Ghost Station (The Wandering Engineer)

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Talk about a fun introduction to democracy and priorities,” Sprite said.

  His lips puckered in a sour tight smile. He was two for two when it came to getting run out of town. Well technically Antigua didn't really want him to leave anymore. He just didn't want to stick around and watch it all burn down around his ears. “It'll work out. Or it won’t. It's up to them now.” He checked the navigational suite one more time. It had been a long time since he had flown solo. At least solo in hyper. He wasn't looking forward to the trip. It would have been nice to of had someone along for the ride, if only to share the duties. He really wasn't looking forward to helming the ship for a week or so each time. A week without a break since none of the AI could handle the helm.

  “Thinking deep thoughts?” Sprite asked.

  “Hmmm...? Woolgathering,” he grunted. He did have someone, Sprite. Several someone’s actually. The Phoenix AI was still growing; only at point oh four build but alive enough to help out a little. But soon he'd have another AI to help out even more, one built from the ground up for this job. In time Phoenix might be as powerful as Firefly or any of the other ship AI that they had started. Hopefully. April would have had a ball in this ship he thought. “Just missing April I guess,” he admitted.

  “April?” Sprite asked surprised. She had thought he was regretting their departure. “Um... I'm sure she's fine. Are we going the roundabout path to Pyrax to check on her?”

  “Hmmm?” he asked, checking their location. They were lined up for the jump point he wanted. He shook his head. “No, I was just thinking of her. I'll send word to her where ever we end up.”

  “Okay. Approaching jump coordinates. Drive is nominal Admiral. Hyperdrive shows ready. Higgs Boson particles are leaking a bit but we've got it covered,” Sprite said professionally.

  “Charge the drive. Course plotted?”

  “Course is plotted,” Sprite responded. She was handling navigation since the dumb AI Phoenix was still settling in. They were setting course for the empty B450a system. The admiral had considered opening Pandora but had eventually rejected the option since it was extremely dangerous.

  B450a led to a string of empty systems and then to the Epsilon Triangula system. If they didn't find a place to fuel along the way they would be bone dry by the time they arrived in Epsilon orbit. That is if they did. A lot could go wrong between here and there after all.

  “Hyperdrive is nominal admiral. Within plus or minus one point four oh percent tolerance,” Proteus reported. “Subspace drive is ready to transition. Bow emitters charging. Life support is nominal. Fusion reactor one and two are functioning normally. I am glad you had the second reactor installed admiral.”

  “So am I,” Irons said. It had been on his wish list. He'd rather have antimatter for the antimatter reactor, but having a second fusion reactor was a good thing. Sure it cut into their limited cargo space, and sure it was only half as powerful as the ship's only primary fusion reactor, but it was good to have a back up. Definitely in this case.

  “Hyperdrive is at ten percent charge and climbing. One percent per ten second interval admiral. We will achieve threshold in approximately fifteen standard minutes,” Sprite reported.

  “Engineering robots are stored admiral,” Phoenix reported. Her voice was a lot like her mother's smooth and professional yet eager. She sounded ready to try out her wings. That was good he thought.

  “Then let's do this,” Irons said with a nod as he took the helm personally. “Engage bow emitters. Take us in when we get to one hundred percent.”

  “Aye aye admiral,” Sprite replied. She checked the calculations once more and then sighed internally. Off again on another adventure.

  The End.

  ñAuthor's afterward:

  Yup, did it again, Irons finds what he wants but has to leave. Don't worry, things will look up soon. Not the next book Plague Planet, but well, let’s just say things get a lot more lively in the book following that one called Pirate's Bane. That is where things start coming together. :)

  I had planned on having this book written and out the door months ago. As a few of you pointed out in the reviews (Yes I do read them) I messed my planned time line up. Let's just say Afraid of the Dark and life got in the way. AD took on a life of its own. Lol

  Plague Planet is going to take a bit of work to get out the door; it's only a ten or twelve page treatment right now. I've been more interested in writing the Jethro sequel so that's mucking me up too. I can't release that book until after Plague planet, but I'm having a lot more fun writing it! Lol In fact you can see a bit of what I'm working on in the Sneak Peek below.

