After Earth - Chatper 5 - The Fenix

"There she is, Coral."  Talia said softly.  "The Fenix."  Coral followed her plotted route, being careful to slow her approach to the massive ship as she got within the specified range.  It would take less energy to slow their approach if she did it nice and slow versus a massive short burst of her thrusters.

"Adjusting orbital spin to sync up with the Fenix docking ring."  She adjusted her approach with little effort, and pursed her lips.  "It would help if the Fenix slowed its rotation while we approached her.  Less energy used, but if it costs a lot to run this ship, the cost would be enormous to slow her down."  Talia nodded.

"Suggestions I can bring to the engineering department for future upgrades to shuttle maneuvers?"  Coral thought for a minute while she aimed the shuttle.

"Hooks to grab onto the shuttle docking port while it rotated?"  Talia nodded.  "But, if you think about it, why come into the hangar from the outside?  Its the fastest spinning part of the ship.  Why not from the end, or into the middle?"  Talia thought for a moment.

"The hooks would have to be attached to a larger mechanism around the docking port, and the handles it grabs were on the body of the shuttle, not the docking port, if you're not up to speed, or off a bit, the rack could direct the shuttle more easily.  I'll pitch it to engineering.  The other idea...."  she thought for a moment.  "Damn, why didn't I design that?  It would have to be a much larger diameter, and longer, but the rooms, hangars, and such, could almost appear flat because of the massive diameter.  That is a longer reaching design."  She nodded as Coral closed the gap.  "Well done.  And it looks like I've got a future design adaptation to consider.  This may be a ship, but its meant to be an orbital station that can be moved when other stations are built in its place."  Coral smiled.

"If its supposed to be a station, and its also supposed to become self sufficient, then we'll need to set up hydroponics labs and algae grow operations for oxygen and food production."  Talia turned her head only slightly.

"I didn't forget about the food, but why algae?"  She giggled.

"I'm surprised you don't know!  You know almost everything else!  I read a book down planetside in the barracks that was a scientific journal, and it said that algae could be grown that could be pressed for natural oil that could be refined into fuel!  Those idiots kept drilling for fuel and ruined our planet because they were too greedy to grow the stuff!  If they grew it, it would generate oxygen, reduce carbon dioxide, and the dry biomass could be fermented into an alcohol based fuel too!  Almost a zero sum pollution output in the end!  And they could have used existing facilities to crack the oil for gasoline and diesel equivalents!  It was an amazing read!"  Talia smiled slightly.

"I'll look into it, Coral.  Beyond the fuel capabilities, the waste carbon biomatter could be composted and help in hydroponics.  Those are great ideas that I plan to work into our future.  Nicely done."  Coral blushed and smiled shyly.  She really liked it when Talia complimented her for her abilities, and any useful knowledge she had.

"Docking port aligned, and...."  Clunk.  "Attached.  Shuttle One to Fenix.  Docking successful.  Hold full of supplies and materials, along with the barge we currently have in tow above the cargo hold."  Coral sighed.  "This thing was like a backpack loaded with rocks!"

"Shuttle One, acknowledged.  Airlock tested for pressure and released.  You're welcome to come aboard while we unload your vessel.  Fenix control out."  Coral smiled.

"Shall we take a look around?"





"Talia, this is....."  She nodded.

"In horrible shape.  It may have been made from reclaimed materials, but some of these welded joints are so weak, I'm surprised we don't vent our atmosphere."  She growled as she looked around.  "Who passed such shoddy workmanship?"  A voice sounded behind her.

"It wasn't me, but I only just signed on."  She turned towards the voice and noticed an older man in a jumpsuit pulling a cart behind him.  "And you are correct.  These welded joints look ready to either vent, or blow out completely.  I'll need to shut down certain areas to properly assess, and repair them."  She nodded, then frowned as she glanced about.

"Where are the section locks?  And what happened to the chief engineer?"  He frowned.

