GravDime Jump to Gas Giant
(1)
Jo Kaori emerges from the expedition's quarters. Casting around for Merc's trace, she is unsurprised when, as usual, she can't find it on the station. She goes down to the operations level where Kahn's mind, and Kahn, sit before the command console. It's a convenient location; she can watch the screens, and pick up some of their implications from Kahn's surface thoughts without being invasive.
Captain Kahn watches the controls as if in deep thought
Kaori's starting to admire, in a weird way, Kahn's determination to ignore unwanted human contact. Then she smiles slightly; she's found Merc's trace. Unsurprisingly, it's aboard Researcher, not Shadow Fox.
"Do we expect to see Mercedes Verne aboard the station today?" she asks in her blandest voice.
Kahn replies, "Only if you see her. We do not expect anything of the Admiral. She comes when she wants to."
"So it seems," Kaori says. "She must have a great deal of trust in you, which should be surprising considering your histories." She turns her back on the screens and smiles at the pirate.
"Common goals can have surprising affects. I have the info she needs and she sees it as an advantage to her to achieve her goal. I am the only one here, besides those who were part of my crew, that has had close encounters with the Night Serpents."
Kaori says thoughtfully, "Having common goals and shared information doesn't necessarily mean trust - or rather, they usually mean trust of only a limited kind." Her eyes sweep around the deck. "Your command position here seems rather a light limitation."
Kahn decides to look busy, Rather than responding, she looks over a readout to her right so that she looks away from Kaori.
Isabella Ingram comes down the ramp on her daily hunt for information and perspectives. "Good morning!" she says cheerfully. Noticing Kaori at Kahn's elbow, she decides to claim a position at the other elbow. "Anything interesting happening?"
Kahn says, "I am planning on doing a gravDime jump if all is in order. This would be a rehearsal for when we drop off the Expedition."
Kaori says, still in that bland voice, "I have been trying to understand why one of Mercedes Verne's significant enemies is now trusted to run her station. The explanation given seems inadequate, given Verne's character. But it's understandable that the gravDime preparation has more of the Captain's attention at the moment."
Bella leans forward eagerly. "Captain, I hope I'll be able to stay on the operations deck while that's happening. My readers will be fascinated."
She waits for an answer, then adds, hopefully, "I suppose Admiral Verne will be on hand for such an important test?"
Kahn continues to scan the readout as she answers, "Any ships that are within the bubble the Gravdime engine creates will be pulled along. That is how we bring extra fighters if needed."
Kaori turns back to her chosen screen. "Admiral Verne is aboard the Researcher," she says matter-of-factly. "She has spent a good deal of time there since our arrival - far more than in her own quarters.It continues to make the promised Naeya briefing difficult."
Kahn frowns. "Sounds like you are keeping tabs on the Admiral. Not something you want to be known for, I do assure you it not be a good thing."
Kaori turns her head, one eyebrow raised. "This station is not so large," she says. "There are not so many people aboard. It's difficult not to notice when a particular person isn't here." She turns back to the plotting display.
(2) Bella smiles appreciatively. "She's right, you know," she says to Kahn. "I didn't know the Admiral was aboard Researcher, but it's pretty clear when she's not on the station. Things aren't exactly more relaxed, but there is a difference."
Kaori shrugs. "When she's not aboard, and no spacecraft have departed, she has to have teleported to some ship within TP range."
Isabella tries again to get an answer to her request. "Anyway - may I stay on this deck, Captain, when the graveDime test starts?" There's still no answer. "I will assume that's a 'yes,' then," Bella says after a moment. "I'll ask Commander Hanna where I can strap in without getting in the way." She turns and goes to the Commander's console.
Over the ship's comm a horn blows three times, followed by an annoucement: "GravDime Jump in five minutes, all crew and passengers follow the GravDime safety protocols."
Kaori bows slightly to Kahn, then goes up the ramp to the safety chairs reserved for passengers.
Bella Ingram dons the new and improved jump helmet, then straps herself into a seat at an unstaffed console the commander's told her is available for her.
