Narmer watched all three shuttles perform the reverse of his trip up, the release and then turning back for home. Or what used to be home. He felt a tightness in his gut.
“Docking Control to Nunet Control, ready for cargo transfer to Kamlee.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
“Logistics Control to Kamlee Control, initiate cargo transfer.”
“Kamlee Control, affirmative.”
“Kamlee Control to Docking Control, opening carrier hatch.”
“Docking Control, affirmative.”
“Kamlee Control to Docking Control, carrier hatch open and locked.”
“Docking Control, affirmative. Opening hub side airlock.”
“Docking Control to Nunet Control. The airlock is in the override state; both hatches are open. Kamlee is open to the Nunet hub.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
“Nunet Control to Logistics Control, get the cargo aboard as fast as possible.”
“Logistics Control, affirmative.”
As another chirp passed, Narmer watched the simultaneous message data streams moving around from Environment, Attitude, Docking, and Logistics. He was waiting for them to start sending message requests his way. Hoping that they didn’t, that would mean that there was a problem.
“Logistics Control to Kamlee Control, cargo loading complete.”
“Kamlee Control, affirmative.”
“Kamlee Control to Docking Control, carrier hatch closed and locked.”
“Docking Control affirmative.”
“Docking Control to Nunet Control, airlock closeout initiated.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
“Docking Control to Nunet Control, closing outside airlock.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
“Docking Control to Nunet Control, closing hub side airlock.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
A few tense twentynauks passed with Narmer anticipating something going wrong.
“Docking Control to Nunet Control, carrier airlock hatches closed and locked.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
And with that, the first loading of cargo from the shuttles to the Kamlee was completed.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Docking Control to Nunet Control, expected stress increase detected on cargo mating adapter.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
They had expected the cargo mating adapter stresses to rise as the mass of the Kamlee increased. More mass was involved across both sides of the adapter with each shuttle transfer. The plan was to get the cargo, and passengers, on to the Kamlee before all tolerances were exceeded and the dock mating adapter failed. The stresses would be above the normal levels after a couple more shuttles transferred their cargo. But it was felt that there was enough over-engineering in the adapter that the other shuttles would be offloaded successfully.
“Command to All Controllers, stand down and rotate off duty as scheduled. Next shuttle approach is in two chirps,” Ilka notified all of the plugged-in controllers.
As Narmer was the backup to all of the other Nunet controllers, he didn’t have much to close down or reset for the next approaches, so he was off duty first. The other controllers would take their few twentynauks in turn as they reset.
It was almost time for a setmeal, and he was hungry. He unplugged and then unstrapped himself from his station and floated himself out of his Section and grabbed his way down the passageway to the galley. As he passed a hygiene station, he felt the urge to relieve himself. Redirecting himself towards the entrance and he entered the station. Moving towards one of the units, he realized that had not had any training or practice in how to do this in zero-gravities. Thinking that there had to be instructions somewhere, he started looking around the stall. As he suspected, on the interior of the side panel there were instructions on how to connect himself and strap into the vacuum system. He spent a twentynauk getting himself into position.
Narmer finished up and unstrapped as instructed. He was reading on how to cycle the waste when he heard someone else entering the hygiene station. There were a large number of stalls, so this was to be expected. However, as he was about to start the waste cycle, he heard someone else speaking in a commanding voice from the entrance.
“This should already have been taken care of. The Kamlee cannot be allowed to finish the cargo transfer,” the voice said.
“I have it under control, she will not survive this midset,” a growly voice replied.
“Make sure that you do, it would be a shame for you to miss the Prominence departure,” the voice warned.
Narmer heard them both leave and waited for a few twentynauks to make sure they were indeed gone. He started to cycle the waste, but then decided against it, as he was sure it would make some noise and alert anyone close that he was there. Quietly, he unstrapped himself, and slowly exited the stall. Listening for movement, he heard someone headed his way. He was caught between heading back to the stall or trying to exit the station altogether. Narmer froze and someone dressed in a one piece all black command ship suit entered.
“Hey, greenie, did you cycle your waste, I didn’t hear it,” he queried Narmer.
It wasn’t a voice that he recognized, so he relaxed a bit, “Uh, I had problems getting out and forgot,” he said with a shamed face. “Doing it now,” as he went back over the stall he just vacated. He cycled the waste and started the sterilization cycle. The commanding officer watched him. Narmer, avoiding the officer’s eyes, pushed off a handhold towards the entrance.
“Greenies…” the officer said shaking his head, as Narmer flew past him.
His mind racing, it took a moment for Narmer to notice that he was grabbing his way towards the galley. “Now what’s going on?” he thought to himself, “what should I do?”
“Jegit!” he thought. Hooking a foot in a handhold, he thumbed open a vid con to Jegit and waited for him to answer. Narmer got a ‘busy’ response and was asked to leave a message.
