by Rick Lakin
Navvy came in wearing an olive-drab flight suit, definitely old style but distinctively Brilliant. He stood to Jack's left. The remainder of the crew lined up to the captain's right.
“First Lieutenant Maiara Henare.” She also wore the old-style flight suit.
“Pilot David Masing.” Jack looked at Ellie who was beaming with pride.
“Engineer Riley McMaster” Jack saw Riley’s surprise at seeing his mother, who flew in from Albuquerque.
“Operations Officer Jennifer Gallagher.” Jack looked at Sheila whose expression showed both pride and foreboding.
“Communications Officer Tayla Mendoza.” At the inspection, Jack and Navvy argued, but the captain deferred to Tayla's fashion sense and the girls came out wearing bright yellow scarves.
“Finally, Dr. Allen Goldstein, who will be joining us as ship's Surgeon.” Allen came out in hospital scrubs.
The captain turned to his left, “Navvy.”
“Raise your glasses. To the crew of the Brilliant. May your knowledge and training lead you. May excellence and success follow you. And, may courage and grace always walk beside you. To this, we say:”
And the entire crew shouted, “Brilliant.”
Jack turned toward his oldest friend, “To our ship, may you be our home away from home. May you be our shining armor in battle. And, may you fly us into the stars of our destiny. To this, we say:”
And the entire crew shouted, “Brilliant.”
As the junior member of the crew, Tayla then stepped forward, “To our family and friends, you brought us here with love. You gave us our confidence. And we'll take you with us everywhere. To you, we say:”
And the entire crew shouted, “Brilliant.”
Jack again took the podium, “Attention to orders. Number One, be safe and keep your fellow crew members safe. Number Two, keep our Brilliant and its equipment safe and secure. Number Three, Achieve Mission Success. My Crew, we have a challenging mission to bring home one of our own. I have confidence that this crew can achieve that mission and bring us home to everyone here on Sunday afternoon. Posts.” At that, the members of the crew marched to join their family and friends. “Take your seats and enjoy the dinner that Maiara and her team prepared. There will be a studio photographer present outside the Brilliant for crew and family photos.”
When Tayla and Jennifer reached their seats, their moms were in tears, and some serious hugs were exchanged. “My little girl looks so good in uniform,” Ana said.
“I know, Mom. I just wish I had some jewelry to match,” Tayla said.
“Get over it, Tay. It's a uniform,” Jennifer said.
“You three do look good enough to be in a movie. I just pray it has a happy ending,” Sheila said.
Jennifer took hold of her mom's shoulders. “Mom, I'm going to bring my step-dad back. I'm going to bring my father back. And, this crew is going to bring Brilliant back. I'm sure of it.”
Sheila saw in her daughter's eyes the same look of confidence and surety that she had seen in Anthen's eyes on that night long ago. And it made her even more worried. But all she could do was smile and nod.
Maiara's excellent dinner was consumed with relish, topped off by Hokey Pokey ice cream, a Kiwi favorite. Afterward, the families took photos with Brilliant in the background and then were given a quick walkthrough of the ship. After that, crew and families exited Brilliant. Family and friends exchanged goodbyes with crew members who made their way up the ramp. A few minutes later, the ramp closed. The observers walked back to a safe distance. A persistent hum began and got louder, and then the ship rose, retreated into the twilight, and disappeared.
The moms were standing close together. Sheila asked, “Hanna, you have done this more than any of us. How do you cope?”
Hanna responded, “I remember the last line of a sonnet by John Milton, 'They also serve who only stand and wait.'”
Twenty
Rescuing Anthen
As the Captain did a final walkthrough, he verified that the crew was aboard and in their places for departure and that the families were a safe distance away. The bridge crew logged in to their stations. Jennifer confirmed weapons load.
“First Lieutenant, are all crew members aboard?” the Captain asked.
Maiara responded from the engineer’s office, “The crew is aboard. Belowdecks is secure.”
“Very well. Engineer, raise the ramp and seal the ship.”
