"Reporting as ordered Captain. Do you need something fixed?" Jennie asked, brandishing her toolbox and tossing the Captain a jaunty salute with her free hand.
The Captain smiled. "I wanted to hear how you three are doing. It seems we have you to thank for a lot of our miracles on board lately," her gravely voice had a hint of approval in it. Jennie blushed. The Captain glanced at the guard. "You can go Tara. He's safe enough with us."
Tara glanced at her boss, then came to attention and about faced out of the compartment. The Chief's face became wooden. "So, you were recalibrating the starboard sensors?" the Captain asked, ignoring the Chief.
Jennie nodded. "Well, trying too. We really need to get a buoy out to do it right." She blushed a little then glanced up at the engineer who nodded.
"That's the best way to do it in the field with the equipment on hand. Once we get it sorted out at fixed distances we can calibrate it to the moons and planets in the system using the database as a reference," he explained. Of course he left out the part where they would probably have to replace a lot of the sensors. Jennie bounced a bit. "We have a buoy on the list, but it's not a priority. We were talking about working on the next project until the list gets to it."
Molly winced. "It's quite a list. Going to be a while," she looked apologetically to the engineer who shrugged.
"I expected it. We might get away with using the shuttle craft," he said.
One of the women looked up. "What do you mean?" she asked coolly.
He shrugged. "Use it in place of the buoy. Send it out at a fixed distance. We have the specs on file, so we can use it to do a rough calibration," he explained. She nodded.
"Is that a what do you call it, squid?" Molly asked.
Jennie looked over to the open hatch door. "No, it's an epsilon octopus. Well, technically, it isn't an octopus since it has a dozen arms instead of eight." It felt good to know something someone else didn't.
She watched the creature flit about in the air. "How is it moving?" Molly asked, watching it.
"Are those spikes?" Another girl came in following Molly.
Another followed. "What are you watching?" she asked. The octopus creature settled on the projected ocean floor and changed color and texture.
"Hey where did it go?" the last one asked bewildered.
The Admiral came in behind her. "Checking the alien archives?" he asked with a smile. He nodded to Molly and Jennie. Jennie nodded and switched the holo projector off.
"So what was that?" Trisha asked.
"Epsilon octopus. Well, not really an octopus, but you get the idea," Jennie explained as she took her seat. She looked up to the Admiral who nodded.
"They're...excuse me," he sighed in familiar pain. "They were," he emphasized the were. "were a sentient water dwelling species, one of five in the Federation."
The girls looked amazed. "Like the Dolphins and Ssilli?" Molly asked.
He nodded. "They were quite amazing actually; some may still exist in oceans of the colonies...if they ever made it there."
He grimaced.. "They were primitive tool users when the Telerites found them. Apparently an illicit trading outpost was established. We didn't hear about it until the Ssilli got wind of it. They weren't happy,” he said ruefully. He shook his head rueful.
"Why?" one of the girls asked.
"Well, we, excuse me. The Federation had just passed the prime directive, which means any species not of a certain level of civilization should not be contacted, and not given technology above their current level."
He walked behind the desk and set a tablet down. He pulled out a computer module. "Interestingly enough, the Telerites didn't know they were sentient for years, only when one of the water dwellers came out of the water with a spear did they even take notice." He shook his head chuckling softly. "The octopi are like the Terran octopi. They can change their skin color and texture. Each of their arms is a decentralized neural network, capable of rudimentary decision making. They could do a lot, but when action was required like moving, the central neural network and cerebral cortex could override them."
He tapped the computer. "That brings us neatly into our current lecture, the decentralized computer systems on this ship... now, shall we begin?" Some of the girls nodded, others groaned softly. He chuckled. "It's a bit hard to understand to a layman, so we'll take it one step at a time. As we go through the material, some of you will take on a knack for different aspects of it, and can focus on them, becoming specialists."
The hologram came up with a list of specialties. It scrolled. "All that?" Molly asked amazed.
