
Subj : New Beginnings(16)
To   : All
From : Skyhawk #1
Date : Mon Jul 03 1995 19:57:17 PST

                            New Beginnings
                          By Daniel C. Harrison(Skyhawk)
     
     "What do you mean we aren't going back to earth?" This had come from the
other man who hadn't identified himself yet. "What kind of bullshit is that?
Just fix the damn ship and fly it back. Any fool could do that!"
     "Shut up!" Jerry shot back. "Look, you know the situation in the engine
room, you were there when the guidance system blew. It would help if we had an
engineer." He looked expectantly at Grayson.
     The doctor nodded. "Okay, Kevin will be able to talk soon. I have held off
operating on him due to lack of supplies but, I guess I no longer have that
option. I'll bring him around long enough for you to talk to him. He might be
able to assist you just by that. I will not allow him to get up though until
after the operation and that I'm sure he's okay. Understood?"
     "Yeah," Jerry sighed. "It doesn't make me happy though. I'm more
comfortable in the co-pilot's seat."
     "What about you," Candar said to the other man. "What's your name?"
     "Lonnie Devins. You can call me Lon. Or Lonnie. I want to go home,
Captain, I've got people I know on earth."
     "Hell, don't we all?" Sam Boil laughed. "I didn't plan for this to be a
permanent journey. I say we fix the damn ship and head for home. We should be
able to use emergency power or something to increase the engines."
     "You don't know a damn thing so shut up!" Jerry was getting angry now. She
heard the rise in his voice. "The guidance system is shot. Number four engine
is history! Which means we'll have to shut down at least one other engine to
balance it out. That means it'll take years before we reach Hycenda. Or earth.
We can't take power away from the systems because, the majority of it now has
been allocated to those in cryo. If we bring them out, there wont be enough
food to go anywhere, and if we brought them out too fast, they could die. I
wont be responsible for that!"
     "Fighting among ourselves isn't going to help." Candar answered quietly.
"The fact remains we are stuck. Have you checked the supplies to see if we can
repair the guidance system?"
     "Yes, and it isn't much. Maybe Kevin can do something with it. Me, I can't
make heads or tails out of the manual. It's too much tech talk and, I'm not
that well versed in engineering crap. Only Kevin could help us now."
     "Bullshit!" This had come from Victor. "Just get the engine boss outta
bed! We can't do nothing!"
     Candar felt herself getting hot. Was this fool so blind? "Kevin is in no
shape to fix anything." She was surprised at how level headed she sounded."It
is my decision. You three will continue to work as best you can. Jerry, there
are three shuttles stowed in Lock Two. Cannabilize a system out of one of
them."
     "But, those systems aren't meant for hyperdrive!" Jerry was shocked. "You
can't mean your gonna try to jump without proper coordinates? The computer wont
interface with them. It's only a sublight system. Hell, it's only meant for air
and orbital operations."
     "Then were going to write a new chapter in being insane!" Candar shouted.
"We will visually chart where we need to go. We wont use the hyperdrive until
Kevin is well enough to help."
     "That will take weeks!" Boil shouted. "And how the hell will you fly? Your
blind as hell! Couldnt see your way past..."
     He groaned as she suddenly kicked him in the groin. As she stood up from
the table, she heard him hit the floor. The room was dead quiet. "I am quite
capable of handling myself." she grated through her teeth. "Are you? I could
put a blindfold on you and we could go head to head. I am an expert in kung fu
have worn a black belt for years. I don't need to "see" to function. I'll admit
I was shaken when it first happened. But, I'm past that now. Mr. Boil, you will
function as a member of this crew or I will lock your butt in cryo. Do I make
myself clear?"
     "Perfectly." Boil whispered through the pain. She could tell from the
sound he was doubled over. 
     "Good." She turned to face the others, "I know this is hard. But, I'm
in charge and until something happens to change that, we will follow my
plan. I have looked at the options. Hycenda is too far away. It would take
years to get there and, the hyperdrive is unreliable. This could change once
Kevin gets back on his feet. Going home is not an option for the same reasons.
I find this hard to say. Unless we can correct the problem with the damaged
systems, we are setting a new course." She turned to Henry. "I want you to go
up to the bridge and begin using our files for habitable systems in this area.
I'll be up in a bit to join you. Once you've determined there may be some
within range of sublight, I want you to begin visual navigation charting. Do
you know how to do that?"
     "Yeah." Long sighed heavily. "It's been years. But I think I remember.
Sure wish we had the guidance system though."
     "Until we get it back, if we do, we live without it." She turned to
Grayson. "Your job doctor is obvious. Get Kevin taken care of and monitor the
cryo units. These people are in for a rude surprise when we reach wherever the
hell were going so, be ready to deal with that. Other than that, be ready to
help as much as possible."
     Grayson nodded. "I'll need to do that complete exam on you soon, Captain."
His tone was somber.
     "I'll make the time." she answered. Reminding her of her condition didn't
thrill her. "Jerry, do whatever it takes to get guidance up. I don't ever
expect to see hyperdrive at full capacity again so, don't worry about that.
Maybe Kevin can figure something out when he comes around. Concentrate all
your efforts on guidance."
     ""I'll do that." Jerry sounded defeated. "I just hope we can make it all
work. So were really going to do it? Settling an unknown world can be deadly,
you know that."
     She sighed. "Currently we have no choice. We'll be pioneers..
quite literally. Everyone, take your stations please." She listened
as they all left. 
     Suddenly Grayson spoke, he was still there. "How long can you hold 
out, Candar?"
     She looked in his direction, "As long as I have to......"

                                                      
                        
                                                   
