Junkman is Awake by D.A.Sanford - HTML preview

Moving along

More and more, we are going to worlds that have had their populations decimated to the point that there are no longer any threats, or so we thought. We approach the next world and find that there are ships looting the world to the determent of the remaining population.

Our fighters made quick work of their ships and we contacted the gods of all. We told them that, even though it would be better to have known this beforehand, “My crew was the best. They were able to devastate their ships while securing their crews for your judgement.”

“Please let the goblin leaders know about their heroism and valor. Hearing that from the gods will cement their future, if that is what they want.”

We soon hear from the goblin main world that they would like us to come there at our earliest convenience. Since we have more than a load from that world of their modern armament and the other fixed or recycled scrap. We head for their world.

I have an idea that I want to spring on the goblins and my crew. A tribute to our crew. I have work to do.

Vannessa knows about it and thinks it is wonderful. Soon the crew is abuzz with my new product and we have enough of them to surprise. We now have our own shuttle. Most of the crew took the regular transport to the surface but what I have for a surprise needs a certain part of the crew to demonstrate the product.

The entire crew and the leaders of the goblin world are there when we touch down. My mate and I walked out. I loved the expression on all the people, who did not know, when they saw a miniature fleet of fighters coming out being driven by the children of the crew. Soon they had a large gathering watching those children driving them all around the yard. Lights flashing out of the cannons while you see only the heads of the children protruding beneath a clear dome. It was a sight to see.

The crowd is absolutely going crazy. I have the goblin leaders follow me into our shuttle. I yell to the others to clear the opening and out sped, you would swear they flew, the goblin leaders is a slightly larger version of the fighter.

All I say is that the plans now have been up loaded to their system.

I see Carmine and Steve but he has his wife with him. I look at him and say that half of the profit share of these being sold are to go into the goblin fleet retirement funds. Soon all goblin worlds have them in both sizes and they are a hit on those worlds.

The worlds are not safe when you hear the sound we had to add. It was not the children but the goblin adults that get lost driving them, usually too fast.

Back to the reason we were asked to come. They wanted to honor us for the capture of those raiders but we refused. We insisted that we stay out of it. Those fighter pilots and the ground crews are the hero’s. “We only transported them.”

There was a big ceremony. All receive recognition for their valor and were awarded medals and choice of where to be based. To the person they chose our ship. The reward, the crew also did what I did. They insisted on that going into the retirement fund.

All present were humbled.

After the ceremony, Steve and his wife have a request. They would like the two of us to come to their world to have a vacation. We would really like to see that world so I tell the goblin leaders of it and give my crew the time off to also have a vacation.

Our ship is towed to a guarded location with a security crew aboard. The normal ship functions will still go on but it will never move without us aboard. The security teams will have the honor, if only shortly, of serving on the Bone Yard. It will be passed on for generations.

Steve’s world is almost like my old one. It is Vannessa that is a little overwhelmed but Shela solved that. She saw that my wife had nothing brought with her, like me. We both figured what we had will not blend with the locals. We intended to shop here. When we got back, we would use the replicator to make different sizes for all the crew.

Shela and Vannessa go out shopping. My wife told me that she will pick up my clothes. She knows my sizes because well we both are the ships system and we both made our clothes by the replicator.

We sent a gold bar ahead and Steve had Carmine use it to secure cards for the both of us.

Naturally Steve took me on a tour of the invention factory he runs. He shows me that he does most of the research but lately he is allowing specially hand chosen up and comers to do the polishing of the presentation side. He still does the core.

He calls them together and shows the fighter car I invented. “This is Jacob, he has brought us the very next thing that is going to be a smash success.” He lays out the drawings that are now in great detail.

They are looking at them and are commenting that there is no need to refine this. It could go directly to the manufacturing plant. Steve tells them of the speed and the fact that we need to reduce the speed for the children’s version but he sees this as possibly the next innovation for personal commuting so we will need to check into what safety needs we may have to install.

Now their ideas are starting to flow but Steve interjects the need to keep the exterior the same. He says that it is part of the attraction. “Let’s make this the hit it can be.”

Turning to Steve but talking to all, “I want half of the profit that falls to me to go into the education of the trades. If this is a hit, maybe we could open a bank of sorts that will help those who graduate to get their own business started. Low interest of course.”

It was then that his people realized who I am even though I did not know.

“Is this the man who is running those schools for the trades? My sister is going to one to be an electrician. She loves it and knows that she will start her own company.”

“Tell her that I started as an electrician and worked for someone for five years to really learn the practical side then I started my own business. Tell her to dream big but plan in steps. I was a full contractor in ten years. By that time I had someone to run the whole business and here I am. When she graduates, tell her to come to Steve. I will set it up so, if in five years, she wants her own business, I will front the capital for her to start.”

He is beside himself so I turn to Steve. “Steve, have your people draw up an agreement that says my repayment is to be in different neighborhood improvements.” I look back at the man and say, “You want to make money, you need to spend money. Those improvements will boost her reputation as one that cares for others.”

Steve catches on and says to all, “Why do you think Jacob started the schools? You and many others know this man’s worth and quality by what he does. The corporation is going to match his donation. We will start that bank for the graduates with all getting the same contract.”

Martha is brought up to speed on the fighter both the children’s and adult versions. She is excited to finally meet me but wishes to meet Vannessa. Steve tells her that they will have a party at the house but Shela probably is planning already. We go over the use of his side of the profits for the fighter to start a graduate bank backing for graduates.