  You can also read more on my progress and missives and see some of the concept images of the aliens and other bits at my blog.

  http://cyberforge3d.blogspot.com/

  ñDramatic Personnel

  Here are some of the people in the Wandering engineer universe.

  Fleet Admiral John Henry Irons: Engineering fleet admiral, possibly the last in the galaxy. At the time of stasis he was 102 years old with nearly eighty years in the service, 70 as an officer. He has 3 doctorates and multiple other degrees, most of them engineering related. He slept in stasis for 713 years missing the end of the Xeno war. He was a bit of a celebrity before and during the Xeno war, having a hand in the design of the first Stargate and one of the Dyson spheres.

  He spent 15 months on Io 11 after being rescued by her crew. He then spent a year in the Pyrax system and then 8 months on Destiny before transferring to Kiev 221.

  Lieutenant Commander Sprite: Smart, sometimes spunky smart AI and central core of Trinity. Serves as his adjunct. She is currently growing and evolving.

  Proteus: Experimental distributed AI based in the admiral's nanites. Serves as his engineering helper and bridge to controlling his nanites.

  Lieutenant JG Defender: Extremely intolerant dumb AI programmed as the admiral's security.

  Phoenix: Semi-smart female AI core of the starship Phoenix, yet to be integrated by Sprite and Proteus.

  IO 11:

  Captain: Crotchety old woman. Hard captain, but beloved by her crew. In her eighth decade.

  Vanessa: Purser of the ship, hard penny pinching witch of a woman.

  Emily: Chief of security and XO of the ship. Blue hair, hard cold temperament. Granddaughter of the captain.

  Lessa: chief navigator.

  Shandra: Chief helmsman. Partner of Jennie.

  Jennie: Assistant chief.

  Faith: Scottish chief engineer. Had been injured just prior to the admiral's arrival. Restored to full health after long time in stasis.

  Io: AI of the ship. First AI created by Sprite.

  Doctor: Female doctor. Mother of Mindy, spent years in stasis after injury.

  Mindy: Teenage goth daughter of the doctor.

  Doctor: Male doctor, shanghaied from Seti Alpha 5. resettled there with wife and child.

  Deidra: Chief pilot.

  Hibiki: Junior pilot.

  Taki: chief load master.

  Leri: chief of fuel.

  In Pyrax:

  Commander Horatio Logan: Former yeoman and enlisted petty officer prior to and during Xeno war. Sleeper, he was awoken over a century prior to the admiral and served as the chief engineer of Anvil space station before the admiral's arrival. Currently the commanding officer of Pyrax.

  1st Lieutenant Junior Valdez: Son of Senior Valdez, former tug pilot turned small craft pilot and later first fighter pilot in Pyrax. Currently acting LT commander in charge of all pilots in the system.

  System governor Walker: Elected governor of the system. Tall, rather good looking and charming. A corrupt politician. One of the conspirators to remove the admiral from the system.

  Marines:

  Major Jersey Forth: Former captain of a planetary militia and then security captain on Anvil before retiring to enter private service. Tough and very good at his job. Recruited into the Marines as a captain but then elevated to Major.

  Captain Pendeck
le: Former 1st lieutenant. Commander of the 1st Agnostan recon detachment.

  1st lieutenant Dana Harley: Former 2nd lieutenant. Later promoted to captain. Second in command of the 1st Agnostan recon detachment.

  Sergeant Jefferson: Former assistant DI of F platoon. Later recon and sniper trainer and full DI.

  Sergeant Brenet: Former assistant DI of F platoon. Later advanced trainer.

  Lance Corporal Jethro Panther: Black Neo panther assassin.

  Gunny Schultz: Neo Doberman, former Drill instructor of F platoon.

  Ensign Valenko Kodiak: Neo grizzly bear corporal, graduate of F platoon bootstrapped to ensign.

