In the story so far, the pirates have posession of the ship ,Stardiver Four, which is damaged and drifting in space. Halfwit was ordered to find Dr. Ratts to have him work on repairs to the ship.
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Julia Has A Tantrum
Stone had a rare moment of clarity when he organized the men to start the repairs of the ship. The men scattered to do something along the lines of their instructions. Unfortunately, they were Stone's men, escaped criminals and patients from insane asylums.
Halfwit once had a name, but now he was just Halfwit. Wandering the huge ship looking for someone named Dr, Ratts. "Who is Dr. Ratts?" He wondered, "Maybe a ship doctor. A doctor who fixes space ships, that is it."
Lost, he rambled the halls and corridors of the ship until he neared a bar with music and laughter coming out of the dark door.
The sound of laughter and singing from inside drew him to the door. He longed for camaraderie, friendship and the touch of affection. Halfwit was always a victim, teased, and bullied. Standing at the door looking at the drunken pirates in the dark bar he was again the boy who was last to be chosen for the ball team, waiting for someone to call his name.
"Hey, everybody, it's Halfwit." Someone bellowed.
"Common halfwit join the celebration." Someone else called.
Stepping through the portal he hesitated.
"What's wrong with you?" Another voice from the dark interior yelled.
"The Captain gave me a job to do. I have to find Dr. Ratts and tell him something."
"Oh." A voice in the dark teased, "You have a special job from Captain Stonebutt."
"Leave him alone," A man emerged from the back. "Ratts huh? Go down this hall until you get to the stairs. Go up two and double back. He set up shop there."
"Shop?"
"Yeah. Some classroom he turned into a something or other, I don't know what, maybe it is engineering headquarters, or repair shop or something. You know these mad scientist types."
"Oh." Halfwit did not know but nodded his head anyway.
"Come on guys." One of the voices inside called. "The booze is free, and that makes it taste better."
The man at the door asked. "Are you coming in for a drink or are you going to follow Stonebutt's stupid orders."
Without a word Halfwit turned and walked away, mumbling to himself. "Captain Stone respected me; he gave me an important job." I'll come back. I'll teach you all a lesson. I'll show you how important I am to Captain Stone."
It was a long way to the quarters of Ratts. Halfwit stopped at the ripped remains of the door and peered into the converted classroom. Dr. Ratts was sitting looking at a monitor.
"Excuse me, Sir." Halfwit said.
"Yes, what is it?" Ratts' voice dripped with depressed darkness.
"Sir, the Captain request you get the ship running. They don't know how to do it and you being a ship doctor, and all, well the Captain wants you to make it all work."
"OK. I knew this was coming." Ratts rose slowly. "Can I ask you for a favor?"
"What? Me? Sure."
"Will you stay and watch my daughter, Julia, while I am away?
"What? Watch a kid. I don't know. Will I have to change a diaper or something?"
"No. Just play with her. Don't let her get lonely. Just keep her safe."
"Sure, I guess so."
"Thank you. I may be gone for a while, so just stay with her." Dr. Ratts took a box of tools and left the classroom.
Halfwit looked around. The large room was crowded with equipment and machinery, one wall was piled with furniture from the class. Screens and computers covered work tables.
"Little girl? Uh, Julia where are you?" Halfwit walked around the room. "Sweetie are you there?" He called, feeling foolish. "Is this another joke, is someone making fun of me? There is no girl in here."
"BOO!" Julia popped up from under a table so quick that Halfwit fell backward. "Ha! Got you."
"That was not funny."
"Yes, it was. Do you want to play? I am good at hide and seek."
"Let me get up first."
"I know, let's play tag. You're it." Julie ran across the room and out the hall.
"Julia, I don't think you are supposed to go out there. I think your father wanted you to stay here until he comes back."
Her voice was already far up the hall. "Catch me, catch me if you can. I'm the gingerbread man."
Halfwit got up and ran after her. He couldn't believe his eyes for she was already at the stairs going down. He ran after her. "Julia, no! Come back here."
He caught up with her in front of the bar. She crouched down outside the door peering in at the drunken pirates. "Julie, get away from there," he whispered.
"Shhhh." She put a finger up to her mouth. "They say bad things."
"Well, they are bad men. They made fun of me."
"My Mommy would give them all a spank."
"I wish I could give them a spank." Halfwit grumbled. "I wish I could teach them all a lesson."
Julia slowly turned her head and looked at him for a moment. It was the first time that Halfwit was able to see her face. She looked like something from a fairy tale, not quite real. Her eyes were like glass; they were clear, bright with a light behind them, but without expression. Her lips spread slowly into a smile. "I will spank them for you, Uncle." She turned and disappeared into the dark bar.
"No." Halfwit gasped. "Julia. Come back." His fear of the men kept him from running in to find her. He cowered at the door listening.
"Ooowl" a man from inside yelled. "That kid just bit me. Look at that. She bit right through the bone! She severed an artery. Somebody help me before I bleed to death."
"Ahhhhh" Cried another voice. She stabbed me in the thigh. "Someone get her."
"Look out for that table." A voice yelled, followed by a crash of furniture and glass.
"I'll get her." A deep voice rumbled.
"Grab her." The first voice yelled.
"I got her" Another voice cried, "Owww! My arm! She broke it. Look! The bone is sticking out."
"She has your blaster, man." another shouted.
BAAM. BAAM. BAAM.
"AAAAH. She shot me!"
ZAAAAAAP! KABOOM!
Halfwit cowered next to the portal of the bar weeping as he covered his ears.
BOOM! BAAM!
The silence was sudden. Halfwit was sobbing. "Oh, the poor child."
"Don't cry, Uncle."
Halfwit stared down at the face that looked up at him. "You are alive! What happened?"
"I gave them a spank. A real good one. They will never be mean to anybody ever again." She held both arms up. "Hug. Uncle. Hug."
Halfwit bent over and put his arms around the child to pick her up. "I can't lift you. You are too heavy."
Her eyes closed, and a thin smile slowly spread across her face as a hundred thousand volts surged from her body and cut through Halfwit.
(c) Adron
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