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Author's infos Gender: Male Age: 53 Location: Las Vegas, Nv |
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| Introduction: Putting a ship together | ||
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As soon as I was out of the office I opened a private comm. to Tinker. To say he wasn’t happy was an understatement. I walked into hanger bay nine to see fleet chief engineer Paulson waiting, “Captain Drake?” I nodded and he held out a memo broad, “If you will sign the ship receipt?” I shook my head, “I don’t think so Chief.” He frowned and I smiled, “Tell me Chief, how well do you like the general?” He looked at me and then looked around. He looked back and his eyes narrowed, “What did you have in mind sir?” I waved, “Forget the sir, call me Jason or skipper. I was noticing that the general seems to have forgotten to sign the decommissioning sign off sheet.” He blinked and looked down at his memo board. He scrolled through it and then looked back at me with a nasty grin, “What did you need fixed skipper?” I laughed and started walking, clapping him on the shoulder and bringing him along with me, “Well, now that you mentioned it, the ship does seem... incomplete. I was thinking of throwing in four Atom class engines and I think we can fit…” When Tinker stomped into the bay there were three full engineer crews swarming over the huge ship. A line of tables beside the door held cases of cold ale and food. Maintenance sleds moved around the huge hanger and Tinker stood and stared. I cleared my throat, “Did you get my things?” He looked at me and waved, “What the hell is going on with my ship?” I grinned, “Well, the general forgot to sign the decommissioning sign off sheet. I pointed it out to the Chief engineer and requested certain… replacements and repairs be made.” Tinker just looked at me and then pulled the hover sled behind him as he walked closer, “And just what did your feeble mind think of?” I turned to the table and the memo board. “I was thinking of replacing the four missing engines with four Atom class engines.” He was looking over my shoulder as I scrolled down, “We can cut the static bulkhead between the generators and put in three Sierra Two’s. I also want to replace all the shield generators with Tobias six’s. For the anti grav units I was thinking of…” A slim blonde with nice curves cleared her throat behind me, “Excuse me, I’m looking for Captain Drake.” I looked back and slowly turned, “Tinker, you asked for the brat and in the Duke’s wisdom here she is. Meet our new second seat, Michelle Elizabeth Grey.” Tinker turned to look at her and shook his head, “Just great. What other monkey wrenches did they throw in?” She was looking back and forth as I grinned at him, “We have to complete refitting before 1900 hundred tomorrow night.” He looked at me, “You’re kidding right?” I shook my head, “We lift or I get fined.” He muttered and reached out to grab Michelle’s coverall, “Come with me you.” She went wide eyed as he pulled her after him headed towards a knot of engineers. I grinned, “I called your wife and offered her the second engineer position.” Tinker turned to look at me and I shrugged, “Insystem transports spend a lot of time away from home. Beside she’s better then you.” He grinned, “You just want to steal her recipes.” He turned away and pulled Michelle after him. I sighed and took her hover bag and the float sled with all my stuff that Tinker had brought. I pulled it into a corner and then went for cots and bedding. Most of the first few hours were spent tearing the ship apart and trying to find the parts I wanted to put in. Tinker, with a tired looking Michelle struggled up to the table where I was talking to Tinker’s wife, Silvia. He kissed her cheek absently and reached for a bottle of ale, “The chief told me about the launchers and rail guns.” I nodded, “There are reports of ships disappearing while bringing supplies to the outer stations.” He took a drink and elbowed Michelle, “Eat Cadet.” Michelle sighed and put her head on the table, “Do I have to?” I grinned at Tinker as he grinned at his wife, “We have a lot to get done Cadet, can’t stop now.” She struggled up and reached for one of the class one ration boxes. Silvia smiled, “It could be worse, you could still be floating in orbit.” Michael frowned and turned to me, “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you what happened.” I sat back and put the memo board down, “Cadet, if there is one person that would believe you, it would be me. But, I’ll know if you lie, make excuses or make something up.” She straightened, “I don’t lie and I don’t need to make something up.” I nodded as both Tinker and Silvia sat back waiting. She took a breath, “Two weeks ago I was scheduled for a practice flight to Durango from Alpha Central. As soon as I reached cruising altitude the computer went crazy and sent me out atmosphere. I don’t know how the shuttle missed me but it did. One week ago I was letting Jacob, my mentor in flight school talk me through a high atmosphere reentry practice flight when it did it again.” She looked around, “Today I was testing for my atmosphere reentry solo when it diverted me and then everything shut down.” I looked at Tinker and he shrugged, “Once is an accident. Twice is a coincident. But three times is enemy action.” I nodded and sighed, “Gold six Tinker.” He nodded, “I’ll watch her.” I picked up the memo board, “Eat Cadet.” I looked at Tinker, “Silvia had an idea. If we put four micro hydrogen plants amidships and tie them into the ships power systems…” “You can put together a Nelson’s shifter if you add another two plants.” I looked at Michelle as Tinker sat back warily, “Where did you hear about a Nelson shifter?” She looked from me to Tinker, “In the imperial theological archive.” I closed my eyes and shook