The three horn blows sound again.
"Attention. Attention. Prepare for GravDime Jump in four minutes. All crew to your stations. Fasten all loose items. Crew and guests, don your new jump helmet and grab the nearest safety seat."
There's a pause. The triple horn and announcement sound again at three minutes, then at two.
At one minute, the message changes. "All crew to your stations. Fasten all loose items. Crew and guests dawn your safety helmets and strap into the nearest safety seat."
Kaori shifts a bit restlessly and dons her helmet. The model used last week during the practice drill was uglier but, for a telepath, less intrusive. With the new one, she can still pick up hints of telepathic and empathic traces, but it feels as though her head's been invaded by fog.
The final alarm sounds. "Attention. Attention. GravDime Jump in 10 seconds, GravDime Jump in 10 seconds."
The GravDime Bubble starts to build around the ship. Isabella can't see its colours through the helmet's interference, but she snaps photo after photo for later viewing and sharing as space gains colour and begins to weave.
Count down continues over the station comms.
9,
8,
7
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
"GravDime Jump initiating."
Pressure around everything increases for a moment, making everyone feel as though they've been encased in steel spider webs. 5 seconds pass. Abruptly, all goes back to normal ((except for anyone foolish enough not to put on the helmet.))
Kaori rubs her arms. Although they aren't really stiff or bruised, the steel spiderweb effect makes it feel as though they should be.
(3) Kahn announces over the station comms, "Secure from GravDime jump. All crew and guests may remove their helmets and move around the station as normal."
With a gasp of relief, Kaori removes the fog source from her head.
Bella Ingram (ZaryaKhorsava Resident) unstraps and moves back to Kahn's side, the better to hear any reports. From that vantage point, she turns to study the changes in the patterns of stars outside the row of viewports. As the station slowly orbits in its new position, she gasps and starts taking photos again of a new, dramatic sight, as Kahn starts another announcement.
"This is Captain Kahn. I like to congratulate the crew. We jumped farther than we have before, and we've done it safely. Guests, you may look outside and see we are near a Gas Giant planet in the Angisul system. Next jump, when we are ready in a week or two, will be to planet Naeya. We wait here for a supply delivery and to harvest some fuel from this rich Gas planet."
Bella notes Kahn's comment about fuel. "Methane? Hydrogen?" she asks, tentatively. As usual, Kahn doesn't reply.
Kaori rises and does a tour through the accessible viewports on Level 3. Anigisul now shows as a disk, rather than the mere bright orange point that could be seen from the station's former position several times further out. The gas giant is a study in creams, browns, and oranges, with a few planet-sized swirls suggesting ancient storms in progress.
She checks the emotionscape of Shadow Fox and the ships that have been carried with it. There's a general air of satisfaction. When she stretches out to Researcher, the satisfaction in Merc's trace is almost ferocious.
Kaori reflects on the bit she's picked up about the GravDime drive's history. She remembers GravDime engine is a project that was originally canceled because it was thought to be too dangerous for Shylzani, because in the first series of tests, whole crews died or went mad. Now, Mercedes Verne and her team are proving they've solved the safety problems. No wonder her satisfaction today is so fierce. Kaori wonders if all the team members are aware of the extent of the casualty lists.
Below in the ops centre, Kahn goes about her work, intently looking over the readings on her console as Bella stands ready to ask more questions. After a few moments, Kahn looks intently at one indicator and begins tapping on it slowly.
Bella leans over to see if she can tell what the indicator says, but she's not close enough. She turns her padd just enough to record it, intending to enlarge the image later. "Is there a problem, Captain Kahn?" she asks, not really expecting a response but curious about that intent tapping.
The tapping, in fact, is a signal to Lt. Joviz at the neighboring station that Kahn is being bothered. Obedient and diplomatic, the lieutenant walks to Bella's side. "If you'll just come over here, Ms. Ingram, I can answer some of your questions about the test." Happy, Bella follows, questions bubbling.
Behind her, Kahn's tapping stops.