“Aye, Captain,” Riley responded. “The ship is sealed.”
The Captain announced, “Make all preparations for getting underway.” It was a signal to strap in. “Ani, do we have clearance from SoCal Tracon?”
“Captain, we have westbound clearance beginning in two minutes.”
“Very well, Ani.
The Captain announced, “Strap in everyone. We are launching Mission 618 to Proxima Centauri. Begin pre-launch checklist. Reports, everyone. Sick Bay?”
“We are ready. The doctors are in,” Dr. Ami said.
“Engineer?”
“All Modes ready. Life support nominal. The ship is space-ready.” Riley reported.
“Pilot?”
“All flight controls responsive. Ready to rock and roll.” David reported.
“Ops, what's our departure profile?”
“Captain, we'll raise the ship to one thousand feet, cloak Brilliant, ascend subsonic at a sixty-degree angle westbound over Malibu to Flight level eight-zero-zero, and then conduct unlimited vertical acceleration to the atmospheric boundary,” Jennifer reported.
“Ani?”
“All systems nominal. Brilliant is ready for launch. Our window opens in fifteen seconds. Ten seconds…”
“Prepare to raise ship, Pilot,” Jack said.
“Aye, Captain,” David said.
“… Five, four, three, two, one.”
“Take us up, David.”
There was a rumble.
“Ops?”
“The ship is cloaked.”
“Very well. Pilot, begin the ascent.”
“Ay, Captain. Em drive engaged subsonic.”
“Forty-thousand feet. We are clearing commercial flight levels,” Jennifer reported.
“Engineering?”
“Gravity drive ready in all respects, Captain,” Riley reported.
“Pilot, on my order, engage gravity drive and accelerate to one-half percent light-speed.”
“Half-percent c, Pilot, aye,” David said.
“Eighty-thousand feet, Captain. Sensors indicate clear space above,” Jennifer reported.
“Very well. Pilot, engage.”
David pushed the T-bar forward.
“Ops, decloak at the Karman Line.”
“Aye, Captain…decloaked at one-hundred kilometers altitude,” Jennifer said.
“Pilot, continue acceleration to point-eight light-speed. Direct us perpendicular to the solar ecliptic. We'll engage StarDrive at one astronomical unit.”
“Point-eight light-speed. Parallel to the solar axis,” David said.
“Ani?
“On track in clear space. Six minutes to StarDrive clearance.”
“This is the Captain, we'll be reducing gravity to moon normal. Unstrap, get your space-legs, and enjoy the view.”
“Engineer, set gravity at sixteen percent.”
“Sixteen percent, Captain.”
Dr. Allen got up from his chair and bounced around. “Dr. Ami, I guess deep down, I didn't believe all this until now. Interesting way to lose weight.”
“That's a common feeling among passengers when we alter gravity.”
“Ani, locate the Mendex.”
“Captain, the Mendex is approaching Proxima Centauri bound for Hoclarth space at 300 c,” Ani reported.
“Set a course to intercept at best speed."
“Captain, at 1800 c, we'll intercept at 2:18 p.m. tomorrow, two hours outbound of Proxima Centauri. We are one minute to StarDrive clearance.”
“Pilot, on Ani's mark, engage StarDrive,” the captain
said.
“Captain, we are clear of solar system gravity. Course laid in.”
“Very well. Pilot, engage.”
“Aye, Captain. We are accelerating through faster-than-light,” Jennifer said. She thought, Just a slight shimmer as we went to light speed.
“Captain?” Jennifer asked.
Navvy responded, “Jennifer, if we showed what you just saw to our audiences, they wouldn't believe it. People pay twenty-five dollars to see a movie; they expect to see magic.”
“Bridge crew, we're going to go three-section watches for the transit. Navvy and I will take the First Watch. Jennifer and Tayla will have the mid-watch in three-and-a-half hours, and Riley and David will relieve the morning watch at 0400. Navvy and I will return at 0800 after breakfast. All hands on the bridge at 1300 after lunch for the approach,” the Captain instructed. “During watch turnovers, review my standing orders and wake me up if even the cockroaches twitch. I have the ship; you are relieved to get some rest. It's been a long day,” the Captain said, and then throughout the ship, “Set Condition Three for underway watch standing.”