"All that and more, these are just the skill sets for a ship, there's actually much more," he said as they groaned. He waved the projector away then leaned forward. "To be an engineer you need to be a dilettante, or in the layman's terms a jack of all trades, master of none."
He picked up the computer. "For some of you, that's what you'll take from these courses, a little of each, enough to understand the basics." Text began to scroll on the hologram. "Computers break down into two essential things, hardware and software," he said, swinging into lecture mode. He tapped the computer. "Hardware. All of you now have had some experience with repairing it." He waved to the scrolling text. "Software. Now, let’s get down to basics."
The hatch opened and the girls entered. They crunched through the debris on the floor then paused. "What is that?"
"Oh pretty!"
"Sparkly!" Trisha eased a girl to one side then looked around.
The engineer, Jennie, and Molly followed. "All right ladies, this is the central computer, the cerebral cortex of the computer." He waved to the civilian gear haphazardly plugged in.
"What is all this glitter?" Trisha asked, brushing some off her coveralls.
"That's crystal lattice, the hardware substrate for holographic memory cores," he answered. He picked up a pinch then let it go, watching as it fell.
"Why is it dust?" Trisha asked then sneezed. "Sorry."
"Bless you." one of the girls said.
"When the ship was damaged beyond self repair the Captain ordered a purge. That means the AI, and all military data were wiped, then their containing hardware self destructed," Irons explained. He looked over the computer core. The crystal was gone; cables snaked in to replace it.
"We don't have the ability to build a new core from scratch, we have to be on a station to do that, but we can work up a lower tech replacement. We have to wait until we're out of hyper before we can do this. We can't plug it into the net till we're out of hyper, but we can set it all up and have it ready. We're going to completely rebuild the core."
Molly nodded. "All right, Trish, release the robots, get them cleaning. You two over there, start sweeping. You get the vacuum. The sooner we get this cleaned and cleared, the sooner we can start plugging the hardware in!" Molly looked around. Some of the girls were jumping into action; a few were looking at her bemused. "Well? What are you waiting for! Let’s move it!" she demanded. She clapped her hands together. Even the Admiral moved. She grinned.
The life pod bounced off a bulkhead and the girl pushing it cursed. "Hey watch it!" The lead girl turned angrily.
"Well excuuuse me! Why don't you watch your end!" the black girl's hands curled into claws. "What did you say?" the other snarled.
"Girls girls!" Molly waved them down. She smacked the life pod between them. It bobbed up and down on its antigrav. Both girls stopped and looked at her. "Now that I have your attention..." She pointed. "I believe we have a job to do?"
She pushed at the pod. The lead blond got hastily out of the way. She fended the end off, pushing it back. "Okay a little more, to your left, no your other left!" Molly called.
The purser came around the corner and they managed to stop before running her down. "And just what do you think you’re doing?" she demanded, looking them over.
"Recycling, now if you'll kindly move," Molly motioned her aside.
Vanessa pulled herself up straight. "I'll do no suc
h thing; I'm going to trade that in Pyrax!" she growled. She motioned to the life pod. "Kindly put it back."
The girls looked at each other. "No, we're going to recycle it. We need the materials. Don't worry, we'll make more later," Molly said firmly. Molly motioned to the girls to move it around the purser.
The purser blocked their way. "Oh I don't think so. First you take seven hundred kilograms of my raw material, then some of the grain, the parts we had, and now this?" She slapped at the life pod. "I'm telling the Captain!" her voice rang with triumphant wrath.
"You’re going to tell me what Vanessa?" the Captain's gravelly voice made them all stiffen.
"Um, ah that is, did you know about this nonsense?" The purser motioned to the engineers and life pod.
The captain's lips smiled thinly. "Why yes I did, in fact I authorized it." Vanessa gawked at her. The Captain studied the pod then the girls. "Carry on." She turned her attention to the purser.
"But Captain!" Vanessa whined.
The Captain sat back, eyebrow cocked. "Yes?" The purser recognized the signs, she wasn't going to get anywhere with this argument. "Very well," she sulked.
