Yours, etc.
19 Nov 2016Mara Korine
Mara, Robert, and Flea jumped through five more systems to put distance between them and any pursuers. "I think we should be safe enough now," Robert supposed and everyone relaxed. The exertion and panic of the evening caught up with Mara. She was drained and asked where she could nap. Robert called on Flea to come up and show her to the spare cabin. Flea arrived up front, his hands and work suit stained with patches of grease, "Come on Mara, I'll show you to the spare room."The cabins were in the forward half of the ship, between the cockpit and the mess area. "You're in the port cabin, that's this one. Robert and I sleep in the starboard cabin," They entered through the porthole-like entry into a room cluttered with boxes strapped to each surface. Flea explained, "We didn't have time to set up the room for you, I'm sorry. We use this for storage mostly. But there's a sleeping pad up there," Flea pointed at a surface angled perfectly to have a view through the small window, "I'll get you a sleeping bag."
Flea turned and propelled himself to the starboard cabins entry. Mara was floating in place and considered sleeping as she was. But, of course, that was a terrible idea. If the ship were to manoeuvre she would be batted around like a toy. It is important to strap yourself down for the night. Oh boy, I'm in steerage. It might be a while before I sleep in a real bed with gravity; I'm pleased to be getting back on track, but I do wish I had my own ship. I'm not used to sharing a space with others. Flea returned with a sleeping bag which he deftly attached to the securing straps on the sleeping pad, "Do you need help?" he asked.
Mara smiled, "No thank you. You're unique Flea, and exceedingly polite. I'm ashamed to say that I had expected something different after your dramatic introduction at the hangar." She stopped herself before explaining that talk of pirates and smugglers in her circles was not as polite. Mara reached out and pulled herself toward the bed and zipped herself into the bag. "Thank you, Flea, I'm quite comfortable." Flea left her, and sleep took her in moments. She dreamt of flying, of being awarded for her research, and of Jim's smug face saying that he would have to save her again.
Mara woke and found the ship in a dim, quiet peace. She unzipped the sleeping bag and headed to the cockpit. Flea was piloting, and Mara joined him. They had been on the run for hours with no sign of pursuit. Mara wondered why they were heading toward the bubble when that was the opposite direction she had wanted to go. Flea explained that it was Jim's idea, he had given the rendezvous instructions and that it would be another sixteen hours before they arrived. "I suppose we will have time to get to know one another," Mara suggested.
"Are you an engineer?" Flea asked, which Mara denied. She explained that she was a physicist and told him of her current studies. "Why would anyone want to hurt you then?"
"As far as I can tell someone is under the impression I have a certain item, which I don't and never have had. Something they called the three-one-two chip. I have no idea what that is. Actually, I wonder if I can find any information on it." Mara sat at the sensor terminal and brought up a console.
"Maybe you should wait, Miss Korine. You never know who could find that request and track it back to us. Then we'd be runnin' again."
Mara resigned her curiosity and they chatted about the ship and of improving its engines, a topic of great interest to Flea. The improvements he'd made were quite impressive and Mara did find herself wanting to see the implementation when they had a chance. This was the intersection of the theoretical world and practical reality. Flea seemed simple in personality but he was intelligent. Brains were a prerequisite to work with these systems. He seemed as specially adapted to his work as his systems were to the ship. They jumped from system to system and within the hour Mara was beginning wondering if Jim was padding his charter with extra distance. The thought was interrupted by the smell of coffee.
Robert floated into the cockpit and tossed a drinking pouch each to Flea and Mara, "Good morning! I'll take over for a while if you want to sleep, Flea."
"But you just brought me coffee," Flea responded perplexed.
"It's decaf," Robert explained with a wink.
Flea, relieved, cracked the seal and sipped the beverage. Mara took her queue and opened her drink which was, thank goodness, very much caffeinated. They discussed the plan, which Robert more clearly articulated was a ruse to make their pursuers suspect she was fleeing home to safety. She would be dropped off on a planet and the ship would continue on to the bubble. Jim would pick her up if all went well.
