Metafire

Frank looked at the maneuvering rocket fuel available and the job that Scooter was doing. He made a decision, "Scooter, could you please top off our nitrozine?"

"Never thought you'd ask," Scooter was just waiting for these guys to become antagonistic, but Frank contained his anger completely.

"Thanks. Oh. Can you go easy on that, too?"

"Sure." Scooter performed that operation with the same crude alacrity as the others. He got in another two metalic shoves. Afterwards Frank and Angela re-established the orientation on their own and sent Scooter Burbank on his way.

"I hope I never see that guy again," Angela was the first to speak when Frank turned off the microphone.

Frank said, "I'll put in a complaint to NSP, but I suspect they get a lot on this guy." He looked over at the controls to confirm that all lights were green. "Anyway, ready to check out the cavern?"

She cast a sideways glance, "Somebody has to stay here. Our guests, you know."