Carpathia IV: Episode 298 - Joust's Day
The Catacombs, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Deck 36, the lowest deck and known on the Shadowdancer as "The Catacombs." Not the sort of place where a person would enjoy spending an afternoon with the constant clashing hum of several systems, low-hanging conduits to bonk into, and smell of junction lubricants. Joust, at least, did not have a problem with the conduits, for he was the only one short enough to fit under all of them. In the trek through the catacombs, Joust took a moment to put an entry into his log.
Joust: First Officer's log. We are en route to our fleet rendezvous point. We'll learn the plan there since Admiral Zhang only wants to communicate details by short range communications. It appears that she'll be taking command of the Crystal Falchion. The crew is uneasy, but keeping busy. I am uneasy myself, knowing that these could be my last few days alive. This will not be an easy fight. Captain Valro has ordered final checks on all systems and I'm on my way to see how Amenaru and Kit are doing right now. We'll also be taking on triple our usual number of antimatter warheads. Engineering and tactical are installing new loading tracks in the pylons. Minnie is busy installing new system redundancies. I'll be checking other departments too.
Joust tapped the stop recording button on his tablet and holstered it to his side as he approached the area where Amenaru and Kit were working. He found them at the end of the tunnel, hunched over a ramshackle pile of parts.
Joust: What ho, my little bees. How goes the systems checks?
Amenaru and Kit turned at the same time, after each of their ears tracked Joust's voice.
Amenaru: Busier than I expected. After we get through all this, we should increase maintenance checks down here and consider more dampening material. It looks like vibration damage on some of these conduits.
Kit: We're close to the deflector dish, so that might be part of it.
Joust took his tablet out again and started taking notes.
Joust: We'll look into that later. Any damage?
Amenaru: Nothing compromised, but we're replacing everything that's showing higher than normal wear.
Kit: We might want to consider an additional redundancy for internal comms. One primary and one secondary is a little too close for me.
Joust: An after-battle problem. I'll have another note here about that. Keep at it.
Amenaru: One more thing, Commander. Since I'm down here, can you have Phobos update the inventory management database for the increase in antimatter warheads? We might get glitches if the firing system doesn't know how many we have.
Joust entered the new note in his tablet.
Joust: Got it. I'll let him know. Contact me if you need anything. As you were.
Engineering, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Joust: First officer's log, continued. I'm on my way to Engineering now. I presume that Minnie will have everything in order. This stop is mostly just to see if she needs anything. I expect that Phobos will be there too and I need to see him.
Joust tapped pause on his tablet and walked through the double sliding doors into the vast Engineering space. Ahead of him, the core pulsed in a soothing rhythm. The atmosphere was lively, with people darting this way and that, taking care of their tasks. After a few minutes strolling around, Joust found Minnie in a corner with her head buried in a maintenance hatch.
Joust: Good afternoon, Chief.
Minnie pulled her head out of the hatch and picked up a nearby rag to wipe off her hands.
Minnie: Commander! Forgive me if I don't shake your hand. I was just putting a fresh coat of grease on some of the parts.
Joust: Not a problem. I'm just stopping by to see if you need anything.
Minnie: We have things handled. We'll have her at peak performance by tomorrow.
Joust: And how are your people holding up?
Before answering, Minnie cast a proud look around Engineering, at her team fulfilling their tasks.
Minnie: Keeping busy, but plenty of worry, myself included. We all joined to be explorers, not warriors. Still, everyone understands the stakes.
Quenya: Chief!
Both Joust and Minnie turned to find Quenya running up from behind.
Quenya: Oh, hello Commander! I didn't mean to interrupt.
Joust: As you were. I'm just checking up on things.
Minnie: Report, Cadet.
Quenya: Yes, Chief! I've finished installing the extra shielding around the bypass circuits.
Minnie: Good. Next, I want you to run simulation tests for systems bypasses. Start with shields.
Quenya: On it, Chief!
Just as Quenya was about to run off to her next task, Joust grabbed her shoulder.
Joust: Hey, before you go, I just wanted to check how you're doing.
Quenya raised her finger to her mouth and mused for a moment.
Quenya: I've actually been thinking about that all day. You know my dad went up against Wishmaster. I really don't want this to become a family tradition but he survived against impossible odds and that gives me hope.
Joust: We have the luck of the Vayhamas on our side. That should count for something.
Quenya: That sounds better than the luck of the Romanovs.
Suddenly, they heard a shout from one of the alcoves nearby.
Sylvar: Don't worry, Commander! We're taking them down!
Joust: Glad to see your confidence, Sylvar.
Sylvar stepped out of his alcove and strode confidently towards them.
Sylvar: More than that. Experience. That crazy stunt you pulled to rescue me, that wouldn't have happened with the vashtari. It's not that they wouldn't... Well, they wouldn't, but also, they couldn't. Lazmaedia has squeezed every ounce of creativity, empathy, imagination, and everything else out of the entire planet. They only know shoot and kill. You have skills they don't have.
Minnie: We have skills they don't have. You are proof that those parts of them are just dormant.
Joust took out his tablet and made more notes.
Joust: Worth writing down. I somehow doubt the elites we will be facing will suddenly have a bout of creativity. I'll suggest that we consider this in our plan.
Joust stopped typing, having just noticed one of his previous notes.
Joust: Ah, I need to see Phobos. Is he around here?
Minnie: He's in the science lab. We'll get back to work so you can talk to him.
Joust: Right. Keep up the good work.
Science Lab, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Joust: First Officer's log, continued. Engineering is in order, as expected. I got some insight from Sylvar which I have put into my notes. Perhaps Voxx has mentioned something similar to the admiralty, but I think, perhaps, Sylvar didn't even fully realize the difference between us until the rescue. I'm glad he's with us. That rescue was worth the risk.
Joust tapped pause again on his tablet as he entered the science lab. There, he found Phobos working by himself.
Phobos: What can I do for you, Commander?
Joust: Just checking up on everyone, but I do have a small computer update for you.
Phobos: Oh, nothing related to computers is ever small. What do you have for me?
Joust: Amenaru is working in the catacombs now and will be there for awhile. He asked if you could update the capacity maximums for the antimatter warheads.
Phobos responded with a nod. A nod that, Joust suspected, had more meaning than a simple yes, that he would do it.
Phobos: Exactly that. Right now, the maximum is hard coded to the physical storage. It's more than just updating the maximum. I'll have to re-code the system for flexibility and test it to make sure that nothing else gets affected accidentally.
Joust: Nothing simple with computers.
Phobos: It never is. Not to worry, Commander. I'll have it all sorted with plenty of time to spare.
Joust: Good to hear. How are the systems looking?
Phobos: It's still a new ship, so everything looks good. I'm just doing software maintenance, deframenting, that sort of thing.
Joust: And your personal systems?
This time, Phobos didn't answer right away, but froze stiff, in the most android way possible. No swaying. No breathing. No blinking. Like a statue.
Phobos: System diagnostic complete. No issues.
Joust: I didn't need quite that level, but I'll take it. Anyway, I'm headed to the torpedo tracks to see how they're doing. Let me know if you need anything.
Phobos: Understood, Commander.
Joust turned and exited the lab and paused, just for a moment, to pan around the room one last time before he went to weapons systems.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