If all goes well. They could at least lie to me and tell me Jim will certainly pick me up right on schedule. I don't want to be picked up in a rescue pod again, and I don't want to be found by anyone but Jim.
When Robert took over the controls, Flea offered to show Mara the mods they'd been talking about. The engine room was impressive. The surfaces were all clean and shining white. Mara had seen the engine room on one of these ships before but Flea's had custom moulded shrouds over the nacelles and accessory clusters which made room for the extra equipment that Flea had installed. Flea opened the panel to uncover the power plant and the smell of ozone and chemicals wafted through the air.
"What have you done to the plasma injectors?"
"I took out the stock scheduler and replaced it with a double capacity backflow valve! It takes a quarter of the time to bring it up to speed."
Mara inspected the valve, bolted in between the injector and the main plasma flow path. It was overlarge and clunky where the stock piece would fit well and look sleek.
"You'd get a surge of plasma, and I understand the backflow would relieve some of that but you would still have a spike in temperature and pressure. How do you manage that without the scheduler? You're not controlling the plasma flow so much as opening the floodgates with this."
Flea grinned as if he'd been waiting for Mara to ask this very question, "I put compensators on the magnetic containment coils. The whole power plant relaxes when there's low flow and tightens up when we step on it."
Mara was stunned. Normally the containment was as rigid as the designers could make it. The scheduler was designed to not disturb the containment field and Flea turned the idea upside down. Mara looked at the diagnostic console and watched the field ebb and flow. It seemed alive. It must have been an enormous undertaking, and to have put it all back together himself was incredible.
"How did you isolate the EM field? With this much variation, it could spike and take out the electronics on board the ship, let alone destabilize the containment field."
Flea pointed to the clothlike material which lined the compartment, "This stuff is ferro-directive. It moves the external field into charging circuits. I power the kitchen off the waste energy."
"If only we had that kind of material for gravitational warp fields."
"What would you need that for?" Flea asked.
"Oh, just my project. I need to isolate all the local gravimetrics that I can to isolate the natural spacetime geometry."
"I wish I could help but I don't think that's possible, not with any material I've heard of. Maybe you could tune a frame shift drive to make a warp field that does the same thing," mused Flea.
Mara was surprised. It was an idea that could work. The difficulty in designing it would be huge, and the chance of success was low, but she couldn't think of anything that would physically prevent it from being possible. It will give me something to think about while Jim takes me to Tosia anyway. I suppose I should let my family know that I will be out of contact for a while.
She took leave of Flea and his engines to write a letter at one of the consoles. To her parents, the letter was brief and informative. The letter to her sister took more consideration.
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Dearest Jill,
Though I have previously expressed my regrets at missing your wedding, I must again apologize. I have seen some of the pictures, and mother has described it well. I am truly sorry I was preoccupied. I shall forever endeavour to make it up to you both. Of course, it is too soon, but I eagerly await news of a possible niece or nephew to spoil! I promise to not miss the event of your first child's homecoming. Have you decided where you will live? Father has offered you a place nearby hasn't he? Or will you be off to some far reach? Ben has the means to provide a good home anywhere in the galaxy should you desire. It wouldn't make a difference to my ability to visit as I am in the habit of travelling very long distances as a matter of course lately. There is activity around Jacques Station now. New colonies are springing up. It could be a good opportunity for investment for you and do well for our family in general. Of course, there are many places you could create a wonderful home in the bubble which might be more convenient if you're not feeling adventurous. Whichever you choose, I can't wait to see you in your new home!
This is another apology I must make, I won't be available for the next few months. I have the study to complete, which though there is no end date we are expected to participate for a period of three to six months. There is also a delicate situation which I cannot describe in this letter. It precludes me from making contact for the time being which is why this letter should be arriving by means of a third party some time after it is written. I cannot have anyone contacting me or seeking me out. Please understand and forgive me dear sister. When we meet I will bring delicacies from the frontier, and I shall tell you everything and we will laugh. But for now, I must go and be silent and unknown. I miss you and love you both.
Yours ever,
Mara
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