by Rick Lakin
“Yes, Jennifer. The success rate is seventy-four percent outside of certain parameters. It's ninety-four percent within precise restrictions.”
“What are those restrictions?”
“The maneuver must occur within two-point-seven astronomical units of a star with a mass within twenty percent of the mass of the Sun.”
“What are the restrictions around Proxima Centauri?”
“I found that to be an interesting simulation, Jennifer. It's also known as Alpha Centauri C. It's about one-tenth the mass of our Sun. If you perform the jump at one-half astronomical unit, it's ninety-nine-point-seven percent reliable and the time displacement is predictable within eighty-seven percent. The most stable trajectory is thirty-seven degrees off the star’s center.”
“What if another ship is close by?”
“As you asked, I did 1,343 simulations of that type. The results go chaotic at close range but are reliable at a range of greater 430,000 kilometers.”
“Ani, run as many simulations as you can between now and launch tomorrow. Limit input parameters to Alpha C, split between the Mendex and a Camday class Battle Cruiser. Assume the desired time displacement is between three and seven minutes. Provide me an intermediate success rate tomorrow morning at six a.m. and then optimize for the upcoming mission.”
“I understand and will report.”
“Did you run those other scenarios I asked for?”
“Yes. The chance of a successful recovery of your father is forty-seven percent. That’s the good news.”
“What's the bad news?”
“The chance of losing Brilliant and not returning is also forty-seven percent.”
“Heads we win. Tails we…. Good night, Ani. Keep plugging away.”
“Sleep well, Jennifer, I'll try to improve the odds.”
“Thanks, Ani. Sami, wake me up at five a.m.”
Nineteen
Preparing for Departure
Jennifer woke up at four-fifty-eight a.m. She was surrounded by her down comforter, a sleeping pug, and a wakeful cat standing watch at the foot of her bed. The nocturnal animal made several tours of the house through the night, momentarily waking Jennifer each time upon his return.
“Good morning, Sami. Any messages?”
“Again, you beat my alarm. Yes, there are several messages, by priority. From Nessa, 'Production is suspended today and tomorrow. Have a nice day.' Reply?”
“Yes, 'I'll see you Monday. Work with your new HoloBuddy, Nathan. Ask him to help you find data and organize.” Jennifer thought of the six-pack abs that Nathan displayed each time he popped up. “And ask him if he has a shirt. It gets cold in the studio.' Send when Nessa is awake.”
“From Piper, ’Thanks again for dinner at Roscoe’s on Sunday. I have been working with Steven and his engineers. We have a preliminary design for the ten-channel Wi-Pow base station. I used the steveLearn design tools. We are applying for two new patents under JennaTech. Steven says that you have access to something called a fabricator. Is it able to implement our design and when can we have access to that?' Reply?”
“’Congratulations, Piper. The fab system will be unavailable until Monday, as will I. Keep testing and we'll build it then.’ Send,” Jennifer said. “Ani, are you up?”
“This is Ani. I have run all the simulations and scenarios that you requested. The best I could do was increase the odds in our favor to sixty percent. We could increase those odds to seventy-five percent if you run some live simulations on the Brilliant with David and the Captain,” Ani said.
“When will Jack be on the lot?”
“He and Navvy are meeting in the conference room at noon. Would you like to join?”
“Please make that request, Ani,” Jennifer said.
“Message from Dr. Ami, 'I'll be available in Sick Bay all day at Dr. Goldstein’s convenience. I attached an information package on the surgery plan and the capabilities of Brilliant Sick Bay.' Reply?” Sami said.
“Sami, reply and forward to my dad, 'Thanks, Dr. Ami. Dad, here's info from Dr. Ami. Thanks again, Dad, for doing this and I'll let you coordinate with Dr. Ami from here on. I'll be on the lot at nine.'”
“Jennifer, your mom has breakfast ready and would like for you to join her.”
“Thanks, Sami.” Jennifer hugged Dandy one more time and gave Pugs a belly rub before making her way to the breakfast nook, where she found a double-shot caramel Frappuccino waiting for her. “Good morning, Mom.”
