by Crucible
“Hello?” he whispered.
Eliza Jane Change lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it. “Hello Again, Philip John Miller Redfire.”
Pegasus – Inhabitation Area 5, Deck 27
“You’re getting a ship,” Matthew Driver informed Trajan Lear, joining him for a meal of vegetables and beast. “It’s in the assembly bay now, and should be ready for test-flight by the time we reach the next waypoint.”
Trajan drummed his fingers on the table. “That’s good news, but I’ll miss piloting Prudence with you.”
“The Commander wants four full-strength flight groups. I can probably arrange to join you for the shakedown flights,” Driver told him, just as the door chimed. Trajan Lear checked the identity screen. “It’s Lt. Alkema, I’m letting him in.” When Alkema entered their quarters, they called him into the kitchen. He was carrying a datapad, and he apologized for interrupting the meal, which they told him was not a big deal and invited him to remain.
“I know you’ve both decided to remain on Pegasus, ” Alkema said to them. “But what I don’t get is why.”
Trajan set his jaw. “I’ve been trying to get out from under my mom since I was ten years old. This is what I’ve been waiting for.”
Alkema nodded, and then asked Matthew, who simply shrugged and said something about Prudence remaining on Pegasus, something about needing to stay with Trajan Lear, and something about the Chronos universe. Alkema pretended to understand, then got to the real, and more difficult, reason for his visit.
Alkema exhaled. “Okay, you’re staying. That brings me to my next question. With TyroCommander Lear remaining behind on Chapultepec to oversee the refitting of the other Pathfinder ship, that means her family quarters will be available. Of course, since you were her son, you have first…”
“I don’t want those quarters,” Trajan interrupted him. “Besides, with Pieta and the babies, and Max and Sam all living with you, you’re going to need a lot of room. So, take them.”
“Oh, it’s not for me,” Alkema assured him. “I mean, we will need larger quarters, but we’ll work that out. The Commander had plans for your former… um … family quarters.”
“What kind of plans?” Trajan asked,
“Well, ah, he intends to make your quarters into… an Officer’s Cocktail Lounge.” Trajan Lear and Matthew Driver stared at him. “You’re jokering, right?”
“Neg, he seems to be serious about it. He is bringing a kind of obnoxious mechnanoid from Lexington Keeler to serve as tavern-keeper, and he intends to make your bedroom into a darts arena.” Alkema paused. “He’s still fairly bitter about being compared to Cruz the Mad.
And he doesn’t believe that your mother’s behavior was entirely because of the head injury.”
“That’s okay,” Trajan Lear told him. “Neither do I.”
Lexington Keeler – Recovery Operations Center, Deck 22
Seven ship-days after making orbit, the systems check on Keeler was complete, and the two pathfinders left orbit and accelerated for the next leg of their long journey back to Chapultepec.
“I’ll be leading the status meeting,” Lt. Commander Duke announced to the assembled senior managers of the Pathfinder Ship Lexington Keeler. “Acting Commander Lear is giving birth.”
Duke activated the holographic display behind him. “As of 13:50 ship time, we have begun acceleration to transition speed, and if we are successful, we will commence a 69.8 light year transition to the star system designated 34 838 Crux, where we will rendezvous with Pegasus. If we are successful, we’ll plot a much longer transition and gradually work our way back to the Chapultepec Star Lock. In ship time, this journey should take approximately 160 ship-days, give or take.”
He changed the view to an internal schematic of the ship. “As of today, we have prepared 200 cargo cells for inhabitation. 100 of these have already been designated for priority personnel, the remaining 100 will be assigned by lottery. And, by order of Acting Shipmaster Lear, every crew member will remain in his or her assigned quarters until the entire crew has been settled. There will be no exceptions.”
“How long will that take?” asked a Specialist from New Technical Core.
Duke frowned. “Based on our need to distribute cargo throughout the ship to preserve the balance of our mass, and our expected rate of consumable consumption in addition to the maximum sustainable rate of renovation… two years.”
He could see the disappointment in their faces, as anyone would, upon learning they would have to wait two years for, essentially, a box to live in. Duke had passed on the opportunity for
“Priority Quarters,” and he and Scout would camp out in the Landing Bay with the others until their number came up.
He forged on. “As you are aware, this ship contains only one operational Flight Group of Aves. Acting Commander Lear has finally agreed to our suggestions to consolidate Flight Operations in one Hangar Bay, Hangar Bay Alpha. We will maintain Hangar Bay Beta is an auxiliary base, but Delta and Zappa will be converted to other purposes. Delta will be converted into laboratory and medical bay space, including telemetry laboratories and laboratories for the Physical Sciences. Zappa will become our ship’s new Amenities Nexus.” Getting the Amenities Nexus up and running was a high priority for Duke, and for once, Lear had agreed with them. “It’s a long, tough haul ahead of us. Make no mistake, no one said it was going to be easy. But, it will be worth it.”
He tapped his datapad. “By the way, Pegasus has challenged us for the title of wally-ball champions of the galaxy. They have formed a league, and challenged us to match them when we reach Chapultepec. Sign-ups will be handled through Technician Bonneville.”
Pegasus – Inhabitation Zone 2, Deck 22
As Pegasus accelerated toward transition, Lt. Taurus was in her quarters, offering her candid appraisal of Johnny Rook’s performance.
“I would have to say your strengths are endurance, resourcefulness, and creativity in the clutch. You went in and you got the job done. With continued training and effort, you could be capable of extraordinary levels of achievement.”
Johnny Rook reached across the bed and kissed her between the neck and shoulders. His strapping naked body glistened with a sheen of perspiration. “I could go for some of that continued training and performance, right now.”
“That’s what I like about young guys,” Taurus said. “You recharge quickly.”
Pegasus – The UnderDecks, Fast Eddie’s InterStellar Slam-N-Jam Eddie stared at Puck. The bar was empty. No one felt like drinking. So, Eddie Robuck stared at his little robot.
“I can’t believe Lear hasn’t called me,” he said finally. “Where does she expect her crew to go for unhealthy food and contraband beverages?”
Sorry, I was asleep, did I miss anything? - Q
Pegasus – Main Bridge (It was called that now, no more of that PC-1 crap) Operations Lt. Atlantic reported, or more accurately, narrated the action on Pegasus’s forward display. “Lexington Keeler has activated Trans-dimensional sails. Hyperspace gateway is opening.”
Keeler grimaced just a little bit. He missed American’s voice already.
Atlantic continued, “Lexington Keeler is entering the gateway. Lexington Keeler has achieved transition.”
Keeler breathed a sigh of relief. Even though its systems had been mostly repaired, Lexington Keeler still looked like a battered and barely patched hulk on the outside. He half-expected the ship to explode each time it transitioned. “Thank you, Lt. Atlantic. Lt.
Powerhouse, hold our course. Lt. Change, commence transition procedures.” Lt. Navigator Change reported from the station she had decided to continue to occupy for the foreseeable future. “Initializing Trans-dimensional sails.”
“Operation status,” he asked Atlantic.
“Blue across the board, sir.”
“Tactical Status?” Keeler requested, turning to his new Tactical Chief.
Acting Tactical Chief Kitaen looked up from his post, bare muscles rippling b
eneath his open jacket, eyes lined with warpaint. “Tactical Systems at 100 percent. No tactical threats in the vicinity. And I have invoked the Prayer of Transition.” Keeler nodded. “Once more into the time-space breach, go to.” And into the time-space breach Pegasus went.
Table of Contents
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two and a Half
Chapter Twenty-Three
