The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 53
In the mean time, on board the USS Elttuhs, Marianne watched the helm (well it was what our DS2 engineers called a helm, but didn't look like anything she was used to) while Nadine was sleeping in her bunk. Marianne was glad that Luke, on the last moment, decided to change ships. For some reason he thought that the recently revised ship (those engineers kept on tinkering with their ship so much, that every few months you could easily be fooled by beeing on another ship) could use some shake-down time. It was, actually, the first time she watched the helm of this ship at all.
The trip itself, though, was tiresome, especially because of the many 'non-events'. The Vega sector was about the most empty space in the whole of the UFP. Very few solar systems, some single stars,…a lot of spacedust …She didn't regret finally beeing on the way back to DS2, but then…Arthur, Jan or Luke would, off course, be having some other urgent tasks or repairs…even Wim could be nagging her constantly on assisting him with the development of some testing-project or something of that kind.Only Geert and Joost, they were more calm, relaxed. They spent a lot of their spare time together, even on duty, they kept a lot to themselves.
"Mmm…My kingdom for some shore-leave … a month of nothing but some relaxing, travelling, visiting relatives, picking up a guy or two…or more… why not ? I can have fun as much as any other can't I ? Anything, as long as it is as far as possible from this sector as possible… " Marianne thought, while leaning back in this very comfortable seat. She stretched her arms as far as she could and sighed loudly. Thinking back at her own time at the spacestation … It had been work, lots of work, and no play at all. Nevertheless… everyone of us could be proud of our achievements. In just a year and a half, the station went through a complete metamorphosis. But now, in the light of finally having finished almost 90% of the repairs and upgrades, we are all getting tired, stressed out ; grave errors are bound to occur. Listening to the, sometimes irritating, snoring of Nadine, Marianne thought of the many disputes, she whitnessed among the crew during the last weeks.
"Marianne, watch those gages on your front right ! Pay attention ! Damn… " Luke sneered to her while getting back in the co-pilots-seat." Look, the three alarm indicators on Gravity-control. Didn't you see them ? "
Marianne, startled, didn't hear him returning from the aft-section of the ship, where he was tweaking a fuel regulator , and she quickly turned her head towards the panel Luke was pointing at.
"They just turned red, Sir. 5 seconds ago everything was normal Sir. I swear…I was paying attention… "
More alarm indicators turned from yellow to red…
"Sir, mass-indicators turning red, Sir. I will try to compensate.Fluctuations in the Mass of the …ship… " She hesitated while saying that. How was that possible ?
"Marianne, I picked up a gravity-well next to the twin stars ; 1,5 parsecs away. Set course to it, but keep us at long distance , and keep an eye at those readings ! We cannot afford to have more of these fluctuations, I will go in the back check the hull."
"Aye Sir, Structural Integrity fields at full strength, Sewell engines fully aligned, setting speed at warp two.Engaging… "
The USS Elttuhs' engines yelled, a flashing light, surroundings faded …
"Warp two reached Sir. Maximum speed of Warp 2.4 in 3 minutes. DS2 is notified of the new course heading , E.T.A.to 500 Million kilometer parameter of gravity well is 7 hours and 40 minutes, Sir." Marianne said via her comm link to Luke.She acted as had she never flown anything but this ship. It felt more comfy than any other , strange…Those engineers did a good job, for once.
"Acknowledged" Luke replied, knowing he could fully trust her, and went on with his tests of the hull.