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Chapter 4 - Stage Left (part 3)
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USS Tigermoth-A
24th March 2395
1241hrs EST
Corridor 23A
Orlatrel waved the tricorder over the bulkhead. "Flow rate is still down."
"Yeah....I see it." A hand snaked out of the open hatch. "Hand me the agitator."
"Agitator?"
"The hammer."
Orlatrel sighed. "James, these new pumps aren't as robust as the ones they used to make. Beating it with a hammer may not do it much good."
"Just give me the damn hammer so I can get this working and get out of here." Smithy waved his hand, and grabbed the hammer that Orlatrel proffered. "Ta."
There was a brief pause, followed by an almighty bang. Orlatrel winced. That did not sound good. Muffled cursing drifted out of the hatch. "Are you okay James?"
"Fine, fine....bit louder than I thought it would be. Guess the acoustics in a Jeffries tube aren't quite as I remember them. What does that flow rate look like now?"
Orlatrel brought the tricorder back up. "Flow rate is....increasing."
"Jolly good." Smithy slowly dragged himself back out of the hatch. "Hope I don't have to do that too many more times. I don't remember us having the same problem getting you in the tubes on the old ship."
"They were a bit bigger." Orlatrel closed the hatch and re-attached the cover panel, and tapped his comm badge. "Engineering."
"Wilson here."
"We're all plumbed in now lieutenant. Begin powering the ship back up, we'll be doing the weapons test at three o'clock."
"Aye sir."
Smithy threw his uniform jacket back on over his T-shirt. "Right, going to go inspect those EPS junctions on Deck Six, then it's time for a shower. Make sure you run a Level Four diagnostic on all key systems, been a while since she was powered down that long. I don't want to take her out and immediately blow some relay up."
"I'll see to it."
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Captain's Quarters
1413hrs EST
"First officer's personal log, stardate 71092.7. The Tigermoth has spent a few quiet days in dock, and my unease has increased. I feel that something is going on, yet I can't put my finger on it....can't feel any more detail than a general sense of foreboding. James has lived with this for a long time....I don't know how he ever got used to it."
Lisa switched off the console, folding the screen away. Think I'll be happier when we're back out in open space. She crossed over to the window and sat, watching the workbees flitting around the various ships in dock at Antares.
She turned as Smithy entered. "Hey hon, you get that new pump working?"
"Yeah, just wanted a bit of percussive maintenance." He slumped in a chair. "You seen my meds?"
"On the table by the bed. You were due an hour ago."
"Glad one of us is able to keep track." Smithy levered himself up and crossed to the bedroom.
Lisa stared out at the stars. She could almost see what it was that was bothering her. Almost. James told me that I was important to the survival of the Federation, that invaders would come and be repelled. But how? And what do I do?
"Trying to make sense of it doesn't work."
Lisa turned to Smithy, staring at him. "How did you...?"
"How did I know what you were thinking?" Smithy sat next to her. "I just....knew. My pre-cognition is odd like that, sometimes I see stuff very clearly. Other times....I'm in the dark. Take this for instance - I know that the third workbee from the right over there is about to stack into that docking pylon due to pilot error. Don't know why I know that, but I do."
Lisa watched the workbee intently as it moved towards the pylon. Sure enough, the braking thrusters ignited too late. "You said once that you could see all of space-time."
"And I can....I can't make sense of it quite as quickly as it flows in, but I can see it. And I can recall what I saw after perfectly. But only certain bits are easy to see, easy to make sense of. Things are beginning to resolve in my mind now. But by the time I know what will happen, it will more than likely be just about to happen."
He got up, and flexed his knee. "I now know that I saw this, saw myself get shot by Metcalf. Didn't know it at the time, didn't really work it out until that first week in the hospital. I now know that I could have avoided it. I could have prevented S'Tasik from being killed during the Imperial war. I could have avoided getting us blasted into a wormhole and knocked forward six years. I could have saved the lives of a number of kids on the old 'Moth." He sat back down. "For all that I have done, for all that I saw ahead of time and prevented....how much more could I have done? How much more should I have done?"
Lisa gazed at him. "You prevented Metcalf from destroying the Federation several times. You saved my life a few times. You've saved Dave's life more times than I think either of you would care to remember."
"And yet I'm always left thinking that I should have done things differently. Most people can only see that sort of thing in hindsight. I see it before and after the fact....if only I could grasp hold of the image before."
The two sat in silence for a few moments, contemplating the stars. Lisa held Smithy's hand in hers. "James, promise me something."
"Anything."
"Promise me....that as soon as you know what will happen....that you'll tell me? I...keep trying to make sense of what it was that I could see, and I'm not doing a great job. It'll drive me mad if I don't know....I need to know...."
"You will. Either you'll figure it out, or I will and will tell you." He leaned in and kissed her. "Right, really do need a shower before I head back up to the bridge."
Lisa smiled. "Alright. I'll see you up there."
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Bridge
1438hrs EST
Smithy stepped out of the turbolift onto the bridge, and immediately knew that they weren't going to start the weapons test on time. Bodies, computer parts, panels, tools and wires were everywhere. "Someone want to fill me in?" No-one stepped forward. "Fine, make me do it the hard way. Riggs!"
"Sir?" Riggs pulled her head back out from under her console.
"Status report."
"As you can see sir, bit of a mess. The engineering crew from Utopia Planitia that came over here to work on the Tigermoth obviously weren't familiar with the last refit of the computer systems. We're trying to get everything working again, but even with everyone that Antares could spare we're still going to need some time to get everything up and running."
"Fine, keep at it. Where's Lisa?"
"Down here."
Smithy crossed over to Ops, and bent down. "Enjoying yourself inside that console?"
