Kiev was the polar opposite of most Terran ship designs. Most Terran ships had an egg shaped field that englobed the ship. The point of the field was at the bow, breaking space ahead of the ship and minimized drag.
Kiev however was laid out differently due to her structural design. She was bow heavy, with most of her mass in front of her normal center of gravity. She also had a broad bow instead of a pointed tapered bow of other ships. She didn't so much slip through space like a knife as she did plow through it.
Using the fields, other ships were about finesse. Kiev was about brute uncaring power. Unfortunately for her crew the ship was underpowered. That tended to matter when you were trying to get around a star system, let alone enter hyperspace.
Now however the ship was a little more than a ghost of her former dubious glory. For the first time in centuries she had half her nominal power and tuned emitters. The tuning was still rough, but it was better than the slap together hash she had before.
After three and a half hours of sims the captain was confident enough to allow Blackhawk to go. “We've delayed long enough,” he muttered, looking around the compartment.
Blackhawk had gone through the battery of sims and come out with a healthy respect of the higher bands. He was wary now, not quite to the point of being jumpy, but now aware that it wouldn't be as easy as he thought it would be. “On your command captain,” he said.
The Captain studied that reply, trying to find a hint of overconfidence or fear but finding none. “Fine then,” he said adjusting the hem of his jacket. “Let's stop pussy footing around and do this for real. Mr. Blackhawk. Bring up the nodes and warm up the hyperdrive.”
“Aye aye captain.”
The crew began the long preflight check list before entering hyper. The captain watched them with fresh eyes. He could sense how eager they were. There was a bit of wariness there, but that was good. Irons was right, he thought grudgingly. The sims had helped work out some of the kinks he'd been dreading. It had also given his bridge crew some experience with the new hardware and helped them learn from it. They were ready. It's a change from the dread they usually had at entering hyper. A nice change.
O'Mallory watched the read outs warily, aware that if something went wrong she'd need every second to get things turned around. She was also aware how tired she was. How exhausted. She really should have let off on that last mission. Or at least caught a cat nap in the four precious hours the captain had delayed to run the sims. But she'd been too busy to consider that. Now there was no time.
Fortunately things were running smoothly. She was surprised by how smoothly and glanced over to the admiral. He was jacked in. Could he be helping out with the transition? It was possible. Certainly his AI had a hand in it. She was sure of that at least.
The hyperdrive spun up to full power. She bit her lip as the discharge levels climbed.
“And we are at one hundred percent. All stations brace for transition. Drive initializing.... on my mark. Three. Two... one... Mark!” Blackhawk said professional decorum forgotten in the heat of the moment.
The ship leapt into hyper. The transition was a bit bumpy, Irons was concerned but the crew around him wasn't. He looked over to O'Mallory but she's busy studying her station readouts. He turned his attention to Jer'uk nearby.
She caught his look and then indicated a second level shrug of amusement. “This? This is normal,” she chittered. She had a wary claw on an oh shit bar just in case though.
“Okay. If you say so,” he said as the trembling started to taper off.
“Inertial dampeners are adapting,” a tech told him. He was surprised that the tech didn't know that would happen. The ride smoothed out over time. They got a bit of turbulence as they move up the octaves to the sweet spot but the crew took it well. In fact they seemed elated the higher they went.
Captain Chambers was surprised by the change. It had taken less than an hour to get up to C. C, something he had wanted to see his ship do, but thought it would never do again. “He did it. The crazy son of a bitch did it!” he murmured as they slipped into the sweet octave and stabilized.
“The hyper collectors are coming online,” Hir'ruk reported triumphantly. If anything would get the miserly Veraxin going it was free energy.
“Reactor is holding steady. Dropping load as we shift to hyper collectors. Twenty percent. Ten percent. We're at idle with the reactor,” Hir'ruk said, sounding pleased.
“And that's that,” Warner said with a grin. The captain caught the edge of it and snorted softly. “Transit time navigation?” Warner asked, turning to the navigator.
