by T J Bryan
"Looks like it took him almost three weeks to break out of the zero level. Seems like a long time. Took Larry about a week or less if I recall. How's that compare to the others?
"Every station qualification seems slow. Especially the pilot's position. I'm not sure why. Perhaps when Lennie and Larry were actually on the 1033 that provided some kind of motivation or perhaps pressure to succeed. I'm not sure. But I am unhappy with the results to date. We have washed out seven pilot candidates and reassigned them to other stations. Three have done quite well, but the other four we released. Those four just seemed to lack something. Ambition, drive, longing, I just don't know what it was but they were not right for the navy and the navy was not right for them."
Silvi paused in thought for a moment. "You know Abel, we fly the 1033 with only six crew for a ship intended for nine. We have room for three supercargo. I think we might benefit by taking some of the trainees out for the next flight. Yes, yes, I know it will take six days out of their training regimen, but it might well provide the motivation and desire to drive them to higher and quicker accomplishment."
"Now, I like that idea. We can use it as motivation and when they return and join the other trainees I suspect that we might just see increased motivation among all. When do you want to start?"
"We leave tomorrow at 06:00. Who do we choose?"
"Let's start with Rod. His performance to date is about average. Well a bit above average but not outstanding. Unfortunately we have no really outstanding pilot candidates to date. If I remember our top candidate is Miley Daugherty who just made grade one yesterday after thirteen days. Perhaps we can send both out on tomorrows excursion. For the third I would suggest?" Silvi paused and looked at the instructor's display carefully. "How about Farn Mayer. Farn is top of the stack for the Environmental Systems. I think it will really motivate her."
"Sounds like a plan," replied Silvi.
"Where will you be taking the 1033?"
"Were going to take a long run out to the return portal from the Dello system. It will take us about 22 hours in system to reach the entry portal. Then we will run some manoeuvres and return. We should be out no more than four days. Just enough time to give our recruits a taste of adventure without all the boredom we know is involved in flying the 1033."
"If I remember Dello is the portal that enters our Jamon system?"
"Yes. Historical records tell us the Jamon system's return portal from Dello is about 22 hours out from the Habitat at three quarters speed for the 1033. The sequence of exit portals from the Jamon system to Girots is first we enter the Giwiso entry portal about ninety hours out from the Habitat. Time in the entry portal to the Giwiso system is about 40 hours. We call that 'tunnel time.' Once we make Giwiso we traverse that system in about 20 hours then take the Girots entry portal. Passage through the Giwiso to Girots portal is about 120 hours. Once in the Gorots system it takes about 50 hours to traverse Girots space until you reach the planet."
Abel spoke after a moment, "And the return as I remember is Girots to Nelots, then Arn and finally Dello and then home. In all about 400 hours to return or about 17 days."
"Right. Funny how those portals work. That's why knot theory is applicable here. Portals are just one way. You go into one, reach the other side, turn around, and it does not exist. And portals seem to have no real element of distance and the travel time through the portal tunnel is constant but unique for each portal. One way and one speed. They have the element of time to passage through the portal tunnel but distance seems to have nothing to do with the passage. The Astrophysics Department of the Collegium thinks that the actual distance between Giwiso and Girots is over 850 light years and takes 40 hours in tunnel, yet the entire return trip through the three portals returning to Jamon is no more than 240 light years but takes 370 hours. I know it sounds crazy but that is how the portals work. The other odd thing is that no matter how fast you hit a portal entrance, say at one one hundredth of the speed of light, or say the 60% of the speed of light the 1033 can go, you exit the other end at dead slow. Your momentum entering has no effect on the time of passage or the exit speed."
Abel was lost in thought for a moment. "And the six portals that make up the roundabout to Girots and back home are kind of like a knot?"
"That's it. Now don't forget that some systems have other exit and entry portals. Girots has two entry ports and three exit ports. But the roundabout from Jamon to Girots and back is like a one way passageway divided up into way stations. Think of it as a long single direction rope."
"And here in Jamon we only have one way in and one way out. Dello to enter and Giwiso to leave."
"True," replied Silvi.
"And we still have the maps for these portal systems?"
"Yes it is all in the EG. Helen and I have spent much of the last two weeks researching the portal systems and how to navigate them. Helen says there are over 800 known routes or knots all interlinked at known systems. You might find a few systems like Girots with several ways in and several ways out. A dozen or so systems have dozens of entry and exit portals. Those were the prize possessions in the Great War. Hold a major portal system and you deny the enemy's commerce and the passage of his fleets."
"But our system only has one portal in and one out."
"That limitation is probably what has allowed us to survive The Dark. Jamon is way out on the fringe of the galactic arm. We are not a hub for further travel And our dim brown star which is surrounded by an unformed planetary system of broken rocks and asteroids is so near a black hole it is of no one's interest. So it is the lack of our importance that has probably led to our survival."
"That's probably the reason Unity chose Jamon for the ghost fleet. That and proximity to Obsidian."