  Sergio: Neo white Liger, heavy weapons. PFC.

  Hurranna: Neo lynx/bobcat PFC small, wishes to be a pilot.

  Ox: Last Tauren in the Pyrax system. Engineer, communications tech, and apprentice armorer. Lance Corporal.

  PFC Asazi: former female prize fighting champion. Heavy worlder genes, hard charger. Shooter. She has a broken nose and facial scar.

  Lance Corporal Letanga: Leopard cousin of Jethro. Went through sniper and recon training with Jethro. Quiet, reserved but very loyal. He has a limited cloaking ability.

  Lance Corporal Betty: Neo chimp. Went through F platoon with the others. Also outfitted and trained in powered combat armor.

  PFC Shiku: Arctic white Neofox sniper.

  Senjix: Neocheetah, cousin of Cheetahra. PFC. Excellent scout. Graduate of F platoon like all the other Neos.

  PFC Zebo: Gashg driver. Former member of F platoon.

  PFC Ris'ha: Naga driver. Former member of F platoon.

  Private Shep: Neo Sheppard. Later Sergeant Shep. Head of the Military Police.

  Tungulria: Black Neowolf. The only other neo to have almost the same cloaking ability as Jethro.

  Petty officers Gusterson: Neo greyhound naval corpsman assigned to Valenko's squad as the medic.

  Harley Quinn: PFC Neo Hyena, jokester. Infamous in F platoon for her pranks.

  Lance Corporal Déjà: Selkie. Former slave of the pirates serving as the chief helmsman on Destiny. Now wants to be a marine pilot.

  Others in the system:

  Lieutenant Commander Vargess: Love interest of captain Mayweather. Captain of the Arboth class destroyer Fuentes.

  Fuentes (AI): ancient AI recovered and rebuilt prior to the admiral's departure. The AI had only 1 of 3 cores and was partially insane. Fortunately the AI had been repaired and returned to service.

  Lieutenant Commander Harris: commander, former tactical officer of Firefly. Currently captain of Maya.

  On Firefly:

  Captain (Lieutenant commander) Mayweather: Former XO of the Carib queen, a star Yacht. Rose through the ranks quickly to become captain of the Maya and then Firefly.

  Lieutenant Commander Shelby Logan XO: Daughter of Horatio Logan, formerly his XO on Anvil, recruited as chief engineer of Firefly before taking over the XO slot.

  Commander Firefly (AI): Old AI core of the light cruiser Firefly.

  Janice: 1st Lieutenant, helm and navigational officer. Former helmsman of the Carib Queen.

  Purple Thorn: 1st Lieutenant Elf tactical officer. Former officer on Sun-Yat w/ Commander Logan before transferring to Maya. Served with Captain Mayweather on the Maya.

  Doctor Standish: 1st Lieutenant, chief doctor on Firefly. He is an understudy of Doctor Thornby. He worked at the college before volunteering his services to the navy.

  Riley: sergeant, Marine armorer. Former fitter and blacksmith on Avalon. While traveling to Briev he stopped in Pyrax to become an EVA suit fitter. Brilliant in his job but grumpy.

  Anvil:

  Anvil governor: Enrique Former XO of the station. Tough but pragmatic, politician able to compromise his ideals and honor to get things done.

  Smithy (AI): dumb AI turned “Semi” smart

  Liam O'Reilly: Former assistant chief engineer now chief engineer of the station. Married into the Valdez family. Wife is a life support supervisor.

  Judge Hershey: Junior Judge on the station. Renown for being above corruption and impartial like Judge Farley.

  Judge Farley: Senior judge in the system, he helped to refine the Pyrax Constitution. He's tough, hard on crime and impartial to a fault.

  Sheriff Trac: Veraxin sheriff. Bluff lawman with a love of American Western clothing.

  Lieutenant commander (doctor) Thornby: Reservist. She is the chief medical officer on Anvil and the chief of medicine for the navy. She is a hard worker not above soaking the rich to provide medical care for the poor.

