Sunbucks Cafe

[Price]

The silver pod never makes it.

Why?

Because I willed it not to. As a bonus, I pulled it out of normal time/space. Now I can figure out what to do with this.....irritant.

You see, I was all content to sit around quietly and continue my observations of those that I have been charged with.... "Overseeing". That quiet was broken and I was disturbed. I am not a happy camper when I am yanked outta bed.

Well, lets see what the Easter Bunny put in this little silver egg. I hope it isn't A**hat surprise again. Last time it took a long time to get the stains out of the hangar deck here on Chula Vista station. That and the screaming. I hate the screaming. And the begging... "Oh please Sgt. Price, don't condemn me to hell.."

I extend my will, and the atoms of the the door of the pod dissolve away....

Crud, it is A**hat surprise. A major case of it.

Well, lets see what this little package of joy needs to have done to it. Best put on my happy face. By happy face, I mean the Visage that most people don't want to see when they meet me.

I sit down at my desk, close my flight helmet, take a few cleansing breaths, at least they would have been cleansing breaths, had I really had lungs... Ah skip it, its too much to go into...

I start time again and wait....

A man with a french fried blue hat pops his head out of the pod and starts to look around in bewilderment...

He scans left, then right, then left again. Completely missing me. Observant this one is not.

"Come in Major, lets chat."

Old blue hat spins around startled, and pulls his weapon and fires multiple times.

Too bad none of his bullets hit anything tangible. Except the paint on the bulkhead behind me. Which is going to need repainted again!

I wag my finger at him "Bad bad bad little Major. That won't help you here. You see, I am beyond the reach of your mortal weapons. Let me demonstrate."

I stand and begin walking towards him. As I draw near, he squeezes off a few more rounds. Fast learner this one is.

"Gaze upon my face, and see why". I unlatched the face plate of my flight helmet, and give him a good look at me.

I give him a good hard looking over.....

Apparently, I had the desired effect. Old hard a** here had all the blood drain from his face. That and I suspect he had a lot of coffee to unload, because the front of his pants were wet and I observed a puddle on the deck.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sgt V. Price. I was "Given" the job to oversee the souls of the LPI. You tried to send a few prematurely to the ever after. I don't like my work screwed with. A time and a place for everything..."

Oh great, now the back side of his pants were a mess.... I briefly wondered if he was going to demonstrate anymore bodily functions for me.....

"Don't go mucking around like that again, or I might really get angry."

For effect, I reached thru him and wrapped a bony finger around his soul and tugged a little bit....

"Get the point?"

Old blue hat fainted.

Ah well. Lets get this over with.

I willed him back into his little silver pod. I took my finger and scratched a message on the outside of the pod. When it was done, I stepped back to admire my handiwork...

I thought of where I wanted to be, and we were there. The outer offices of one Admiral Hale, Liberty Navy. I must apologize to him one day, I think I scared his poor secretary half to death.

"Special Delivery" I intoned, and willed myself back to Chula Vista station.

On the outside of the pod, I inscribed:

To: Admiral Hale

From: Sgt. V. Price

Contents: One Major, slightly shaken. Handle with gloves. A fire hose would be good too.

---

Protecting Liberty Since 678AS

207th Precinct, Chula Vista Station.

The Lost Precinct