Serenity, 1136, Above Planet Earth
Mission: Test of Hyper-Jump technology
Status: Critical – IJD sabotage. Jump at 1140.
Admiral Keyes and Lieutenant Thawson ran through the narrow quarters of the living section, dodging past a few people and trying to make as much progress as possible. Cortana appeared at regular hologram posts in front of them to tell them key information about the status of the engines, position of their heading, and new reports from other support vessels, as well as telling everyone ahead to clear the way. Many people stared at Admiral Keyes, looking for the two epilates with the lieutenant badge on them, only to see the glimmering platinum blue stripes.
"So, do you have a ploy for finding new nut heads for the bridge crew?" Cortana asked as they ran past another hologram station.
"Yes, I do. I want you to open a link for the whole ship." Cortana disappeared for a bit.
"The comms are yours, Try not to insult anyone!" Keyes stopped at Cortana and lent against the projector.
"This is Keyes," He announced "Admiral Keyes." Everyone who was in visual range stopped what they were doing and eyed him "Questions later. This message applies for the whole crew as priority one. I want evasive navigational routes through the zeta asteroid field; I want estimation reports on the condition of the engine structure after we receive breeches through decks D15 to E17, and lastly, defensive strategy schemes for an attack in the nebula asteroid field beta from a full flanking enemy position. Any crew member can grab your data pad and work one of these out now, which ever suites your skills. Send your results to Cortana, and she will have them processed. Keyes out" he tapped a button on the control panel.
"I will what?" Cortana asked "Hell no, you can shove it right up your-"
"Cortana! Please! I want you to do this for me, for once! I would do it myself if I could work them all out in 30 seconds, but I'm human. I need you on this one!" He sighed and broke eye contact. "Once you have the winners, report them to the bridge." There was a small pause before Cortana responded, processing the situation to come out with the right response
"Yes, sir!" Cortana attempted a salute and shimmered away.
"Lieutenant, come with me." Keyes led the lieutenant towards the bridge. "What's your name and position aboard this ship, marine?" He asked
"The name's Tom, Tom Thawson. I'm in gunnery, sir." he replied "I keep the guns firing on C deck."
"How much do you know about your guns lieutenant?"
"Too much for my own good sir!" a grin formed on his face "I sometimes think I know better than the others." He bounced a pace to keep up with the Admiral "May I ask why you wanted to know, sir?"
"You sound confident in your work." Keyes replied
"That's because I know what I'm doing sir!"
"I need a weapons specialist on the bridge. Do you think you can handle that?" Keyes asked. The new lieutenant replied without hesitation
"Yes sir, definitely. I've seen how it's done." He tried to think of more words to say, But Keyes cut him off
"In that case I'm transferring you from Army lieutenant to Navy bridge crew, sub lieutenant. Not quite as good a name, but it's the same rank, and it might not be permanent. Go get your gear and chuck them in an empty rack. Meet me on the bridge 1 minute before jump. Step to it!" Thawson stood a quick attention and saluted before he ran off back the way they had come.
"The work has been marked. Petty officer Trace submitted an outstanding navigational course, nearly as well as mine. It had been quad checked and arrived first!" She looked at the admiral "Are you handling this okay, Angelus?" Keyes sighed and stopped, his left hand came up to rub his eyes. "If you want, I can-"
"I'm fine." He sighed once again "Tell me more about Trace, is he known well?" he looked at Cortana, his hand sifting through his short hair.
"For a start, he's a she, and secondly yeah, she is quite a genius from the academy. She's down in logistics. Want me to bring her to the bridge?"
"Yes please Cortana, if you could select the rest as well, that would be great. Send me their reports to the bridge's database. I'm heading that way now." He started to walk off when Cortana asked for his attention.
"Sir? If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here." She said suddenly, her hands swinging by her sides. Her code had totally stopped; she had put all her CPU into just saying those few words. Keyes looked at her.
"That would be great, Cortana, thanks" He smiled at her before looking at his feet "We've got a lot to do, so on the double if you wouldn't mind?" He looked at Cortana
"Anything for you, Admiral. You know that." She shimmered away again, and left Keyes by himself, before he turned and made his way to the bridge.
Serenity, 1138
Logistics
Dorm of Petty officer Jane Trace
"You in here Jane?" Cortana asked. Jane jumped and hit her head on the rack's railing.
"Ugh! Cortana!" She turned to look at Cortana, who was holding her hand over her gawping mouth.
"Are you alright?" Cortana asked
"Yeah. No thanks to you."
"I was being sarcastic!" Cortana's face twisted and she showed her blue tongue
"You're a great pal." She rubbed the back of her head. "What do you want?"