my head. I looked at Tinker, “She’s right. Add two more plants and put the Nelson between them. Make sure you add secure bulkheads.” He smiled wryly, “anything else skipper?” I grinned, “The hard you do right away. The impossible will take until tomorrow afternoon.” He grinned and Silvia laughed. After they finished and headed back towards the huge ship, I headed towards my stuff and an old beat up trunk. I sat on my cot as I held a blue crystal box and closed the lid of my trunk, “Wake up Peaches.” “You know I don’t sleep Jason.” I smiled as I set the AI on top of the trunk, “I need to send a message to Albert.” “Priority?” I had thought about it already, “Use Crimson Dragon protocols and ghost it.” “Understood.” I looked at Michelle as Silvia and Tinker pulled her to a work bench, “Albert, Molly, sorry it’s been so long but I’ve been unusually stupid. I miss you both, well, Molly more then you Albert, she has more sense. I’m sure your spies have been keeping you up to date anyway but I thought I would tell you myself. Since the last time I’ve had a couple of… interesting things happen.” “I have a Cadet riding second seat. She’s Michelle Elizabeth Grey, Duke Grey’s heir. There’s something about her that… keeps my attention. She reminds me of my first mission and a Lieutenant I had. She’s had three accidents and it looks like she’ll need a dragon’s tear of luck to avoid anymore. She did tell me about finding Nelson in the imperial theological archive. The general of civilian supply has decided to gift me with a new ship, a decommissioned Omega assault transport. I have one day to get her ready for a trip out to the asteroid belt.” I smiled, “I was thinking about young Samuel. You know how he likes to take things apart and get dirty, by the way, tell him I am not happy about his last stunt. I read all about it in one of the gossip rags. Tell Constance I’m proud of her, her grades have come up and it looks like her extra study time is paying off.” I glanced around, “Do me a favor Albert. I left a bag in your care. Send it out when you can. I might need one or two things out of it. Well, I have to go, I have a little work to do. I love you two so you be careful. And Albert? The next time I see you away from Blade or Sister Shadow I will come home and kick your ass.” I took a breath, “Send it Peaches.” “On its way.” I moved her onto my bunk and pulled an old belt with a large framed Mark V rail gun out of the trunk. I put her back and stood to buckle the belt around my waist, “Lock out all programming access and monitor the immediate area for threats.” “Level?” I looked around the hanger, “Crimson Dragon. Primary is Michelle Elizabeth Grey.” “Copy.” I left and went back to helping where I could. I kept an eye on Michelle and knew when Tinker finally sent her to bed. Tinker and Silvia took a nap early in the morning as the crews switched out. They were up four hours later and back at work. I kept the crews supplied with class one rations and ale, which they really appreciated. The general was screaming but I had already put everything before the Duke’s Contract board. One thing I had added since we began was a 20MM rail caltrop at the back of the ship. George showed up after first shift started working, he said he was there for the cargo master job. He had a tall short haired woman named Brit with him and she screamed marine recon just by the way she walked, talked and moved. Before long, large crates and pallets rolled in and they began loading the empty cargo decks while staying out of the engineer’s way. Everything was finished two hours before the deadline and I signed off on the ship receipt. Tinker and Silvia were running checks when I pulled a tired Michelle into the spacious command deck. I opened the last crew birth and pointed to her bag, “This is your quarters.” I led her to the two pilot’s chairs with Silvia and Tinker working on the command panels behind them. I sat and the seat slid into place smoothly. I glanced at Michelle as her chair locked into place, “Start a lift off checklist.” I brought my readout alive and glanced back at Peaches in her blue crystal box in the bracket Silvia had made, “How’s she looking Peaches?” “The system is free of tampering.” Tinker grumped as Silvia grinned. I glanced through my checklist and opened the control net comm. “Beta Seven control, this is Cowboy’s Dream. Requesting clearance to exit the hanger and move onto the pad.” It was only a moment before, “Cowboy’s Dream, you are cleared to the pad.” I did one last check of my readout and then moved the anti grav power up to lift ship. I brought up external displays and started moving the ship. We backed slowly through the open doors almost silently. The night was alight with the glow coming from the station. I moved the controls to stop and opened the comm. again, “Beta Seven control, this is Cowboy’s Dream on the pad. Request clearance on a two seven zero course out atmosphere.” “Copy Cowboy’s Dream, you are cleared to out orbit.” I looked at Michelle, “Well?” She nodded, “Everything is green.” I pulled back on the anit grav and spun the ship before throwing power to the engines. As we began to pick up speed, I flicked the rear gun targeting system to Michelle, “Keep a scan on our back trail and man the defensive weapons.” She nodded and her hands drifted over her readout. I made another check of my readout, “Bring the shields up Tinker and set the internal gravity.” I glanced at our speed and shut the anti grav’s down, “Anti grav off line.” Michelle kept the scan going as we approached black sky. I glanced back at Tinker a moment later, “Black sky.” I opened the comm. “Saras Orbital control, this is Cowboy’s Dream. Starting accel orbit to Asteria.” This reminded me of taking Albert to Wayne, somehow it just had that feeling… |
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