Jennie looked up and over the tablet. "I'm not sure, let me check with Molly." She froze then her face falls into sadness.
He sighed feeling a pang of remorse. "I wish we could," he said softly. She patted his arm.
"I... I mean." He pulled her to his chest. She sobbed. "I miss her so much!" she cried.
He sighed. "Me too, me too."
Trisha came in, took in the scene and nodded. “I just finished the repairs on the port side," she said softly, handing the Admiral a tablet. Jennie's sobs softened then stopped. She squeezed him once more, and then separated, wiping her eyes. Trisha handed her a hanky. She mumbled thanks.
"Doctor to Jennie and engineering?" They looked up to the overhead. The voice sounded tired but elated.
"Go ahead doc. What can we do for you?" Jennie said, wiping her eyes.
"I wanted to let you know, we finished the last surgery with Faith, she's out of cryo and resting comfortably," the doctor said softly.
The Admiral smiled. "That's good news doc. When can she have visitors?" Irons asked as the girls around her broke into smiles and cheers. He looked up anticipating a response.
"Not for a shift or two," they could hear exhaustion dripping in his voice.
"Sounds like you need it more than the patient. Good work doc, get some rest," Irons said.
The doctor's tone changed. "Giving medical advice without a doctor's permission?" they could hear the smile in his tired voice from the tone. Jennie giggled a watery giggle.
Trisha smiled. "I think you could use it doc, you sound like you just tried to chase the Admiral around for a round the clock bender," she said making a face. They all chuckled at this.
The Admiral spread his hands apart and tried to scowl, but couldn't hold it. "What can I say?"
She smiled. "Nothing if you know what's good for you."
The doctor chuckled. "All right, I'll get some rest since we have a good staff here now,” he said. "Good night doc, and thanks," Jennie said, looking up.
"Admiral I was wondering about something..." Jennie asked him as they examined the ship's status. He nodded to Jennie. "I was wondering about the replicator. You said in class that replicators lock out weapons and other restricted things," she said. He nodded warily. He could tell where this was going.
"Not good," Sprite said.
"How did we make the guns and grenades?" Jennie asked. She looked at him. He thought about dodging the question then sighed.
"Well, as a military officer I have some keys that unlock some restricted tech," he said.
She nodded. "Oh." She looked over to the others some distance away. "I thought so. And you want to keep that a secret right?" she asked. She looked at him with innocent eyes.
He sighed. "Yes. You hit the nail right on the head," he replied. He turned and checked the status of the drive.
"Thanks for trusting me," she said. He looked over to her. She smiled.
"If the Captain keeps to the previous circuits the ship has traveled in the past, we should be making port in the Pyrax system," Sprite pulled up a star chart and projected the ship's circuit in red. "We have one agrarian colony Gaston, then Pyrax,"
He studied the graphic. "What do we have on Pyrax, anything current?" he asked. He vaguely remembered the system, it had once had a thriving space industry, and he had passed through it in a brief lay over.
"Accessing. Got it, according to the Purser's journal, the system has a series of small space colonies and one mining station," Sprite reported. Text scrolled in a small window on his HUD. "The habitable planets were destroyed in the war, only a few small mining colonies and the mining station survived. The government is city state. The ship makes port at the central station. The commander is a port Admiral. According to this he's very corrupt and vile."
Sprite highlighted the indicated text for a moment then began scrolling again. "Other ships make port in the system, and from the records the Captain has identified a dozen derelict ships for possible salvage," she said.
He grunted. "Not bad. What about the station?"
He watched as she scrolled the log. "It's big, with over fifteen thousand people on it. Self sustaining hydroponics, limited industry. They can make parts; apparently they trade crude components to passing ships for goods. They also charge a substantial port fee," Sprite's head shook. "It seems the Purser isn't happy about the exorbitant price of docking," she said dryly. He chuckled.
"That looks like a good place to get off," he said. He nodded as Sprite closed the text window.
"May I ask why Admiral?" her virtual face looked expectantly at him.
