Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 34: Garage Repairs

Steel spent the morning first clearing everything out before he started with the actual cleaning. He used a laser cleaner to deep clean. Surprisingly under the dirt layer was a pristine white. But he would still have to paint over all of it.

A few hours after the captain left several vehicles with soldiers and things began arriving. They began doing the same thing he did, cleaning everything out and breaking down anything that was of no use.

By the time night had arrived, he had completely renovated and fixed up the inside of the building. The outside was still a mess and he still wanted to get the power generator replaced, but he would have to do with modifying that. Apparently it ran the entire block, not just his building. But that still did not explain the reason why the captain had him come here ahead of time.

Despite it being night everyone was still up and setting up the area they were assigned. Steel's squad barracks were right next door and they were still breaking down excess metal. He was doing the same, using a laser cutter to get the job done.

The next day was more of the same, but now everyone was exhausted. By the time lunch came around he was completely done setting everything up. He even had several piles of metals. There were three material printers set up. They came in the boxes that were dropped off.

In fact the boxes had many things besides the material printers. Including computer parts, holographic projectors, and many other things that could not be easily made on a material printer. But he had not had any time to set any of that stuff up before he took a break and went to sleep.

He woke up several hours later, around dinner time to the sight of... what was her name? Elena Romav. She was looking down at him and smiled. He smiled back before sitting up and climbing out of the cot he had fashioned earlier.

She backed up and waved at a bag full of food. "My mom said you would be here. Something about all the soldiers doing renovations and repairs. I figured since you are here longer than just shore leave I might as well get to know you a bit more."

Steel chuckled as he walked up to the impromptu table she had set up. "As long as you keep in mind that I am not looking for a permanent romantic thing."

Elena laughed as she shook her head, "oh course not I was thinking more along the lines of friends who have sex every once in a while. What do you think?"

Steel smiled, "is that an invitation?" He asked as he pulled out the food from the bags.

"Maybe it is, why do you want to bend me over this table and take me?" She asked in a suggestive tone while one of her hands wandered over to his pants.

Steel shuddered and then shook his head, "no I have to finish my work before I can play." His answer caused her to withdraw her hand and frown.

"Buzzkill." She joined him in pulling out food and setting it up. "What do I call you Cadet Steel? Jace? Steel?"

Steel chuckled, "oh please, I have been inside you. You can call me Jace."

Elena chuckled as she nodded, "very well Jace, and you can call me Elena. So when do you think you will be done?"

"This will take awhile to completely finish. But I was about to move to the outside and clean that up. Once that is done I can take a break and check on my squad." He answered honestly as he began eating.

"Are any of them hot enough for you to sleep with?" She asked with a grin and a gleam in her eyes.

"Several but I know better than to sleep with the people I work with. Especially if they are supposed to be watching my back. That is too much of a dangerous distraction." He answered with a nonchalant shrug.

That got a tongue click in response. She seemed to be struggling to find something to talk about. In that case she probably wanted to talk about something else but did not know how to bring it up.

"You figure out what you are going to do?" That seemed to be the right thing to ask because her entire expression lit up.

"Yes actually, before I decided to do anything. I thought it would be best to be prepared. So I asked my mother to train me in fighting, piloting, and any other survival skills I might need." She answered with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"That is good. But shouldn't you have gotten all of that during your academy days?" Steel asked in surprise.

Now she chuckled nervously. "Actually since I am not a native-born member of the empire with the nano system, it was not a requirement for me to attend the military academy. Nor did I need to serve in the military."

"Well that makes sense. But isn't your father the governor, if you're his daughter..." Steel wondered aloud.

"Actually... he is not my biological father. My mother is my mother but shortly before she discovered she was pregnant she was forced to kill my biological father by drowning him in a vat of boiling oil. It is apparently a whole thing." She waved off such a brutal event but Jace just shrugged. "Fortunately after I was born she came here and the governor accepted me as his own."

Jace shrugged, "well then, I guess that is that. What are you doing tomorrow? Actually, nevermind, I think I am supposed to be busy. I have no clue, the captain is too busy with this sudden change."

"That sucks, I am supposed to join my father and mother tomorrow at some military award ceremony. Do you know anything about that?" She asked.

"Ha! I guess that is what I am doing tomorrow." Jace laughed, "it is a promotion ceremony for the officers, I am also sure shiny metals will be handed out to hang on uniforms. Then I believe the last thing will be the decommissioning ceremony for the Border of Downfall."

"I have never been to one of these things. What do I wear?" She asked as she put aside some of her trash.

"No clue, I think your parents would know better than I would. After the ceremony we should be getting some time off. So come find me after." Jace suggested with a wink.

"Okay I will," She then thought of something, "also my mother asked me to tell you to tell her when you will begin work on the mecha. Said she wanted me to learn about piloting them and how they work."

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Jace frowned and shrugged, "I will but I have so many other things to do first."

"Like what," Elena asked in a joking tone.

"Like the work I have to do in this place. Then I have been given a list of things that I believe are actually your own mothers fault. Meanwhile I also want to build and experiment with my own things. Then there are the assignments and other duties I am sure we will be handed." Jace complained as he put away his own trash.

"Then what should we do for now. It is not like I am going to school or anything at the moment." Elena stood up and stretched.

"Ha... like I said I am going to work. If you want to join me you can." He answered.

"Sure... try new stuff right?"

They went and worked on the outside of the garage. Surprisingly there was not as much to do. He had her clean the building while he replaced the external walls armor plating if it was damaged. Then he began installing security systems and cameras.

Around midnight Elena disappeared into the building. When he glanced in to check on her she was asleep. He smiled and finished up before being done for the night. Instead of bothering her, he stayed up and worked on designing a ground vehicle.

It would be good for long range scouting and it had to be quick and durable as well. He had some idea of a propulsion device but that was also supposed to be the experimental factor. He would need to make it first before he did the tweaking which would be just as fun.

The very idea of what he was building brought childlike joy to him. Imagination was one thing but turning it into reality was a whole nother beast entirely. As morning was coming around he could hear Elena waking up.

"Are you still up? Did you sleep?" She asked as she groggily woke up.

Jace chuckled before shaking his head. "No, I have been trained to stay up for hours at a time. So I just worked on the design for something I was making while you slept. Hey you should probably head home. I got a message sometime around midnight, the ceremony will begin at noon at the dockyard."

"Shit! Yeah I've got to go. See you there!" She called out as she made herself presentable before racing out the garage.

Steel stayed for only a few more minutes before he left to the barracks where the rest of his squad was waking up groggily. He ignored them and took a shower. His skin was caked in dirt and dust. After he was clean he got into his formal uniform and double checked himself in front of the mirror before leaving to find the cafeteria for breakfast.

Then it would be time for the ceremony.