The Making Of A Survey Service Captain
By Gary L.M. Martin
[Note: This Science Fiction story is an
intense character study
with occasional sex scenes.]
The next morning, when Taylor got out of the shuttle on the dirt landing field, he found Survey Service Commander Andrea Farber waiting for him.
"Mike," she said, giving him a smile.
"Andrea," said Taylor.
"I was in the area and heard you were coming down," said Andrea. "How did your dinner with Natasha go last night?"
"It was fine," Taylor shrugged.
"Fine," said Andrea slowly, looking into his eyes. "Mike, you were there for two hours and fourteen minutes."
"Two hours... and fourteen minutes," said Taylor.
"I was concerned for you, Mike," said Andrea, her beautiful red hair blowing in the gentle morning breeze. "Nothing happens on this planet that I don't know about. Mike, that woman is a black widow spider."
"Everyone seems to have an opinion about Natasha," said Taylor. "I found her most... entertaining."
Andrea looked pained. "Mike, you didn't...."
Taylor gave her a confident smile. It amused him greatly to think that both Natasha and Andrea each thought that he had slept with the other. "Is there something I can do for you, Andrea?"
"It's the European Concession," said Andrea. "They have an agricultural development but are having trouble growing things. I'm no agronomist, but I know that Sophie has some training in the area. I was wondering if you could look into it?"
Taylor nodded. "I will. Right now I'm going to have a look at the Tiberian mine the Russians are operating."
"Oh, that," said Andrea. She frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"The Russians aren't having any problems with their mining operation. The main problem we're having are these quakes."
"I know. I've had Sophie run a geological scan. She's come up with nothing."
"I know. My science officer did too. But if these quakes get worse, the entire project may be canceled."
"Mining can sometimes trigger geological instability."
Andrea frowned. "My science officer has discounted that possibility."
"But mine hasn't," said Taylor.
Andrea gave him a cynical look. "Do you really want to plunge into one of Natasha's cold, dark holes?"
Taylor smiled and stepped closer to her. "Maybe I can warm it up."
She played with his collar a bit anxiously as she fairly melted under his smile.
"All right, Mike." She looked at him with concern. "Be careful."
********
"Michael, I vish to introduce you to Irina Vastirovika," said Natasha. "She vill show you everything you vish to see."
Taylor, looking at Irina, saw a few things he already wished to see. Irina looked to be about twenty years old, dark haired, and gorgeous. She wasn't shy about showing her assets either; she wore tight pants and a black shirt half open at the top, revealing her large Russian breasts.
"Hello, Captain Taylor. It is an honor to meet you," said Irina, extending a hand.
Taylor smiled as he shook her hand. It was warm and friendly. "Your English is perfect. Where did you learn it? Moscow?"
"No. Miami," said Irini, smiling.
"Irini studied business and law at the University of Equality in Miami," said Natasha. "You will find she is quite educated."
"I'm sure," said Taylor, smiling at her.
The mine was a half mile down. Taylor started to feel a bit claustrophobic as the lift went down and down.
"We used robot excavators to drill down this far," said Irina. "But it was worth it. The earth is rich in Tiberian."
"I saw the geological reports on Sheppard's Planet. They didn't show much, if any Tiberian," said Taylor.
Irina smiled. "Your Survey Service is skilled in many things, Captain. But they are not miners. The Russian Federation has much more experience in this area."
Taylor nodded. He noticed as they went down and down it got colder and colder. "Are you going to be warm enough?" he asked, nodding to her half open shirt.
Irina smiled again. "You will find that we Russians are a warm, hot blooded people, Captain. In any event, we will not be down here for long."
The lift came to a halt with a jerk.
They came out into a well lit mine. As they started walking, Taylor was surprised to see miners. He said as much. "You don't use robot miners?"
"Not here," said Irina. "The veins of Tiberian are much more subtle. Mining robots cannot efficiently tap into them. We use people to mine, even though it is more expensive."
Taylor nodded, trying to take in every detail as they walked down a shaft. The other thing he noticed was the absence of much activity. There only seemed to be a handful of miners in the tunnels where he and Irina walked. It seemed very much like an underused mine. Taylor knew that Tiberian was valuable in the construction of shipboard components, but could a mine this underutilized really be so profitable?
Irina talked with him while they walked. "Did you really travel in time to the year one billion, Captain?"
"I really did," said Taylor.
"That was so brave of you! I don't think anything could make me leave my own planet, and all the people I knew, for what was likely to be a one way trip to the distant future. How did you make yourself do it?"
Taylor took a deep breath. "It was out of a sense of duty, of obligation."
"Only the bravest people must join the Survey Service," said Irina, looking up at him with an admiring smile.
Taylor smiled back. "I don't think anyone is born with courage, Irina. It's like a muscle, that grows and develops over time."
She looked up at him with dark eyes. "Does that mean that you are not frightened?"
"Oh yes, we experience fear," said Taylor. "But we just learn to control our fear, rather than let the fear control us."
They reached a junction in the tunnel, with one way branching left and another branching right. Irina started to walk left, but Taylor stopped. "What about the other tunnel?"
"It is dangerous," said Irina. "There have been two rockfalls in the past week. A worker was injured."
"And yet I hear sounds of drilling from there," said Taylor.
"That is where some of the Tiberian is," said Irina. "But unless you are fully equipped in a hardsuit, it is not safe to go there. Come this way, please," said Irina, gesturing to the left branch.
Taylor followed her, but frowned.
"So tell me, Captain. How is it that a handsome man such as yourself is not married?"
"I am married," said Taylor. "To the Survey Service."
Irina laughed. "That is what Natasha told me. She says that Survey Service Captains have no time for love. Is that true?"
Taylor thought of Pam, and Jennifer, and Cherry Oteri. "Maybe it is."
They arrived at a drill site where they saw two miners working with laser drills. Next to them was an air bin where they were dumping in chunks of ore. Taylor picked up a rock off the cave floor. Sure enough it was shiny, like selenium.
Two people. There were only two people drilling in the entire mine, not counting whatever was going on in the other shaft.