“Good morning, Jennifer, I figured that you would be up early this morning,” Sheila said.
“Thanks, Mom, and thanks for the Frapp,” Jennifer said.
“You want your eggs scrambled with cheese and bacon? Your favorite?”
“That’s nice of you, Mom.”
“Here's a chocolate chocolate-chip muffin. I don’t want you to go on the Brilliant.”
“Thanks for the muffin. I have to go, Mom.”
“I guess I know that, too,” Sheila said.
Jennifer focused on the muffin and Sheila focused on the frying pan.
“Here are your eggs…. Jennifer, you are my daughter, my best client, and my best friend. I don’t want to lose any one of those to those crazy people and their crazy ship.”
“I'll come back. I'll bring back my father and Allen, and I'll bring back the Brilliant.”
“The vision thing?”
“Yeah.” Like every teenager who ever lived, Jennifer believed she was invincible. But she also understood probabilities. “You need to believe in me.”
“I do, Honey,” Sheila said. “I'll see you at dinner at Tovar. Navvy wants all of the family there.”
They finished their breakfast quietly, Jennifer went back to her room and prepared her uniform for later.
On her way to the lot, Jennifer called up Sami, “Message Riley and David and ask them to come to Brilliant around nine a.m. to run some simulations.”
“Messages sent.”
When she arrived at Tovar, she walked directly to the Brilliant’s hangar facility.
This is where my destiny lies, she thought and then walked to the Brilliant and up the ramp. She took her seat at the Operations console.
“Recognize jendroid,” Ani said.
“Good morning, Ani, let’s program some live scenarios with the Finsler maneuver around Proxima Centauri. I want different approaches with a Camday Battle Cruiser. We'll rotate David, Riley, and me in the left seat. The boys will come about nine a.m.” Jennifer said. “Ask Tayla to come to Brilliant at three p.m. for training.”
“Message sent and Navvy invited you to lunch with him and the Captain.”
“Thanks, Sami.”
For the next hour, Jennifer and Ani worked out a number of live simulations for both pilots. She acted as pilot in each simulation. Her vision indicated that there would be a musical chairs game with the three seats and everyone needed to be ready. She settled on three distinct scenarios to train David and Riley.
Riley arrived on the bridge at eight-forty-five with his coffee cup in hand. David came five minutes later carrying two cups. He offered one to Jennifer, “Your favorite.”
“Thanks. And, thank you for coming. I believe that we are going to see some action around Proxima Centauri. And I believe that the Camdex will arrive at the Mendex about the same time that we do.”
“How do you know?” asked Riley.
“She has this vision thing,” David said. “I have seen it in action. She's pretty good.”
“Okay, when it gets busy around PC, I have some tricks up my sleeve.”
“What kinds of tricks?”
“David, remember that maneuver we pulled in the asteroid field that day on SimOne?”
“Omigod, engaging the StarDrive in a gravity field. That’s crazy. Dad told me that's how the Brilliant wound up in this timeline.”
“Navvy gave me a heads-up on some mathematics. I worked it up, and Ani and I can program it and control it to give predictable results,” Jennifer explained.
“How predictable?” Riley’s engineering degree kicked in.
“As long as we stay within well-defined parameters, it's over ninety percent.”
“I can live with that. What do you want us to do?” Riley asked.
“I programmed three scenarios. We can learn them and then rotate seats and practice.”
“Rotate seats?” David asked.
“I believe we'll be best prepared if all three of us are familiar with the three seats. We can do some training with the Captain this afternoon after I present it at lunch.”
“Navvy and Dad aren't going to like this,” David said. “But I trust your judgment …now. Sorry for before.”
They took their seats with Riley in the center seat, Jennifer at ops, and David in the pilot seat.
David looked to his right, “Jen, are we okay?”
“Yes, but don’t get close to me. I might still rip your face off.”
For the next two hours, Ani paced the three through the different programmed scenarios she and Jennifer created in various configurations.
