over the lip. The car
inside had stopped late, thirty centimeters above the floor. He sighed as he
climbed in. “Well, this is fun.” He tapped the panel entering their
destination.
“Think
we'll get there first?” the AI asked.
“If
we don't run into any problems. Hopefully he doesn't run into any either.” The
Admiral hoped the kid wouldn't get stopped and mugged. “Right.” Proteus went to
work on the panel once more. “Can't help yourself?” he teased.
“Different
car,” Proteus responded. The Admiral nodded.
“Good
to know. Glad you’re fixing it too, we may need it later.” He felt the car jerk
several times as it arrived.
“We're
here,” Sprite reported unnecessarily.
“While
you’re fixing things, can you fix a Wi-Fi node?” Sprite asked.
The
Admiral snorted. “Add it to the to do list.” He pushed the cart out of the lift
and down the corridor.
He
wrestled the cart to the door and an impatiently waiting and rather smug
looking Junior. The young man ushered him in. He ran down to the shuttle bay
and began unloading his precious cargo.
“Finish
unloading then meet me with the cart in the junk bay for the next load. I need
to dig the satellites out,” the Admiral ordered leaving the boy and cart.
“Great
okay, first up...” He looked around for a moment. Sprite highlighted several of
the small satellites by placing a caret around their position. One was
enshrouded by debris; another was against the wall on a shelf. He nodded.
“Thanks.” He started pulling parts aside to get to the first satellite.
Once
he had the first uncovered he went to the back wall and pulled a tractor collar
off. He wrapped it around the satellite's body and then plugged into it.
“Admiral, you’re going to have to use your own power reserves, this thing's
batteries are fried,” Proteus reported. He grunted as the lights glowed to
life. He felt static electricity dance around him.
In
a moment the collar was charged and the satellite began to slowly rise above
the deck. He turned to see the boy hit the door with a clatter. “Careful, we're
going to need that.” He admonished. The young man stared as the Admiral
carefully maneuvered the satellite over to the cart then lowered it. “One down,
two to go,” he sighed wiping his brow.
“Why
them? Aren't they junk?” Junior asked looking at the satellites.
“No,
they can be fixed; they just need new batteries and new solar panels. Maybe
some fuel for the OMS pods too,” the Admiral replied as he unplugged the collar
and pulled it off.
“How
did you get that thing to work anyway? It's fried,” Junior waved to the collar
as the Admiral put it back.
“The
battery is dead, but I have my own power supply,” he replied absently.
They
maneuvered the heavy load down through the lock. He patiently waited as Junior
locked up. He was amused to see Junior try to hide the code from him. “Glad you
locked up. I've got a lot on my mind, I may have forgotten.” He nodded to the
young man. “Meet you in the dock?” He asked. Junior dodged a curious couple
then nodded as the Admiral turned to the lift.
“Yeah,
uh, I'll meet you there...” He rushed off.
“Wanna
bet he gets there on a run and spends the extra time talking with the girl?”
Sprite asked with a laugh. The Admiral smiled as the lift doors groaned open.
It
took ninety minutes to get all three satellites out of the Valdez compound and
to the Io. When he brought the last one he met the purser and Anita as they
were exiting. “I've got to run.” Mrs. Valdez shook the purser's hand then
rushed off with a wave.
“What
is that?” the purser asked. Faith looked up from the diagnostic panel.
“Satellite. Weather sat.” She went back to checking the readings.
“Weather
satellite? Why do we... wait, didn't you have us trade some too...” she looked
over to the Admiral in inquiry. He smiled.
“Right,
you can trade these to your next stop once Faith here gets them sorted out.
The
inside had stopped late, thirty centimeters above the floor. He sighed as he
climbed in. “Well, this is fun.” He tapped the panel entering their
destination.
“Think
we'll get there first?” the AI asked.
“If
we don't run into any problems. Hopefully he doesn't run into any either.” The
Admiral hoped the kid wouldn't get stopped and mugged. “Right.” Proteus went to
work on the panel once more. “Can't help yourself?” he teased.
“Different
car,” Proteus responded. The Admiral nodded.
“Good
to know. Glad you’re fixing it too, we may need it later.” He felt the car jerk
several times as it arrived.
“We're
here,” Sprite reported unnecessarily.
“While
you’re fixing things, can you fix a Wi-Fi node?” Sprite asked.
The
Admiral snorted. “Add it to the to do list.” He pushed the cart out of the lift
and down the corridor.
He
wrestled the cart to the door and an impatiently waiting and rather smug
looking Junior. The young man ushered him in. He ran down to the shuttle bay
and began unloading his precious cargo.
“Finish
unloading then meet me with the cart in the junk bay for the next load. I need
to dig the satellites out,” the Admiral ordered leaving the boy and cart.
“Great
okay, first up...” He looked around for a moment. Sprite highlighted several of
the small satellites by placing a caret around their position. One was
enshrouded by debris; another was against the wall on a shelf. He nodded.
“Thanks.” He started pulling parts aside to get to the first satellite.
Once
he had the first uncovered he went to the back wall and pulled a tractor collar
off. He wrapped it around the satellite's body and then plugged into it.
“Admiral, you’re going to have to use your own power reserves, this thing's
batteries are fried,” Proteus reported. He grunted as the lights glowed to
life. He felt static electricity dance around him.
In
a moment the collar was charged and the satellite began to slowly rise above
the deck. He turned to see the boy hit the door with a clatter. “Careful, we're
going to need that.” He admonished. The young man stared as the Admiral
carefully maneuvered the satellite over to the cart then lowered it. “One down,
two to go,” he sighed wiping his brow.
“Why
them? Aren't they junk?” Junior asked looking at the satellites.
“No,
they can be fixed; they just need new batteries and new solar panels. Maybe
some fuel for the OMS pods too,” the Admiral replied as he unplugged the collar
and pulled it off.
“How
did you get that thing to work anyway? It's fried,” Junior waved to the collar
as the Admiral put it back.
“The
battery is dead, but I have my own power supply,” he replied absently.
They
maneuvered the heavy load down through the lock. He patiently waited as Junior
locked up. He was amused to see Junior try to hide the code from him. “Glad you
locked up. I've got a lot on my mind, I may have forgotten.” He nodded to the
young man. “Meet you in the dock?” He asked. Junior dodged a curious couple
then nodded as the Admiral turned to the lift.
“Yeah,
uh, I'll meet you there...” He rushed off.
“Wanna
bet he gets there on a run and spends the extra time talking with the girl?”
Sprite asked with a laugh. The Admiral smiled as the lift doors groaned open.
It
took ninety minutes to get all three satellites out of the Valdez compound and
to the Io. When he brought the last one he met the purser and Anita as they
were exiting. “I've got to run.” Mrs. Valdez shook the purser's hand then
rushed off with a wave.
“What
is that?” the purser asked. Faith looked up from the diagnostic panel.
“Satellite. Weather sat.” She went back to checking the readings.
“Weather
satellite? Why do we... wait, didn't you have us trade some too...” she looked
over to the Admiral in inquiry. He smiled.
“Right,
you can trade these to your next stop once Faith here gets them sorted out.
The
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