"Because it's a crossroads. We also may get some materials there, and it looks like it's serving as a seed to restart civilization. Let’s see if we can jump start it a little," he replied.
The head nodded. "But we're doing that here right?" she asked. He shrugged.
"Call it itchy feet, call it self preservation. Eventually the Captain or Chief are going to think we've outgrown our usefulness and try something we'll all regret," he replied.
Sprite nodded. "Good point. I accessed the ship's roster, there's an entry that Rodriguez boarded there, and she may have relations you can use as contacts," she said. He nodded.
"So, how long are you going to keep him around to make him suffer?" the Admiral asked the Captain as she watched Bart's latest tantrum.
"I dunno, he's a handful, but entertaining."
He chuckled. "Well, every court does need a jester," he said.
She turned and looked up to him with twinkling eyes and a small smile. "There is that." She gave a regal nod then returned to watching Bart and the guards. He was on the floor on his knees, wailing.
"Still, having what, two guards watch him every shift is a bit of a waste of man...excuse me, woman power," the admiral said. The Captain gave an um hum grunt.
"You have a point. I think we can dispense with his services and drop him off at the next colony," she said.
He gave her a look as she turned. "I understand Gaston is a dirty agrarian colony, they just pulled themselves up to farming a few years ago. I suppose they could use a little more help in the fields," the admiral said.
Bart caught that part and paled. "You don't mean it do you? I can finally leave this hell?"
Her grin turned evil. "Not a problem young man, as long as you behave. Step out of line again, and you'll only see land from the airlock," she growled.
He cowered back, eyes wide. "I'll be good!"
She turned locking his gaze to hers. "See that you do." Then turned back to the Admiral and gave him a wink. He managed to keep a straight face as she passed.
"Does the planet have any satellites?" the Admiral asked Sprite as he washed up. They were on their way to Gaston and he wanted a better brief.
"If by satellites you mean debris, then lots of them Admiral," Sprite commented dryly. A graphic appeared on his HUD. The planet was pock marked with craters. Most of the landmass was gray or light green; only around the equator were there signs of strong plant growth. "The data I'm observing from my tap on the ship's sensor network isn't good Admiral. Accessing," she paused.
"Got it. I cross referenced the data in my files with current specs. There are two missing moons, and the planet has shifted," she said darkly. A computer outline of the planet and moons were overlaid on top of the live feed. "The debris fields match two of the missing moons."
He looked up into the silvered mirror. "The planet moved?" he asked. He shook out the wash cloth.
"Aye Admiral, the destruction of the two moons, and orbital bombardment of the debris shifted the planet's orbit. According to the spectral analyzer there are faint signs of volcanic activity,” she said. He shook his head at the thought of living on that hell hole when the moons blew up. "Admiral, based on my calculations over twenty more pieces of debris will impact the planet in the next one hundred years."
He grunted. "Well, we'll have to see if we can do something about that right?" He tossed the washcloth on the si
nk and went to work.
Chapter 15
"Okay easy there, bring your end up twenty centimeters Bridget..." the crew boss called as he checked in. She was on the port engine nacelle, overseeing the replacement of the shredded thruster. "Down a little Tamera, one centimeter to go."
Sprite suddenly focused his vision and zoomed into the scene and one of the astronauts. "Freeze!" he said. The crew froze. "Tamera, where are your fingers?" he growled.
She looked up at him then down to her hand. "Uh... I can't get a grip anywhere else," she said.
He sighed. "Kid, keep your fingers there and you will lose them. Of course the doc can grow you a new set in a couple weeks..." he said suggestively.
Hastily she jerked her hand out of the gap. "What was she doing?" the crew boss asked.
"About to crush her hand between the thruster and the wall of the acceleration chamber," Irons answered. He couldn't help keep the reproving tone out of that.
"Oh." He watched them start to drift. "Tamera, use a gripper. Keep it out of the gap." He watched as the girl got out a gripper and fumbled it. It floated away. She cursed and tried to lunge for it, hitting her knee on the thruster. The thruster bucked up, drifting. He grimaced.
