Chapter 10

Kazlaena followed Jack as he headed down the stairwell to the galley to grab a bite to eat.

“So, we are on sa watch times now, yes?” Kazlaena asked.

“Yeah. You fed and watered? We’re up in thirty minutes.”

“I am, yes.” She stopped at the door to C deck and hesitated for a moment. “Umm, I’m very ‘appy it’s you I’m wis on sa watch now.” She looked at him shyly before smiling.

“Me too, Sprocks.” He smiled.

“Ok, just ‘ave to grab some sings from my room.” Kazlaena said, cheerfuly.

“Alright, I’ll catch you on the bridge. Make sure your ten minutes early so it doesn’t get back to the Grumpulus that you were late.”

“Isn’t it D-17 on sa watch right now?” Kazlaena asked.

“Yeah, but you never know, you know. Word might travel.”

“Oh, yes. Sat would not be very good.” She said quickly and darted out of sight.

Jack stepped on the bridge twenty minutes later and relieved D-17 from watch.

“Feel good to get back to tech support and clerkin the day away?” Jack asked comically.

“About time.” The grumpy voice of Barreo answered. “You are early though. That is a resounding surprise.”

“Aw really, I have a rep for bein late?” Jack humored.

“You have a rep for a lot of things, Officer Coralane. Most of them are less than favorable.” D-17 displayed a disgruntled face.

D-17 spoke the end of watch instructions to Jack, who repeated the information and assumed control as the robotic life form departed the bridge.

“Fuck me.” Jack said quietly. He certainly is charming.

“Umm... “ He turned to see Kazlaena standing in the entrance, giving him a concerned look.

“Just a D-17, er a Barreo rather, bein a prick,” Jack smiled. “You uh, weren’t meant to hear that.”

“You cannot swear Jack, sat’s bad manners.”

“I know.” Jack said apologetically. “Better to do that though, than to blow a gasket.”

Kazlaena looked at him quizzically. “You Terrans ‘ave sa gasket in you?”

“It’s a Terran saying, Kaz.” Jack told her. “A figure of speech, an expression.”

“You sould stop completely. You might say somesing sat gets you in sa trouble.”

“I’ll try to be more careful, Sprocket.” He reassured her as she walked up to him. “Now, as for instruction. We have an hour before we’re set to meet the Rockpig. I need to see where your training is at. So, what do you know about the bridge?”

“Um, well I don’t really know about sa bridge. First Officer taught me about sa cargo duties, firefighting, safety and sa lifesaving appliances. We only did a bit of stuff on sa bridge. ‘e was going over some sings, sen stopped when ‘e ‘eard you were coming back.”

“Ok, well I’ll start with an explanation of several of the systems present.”

“Um, ok, well could we start by sa Captain’s seat.”

“Well, the Cap’s chair is off limits to all else unless she is incapacitated and then it would go down the chain of command to the next officer. The captain isn’t too aggressive about keeping people outta her chair, but the First O will destroy you if he finds you there. You don’t want extra duties, right?”

“Uh-uh, no way.” Kazlaena shook her head and took a step back from the chair.

“Alright, moving away from the atomic chair, up next here we have the ship station,” Jack pointed to a digital touchscreen display. “Sometimes called the comms station. You may be familiar with some of this but use this lesson simply as a reminder. So, first up, we have the S.V.D.S.S. Communication console. Those letters stand for Stellar Void Distress Safety System. It’s an interplanetary agreed upon set of equipment and procedures to ensure safety in the event of disaster or distress. Very important, Kaz.”

“I see,” Kazlaena nodded. “I ‘ave done some reading about it.”

“In time, I’ll teach you about procedures and communicating with other vessels, the ship station is very important for the deck department to be familiar with. This screen here allows you to select several monitored channels over boosted VHF radio signals. It’s limited to system wide comms, roughly within a light year of any star. If you communicate over the search and rescue channel, you will likely be in contact with a star guard cutter or lancer.”

“And ‘ow about if you are in sa interstellar space?” Kazlaena looked at him inquisitively.

“You can broadcast over the Tachinet rescue frequency. It uses tachyon emissions to send the signal out at a far superior speed than regular radio waves.”

“Aaa, ok.”

“Distress beacon, nav location transponder and shipboard recording and data logs in the event we are completely destroyed are on this row.” Jack saw her recoil slightly at the last statement. “Kaz, it rarely happens. It’s more common in heavy industry vessels that suffer accidents. We’re ok, ok?”

“Ok.” She replied.

