anyway. I'm not planning on firewalling the Archaea to these new limits."
What he and I both knew, however, that there would almost certainly be a time where he would need all we could get out of the Archaea, and maybe more. What was unsaid between us, what didn't need to be said, was that it was ultimately on my shoulders to make it all work.
As I was mentally building a checklist of the various steps I needed to take to re-certify all of the systems aboard the Archaea, the captain keyed the 1MC.
"All hands, power down and hibernate all systems. Prepare your stations for readiness and stand down. Report for a mandatory beer-and-steak break at Wu's Pub in 10 minutes. In light of recent changes, I am determined that should we become vaporized in the near future, we will not do so without a full stomach. That is all."
Chapter 6
Wu's Pub was a typical Darkside bar, hanging under the station like a growth. It may have been grotty, but it also had some of the best beer and vat steaks this side of Luna, just what I needed after a couple of terrifying hours doing math.
From our booth we all had a great view of the Archaea at her dock. Her Duron armor gave her a dark, brooding appearance, somberly reminding us that inside her lived something none of us understood. I noticed the captain looking at her as well, deep in thought.
"Well, we can't just sit here all day", said Shorty, "Hey Wu - beer and steaks all around please!" Her bravado cheered us all, I think, as none of us knew what to make of our current situation.
"Now that we're go for lunch, how about launch Gene?" the captain asked me, smiling.
"No, of course not Captain... But we're probably as good as I would have hoped, given our timeframe. I don't think we'll die, at least not in sight of the station", I added with a smirk of my own.
The Captain laughed, knowing as well as I did that the station master probably had a standing bet with his staff that we'd blow to cosmic debris the first time we lit the tokamak.
"I think Janis is probably on our side," added Pauli, "everything I've seen her do so far has been startling to be sure, but it all seems to be beneficial. I am not sure what the future holds, but I think--"
At that moment Wu floated over with a platter of frosty beers and sizzling steaks, and we all did the helpless drooling thing. You wouldn't trade a kick in the face for a proto steak earthside, but on Darkside Luna, you would gladly trade an arm for a bite. We've been eating canned rats for long enough now.
"Are you raising ship today Captain?" asked Wu, as he passed slabs of steaming meat around the table.
"Well, that's the plan, Wu", the captain replied around a mouthful. "We don't have a lot of time left in our schedule, and we need to get out of here before we lose the ship to the stationmaster. I had hoped to pick up some work before-hand, but we are just out of time."
"Well, that's part of why I asked...there's a farang who has been asking around the past few hours for information on ships headed out-system. I told him I would talk with you as I knew you were near departure. Should I send him over?"
"Absolutely, Wu, and thanks! Where is he?"
"He is the tall gentleman sitting alone in the corner booth", he pointed out a dark skinned and swarthy looking fellow, possibly of amerind ancestry. Wu floated over to his table and after a brief discussion, the man nodded, and kicked off for our booth.
"Hello, Captain" he said in a low, polite voice. He stood about 7', and was solidly built, definitely no stranger to hard work. His movements gave it away to those of us who spent time in the service, this man was a leatherneck, a jarhead, a marine - and from head to toe, a weapon.
"Captain, I am in need of transportation inter-system, to Europa Station. Are you headed out soon?"
"We are, what sort of accommodation are you looking for, and what time frame are you looking at to raise ship?"
"The sooner the better, today if at all possible. I
What he and I both knew, however, that there would almost certainly be a time where he would need all we could get out of the Archaea, and maybe more. What was unsaid between us, what didn't need to be said, was that it was ultimately on my shoulders to make it all work.
As I was mentally building a checklist of the various steps I needed to take to re-certify all of the systems aboard the Archaea, the captain keyed the 1MC.
"All hands, power down and hibernate all systems. Prepare your stations for readiness and stand down. Report for a mandatory beer-and-steak break at Wu's Pub in 10 minutes. In light of recent changes, I am determined that should we become vaporized in the near future, we will not do so without a full stomach. That is all."
Chapter 6
Wu's Pub was a typical Darkside bar, hanging under the station like a growth. It may have been grotty, but it also had some of the best beer and vat steaks this side of Luna, just what I needed after a couple of terrifying hours doing math.
From our booth we all had a great view of the Archaea at her dock. Her Duron armor gave her a dark, brooding appearance, somberly reminding us that inside her lived something none of us understood. I noticed the captain looking at her as well, deep in thought.
"Well, we can't just sit here all day", said Shorty, "Hey Wu - beer and steaks all around please!" Her bravado cheered us all, I think, as none of us knew what to make of our current situation.
"Now that we're go for lunch, how about launch Gene?" the captain asked me, smiling.
"No, of course not Captain... But we're probably as good as I would have hoped, given our timeframe. I don't think we'll die, at least not in sight of the station", I added with a smirk of my own.
The Captain laughed, knowing as well as I did that the station master probably had a standing bet with his staff that we'd blow to cosmic debris the first time we lit the tokamak.
"I think Janis is probably on our side," added Pauli, "everything I've seen her do so far has been startling to be sure, but it all seems to be beneficial. I am not sure what the future holds, but I think--"
At that moment Wu floated over with a platter of frosty beers and sizzling steaks, and we all did the helpless drooling thing. You wouldn't trade a kick in the face for a proto steak earthside, but on Darkside Luna, you would gladly trade an arm for a bite. We've been eating canned rats for long enough now.
"Are you raising ship today Captain?" asked Wu, as he passed slabs of steaming meat around the table.
"Well, that's the plan, Wu", the captain replied around a mouthful. "We don't have a lot of time left in our schedule, and we need to get out of here before we lose the ship to the stationmaster. I had hoped to pick up some work before-hand, but we are just out of time."
"Well, that's part of why I asked...there's a farang who has been asking around the past few hours for information on ships headed out-system. I told him I would talk with you as I knew you were near departure. Should I send him over?"
"Absolutely, Wu, and thanks! Where is he?"
"He is the tall gentleman sitting alone in the corner booth", he pointed out a dark skinned and swarthy looking fellow, possibly of amerind ancestry. Wu floated over to his table and after a brief discussion, the man nodded, and kicked off for our booth.
"Hello, Captain" he said in a low, polite voice. He stood about 7', and was solidly built, definitely no stranger to hard work. His movements gave it away to those of us who spent time in the service, this man was a leatherneck, a jarhead, a marine - and from head to toe, a weapon.
"Captain, I am in need of transportation inter-system, to Europa Station. Are you headed out soon?"
"We are, what sort of accommodation are you looking for, and what time frame are you looking at to raise ship?"
"The sooner the better, today if at all possible. I
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