We break because Steve wants me to meet a special person. “He has been a good friend and benefactor by purchasing things we sell. He is now getting on in years and wants to retire but he is too well known. I just want you to meet him before he retires.

The man lives in a museum to a sunken ship from this world. He is just called “the boss.” I find his character very likeable. He reminds me of some of the older goblins. He actually is only a little taller. After a while of talking to him, I know what I am going to do.

Steve told me that he knows of other world’s populations and has met some. It was no surprise when I told both of my original world and how I died being hit by space junk. How I was offered to be a galactic junk man. Picking the Bone Yard for my ship and especially Vannessa.

He was fascinated that it was an island size space ship that can travel the universe. I see that now is the time to strike. I look at Steve then to the boss. “Steve, can we take the boss to your home and use the door to my ship? I want to offer our ship as his retirement place. He can travel the ocean of space. There are a lot of people he would love and they would love him. The best thing is that no one from this world would ever be able to find him. What do you say boss. Want to go on an adventure?”

Both the boss and Steve are speechless. All that the boss does is that he grabs his coat and tells us to get moving. By the time we got back, the women have returned. We bring them up to speed on the offer to the boss. Vannessa comes over and talks to him.

“The world we live in, I was an AI in control of the ship. I was made human by the gods of all but Steve and I control every aspect of the ship. We have felids, mouse folk and goblins as a crew. Most are mated and have children. Jacob has his old pickup there. There are roads on the ship. We will welcome you if you decide to stay. Now I will not delay you. You three men have a ball.”

With that welcome, Steve opens a door to the ship and the three of us step through. The boss is beside himself when the children that their parents stayed on the ship come zooming to a halt and get out to hug me. They are fascinated with the boss. One of the bigger children offer him his fighter to try. After telling him how to start steer and stop., the boss is off and laughing. The other children join him and he finally comes back. He really thanks the child. We walk to my pick up and I offer to let him drive. After seeing all the things we have and just staring out into space, we take him to the surface.

He meets the leaders and we tell them that he wants to retire. They welcome him but he is finding that there are some older goblin women that are cozying up to him. They are not the only ones. There are felids and mouse folk women here also. He is loving it.

Steve tells us that we need to get back. That disappoints some of the women. It amazes us when he says that he wants to retire here but he needs to tie up loose ends and transfer power.

He tells them that he will be back to retire. Those women start winking and go off.

We go back to Steve’s home and the women just smile, hug him and Shela tells him that they will miss him but he will be only a door away. He does ask if he could bring the Renault with him. I told him that he could but it needed a larger door to do that. “Be aware that it will need to be modified to run on the components of air.”

He does not like the idea of modifying it. So he said that he would make a clean break. “I’ll have my second take charge and if he does not want the collection, there are others that would pay big to get it as one collection. Maybe I’ll just do that myself.”

Steve asks, “It sounds like you have made up your mind.”

We can tell that he has.

He now gets serious. “These wonderful people know just what I am. I need you to know my background. I was totally what we call a mob boss. That is a person that is in control of a gang. I have done things that were entirely against the law here. Including killing. Since I met Steve and Shela, I have now become almost legitimate. Knowing that, would I still be welcomed on that world?”

Vannessa looks at him, takes his hand and asks, “Do you intend to bring that life with you?” She can see that he is almost stunned with the question so she continues as if he has answered.

“I can see that you truly want to leave that behind. You now have to choose. The boss is your present name and position. What is your real name?”

“Vincent, Vinny.”

“Which name do you want to be called by on that world?”

“Vinny” he knows exactly why the question and how it was asked. He really now knows that he wants to leave this life behind him. That means leaving here with only the clothes on his back.

“Welcome Vinny. You are now registered as both a visitor and crew of the Bone Yard which makes you also a resident of the goblin worlds. You, even though you were a boss, were under oppression. You were a slave to your profession. We now declare you a freed slave under the goblin protection and rules. Those rules are to be a benefit to all.”

He is visibly shaken. No one, not even himself, realized that he truly was a slave. If he broke the code, he would be eliminated by the other bosses. Toe the line or be killed. Isn’t that the true definition of being a slave.

I had to say what I felt. “Vinny, now that you are free, show your new world what your worth is. Value yourself high. People will only pay what price you value yourself at.”

Now we can tell that Vinny is talking, not the boss. ”I now have the best chance anyone has ever had. I now can have a do over of the remainder of my life. Anywhere I would go on this world, the boss would always be in the shadows. All the Bosses enemies would be there. Steve, will you have your people take all my businesses that are legal and give them to the managers of those businesses. I will line up people that will buy my collection as a whole with the exception of the watch. That is the only thing that I will bring with me as a reminder that all his wealth couldn’t save him from just being a pair of shoes lying next to a rusted broken piece of metal. I will cross over with the clothes on my back when Jacob and Vannesa leave. Those women on that world, I really can be Vinny and happy.”

He looks like he has shed the weight of the world. He calls his people to come and get him.

We find that his collection sold to one person. It was in the billions. He gave most equally to each of his boys and told them to just blend in with the real people and go straight. Each had a million to start over. The rest went to charitable organizations including the trades bank for the graduates.

It was decided that we were going back in a week so Vinny said the same. We went through the door. Steve, Sarah, Carmine and Martha came with us. The second they saw Vinny, those women took him by the hand and led him off. Later we found that he had a harem and was a valuable member of the world.

He actually had numerous children and lived to see his great grandchildren. Vinny had a wonderful life as just a helpful member of the world. His remembrance ceremony was attended by most of the world.