A few minutes later, Jack and Navvy were alone on the bridge.
Jack turned the captain's chair to the left and looked at Navvy, “Here we are again, Old Friend.”
Navvy gazed at the star-field, “I wish to have no connection with any ship that doesn't sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way.”
“Isn't that a quote from a John Wayne movie?”
“It was John Paul Jones in the Revolutionary War,” Navvy corrected. “We have a young crew. Are they ready for this?”
“I've seen them in action. The youngsters perform incredibly together. Maybe even better than we used to.”
“Even David?”
“David is growing up. He'll answer the call.”
“Then I guess the only question is: Are we as good as we used to be?”
At eleven-thirty, Jennifer woke up for her first mid-watch as Officer of the Deck. She roused her bunkmate.
“It’s midnight,” Tayla said.
“You can snooze for fifteen more minutes, and then I'll come back,” Jennifer said.
Five minutes later, in her Brilliant jumpsuit and boots, Jennifer began a walk-through of the ship in the sub-deck, to main deck engineering, and up to Sick Bay. “Good evening, Dr. Ami. Is my dad settled in and ready for tomorrow?”
“Jennifer, your step-father is an amazing surgeon. He has fully adapted to the Brilliant Sick Bay. I have already learned much from him. I believe things will go well tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Jennifer went into the Galley for her double-shot caramel Frappuccino and was surprised to find Maiara with a modest spread of sandwich fixings. “You’re up, Maiara. That’s kind of you.”
“The Captain enjoys mid-rats going on or off at midnight.”
“This is nice. Let me rack out my roomie, and I'll come back.”
Just then, Tayla dragged into the Galley carrying a cup of coffee. “Thanks, Maiara.”
“You two have time for a sandwich, and then you mustn't be late relieving your grandfather and the Captain.”
Jennifer fixed a veggie sandwich and then asked, “How did you come to the Brilliant, Maiara?”
“I spent ten years in the Royal New Zealand Navy, went from cook to Supply Corps officer. Then I spent a year in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu. Navvy recruited me to coordinate food service for Tovar Studios and offered me this collateral duty once or twice a year when the Brilliant is underway for more than a day or two.”
Maiara noticed Tayla staring at her tattoo. “My Maori ancestors are the indigenous Polynesians who settled in my country long before the Brits arrived. My chin tattoo is a coming of age signal,” Maiara said. “It's time. You better head up to the bridge.”
The girls finished their sandwiches and delivered their utensils to the automatic scullery. "Thank you. I'm jealous of your beautiful body art,” Tayla said.
“Keep us safe, you two.”
The two girls arrived on the bridge at one minute before midnight. Tayla went directly to Navvy as Jennifer instructed and asked him to take her through the process of relieving the watch as Junior Officer of the Deck.
“Good evening, Captain, Grandfather.” Jennifer walked around the bridge and stopped at each station to familiarize herself with the indicators. She asked Navvy and then the Captain some detailed questions and finished by reviewing the ship’s log, the message board, and the Captain’s standing orders. When she finished her familiarization, she stood at attention before the Captain. “Captain, I'm ready to relieve you.”
“Very well. The ship is underway on a course to intercept Mendex at 1418. Ani is piloting the ship in StarDrive. Sensors are clear. There are no heavenly bodies on our track. Notify me immediately of any sensor alerts or operational communication. Do you have any questions?” the Captain said.
“No, Captain. I relieve you.”
“Very well, the ship is yours.”
“Maiara has mid-rats laid out. I enjoy life underway,” Jennifer said.
“I do too, keep my chair warm.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Jennifer took the captain’s chair with a view of the bridge consoles around her. She moved her hands in the air before her to bring up various tactical and operational displays. Tayla took her seat at the communications console and diligently performed her duties. “Rena and Chrissie want to play tennis Saturday.”