“Jegit, I need to talk to you as soon as possible! I’ve come across something that you need to be aware of. Don’t take too long; we are in danger!”
People were flowing up and down the passageway. He was hanging there, trying to decide what to do next.
“I’ll meet you back in our Section; I’m going to grab something to eat before I report in.”
Narmer was in shock; it was the ‘growly’ voice. He looked over as a large and muscular male dressed in a blue ship suit, essentially flew past him in the passageway with another blue-suited individual. Something clicked in Narmer’s head.
“I’ve seen him…but where?” he thought, then he felt his guts tighten, “He’s the impatient one from the Nunet galley!”
“Jegit!” Narmer said as he opened another vid con, with no answer, “I’ve identified someone that has threatened the Kamlee! I need to talk with you!”
Suddenly ‘Growly’ came out of the galley and headed further down the passage. Narmer looked for someone to warn. He looked around, and he could see people in many different colored ship suits moving up and down the corridor. There was a black suited command officer nearby and started over to tell her, when he said to himself, “Wait! What if she’s in this as well? The only one I can even think of trusting is Jegit!”
Another vid con to Jegit, “I’m going to follow him until I hear from you, I don’t want him to disappear. I’m leaving the vid con open while I do this. I don’t know what else to do.”
“Narmer! Stop!” it was Jegit connecting on the vid con. “Tell me what’s going on?”
“I can’t stop, I’ll lose him, he’s moving faster than I can, he’s obviously been in zero-gravities quite a bit.”
“Narmer, as quickly as you can, tell me about this!”
As he continued to follow ‘Growly,’ using a hushed voice, Narmer related the events of the hygiene station, trying to stay away from other people as he did so.
“And
then I recognized him as he flew past me, from the galley on Nunet. I was evidently holding him up while I was getting food and he wasn’t shy about telling me so.“
“OK, Narmer, I’m tracking you via your p-tab. I’m also now watching you on vid. Describe this person to me and tell me where you see him.”
“Light-colored hair, large, muscular, and in a blue ship suit. He’s turning into an entrance up ahead.”
“Which one?”
“I’m coming up to it now…the info panel says ‘Logistics’.”
“Narmer, you’ve done enough. I’ll take it from here; we’ve got the whole Section on vid now. You head back to your Section; you need to finish your part of this mission. Do not speak to anyone about this. Not Ilka, not Deides. Do you understand, no one!”
“I won’t talk to anyone. But what is going on? I keep seeing parts of the puzzle, but no one will give me the whole picture!”
“Narmer, get going. I will contact you after the Kamlee is loaded and get you up to speed. But until then, keep this to yourself. Jegit out.”
Narmer hooked himself in the passageway outside of the entrance. He was staring at the closed section doors. His eyes went to the info panel, ‘Logistics.’ That was Deides’ section. Was she in there? Was she in danger?
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Controllers, this is Heeta Command, we have the final four shuttles inbound. Let’s get them docked and unloaded. Status check...” said Ilka as she started the last shuttle sequences.
Narmer had returned to his Section, his head spinning. For the last handful of rises, things were happening to him that he didn’t have control over. And he was not getting any more of a handle on things as time went on, actually less so.
He had been able to put that aside to process a group of three of the final four shuttles successfully, just like the first set. That had taken two more chirps. It was now only a couple of chirps to midset. Everyone was getting tired, but they had to finish.
The controllers had started and now were in the middle of the sequence with the last shuttle. Keeping inside of the mission parameters, the controllers dealt with three of the four shuttles, leaving one last shuttle to process. Things were going surprisingly well, everything within their limits and his mind began to wander as his skills weren’t needed. What was left of Nunet was performing above expectations. Due in large part to the experience and skills of the Nunet controllers that were performing this mission.
Thinking in circles, he was trying to put the parts together, and still amazed that he was Selected. Deides, Jegit, the shuttle launch, the troubles on Kepteyn, the Nunet’s destruction, his controller duties, and now ‘Growly.’ How much could one absorb in so few rises? How does this all fit together? Most frustrating was Deides.
Knowing so little about her, he didn’t quite know what to think. He was thankful, of course, but it was apparent that feelings between them were already different than they were a few short rises ago. Worst of all, they didn’t have the time even to discuss it. Not seeing each other since boarding Heeta wasn’t helping. He was having trouble contacting her; she never answered a vid con directly. Understandable, too much going. But still…
“Logistics Control to Nunet Control, are you seeing this?”
“…”
“Logistics Control to Nunet Control…”
“…”
“Heeta Command to Nunet Control, what’s your status?”
Narmer broke out of his thoughts, he had been sidetracked and not paying attention.
“Nunet Control, I’m here.”
“Logistics Control to Nunet Control, check your message queue.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
Narmer was trying to get himself focused. He started tracking requests to him in his message stream. There were quite a few sensor notifications from Logistics.
