Rookie Privateer by Jamie McFarlane

Author:Jamie McFarlane [McFarlane, Jamie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fickle Dragon Publishing
Published: 2014-04-18T18:30:00+00:00

PASSAGE TO BARU MANUSH

Engage Automatic Burn Plan A.

The flight control stick slid forward automatically and came to rest in a slot in the bulkhead directly in front of my chair. The insistent pull of the stick initially startled me until I realized it was purposefully sliding out of the way. For the next 178 hours, the auto pilot would coordinate with the navigation system to most efficiently reach Baru Manush. We would experience 14 hours of hard burn, 150 hours of free sailing, and then 14 for deceleration.

Hard burn was not extremely well named. The experience is relatively pleasant compared to the motion felt during combat maneuvers. During a hard burn, the gravity and inertia stabilizing systems work together to redirect the effects of acceleration into vertical g-forces. As passengers, we feel as if we are walking around in 1.5 gravity. The effects are quite different if you are used to .6 gravity. We wear our vac-suits to help with circulation, but we can move around, even if it is a bit sluggish.

I grabbed the console as the ship jerked beneath us. For a second, I thought it was possible the auto pilot might have broken. The vid screen display to my left was unfamiliar to me, since this was our maiden flight. I finally located the acceleration display and realized we were okay. The ship was still accelerating, but the auto pilot was choosing significantly different settings than the ones I had been using for manual control.

"Fourteen hours of burn. Gravity at one point five," I announced to the bridge. Nick had designed the flight plan, so I was really giving the heads-up to Xie Mie-su.

"When will we make Baru Manush?" she asked.

"Plan calls for 178 hours, give or take," I answered.

"You told Ordena 250 hours."

"I did. Under promise, over deliver."

Nick handed a reading tablet to me. "Here is your task list. I figured four hours of productivity each twenty-four hour cycle. I prioritized cleaning public spaces first since we have a guest."

"Two hour watches?" Nick and I had previously discussed making sure we always had someone on the bridge.

"Yup."

I scanned the list and the very first item on my list was the head. Sterra's Gift was like most other small boats. Each head was a combination shower and toilet with zero-g attachments. While in-station, I had carefully avoided bringing up the subject, but both heads were completely wrecked. I found the idea of Xie using either one embarrassing.

"Did we remember to get cleaning supplies?" I asked.

"Panel G-14," Nick replied.

The first letter of a panel indicated which room of the ship and the number kept things unique. In this case G stood for galley and I'd have to search for the 14th panel. Paint was missing from the panels and it was unlikely I would find it without referencing the ship diagrams. I was glad I had first shift on the bridge.

Nick stood and walked up the small ramp to the back of the bridge where Xie was still seated.

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