“Better tell them we can’t make it. We won’t be back until Sunday afternoon.”
“What should I tell them?”
“We're on a road trip, and we aren't in SoCal,” Jennifer said. “Tayla?”
“Yeah, Sis.”
“I never thought you had any interest in Brilliant. And here you are a very competent comms officer.”
“Remember the day that you and David were in the simulator?”
“Yeah.”
“I realized that if I wanted to be a part of the future for my best friend and my boyfriend, I had to be a part of their world as well.”
“So, you've spent a few hours on the simulator?”
“Four hours a day for the last three weeks.”
“Woah!” Jennifer said with a surprised look. “It shows. And I keep forgetting that you have a genius IQ as well. Have you selected a major besides tennis at UVN?”
“I'm going to study Spaceborne Instrumentation Engineering with a double in Performance.”
“That’s a heavy course load. Do you have time?”
“Remember when you set me up with UVN access after my sophomore year?” Jennifer nodded. “I'll enter UVN with two years of credits as a junior.”
“Omigod. Tayla, the supernerd,” Jennifer said. “Why haven’t I been informed of this?”
“Jen, you've been so busy becoming a multi-millionaire that this is the first chance this summer that we have had time to chat.”
The girls monitored their watch stations intently, but the girl talk continued for the next four hours.
At 1300, the members of Brilliant’s crew were at their assigned stations.
“First Lieutenant, report?” the captain asked.
“Condition One is set throughout the ship. Crew members are logged in and belowdecks is secure,” Maiara reported.
“Very well. Ani, report all contacts.”
“Captain, there are no contacts. Anticipate acquisition of Mendex on long-range sensors at 1355.”
“Very well, we have a few minutes. Any questions?” There were none. “Ops, we have some time. Could we run through a couple of the scenarios using the Finsler Transition?
“Aye, Captain. Ani, Implement Finsler 1A.”
“Beginning,” Ani said. “Captain, Brilliant is approaching Proxima Centauri, Camdex is behind us. Range one-point-three million kilometers...."
At 1340, the Captain announced, “Good Job, team. I don’t know if we'll have to use those, but we are ready. Take ten and then be back on station. Navvy and I will b
e right back. Ops, you have the deck.”
Jennifer moved to the center seat. “David, are you all right with your dad treating me like the first officer?”
David turned the pilot’s chair to face Jennifer. “Jen, I'm an outstanding pilot and I know I was a real jerk to you the other day. Dad and I discussed this. You are sitting right where you are supposed to be.”
“Thanks, David. Could we….”
“Sensor alert,” Ani said. “Medium range sensors are picking up an active sensor drone.”
“Very well. Engineer, shields up. Captain to the Bridge.”
“Shields are up,” Riley reported.
“Report?” the Captain said as he took Jennifer’s place in the center seat.
“Drone is a Hoclarth Sensor Array. It's unarmed.”
“Very well.”
“Recommend cloaking the ship and diverting course,” Jennifer recommended.
There was a pause. “No. It looks like Kalim was anticipating our arrival. Let’s not disappoint him.”
“Captain, the drone is transmitting on a narrow beam in the direction of the Mendex.”
“Pilot, when we acquire on long-range sensors, begin slowing to match course.”
“Aye, Captain.”
“Engineer, coordinate with the First Lieutenant and run the checklist on the shuttle, operational designation Challenger.”
“Aye, Captain,” responded Riley.
“After we make contact, David and I will take the shuttle over to get Anthen. Navvy seems to think that this exchange will be amicable.”
Riley reported, “Captain, the Challenger is ready in all respects.”
“Very well, Engineer.”
“Jack, I'm the only one who has flown an actual shuttle,” Navvy said.
“David has trained as a shuttle pilot.”
“Captain?” Jack looked into a father’s eyes and realized that a negative answer wasn't an option.
“Sure, Old Friend, you can drive. Try not to hit any potholes.”