Forrest and Sujay: On Top of Your Mom! (Horsemen Origins Book 2)

Part 7

The autopilot landed the Dreamweaver softly on the ground while Forrest and Sujay slapped each other inside the cockpit. The two were locked in such an equally matched struggle that they nearly missed the response to their emergency beacon.

"Dreamweaver, you have requested a tow? Repeat, Dreamweaver, you have requested a tow? We have received your emergency broadcast," a static male voice said over the comm.

"Yeah, we have a faulty engine..." Forrest said while panting.

"That you broke," Sujay said.

Forrest stared daggers at Sujay, then continued over the comm. "We have a faulty engine which seized up here in the arctic on our way to deliver parts and we cannot risk the flight to Alcian. Please provide assistance."

"Blockade runners," The voice on the other end said. "Sit tight, we'll have a pair of tow ships come get you. Expected waiting time is twelve hours," The man said.

"Twelve hours?" Forrest exclaimed.

"Every available resource is tied up at the moment. You'll just have to wait like everyone else," The man said, clearly irritated.

"Fine," Forrest replied.

After fourteen long hours, a pair of tow ships descend to the site. "Alright, Dreamweaver please turn your ship on and set it to Neutral. We can take it from there," one of the pilots said.

"Roger that," Forrest replied. "You're a lot friendlier than the other guy."

"It's a stressful time for all of us, what with the embargo of the planet. Thank you for requesting a tow, the fee would be a lot less than the fines you would've had to pay had you flown in with a belching ship."

"I do what I can," Forrest said as he kicked back in his pilot chair. Sujay rolled his eyes. The tow ships connected their cables to the Dreamweaver and sealed off the engine's exhaust.

"Sealing up the exhaust, won't that cause carbon monoxide to flow back?" Sujay asked.

"Nah," Forrest replied. "The engine's in neutral and since we're being towed, there shouldn't be a lot of exhaust. Plus, the filters inside of the cap they put on the exhaust system will draw out most of the carbon monoxide."

"Ugh, why are you so smart about the ship, yet so dumb about everything else?" Sujay asked.

"Well, your mom thought I was real smart about how I got her off when I-"

"Are you really going to spend fourteen hours making 'your mom' jokes?"

"Well, I gotta find something to do! Not like you brought cards!"

"Oh sweet Vishnu, give me strength," Sujay said.

Alcian glimmered like a jewel against the surrounding pristine lakes. It was a sprawling, clean metropolis. The buildings gleamed in the morning sun, and gave a warm, saffron glow to the cityscape. The tow ships were cleared for landing and pulled into a docking port with the Dreamweaver attached. The two men looked at the city below, but it wasn't a bustling hive of activity. The city had a strange feeling of abandonment, like an orphan whose mother was forced to give her up. A small entourage waited to greet Forrest and Sujay.

"By the stars..." Forrest gasped.

"What?" Sujay asked.

"Tim Riley!" Forrest screamed in excitement.

"Who is...?" Sujay asked.

"Jack Forrest, scum lower than what I scrape off of my boots! C'mere!" Riley said as he embraced him.