” “Tantka!? Damn you Mark no one is that good,” Tantka snarled out at him.
“You forget I finished the course and I didn’t have to cheat, bitch!” Mark was alittle more than pissed now, “and by the way that assassian after you isn’t from me you threatened her sister, unless you kill her she will you.” Sputtering Tantka snarled again, “she will be soon enough as will you, you remember fart boy I am better.
” About to switch off Mark said, “by the way, hope you enjoy my present.” Clicking off Mark had to laugh, about now, everything Tantka had connected to that call would be crashing and burning out and there was nothing he could do about it. Reaching into his bag Mark pulled a special hookup out and snapping it on, he called the head master the real head master.
“Head master, I must be getting unfocused I almost fell for a false image of you.” The old man on the other end laughed a bit then spoke, “don’t be that way, you remember the old maintenance man, you saw his work on that world, he had, had the same thing happen to him after that he developed the image filter, maybe you can make it better.” “What!
? a man that good made a mistake like that?” Mark said almost in shock.
The head master did that smirk that always irritated Mark, “Remember no matter how much schooling it’s what we learn in the field that makes you the best you can be. I heard about your last job, my god mark did you really have to make rods for their reactor?” Mark smiled the old man never missed a thing, “Yes, it was the only way I could get the planet on line, it was one of the original planet comps from over 100 years ago.
” The head master’s eyes grew large, “I remember when those were phased out, something about not enough memory but I’m sure you discovered a way to increase that, huh?” “Yes, it was easy really,” Mark noticed that the head master was shaking his head. “I’ll keep the forces on alert for him by the way have you started scanning for him yet?
” the older man said. “I have been since I sent destruct1 to his comp, according to what I am seeing he is on the next planet we are going to,” Mark said still shaken from Tantka’s call. “All right be on alert also,” The old man sighed the same way that irritated Mark in school.
Sitting on the sofa Mark thought about what the old man had said, with that he started taking his image filter out and taking it apart he spent the next 2 days refining and upgrading parts he’d increased the resolution another 1/3 but Mark didn’t feel it was enough yet. Another day’s work he had it at 1/2 still not what he wanted it at but good for now, as the ship was landing. Nissie and Sam were starting to worry they hadn’t really seen Mark for the 3 days of the flight.
Stepping out of the bedroom they saw Mark was still sitting on the sofa working on another of his machines. Nissie smiled she remembered the last time he had worked this hard on his machines they had almost lost the room they were in along with their lives. Sam on the other hand was upset having wanted to snuggle with her brother the first chance she’d had been able to in many years.
Stepping off the ship Mark realised that he hadn’t slept much the three days aboard the ship. With Tantka on this planet he needed to be as sharp as he could. Not looking around he took the women straight to their contact.
The president met them at the steps of the planetary central building. Mark had Nissie talk to him while he went in to scan the room. Pulling out all his scanners he went all around the room for 2 hours pulling bugs out.
Not quite done he looked for charges, gas, electrical, and explosives finally satisfied he pulled the new scanner out looking for false images he only found 2 but he was finally done. Nissie and Sam walked in after he told them it was clear putting up the shield emitters he finally felt safer but put up a second set before he fell asleep half off the bed. Awaking the next morning, Mark sat up looking aroubd seeing the 2 women still asleep, he got up and looked at the notes they had left for him.
Finally looking around he was begining to relise what was wrong around here. According to the notes they had some 4th year maintenance men there but they had no idea what was wrong. Sighing Mark left the room and went to see the president, unaccustomed to actually talking Mark had a hard time getting started.
“Your problem,” Mark started out. “Nothing is is working, everything is connected but won’t come on,” the president said. “Thanks,” Mark answered as he headed to the comp room.
Scanning the room he saw that it was true all the machinery was working, turning the comp on he plugged in after 5 minutes the comp shut down. Just as he thought it was riddled with virus’s. Scanning the room he found a hidden transmitter and reciever, Sighing he pulled another machine that jammed the signal while he cleaned the comp, Damn he had too big a jump on Mark, working for 3 hours he didn’t see the women walk into the room.
Finally finished with the virus removal, Mark still had to find the transmiting and recieving programs. Nissie and Sam had gone to get his food when he noticed that the women had been there. Finally finding the programs Mark also found the bomb that was attached to the middle of the comp.
Damnit the bomb was set to go off if it was moved too much, shit it was also set to go off if the signal was disturbed too much. With the comp finally cleared the women walked back in.”I need you 2 to go back to the room, I may not be able to defuse this bomb, I don’t want you 2 hurt.
” Mark was worried even more, if it was just him he wouldn’t be worried but with them he was truly on edge. Twenty minutes after they left they heard an enormous explosion screaming they both ran back expecting the worst, at the door they had to wait for the dust to clear, when it did they both screamed at the huge hole in the back wall and the fact that Mark was no where to be seen. Both women were crying each having lost someone they turly loved, so that neither saw the figure of a man walk back in the wall.
TO BE CONTINUED