Esmay the navigator looked at her readouts and then blinked in astonishment. Mr. Warner cleared his throat to prompt her, startling her out of her befuddlement. Esmay blushed a bit.
“Um, one hundred thirty one point one days,” she said, clearly awed. They had shaved seven and a half weeks off their normal transit time. With the hyper collectors online they were also saving a great deal of fuel as well.
“Wow,” Blackhawk murmured from his couch.
“Doing okay Mr. Blackhawk?” The captain asked.
“Fine sir,” Blackhawk said not turning away from his display. “It's coming a bit faster than before but I think I like it better. It's not as boring.”
“Your shift ends in three hours. Are you okay until then?” The captain asked. Jeremy Blackhawk nodded. “Very well then, carry on.”
“Captain we're getting a concentration of energy off our port side. One hundred thousand kilometers.”
“Steer for it,” the captain murmured. “Let's see if we can pick up as much energy as we can use.”
“Aye aye captain.”
At shift change Jeremy explained to his relief how she handled and then handed the helm off to the secondary station. The helmsman sat there and got used to her as Blackhawk got up and stretched.
“Don't get cute and take your hands off the controls even for a moment. You're stuck in that chair until your shift ends,” he warned Fred.
“Shit,” Fred said, sounding annoyed. He preferred the senior chair, it was more comfortable. This chair had a poor patch job. A tape edge was digging into his side. That was going to be irritating. So much for getting up and jumping over to the good seat.
“I am going to pee and then track down that admiral guy and shake his hand. I think I'll buy him a beer too. Hell, the entire engineering crew deserves one. She's sweet.” Blackhawk grinned.
“Faster,” Fred murmured. He was still getting used to her.
“A lot faster. You've got to be on your toes Fred. Focus.”
“I'm on it,” Fred said.
“Good.”
“I'll join you,” Esmay said, looking up from her station. She slid out from behind the console as her replacement slid in place. “This admiral guy is incredible. I love my new sensors!” she gushed.
“Girls and their toys,” Blackhawk murmured, smiling and wrapping one hand around Esmay to pull her to his hip. She laughed.
“I think you've got the gender mixed up there bucko,” she said pushing him away with a smile. “Food. Beer. I could drink a gallon,” she said stretching.
“Are you okay Mr. Warner?” The captain asked looking at the exec.
Warner nodded. “I think we're good sir.”
“All right then. I'll retire to my quarters. Dismissed with my compliments shift one. Good job everyone,” he said, sounding proud. He got up and walked out. The shift followed him out murmuring amongst themselves.
Esmay checked the computer and tracked Irons down. He was up to his elbows in a project. She wasn't sure what he was doing but it looked important. Blackhawk was ready to interrupt but a look from the chief made him back down. “There is plenty of time Jeremy. Another time,” Esmay said.
“Right,” Blackhawk said with a nod. He glanced back to the working engineers and then back to her. “I thought we had it tough.”
“Everyone is doing their part,” Esmay said, looking back herself. “So
me more than others in some ways,” she said. She thought dimensional math and way point calculations were tough. Sure it was mentally tough but what they were doing? She wasn't sure who had the easier job now. Some of the engineers looked really knackered.
“True. Come on; let's go get that meal and a beer. I'm thinking porridge.”
“I'm thinking a nice syntha-steak myself,” Esmay said picking up the pace as they made their way to the galley. “Screw a salad. I want something with substance.”
“A steak huh?” Blackhawk chuckled, rolling his broad shoulders and turning from side to side as they passed people moving about in the companionway. “Ambitious,” he said. His mouth watered involuntarily at the thought. He hadn't had a decent steak since his last shore leave on New Texas.
“I think it can be arranged,” Esmay said with a grin as she looked at him. He turned and cocked an eyebrow her way. The grin widened. “I just so happen to know that Irons repaired the food replicators in Galley three. Since he did and I found out the code for a steak...”
“Can we get a baked potato too? With corn?” Blackhawk asked, picking up the pace.
“Maybe,” Esmay teased. “If you can get your lazy ass moving faster,” she said.
