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The docks were waking up. Ships opened their hatches as workers began preparing crates for loaders, ready to be moved into holds or onto cargo decks. The silence vanished as machinery roared to life, as voices were raised over their din and the thumps and bangs of crates landing on decks echoed across the dock.
With a sigh Jeff Moreau knew it was time to leave. Picking up his crutches he slid off the box he’s been sitting on and moved towards the exit. He had lingered too long and would barely make it back in time for school. His mum would be mad.
‘Shit, kid,’ a worker almost fell over him as he carried a crate he could barely see around. ‘What are you doing down here?’
‘Watching the ships.’ Jeff shrugged.
‘There are safer places to view the docks.’
‘Yeah, but I like to get close. I’m going to fly one when I’m older.’
‘Good luck, I hope you do. You’d better leave before it gets really busy.’
Carefully making his way along the edge of the work area he reached the exit. He stopped, glancing back at the ships lined up along the dock. They called to him, the hum of their engines, the sleek lines of their hulls or the battered panels that had seen better days. As long as he could remember he’d loved all kinds of ships and sitting in the pilot’s seat was the only thing he could imagine doing.
‘Jeff, have you been on the docks again.’ His mother met him as he approached their unit. ‘You know it’s dangerous down there. I’ve told you not to do it.’
‘I know mum, but … .’
‘No buts. You’re going to be late for school.’
And he was, again. Late enough to need a pass from the office to get to class. He sat in the chair waiting for Mrs Ashwen to call him up. She would give him her usual frown and shake of her head before that small smile she seemed to save only for him.
‘Jeff, late again?’ Headmaster Sloan stopped before him. ‘On the docks I suppose.’
‘Yes sir.’
‘Why waste your time dreaming, you know you’ll probably never be allowed to fly with your disease. You should use your time more productively. You’re sixteen now, you should be looking at your options for what you can do.’
‘Yes sir.’ He couldn’t stop the wave of disappointment, nor the fear that what Sloan said was true. He couldn’t give up on his dream.
‘Let’s not be late anymore.’
Jeff watched him walk away, his eyes burning at the thought of never being able to fly. He couldn’t accept the idea that the only way he’d fly was in a simulator, it wasn’t enough no matter how many hours he spent in one.
‘Hey,’ a boy two seats up leant towards him. ‘Don’t listen to him. You want to fly you’ll fly.’
‘Thanks,’ Jeff gave him a weak smile.
‘You want to go see the Alliance ships, I can get us in.’
‘How, only Alliance are allowed on the military docks.’ He frowned and the boy beamed at him.
‘My mum works on one, I live there with her. We’re docked at Arcturus while the ship has maintenance.’
‘Seriously.’ Jeff’s eyes widened. ‘I didn’t think families were allowed on Alliance ships.’
‘It’s a research ship and families are allowed because of the long flights. My mum is the XO.’
‘That’s cool.’
‘Jeff,’ Mrs Ashwen called him up to get his late pass.
He turned before leaving, ‘Can you really take me to see the Alliance ships?’
‘Yeah, not just blowing smoke up your butt.’ The other boy stood. ‘Name’s Shepard, John Shepard.’
‘Jeff Moreau.’
‘Wanna go this afternoon?’
‘I’d like that.’ Jeff nodded.
All day Jeff jumped between excitement and disappointment. Shepard was probably lying, setting him up to be hurt like so many others. But if he wasn’t then he would get to go somewhere he’d always wanted to go.
Shepard stood by the doors as he waited for everyone else to leave to go home. Jeff ignored the butterflies trying to escape his stomach as he walked towards him, still uncertain about what would happen next.
‘You ready to go?’ Shepard stepped beside him as he made his way towards the exit, keeping pace with him.
‘Yeah, have to let my mum know, she’ll be outside.’ He smirked and Shepard laughed, ‘she worries about me.’
‘Jeff,’ his mum stood by the doors as usual and he hid his embarrassment as she hugged him.
‘Mum!’ He wriggled out of her grasp. ‘John has invited me to go visit the ship he lives on. Can I go, please?’ He could see the concern on her face and he hated it. ‘He’s only here for a few days.’