00+04-18`03`05
Src: Nunet- Logistics Ctrl
Dest Req: - Nunet- Ctrl
Desc: Transfer Mech #087 Signal Loss
Priority: Priority: 1
00+04-18`03`05
Src: Nunet- Logistics Ctrl
Dest Req: - Nunet- Ctrl
Desc: Transfer Mech #132 Signal Loss
Priority: Priority: 1
00+04-18`03`05
Src: Nunet- Logistics Ctrl
Dest Req: - Nunet- Ctrl
Desc: Transfer Mech #011 Signal Loss
Priority: Priority: 1
“Nunet Control to Logistics Control, comm check.”
“Logistics Control to Nunet Control, affirmative. Nunet transceivers are nominal.”
Narmer was thinking this through. The transceivers were reporting receiving communications from Logistics Control, but Control was not receiving any data streams from the transfer mechs. This was an issue as their movement was monitored and directed by Logistics Control. The mechs operated in a semi-autonomous mode, but destination and traffic flow came from Control. Because a fully loaded transfer mech on the move without direction was a hazard to the hub and personnel on board, they were designed to perform a failsafe shutdown when comms were lost.
“Logistics Control to Nunet Control, handlers are reporting mechs are moving. Failsafe shutdown has not occurred.”
Switching to an interior view of the hub on his nearest vid screen, Narmer could see mechs, cargo, and people. The loaded mechs were slowly moving away from the shuttle docks towards the cargo hatch at the other end of the hub. Normally, the mechs moved in an organized fashion from end to end and back. This allowed a steady and quick progression of cargo from the shuttles to the Kamlee. But now none of the emptied mechs were returning to the shuttle docks. They weren’t moving. The loaded mechs were moving and heading towards the cargo hatch but in a somewhat haphazard fashion. The shuttle passengers were making their way to the cargo hatch as well.
Watching for a couple of twentynauks, Narmer noticed that the empty mechs were now moving towards the cargo hatch as well.
“Nunet Control to Logistics Control, evacuate station personnel and shuttle passengers to the cargo airlock. Prepare for emergency hatch closings. Shuttle docks and cargo docks. Lock them down as soon as possible.”
“Heeta Command to Nunet Control, what are you recommending?”
“Nunet Control to all Controllers, I’m attempting to halt the cargo transfer until we can determine how to proceed. Protecting the Kamlee and station personnel are the highest priority. We can always start the transfer back up when we are ready.”
“Heeta Command to Controllers, Command concurs.”
Narmer was searching the controller data streams for any more information on what was causing this. The mechs all appeared to lose signal at approximately the same time. This pointed to the transceivers again, but they were reporting no issues after he had them run a series of self-tests. The handlers were still receiving comms from the controllers, so that wasn’t the issue.
The emergency airlock closeouts were proceeding. The station and shuttle personnel had made it to the hub side of the hatch and entered the airtight compartments within the airlock as the cargo hatch closed off the hub. The Kamlee had also performed an emergency airlock closing. The hub exterior airlock hatch was not closed. With personnel sandwiched between the two airlock hatches, protocol mandated that one hatch remain open.
The hub and mechs were designed to always been in zero-gravities. The mechs utilized a pair of tracks that were embedded in one of the facets that made up the hexagonal tube of the hub. The mechs used the tracks to move to the spoke portal or to either end. Mechs started lining up in two long side-by-side trains. One was made up of loaded mechs from the shuttle, and the other was comprised of empty mechs that had turned around back towards the massive cargo hatch. The lead mech in each line pushing up against the hub side of the airlock hatch. Each mech, in turn, made contact with the one in front of it and added its drive power to the improvised ram.
“Docking Control to Nunet Control, cargo hatch stresses are exceeding ope
rational parameters.”
“Nunet Control, affirmative.”
Narmer realized that the hatch was in danger of failing. And when it did so, the mechs would have a direct path to the Kamlee’s hatch.
“Nunet Control to Docking Control, emergency release of the Kamlee and the shuttle.”
“Docking Control, negative, we have people in the airlock.”
“Nunet Control to Docking Control, release them now! We will lose both ships otherwise.”
“Docking Control, that’s outside of our normal guidelines…”
“Nunet Control to Docking Control, this whole mission is outside of normal guidelines. Release the ships; we are out of time!”
“Docking Control, affirmative.”
“Docking Control to Kamlee Control, performing emergency release. All clamps and mating adapter are now disengaging.”
“Kamlee Control, affirmative.”
“Docking Control to Shuttle Command, performing emergency release. All clamps and mating adapter are now disengaging.”
“Shuttle Command, affirmative.”
After a few long twentynauks the clamps were fully released, and the mating adapters were disengaged.
“Docking Control to Kamlee Control, you are free.”
“Kamlee Control, affirmative. Standoff positioning.”
“Docking Control to Shuttle Command, you are free.”
Pilgrim One_Prominence Page 10
