Age of Lies (Original Version)

Chapter 3

Markelium and Joe talked about many things as they worked to clean up the mess made in the cargo hold made by the first and second lieutenants. After a while Markelium and Joe heard someone yell in the hall, "HEY JOE, YA DOWN HERE?"

Joe rushed over to the door and replied, "Hey Tom, tune it down. The whole ship can hear you." The guy named Tom came over and began talking eagerly to Joe. Markelium figured that this was the last bit of help he was going to be getting from his new found friend. However when Joe came back and resumed working Markelium called out, "If you need to go you can, I can finish this up." Joe replied in his quick voice, "No Sir I'm staying if you're staying. The guys were just wondering where I got off to after our meeting."

Markelium grabbed two water bottles and tossed one to Joe. "Alright. If you say so. By the way, can you check to make sure those crates over there have everything in order?"

"Sure thing Sir, and if I may ask," Ventured Joe, "why didn't you call for some help for all this? I mean you are an officer and can order people around."

Markelium straightened up and gave his honest reply, "this happened because of me, I didn't want to place the burden on someone else's shoulders when they were not involved to begin with."

Joe stopped for a moment and stared at Markelium, "You talk more like a crew man than an officer. Beg your pardon Sir."

Markelium laughed at this which confused Joe. "That's the thing Joe, I was a regular crewman until just recently. I thought the crew knew that?" Joe seemed slightly startled. "Well sir, it's the first I've heard about it. I haven't heard of a regular crewman becoming an officer at all Sir. So if you don't mind, how did that happen?"

"Well Joe," Markelium said with a saddened tone, "that's a story for another day."

"As you wish, Sir," replied the disappointed Joe. A second later several feet were heard outside the cargo bay door and as Markelium and Joe turned to investigate, a group of men and women in pilot and mechanic uniforms entered the bay. "Hey Joe, I thought that ya could use a lil bit of help in this here stuff-hole, so I brought tha gang with me." The group and Joe laughed, and he called out, "Hey Mark. Tom. Guys. I don't remember calling for help. We've got this. Right sir?"

At this Mark, Tom and the rest of the group looked over and realized that Markelium was an officer and they straightened up. Markelium perked up at being mentioned and called out to Joe's friends, "Stand down, you do not have to get like that here. We got this under control. Joe you can head on out if you'd like."

"Sorry Sir, but you aren't getting rid of me that easily, plus there's still a good bit of work left." Joe turned to his friends, "Yall go on ahead. I'll catch ya later."

Mark, Tom and the group looked at Joe and then busted out laughing at him, "Man you are going crazy aren't you?" called Mark, who must have been at least six foot eight. Next one of the women spoke up in a slightly husky but still feminine voice, "We ain't leaving till you do." The others chorused their agreements and soon the work on cleaning and sorting equipment progressed even more quickly. Two hours later the cargo bay was clean and fixed up better than what it had been that morning.

"Thank you all for your help," called Markelium. "Any time man," called Mark who didn't seem to have broken a sweat. Tom and the others gave Markelium a smile and then just as everyone was about to head out, Joe called out, "Hey Markelium, wanna grab a bit of dinner with us? It's about that time anyways."

Markelium shrugged and agreed to it. The group of seven headed to the elevator, arrived at deck C and then made their way to the mess hall. Once they got close, Markelium excused himself for a moment to answer a holo-pad call from Scott, who thanked him for getting an approval for the new set of refrigerators for his engineering crew.

"Thanks again mate, me and my boys are pleased that you got it done. If you need anything just let me know."

"Thanks Scott, and I will keep you to your word," Markelium said with a slight laugh. The call ended and Markelium began heading into the mess hall to meet up with Joe and the others.

When he reached the mess hall he looked around and finally found where Joe, Mark, Tom and the rest were sitting. They waved at Markelium who gave a slight wave of acknowledgement. Markelium then walked over to the food dispensers and grabbed a tray full of food. After not having anything to eat for almost fourteen hours, he was glad that he was about to sit down and eat with his new found friends.

Among all the commotion in the packed mess hall, Markelium did not notice the people walk up behind him until a hand tapped roughly at his back. He turned around and saw the first and second lieutenant standing there. "What are you doing here? I thought we told you that there was a mess in the cargo bays and that you are not supposed to leave until it's done," said the second lieutenant.

Markelium replied in the most respectable voice he could use, "I have finished the work, and there is nothing else that was needed. I am off duty now and I have not eaten all day. So would it be possible if we can we pick this up after I eat? As fellow officers I believe that we have each other's contacts in our personal holo-pads."

Second Lieutenant Thompson began to raise his voice slightly, "Don't try and talk back to us. We are your senior officers and you are not even a real officer. You are just a glorified crewman who will never belong anywhere. You were given a task and I bet that you have not completed it yet and here you are skipping out so that you can eat. Go back and finish the job now. Then you can come back and eat. Understand?"

"I have finished the job. I could show you the area if you would like. Or as a fellow officer, are you doubting me?" Markelium replied in a respectful voice. At this he began going around the two men.

Thompson turned around and was about to grab at Markelium but First Officer Takomaya hissed quietly at Thompson, "Idiot! Don't make a commotion here. We are needed back on the bridge anyway, let's go." With that he turned and walked out with Second Lieutenant Thompson following hot on his heels after suddenly realizing that the mess hall had grown quiet.

Once the two officers had left the mess, the volume slowly returned back to normal. Markelium sat down beside Joe who had saved him a seat. Joe slapped his back seeing Markelium's slightly furrowed face, "Don't take that to heart. They are just the typical officers who think they can stomp over everything."

"It's all fine. Just trying to get used to it all," replied Markelium in a calm voice. "Well if there's no problem, then lets chow down then, shall we?" said Tom who had loaded his plate full of food. "You're always thinking about food Tom. Can't you think of anything else?" asked one of the women. "That's Lindy, one of the mechanics. . . If I remember correctly." thought Markelium. "Well sorry, but I happen to be a food lover," said Tom as he began to dig into his food. Lindy scoffed and faked annoyance. The group went on laughing and bantering. Markelium joined in and got lost in the conversation and jokes, feeling like he was once again just an ordinary crew member.