Aurora: CV-01 (11 page)

“Ah, Doctor Karlsen,” the admiral greeted. “And Doctor Sorenson. A pleasure to see you, as always. I hope everything is going well for you?”

“If you’d like to take a look for yourself, Admiral, we are ready.”

“Excellent.” The admiral turned to the captain and the XO. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen. I’ll meet up with you later on the bridge.”

“Yes Sir,” the captain agreed. The captain and the commander, snapped to attention, saluting the admiral as he departed.

The admiral followed the two doctors past the armed guards that had been at the entrances to both the port and starboard shield generator bays since the special projects team had come aboard.

“I’d love to be a fly on that wall right about now,” the XO commented as they headed for the bridge.

“I have a feeling we’re going to know all about it soon enough,” the captain assured him.

CHAPTER 4

The day had started off like any other, up at six in the morning and breakfast at seven. Only today Nathan felt far more optimistic than he could remember since coming aboard. It might have been the time spent on the bridge the day before, where the simulations that he and Cameron had run seemed to have gone more smoothly than usual. He didn’t know if they were finally developing a working rapport, or if it was just that on the bridge, there were far more eyes on them.

But his good mood could also have been the result of a shorter than usual work day. Because of the inspection, the captain had given the entire crew the evening off, with none of the usual after dinner training or work teams that usually lasted right up until bedtime.

But most likely, Nathan’s, as well as everyone else’s better than usual moods were probably due to the knowledge that not only was today a ‘training free’ day, scuttlebutt had it that they were going to take the ship out for quick ‘lap around the block’, as the XO had referred to it. After weeks of intense training and late night work parties, the crew was itching to show what they could do.

Of course, every section chief had objected to the idea of starting the Aurora’s trials earlier than originally scheduled. There were still dozens of systems that were not completely installed. The galley, for example, still did not have functioning cold storage and the crew was still being fed by the mess halls down on Earth. More than half of the ships weaponry was still incomplete, her FTL fields were inoperative, as were the shields. But until the special projects team concluded their experiments and returned the emitters and the last two reactors to them, there was nothing that could be done about those systems.

But with the focus of the cruise being a test of the main propulsion system’s sub-light capabilities, the captain, as well as Admiral Yamori, were convinced that an eight hour trip around the system would be safe enough. And the Reliant, which was currently conducting training exercises within the inner system, could provide assistance if something were to go wrong.

So with the rumor being that they would depart just after lunch, Nathan had taken a chance and was sitting down to a larger than normal breakfast with Vladimir. They had been a little late in arriving, thanks to his roommate’s inability to get from quarters to the galley without stopping to strike up a conversation with at least one member of the opposite sex.

“I am so excited,” Vladimir exclaimed as he sat down to eat. “I will finally get to see the engines in action. No more simulations.”

“I second that last part,” Nathan agreed as he started eating.

“And the best part is, while we are underway, that woman will not be bothering me.”

“I hear ya.” It suddenly occurred to Nathan that the reason he was in such good spirits this morning was simply because he knew that today he would be free of the usual tension between himself and Cameron, which in itself had turned out to be mentally exhausting. While actually underway, the captain or XO would be giving the orders. And although Cameron still had no problem ‘offering alternatives’ to Nathan, he had no doubt that she would not be offering them in the presence of command staff.

“I really hope that we get the chance to bring the engines to full power today. I believe we can get to at least eighty percent light, maybe eighty-five.”

He watched in amazement as Vladimir shoveled food into his mouth. Nathan had been raised in a very proper family, where they had been taught to put down their eating utensils in between bites in order to ensure the slow, methodical chewing and swallowing of their food. Not that Nathan ate abnormally slow. He had abandoned such rituals out of necessity over the years. But Vladimir was shoveling the food in before he had swallowed the previous bite. And he was still able to talk relatively clearly while he was eating. Nathan had dined with Vladimir nearly every day for the last two weeks, and had yet to get used to his style of inhaling his meals.