"You know Abel, there are some entry portals that take one to systems without an exit. 'Dead ends' they were called by the ancient Imperial Survey Service back in the early Diaspora days almost 4,000 years ago. Imagine going out finding an entry portal and then on blind faith and dumb luck taking the jump hoping to eventually find your way home. Many got home eventually, although in one case it took 70 years, and only one crewmember was alive to tell the tale. But others, perhaps a quarter of the ISS never returned. They went out and found a system without an exit portal, or they just wandered from portal to portal never to find a way back. Those ISS folks were real men and women. In any event the known portal maps are all in the EG."
Abel changed the subject, "And how is the refit of R76 our freighter?"
"R76 is all warmed up now. A complete survey was completed yesterday and Helen was going through the results this morning"
"Did Helen draw any conclusions?"
"R76 is new build as we thought. Just inside the main entry hatch is a placard with details about the ship. The day they laid the keel, the shipyard she came from, her commission date, and her ships number. Greayson didn't give ships names just numbers. Greayson dates are different from ours. We chose earth time and calendar years because out here in the dark it seemed reasonable with circadian rhythms and all that. But Grayson had a 430 day cycle around its' sun and a 31 hour day. Helen had to convert the date on the placard to our time. Seems she was commissioned 3043 our time at a yard called 'Eleos.' We have no record of such a yard so her origin is a mystery."
"Her condition?"
"She is in great shape. If there are any problems they are likely to be the kind one finds in a new build. Teething problems. I would rather have teething problems than equipment failures due to wear and tear when out in the void far from replacement parts. We even got the cargo loading system running."
"And the heavy lifters?"
"That might take a while. We have a lot to learn and the lifters do require a certified pilot in the remote chair. But they look right. And there is a container fabricator just below the cargo bridge. Can produce six different kinds of containers to take planetside fill up and return to the R76 on the lifters. Some refrigerated and some heated. It's funny but you ha
ve to heat frozen food in the void. If you allow the void to seep in and touch your foodstuffs at -270.45 Celsius bad stuff happens. You really need to heat your frozen foods to at least -10."
"And those Marine stations?"
"Quarters for 430 troops. Spartan quarters at that, but a huge exercise room and what is obviously some kind of practice space, about 200 meters wide and a good 1000 meters long. And we found combat suits, like the armour of ancient days, and many different kind of weapons which we will not need. Oh. And some kind of combat droid. They seem to be slaved to an individual Marine's armour so they are not autonomous. One seems to be a pack droid for carrying supplies and the other is clearly intended for combat support. It's an ugly thing bristling with weapons. Helen decided to call it a 'bouncer,' and the pack droid a 'mule'. I have no idea what a mule is but I know bouncers. There is one in every bar, sometimes two depending on the neighbourhood." Silvi gave a slight laugh.
Abel thought a moment. "Well, with the manpower disparity between Unity' billions upon billions and Greayson's small population I can see the need for augmentation on the battle field at least for troops. "What was he population of the Grayson systems?"
"At most a billion or so on three systems. Two inhabitable planets on the home system of Greayson itself, and one each in the 'goldilocks' zone of the other two. The systems were called Ram and Harin. They are a great distance from each other but tied together in a very tight knot of portals. Total transit time on a system wide circuit was only a few days. Very unusual in the void."
Silv's vid-com chimed and she took a quick look at the screen. "Gotta go Abel. We have a crew meeting at 13:30 and a Captain must never be late."
Silvi turned to leave but hesitated and turned back.
"Abel can you join us on the dock at 05:30 before we take the 1033 out."
"Sure Captain Karrlson, I'll be there. Want a pep talk for the crew?"
"Yes, that's a great idea. See you at 05:30 then"
Chapter Twenty Four
Jamon System - 1033, Docked - Year 3245. August 16 ET: 05:30
Abel arrived just as his inter-tab hit 05:30. The dock was freezing as usual and as he approached the 1033 he noticed that the whole crew was lined up outside the main hatch obviously waiting for him. The main hatch door was closed in good Habitat fashion, but across the hatch lay a blue cloth covering the upper half of the hatch cover.
As Abel approached Captain Karrlson stood at what he assumed was attention. Silvi saluted. The entire crew, Emmitt, Helen, Buddy, Larry, Lennie, saluted as well. Standing along side were Miley Daugherty, Rod Galindo, and Farn Mayer all dressed in new silver ship suits. Each of the trainees was wearing gray shorts and tank tops. Abel wondered for a moment and then realized they had yet to earn their colors.
"Well, well." Abel said "What's this all about."
Silvi smiled as Lennie and Farn approached the hatch and took hold of the blue cloth.
"I know Graysons did not anthropomorphize their ships or give them symbolic names. But here in the commonwealth we are different. We had Quark, Beatrix, and Queenie. We decided to give the 1033 a name. A name we could be proud of. It was Buddy's idea, the name that is. We voted on it. Unanimous. We decided to name her after your teenage runabout." Silvi paused.
Helen stepped forward with a bottle of Old Nelsons Beer in hand. Firmly grasping the bottle she loudly said. "I hereby christen thee Ragnarök. May you sail the void in peace." She then smashed the beer bottle on the plating of the ship. The beer was frozen solid.