“That was some of the best operation training I have ever done on the Brilliant,” Riley said.
“I'm exhausted, but I think I’ve got it,” David said.
“The purpose of effective training is to know what you know but be able to anticipate what you don’t know,” Jennifer said. “I'm going to have lunch with Navvy and Jack and present this plan. Wish me luck. I heard that Craft Services at Sound Stage Three is open.”
On their way to lunch, Riley asked David, “I know that Jennifer has read the manuals but how is Jennifer so far above the curve?”
“I have known Navvy all my life and Jennifer is his granddaughter. That pretty much explains it for me,” David said.
“Works for me, too.”
On her way to the Executive Suites, Sami popped up, “Message from your step-father, 'I'll be at the studio at one-thirty. I reviewed the information. I'm properly impressed. I'll bring two sets of scrubs.' Reply?”
“Let Dr. Ami know and reply, 'Thanks, Dad.' Sami, direct my dad’s car to Executive Parking, let me know when he's on the studio lot, and I'll meet him out there.
Jennifer entered Kathy’s office a minute after noon. “Hi, Jennifer, they're in the Conference Room. They're expecting you,” Kathy said.
“Thanks, Kathy,” Jennifer said.
“Jennifer?”
“Yes?”
“Be careful out there,” Kathy said. “Jack and your grandfather seem to think that you are going to be the one to bring home Anthen and Brilliant.”
No Pressure, huh? “I'll do my best, Kathy.”
“Go on in.”
Jennifer entered the room. The two men stood, and Jack said, “We're planning this mission. I suspect that the reason you're here is that you have some good ideas.”
“I hope I do. What's the plan so far?”
“The basic outline is that we intercept the Mendex and snatch Anthen,” Jack said.
“We'll have to disable the Mendex again before we can board her. Is that part of the plan?” Jennifer asked.
Navvy spoke, “I believe that it will be easier than that. I looked at my son’s eyes as he communicated with the Brilliant. I think he remembers something. I think that he will give himself up in exchange for letting his crew return home.”
“I agree. I don’t think it will be a cakewalk, but it will likely be straightforward,” Jack said.
“I see some complications. I believe that the Mendex will have had time to get an alarm off to the Hoclarth system. We'll arrive at the same time as a Camday Battle Cruiser,” Jennifer said.
“The Camdex,” Jack said.
“Why that one?” Jennifer asked.
“The commander claims to be Kalim’s father.”
“Complications. I have some tricks I worked out. That's why I wanted to meet with you,” Jennifer said.
“I get the feeling I'm not going to like them.”
“I have a feeling that you two are going to hate them.”
Jennifer grabbed a sandwich from the side table and explained the time-displacement maneuvers that she trained David and Riley on that morning.
“You think these will work?” Navvy asked.
“Yes, Grandfather. Besides, you gave me the keys. You told me about Joachim Finsler and Piper Simmons. How did you know?”
“I follow the scientific literature, I know what to look for, and I have this thing…I think you call it the vision thing,” Navvy said.
“Got it.”
Navvy pulled out a package. “Could you deliver this to Riley? It's for Tayla.” Jennifer knew exactly what it was.
“Away Dinner at six p.m. Families will be there. Look sharp,” Jack said.
“Aye, aye, Captain.” Jennifer came to attention and then departed.
“Do you think we can pull this off?” Jack asked Navvy.
“I believe the key to this mission lies in whether Jennifer thinks we can pull this off. Jack, I think she's as good as Anthen.”
“I have seen her in action, Navvy. She’s better. Too bad you don’t have more grandkids like her.”
“Maybe I do.” Jack saw the look in his old friend’s eyes and realized that there were no more questions to be asked.
Jennifer was back at Brilliant. “Jennifer, Dr. Goldstein is five minutes away from the lot,” Ani said.
“Thanks, Ani.”
Jennifer took one more minute to close her eyes and envision all the scenarios that she considered, all of the possible outcomes, and then concentrated on the one avenue which would bring home her father and the crew of the Brilliant.