He reached out to swat the little pixy but she danced out of reach. He rumbled a chuckle and picked up the pace himself.
O'Mallory turned as she heard the click clack of nails approaching her. She caught sight of the jackal doctor and sighed.
“Yes doc?” she asked, leaning against the console behind her. She crossed her arms. “Something I can help you with?”
“No, well, yes. You need to get some rest. All of you. Good work. Now doctors orders. Get some rest.”
“I can't stand all my people down doc,” O'Mallory said with a laugh. “We do have work to do. The ship doesn't run well without someone watching over things.”
“A hand on the tiller I believe is the expression. Agreed. But you dear chief are getting some rest. One shift,” Numiria said, holding a finger up. “Preferably two, but I know you won't be able to be held to that. I'll settle for one at a minimum.”
O'Mallory looked over to her people. The Tauren Torg nodded. She caught Gwen's nod of agreement and then shifted her attention away. Yvonne caught her looking and nodded as well. “Go chief,” she said. “We've got this. Gwen and I'll do fine. Go get some food and rest and I'll enjoy being a pain in the ass in your absence.”
“When aren't you a pain in the ass?” O'Mallory asked, brushing her hair out of her eyes again. “I could use a shower,” she admitted.
“Yeah cause you stink,” Yvonne said, wrinkling her nose. “Git. I'll hold the fort here. If I have a problem I can't handle I'll call.”
“Fine fine,” she said tiredly. She gave the doc an amused look. Numiria nodded as her ears flicked in amusement. “What?”
“That was easier than I expected. Now where is the admiral?” Numiria asked.
“Going to chase him off to bed too I suppose?” O'Mallory asked.
“It's only fair right?” Numiria asked as the first shift crew murmured with the second and then moved off to the exit hatch.
“Now that you mention it yes. It's one way to get the man to slow down so the rest of us can catch our breaths and try to catch up,” O'Mallory mused. “He's all over the place. I think we need to get some downtime and refocus.”
“Good idea. When you're tired like this you get sort of scattered. Fresh eyes chief. Fresh eyes,” Numiria said, rubbing her shoulders.
“Okay. You talked me into it,” O'Mallory said suppressing a yawn. Her last cup of coffee had been hours ago.
“I tell you what. You get some rest and we'll talk in the morning. We haven't had breakfast in ages.”
“Deal,” O'Mallory said, hugging the jackal. The jackal turned her head away and wrinkled her nose. O'Mallory snickered letting go.
“Sorry,” she murmured as the doc waved a disgusted hand in front of her nose.
“No you're not you witch,” Numiria sighed. “You know my sense of smell,” she growled.
“Maybe,” O'Mallory said with a grin as she walked to the waiting hatch. “Just a little payback doc for being a busybody,” she teased.
Numiria's eyes narrowed. “I'll remember that,” Numiria replied. “I'll have to think of something appropriate to wake you up in the morning.”
“Oh there's a thought,” O'Mallory said pausing at the hatch. “You do want me to go to sleep right? Not sit in bed quaking at what you're going to do tomorrow?”
“I can always sedate you you know,” Numiria growled. O'Mallory gave her a mock fearful look. The jackal growled more. O'Mallory laughed and left.
“Pepper in her coffee?” Yvonne murmured to the jackal. Numiria turned to her and then flicked her ears in amusement.
“I was thinking hot sauce myself.”
Yvonne made a face. “Cruel doc. Cruel.”
“I know.”
“Remind me to be there with a camera when you do it,” Yvonne said. “So the rest of the crew can see it. She ran us ragged. She deserves it.”
Numiria stared at Yvonne for a moment and then giggled. “Okay you're on.” She shook her head chuckling as she left.
The next morning O'Mallory came in with a cup of coffee disappointing the waiting crew. She gave Yvonne a wary questioning look. Her assistant gave her an innocent look and then held up her cup of coffee and then pointed to the plate of demolished eggs in front of her.
“Hmmm... we've got eggs?”