"Section locks?  The former chief got accidentally jettisoned when one of these welds blew out.  I think he was repairing it, but the heat, and internal pressure..."  She nodded, her eyes spitting sparks.  The old chief engineer and her were on a first name basis.  This would stall her progress on this ship somewhat.

"This whole ship is supposed to be outfitted with airlocks dividing the sections, just in case of a depressurization event.  If I'm not mistaken..."  She looked at the floor and followed a beam that was just below the open grate styled deck plating.  "At this junction, there are mounts for an airlock.  The door was to be a down, or up model, for quick deployment."  He scratched his head.

"I didn't take that close a look at the schematics.  How do you know this?"

"I grew up inside the Mass complex, where the plans were drawn up by the engineer responsible for the Fenix.  It was to be a work in progress, but not left so unfinished that it would be dangerous for people to be aboard."  She looked at a wall.  "This weld is full of air pockets, just like that old timer said, bubble gummed on.  I could do cleaner joints then this at age 10!"  He smiled a slightly off kilter smile.

"Welding at 10?"  He looked at the flight suits they wore.  "Are you a pilot?"

"I'm co-pilot for Pilot Coral here until we are transferred to the Fenix in a couple of weeks.  Then I guess I'll be sorting scrap and circuitry."  He chuckled.

"Not if I have anything to say about it.  Excuse me, but what is your name?"

"Talia Gitatytar.  Cadet Talia, squad leader of Beta squad."  He smiled.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to make a call to the commander."  Coral jabbed her in the ribs after he walked away.

"He's getting you transferred!"  Talia nodded, then looked at his cart.  She smiled, grabbed a visor, clipped the ground to a piece of wall framing, and flipped the switch.

"I can't look at this weld for another second!"  Coral watched as she took the mig welder, aimed it and pulled the trigger.  She reached down, slowed the speed of the feed, and pulled it again.  Then she turned up the current.  After two tries, she smiled.  "Shield your eyes, Coral, and don't look at the light."  By slowing the feed of the wire, and increasing the current, she could increase the heat on the surrounding weld and remelt it into place.  If she didn't like what she saw, she would grind it out and redo it.

"That girl does know what she's doing."  The engineer smiled and continued on.  He just found a treasure on a scrap heap, and he fully intended to dig her out of the cadet ranks as quickly as he could.

Before someone else figured out what kind of person she was, and got their hands on her.





"Making waves before we're even aboard the Fenix, Cadet?"  Talia lifted an eyebrow, the lone response she gave when people asked stupid questions.

"I don't understand, sir.  What do you mean?  We had a clean dock, unload, and return flight."  Coral looked a bit confused.

"Not you, pilot.  I'm talking about Cadet Talia.  I had an order issued through the commander, and it came as a request from the engineering department aboard the Fenix.  As soon as we board that ship, you are to report to the engineering department for your orders.  The chief engineer apparently liked the work you did, and wants you on his staff.  What work?"  Talia focused her eyes right on Lieutenant Ayers, and the woman felt like she had just been probed by a laser.  Cadet Coral, however, spoke up first.

"She mentioned how it bothered her about the welding jobs done on the ship, and when the engineer left his cart, she repaired a seam."

"You can weld?"  The lieutenant sighed irritably.  "Are there any other skill sets we should know about?  Or formal education?"

"The formal systems were erased over the last ten years, while the more informal presented many opportunities to learn.  I've read books on blacksmithing, blast furnaces, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, power generation, propulsion, and small scale civic management.  I've experienced blacksmithing, testing modular manufacturing lines, agriculture, power generation, and small scale civic management in the complex I grew up in.  Propulsion and blast furnaces were unable to be tested in that enclosed environment.  I was starting a book on electronics, and electro mechanical control boards, but the Fenix project came up."  The lieutenant closed her eyes.

"That would have been good information to have prior to you signing up!  You should be teaching people how to do things, not starting at the bottom!"  Talia smirked a little.