“Are you in a hurry or something,” Nathan chuckled. “Why do you eat so fast? Slow down and enjoy your food.”

“I know, I know—is bad habit. I get this from old job. I worked my way through school on rescue squad. It was very busy station. When you got chance to eat, you ate quickly or not at all.”

“Now hear this!”
the comm-system blared through the loudspeakers.
“All hands report to stations and prepare to get underway. Repeat, all hands report to stations and prepare to get underway. Departure in 5 minutes. That is all.”

“You see,” Vladimir said, as he stuffed the last sausage into his mouth and then displayed his empty plate, comparing it to Nathan’s barely touched plate full of food. “Just like on the rescue squad!”

Nathan began shoveling food into his mouth as Vladimir left the table, his engorged mouth still chewing away. After shoveling in several heaping spoonfuls, Nathan doubted he could fit much more into his mouth, so he grabbed the four sausages from his plate and headed out of the galley in a hurry.

The bridge was bustling with activity as the crew prepared to get underway. Technicians were performing last minute checks on critical systems, and the communications officer was busily confirming the readiness of each department to get underway.

Captain Roberts sat in his command chair in the middle of the bridge, pretending to review some notes on the data pad that he carried with him everywhere. He very much liked having information at his fingertips, and as far as he was concerned it was the best piece of lost technology yet recovered from the Data Ark.

The captain was listening intently to the sounds of his bridge staff as they prepared for their first real voyage. It would be a brief journey, only about six hours round-trip, but for his crew of fresh graduates, or ‘kids’ as his XO liked to call them, it would be their first voyage and therefore always one to remember.

He could’ve waited until later in the day before setting out, giving them all a chance to mentally prepare before getting under way, but that would’ve been too easy. When faced with a short amount of time to train a new crew, it made sense to use every opportunity to test them. And this sudden call to set sail was the perfect chance to do just that. For how quickly one could drop what they were doing and jump into action was a good indicator of how they would perform under pressure. It was something that he had learned from his first captain more than twenty years ago.

In a way, he felt a little guilty, like he had cheated. Unlike the rest of the crew, he did have a chance to mentally prepare. Not that he needed it, but he did take the time to visit with his family by vid-comm this morning. He had been unable to reach either of his sons, who were both serving in the fleet and were unavailable. But he had spoken at length with his daughter and even gotten to speak with his grandchildren. He had shared breakfast with his wife, also by vid-comm, just like he had done every morning since he reported for duty on the Aurora over a month ago.

The captain looked up from his data pad, scanning the eleven stations located around the perimeter of the bridge. They were all manned and ready, with the notable exception of a helmsman, who still had not arrived, despite the fact that they were set to depart in under two minutes. He turned to face the tactical station located directly behind him, which was currently being manned by his XO. He had insisted on an experienced officer at tactical, and Fleet Command had agreed to transfer one from the Intrepid when she returned to port in another week. “Any sign of our helmsman?” the captain asked Commander Montero.

As if on cue, Nathan came charging onto the bridge at a fast walk, still chewing his breakfast. “Sorry Sir,” he apologized with a mouth full of sausage. “Got a late start,” he added as he passed by and took his seat at the helm, directly in front of and slightly to the right of the command chair.

“Wipe your hands before you touch that console, Lieutenant,” the captain warned, a touch of amusement in his voice.

“Yes Sir.”

Nathan quickly wiped his hands on his pant legs, casting a guilty expression toward Cameron who sat at the navigation console to his left. Cameron looked away, still not able to understand how he had been promoted over her.

“Now that we’re all here,” the captain said. “XO. Ship’s Status?”

“All departments have reported in, and all stations are manned and ready, Captain,” Commander Montero reported from the tactical station. “We’re ready to get under way, Sir.”

“Very well. Comm, contact the platform’s CIC and Fleet Command, let them know the Aurora is leaving port.”

