St. Ives System
July 3030
Roweyna stood on the Bridge of the Leopard looking out over the controls into the vastness of space. She didn't know why, but she felt if she was on the bridge, she needed to look out the windows. Hawkins and Kate were going between their instruments and generally ignoring the windows. Sarah was at the Navigation station and equally engrossed in her systems. Roweyna knew that good pilots were supposed to rely almost exclusively on their instruments, but it still vexed her that no one was paying attention to what could be going on outside the window. Of course, they were thousands of kilometers from anything so there was nothing to see.
"How much further till the jump point?" Roweyna said.
"You want that in distance or hours?" Hawkins asked.
"Hours Mr. Hawkins. How long till we arrive at the Jump point." Roweyna answered, "I'll not have ye telling me were millions of kilometers away but were going thousands of kilometers an hour and pretending that it means anything to me."
"Um, it is about a million kilometers." Sarah said, "But we've been under constant thrust since we left St. Ives III, so we are going…"
"Come on Navigator, how fast are we going, and when will we get to the jump point?" Hawkins said.
"Uh…" Sarah started to look at her charts and the navigation station monitors, "Okay, so we're about here, coming up on the last planet in the system, and we left St. Ives III about a week ago."
Kate got up and walked over to the navigation station. She started to press various buttons on the different monitors as she explained, "There's your accelerometer, that is our current speed. Here's your digital star charts. If you press this it will triangulate our location based off of the constellations the ship can see, and here you have direct access to the ship's clock. Speed, location, and timing, those are the three things you need to navigate this or any other vessel."
Sarah nodded, "Okay, I didn't know all that. Whenever you guys ask Anastasia a question, she just seems to have the answer, and knowing her I thought she was using some weird academy math to guess."
"Anastasia doesn't guess, and if you had asked her she would have told you exactly what she was doing." Kate said. Sarah nodded as Kate continued, "However considering you spent most of your time at the navigation blind during our last voyage, it's probably more the Pilot Commander's fault than yours."
"Wait, what? How is this my fault?"
"You're supposed to be training her."
"Damn it, this happens every time. You start sharing a bed with a woman and next thing you know everything's your fault."
"Mr. Hawkins, I believe yer gettin' off topic. I need to know how many hours 'afore we're at the jump point."
"About 12 hours." Kate answered as she pointed to various pieces of pertinent information on the monitors for Sarah. Then she hit a button and pulled a display that read, "Time to location: 12:08"
Sarah nodded as she quickly wrote down notes on her scratch paper.
"I have a few items I need to attend too. When my father's jump ship arrives in the system call me. I'm certain he'll want to talk."
"Too easy." Hawkins said as Roweyna left the bridge.
Roweyna walked down the hallway as she mused. She needed to make sure everything was in order on the drop ship. She knew her father would want to see the Phaidin as soon as he had an opportunity, and he would complain to her about anything he found amiss. Roweyna also knew he would always find something amiss, but she was going to at force him to get creative.
Roweyna opened the door to engineering and slipped into the small control area that overlooked the massive engines. It was little more than a control panel with multiple lights, monitors and dials. Even though the room was soundproofed but the hum of the engines could still be heard, and almost felt. Two men swiveled around as she entered their workspace. She knew the men were brothers, but they couldn't be more different. The older brother, William, was shorter, slim and had a full beard and long brown hair. The other crew members referred to him as "Nuke Jesus" because he looked like the classic Jesus of iconography, and he was in charge of the fusion engine. His brother Charles was tall, stocky and had a military style crew cut and clean-shaven face.
"Alright gents, how much have we improved the performance of the Phaidin? I put up a lot of money to fix the internal wiring and after two weeks, I'd like to know what I have to show for it."
"Uh…" William looked at the various dials and monitors on the table, and then he walked up to a blank portion of the wall and began to write with a dry-erase marker. The wall was covered with various equations, scribbles, notes on things and other almost indiscernible information. William asked Charles for various pieces of information as he wrote out a long equation and put the data in as Charles called it out.
"Well…it looks like we're at 87.2% engine efficiency, which is pretty good, given that this is a centuries old fusion generator, and it was generally neglected till I was hired."
"Aye, that does sound promisin'. How much of an improvement is that?"
"Let me look in the log" William said as he grabbed an oversized green book from the top of one of the consoles and started to flip the pages. He started to write on the wall. After a few minutes he looked back at Roweyna, ".5%"
"5%, That's not too bad." Roweyna said.
"No, point five percent.", William said as he circled 86.7 on the wall and then drew an arrow to the 87.2%
".5? Do ye know much money I spent fixin' the power cabels?" Roweyna asked.
"I do not." William said.
"How am I going to explain to father that we spent several million C-bills to repair this floatin' slag heap and in the end, it only improved her performance by .5%?" Roweyna said.