"Oh just great. I can see why you left this job."
Smithy shook his head, grinning in spite of his annoyance at the situation. He looked around. "Hang about. How come the women are the ones grovelling around in the carpet pulling isolinear chips, while all the men are sat down doing the programming job? Damned unchivalrous of you lot."
Winchester turned. "Sir, you need small hands to re-order the isolinear chips."
"Bollocks. Lisa, come out of there. You're a better programmer than you are an engineer. Winchester, come away from that console and get under here."
Lisa gladly vacated the cubbyhole under the console, handing a set of chips to Winchester. Smithy crossed back to Riggs' console, and motioned at her to get out of the way. "Now, how far have you got?"
Riggs rubbed at an ache in her neck. "Quads L1 through L3. Just L4, then the M and N Quads. The crews put them in reversed, so 1 is 4, and so on."
"Right, right. I wouldn't mind, but I had the damn things labelled up." Smithy's knee protested as he lowered himself onto the floor. "I'm gonna pay for this in a little while. Riggs, as soon as you get some signs of life in your board will you raise Antares and let them know what we're up to?"
"Aye sir."
Twenty minutes ticked by, with the sound of the bridge systems gradually increasing as consoles were powered back up. Smithy replaced the last N2 chip, and tapped a hand on the communications console. "Should have short-range now Riggs."
"Yes sir. Antares Command Post, this is the Tigermoth. We're currently experiencing some difficulties related to the repairs that have been made, be advised that we will be late commencing the weapons test."
"Acknowledged Tigermoth. Is Captain Smith there?"
Smithy replaced the last chip, and hauled his way upright. "Affirmative Antares."
"Sir, we have a message for you from Captain Ghelev of Special Operations. Shall I send it over now?"
"Please do." He scanned the text of the message as it came in. "Thanks Antares. We'll let you know when we're ready for the weapons test. Tigermoth out." He glanced at Riggs. "You better run a diagnostic routine, just in case." He raised his voice to carry over the bridge. "That goes for everyone else, run a diagnostic as soon as your consoles are fully powered up. I don't want any surprises." A chorus of acknowledgments came back. Smithy dropped into his chair, and sighed. Just wouldn't be a normal visit to a dock without having to rebuild the ship afterwards. They must do it on purpose.
Lisa sat next to him. "What did Ghelev want?"
"Just updating me on the SOD fleet situation. They lost almost all of that force that they sent out to engage the Andromedans with....and they're having a world of trouble getting the new ships ready to fly. What a mess."
"How many ships are they trying to work on?"
"Over two hundred. And given the small size of their stations, they can't really do it. Starfleet has offered them the use of the Jupiter yard, Ghelev is currently trying to persuade them to accept the offer."
"Two hundred....if we can get them working to an acceptable level, those numbers would really help."
"Question is, can they be brought up to an acceptable level? I was reading some data that Ghelev sent me last night....and I'm really not all that confident. But, we shall see."
Finally, repair crews began leaving the bridge and normality set back in. Smithy glanced around. "Okay, once around the room. Helm?"
"Ready sir."
"Tactical?"
"Ready captain."
"Ops?"
"Sensors and scanners are operational sir."
"Communications?"
"Antares signals that we can proceed at any time sir."
Smithy nodded. "Right. Helm, detach umbilicals. Thrusters at station keeping." He tapped his comm. badge. "Engine room."
"Orlatrel here."
"Status?"
"All systems ready."
"Okay. Helm, one quarter impulse. Move us to the test area."
He sat back for a few minutes, letting his crew prepare the ship for the test. Winchester turned. "Sir, carbon-neutronium target pucks dead ahead."
"Right. Helm, Tactical, we'll make this as realistic as possible. Shields and weapons to full power Drelkar. Elkins, random evasive patterns of your choice. Just imagine that there are vessels out there, and that you're trying to keep those targets in phaser lock without giving them a clear return shot." He glanced back at Riggs. "Signal the alarm."
"Aye sir." Riggs keyed the internal comm. panel. "All decks, Red Alert. The weapons test is beginning. All hands to battle stations." She waited a beat. "All decks are acknowledging."
"Keep an open channel to Orlatrel. Drelkar, fire when ready."
Drelkar began laying down a pattern of phaser fire, keeping one eye on his telemetry screen. Lisa crossed over to his station to watch for herself. "Sustained bursts Drelkar. Don't give the capacitors any rest."
"Yes ma'am." Drelkar worked through his checksheet, stressing in every array on the ship.
Lisa stared intently at his screen. "Temperature is climbing much slower. Orlatrel, does your board agree with what we're seeing?"
"Affirmative. Rate of temperature increase is roughly one sixth compared to before, and it's levelling off now as well rather than continuing."
"Good." Lisa glanced at Smithy. "Reckon we can call that a success?"
"I'd say so." Smithy turned to Riggs. "Order all decks to stand down from battle stations."
"Aye sir. All decks, secure from battle stations. The weapons test is over. Stand down from battle stations."
Smithy turned back to the helm. "Elkins, return to the Antares docking ring. Orlatrel, when we put back into dock, I want a full diagnostic running on everything. The entire lot. If there is a single wire plugged in the wrong socket, a single chip in the wrong slot, I want to know. I'm not taking this ship out again before I know we've got everything as it should be."
"Comfirmed. As soon as we have full computer runtime, we'll begin level ten diagnostic routine."
"As soon as you set it up, go have some fun. Riggs, tie me into the internal comm."
"You're on audio, captain."
Smithy settled back in his chair. "All hands, this is the captain. As of 1630 hours today, I don't want to see any of you working for four days. Barring any emergencies, the Tigermoth is resting for a long weekend."
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Eh, that'll do for now.