"Would you respect a teacher if they couldn't prove they did the job themselves?  I know I couldn't.  When my squad sees me do the job, and set the standard, they will excel because I will not allow them to fail.  My squad is my family, and they are the generation that will shape the future."  Ayers sighed irritably.

"True.  Then I'll let you claw your way up to where you belong, if that is what you wish.  However, the engineering department has needs, and you are first on their list of needs.  That ship needs you, so they will have you.  Understood?"  Talia nodded.

"I was focused on engineering anyway, sir."  Ayers cocked her head sideways.

"Oh?"  Talia smiled, but it lacked any real warmth.

"The engineering department is what will keep that ship moving forward, and keep us alive long enough to establish a presence in space.  That is where I am needed, because the Fenix can not fail.  If she does, then we all die."  Unconsciously, Coral reached for her hand and felt Talia's fingers close around hers.  "And no one threatens the security of my family.  My squad."  Ayers nodded, and smiled a bit.

"Transfer is approved.  Report to the chief engineer at first opportunity for your instructions."  Coral smiled as the lieutenant turned away.

"Right where you wanted to be, Talia."  Coral said, a smile on her lips.  Talia turned towards her, then frowned and looked down at her hand.  "Looks like I've captured a squad leader, doesn't it?"  She said, her face flushed, and the forced amusement not lost on Talia.  She tightened her grip by just a bit.

"No, I've caught myself a stray cat, and can't let her go."  Coral smiled again.  The reference wasn't mean, but she did notice something in her words.  She didn't say I won't let you go.

She said she can't.  That made her feel real warm, and happy.





"I have your transfer papers right here!  Why can't you report today?"  The engineer scratched his head.

"Sir, I have to get the squad squared away first.  They need to know how to sort the scrap for reuse, and at the same time, they also need to know that I will never be far.  Keeps them focused."  Then she smirked.  "Don't worry, sir.  I'll be pouring over the schematics for the Fenix, and fixing the seams that I find in that hold.  And if I find the idiot who wasted so much wire to do such shoddy work, I'll take the wand and ground his ass as I weld him into a plate, just to show him how its done!"  The engineer started to smile, then laughed so hard, Talia thought he might wet himself.

"We do have some older arc welders, and tons of rods for those, but the flux coating has degraded over time."  She nodded.

"They can still be used, but won't produce the same results a professional would expect.  Unless they know what to watch for, the seams will look just like that bubble gum."  She pursed her lips for a moment.  "I'll follow you and get the arc, sir.  I'd rather not waste the wire on interior work when its not necessary."  As she walked, she talked.  "We'll need to expand this ship on the trip.  Get hangars fit onto the airlocks, and turn a large cargo hold into a metal recycling plant."  He sighed.

"We don't have the fuel to burn for a blast furnace, or even the power for an arc furnace."

"We will, sir.  Pilot Coral gave me some information on bio fuel.  An algae that can be processed into oil that can be cracked for diesel and gas.  The biomass can then be fermented into an alcohol fuel.  It will also produce oxygen while growing, and filter the air for us."  He chuckled.

"Dammit, girl, is there anything you don't know?"  She smiled a small hard smile.

"Tons, which is why I keep learning, sir.  Until we get the first outpost completed, and the first station outside Earth's orbit set up, we'll be one step away from the void every day.  Which means I'll need to be ten steps ahead of everyone else just to make sure we don't walk over the edge."

What drives you, Cadet?  What makes you so dedicated to your purpose?  Or should I say who?

"Oh, how is the water reclamation unit running?"  He frowned.

"Water reclamation?"  Her look was not pleasant.

"The waste processing and water reclamation unit.  It evaporates the liquids and reprocesses it into potable water.  The wastes are then incinerated and used in the hydroponics bays."  He sighed.

"Those were on the original plans, weren't they?  Someone high up nixed them."  He then heard something he thought he never would.

"Looks like I have to kill someone."