The Jumpgate
Page 4
Jacob had enough hearing about protocol and snapped. “Captain Dewis already chastised me for showing up early. I don’t need to hear about adhering to protocols from anyone else.” He could put up with the captain’s disdain, but he wasn’t about to put up with attitude from the crew today. They could at least act like they respected him for one day.
Jonas was taken aback by the commander’s reaction. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to imply anything. I’m glad you showed up early. To be honest, I was getting a little tired of playing executive officer. I meant no offense.”
It seemed Jonas was being sincere. Jacob realized he was too much on-guard. “Understood, lieutenant. My apologies, it’s been a long day.”
“I didn’t even know who was taking the XO position until an hour ago when the rumors started that you were here. The captain hasn’t made the official announcement.”
“He’s made it very clear he doesn’t want me here.” Jacob didn’t know what possessed him to say that. Maybe he was tired of pretending everything was fine and trying to keep up appearances. They were all adults. If the captain didn’t like Jacob, why should the commander conceal that from the other officers? It wasn’t going to cause a breakdown in the change of command.
“Oh…” Jonas wasn’t sure how to respond to the commander’s statement. “Well, the captain’s not a fan of the PHOENIX. It’s a shame too.”
Jacob was surprised by the engineer’s comment. “You’re glad I’m here?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, you got to live and work on TERRA’s flagship. I’d love to sit with you sometime and hear your stories of your time there and pick your brain on PHOENIX’s technologies.”
“There’s not much for me to tell. I did security and a little engineering.”
Jonas got the distinct impression that the commander had no interest in recalling his time aboard the PHOENIX. Anyone who lived on that ship must have experienced so many new and unusual things. The lieutenant decided not to press the commander to discuss his time there. Maybe once the commander got to know the chief engineer he’d be more comfortable about talking about his time on the flagship.
Jacob changed the subject. “How are we for launch?”
Jonas activated his DAT and pulled up his to-do list. “I’m sending you an updated list of what’s left to do. All we have are some minor things. We should receive our final shipment of supplies tomorrow. Beyond that, we should be on schedule to launch in two days.”
Jacob reviewed the list on his DAT. “Looks like you’ve got everything under control. I took the opportunity to review the new systems that were installed. I see you’re having problems getting the starburst to work.”
“The one time we used it the weapon’s exhaust bled into the n’quadrin power network and disrupted almost half our systems,” Jonas explained. “I’ve tried fiddling with the power settings, but the simulations still show a problem with bleeding.”
Jacob was familiar with what the lieutenant was describing. “We had the same problem when the Ni installed it on PHOENIX. We traced the problem to an excess amount of n’quadrin being pumped into the emitters that caused a feedback loop.”
Jonas looked at the commander’s DAT and reviewed the specs with him. “We’ve been addressing the amount going into the emitters, not the rate at which we’re sending it.”
“If you reduce the flow rate by about fifteen percent, that should take care of your problem.” Jacob quickly ran a simulation on his DAT. Sure enough, it reported the bleeding problem gone.
Jonas was amazed by the commander’s technical prowess. “I wish you were here sooner. We spent months trying to tackle this problem. Thank you, commander. I’ll let the captain know.”
“You could have contacted the engineering bureau for help,” Jacob pointed out.
“I know, but I wanted to solve this problem myself. Learning about all these new alien technologies has taught me more about engineering than my time at the Academy. I guess my pride got in the way. I thought I could figure it out.”
Jacob appreciated the engineer’s honesty. One was hard pressed to find any TERRA officer admit to a deficiency. It was a sign of weakness and many felt that sort of candor would sabotage their aspiring career prospects.
“You can tell Captain Dewis you solved the problem,” Jacob offered. “I don’t need the credit.”
Jonas didn’t know how to respond. It wasn’t normal for an officer to solve an issue and let another take credit for it. In TERRA, officers were always trying to one-up each other as they climbed the military ranks. For the commander to willingly let the chief engineer take credit for something the commander solved was unusual.
Jacob spoke up when Jonas didn’t say anything. “The rest of the new systems look fine. I’ll let you handle the remaining launch details. I’ll take care of the new crew evaluations, including greeting our Senfo operations officer.”
“Do you know her?” Jonas asked.
Jacob nodded. “She did a brief stint in the bureau while I was there. She’s good. She’s learned all our procedures and will fit right in.”
Jonas looked forward to working with an alien. “I hope I work well with her. I’ve never served with an alien. I don’t want to say anything to offend her.”
“The Senfo are pretty easygoing. Read the file on them and you’ll be fine. Just be sure to get your micron injected. I know a supply was delivered here, but most of the crew haven’t been injected yet.” Microns were nano-size devices that resided in the brain and translated alien languages. It allowed different races to converse with one another without needing to know each other’s languages. Jacob was certain most of the crew would refuse to get injected out of some unsubstantiated fear. From what he heard, TERRA wasn’t ready to mandate that their officers have them.
“I’ll be sure to do that,” Jonas promised.
“Good, then I’ll leave you to it.”
