“Goddamn it! I’m on my way to stop them.” He cut coms.
The control operator next to her turned his head from where he sat, his eyes wide. She stared back at him and shrugged. “If someone acts like a xenophobic pig, I’ll squeal on them. No hesitation.”
He faced forward again. She bit back a smile as she leaned toward him. “May I please have your seat for a moment?”
The operator paused but then slid his chair over. She accessed his station, pulling up internal communications, and connected a direct link to the flight-control room. Her fingers flew as she typed out an order to halt all shuttles from leaving until Commander Bills arrived. It was received and acknowledged.
Abby backed out of the system and then straightened. She turned her head, seeing the operator in the chair gaping at her. She winked.
“How did you do that? These systems aren’t supposed to be linked that way. We can only make verbal calls from this secure location. You just sent a message from the office of Commander Bills.”
“D Corp made and programmed most of your systems. I know how to link them. Thank you for your help.”
She turned, leaving the control station. The nearest lift was to her left. She briskly reached it and went to level two. No way did she want to miss the fireworks in person.
Dozens of the flight prep and repair teams were on the deck as she entered the large shuttle bay. They shot her odd glances but no one approached her to ask what she was doing there. It meant word had probably spread who she was. Some looks weren’t friendly.
Abby ignored them and walked to the small room that contained flight control. It was technically called a tower, even if it wasn’t one.
The guy seated at the desk looked up at her entry. “May I help you? This is a restricted area.”
“I’m Abby Thomas, personal assistant to Commander Bills. I’m authorized. Did you stop the shuttle about to take off?”
He gave a nod, not looking happy. “I contacted S.T.T.01. Rogers. It was his order they go down. He’s on his way.”
“Good.”
She hated the stupid titles given to fleet personnel. Bradley Rogers, AKA asshole, would arrive soon to find out why the shuttle had been grounded.
Loud footsteps sounded, and she moved out of the doorway, turning. Howard wore his fleet jacket over his upper body and had shoved on boots, but he wore sleeping pants that were bright red. She hid her smile as he entered.
“Where the hell is Rogers?”
The flight tower controller paled. “On his way, sir.”
Abby hesitated. “May I?” She looked at Howard and waved at the desk station that controlled the flight bay.
Howard hesitated. “What do you want to look for?”
“The flight logs and crew members aboard.”
“Why?”
“Call it a suspicion. You know I have good instincts.”
Howard sighed loudly and pointed at the tower controller. “Get your ass out of that seat.”
The control officer stood fast. Abby moved forward, dropped into his seat, and went to work. She pulled up all the shuttle logs for the past week, searched who had been on them, and noted the times.
“Sir,” the controller sounded nervous. “Is this even legal?”
“Abby works for me, and all the information on those damn computers is at my disposal. Are you questioning me?”
“No, sir!”
“The Veslors have been assigned thirteen trips to the surface over just the last seven days that I’m checking. This would have been number fourteen. That means they’ve been pulling double shifts every day,” Abby announced, feeling furious. She pulled up more information. “Tactical Team One only went with them on four surface trips. Teams four, six, and nine were with them the other times.”
She typed more and then stood. “I forward all the details to your personal data pad. Rogers has been working them on back-to-back shifts, hardly allowing them any down time to sleep or relax. They haven’t been given a single day off since they arrived last week.”
Howard looked ready to lose his shit. His face turned red.
Worry hit her as she approached him and touched his arm. “Breathe. Don’t have a heart attack on me.”
Howard glanced over her shoulder, and she turned to follow his gaze.
Bradley Rogers was out of uniform as he stormed toward the control tower. He saw Commander Bills and almost tripped over his own feet. He continued forward, though. “Is there a problem? I was notified a mission is stalled.”
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Abby flinched. Howard had lost his temper, alright. He got in the team leader’s face. “I trusted you with the Veslors. I informed you how important it was that this be a successful joint venture. You’re overworking them, and now you’re about to send them down to that planet without any support? At night?! That’s the most dangerous time, when two teams are always required to work together.”
“That’s not true.” Rogers shook his head. “They’re lying if they complained.”
“Abby!”
It was a good thing she wasn’t one to shy away from confrontation or dealing with assholes as she moved out from behind Howard to glare at Rogers. Anger flashed in his eyes as their gazes locked.
She pulled in a deep breath. “You’ve sent the Veslors down to the planet thirteen times this week. Fourteen, if you count the aborted trip just now. Made them work with four different teams, and you just tried to send them down to the surface without any backup.” She paused. “You’ve been giving them two shifts every day, without any off days, since they were put under your command. I checked all the shuttle logs from the previous seven days and compared the crew list onboard with the times. You’re busted, Rogers.”
“You little bi—”
“Don’t!” Howard yelled.
Rogers snapped his mouth shut and glanced at the commander. His body stiffened and he locked his hands behind his back.
“Abby works for me. She’s my eyes and ears on Defcon Red. It’s her job to make sure my orders are being followed. You’re the one who isn’t doing what you’ve been told. What in the hell were you thinking? Answer,” Howard snapped.
“They asked for the extra shifts, sir.”
Abby rolled her eyes. “Right. Everyone loves being worked to the point of exhaustion while battling giant, deadly alien snake bugs. That will eventually get them killed. Sign me up for that shit…said no one ever. The Veslors aren’t idiots. I only see one of those, and you’re standing right in front of me, Rogers.”
Howard shot her a frown. “Abby.”
Maybe she’d gone too far, but she was angry. “I just can’t stand bullshit when I hear it. You’re a terrible liar, Rogers. It’s pathetic.”
Rogers lost his temper. “Like you’d know anything. You’re not even fleet!”
“Shut up,” Howard snapped. He turned to Abby. “Thank you for letting me know about this. I’ll handle it. Go to bed. You have been off duty for hours.”
“Yeah,” Rogers muttered. “Go do what you do best. Get fucked.”
“Rogers,” Howard ground out. “That was out of line.”