“Yes Sir,” the comm officer acknowledged.

“Lieutenant Scott, check that all boarding ramps have been detached and retracted, and release all mooring clamps.”

Nathan checked the status display that sent a constant telemetry of mooring data from the Platform’s control systems. “All boarding ramps have been retracted and secured, releasing all mooring clamps.” Nathan pressed a button on his side console to release the mooring clamps that held the ship in place.

Outside, more than twenty clamps located on the end of long pneumatic arms simultaneously released their grip on the Aurora’s mooring points. The sudden release allowed the negatively pressured mooring arms to quickly pull away from the ship and back against the assembly platform.

Inside, there was a muffled
clunk
as the clamps released, and the ship seemed to dip slightly to port. It was only a slight sensation, one that might have gone unnoticed had they not seen the slight change in the ship’s angle in relation to the assembly frame that surrounded them through the main view screen.

“Ship is free floating, Sir.” Nathan immediately compensated for the slight change in attitude with his docking thrusters, tapping his joystick ever so slightly, bringing the ship back into perfect alignment.

“Very, well, Lieutenant. Take us out.”

“Thrusting forward.” Nathan applied gentle forward pressure on the joystick. He held the pressure for only a second, maybe less—just enough for the ship to start inching forward.

The Aurora began to slowly slide out of the long octagonal shaped truss work that had been her home since her construction had begun over two years ago. Every single work light was shining on her as she inched away from her berth.

The main view screen was a massive quarter-sphere display that encompassed the front third of the bridge. Starting at the floor and flowing up smoothly onto the ceiling, it gave the flight crew, the two most forward stations, and the Command Chair a one-hundred and eighty degree view laterally, and nearly as much vertically. It was as if you were sitting in a bubble atop the ship herself, looking out into space. Despite the knowledge that it was only a projection, and that they were sitting in one of the most protected compartments within the ship, one couldn’t help but feel exposed when surround by the amazing view.

From his position at the helm, Nathan could easily see that every view port on their side of the assembly platform’s main structure was packed full of faces, all there to witness this historic moment. For them, it was the culmination of years of hard work and long hours, and they had every reason to be proud of their accomplishment as they watched her go.

“Message from Fleet Command, Sir,” the comm officer reported.

“Go ahead,” the captain answered, already anticipating the content of the message.

“Message reads, ‘
Bon Voyage, and good luck to the crew of the Fleet’s newest vessel, the Aurora.’
End message.”

“Thank you, Ensign. Pass it on, ship-wide, please.”

Nathan continued to add velocity with each tap of the joystick, until they were moving out of the berth at a respectable rate. He didn’t want to seem to cautious or they might realize how nervous he actually was. For only a few short weeks ago, Nathan was about to serve as a third-string backup pilot on the oldest ship in the fleet. But now, by some twist of fate, he was the lead pilot of the newest and fastest ship the Earth had ever put into space. He had never aspired to such accomplishments. In fact, he had never been as patriotic as most of classmates. His only ambition had been to get away from his father and lead his own life. But now, after all he had been through over the last two weeks, he was starting to feel the same as everyone else. He was
believing
in something greater than himself.

Cameron watched as the opening to the end of the assembly berth passed them by, their bow breaking into open space high above the Earth. Despite her calm exterior, Cameron could feel her pulse racing with excitement at the sight of it all, despite the fact that it looked exactly the same as it had in the countless simulations they had run.

She too had joined the fleet to get away from her old life. And she had also lacked the patriotic feeling shared by most of her class. But ambition had never been something that she had lacked. For her, it was all consuming. It drove her day in and day out, and made her cold and competitive.

But she was okay with it, figuring that the sacrifice now while she was young would pay off later. She had no interest in becoming a baby-factory, like so many of her friends back home. She agreed with those that felt the Earth’s population was being refilled at an acceptable rate, making such efforts not only unnecessary, but unwise.