“Synthetic,” the assistant answered, pointing to the food replicator. O'Mallory looked from the food replicator to the bored looking cook. She went over to the cook and picked up a plate, loaded it with some fruit and then sat down at Yvonne's table.
“Doc find you yet?”
“She's busy with a radiation case,” O'Mallory answered. She took a sip from her mug. Yvonne looked at it and then away. O'Mallory had nicked the captain's mug a long time ago as a running prank. The captain hadn't twigged to it yet. It was amusing to the engineers to have pulled one over on the stuffy lazy bridge crew.
Not that they were lazy right now. Far from it. Now that they were in hyper the bridge crew had to be on its toes all the time. It was going to be a long one hundred and thirty days to Antigua for them.
O'Mallory smiled as Irons passed her peripheral vision. She picked up a grapefruit and started cutting at the rind, one eye on Irons as he picked up a plate with an orange on it and then went over to the food replicator and ordered a couple of energy bars and a cup of coffee.
“Anyone sitting here?” he asked coming over.
“By all means, sit,” she said, moving over to allow him to pull the chair out. The crew around them looked up but then shrugged it off. Irons had been accepted by the crew.
“Nice that everything is running smoothly,” Irons said as he sat.
“I haven't checked in yet,” O'Mallory admitted. She glanced at Yvonne. “Who's minding the store?” she asked.
“Gwen. She's fine.”
“If you say so,” O'Mallory said with a shrug.
“I checked chief. I know you did when you got up,” Yvonne said. She'd figured out that the chief had a tablet with her that showed her the ship's status.
“Maybe I did,” the chief admitted as she popped a piece of grapefruit into her mouth and masticated it. “Maybe I didn't.”
“Yeah right,” Yvonne said giving her the eye. “Now that you're up I am going to rest. It's been a long twenty...” she turned her head to look at the clock. “Wow, has it really been that long? Twenty nine hour day for me.” She shook her head and looked at the admiral “I don't know how you do it,” she said.
“Practice and necessity,” Irons replied in between bites.
“If you say so,” she said amused. She got up and policed her plate. A few of her crew got up and followed her out. Others stayed and talked quietly.
“No game on?” Irons asked.
“Game?” O'Mallory asked.
“Or show. Galleys sometimes have a vid screen set up in the corners of the room all synched to show the news or a show or a game. Pre-recorded of course,” he explained.
“Oh,” O'Mallory said and then took a sip of coffee as she thought about that. “Interesting. No we don't have that here.”
“Huh,” Irons said with a noncommittal shrug. He went back to eating the protein bar.
“How can you eat that stuff?” Numiria asked, leaning over his shoulder. “It's...”
“Food doc,” he said looking at her. “I've eaten at the best and worst restaurants. I've lived on ration packs for months at a time. It's all fuel to me now.”
“Oh,” she said shaking her head. She smiled to the chief and then went over to the buffet. She picked a ration of bacon but put it back. She picked a piece of chicken up and then went to the food replicator and ordered other things. She came back with a plate of food.
“It's good to be a predator,” she murmured sitting. Irons looked up to her then down to her plate before snorting. “I know I know... it's a lot of protein...”
“I know the drill with Neo’s doc,” he said amused.
“Oh.”
“Radiation case?” O'Mallory asked as the doctor settled in Yvonne's abandoned seat. O'Mallory cradled her cup in front of her with both hands, letting the warmth relax her. She felt good, like all was right for once. It felt strange.
“Radiation. I've got another case. Cancer. Tumors all over. I'm... well we don't have a spare pod...” she sighed.
“Exposure on the hull doc? Or long term exposure?” O'Mallory asked concerned. She really wanted to know who but she didn't want to be down in the dumps all day.
“Since she's never been out I'd say long term. I'm not sure how she got it though. That's the strange thing.”
“Some people are more vulnerable to radiation than others. Genes have more protection but it's finite.”
“Protoplasmic life forms,” Sprite said with a sniff. The others in the room looked around as the bay quieted.
“Sorry,” Sprite said sounding chastened. Irons shrugged it off as people looked his way.
Ghost Station (The Wandering Engineer) Page 18