“Tactical display.” He said aloud, exercising his newborn knowledge. The huge screen flicked to a plotting display, showing distance and range to every possible target. “Cool.” Zed’s eyes got big. “Ship’s status please, Lola.”
“The ship is eighty two percent operational, captain.”
Zed frowned. “Where is the hold-up, Lola?”
“The auxiliary craft, captain. Our current inventory is: twenty five out of thirty seven stealth fighters, one of three cutters, two of three tenders, and three of five stealth scouts. Construction on the frigate is waiting on suitable raw material. Of course we need fuel for all auxiliary craft.”
“We have a frigate assigned to us?”
“Yes, Captain. Two hundred and forty three meters long by fifty five by thirty five, not including sensor or communications pylons, with a crew of two hundred. She will be faster than we are, but have slightly less firepower, significantly less armor and will take six months to construct. At your convenience, we are waiting on a name so that she may be entered into our inventory.”
It just popped into his mind, unasked. “Chesapeake.”
“Chesapeake it is, Captain. For your information, the Captain’s armed pinnace should be completed tomorrow.”
“I have a pinnace?” The immensity of the ship continually stunned Zed.
“Yes, Captain. The pinnace can be flown by one, but can hold up to twenty. Like this ship, it is supra-light capable.”
“Are all the auxiliaries supra-light capable?”
“No captain. Just the pinnace, tenders like the small saucers you saw in the hangar, and of course the frigate.”
Zed took a deep breath. “Lock the pinnace, tenders and when it is finished, the frigate, Lola, and put them under my personal key. Information on drive capabilities is also restricted. Complete current auxiliary construction, but cancel new construction until sufficient material is readily available. Is that clear?”
“Yes Captain.”
“Taking those new orders into consideration, what is the ship status, Lola?”
“Eighty eight percent, captain. We will attain ninety two percent when the ship has been refueled and rearmed. Hydroponics has yet to be finished, and is awaiting planting by the Hydroponics staff.”
The young captain grinned. Francois and Janine Lefèvre, a husband and wife team of French biologists had taken over Hydroponics and were going to have to make a lot of adjustments, as were they all.
“Thank you, Lola. Please return display to standard ahead. How is my young friend doing?”
“Katherine is just fine, Zed. She’s sleeping right now. I haven’t activated her neural implant yet. You might speak to her about it first.”
“I had planned to do that very thing.”
Helen Sutherland looked up as he walked into the Medical Bay, and smiled. “I was waiting for you to show up.”
“Now why would that be?” Zed returned the smile, and looked around the neat area.
“Well the gurney arrived three weeks ago with Katherine on it, and Lola was very secretive, saying only that Kat was to get full neural implants and a memory upgrade.” She frowned. “I didn’t like the sound of that.”
Zed chuckled dryly. “I didn’t like the sound of it either, when I got them. Now it’s not so bad.” He gave Helen a slow wink. “You’ll find out. You’re the next one scheduled for the neural implant and memory upgrade.”
Helen’s blue eyes got very wide. “Why me?”
“Lola has a huge amount of information on human physiology, and the capability of this Medical Bay, and it will all be available to you right…” Zed held out his hand, palm up. “there. Plus you are level-headed, care for people and would make an excellent member of the senior staff aboard this ship.” He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. Helen laughed.
“Oh fine. How long does it take? I’ll have to get a nurse to take over while I’m out.”
“Speak with Lola about it, Doctor. It’s up to you.”
“I should feel honored, but actually all I am is scared.”
“Think of it as a very smart phone in your head. MicroTel and Veran were developing neural implant phones when I left Earth six months ago.” He stopped. Had it really been that long?
“If you say so.” Doctor Sutherland gave him a dubious look. “Your friend is this way.” She waved to an open door.
The lights in the room had been dimmed slightly, and in repose, Katherine looked even younger than her thirteen years.
Kat opened her emerald eyes very slowly, and gave him a sleepy smile. “Hi Zed. What are you doing in my roo…” Her eyes widened, and Zed touched her shoulder.
“You’re in the Medical Bay, Kat. You’ve been here for three weeks.” He heard her breath catch.
“Am I sick or something?”
His smile widened. “Nothing like that. I had Lola give you a neural implant, and a little memory upgrade.” Her eyes became even wider. “Please say hello, Lola.”
There was light laughter from Katherine that sounded strangely like silver bells.
Although she didn’t move her head, Zed could feel her regarding him.
Zed felt a warm flush of embarrassment tinge his own cheeks.
Zed could read the note of dismissal in Lola’s tone.
Kats thoughts followed him out of the door.
Ten humans were gathered on the bridge. The display on the huge screen hadn’t changed much from the night before; the stars were different, but they all looked the same. Zed sat down in the command chair. “The time has come, the walrus said, to speak of many things…” He chuckled dryly. “That’s an apt quote as we go through the looking glass. It’s time to deal out the jobs. Although I’m the Captain. Lola actually runs and guides this ship. I make suggestions from time to time.” His eyes shifted. “Alina DeThomaso. You’re going to have to do double duty. I’d like you as primary Tactical Officer in addition to primary Auxiliary Pilot. Can you do it?”
“I can do it.” The former Mission Commander said slowly. “But Mike,” She nodded to the wide shouldered Marine at her side. “is a better shot, and better at the math than me.”
“Would that be acceptable to you, Mister Flaherty?” The Marine’s eyes were unreadable, but the corner of his mouth twitched up in the ghost of a smile.
“That would be acceptable Captain.”
