EPIMETHEUS Supply Co-Operative CENTAUR-Class Corporate Transport - DROMEDARY
Awake. My eyes opened. I noted being in Gital’s bed and not my own. No matter how I attempted to recreate the visual, olfactory and tactile sensations of my companion’s sleeping array for mine, I preferred Gital’s. My companion was up before the chrono alert to awaken and was busy cleaning himself in the hygiene station. I found it curious how he could always awaken prior to the alert going off.
I got out of bed and found the sensation to get back in to be more desirable. However, today was much too important to waste sleeping! This was the day the DROMEDARY would emerge from Bubble Time back into Real Space. Though my database had an extensively detailed description of the process, this would be my first time experiencing it! My vital stats displayed in the PHUD showed higher levels than normal for everything. It had been like that for the last thirty-six hours and after running an inconclusive system scan, Gital explained it as just ‘excitement’.
Entering the hygiene station behind my companion, I touched his back and let my hand gently drag across it. Gital jerked with surprise and spit tooth cleanser out onto the mirror. His lower half covered in a clean pair of cotton shorts, Gital bumped me with a thrust of his hip. I grinned in the same manner as when he would tease me then slowly took off my pajamas. I took measured time to enter the ancient style showering booth Gital had built and then cut my eyes back at him. He was watching. I knew my companion was attracted to me for he always observed my actions. Only when we were on the Transport’s Control Deck did Gital’s gaze change.
My primary function was to form a bond with Gital as his companion. Yet despite spending many intimate hours together, often sharing his compartment, bed and hygiene station, I had not been able to initiate sexual interaction. Except for the night of the Barbecue Beach Party, we had not so much as kissed! My companion’s psychological profile was clear about his distaste for a relationship with a Manufactured Being. What had me absolutely confused was his daily behavior dictated otherwise.
“You better get a move on Pandora. You’re on official duty this cycle. No more standing in for crewmembers.” Gital’s reminder ended any possibility of enticing him into an encounter prior to reporting. That I was to officially begin as a bonafide member of the DROMEDARY also lent to my ‘excitement’. As the Transport’s Captain, Gital could hire whomever he chose long as they met with and completed all crew qualifications.
After working in many positions aboard DROMEDARY and learning how everything ran, my highest qualifications were in engineering and control systems. Everyone was surprised though my primary function is as a companion, I ‘qualled’ in two of the most technical areas onboard. I was disappointed though. I most desired to work on the Galley Deck. However, my efforts towards the preparation of food according to the Head Chef were... ‘terrible.’
Instead of serving in the liveliest area of the Transport, I would be working on the Control Deck. When I made my choice, the Chief Engineer had the DROMEDARY put out the announcement Transport wide. With a two-way audio feed, I could hear beings in the different departments make their disappointment known! Only Gital and Executive Officer Basi made no outburst. Basi did roll her eyes in what I have come to know as, ‘disgust’. Gital wore that difficult to detect smirk as he allowed the crew to vent. I felt unease for disappointing so many of my new crewmates, but my primary function is as companion to the Captain and the Control Deck is where he spends the bulk of his time.
Cleaned and dressed in a fresh dark blue standard body covering with the red and black stripes from my swimwear visible along with my black plastiform work boots, I entered the Control Deck then stood at attention. “Captain on the Con!” My announcement brought all present to attention as Gital entered. Normally, he would quickly call for the crew to stand down but this time he did not.
“DROMEDARY, initiate Transport wide audio feed.”
“Yes Captain Gital. Audio feed initiated.”
“This is the Captain. In twenty ESM’s we reenter real space at the HESTIA System Outer Marker. Three hours later we will be in orbit over the planet, AIPOTU. For those of you who will be departing for the planet for final disembarkation, on behalf of the DROMEDARY and its crew I thank you for traveling with us and helping to make Bubble Time pass more enjoyably. Please feel free to give your honest reviews concerning any aspect of the journey you wish at the EPIMETHEUS Supply Co-op terminal. We value your insights and look to make improvements wherever possible.
