Pax

how about you? Engineering, I've never been able to figure that sort of stuff out, small devices, sure, but huge ships? No way!" replied Nathan.

"yeah" he replied trying hard to add the right emphasis to convey his meaning "I, mmm, yeah find that ships all alike once you cover the basic circuitry. so you create things as well?"

 

"I, mmm, yeah find that ships all alike once you cover the basic circuitry. so you create things as well?"

"Not exactly. I like taking things apart, seeing what makes them tick. You know, analyse stuff. It's just a hobby."

 

"Not exactly. I like taking things apart, seeing what makes them tick. You know, analyse stuff. It's just a hobby."

"oh right, thats kinda how i started. but it was with mining machinery...so do you know your way around here? i missed breakfast to get here on time."

 

"oh right, thats kinda how i started. but it was with mining machinery...so do you know your way around here? i missed breakfast to get here on time."

"Not really, my first time in space. But, I only had a bad bag of chips before arriving here, so I'll come with you. There should be some signs here..."

 

"Not really, my first time in space. But, I only had a bad bag of chips before arriving here, so I'll come with you. There should be some signs here..."

Jerrome looked around at the other group members just mingling and chatting which sparked the question directed at the etha more than Nathan. "Do we have time? are we meant to be somewhere?"

 

“Mr. Astero. Everything in your profile indicates a very intelligent and talented young man who lacks confidence and prefers to stay out of combat. I wouldn’t dare waste your talents, because you love computers so much I want you at the Quantum Computer Core learning the ins and outs of our ship computer. Title: Technology officer."

"That's done it," Arc thought. He had studied how a Quantum Computer Core works but had never handled it. Simulators were there, but they didn't give one the feel of a real machine. The real machine buzzed with life but the simulator was still a cold imitation.

"oh right, thats kinda how i started. but it was with mining machinery...so do you know your way around here? i missed breakfast to get here on time."

"Not really, my first time in space. But, I only had a bad bag of chips before arriving here, so I'll come with you. There should be some signs here..."

"Signs here, what do you mean?" interjected Arc and added, "No breakfast, well me too!"

 

Ms. Trinery. I know that you also have experience in spaceflight. I know about what happened to your family, damn shame, those Marauders will all have what’s coming to them one day. I know that you have revenge on the mind, just be patient, I can promise you that you’ll get your chance to kill plenty of them. You may have an aptitude for navigation, I would like you to be my woman on the navigation deck. Title: Navigation officer

Someday…someday I will kill every last mother-****ing Marauder as violently as I can imagine. But as for now, Navigation is a good enough position as any.

Trin saluted the officer as they were dismissed and moved with the rest of the group out of the room. David jumped for apparent joy and JJ was fuming after they moved out of there. What did you expect guys? Some of you were going to get things you wanted and others weren’t, it’s the first assignment anyways. Trin was quite glad she was placed on the navigation deck though. Her father had kept her with him for many hours up on his navigation deck, teaching her all the ends of the universe, and how to plot and set courses very well. More than once had she threaded needles in navigation, and made the pilot’s job too easy. It was part of her life before and became a part again. This was probably the best deck, except for maybe engineering, that she could have been put on. And it moves me forward towards my own ship.

Everyone talked excitedly around Trin, and she just leaned comfortably against the wall. She stared off towards JJ, watching his emotions change as his acceptance of his new assignment came to him.

Well hey, congrats everyone. Did we all get what we were aiming for?

A good enough position I’d say, at least for myself. There are things I’d like to be doing more, but navigation works. How about yourself? What were you aiming for? And don’t tell it’s what you were assigned, because everyone knows that’s a lie.” You wanted to be pilot didn’t you? Well, I think you’ll find out you probably have the most interesting job of us all. I envy you as well.

 

"Signs here, what do you mean?---no breakfast, well me too!" Arc said.

"Typical of Aerospace, always thinking with your stomachs. Come on guys, I'll show you the way back to the chow hall, maybe we can catch a Centipede transport and talk along the way." Pappy said.

 

Austin was pleased with his promotion. He was more looking forward to the wealth of data available to him now than assisting in the actual duties of the intelligence core. He would play his part of course and assist where necessary. A mixed sense of excitement and anticipation coursed through his body, he was ready for this mission and to take advantage of his new position.

"Come on, lets get this show on the road," he said.

 

"What were you aiming for? And don’t tell it’s what you were assigned, because everyone knows that’s a lie.”

My stomach lurched, I had been completely oblivious to JJ's frustration. '****, I must have looked like such a smug tosser,' I thought angrily.

"I'm sorry JJ, I had no idea, erm. What was it you said earlier? Fight me- Oh yeah, Fight me for the pilots seat. Well uh, if thats what you really want, I have no problems swapping over every now and again, to let you have a little go at the reins," I smiled warmly, trying to make up for my ignorance, "So what do you say?"

 

"Typical of Aerospace, always thinking with your stomachs. Come on guys, I'll show you the way back to the chow hall, maybe we can catch a Centipede transport and talk along the way."

Nathan followed Pappy to the Centipede. "So, do you know when we should be leaving?"

 

"What were you aiming for? And don’t tell it’s what you were assigned, because everyone knows that’s a lie.”

I pointed a thumb at David, "A comfy seat and a view of course..."

"I'm sorry JJ, I had no idea, erm. What was it you said earlier? Fight me- Oh yeah, Fight me for the pilots seat. Well uh, if thats what you really want, I have no problems swapping over every now and again, to let you have a little go at the reins. So what do you say?"

I raised my eyebrows in a look of stern appraisal, taking a moment to think of what to say. Weak? Or simply too accommodating? Weak? Accommodating? Weak? Accommodating? Weak? Accommodating...?

Would I even get my own ship command at this rate...?

