Hard Knocks by Nathan Lowell

Author:Nathan Lowell [Lowell, Nathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2023-07-29T22:00:00+00:00

* * *

We’d been docked for almost a week when I called the all-hands meeting at 0700. The senior ratings had taken advantage of the liberty to the maximum degree. As a result, a lot of the bleary-eyed, bilious faces staring at me were theirs. The junior ratings had suddenly found religion in saving their credits, realizing that they’d be back at the Academy sooner rather than later with only the credits they’d earned so far. Pip had ended the game and paid out the winner, Ms. Nunnelee, soon after docking.

“All right, folks. Here’s what we know at this point. As we expected, the ship will not be sailing back to Newmar. The local jump tug company can’t take the job right now, so we’re bringing in a tug from Mel’s Place. Unfortunately that’s at least two weeks out. According to the company, we can take everybody on board but it will take us a couple of weeks to get from here back to Newmar. Docking will be another problem, but Newmar has their own fleet of tugs to handle the ship. Any questions about any of that?”

Mr. Bentley’s hand shot up. He grinned at me.

“Mr. Bentley?”

“What if we don’t want to go back, Skipper?”

His question hit me with an electric jolt of surprise. “Not go back, Mr. Bentley? What? You want to stay here on The Junkyard?”

“Well, not me personally, Skipper. But one of the ratings, hypothetically. I mean we’ll earn our salary, but I think the shares will be zero from this point forward.”

“That’s true. Where are you going with this?”

“I’m thinking ahead to Newmar, Captain. This ship isn’t sailing again. The Chernyakova isn’t going to take us back. All of us need to be thinking about what comes next. Am I mistaken on any of that?”

I sighed. “You’re right about everything but the Chernyakova. I haven’t actually thought that far ahead myself. They’ll get back to the Academy eventually. All the people who are now crew will go back to being cadets and pick up where they left off. Captain Case will need replacements. Maybe they’ll be a new crop of quarter shares. Maybe not. I’m sure she’d be happy to have any of you who want to go back.” I shrugged. “It’ll still be Phoenix Freight. It’ll still pay your rank and not your job. At least, I assume so.” I looked at Pip.

“Yes. That’s the company policy. It’ll stay company policy,” he said, raising his voice to be heard across the mess deck from where he stood near the passageway with Mr. Cartwright and Ms. Fortuner.

Mr. Bentley shook his head. “What some of us are wondering is if it wouldn’t be smarter to find a new berth now. The market for crew is pretty crowded at Newmar. Some of us have enough set aside to retire or start our own businesses. You’ve been really good to us, Skipper, but, and I’m only speaking personally now, the idea of standing fire watches for the next few

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