Alina frowned. “What sort of a vessel are we to pilot, Captain?” There had been a number of awkward moments as the American astronauts began to integrate into the Rose of the Dawn’s crew. Zed had been afraid, for a moment or two that his new Russian Security Forces would have to put down a mutiny. He was more than happy to be wrong on that count, and as a sign of appeasement, a number of his bridge staff were now former NASA personnel.
“The vessel you will be flying is two hundred and forty three meters long with a crew of two hundred. She will be faster than we are, but have slightly less firepower and armor and will take six months to construct. Her name is the Chesapeake, and her classification is frigate.” He smiled thinly. “She will have more firepower available to her than all Earth’s navies and spacefleets combined, but…” He gave her a hard look. “Don’t even think of trying to steal her and fly back to Earth. Lola will actually be flying the ship, not you. You only tell her where to go.”
Alina gave him a wide-eyed look of total innocence. “The thought never crossed my mind, Captain.” Beside her Michael Flaherty chuckled.
“Good. You’re secondary and Mike is primary Tactical Officer. He is secondary Auxiliary Pilot, and you are primary Auxiliary Pilot. Suit?”
“Yes Captain.”
“Next, Astrogation. Lucy Hollingberry. You have a degree in Astronomy from Cambridge, in the United Kingdom. Want the job?”
“Yes Captain.” The willow slender blond haired woman replied, in a soft scouse accent from her Liverpool home. She gave him a shy smile.
Zed returned the smile. “Good. It’s yours. Engineering.” Although Arnav Kashyap and Reyansh Dayal, both graduates of the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, were unmarried, they were very much a couple. “Arnav and Reyansh. You’re the best trained Engineers we have, and this is probably the most important job. Keeping the ship flying. I realize that you will need bigger staffs and I’ll do what I can, but do you want the job?”
The two glanced at each other with bright eyes, and turned back to Zed. “We would like the job, Captain.”
He gave them a wink. “Good. Life Sciences.” He glanced to the rear of the room where Doctor Sutherland was standing in a shadow. “I suggest that you head up Life Sciences, Doctor. I’d like to recommend Randolph Smythe from the British contingent aboard Europa Base, and NASA’s Sarah Wood as your assistants.”
The doctor hesitated in the shadows for several long moments before she came into the light. “Thank you Zed.” She said slowly. “I think.” Her smile was wry. “Randy and Sarah would be perfect for Life Sciences.”
“Lastly I would like Atsuo Tanaka and Li Tong to be Physical Science Officers.” The man and woman glared at each other. “Is there a problem?”
Tanaka spoke first, her eyes snapping. “He is Chinese. I do not work with Chinese.”
“I do not work with Japanese!” Li retorted sharply, a look of disgust on his face.
Zed glared at the two. “Did either of you, or your parents ever offend the other?”
“No… but…” Tanaka began.
“Answer the question.” Zed growled.
“No Captain.” The small Japanese woman looked at the floor.
“No Captain.” Admitted Li also looking at the floor.
“Then you will work with each other.” The corner of his lips rose microscopically. “I will condone no bloodshed on the bridge… but what you do to each other in the gym is another story. Just make sure that you both can get to work. Clear?” The man and woman nodded slowly.
Zed let out a long sigh. He had a crew, kind-of. “Ladies and gentlemen. Would you please take your seats?” When Katherine went to sit in the chair beside Zed, Helen hissed a warning. Zed grinned. “Is there a problem, Doctor?”
“Kat shouldn’t be sitting there.” Helen whispered loudly.
Zed gave her a wide eyed look. “Why Doctor, where else is the First Officer going to sit?” At Helen’s stunned look he continued. “She’s the only PHD Astrophysicist aboard.” He heard a low buzz around the bridge. “This is just an initial familiarization folks. As you can all see, there are no controls at your various stations. All actions are controlled by Lola, the ship’s AI via a neural implant.” A number of nervous glances turned his way. “Both I and my First Officer have such implants, and Doctor Sutherland has agreed to schedule herself for the procedure. If you are worried about Lola, she is exquisitely courteous, and would never dream of eavesdropping on your thoughts, would you Lola?”
“Certainly not YOUR thoughts, Zed. YUK…” Lola’s low contralto murmured out of the air. Low laughter rippled around the room and the tension dissolved.
Mike’s eyes appeared to be glued to the display. He shook his head.
“Even for our first trial using the new implants that was moderately disappointing.” Zed said aloud. “Begin next simulation Lola.”
Twenty simulations later Zed called it quits for the day. The bridge crew was exhausted and he didn’t know about the others, but he had a s
plitting headache.
“We will be.” Her voice was calm and he could feel her confidence radiate through him.
“I’m glad you think so.” He stood and stretched his stiff back, looking around. Everyone else had already departed. “I could really use a soak in a hot tub.” His voice was wistful.
“We can’t always have things we’ll never…” Kat began.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but there is a hot tub just off the Captain’s private pool.” Lola didn’t sound sorry.
“I have a private pool, in a space ship?” Zed was stunned. “And a hot tub??”
“Yes Captain. I was wondering why you never used the Captain’s quarters. They are quite spacious.”
“Ahhh, I just picked the first quarters I came to. It had a bed and a dresser. It was enough.” Lola made a strange sound that was very much like a human sigh. From the tears running down her cheeks, Kat appeared to be laughing.
“You are currently sleeping in cadet’s quarters, Captain.”
“Lola could you please direct me to my correct quarters?” A small illuminated ball appeared in the air in front of him.
“Follow the bouncing ball, Captain. I will transfer First Officer Johansen’s personal effects from her current quarters in the ensign’s rooms, to the suite adjoining yours.”
Zed watched the flush crawl up Kat’s fair face. “Thank you, Lola.”
“You’re welcome, Zed.”
He looked at the young woman by his side.
Kat hesitated.
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