Ocean of Stars: Where the Sun Sails [1]

IV

Relativity not-withstanding, time seems to pass the same both outside and inside a starship. So it was on the Covenant, where work to repair the damage to the wafer-thin energy collectors proceeded with Care and deliberation. 

The bridge was alive with activity now, with a full complement of crew busy at their respective stations. Attentive though they were to the work at hand, Ricks, Upworth, Walter and Faris were able to communicate without looking up from what they were doing. Even though Trig had no part in the electronics of the ship, he still sat up with the crew, chattering with them. 

Some of the working crew's energy and attention was devoted to monitoring activity outside the ship. Much of what was currently focused on Tennessee, Unlike with some of the crew when they performed extra-vehicular activity, it wasn't necessary to check his personal health monitors in order to assess his physical or mental condition. His frequent whistling was reassurance enough that he was feeling fine. 

Oram entered the bridge just as Tennessee was out finishing repairs to one of the last damaged transmission arrays. As if on cue, lights, readouts, projections, and holos that had been operating on backup power suddenly brightened. Others that had been completely powered down sprang back to life. The relief among those present was visible on their faces and in their elated comments.

A grinning Upworth addressed the nearest comm. "Well done, Tee. We're full live down here and on first check, everything appears to be back online." She looked around the bridge. "I haven't seen this much life up here since we left Sol, and you're missing all of it. Come back in."

"So noted," Tennessee replied. "Don't leave without me now."

Seated at her station nearby, Faris didn't hesitate as she glanced over at the younger woman. "Please, leave without him. He's always in his own orbit anyway, so he should be just fine out here by himself."

Upworth's grin widened as she shook her head. "Can't do that. Abandonment, even for patently justifiable purposes, is against regs. They'd dock my pay."

"What d'you care?" Faris shot back. "You'll never get back to Earth to collect it."

"Goes to a favorite charity." Upworth checked Tennessee's progress, and was gratified to see that his suit's functions were as healthy as those of its occupant. "All right then, maybe they'd dock my housing allowance for Origae-6. Besides, we need him on board. He helps alleviate our boredom."

"That's a matter of opinion," a smiling Trig argued.

They broke off the banter as Daniels entered, plainly a little the worse for wear. Breathing the optimized recycled atmosphere on a starship did nothing to alleviate the headache from a hangover.

Oram smiled a greeting, but his expression was tight. "Welcome back. Not feeling your best this morning?" He would have said more, but his wife's words still echoed in his ears.

She barely glanced at him. It was evident from his attitude if not his tone that he knew about the funeral. And about the drinking.

Screw you... Captain, she thought. Her head throbbed too much for her to reach for wit, even if her sarcasm was internalized. Ignoring the surreptitious stares cast her way, she moved silently to her station.

* * *

Outside, the repair team was finishing up. Ankor made a final check of the conduit readouts inside the mast on which he had been working. Satisfied that everything was operating properly, he closed the service door, turned, and with a light touch on the relevant suit control boosted himself toward the waiting airlock.

"All tight here. Heading back inside, Tee. Good work."

"Hey," the big man replied, "all my work is invariably first class."