"Your position on the bridge is waiting. Hurry up. Wouldn't want to get into trouble for being late would you?" Cortana turned around and inspected the rest of the room. She glanced at a set of pictures; one was a hansom young man. "He taken?" she pointed at him and turned back to look at Jane, who was staring furiously at her. "Okay, Okay!" She held her hands up "I'll find someone else!"
"Why didn't you tell me sooner Cortana!" she ran to her desk and put her stuff in a bag, including all the photos.
"Well, I only just realised he existed!" She replied
"Not him!" Jane shouted she let out a heavy sigh before swinging her bag over he shoulder and running out of the room.
Serenity 1138
Engine room, Pillar of autumn
Engine Status Panels – Lieutenant Sam Towers' Post
"Turn Valves 6 to 8, reverse hydrogen flow!" a man shouted. He watched his colleagues run around the room, beneath the one of the massive new triple engine drives. He turned to look at the jump status. 72. "Only a couple of minutes to go now." He whispered under his breath
"Actually, one minute and twenty four seconds!" Cortana corrected him. The man turned
"Hello Cortana, what brings you here?" He asked
"Hello Sam. Your predictions for damage control were excellent, the best entry from the ship. The Admiral wants you in the bridge ASAP." Sam smiled at Cortana.
"What were with those questions for anyway?" He asked "And how the hell did Keyes get Admiral?" Cortana put here finger to her lips.
"All questions answered later, Keyes will brief you after the jump, if we make it." Cortana clicked her fingers in front of Sam's face. "Now step to it!" she said, before disappearing, startling Sam in the process.
"Yes ma'am!" Sam shouted at the wall, just as a private walked around the corner
"Who are you talking to, Sam?" he asked, puzzled "Your wife here or summit?" he looked around the area, searching for someone.
"No, Cortana popped in. I've got to go, triple time." He grabbed his pack and ran onto the raised walkway, heading out of the engine room.
Serenity, 1139
Boarding crew decks
Dorm of Private Steven Truss
"Hey there!" Cortana said at a man, lying curled up on his rack "Are you Steve?" Steve rolled over and looked at Cortana
"No, get lost." He angrily shouted at Cortana, before turning back.
"Ok" Cortana frowned at him "Oh, but if you do see Steve, tell him a promotion is waiting for him at the bridge will you?" Cortana Disappeared
"Wait! I am Steve!" He shouted, jumping up from his bed, "Cortana!?" He looked around and sighed. Cortana shimmered back into view
"I knew you were lying. Your increased blood pressure and low voice indicated that you did not want to be disturbed." She folded her arms and stood taller on her platform. "I though that trick would get you up!"
"Show off." Steve replied "What did you say about promotion?" he looked as deep as he could into Cortana's eyes.
"Your defensive strategy schemes were outrageous. You know the limits of this ship and you used them." She looked at him "Be on the bridge in one minute. The Admiral is waiting." For the last time, she shimmered away.
Serenity
The Bridge
Angelus looked at the three reports on the computer, scanning them as thoroughly as possible, trying to get to know the people before they arrived. He changed from report to report, and then checked what they submitted. He particularly liked Private Truss's report. Very deep and reliable.
"Are you happy with our . . . contestants?" Cortana asked, looking at the jump countdown as she spoke. Keyes paused before answering
"They will be suitable for the job." He announced
"Yes, I agree." She changed a few security setting and recalibrated the command modules. "I also like the fact they all have T's as the first letters of their surnames." She added. Angelus quickly switched between the three reports and a smile formed on his face "What?" she asked
"My father's first command crew all had S's" Cortana looked surprised.
"The odds of that happening are just over 1 to 150 million!" She replied, feeling clever for herself
"Shame it wasn't for the lottery." Angelus responded. The door opened and 4 men ran though to the Admiral, stood to attention and saluted. Keyes inspected them, before returning their salute.
"To get to the point, you are all now members of the bridge: Petty commanders. The questions I asked were to find people who could tackle such tasks as which we might find on the other side of this jump, but I didn't have the time for a proper crew inspection. Your positions are as followed. Jane, you take up Navigation. Sam, you're on Damage Control, Steve take up Tactical Control and Tom, you're on gunnery." He took a breath "Any questions will be answered after jump. You all know what to do, am I correct?"
"Yes, Sir!" they replied in unison.
"Good, now get to your posts!" They all broke their stance and scattered to different parts of the bridge "Cortana, issue full alert throughout the ship." He turned to face out the windows. "Battle stations, prepare to jump!"