"Oh shit!" the crew boss said. "Great! Thanks a lot! Tamera, you don't think!" she snarled into the comm. channel.
He sighed. "Chief, I think you may need to call it for now," he suggested.
She snarled. "With all due respect Admiral, let me manage my girls."
He cocked an eyebrow up in surprise. "All right, I'll take my nose elsewhere. Good luck." He turned and left.
"Well, that was rude," Sprite commented.
He shook his head. "Not really, I was out of line. She's right, it's her job. She just needs to keep a better eye out for hazards."
Sprite plotted a course on his HUD. He followed it instinctively. "They're growing up," she said softly.
"That they are. That they are."
"You think they don't need you anymore Admiral?" Sprite asked.
He smiled. "It's almost time to mosey on."
"You’re proud of them,” she observed.
He nodded. "They've come a long way in a short time," he said softly watching a work crew bringing in another asteroid off his port, while another crew worked on the hull in front of him.
"Pyrax sounds like a good new challenge," Sprite commented softly.
He smiled. "Yup."
"Heads up, on your six Admiral," she warned him a moment later. He maneuvered the OMS pack and dodged to the side as the crew came up behind him with the spar. It was a mark of how far that they'd come that they were handling a repair job of this magnitude, replacing one of the fractured spars on their own.
The one the team had pulled out last shift had been riddled with stress and fatigue cracks. Proteus had estimated a few months more and it would have failed. Ironically his repairs had hastened its end, the repairs to the engines had stressed it even more than the norm. Luckily Proteus and Sprite had caught the signs and reported them to him. "That spar should be the last of the major repairs Admiral," Sprite reported. He nodded.
"Vanessa, I was wondering how the crew pays for things when they're downside on leave," the Admiral asked as he leaned back in his chair and studied her.
"What do you mean?" the purser asked warily.
He shrugged. "Well, lodging, food, drinks," he said, listing the obvious debts. He hefted his coffee cup. "Do the colonies charge for them?" he asked.
She nodded, face clearing then smiled. "Oh they do, but we have a tab system set up. They charge the ship's tab, and we pay in materials. A few are so happy to see us they pay for the tab themselves," she smiled.
"A few like Pyrax charge through the nose though," Jen grimaced. "I spent all of two hours on that station, it was ridiculous! I came back here," she said and then shook her head.
"Aye lassie, tis a terrible thing they do, charging us poor traders." Leri drawled stirring her cup.
She smiled. "Captain, I think I'll take a walk around on Gaston this time, to see the sights," Irons said. The Admiral gave her a long look. She nodded.
"I think you've more than earned it laddie," Leri grinned. "You can look into the water situation when yer down the well; they charge a bloody fortune for it!" Vanessa grimaced and nodded. "Tissant anything but plain auld water, but they charge a bloomin mint!" Leri's lips writhed and she slapped the table. He nodded.
"Is the space port near a body of water?" he asked.
She froze for a moment then looked up in thought. "Now that ye mention it, nay, I think it's a bit and a gone aways down the road,” she said. He nodded.
"That may be it then, they probably have to bottle and cart it in, so the carter adds to the fees," Irons said.
Vanessa's eyes lit. "Oh ho! So that's how it is!"
Leri smiled and turned to the Purser. "Well, canna blame someone for making a livin," she said and then shrugged. Vanessa reluctantly nodded.
"Still, if the technology of the colony improves, you might be able to suggest a pipeline to a water body..." Irons suggested. Vanessa nodded.
"Nay lad, that would put the carter and his family out of business,” Leri said and then sighed.
"Well, not necessarily, not if we upgraded his gear and he turned into a ground transporter... he could sell his goods faster, and further abroad..." Irons suggested.
Jen's eyes lit in appreciation. "Getting more things to more places, and back to the port faster and cheaper..."
Vanessa held up a restraining hand. "And just how do you propose they pay for all this?" she asked.
