You settle into the routine of shipboard life. As with the rest of
your crewmates, you set about the tasks needed to finally get the
Alcyon into jump space.
The chemical strap on boosters have long since jettisoned
themselves, letting you drift silently away from the asteroids, and
your last bit of civilization for at lest the next week.
There is a brief hiatus in the preparations, as engnieers scramble
to get the rider ships hooked up and tested before you jump.
- ----------------
Bhyarrvouf is excited as a teenager on his first date as he readies
the drives for the leap into hyperspace... perhaps TOO excited. He seems
jumpy and snappish at times, almost fearful at others, as if he were
expecting something bad to happen and was trying to put the thought of
it out of his mind....
"Engineering, Johann here. We'll have to patch the computers of the
riders and the computer of the Alcyon together before we jump, Well
actually we can't jump if the links arn't in place! I'll need someone
with good engineering skill"
"Any takers?"
So Zben, and Aaron head out and make the physical links to the riders,
while you are all in free-fall.
Meanwhile, Nishu completes the nav routines, and runs through all the
calculations a second time (since he's also waiting on those engineers)
to verify the jump.
Although preprogammed, Nishu knows enough nav to figure out that this
particular jump is supposed to dump you guys out in empty space, 5
parsecs away.
Command and Transport aren't talking (at least openly) about what this
means or what they expect.
- ----------
After about five hours, engineering and transport give the go-ahead signal.
No matter how many times you make that tumble, it always comes as a
bit of a surprise. You *know* viscerally that more than one person
here has lost lunch, not just from the tumble, but also from the
excitement. [everyone roll 2D6, to keep your lunch:
endur or better, DM + years in space,
- months since last jump
if you fail, you got space sick. The difference between
what you got and what you need is number of minutes
you are ill. The bigger the difference, the more
violently ill you are. Critical failure (unmodified 2)
and you are out of it for now -- a trip to/from a
medic is in order.]
So now, having a little time to wander about the ship, here's what
she looks like on the inside: [I'll take submissions for your part, too
if you want to do this - this is from a Transport team member]
The bridge of the Alcyon is on the large side of cramped, about 10 meters
long and 8 meters wide, tapering towards the front to 5 meters wide. Lighting
is dim white (to aid night vision), with red as an option. A set of view
ports at the front allows vision outside. The deck is ridged for traction,
and the walls are mostly simple white panels about a meter on a side.
At the head of the bridge are the pilot (left) and co-pilot (right) stations.
In addition to the long dashboard-type console, each station has a control
stick mounted next to their acceleration chair and a pair of footpedals on
the floor beneath the console. Both stations are holodynamic, with HUD data
projected over the viewports. The co-pilot's controls are usually slaved to
the pilot's; even when both are active, pilot input will override copilot.
Behind the flight controls, in the center of the bridge, is the command
chair. The conn includes a small computer terminal on a swing-up arm. Through
this terminal the commander has access to all command functions, including
library data and security systems. Unlike the other bridge chairs, which can
swivel over an arc of about 90 degrees, the conn can turn a full 360 --
allowing the commander to view any station, including the holodisplay.
The holodisplay, directly behind the conn, consists physically of a pair of
projection rings a meter across, mounted on the floor and ceiling. The
projection area is a cylinder about two meters in diameter. The holodisplay
can be used to show sensor readings, navigational data, computer displays,
or communications.
Facing each other through the holodisplay are the navigation (left) and
sensor/comm (right) stations. Each station has an acceleration chair facing
a console slightly more than a meter long, which is holodynamic. Both stations
use the holodisplay for readout, and may "split" it into two different images.
At the back of the bridge is a small assembly/observation area, about two
meters long and eight meters wide, as mentioned. On the back wall, next to the
iris valve, is a computer station (right, or left facing the exit). This
station is not usually manned, and is used for readouts on ship's systems and
computer queries.
- ------------------------
All of the scientists, both social and physical types, can be found poring
over data, running to another terminal, and just genrally being busy
creating models, projections, and helping out everyon else.
- -------------------------
A short time after the Alcyon makes its way into jump space and all the
pressing engineering tasks are complete, Christian tracks down 'Vouf --
wherever he's hiding himself. :-) "It doesn't take much to realize that
you've been avoiding a medical exam", says Dr. Van Der Merwe with a wry
smile on his face. "As an IISS flight surgeon, I'm quite proficient in
xenomedical areas, and I happened to review the latest in Vargr medical
journals before we left, so you can rest assured there. Since you have
some free time now, let's go and get the exam over with, shall we?"
Bhyarrvouf, whom everyone's used to seeing as ebullient and forceful,
starts to tremble at the sight of Dr. van der Merwe. His ears fold back
flat and his tail curves so far forward between his legs that it almost
touches Dr. van der Merwe's leg. "Um, I really have some other stuff to
do, Doc. I was so busy doing Engineering stuff I never got around to
looking at the holotapes they made for the Generalists and since I'm off
shift this would be a great time I'm REALLY sorry maybe we can
reschedule it for later this week I'm just really run off my tail what
with one thingananother..."
He's backing away as he says this....then backs into a wall. He jumps a meter
in the air at the touch of the cold metal, yelping fearfully, then seems to
wilt. "All right, Doc," he mutters. "Let's get this over with. Which way to
Sickbay?"
While viewing Bhyarrvouf's unusual reaction, Dr. Van Der Merwe simply stands
in the corridor. He lifts his right eyebrow in a mixture of amusement and
concern at this uncharacteristic display by 'Vouf. He gestures down the
hallway, toward the connecting corridor with the Aurora. "Right this way
to my office." He stands aside to let 'Vouf pass, and then follows behind
him until they reach the cabin in the Aurora where Sickbay has been set up.
Quite some time later, 'vouf reappears from the door to the sawbones,
practically prancing. He exchanges a few words quietly with the Doc, and
then starts down the hall. "Well, what're all you Pinkstinks staring
at, anyway!? Getcher butts BACK TO WORK!"