Lennie and Farn pulled the blue cloth aside and written large on the main hatch door was the name Ragnarök.
Abel was not an emotional man, but for a moment he was at a complete loss for words. Finally he felt his emotions under control and said, "You know what that stands for? Ragnarök."
"Yes," responded Captain Karrlson. "The death of the old world and the beginning of a new fresh start."
Abel stood there for a long moment. "Well, God speed to all of you. Now get to work." Abel was on the verge of tears and rather than show it he turned and walked away from the dock. Good god, he thought, where did they come up with that idea?"
...
Jamon System - Chairman's Office - Year 3245. August 21 ET: 22:24
"I know Admiral Stoneman, It's completely crazy, but Piet is a touch irrational these days. I'm not sure what's going on but he really has it out for you and the Navy."
Abel sat across from the antique wooden desk as Victor continued.
"Piet's latest attempt to undermine the navy is an attack on you. He says your unqualified as an Admiral and even less as a man in charge of starships. He speaks with faint praise calling you an outstanding Chief of ES. He cites your many accomplishments in police work and emergency management. Then he goes on and says you are not the best choice for Admiral, in fact you should never have been considered at all."
Abel fought to repress his laughter. "Who is he proposing as Admiral?"
"Piet argues that only an experienced starship captain should hold such a position. He is proposing Milne Ulf of Pilots guild."
Now Abel did laugh. "Milne?"
"Yes. He loudly proclaims Milne's almost 120 years as a successful starship captain. He speaks of the many citations given to him by the Guild, as well as what Piet calls his 'natural' leadership qualities whatever those are."
"And what are you going to do Victor?" Abel said with all seriousness.
"I have shut it down entirely. Although it shows something in Piet's behaviour that I suspect is not entirely on the level." The chairman thought a moment. "Milne is an old man who has never managed anything other than a decrepit inter-system buss ferrying miners to and fro. To call him a 'starship captain' is completely laughable. I am glad that half the associations in the assembly agree. Citations from the Guild? That's a complete crock. They give each other citations every year at their annual shindig, even to those pilots who sat the entire year sitting in a recliner."
Abel felt momentary relief.
The Chairman continued, "Piet is not your friend Abel. There is something fishy going on here but I can't tell what it is. The Pilots Guild lacks imagination to propose such a thing as replacing you with one of their own. In fact I suspect that Milne Ulf does not even want the job. Probably he was never asked in fear he would say it's a bad idea. Now I am not even sure if Snorre was really the initiator of the Pilot's strike. Snorre always seemed to me to entirely lack ambition. I just can't figure it out."
The Chairman stood and Able rose. "Abel someone here in the Commonwealth, someone with influence, imagination, and ambition wants to take control of our fledgling navy. For whatever purposed I do not know." Victor paused, "I just wanted you to know. Now watch your back."
"Yes Victor. As a cop I was quite good at that. Watching my back that is."
"Now when does the 1033 leave for Girots. Any improvements in the schedule? Like perhaps December first? That would be a nice departure date."
Abel knew that the daily 'hurry up and leave' argument was about to begin again, but before he could respond his vid-com chimed. He glanced at the screen. There was only a text message. " Urgent and Critical - Ragnarök returned. Captain requests your immediate attention at the dock." For emphasis the text ended in 'NOW!' It was signed by Captain Karrlson of the OCN starship Ragnarök.
"Victor I need to return to the dock. Something has come up. I appreciate your warning and I will rely upon your political acumen to keep me informed and protected. In the meantime just remember you promised 'no crap' and I intend to hold you to that agreement."
Victor nodded, shook Abel's hand in a firm grip as Abel left for the dock.
Abel walked swiftly from the government center to the dock, all the while wondering what could be so critical for Silvi to insist he come meet her immediately. Perhaps the ship was damaged, or someone hurt. But if someone had been hurt he would have seen it on the inter-tab as a posting from the emergency medical response team. There had been no notice from EMS
. Perhaps damage to the ship? The more Abel thought the greater the number of ugly scenarios he imagined.
As Abel approached the Ragnarök all looked well however Farn was standing at the hatch entrance with a worried look and obviously waiting for him. The hatch was open in violation of standing procedures. Abel hurried to the hatch. Farn closed the hatch behind.
"Captain Karrlson is waiting for you in the mess with the crew," Farn said with urgency in her voice.
Abel entered the hatch, walked down the passage to the roundabout and climbed the ladder to the command con and then on to the mess. The entire crew and trainees were crowded into the small room. As Abel entered everyone stood.
"Sit down. Sit down." Abel said. "Now what is all the rush?"
Half the crew sat while the other half remained standing as did Silvi.
Silvi took a step toward Abel, "It's the portal from Dello." she said.
"And?" replied Abel.
"Just inside the exit we found debris. Ship's debris and traces of plasma."
"Ship debris? Plasma traces?"
"Yes. A ship must have been approaching the Dello entry portal to Jamon and either blew up or was attacked just as it entered the portal."
