Inkling

By John Waterman

“Inkling” is the science fiction story of a man named Gyro, a down-on-his-luck veteran of Planetary Defense, who also happens to be an amateur computer programmer. Desperate for a job, he signs a five-year contract when the Virtue Mining Corporation offers him a career on Joules, a far-distant mining planet.

He goes through basic training with Skoots, a former high school sports star who has a major obsession with women. Despite their differing personalities and outlooks on life, the two men become fast friends.

During transport to the mining planet, a distorted hyperspace jump throws their spacecraft into an uncharted sector of the galaxy, thus placing the welfare of the crew and passengers in jeopardy Hopelessly lost in space, Gyro has an idea, an inkling about how to use his programming experience to rescue the ship, but a mutiny erupts on board, making survival a race against time as their food supply runs out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Waterman
• Release date: May 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9780983163640

John Waterman

John D. Waterman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois. He later survived a 30-year career in the aerospace industry before researching and writing "48 Hours to Chaos."

Book preview

INKLING

A Science Fiction Novel

by

John D. Waterman

~~~~

Copyright 2013 by John D. Waterman

Published by Dennett Ink

129 Bleachery Blvd., Suite 135

Asheville, NC 28805

http://www.johndwaterman.com/

Smashwords Edition

ISBN: 978-0-9831636-4-0

Cover Art compliments of Linda Waterman

Spiral Galaxy Gyro acrylic on paper.

This publication is a work of fiction. Any similarity of the characters portrayed herein to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental, and not intended by the author. The businesses, products, locations, events, and planets described are similarly fictitious and do not depict any actual pre-existing entities.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recorded, photocopied or otherwise without the prior written permission of the both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this work, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

~~~~

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the early authors of Science Fiction who unwittingly created a new industry, and to you, dear reader, for keeping the spirit alive.

All of the ultimate truths are to be found in science fiction.

(From the unpublished letters of an obscure bard of antiquity)

~~~~

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – Recruits

Chapter 2 – Spaceport

Chapter 3 – Transport

Chapter 4 – Training

Chapter 5 – Mine

Chapter 6 – Cheating

Chapter 7 – Interview

Chapter 8 – Graduation

Chapter 9 – Dormitory

Chapter 10 – Virtue Star

Chapter 11 – Jump

Chapter 12 – Bridge

Chapter 13 – Search

Chapter 14 – Mutiny

Chapter 15 – Beacon

Chapter 16 – Inkling

Chapter 17 – Joules

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

About the Author

~~~~

CHAPTER 1: RECRUITS

Gyro was not the type of man who would normally participate in a riot. He had recently completed his hitch with Planetary Defense, where he had served honorably during the Bobbs Rebellion on the planet Artoban. But now he had returned Zeno, his home planet, where he had been unable to find work. He was also not the sort to pay attention to the news, so he was not aware of the growing number of discontented people living in his city. All he really wanted was to find a job. He had already filled out the forms to apply at the Virtue Mining Company, which was holding a job fair downtown. Several of the listed opportunities included transportation to off-planet facilities.

He left his apartment early in the morning to catch the first bus into the city. As he walked the four blocks to the bus stop, he worried about being harassed by homeless people, but the street around him was empty. Nevertheless, he clutched his envelope of paperwork tightly under his arm.

When the city bus wheezed to a stop and the door opened, he stepped aboard and scanned his welfare card over the fare box. The bus driver gave him a contemptuous glance, no doubt because the driver disapproved of unemployed people on the dole. Gyro ignored the dirty look, thinking the attitude was the driver's problem, not his own.

Only four other passengers were already on the bus, so Gyro selected a seat halfway back, and sat next to the window. He placed his envelope flat on his lap. Though nervous about his interview, he wanted to relax during the half-hour bus ride.

As the bus moved south into the city, traffic picked up and more passengers boarded at every stop. Gyro was glad nobody sat next to him until the bus was nearly full. He noted how the passengers were keeping to themselves and avoiding eye contact. The only conversation was between a group of high school students boasting loudly about their stickerball game.

At the next stop a young man got on board and made his way down the aisle. He was tall, lanky, and dressed in ill-fitting clothes that had worn-out knees and threadbare edges. But the newcomer stood straight and walked with an air of athletic confidence. He slid into the seat next to Gyro.

Are you going to the demonstration? he asked Gyro as if they were old friends.

