ON THE ROAD AGAIN: PART THREE
Posted on Sat Nov 16th, 2013 @ 8:27pm by James Holbridge
EN ROUTE TO SOLARIA WORMHOLE
There were times Jim Holbridge hated security rules and protocols, and this was definitely one of them. After a joyful reunion with his wife (the divorce hadn’t gone through) and children, Jim was back at the helm of the Missouri, leading the SS Golden Goose his father’s Sydney-class transport to the Solarian wormhole. Lorenz, his family, and the senior operators of Ghost Team were not allowed onto the Intelligence runabout per protocol, leaving Jim to stew in silence.
Jim opened a channel to the Goose, “Solarian Gateway in five minutes, y’all. Secure your vessel for transit.”
Golden Goose is secured., replied Tricia Holbridge via subspace radio.
This is Solaria Gateway Control, initiating navigational protocols for transit., came the voice of the Solaria Tower controller.
“Bouncer copies. All ships show green for wormhole ingress. Solaria Control, take us in.”
Jim took his hands of the helm controls as the Missouri slid forward under her own power. The automatic guidance protocol was a nuisance to any pilot worth his salt, but as an operator Jim understood the principles behind the rule; the automatic guidance protocols prevented unauthorized use and misuse of the Solarian Wormhole. The fitting out at Solaria Station was a simple forty-five minute process that modified the transiting craft’s visual and navigational systems such that station pilots could literally fly the craft from the safety and comfort of the station. Jim thought it was a dandy way to let some rookie pilot smash a starship to smithereens, which is why his hand hovered near the manual override. Although he realized why the protocol was in place, Jim thought that anybody who tried manual flight while transiting a wormhole was a special kind of stupid.
Thirty minutes later, both ships emerged from the wormhole, allowing Jim to disengage the slave-pilot features and set course for Starbase 900. His family’s ship was set a different course for Archadia III. Jim only had to report to his boss, then join his family. The Archadean homeworld was going to be where his family lived while Jim was stationed in the Delta Quadrant, and he hoped that exposure to a matriarchal society would not cause too much hardship on his wife and kids.
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER
SENIOR ENLISTED CREW QUARTERS, DECK 35
His things stowed properly, Jim had donned a duty vest uniform and was preparing to meet with his CO. Holbridge had carefully stored his arrival paperwork in his personal safe, being careful to pick a combination he could actually remember. As a Master Warrant Officer, Jim had a certain amount of autonomy, and his primary FOS (Fleet Operational Specialty) guaranteed him sufficient time away from the drudgery of station crew life.
As he made his way to the CO’s office, Jim hoped to God that his boss was someone he could get along with, or at least respect. Jim had very little use for ass-kissing, REMF-types. One way or another, he would know soon enough.
END PART THREE
A POST BY:
MWO JAMES D. HOLBRIDGE
HOME ON THE BASE