“Alright, over here is the VNavtex, means Void Navigational Telex. You have a digital readout, but it will print out notices automatically as well, so information is not missed by a display error. It’s a very old system once used as a cheap automatic way to broadcast weather phenomenon and other safety points. Now it’s used to alert ships travelling through areas where spatial phenomenon may become a risk, or say, a dangerous location in a system where hostiles might lurk. It will also work with the autopilot in the event of spatial phenomenon to direct the ships course around the danger by making automatic course adjustments. Pirate dangers, however, will require crew interaction and further input to the system to avoid.”

“I see,” Kazlaena looked over the system intently. “So many sings to be aware of.”

“True,” Jack rested his hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Most of it’s automated though. You just need to be aware of what the data means and what procedures to follow should something arise that’s not standard operation”

“You will sow me ‘ow to work all of sis?” She looked up at him intently.

“Sure will. I’ll be your instructor for a while now, so we got time to go over all kinds of good stuff on board.”

“I like sat.” Kazlaena looked at the floor momentarily before looking up to Jack with a respectful smile.

She’s gonna depend on me now more than ever, Jack thought as he felt the weight of responsibility hit him. Can’t let her down.

“Well, up next we have the Navstation.” Jack motioned to the large flat table in the center of the bridge. “This station allows you to see incoming and outgoing void traffic, identify vessels near your own position, as well as plot and program navigational routes through the stars.”

“Is sa busy screen.” Kazlaena eyed the table for a few moments before pointing to a blinking pip on the screen. “Is sat sa Rockpig?”

“Yeah, we’re pretty close now. I imagine Captain Valeria or one of her deck department crew will be contacting us soon.”

“Eeeeee!” Kazlaena clapped her hands and wiggled her torso, shaking her tail in the process.

“What’s the big plan?” Jack asked curiously, failing to hold back a grin.

“We’re gonna uh, I’m going over sere, to ‘er sip to view a, uh, a vid.”

“Ah, ok, What kind?”

“Um, sa mussy kind.”

“Mussy? Like, a romance vid?”

“Um, yes.” Kazlaena buried her face in her hands.

“Uh huh.” Jack scratched his chin. “A new one?”

“Yes.” Kazlaena did not meet his eyes.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“I um, it’s...” Kazlaena let out a bit of a whine. “I’m nervous about sis kind of sing.”

“What, romance and dating and that kinda thing?”

“I won’t get to experience sat for some time.” She said quietly. “Many Vandeans pick seir life partners early, before we are twenty of your Terran years in age, Jack.”

“You’re worried about missing out on all of that, aren’t you?” Jack asked sympathetically.

“I will, Jack. I will be like sirty years old by sa time I get back, at least sat old.” He could feel her mounting concern.

“Kaz, you’re only twenty-two. Vandeans live as long as Terrans. There’s time enough to do it all. You never know what might happen. Perhaps you’ll find better employment on another ship.” He saw her shocked expression. “Or perhaps a Vandean fellow will be hired. We’re already looking for a chief cook. There’s a couple of other positions we need new hires in too, like a salvage expert. Maybe you’ll find another kind of relationship, maybe you’ll find a relationship with someone from another species. It’s a whole wide world of opportunities out there.”

“Um, sa oser species, um, relationsips, sat’s ok?” She looked at him concerned. “I always ‘eard everyone gets mad at sat.”

“It’s not an easy road, or choice,” Jack replied. “Most interspecies relationships have hardships. Mating and kids aren’t in the picture, expressions and interests vary wildly. There’s also the issues of how others see the relationship. Most races are content if the cross species are of a similar background. Reptilians and other reptilians, canids with other canids, ect. Terrans have the most widespread interspecies relationships, but also the most scorn. Some think it’s abhorrent, some think it’s traitorous as it interferes with Terran expansion by stopping reproduction. Others just think or find it weird. Trouble is, love blossoms usually where it’s least convenient. That’s just how it is.”

“Um, so it doesn’t matter who I find to love? Sat’s what you’re saying?”

“Go with how you feel.” Jack replied. “I won’t judge. I would want you to be happy first and foremost.”

“Um, sanks, my Mr Fluff.”

“Oh?” Jack tilted his head a little. “Thought I was marshmallow.”

“Mr. Marsmallow, My Marsmallow, Mr. Fluff, Mr. Softo, um, I ‘ave a few names for you.”

“You do?” Jack fake scowled. “That’s no good.” He moved quick and caught her, tickling her sides with a free hand.

“Sss-Stap!” She cried out through giggles, and he let her go.