Who wants to know? Gyro replied with a mildly irritated voice, since he didn't have the slightest idea who this stranger was.

"Oh, I see. You are going, but don't want anybody to know. That's OK. Don't worry, I can keep a secret."

Gyro was momentarily taken aback. "Now wait a minute. I don't know anything about a demonstration. And I don't know you either, so how can you decide I'm going somewhere I don't know anything about?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm always doing that. My mom gets irritated with me for talking up folks I don't know. I just saw that stuff on your lap and thought it was a protest sign.

Gyro placed both hands on top of his paperwork.

My name's Skoots, he said, sticking out his hand.

Gyro reflexively shook hands with him, returning the youngster's powerful grip. Gyro, he said, So what's the deal about a demonstration?

The news says a bunch of demonstrators are going to picket the mining company that's having a job fair downtown. I thought maybe you were going to it.

Damn! Gyro said through clenched teeth.

It was Skoots' turn to be taken aback. What's the matter?

"I'm going to the job fair, Gyro said, and I don't need a bunch of idiots marching around and getting in the way."

Well, ain't it a small world.

Gyro wrinkled his brow and looked Skoots in the face.

I'm looking for a mining job, too. And I just happened to sit next to you on this bus, Skoots said, giving his new friend a nudge with his elbow. Plus, I was thinking maybe it would be a good place to meet chicks.

I don't think many women are going to be looking for mining jobs.

No, no, man. I mean the demonstration. Lots of girls who like to go picketing can be easy picking, if you know what I mean.

Well, good luck, but I think it's more likely the picketers will make it harder for us to get in for our interviews.

Nah, don't worry about it. The place is going to be crawling with cops, and they'll keep the mob in line.

I hope you're right, Skoots. I really need a job, and I don't want a bunch of community agitators getting in the way.

Hey, I got your back, buddy.

When the bus pulled to a stop a block away from the recruitment center, Gyro and Skoots disembarked into a large group of people who were milling around without seeming to want to go anywhere in particular. When the bus tried to move on it had to push its way slowly through the crowd, as the people moved reluctantly out of the way.

An official with a bull horn was urging people into separate groups.

Miners move east to the red brick Old School. Demonstrators move west to the railroad tracks. This shall be a peaceful event. Police are authorized to maintain order. Miners move east . . . .

Small clusters of police, wearing helmets and body armor, were standing on the corners, passively observing the crowd.

Gyro and Skoots spotted the red brick building and moved in that direction to get in line. Apparently, it was an empty school building, rented out for this occasion. Alongside the wall, about fifty men were already ahead of them, in single file. Graffiti covered the walls up to the height of a boy holding a can of spray paint over his head. Gyro noticed that the vandals had displayed very little artistic talent. The demonstrators on the other side of the street were starting to chant, Virtue deals in vice, exploiting miners isn't nice. Many of the demonstrators had joined hands and swayed from side to side with the chant. Others bobbed their protest signs up and down. What a ridiculous way to waste your time, Gyro thought.

After waiting in line for fifteen minutes while moving slowly towards the door, Gyro felt raindrops start to hit his head and make little dots on the sidewalk. He moved his envelope inside his shirt to keep it dry. He thought maybe the rain would put a damper on the picketers. Where's your paperwork? he asked Skoots.

Oh, I went to the library and used their computer to fill out the forms online. They said to just show up today and bring your ID card. Then Skoots looked across the street at the demonstrators and said, I'm starting to get sick of that stupid chant. Maybe we ought to go over there and shut them up.

No, no, Skoots. That's the point of the demonstration. They're trying to incite a fight. That way they'll be on national news videos and get free publicity.

"Well, that kinda sucks. But look at the babe holding that sign up over her head. Her shirt's going to get all wet in the rain. How'd ya like to take her home with you?"

Steady, Skoots. You should be thinking about what you're going to say to the job interviewer. Forget about the girls for a while.

Oh yeah.

The light rain continued until they reached the door. Once inside the building, Gyro and Skoots brushed the wet out of their hair and off their shoulders, and tried to dry their hands on their trousers. Gyro pulled his paperwork out of his shirt and found he had sweated on the envelope. He waved it back and forth in the humid air to dry it out.

A sign at the top of the steps in the foyer announced:

V M C R E E S

An arrow below the letters pointed towards the gymnasium.

Skoots saw the sign and asked what the letters stood for.

It means Virtue Mining Corporation, Recruitment, Examination and Entrance Station.

"So why