"I believed it was a picture of ship wide interest, so I put it up sir."

"So no one authorized you to put that picture up; is that correct?"

"I am allowed to put pictures of ship wide interest sir."

"Do you know what I'm allowed to do Mister Nesbitt?"

"Almost anything that's legal sir."

"That is correct. What I'm about to do is absolutely legal Mister Nesbitt. A member of my household went down to security and told you to take a picture of the Senior Captain, and myself, instead of doing your duty, which is keeping watch on the stairways, hallways, and all the areas that could cause harm to our children and adults. Instead, you focused on one particular room, and waited until I gave a kiss to a good friend, who I have known since the age of 4, and may soon be getting married. So for this breach of your normal duty, you will lose your rank to basic, and begin retraining. You will also spend the next two weeks in the brig. That will be all Mister Nesbitt, take him away please."

"Zoey is in so much trouble"

"Jason contact Captain Elizabeth Thyme and ask her if she is available to watch Payne for a short time please. Also, send a four-man security team to my room, and have them wait outside, until Elizabeth has relieved Mrs. Luck. At that time, advise my wife she is wanted in the auditorium. If she refuses to come peacefully, have those four men convince her, one way or the other, to come to the auditorium. If her mouth causes problems, put a gag in it. If she tries to hit any of the agents, cuff her. If she attempts to kick them, restrain her legs. If more agents are needed to get her down here, don't hesitate to ask for help. Carry her down if necessary, but get her down here."

"Yes sir."

"Jason, wear your gloves; she bites too."

"Thank you Captain."

******************

"Captain Luck, your mother would like to speak to you."

"Oh fuck. Hello mother, how are you?"

"Don't you dare give me, 'how are you mother?' What is going on? Rumors are running around all over the ship."

"You taught me never to believe in rumors."

"Gordon, where are you now?"

"I'm with Monty and Janet."

"Let me speak to Monty for a second."

"Hello Jen, what's up?"

"Is my son in trouble again?"

"Absolutely not, he's fine. The three of us are sitting here talking. What did you hear that's going on?"

"We heard that you canceled a meeting."

"Gee, I can't understand why? I called a meeting of all senior staff members, and guess who didn't show up; half my senior staff. Are you going to be here at 2200 hrs.?"

"I'm sorry Monty, I didn't hear about the first one. I definitely will be there at 2200 hrs."

"Do you have any other questions?"

"No I guess not; I will see you later."

"Okay, later."

"This ship is abuzz with news they cannot decipher."

"They will when Zoey is in the brig for 30 days."

"Gordon, when I take over as senior captain, I am not going to allow that to happen."

"Monty that is your prerogative. I am just going to show her exactly how angry I am with her. This has to stop. I don't mind normal gossip, but to go digging into someone else's life is really beyond the pale. I won't allow it to go on in my family, and if she continues doing it I will move out."

"Don't do anything rash. Make sure you explain that to her very clearly, before you do anything to break up your family."

"I understand the ramifications of breaking up a family. I've watched what happened between my sister and Gray. I knew Gray would make it. I wasn't sure if Delicious would."

"Now back to you Janet. Monty has forgiven you for your part of this fiasco. As captain of this ship I cannot. I have to come up with a punishment that fits this crime, and I've been hard-pressed to do it. So here's what I've decided to do. For two hours after you finish your shift, and two hours prior to the beginning of your shift, you will be confined to the Arboretum. You must smell the flowers, look at plants, and help pollinate them when it's needed. I know it's a tough punishment. It will be enforced for a period of one month. I want you to think about your actions, and what Monty advised you would happen, if these actions ever occur again."

"I will try my best to mend my ways Captain."

"Captain Dover, you are dismissed."

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't leave here now if you paid me. I may sit in the back just in case she starts throwing things at you, but I have to see this."

Monty saw security backing way from the tables, and shook her head.

"Hold your ground men. She is only one person, and she will only be going after Captain Luck. He knows how to handle her quite well."

****************

It started as a dull thumping. It increased until you heard bodies bouncing against walls. Then you heard a voice yell, "Dammit, she bit me."

Then they entered the auditorium. She saw Gordon, and started running towards him.

She should have known better, but there are times when your head stops functioning, and your heart beats only to keep you alive.

He stood up.

She was five feet away from him, when he made a move that Monty and Janet had never seen before. He bounced Zoey up, and onto her back with such ease, and grace, it appeared as if he used no effort at all. Zoey was in twilight land in less than the blink of an eye.