Jacob headed out of the room but stopped when Jonas called him. “Commander.” Jacob turned around. “I meant what I said. Welcome aboard.”
Jacob broke a weak smile. “Thank you, lieutenant.”
Jonas returned to the recalibration. The commander was nothing like what the engineer expected. He had heard all these stories about PHOENIX’s crew members. The stories made them out to be larger than life individuals, but Commander Diego was subdued. His unwillingness to discuss anything about his time on that ship was odd. What was his story? It almost seemed like he didn’t want to remember any of his time on PHOENIX. Maybe the commander would loosen up. Jonas decided it was his goal to make the commander feel at home on the SOLARA.
********
“What’s it like on your world?”
“Are all of you this size?”
“What’s with the hat? Is that part of your military uniform?”
“Was your race really asleep for hundreds of years?”
Fotell found herself the center of attention. She was with a group of new officers assigned to the SOLARA waiting in the docking tube to be cleared to board the ship. None of them had ever met an alien before and were fascinated by this short gray-skinned individual in their presence.
“You are all such inquisitive individuals,” the three-foot alien replied. She didn’t know which questions to answer first. After spending months working alongside humans in their military organization, she could still barely keep up with their constant barrage of questions. She kept in contact with the Onixins and Quix that were part of the new alliance military exchange. They voiced the same experience they were having with the humans. They were certainly an inquisitive species.
“You have to tell us what it was like serving on PHOENIX,” one of the officers said.
“I never served on that vessel,” Fotell clarified. It was another misconception they made. For some reason the humans assumed she had served on that ship. Fotell served on one of the first Senfo cruisers launched when the rebuilding of her homeworld, Flutori, commenced after PHOENIX visited the planet. He
r cruiser did participate in the battle against the Screen armada here in the humans’ star system.
Before anyone else could ask her a question, some beeping sounds emanated throughout the docking tube and the door in front of them opened. There stood a man in a black TERRA uniform, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He took a step forward and addressed the crowd.
“Welcome to the SOLARA. I’m your executive officer, Commander Jacob Diego. Due to the lateness of the hour, your briefing will be held at 0900 hours tomorrow. The two officers behind me will issue your DATs. Please report to your quarters and get settled in. “Fotell and Lieutenant Block are to remain here. The rest of you can go.”
The officers filtered past the commander to get their DATs as Fotell approached the commander.
Jacob smiled at his diminutive friend. “It’s good to see you, naporun.”
Fotell tipped her hat towards Jacob. “It brings me great joy that you remember my military designation. Rev’ib. I was elated when I learned you would be serving on this vessel. I enjoyed our collaboration at the engineering bureau.”
“TERRA promoted me and insisted I take a more prominent role elsewhere in the fleet. This seemed like a good fit.” It was a lie, but he wasn’t about to tell her, or anyone, his true reasons for transferring to SOLARA.
Jacob looked over at the young man standing in the corner. He had his head down, looking at no one. “I have some other matters I need to take care of. Once we leave Luna I’ll have some time to catch up with you.”
Fotell smiled. “Your executive officer position comes with many responsibilities. It would delight me to spend some time with you again.”
Jacob motioned her to the officers behind them. “Go ahead and get yourself settled in. I’ll see you later.” The commander looked over at the two security officers. “I’ll take care of the lieutenant. You can go.”
“Yes, commander,” they said as they headed down the corridor with Fotell behind them.
Jacob turned his attention to the last new officer reporting for duty. “I just got the order of your transfer here only forty minutes ago from Admiral Vespia. You have friends in high places.”
David Block kept his head down as he replied to the commander. “A friend of mine knows her.”
“I recognized your name even before reading your profile,” Jacob continued. “You and Billy Pedia were responsible for the PHOENIX Movement.”
Billy and David were John Roberts’s best friends. John was the cadet who helped steal and command the PHOENIX. During that mission, PHOENIX’s crew sent video logs back to the solar system, which Billy and David secretly distributed to the media to counter TERRA’s claim that the ship was destroyed. It was successful in rallying the public’s support of the ship’s mission.
David showed no reaction to Jacob’s revelation. “Public opinion thinks that only Billy was responsible for the movement.”
Jacob could pick up the despondent tone in his voice. “Well, I’m surprised you’re here. You did a short stint on PHOENIX after I had already left, then worked at the Mars communications center. According to the transfer, you’re here to serve as a communications officer. With your experience, why weren’t you given the senior comm position?”
“My transfer was approved by Admiral Vespia. I don’t need to explain my reasoning for coming here. If you have an issue with me being here, take it up with her.”
Along with despondent, this officer had some pent-up anger that Jacob picked up. The commander could pull rank and demand an explanation for David’s transfer, but that’s not how he operated. Whatever demons David was running away from, it wasn’t Jacob’s place to hear them. According to his profile, David excelled in his work. Given that his own reputation was not good on the SOLARA, Jacob needed officers who excelled in their positions.
Jacob handed David a DAT. “Alright, lieutenant. It’s my responsibility to ensure that officers here are utilized to their fullest potential. I went ahead and reassigned you to the senior comm position.”