I breathed a sigh of resignation, "Don't worry about it man, I was just pulling your chain. C'mon," I lightly clapped both of them on their backs, "Let's go get some grub." We walked after the Chief and the others.

 

"So, do you know when we should be leaving?" The kid names Nathan asked as he followed Pappy to the Centipede like a puppy. New boots were almost cute.

"Yes, ASAP. You know how it is in the fleet, hurry up and wait. In the fleet if you're early you're on time, if you're on time you're late, and if you're late you're UA. I dunno, hypno briefing said to catch the liner at late afternoon, enough time for us to ****, shower, shave and change into our civilian disguises. My advice? Get some good food in your belly now, it's gonna be a long trip to Europa." Pappy chuckled to himself, thinking about that one time at a bar in Europa when he got into a fight with some rowdy jarheads. Good times, and a few missing teeth to remember them.

The boots were going to love Europa, he could tell. The lady-killer would probably proposition the hookers, the little one with the penchant for computers would end up getting jumped in an alley by organ pirates, and the girl would end up getting into a fight with some dumb fleet kids on shore leave trying to pick her up.

OOC: UA = unauthorized absence, same as AWOL, or absent without leave

 

Jerrome was beginning to feel just a little uncomfortable with all the extra crew now heading to the lunch room. he didnt like people - they confused him - unlike computers which did exactly what they were told, and even told you how to fix them. Humanoids didnt come with manuals, "perhaps the manual would be more scary than the people" he thought to himself.

In the fleet if you're early you're on time, if you're on time you're late, and if you're late you're UA.
eager to avoid awkward conversations about guns and women, and considering he knew little of the latter Jerrome suggested "Should we head to the ship and get some food there instead?"

 

"Should we head to the ship and get some food there instead?"Jerrome asked.

"If you want, but you better bring a spacesuit because the transport isn't in dock yet. Harr harr harr. Come on kid, lighten up, a little space humor." Pappy said and slapped the new kid on the shoulder.

 

"If you want, but you better bring a spacesuit because the transport isn't in dock yet. Harr harr harr. Come on kid, lighten up, a little space humor."


Jerrome shruged off the big mans hand and feeling a little resigned to his fate followed the group to the lunch room. and although his hands were itching to get back to work on his many small projects, if his stomach was to complain any louder someone might be able to pick it up on a phonic interlave detector. As he thought of this a smile crossed his lips, but quickly vanished.

 

Arc walked towards the lunch room with the group hoping that he would get a good, tasty meal. He hadn't eaten for the day and was ravenous although he didn't have a good appetite.

"Food, is one of the exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, along with money and love," he thought, "Well, it isn't true because of scientific reasons but those magicians never know anything. They make silly laws to make up for their incompetence."

"The same is said about the earlier scientists. They make laws for what is possible and what is not possible to hide their own blank gaps of knowledge," he thought.

 

I smiled as JJ lead us to the lunch room, the last thing I wanted was to get into fights with JJ over who was flying the ship.

"Lovely girls on Europa, very... liberal minded, shall we say," I chuckled slyly.

After a minute or so's walk I reached the lunchroom a little ways ahead of the others, my appetite driving me. I remember reading something about the male mind, and it only recognising the three f's: Female, Food, Freat. I laughed aloud as I loaded my tray with an assortment of edible, if bland, grub. I emptied more then one of the food dispensers, which accounted for some angry grumbles behind me in the line.

I sat at an empty bench, and tore into my food ravenously, waiting for the others to catch up.

 

Nathan grabbed a plate of strange looking food and looked for a table. David had sat down in a table by the corner, and, knowing how important it was to be able to trust each other in a mission like this, he decided it would be a good idea to get to know David a bit more. He placed his plate down and sat across the table.

"Looking forward to the mission?"

 

"Looking forward to the mission?"

I grinned at Nathan, "Definitely, got my ideal role too."

I held my hand out, "I know your name, but I don't think we ever got properly acquainted, I'm Carter."

I winked, "So, looking forward to the ladies on Europa?"

 

Jerrome waited patiently in line before pulling the 'chicken soup' handle and grabbing a few slices of toast. of all the food served in space Jerrome felt that chicken soup was the closest to what it is actually meant to taste like - and it was still a fair way off.

on approach to the table he heard one of the team ask Nathan
"So, looking forward to the ladies on Europa?"
wanting no part in the conversation he stopped short and sat sat at the table before them, pulled out his grubby looking pocket sized 'advanced sudoku' book and stared at a blank puzzle while eating his soup. he tried to build them mentally - and generally succeeded.

 

"So, looking forward to the ladies on Europa?"

"Yeah, I hear they're pretty different from the women on Earth, not sure if that's a good thing or not... you got any experience with them?"

 

"Yeah, I hear they're pretty different from the women on Earth, not sure if that's a good thing or not... you got any experience with them?"

I burst out laughing, thumping the table with my fist, I beamed at Nathan when I calmed down, "Experience? Well, heh, I guess you could say that."

I winked, and gave him a nudge, "And trust me, its a good thing. Girls from Europa, much more game for a laugh, down to earth, beautiful eyes. Earth girls, are a tad more stuck up my friend."

I leaned back and took a swig of water, swirling it around in my mouth, as though I was sampling a fine wine, "Ahhh... We're gunna have to get you educated young Nathan... You up for that?"

 

"Ahhh... We're gunna have to get you educated young Nathan... You up for that?"

"I'm in space and about to head onto an undercover mission... so, to answer your question, hell yeah!"

 

"I'm in space and about to head onto an undercover mission... so, to answer your question, hell yeah!"

I guffawed, then nodded my approval, "I like your enthusiasm mate. And since your the mission planner Im obliged to agree. Your orders were of course, get to Europa, then get to the nearest brothel or bar right? Im sure I heard you say that..."