‘I don’t … .’ She started but Shepard stepped forward and held out his hand.
‘John Shepard, ma’am. Jeff will be safe with me.’
Jeff almost laughed at his formality, the regimented tone and stance but he appreciated it nonetheless. His mother took Shepard’s hand and smiled.
‘Well, you’re well-mannered at least,’ she glanced at Jeff, ‘that’s a good start.’
‘Thank you ma’am.’ He grinned. ‘If you like you can drop us off at the docks and Jeff can let you know when to pick him up.’
Jeff’s temper rose and as if understanding John placed a hand on his shoulder. There was no pity in his eyes as he glanced at him and Jeff wondered if he’d found a real friend. He’d only ever had one and he’d left when his family had to return to Earth. But John would be leaving too. Ignoring the burning sense of shame because his mother treated him like an invalid he stood quietly and waited.
‘I suppose that would be all right,’ his mother capitulated and Jeff almost fell over from shock. ‘As long as you promise to be careful.’ She looked at him and he nodded.
John waited patiently for him to exit the car as his mother gave him last minute instructions before she finally left.
‘Is she always like that,’ he asked with a grin.
‘Yeah, always has, It’s been hard, having to spend so much time at the hospital, wondering if she’ll have to rush there when I’ve been hurt at school.’
‘So what’s with the crutches?’
Joker grimaced, this was where people usually walked away. ‘Brittle bone disease. I can snap a bone just from putting a foot down wrong, they don’t support my weight like they should.’
‘That sucks.’
Jeff stared at him, ‘most people would run away now.’
‘I figure you know what to do.’ He raised an eyebrow before laughing and gently clapping him on the back. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Hey, douchebag,’ a voice called from behind them and a girl rushed to join them. ‘Mum’s gonna be pissed at you, late for school again.’
Jeff glanced from one to the other. Twins. She had bright burgundy hair and he guessed John’s would be the same if his head wasn’t shaved. The green in her eyes sparkled as she teased her brother.
‘She won’t know if you don’t tell her.’ John scowled and she laughed as she walked backwards ahead of them.
‘Bet you were down in the armoury with Johnson.’
‘So, what’s it to you?’
‘Who’s your friend?’ She stopped and looked Jeff up and down.
‘Jeff, this is Jane, my sister.’
‘Older sister,’ she poked her tongue out at him and Jeff grinned.
‘By one minute,’ John groaned as he led them towards the security gate.
‘Still older,’ she threw back as she stepped through and dashed away.
‘Sorry,’ John apologised as the guard ran a scanner over Jeff.
‘No problem, she seems like fun.’ Jeff laughed as John rolled his eyes.
‘Oh yeah, a bag of laughs.’ He stepped beside Jeff and led the way to where his mother’s ship sat in the dock.
‘If we’re lucky, Samson will be on duty on the bridge and we can sit in the pilot’s seat.’ He led Jeff on board, ‘shouldn’t be too many people around, they were all given leave.’
Jeff couldn’t help it, he gaped at everything. John had the patience of a saint as he put up with his questions and constant stopping to check something out.
'You know a lot about the ship,' Jeff pointed out as John explained another console.
'Want to be a marine, thought about being a tech but guns are more fun. Plan on being a commander one day so I figure the more I know the better I'll be.' He shrugged and Jeff smiled, he wasn't the only one with dreams.
When they reached the bridge Jeff had no words. He was home. This was where he belonged.
‘Hey, Samson,’ John walked over to an officer working on what looked like a navigation console. ‘Is it okay if Jeff sits in the chair, he wants to be a pilot?’
‘You’re going to get me fired,’ Samson rolled his eyes, ‘but sure, it’s locked down. Don’t touch anything.’ He looked at Jeff, ‘we need good pilots kid.’
‘I will be the best,’ he stared reverently at the chair before him, oblivious to the grin and shake of Samson’s head.
‘Go on, sit down,’ John encouraged him with a laugh and helped him with his crutches.
Jeff slid into the seat that was way too big for him but it didn’t matter. One day he would sit in a seat like this, fly a ship among the stars, carry it’s crew through the heavens. One day he would be the best.