“What about Lieutenant Scores?” David asked, referring to SOLARA’s senior communications officer.
“He’s elected to transfer off the ship, which he did two hours ago.” When the commander informed Scores of his decision, the lieutenant went to Captain Dewis to protest. Diego never learned what was said. After that meeting Scores submitted his approved transfer to Diego via intercommunication. The commander heard that Scores had told several colleagues he couldn’t stay and work with traitors and was moving to Earth to work at the Academy.
“Whatever you think is best.” There was no hint of gratitude in David’s voice. No one ever moved into a senior position right away on a capital ship. They had to prove their mettle to the ship commander to even be considered for a senior post.
“Go to your quarters and get some sleep. You have a long day tomorrow,” Jacob ordered.
David took the DAT from the commander without saying another word. Diego watched the young man walk down the corridor. All he could think was how unhappy Captain Dewis would be having two officers who served on PHOENIX on this ship, serving in key positions. The captain never protested when Diego informed him that he promoted David to the senior comm position, probably because he made sure to include that the transfer was personally approved by Admiral Vespia. Dewis always enjoyed having the leeway of staffing SOLARA with people he knew. Now he had to put up with accepting officers he didn’t want here.
It was the one thing Jacob didn’t have to deal with on PHOENIX—TERRA politics. In some respects, that’s the only thing he missed about that ship.
********
It was another hour before Jacob got to his quarters. He tossed his DAT on the nearby desk and began taking off his uniform when a call came in.
“Luna comm station to Commander Diego,” came the voice of a woman over the speakers in his quarters.
“Go ahead.”
“You have a call coming in from Earth.”
Jacob’s heart skipped a beat. Maybe she had chosen to contact him.
“Route it into my quarters,” Jacob requested as he sat down at his desk and activated his terminal. He was disappointed when an image of his cousin appeared on the monitor.
“Michael.”
“Hey, Jacob. I’m not catching you at a bad time, am I?”
“Not if it’s what I think you’re calling about.” Maybe this call would be good. Michael could be calling with good news. Jacob was hesitant reaching out to the family but felt he needed to if he was going to try to make amends. Only Michael was willing to talk to him.
Any hopes this call would be good disappeared when Michael shook his head. “She refuses to see you.”
Jacob’s heart sank. “I was hoping after all these years…”
Michael immediately got mad and interrupted Jacob. “That she’d take you back? Forgive you? Most of the family haven’t forgiven you for what you did. Hell, I’m still pissed at you.”
“Then why’d you agree to try and help me?” Jacob asked.
Michael folded his arms. “Because we’re family. Even though what you did was shitty, I know you had the best intentions.”
Given what Jacob had done, he was fortunate that at least one family member was willing to talk to him again. “How’s he doing? Did you see him?”
“He’s fine,” Michael assured. “But it’s best you just stay away. You took the job on a ship so you wouldn’t be tempted to come to Earth. Stick with that. You’d just cause more heartache if you showed up around here.”
Jacob nodded. “If staying out of their lives is what’s best, I’ll stay away from Earth.”
Michael was relieved to hear that. “Maybe in time the rest of the family will come around, but don’t hold out for that ever happening. You have to live with what you did, you know that.”
“Yeah…” Jacob didn’t know what else to say. “I better turn in. Thanks for giving me the update.”
“Take care of yourself, Jacob.”
CHAPTER FIVE
The senior staff assembled in the briefing room on deck two at 0900 hours. Commander Diego stayed up late reviewing the crew roster and finalizing his readiness report to the captain. Now that they were scheduled to leave in a day, the newly minted executive officer wanted to make sure everything that needed to be done before launch had been completed. He figured the captain would be so preoccupied with the specifics of the ship’s patrol mission that he wouldn’t be focusing his attention on the commander. Jacob wanted to be sure they launched on time.
Captain Dewis was already in the briefing room when the other officers began to arrive. Jacob took a seat next to the captain, as was customary for the executive officer. This would be the first time the commander would be meeting most of the senior staff. Even though he expected the worst, he still wondered how receptive any of them would be towards him. It was already a surprise to have Lieutenant Walters be so friendly, which Jacob still didn’t understand. The chance of any other senior staff member being cordial towards Jacob was unlikely. They were all career officers. Per their files, every one of them applied for a position on the PHOENIX and were rejected. Jacob had no doubt they would take their frustration out on him. The commander thought they were hypocrites. They went on about how the PHOENIX crew betrayed TERRA but clamored to get a position on that ship and serve with those “traitors.”
“Good morning,” Captain Dewis greeted the room as everyone took their seats.
“Welcome back, captain,” some of the staff replied.
“Thank you. I appreciate the work you’ve put into SOLARA’s refit during my absence. We still have much to do before the launch. I expect this ship to depart Luna with no issues and on time. With that said, some introductions are in order. As you’re all aware, Commander Ali has taken a new position in TERRA. She was an invaluable asset to this crew and her absence will be felt.”