"I thought we were repairing the electrical system because it was a safety hazard." William said.
"Yeah, the storage locker on the second deck was a death trap." Charles added.
"What?" Roweyna asked.
"The storage locker where we keep all the dunnage, extra cables, paper, linen. You know the big room where we store all the stuff, we can't think of any other place to put it." Charles said.
Roweyna looked confused, "The purser's locker was a death trap? I get things out of there all the time, what was wrong?"
"The ceiling was electrified." Charles said.
"How is that- Why would you think-" Roweyna shook her head, then snapped "How often do ye find yerself walkin' on the ceiling of the purser's locker?"
"Rarely, or more accurately never." Willaim said.
Charles quickly added, "but when we were burning away from that Jump Ship under full thrust and Hawkins decided to fly this bird like an Aerofighter someone could have ended up dead."
"Were ye traipsing about the ship pillagin' the purser's locker while Mr. Hawkins was engaging in extreme maneuvers? 'Cause if ye were, then I'd suggest the state of the ceilings electrification would be the least of yer problems." Roweyna could barely keep herself from shouting.
"Well, no, but you asked." Charles answered.
Roweyna collected herself, "So I did Mr. Calhoun. So I did. Now, if ye'll excuse me I have other things to attend to. Perhaps ye can see if he can improve the engine's performance by more than .5% before Commander McFinnigan sees you again."
"Sorta hard to do when we're underway." William replied.
"I leave it to both of ye to find a way." Roweyna left the engineering area and resumed walking down the halls. She could already hear her father's unimpressed groan as she explained the cost of repairing the ship and how it was admittedly safer, but it wasn't performing any better. He'd understand the need to spend the money and he'd say that safety was always a priority, but he also liked to get a good deal and he'd be happier if the safety improvements had made the ship operate better. Perhaps he would be pleased knowing the ship had less "death traps".
Roweyna passed by the flight deck and slipped into the bay holding the Stuka. Everything was in order including two tons of armor replacement sheets. She quickly walked around the craft and ran her fingertips across the skin of the nose as she walked. The Stuka looked in good shape and everything appeared in order. The new Aerotechnician was proving to be a good hire, and Kate was a welcome addition to the family. Having an aerospace fighter was probably the only reason she still had four 'mechs in the dropship's bay.
Roweyna walked across the passageway to the port side aerobay. She had sold the Karnov to the Compact forces. Hawkins and Kate had convinced her that the Karnov's tilt rotor design was dangerous, and since it couldn't travel in space and didn't have weapons neither of them were interested in learning to fly it. Roweyna managed to sell it, but most of what she made went to buying supplies to fix the Phaidin. As she entered the bay Roweyna was greeted by the MIIO agent tasked to escort the ROM agent Shafer and the mysterious ECM device that the company had captured.
"Ma'am I'd prefer everyone stay away from the prisoner and the asset." The MIIO agent said.
"Oh aye." Roweyna said "We're nearing the jump point and I wanted to make sure everythin' is in order. I'm jest doin' my rounds."
As she spoke Roweyna looked over the agent. He was wearing tactical civilian clothes and looked tired. The MIIO office could only spare one agent and so it had been understood the company would help him, but so far he had refused any assistance. He seemed very young and inexperienced to Roweyna.
She glanced over his shoulder to see a cot set close to the storage container that had been made into a brig. There was a small folding table with cards and a few other items. It looked like he was living and sleeping in the aerobay just outside the physical reach of his charge.
"Thank you, everything's in order here." The MIIO agent said as he physically blocked Roweyna.
Shafer, the ROM agent looked up at Roweyna. Her skin was sallow, and her shoulder length black hair hung down limply. She looked unhealthy, and her shirt was open exposing the bandages wrapped around her chest. There was a small blood stain on one of the bandages. She looked tired but as she studied Roweyna there was a cleverness and anger in her eyes.
"Has the doctor been to see ye recently?" Roweyna said looking at Shafer. Even if the MIIO agent didn't like it, Roweyna had obligations to any prisoners her company had in their care.
"For what it's worth, yeah." Shafer answered, "You're dressed nicely, you don't stink like 'mech coolant, and you don't have that slack jawed idiotic look of the rest of the crew. Do you own this floating trash barge, and all the garbage in it?" Shafer asked.
"For what it's worth, ye could say that." Roweyna responded, "though I'd submit yer mistaken in some of yer assumptions, particularly when it comes to the quality of this vessel and all it contains."
"When my associates come for that," Shafer nodded toward the container holding the ECM device, "There going to free me and make you regret everything you've done. You have no idea what you are up against."
"Yer associates have tried to take things from us afore, and, given the half-assed methods they used, I'd suggest they're the ones who have no idea what they're up against."
"They won't make the same mistake twice."