Jen visibly deflated. "You're right," she sighed.
"Well, on to other subjects, I was wondering about the new interface, are you sure the transition time when one pilot..." Shandra cut in and the meeting rolled on. The Admiral sat back with a sigh.
"Well, you tried," Sprite commented softly.
"That you did, and it was a worthy effort Admiral, I'll try as well," Io added. The AI had finally evolved enough to articulate. She was a welcome presence to him and Sprite and the other AI. So far he had yet to inform the crew of her presence though.
"Not now ladies, give it time to build," he sub vocalized, trying to focus on the meeting.
"So, with the shield emitters repaired, and the engines repaired, we're now concentrating on the structural repairs," Jennie looked up from her tablet and to the Captain. The Captain gave a small encouraging nod as did Leri.
"Lass has come a long way," she murmured.
The Admiral nodded. "That she has."
She looked over to him and then patted his arm under the table. "Thanks." He shrugged.
"We have a dozen more space walks to complete before we can be underway again, barring any unforeseen difficulties," Jen reported.
She blushed as the Captain nodded. "Yes, let’s not have any shall we?" the captain said dryly. The Admiral smiled. The byplay was at the right level, just enough to take the edge off, while not getting too silly.
He stepped out of the shuttle hatch and took a deep breath the next morning. The wind whipped at his coverall, he looked around as he stepped aside. One of the guards was also in his shore party; he noted she was watching him. He chuckled quietly.
There was a buggy near the edge of the space port with a horse attached. He studied it, and noticed one of the two wheels was off. The horse was cropping grass, and nickered occasionally to the woman trying to wrestle with the stuck cart. "Need a hand miss?"he called.
She looked up and wiped dirt on her cheek. "Why sure," she smiled. He noted the broken teeth, and nodded.
"Well miss, let’s see here," he said studying the situation. He went around the cart and took a look. The pin had snapped, the wheel was not completely off the hub, but it had tucked up under the cart. The cart was a shoddy affair, wooden with joints that were separating. It looked like it was made with pegs. Gently he touched the back end. "All right miss; I'll lift it so you can untuck that wheel,” he said.
She looked up at him confused. "Are you sure you can do that? It's mighty heavy!" she said dubiously. He smiled.
"On three. One... two... three!" He grunted as he hefted the cart up with both arms. The brunt of the work was done by his artificial legs of course, but he still felt the weight bearing down on his left arm. "Okay, I have it," he said. She stared at him for a moment. He grunted.
She unfroze and quickly pulled at the wheel. "Okay it's free," she said. Gently he set the cart down.
"Cotter pin broke?" he asked. She nodded. He took a look at the pin. She was already breaking a branch in half. She stuck one half into the pin hole, then took it out and shaved it a little. "That's the great thing about working with wood, it can be replaced easily," he observed.
She looked up and nodded then returned to the job. "Can I interest you in a ride to town?" she asked.
He nodded. "I wouldn't mind it; I wasn't looking forward to the walk," he said wryly.
She smiled. "It's a bit dusty out," she said. She hummed as she worked. After a little whittling she stuck the branch in then rammed it home with a rock. "There, all done."
She held out her hands and he helped her to her feet. "Looks good," he said.
She nodded. "It'll do until I can get Mister Smyth to fix it," she said as they climbed in. He nodded.
The buggy trundled down the dirt road and stopped on the edge of the town square. "This looks like something out of a holo documentary of the old west," Sprite commented. He chuckled.
"I'm glad things are looking better." He took in the rustic wooden buildings and handful of people lounging around. It diverted from the western theme with alien animals and people however, he could see a bipedal Garnak saddled and tied to a hitching post next to a pair of horses.
A pair of Naga slithered by the horses, they started and bucked. Both Naga moved out of kicking range. They circled around the horses, making soft clucking sounds then entered the building nearby. "Is that a tavern?" he asked. He nodded his head to the building and turned to the girl.
New Dawn (Wandering Engineer) Page 45