a long trip part 2

Posted on Sat Jan 2nd, 2010 @ 3:52am by

1,307 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: POWERING UP THE STATION
Location: space
Timeline: current

ON:
Mandy landed on the designated location and the port Security showed up with a medical team and an Investigation specialist. Mike took the lead here and Lee was only to happy to relinguish command. "Everything is here, the Bodies are as we found them, neither were searched at all. The flight recorder and our recordings of the site are there as well."

The Investigator allowed the bodies to be taken as he gathered up the sealed bags, "Don't plan on going anywhere real soon you are confined to this Planet till we check this out. Check all your movements with our Office." The voice could not have been any colder or more unfriendly.

"Why the cold shoulder treatment Lieutenant? After all we did you a favor." Mike was not about to be pushed around by some smart-ass with a chip on his shoulder. "My crew here is on a long and arduous trip and this is a short port of call for them. If you want our co-operation then I expect to know why the heavy handiness."

"Commander this is a murder case and you are a witness, even if after the fact. Your co-operation can be forced if you find my terms too confining." The Lieutenant gave an all too happy smile at the implied threat. Behind him he heard Mandy curse softly and Brad actually growled. Lee for his part remained quiet and he grabbed Bob by the arm as he started to walk forward. Patrick made an "ahem" noise.

"Excuse me but the Commander is very protective of his crew and we are only to willing to help in any way we can. Just as we have done up to this point. Is there anything else Lieutenant?" Patrick did not want to spend his days here confined to a billet because of a pissing contest between two old dogs. He loved Mike as a older brother but the dude was like a guard dog.

Mike heard Parick's words and calmed down, Patrick was right and the time was wrong. Mike patted Patrick on the arm as turned "Quite right Patrick, well said." Mike lead his crew to the exit and signed out. He got a vehicle from the motorpool and drove them off to a civilian motel. Once they had their accomadations Mike called the Lieutenant's office and checked in. He made a point of making the call recorded and had them play it back so he had a copy.

They all had quiet dinner together that evening and went to their rooms. The next morning they all watched the sunrise together from the a wooded garden picnic spot near the parking lot. Mike let them take the vehicle after dropped him off at the Security headquarters. Mike spent several hours discussing the treatment of his Cadets with the Security chief, Then the base commander and the Dead pilot's commander.

Mike left with his people cleared to leave, and free to move about as they liked. He also knew why there was such an over reaction to a shuttle accident. Seemed a Young Ensign had taken the Local Planet Govonor's youngest daughter on an unauthorized joy ride. The tragic results had some very heavy political ramifications. He got a cab back to the motel and had no clue where his cadets had gone.

It was near dinner time when they all returned in the base's car. They all waved at Mike and once he was in the car drove to a rooftop Resturant Mandy had located with a local directery. They enjoyed a fine supper and enjoyed the sunset. Once they had eaten and the sun was gone from the sky Mandy spoke up. "We spent the day in a holodeck Sir." She answered the unasked question. "We plotted the flight path from the crash site. The impact angle and the bounces to the final resting place. Bob calculated the spin by cadcamm and Lee determined the angle of descent."

Brad piped in "I helped with the flight path, and I think the guy was in a really bad flat spin from losing an engine. I think he lost control before he even knew what happened." Bob nodded, "If Brad is right about the engine going out, and I agree with him. A spin would account for the path from impact to the final crash site." Lee handed a PADD to Mike, "We programmed a flight path and this is what we think happened. The PADD played out as the rock hit the shuttle it going into a spin and then smacking into the moon and the wilde bounces it made.

Mandy pointed to the PADD "After we did that we programmed a holodeck program to repeat the sequence. Then we each tried to pilot the shuttle From just before the engine failure. I regained control one out of three attempts, but it was the third try before I corrected the thrust to pull out before the crash. Lee,Bob, and Patrick failed all three times, although Lee came close on his second try." They all looked at Brad and he frowned, "I recovered all three times," He said as if apologizing, "but then I knew it was going to happen."

Mike replayed each attempt they had made and noticed the repeatability was amazing. Nearly every crash made a similiar bounce pattern and the computer verified the findings of engine failure. Mike was truly impressed and told them all so. The next moning they all met to watch the sunrise at breakfast and Mike got dropped off at the Security Office once again. The Cadets went for a joy ride to a nearby beach and spent the day there enjoying the sun, sand, and warm water.

Mike joined them before sunset and they watched it together, plus a few locals. Patrick and Lee had made friends while on the beach, and Mandy had three hangers-on. The mood was light and friendly as the sun cast orange/red streamers across the horizon. Mike left them there on the beach and headed back to the motel.

They left the Planet on schedule and on time. Bob and Patrick had replaced a few worn parts that morning that Brad had located during a preflight inspection. For this last nineteen day leg, Patrick was in command and Lee was the pilot for this Launch. They left the world behind in there wake as continued on their way to their new home. So far this trip alone had been an education all unto itself and the cadets left this Planet with thoughts of possible opportunities this year had yet to offer.

On day fifty-five of the trip an accident occurred that caused them to drop out of warp. An asteroid storm forced them out of warp and while they were plotting a course to bypass the storm a pellet puncutured the Boat. Bob was the current pilot and he maintained control of the drifting Danube as Mike and Patrick sealed the hole. Patrick ordered the runabout to pull farther away for saftey but warnings came on that several Nacelles were partially jammed by drifting debris.

Bob moved the shuttle out away from the storm as Brad, Patrick and Mandy prepared for and EVA repair. Mike took the pilots seat and Bob directed the reapirs from inside. Lee stood by as the support reserve person. The repairs were minor and took only twenty or so minutes. Once done Mike relinguished controls back to Bob and Patrick returned to the command seat.

The last seven days were uneventfull and the Cadets were so in tune with the routine that they almost wished the trip would not end.

TBC:

lieutenant Commander Mike Hawkins
Instructor-TDY
USB Typhon

Cadet Mandy Travis
Cadet Lee Quan
Cadet Bob Grant
Cadet Patrick Wayne
Cadet Brad Talon

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