"Be that as it may, I also seem to recall they tried to kill you, so I'm thinkin' yer chances of survival, one way or another, are better with me, as I have a contractual agreement to deliver you. Further, in my experience, most spies that are compromised don't receive a warm welcome from their agencies."
"We'll see." Shafer said, but Roweyna could see some of the hate and energy seemed to disappear from her expression. It seemed Roweyna's words had some effect on the ROM agent.
The MIIO agent pushed Roweyna out of the door and started to close it, but Roweyna put her hand up. She spoke quietly so only he could hear, "Ye look like shite and that's a dangerous and cunning woman. I got two AFFS officers that could relieve ye, if only for a few hours to let ye get some sleep."
"This is my assignment, and I can handle it." The MIIO agent said as he closed the door.
Roweyna stood for a moment outside the closed door. This was her ship, and she could demand several things, not the least of which was that she not be locked out of her own aerobay. Her father would have never allowed this. She sighed as she started walking toward the crew's berthing areas. She'd talk to Hap and Anastasia and see if they wouldn't come and convince the MIIO agent to change his mind. It suddenly occurred to Roweyna that the MIIO agent never introduced himself, she had a name for the flight manifest, but she was certain it was an alias. Everything about him shouted inexperience.
Roweyna walked through the crew's berthing areas. Most of it looked in order, or at least the doors to the sleeping areas were closed and the wall lockers were secured. There were no strange smells of rotten food, soiled clothing, or vermin so she decided it was good enough. Roweyna looked into the crew's lounge. It was unoccupied, but everything was in order.
She came to the MechWarriors area and found their spaces in a similar state of cleanliness and tidiness. The warrior's lounge was open, and she could hear two people talking softly. The lights were dim, and she could see the back of Hap and Anastasia's heads. They were sitting in the circular couch and watching the holoscreen project the view from one of the ship's external cameras. The screen showed the last planet in the St. Ives system slowly fall away and shrink as the ship flew to the system's jump point.
"I don't know what I'll miss the most." Anastasia said as Rowyena approached them.
"We had an old Sergeant, old enough we'd convince the new guys he was a vet from the third succession war. Hap chuckled. "He probably was, to be honest. He had a really long break in service, but managed to re-enlist before he got too old. He was always complaining about how he could have been Sergeant Major if he'd stayed in. One day I asked him why he came back."
"What he'd say?"
"He hated the circus but missed the clowns."
Anastasia gave Hap a questioning look before her expression softened and she smiled, "I think I'll miss the clarity of sitting in a 'mech cockpit. From there it's simple to recognize enemies and allies. In the academic research community, it seemed like everyone is out for themselves. Most of them are driven by greed and jealousy. They'd turn on you in a heartbeat for grant money or recognition."
Anastasia sighed, "That brings up what I suppose I really miss, being part of a team where the individual knows their survival is incumbent on the warrior to their left and right.
"So, you will miss the clowns." Hap said as he kissed the top of her head.
"Just you." Anastasia answered with an impudent smile.
"Hey! I'm not a clown."
"Allow me to correct myself, I won't miss you, because I'm going to take you with me."
"Eventually."
"Eventually." Anastasia agreed, then added quietly "or perhaps sooner."
Before Hap could correct her, she continued, "I will miss the McFinnigan family. Somehow Kelly's inculcated that collective survival sentiment into nearly every member of the Company. Although my experience is limited to the RCT, the techs and astechs were generally indifferent, the air crews seemed to view the 'mechs as garbage they needed to clear out of their Drop Ships, and it felt like most of the Companies and Lances were competing with each other."
"He does that by being generous with bonuses mostly." Roweyna said as Hap and Anastasia turned to look at her and Selene's head popped and swiveled to look at her, "and the fact that since everyone's family is aboard it gives everyone a vested interest in keeping these boats flying and out of weapons range. As for the pilots, it took a lot of work, but father has them mostly convinced they shouldn't call the 'mechs and mechwarriors garbage, at least not to yer face."
"Hello Rowyena, you startled us." Hap said.
"Pardon me." Rowyena said "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I'm jest doin' my rounds, makin' sure everything is ship shape before we get to the jump point. I was wondering if I could trouble you. Would ye find Dr. Les, and ask her to check on our guest, and while yer there, insist the MIIO agent take a few hours and sleep while ye watch the prisoner?"
Hap nodded as Anastasia said, "We offered earlier, but he made it clear that our assistance was not required."
Hap stood up, "We'll grab the doc and see if he hasn't changed his mind. It's been a few days since we talked to him."
"I appreciate it. Ms. Shaffer looks like a particularly cunning and nasty individual who will take advantage of our poor MIIO agent the moment she gets an opportunity."
Hap gently pulled Anastasia to her feet as Selene hopped off the couch and stretched before following them. Roweyna left them and continued her rounds.