While she was there, Gordon wrapped her hands together with the yellow plastic ties. Then did it again but tied her hair into the ties. Every time she moved she would pull her hair, and be in pain. He also disabled her feet. He went to the table took a jug of water, and dumped it on her face.

She woke up in pain, intense pain. The words that came out of her mouth were not fit for any woman, from any side of the tracks, from any state in the union, from any nation on their former planet, Earth.

Gordon stood up again, walked behind her, put two fingers in an area of the neck just to the right of the medulla oblongata, and pressed them together

Her scream could have shattered glass a mile away.

He looked at her, and there were tears in her eyes.

"I don't care about the tears Zoey. Are you going to act like a human being now, or are you going to continue to get people fired from their positions?"

"I did nothing of the kind. You're just angry with me that I got that picture."

"Angry with you; I'm not even close to being angry with you. How about livid, irate, furious, enraged, and 1000 more words that come to mind. That was a private moment between me and my best friend. You couldn't leave it alone, you had to make a public spectacle out of it. You are fucking newspaper, with no idea what is fit to print, and what is not. You don't know the difference between something that should be allowed to go before the public, and something private that belongs in someone's scrapbook. Why don't you put a camera in our bedroom so everyone could watch us make love? According to you, that would be a newsworthy item.

How about putting cameras in areas where teenagers make out? You know where they are just learning about love? The first touch, the first kiss. Then we could run it all day long so they can watch themselves and other teenagers to see how well they are doing. You can make up a grading scale for each of them. At night, we can make sure the parents see the reruns of the days' events, after their children go to sleep.

'Well, Richard touched Joan's breast. Now we better talk to him about safe sex.'

That would be newsworthy, wouldn't it?"

Don't you see what you're doing, Zoey? You are going to make everyone afraid to do anything on board this ship, because of your sneaking around and taking pictures of them in private moments. What are you going to do next Zoey? Are you going to start printing little lies about someone, doing something to someone else? You're going to ruin the harmony that has made this ship a home for all of us. I will not be a part of it."

"For this breach of privacy, you are spending 15 days in the brig. As your husband, I am telling you this, 'If this shit continues, I am moving out. Payne is my responsibility; she will be living with me. When you give birth to our next child, I will fight you over custody for that one, too. You've gone way off the tracks, Zoey, and this one was way too far.

Mister Nesbitt has lost his rank, and is in the brig for two weeks. Janet is under restriction for one month. If you think this joke of yours has had no effect on anyone else, you are absolutely wrong. Every member of the security staff that was on duty tonight will be spending one day in the brig because of you. Everything has consequences, and this was your fault.

I'm going to stand you up, and release you from your bonds. If you try to hit me, so help me God, you'll be on the floor again."

"Guard can I have the clipper please?"

After Gordon released her, Zoey glared at him, but did not dare say a word.

Gordon said, "Senior Captain, your rank is returned to you."

"Thank you Captain Luck."

"Mrs. Luck, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Yes I do Senior Captain. As soon as I get out of the brig, this cock sucking son of a bitch can move out. If he thinks he can control my life, and what I want to do with it, he can go straight to hell."

"What action do you want to take at this time?"

"I want him out of our apartment."

"Do you want to separation or divorce?"

"A divorce will do nicely."

"I will need a list of charges and specifications detailing what he did wrong to put on the paperwork for the divorce."

"If I can have a pen and paper, while I am in the brig, I will make it out, during my leisure time."

"Captain Luck, I will need the same from you."

"You will have mine in two or three days, because I will be taking care of my daughter."

"Security, escort Mrs. Luck to the brig. Make sure she has a bed and linens."

"Yes, Senior Captain."

As soon as Zoey was clear of the area, Janet said, "That went very well didn't it?"

Gordon replied, "Yes, it went a lot smoother than I thought it would go. I guess I'll never know if I asked her for too much, or if I should've asked her for much more. However, if this is the way she wants it; she can have it."

"When do you want me to let her out Gordon?"

"You are the Senior Captain Monty. Whether you want to release her one half hour from now or two weeks from now, it's your decision. I'm going to get Payne. I think Elizabeth will be quite happy that her 1^st interaction with a live child is over. I'll find a babysitter for tonight's meeting, and move in to another room. I'll get Newton and a few friends to help me move my things."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

He was walking down the hall towards his room and saw his mother coming the other way, with a full head of steam on. He stopped, turned, and began walking the other way.

"Your father tried that on me, and it never worked. Stop where you are, or I'll tear you to pieces when I catch you."