Jethro 3: No Place Like Home by Chris Hechtl Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Chris Hechtl
bored, doctor,” the skipper said, pursing her lips in a small smile as she took a sip of coffee.
“Perish the thought,” Chief Chowler said, coming in as well. “Caught the last. Hell, I think everyone did since you left the wardroom door open,” he said shaking his head.
“Oh great, now we're in for it,” Shelby replied with a mock sorrowful sigh as the skipper exhaled noisily.
“Are you sure this is wise skipper? I mean, we're coming down like a ton of bricks on the lazy ones. Now we throw a party?” The chief asked as he made his way around the compartment to the half-filled carafe. The steward poked his head out of his door to check on them and then withdrew.
“Carrot and the stick approach chief,” Shelby said. “But we've got to frame it in the right light. Any ideas skipper?”
“I have one,” the chief said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “And it's appropriate since we're close to jump exit in Triang. And since we've got all sorts of noobs laying about...tradition and all...”
Slowly the Captain's face cleared and then she chuckled. Shelby glanced her way and then snorted.
“Yeah, I think Commander Firefly can arrange something in that regard, as keeper of tradition and all,” the skipper said, saluting the ship AI's holo avatar with her cup.
“I'll do my best skipper,” Firefly replied.
---( | ) --- ( | )---
Firefly organized a jump-out party. Antiguans, having never been in hyper before were inducted into the traditional fraternity with a blow-out party. The officers attended with as much dignity as the enlisted allowed. They took a day to party, then a shift and a half to sleep the worst of it off before they moved on.
Of course, most of the engineers were too busy out on the hull to participate. There was some resentment over that, but they knew what they were doing was important. Four of the nodes in the port bow had to be replaced, another five nodes had to be repaired. Minor faults had cropped up in some of the other nodes; work crews were swarming the hull.
Recruits who were suit qualified were pressed into service as well. Chief Chowler ran his people in six-hour shifts on the hull, making certain each had time off to at least enjoy some of the party and get some rack time.
Commander Logan made herself scarce in the party, taking a double shift out on the hull with the work parties there. Even the Captain took a shift out there supervising the repairs.
Janice spent her time as much as possible manning the bridge. She shared the duty with Lieutenant Purple Thorn, who was the watch duty officer. Lieutenant Yu, however, coordinated the repairs and worked on the jump calculations for the short jump, refining them constantly.
Deja had mostly abstained from drinking; he knew he would have to fly in a day and didn't want to helm the ship with a hangover. It was hard enough to run the ship in Delta, let alone dropping to Beta to skip through the outer edge of a system. He seriously didn't need to endanger the ship with blurred reflexes. Still, he did have a bit of fun, and he found that being mostly sober and messing with those that had tied one on was as much fun as getting drunk himself. The great thing was, some wouldn't remember it at all, he thought maliciously.
---( | ) --- ( | )---
Two days after arrival in Triang the ship was cleared for jump. Chief Chowler and Commander Logan were both exhausted but gave a thumbs up. Janice worried at the node balance for a half hour before her dithering got the attention of the skipper. She reluctantly signed off on the jump.
Deja felt the rush as the ship jumped, and the near frantic urge to control the ship and keep her safe. Fortunately, Lieutenant Yu, having experienced skip jumps before knew the routine, so she had started him off with a short jump back out past the periphery and then back in, letting him get his bearings.
Twenty-five exhausting, nerve wracking hours later the Selkie signed off and handed control of the
“Perish the thought,” Chief Chowler said, coming in as well. “Caught the last. Hell, I think everyone did since you left the wardroom door open,” he said shaking his head.
“Oh great, now we're in for it,” Shelby replied with a mock sorrowful sigh as the skipper exhaled noisily.
“Are you sure this is wise skipper? I mean, we're coming down like a ton of bricks on the lazy ones. Now we throw a party?” The chief asked as he made his way around the compartment to the half-filled carafe. The steward poked his head out of his door to check on them and then withdrew.
“Carrot and the stick approach chief,” Shelby said. “But we've got to frame it in the right light. Any ideas skipper?”
“I have one,” the chief said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “And it's appropriate since we're close to jump exit in Triang. And since we've got all sorts of noobs laying about...tradition and all...”
Slowly the Captain's face cleared and then she chuckled. Shelby glanced her way and then snorted.
“Yeah, I think Commander Firefly can arrange something in that regard, as keeper of tradition and all,” the skipper said, saluting the ship AI's holo avatar with her cup.
“I'll do my best skipper,” Firefly replied.
---( | ) --- ( | )---
Firefly organized a jump-out party. Antiguans, having never been in hyper before were inducted into the traditional fraternity with a blow-out party. The officers attended with as much dignity as the enlisted allowed. They took a day to party, then a shift and a half to sleep the worst of it off before they moved on.
Of course, most of the engineers were too busy out on the hull to participate. There was some resentment over that, but they knew what they were doing was important. Four of the nodes in the port bow had to be replaced, another five nodes had to be repaired. Minor faults had cropped up in some of the other nodes; work crews were swarming the hull.
Recruits who were suit qualified were pressed into service as well. Chief Chowler ran his people in six-hour shifts on the hull, making certain each had time off to at least enjoy some of the party and get some rack time.
Commander Logan made herself scarce in the party, taking a double shift out on the hull with the work parties there. Even the Captain took a shift out there supervising the repairs.
Janice spent her time as much as possible manning the bridge. She shared the duty with Lieutenant Purple Thorn, who was the watch duty officer. Lieutenant Yu, however, coordinated the repairs and worked on the jump calculations for the short jump, refining them constantly.
Deja had mostly abstained from drinking; he knew he would have to fly in a day and didn't want to helm the ship with a hangover. It was hard enough to run the ship in Delta, let alone dropping to Beta to skip through the outer edge of a system. He seriously didn't need to endanger the ship with blurred reflexes. Still, he did have a bit of fun, and he found that being mostly sober and messing with those that had tied one on was as much fun as getting drunk himself. The great thing was, some wouldn't remember it at all, he thought maliciously.
---( | ) --- ( | )---
Two days after arrival in Triang the ship was cleared for jump. Chief Chowler and Commander Logan were both exhausted but gave a thumbs up. Janice worried at the node balance for a half hour before her dithering got the attention of the skipper. She reluctantly signed off on the jump.
Deja felt the rush as the ship jumped, and the near frantic urge to control the ship and keep her safe. Fortunately, Lieutenant Yu, having experienced skip jumps before knew the routine, so she had started him off with a short jump back out past the periphery and then back in, letting him get his bearings.
Twenty-five exhausting, nerve wracking hours later the Selkie signed off and handed control of the
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