The old man and his rookie were getting close to the end of their day when Commander Anders strolled over to their ship as they were cleaning it up, as per travel protocol. Rogers was actually helping the rookie with clean up because he was eager to get out of the building and join Starr for drinks and get the real story from her about all the chaos that was going on that day. From the look Anders had on his face, that day was about to get a lot longer.

  "Sir," Rogers said as he stopped cleaning, "You need something?"

  "We have a situation on New India," Anders replied.

  "There's always a situation on New India." O'Brien retorted, "What is so special about this one?"

  "We need to transfer three prisoners here to avoid unrest in the capital." Anders continued, "I need you two to get out there and retrieve them."

  Rogers took a few steps closer to the Commander, "You know we just got back from doing a transport, we've been out there for days."

  "You'll be cleared for overtime," Anders countered, "You'll both make double time for your efforts. I can't spare anyone else here today."

  Rogers usually loved to yank Anders' chain but after all the hoopla that Starr was experiencing today, he believed the commander. He wouldn't ask for something like this nor offer overtime unless he had no choice. If there really was going to be unrest in the capital of New India, the last thing Rogers wanted was riots and people hurt over someone political being in the slammer.

  "You good for some overtime, rookie?" he asked O'Brien.

  "Always," the young woman replied, as she stopped cleaning as well. No point continuing if you were just going to head back out and mess it up again.

  "Thank you," Anders said, actually looking relieved.

  "I suppose you want them back asap?" Rogers inquired, "No stops on the return trip?"

  "No stops either way unless it's an emergency," Anders confirmed, "Good luck out there."

  "Aye, Sir." Rogers said, giving a more respectful salute. As he walked back to the ship, O'Brien was already prepping it for launch. She was quick to catch onto things, which gave the old man hope she could be just as good as Amanda when she was ready, maybe even better. As if Amanda knew he was thinking of her, she sent him a message to him: Meet me at the pub, first round is on me.

  Rogers didn't like to cancel plans, but double time was double time. He knew that if anyone would understand, it would be Amanda. She loved doing overtime whenever they were offered it so he didn't expect any blow back when he sent her a response: No can do, sport. We've been given a last minute assignment. Rain check?

  He paused for a moment, and seconds later Starr send her response: Not a problem. We'll catch up another time. Watch your six.

  Rogers turned off his communicator and the boarded the ship and watched while O'Brien got the ship ready to fly in what seemed like record time for her. He sat there and watched with an impressed look on his face but was unsure why she was in such a hurry.

  "I just got a message from Starr," Rogers said to her, "She'll take a rain check on those drinks and meet us when we get back."

  "That's nice," O'Brien said, not stopping while she chatted, "I just want to get away from this place and away from that pretentious prick."

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  "Not a big fan of the Commander, I see." Rogers observed, "I don't blame you. He's a power hungry, political hack with the backbone of a slug. This would explain why you volunteered to do deep transport with me. You just don't want to be around him or the staff, do you?"

  "Not if I can help it." O'Brien confirmed, "I hate most of them."

  "There's hope for you yet," Rogers said with a smile, "Many people want to stay here and rise up in the ranks. The real adventure is out there. Keep up with your training and you'll be the best pilot we have in the fleet. You've got more guts than anyone I've seen ether, so stick with me and we'll go far. Yet when your time is done, and you're ready to leave the nest, you'll get no fight from me. Like Ben and Amanda, people with such raw talent for this job need to be set free to bug the shit out of people like Anders."

  "Now that's what I call a worthy goal," O'Brien said, closing the main hatch as she had finished loading the ship and getting it ready. "We're all clear to leave anytime you'd like."

  "That's good," Rogers said, checking his watch. "But if memory serves me right, we have an hour to get to Rosco's to pick up today's special."

  "It wasn't that long since lunch," O'Brien informed the old man, "Are you hungry again already?"

  "No, I'm not." Rogers replied, "I just figured it'd be nice to grab a few to go, unless you'd rather have Rocket Rations the whole trip."

  O'Brien nodded, "Good point, we have enough room to store a few meals in the fridge."

  "And we're also making overtime the moment we leave the station," Rogers reminded her, "So let's take our time getting out there and let him pay for tonight's dinner."

  Once the ship was off the platform and on its way to Rosco's, the two seemed to feel a bit better about the work ahead as they ordered a few meals for the road and stored them into the ship's fridge. While the machine was capable of making synthetic foods, known as Rocket Rations, and while they were enough to keep someone going the flavor was not going to win the hearts and minds of the patrol.

  When they finally reached orbit, due to increased activity in the launch lane being the reason Rogers filed in the report, the ship went into cruise control and started to make the trip for New India. Rogers allowed the rookie to take over controls, like he always did. While regulations said he should be present at all times whenever she was flying, Rogers was comfortable with her skills as he went the room behind the cock pit and laid down to rest. It had been a long day and the old man wanted to rest his eyes.

  "You've never been to New India yet, have you?" he called out.

  "No Captain," O'Brien replied, "This will be another first for me."

  "It might not be your cup of tea," Rogers said to her. "If you get off the ship, I would recommend leaving your helmet on with the visor down. You will also have to wear your laser vest."

  "In that heat?" O'Brien asked, aware of how warm it got on that planet. "Why do I have to bulk up so much?"

  "Tradition on that world," Rogers replied, "Women are not allowed to be seen at all, just their eyes through a slit in their face veil."

  "Rotten pigs," O'Brien spat out, unimpressed. "They're still practicing their archaic beliefs despite all the evidence. Religion is a dinosaur, and science was the comet that wiped them all out. That's the only thing I hated about nations moving to their own worlds, now we have planets with those barbaric customs instead of just a small nation."

  "You mean like your planet?" Rogers countered, "Last time I checked, you still download mass from the Irish world database every week."

  "At least I have the choice," O'Brien replied, "Over there they still execute people for disobeying the scripture. It's barbaric."

  "That may be," Rogers said, laying back in his cot, "But they still make a curry that is out of this universe."

  "I do like spicy food." O'Brien said, dropping the big hint.

  "We'll get that one to go as well," Rogers informed her, "I don't want to spend too much time down there either, not with the unrest and protests going on over there."

  "What's going on over there?" the rookie asked.

  "Same crap, different century." Rogers answered, "Separating the countries by giving each their own livable planet may have stopped all the wars on Earth Prime, but that didn't stop the nations from feuding with themselves. Even after all these years, they still feel the need to rebel, even against their own. The irony of it all is deafening."

  "Enjoy your nap," O'Brien said, concentrating on her board. "We're well on our way and I've got everything under control."

  "I have no doubt about that," Rogers replied, "You have an exceptional instructor, the best in the known universe."

  "Nice self praise," she countered, "Guess it's better than none."

  Rogers laughed and then rested into his cot and closed his eyes. While he was right about the great instruction he had given the young rookie, it still wasn't enough to prepare them for what was go to come next. Rogers wouldn't open his eyes again until twelve hours later, four hours after they crashed.