Piece by Piece
27 Jul 2023Ryuko Ntsikana
Eagle's Landing, Planetary Outpost
Eagle Sector IR-W d1-117 System
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Contrary to popular belief, establishment bars were not the best places to acquire reliable information. Instead, what Monty needed out here in the distant reaches of space was access to the raw Universal Cartographics data. Most people assumed that the Universal Cartographics kiosks found in various stations, outposts, mega-ships, and settlements were simply a service provided by the local ruling faction. In reality, they were part of a vast mega-corporation that operated universally, answering only to themselves. They hired a few locals to man the kiosks, while a corporate regional manager oversaw the entire operation.
All of the data reported from Colonia through to the bubble flowed back and forth down the chain of the Colonia Highway. The majority were first discoveries awaiting confirmation before being upgraded to a more open discovered status. It was this unconfirmed data that both Monty and the entity sought. Xochitl was out here, somewhere, and her carrier and ship configurations and locations were unlisted. Monty knew, as a past inspector, that there was always another way of finding someone or something. In this case, it would be the raw exploration data. The raw data would have the location of the report and the name of the one reporting it.
Approaching the kiosk, Monty placed his hand on top of the monitor that the agent was currently looking at, interrupting their focus with a look of annoyance.
'I'm new to this region and have a question. Do discoveries made out here pay the same as in the bubble, or do we get a bonus?' Monty inquired, trying to appear like an eager explorer.
The agent glanced at Monty with irritation. 'All prices are the same as the bubble, and there are bonus payouts for any new discoveries.'
Monty acted frustrated and threw his hands up in exasperation. He pretended to stomp towards the exit, pretending to be disappointed. 'This was a complete waste of my time. I could have stayed near the bubble and not wasted my time with this place.'
As he left, the agent shook their head and returned to their data entry, not realizing that their monitor had briefly blinked for less than a second.
'I have achieved access to their systems,' the voice inside Monty said.
Hangar onboard Xochitl’s Fleet Carrier, Estrellas de la Mirage
Orbiting planet A 6 – Earth-like world. Eoch Flyuae UO-X c2-294 System
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Chief Bowen and Xochitl's dad, Carlos, stood in the hangar, wearing amused smiles as they watched Xochitl work above the small mountain of parts growing under the port-side landing gear and strut. Despite the banging, machinery noises, and occasional cursing, they knew Xochitl was on a mission to fix the underlying issue with her ship.
During her planetary quick-fix repairs, Xochitl had discovered the root cause of the larger problem: a malfunctioning sensor that prevented the landing gear from compressing properly under the ship's weight during landings. This led to unequal load balancing and increasing stress issues, which in turn caused fractures in the main structure and deformation of the entire assembly.
Xochitl demonstrated the ancient saying, "It can't be stuck if it's a liquid," as she continued to cut away damaged parts with an arc cutter. Maintenance androids scurried clear of the path of the discarded pieces, as showers of sparks lit up the hangar.
'Maybe you could go over there and help her,' Chief Bowen quipped, enjoying the spectacle.
Carlos shook his head with a knowing smile. 'You're the chief of the engineering department.'
Chuckling, Chief Bowen replied, 'Yes, yes I am, and I know your daughter well enough to stay out of her way when she's on a mission like this. This ship has made it personal for her.'
Both men chuckled as they watched another partially molten part hit the hangar deck, accompanied by more cursing and banging echoing throughout the hangar.