  Valdez family:

  Jorge Valdez: chief tug pilot and owner of the growing tug business.

  Juanita Valdez: No nonsense matriarch of the Valdez clan. Has multiple children of various ages.

  Matilda: Dean of the Anvil college. Has a granddaughter.

  Doctor Jenni Martel: Geneticist and genealogist. She is in charge of attempting to resurrect the fallen sentients.

  Matriarch: Elderly neolion in charge of the Anvil cat clan and the nominally in charge of the Neos in the system. She may be old but she's wise and tough.

  Hrris Leo: Young neolion. Friend of Jethro and the other cats. Has a job as an engineering supervisor on the station.

  Chung Li: Siberian Neo tiger.

  On Destiny:

  Captain Ferguson: Tough civilian captain, one of the original crew of the Destiny. He rose from being a slave and third mate to captain after being liberated.

  Chief engineer Bailey: Balding Neo chimp. Tough, loves martial arts. Smart and independent, friend of the admiral. Wives Galiet, Clennie, Sylvia, sons Fiben, John, and Devin

  Everett: Electronics tech 2nd class

  Bryan Kelley: Medic and owner of several coonies.

  Galiet: Senior wife of Bailey. College student.

  Sylvia: Second wife of Bailey, Bonobo, pregnant with Fiben when Irons leaves Destiny. Bridge officer.

  Clennie: Bridge officer, third wife of chief Bailey.

  Miss Mayfair: Head of the Pyraxian diplomatic delegation. Shrewish woman.

  April O’Neill: Red haired reporter for Knox news with a love of yellow jumpers. Love interest of the admiral.

  On Agnosta:

  Cheetahra: Neo Cheetah medic. Former member of the Anvil cat clan.

  Nana Jersey: Elderly woman, grandmother of Billy and Pidge.

  George Custard: Leader of the Agnosta delegation. Avid reader, mayor, w/ largest book collection on the planet.

  Jim: Delegate, former mayor.

  Chumly: Farmer, aide to other Agnosta delegates. Works as a manager in a store George owns.

  Doc Wallace Waley: Balding Dentist, former pirate slave. Returned to Agnosta on Destiny.

  Maggie Lu Kasey: Friend of Nana Jersey. Former Pirate slave returned to Agnosta on Destiny. Became the outspoken leader of former slaves. In her 20's.

  Vesuvian: A giant adult Vesuvian near the growing space port. Several juvenile Vesuvians from Destiny joined it to form a small colonial forest.

  Briev:

  The Red Queen: Psychotic older power hungry woman.

  Triang:

  Neo cats: A group of neo cats from Pyrax who traveled there on Destiny with the admiral. They are led by Hera and Asia.

  Kiev 221:

  Captain Robert Chambers. Wife Cora: Captain of the Kiev 221.

  Toni Chambers: 17 year old adopted daughter of the captain. Transferred to the station to become a news reporter and anchor.

  1st mate John Henry Warner: Son of the Warners. Named after the admiral. Xo of the ship. He'd been married before his wife left him and the ship over a forced abortion.

  Chief engineer and second mate Quinna O'Mallory: Hard charging Irish woman bent on repairing her ship.

  Yvonne: Assistant chief engineer, mother of deceased Art.

  Esmay Suarez: chief navigator 3rd mate

  Jeremy Blackhawk: chief helm officer, Native American descendant.

  Hir'ruk: Veraxin Chief logistics officer

  M'Runi: Veraxin communic
ations tech.

  Blur: Telerite purser

  Q’Bert: Naga security officer

  Numiria: Neo jackal doctor. Husband is chief of sanitation Neo Hyena Lobo.

  Lieandra:

  Captain Yen ‘Kelly: Veraxin captain. Old, past his prime but eager to help in order to improve his ship and unload some of his excess passengers.

  Antigua Prime:

  Cybers:

  Yan Fu + wife Hishina Fu: Leaders of the pacifist and old guard parties.

  Kenny Kennet: Lawyer, follower of the Fu's.

  Averies: Dilettante and self taught programmer of cybers.