"Vanessa, with the materials from that pod, we can rebuild an entire shield node!" Molly replied over her shoulder. "Buck up will you?" she called as the rounded a bend.
"Hey watch it!"
"Sorry!" the girls called.
The Captain shook her head. "Kids these days, finding all sorts of things to play with." She turned her gaze to the purser.
"Vanessa, I don't believe you've become fully acquainted with our changed situation, perhaps you should tour the replicators and get a better idea," she said suggestively. The purser shuddered. The captain's eyes narrowed. "In fact I insist on it. Today." She nodded in the direction of the girls. "Now," she pointed a gnarled hand towards where the pod was going. The purser mumbled something then followed the girls.
"Admiral, this you have to see." He heard the burble of laughter lingering in Sprite's voice. Sometimes he wondered about her programmers, her human emulation was pretty good.
"All right, give," he said. A web page popped up on his HUD. "What am I looking at?" he asked as he stowed his kit.
"Oh, just this..." She highlighted a section of text.
"Win a date with the Admiral...." he read out loud. "WHAT?" he said, then looked around as some of the crew looked up. "As you were," he growled then turned. "Sprite, what the hell?" he asked, dropping his voice to a fierce whisper.
Sprite dialed down her mirth. "It seems you've been nominated to date a crew member if they win a contest," she replied. He growled darkly at the thought.
"And who put me up to this?” he demanded." He wasn't sure, but he thought he knew.
"The purser, with the moral officer," Sprite replied.
He sighed and closed his eyes, counting to ten. "Has anyone else seen this?" he asked when he got to ten.
"Why yes, now that you mention it, the traffic to it was what caught my attention," Sprite responded.
He grunted in irritation. "Great, just great," he muttered darkly.
A girl walked by and grinned. She twirled around, keeping him in her view, and then moved on. "See you later Admiral," her tone and grin were mischievous.
"I feel like a piece of meat," he grumbled. He looked over to a group of girls giggling and glancing up to him. "Great. This crap again. Get me the purser," he ordered.
"Oh but Admiral, it's great for moral, and besides, it's one heck of a motivational tool, work throughput is through the roof!" she said with a grin. He ground his teeth. The purser had done her dance, and then passed him over to the moral officer. "Besides, the Captain has already approved it!" she said. It didn't help that he liked the lady a lot better then he did the credit minded purser. He fought a grimace. "Did any of you stop to consider what I would say or want to do?" he growled.
She stopped blubbering enthusiastically and blinked at him. "Well, you don't have to growl about it. Sheesh," she said. He glared. She wilted. "Okay, so we forgot one little detail."
He continued the glare. "Okay okay, we didn't think you would approve so we went around you," she said contritely.
He growled. "If I go through with this... crap... Damn, I am a Federation Fleet Admiral, one hundred two years old and you want me to date teenagers?" he snarled it, slamming his hand onto her desk. She eeped, jumping back. "Oh, I forgot about that. But you’re a celebrity! Besides, you’re so handsome, everyone wants to date you... You could have your pick of the crew..." she said suggestively.
He grimaced at the thought. "Precisely why an officer doesn't." He shook his head.
"It's one date. Pick her up at her quarters, dinner and a show, dance with her, and then take her for a walk to her quarters," she said. She looked him over. "You can do it, if we can get you away from engineering. I'm sure it'll be good for you," she said soothingly. He sighed. She knew she had him. "Besides, the Captain said to do it."
He glared. "I can do without you twisting the knife," his lips writhed. "I hate dressing up," he admitted.
She glared affronted. "But... but, you don't expect them to see you all dressed up in a grimy coverall do you? This is a date!"
He grunted, tempted to show up just like that. "Yes, one you and your cohorts are blackmailing me into," he glared.
"I don't like extortion, and I like extortionists even less," he growled.
She seemed to wilt a little. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." She twisted her hands together.