She opened her eyes, exited the Brilliant, and arrived in the Executive Parking lot just as her step-father had parked.
Jennifer and Allen hugged. “May I help you carry anything?”
“Grab that bag with my scrubs. I'll carry my go bag.”
They walked to the Brilliant facility. Jennifer held the security gate and carefully watched as Allen first set eyes on the Brilliant. He stopped cold for a moment.
“It looks as if it could take off and fly at any moment. Stunning.”
“That’s my Brilliant. It affects everyone like that.”
“Show me to Sick Bay. I want to meet your Dr. Ami.”
He followed her lead to the ramp, up the ladder, and aft to Sick Bay, “Dad, may I present our Artificial Medical Intelligence and Ship’s Doctor, Dr. Ami.”
They shook hands, “Doctor,” Allen said.
“Dr. Goldstein, I'm honored to meet you. I read your account of the very first spine replacement and reconstruction. Your surgery revolutionized medicine and eliminated almost all forms of paralysis.”
“Thank you, Dr. Ami, I'm anxious to see your Robotic Surgery Assistant I read about in your packet. I'd love to learn how to use it.”
“As soon as you are ready, I have it programmed with a virtual patient, and we can begin.”
“Where can I change into my scrubs?”
“Use the doctor’s stateroom starboard. The two-patient ward is to port.” Dr. Ami pointed to the stateroom.
Jennifer delivered her step-father's clothes bag and said, “Good luck. I know you'll do well.”
“This should be fun. I'll be the first one in my medical class to perform surgery in another star system.”
“Another article in the medical journal?” Jennifer asked.
“Publish or perish is what they call it.”
“I'll leave you to your doctor things.”
Jennifer stopped in her stateroom and donned her uniform. The female attire on the Brilliant was different from the males in that knee-high boots were worn on the outside. She walked up to the bridge and found Riley in uniform preparing and testing the systems.
Jennifer went forward, retrieved the package, and delivered it to Riley, “Navvy said that you asked for this.”
“You know what it is?” Riley said.
“Tayla's pretty snobby about fashion, but if th
is fits, I think she'll wear it.”
“Thanks, Jen.”
Just then, David and the Captain arrived. “Riley, are we good to go?”
“Captain, the ship is ready.”
“Jennifer told me that you three have done some serious training. I'm not crazy about the maneuver, but if we need it, it's there for us,” the Captain said. “Let me know when Tayla gets here. I'll be in my ready room.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” responded the bridge crew in unison.
A half-hour later, Tayla arrived wearing skinny jeans and a Grace VanderWaal concert t-shirt. On Jennifer’s advice, she was wearing the same boots as Jennifer. She got looks of humorous disdain from the rest of the bridge crew. “What am I supposed to wear?” Tayla went to her station.
The captain came out of his stateroom, “Tayla, you’re out of uniform.”
“But, but Captain….”
“Riley, how are we going to fix this?”
He reached around, grabbed the package, and tossed it to Tayla. She ripped it open. “It’s beautiful.” She paused. “But the blue doesn’t go with my hair.”
David laughed. “Are you serious?”
“Captain, I'll take her down to our stateroom and get her into uniform,” Jennifer said.
“Thank you, Jennifer. But first, we are hosting an Away Dinner at six p.m. It's a special occasion for our families and for us. Go over the protocols and be in the Executive Conference Room at five-forty-five for inspection.”
Sheila sat at a circular table with Steven and Ana. There were three empty seats at the table. “I came to one of these events before. It's a lot of pomp and circumstance. But it is enjoyable, and Maiara's food's wonderful. She was the head chef then, but now she greets diners at lunch,” Sheila said. She felt physically uncomfortable and thought, The last time I came to an Away Dinner, Anthen didn't come back.
A voice came from the back of the room, “Ladies and gentlemen, please stand and welcome Captain Jacnen Masing of the StarCruiser Brilliant.” Jack stepped up wearing the modern maize and blue flight suit reminiscent of the one worn by the Navy's Blue Angels.