For those passengers who will continue on with us to the edge of the galaxy and the BELEROPHON System, the DROMEDARY will remain in orbit for five days HESTIA local time. You may continue to utilize your berth aboard the Transport for the duration of Planetary Call or feel free to book lodgings with other facilities in orbit or planetside. Please notify the Passenger Assistance Officer of your plans prior to transmission off the DROMEDARY. All passengers and crew prepare for reentry.”
The DROMEDARY cut the audio feed and Captain Gital took his place in the Command Jumpseat. XO Basi took her station beside him and gruffly barked orders. “Ahll right, you heard the mahn! Ahll control stahtions ahnd depahtments report!”
Though I performed this function several times prior, my vital stats were still elevated. My heart pumped vigorously as each station on the Control Deck gave their status reports. When my turn came after the Control Systems Officer barked the order for Control Technicians to report I nervously replied, “L-life support a-and E-environmentals green sir!” After the Medical/Stasis Technician reported all passengers and crew were secure the CSO barked, “All Control Systems and entities aboard DROMEDARY clear for reentry Captain!”
Last to report was the Engineering department. The Chief Engineer who usually was quite jovial seemed mechanical as he gave his report. “Captain, there was a minor fluctuation present in the offline test of the FTL Initiator System. I had the tech’s run an offline simulation and the problem was located. All current offline tests cleared the system for operation. Otherwise, Warp Bubble Generators, Power and Propulsion Systems are fully operational.”
“Very well. DROMEDARY, confirm all department reports.”
“Captain, all departments confirmed. All passengers and crew prepared for real space reentry. All systems operating at optimum capacity.”
“Very well.” The Captain looked to the Con’s main hardlight display to see the countdown reach the ten second mark then said, “Standby for reentry.”
I looked up from my display to see the CSO give me a wink and whisper, “There’s a betting pool that you will hurl after your first reentry. If you do, turn around and do it on the deck and not the display.” Reentry sickness was a documented medical phenomenon, but it affected gestated beings unused to the process. It was statistically unlikely a Biomechanical Android would suffer such an ailment. Since I was far superior in design being a combination of all three major android technologies, the odds of me ‘hurling’ were increments from impossible.
“Three, two, one....” After the Captain’s words trailed off, there was a sudden sensation of explosive expansion. For the briefest of instants, I felt my entire being had burst and retracted simultaneously! “Standby to disengage Warp Bubble Generators!” There was a critical moment when the Warp Bubble was disengaged. The stressors from having the Bubble compressed were now gone but those were replaced by releasing the folded space around the Transport. “Captain! Hull Compression Shielding registers one hundred percent capacity. Hull integrity also registers at one hundred percent!”
There was a short pause and then the Captain replied, “Very well. Disengage Warp Bubble Generators!” There was building vibration from the generators as they released the space-time bubble surrounding the DROMEDARY. ‘Release’ wasn’t the correct term in that once space is warped it wanted to stay that way. The generators purpose after generating the bubble was to keep it from collapsing in on itself! The vibrations reached a crescendo and I could see everyone bracing themselves in their jumpseats. The vibrations started to make my PHUD malfunction as the display began to flicker. I was forced to grit my teeth together tightly to keep them from being damaged. Instants later, the generators completed the cycle and then shut down.
“Captain Gital, we are now in real space. All systems register green.” This was why the Captain insisted the Dromedary’s AI and the crew work in concert. All gestated beings aboard not in stasis were momentarily disorientated. The Chief turned to me and asked, “How’re you doing Pandora?” I tilted my head in confusion at his question. “Chief Engineer, surely you don’t believe I will become ill?” The Chief shook his head sharply and then said, “Wait for it....” Abruptly, my digestive system violently expelled the entire contents of my stomach right into the face of the Chief! As I continued to wretch, one of the Con’s Technicians yelled, “We have a winner!”
© 2013 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved
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