He grunted. He fully intended to take it out of her hide later. In such a way that both she and Vanessa squealed like stuck pigs and never did something like this again. "Okay. Let me know who wins. I will do this once, but you’re going to pay for it," he growled. He locked his eyes to her she squirmed.
"Well of course, the meal is going to be on the ship's tab..."
He shook his head. "No, for my participation, I am exacting a price. A high one you will pay."
Her chin quivered. "Okay."
He nodded. "I'll hold you to it."
He smiled as he took a bite. "What's in this?" he sub vocalized later that week.
"Do you really want to know Admiral?" Sprite responded. He looked over to his dinner partner. She was a svelte blond, dressed in a black mini dress open from her neck to her navel, with a matching open back. It sparkled in the dim lights of the wardroom.
A girl played a song on a newly made violin. He winced as she hit a sour cord. "Oh, just a little Yohimbine and a few other assorted ingredients..." He took another bite and then toyed with his fork. Organic chem wasn't exactly his strong area.
"And that means?" he asked.
"Oh, an aphrodisiac."
He grunted in irritation. "Not this crap again!" He set the fork down. His date looked up.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked, eyes worried.
He shook his head. "No um.. There is an intermittent fault in the net, it just went down again," he said, dodging the question. It wasn't right to take his ire out on her, she was innocent in this. Well, somewhat, he thought.
Her eyes widened at that. She looked around. "How do you..."
He smiled at her curiousity and tapped his temple. "Implants," he explained. He wiped his mouth with the napkin. "I'll have to see to it in an hour or two. Now, where were we, you said you grew up on Halced 6?" She nodded. "One of the moon colonies around the gas giant right?"
She looked excited at his interest and knowledge. "You've been there? It has this majestic view..."
He tried to hide the limp as he escorted her to her quarters. His pair of guards followed discretely behind. "Oh I had such a marvelous time!" the girl said, swinging on his arm a bit. The girl was slightly tipsy, and clutched at his arm as if in need of support. She rested her head on his arm. He noticed she had taken the long circular route to her cabin, making sure everyone up could see them together.
His left foot hurt, despite being a prosthetic. Her foot work on the dance floor left a lot to be de
sired. Proteus cut the pain sensors and then reset them again. "And here is your cabin...” He stopped them at her cabin and touched the entry button.
The door opened and she giggled, swaying. "Now, aren't you going to come in for a nightcap?" she asked giggling. He tried to hide a sigh.
A throat cleared behind him. "Admiral, you need to repair the network on deck two... It went down again," Tara, bless her cut in diplomatically.
He sighed theatrically. "Duty calls my dear," he said and then kissed her hand. She blushed and giggled.
"Why thank you Admiral, thank you for a most memorable evening!" She giggled again, swaying. "And thank you lass for a delightful evening as well," he murmured. He bowed and stepped back. The door tried to close but stopped when it bumped into her nose. She reeled back a little then giggled again.
"Good night," she slurred and waved as she weaved into the room.
He sighed as he turned and made his way down the corridor. "Thanks Tara, I owe you one," he murmured to her as he passed. "Think nothing of it Admiral, you didn't need another hussy chasing you, you did your duty enough as it is," she said softly. He nodded.
"Okay ladies, let’s go fix a computer, then I'm off for bed." He rolled up his sleeves and went to work.
"I hear you had a... stimulating evening..." the Chief said maliciously.
He scowled a bit then shrugged. "It was entertaining. I don't like taking a night off though, and I hate to dress up." He hefted a broken motherboard. "I guess I'm a born techie at heart," he said. She sniffed and shook her head. "Glad it's over," He said finally.
"Well, I hear that you’re up for another one next week..."
He looked up startled. "Next week??!?" His voice rose an octave.
She chuckled maliciously. "I think not," he growled after a moment.
"Want me to crash the moral officer's net?" Sprite asked helpfully. He nodded. "Done. And the purser's too," she said with a grin. He smiled.
The Chief waved. "Have fun... Admiral," she had to lay that snide barb in as a departing shot.
New Dawn (Wandering Engineer) Page 17