“I have a plan for a ship I want to build. I want you to take a look at it.”
“The Algeans and the Zord could do a much faster analysis than I can.”
“Even so; I want you to examine it and let me know when you’re ready to discuss it.”
“Send me the data.”
Trey put a clear square into the reader and pressed send. Alex started receiving the information and said, “Is the size that big?”
“Yes it is.”
“I’ll get back to you.”
“Thanks, Alex.”
Kreej looked at Trey, “Did you send the Algeans on their little trip to la-la land so they wouldn’t hear what you just did?”
Trey smiled, “You know they can’t be reached when they’re this deep into computations.”
“I know it. Did you?”
Trey shrugged and smiled.
Cassie sat in class in the Robbins Fleet Academy and listened to an Engineer describe the circuits of a beam projector. She was listening to Trey have his conversation with the group at the Defense Facility and found it amusing that he had excluded the Algeans from his little building project. She smiled and enjoyed Trey’s back and forth with Kreej.
“Perhaps you would like to comment on this particular circuit, Cadet Blake!”
Cassie brought her attention back to the class and saw the visiting engineer pointing to a power coupler on the circuit diagram. She glanced at her Professor and saw he was cringing. She took a deep breath and smiled at the smug Engineer, “Actually, that power coupler is being replaced in the next generation of ships that will be coming on line shortly. As you probably know, the main channel for the energy transfer can only handle the power of three reactors before they melt and the new level of power that’s going to be used is more than a hundred times that amount.” Cassie walked forward and took the pointer out of the engineer’s hand and used it to indicate where several electrical circuits passed very close to each other in the coupler. She looked at the Engineer and pointed at the confluence of circuits and said, “Do you know what amperage this board can handle before these four paths melt?”
The Engineer stared at her and didn’t know what to say. She smiled and said, “No, I guess you don’t. The power of a Zeta-A would fuse this circuit. That’s why they are being replaced. Why don’t you look it up?” Cassie turned to go back to her desk when she stopped and said, “You already knew that board was being replaced. Why are you here teaching us useless electronic circuits? Did you perhaps miss your last briefing on the updating of the Zetas?”
Cassie went and sat down. The Professor said, “That concludes this training. Please report to your next class. Cadet Blake, may I see you for a moment.”
The Class left and Cassie walked up to the Professor and Engineer, “Yes, Commodore Jekins.”
“I thought we had an agreement not to embarrass visitors.”
Cassie saw the Engineer was angry, “Did the Professor warn you that you shouldn’t even think about singling me out?”
“What if he did?”
Cassie turned to Commodore Jekins, “Some get what they deserve. Further, the Empire really doesn’t need engineers that refuse to pay attention to those with experience they can learn from.”
“Cassie, she didn’t know. She took it as a challenge.”
“Then shame on you for not telling her enough to protect herself.” She looked at the engineer who was starting to show some concern. She stared at her for a long moment and then said, “Here is the update on the new Zetas.” She gathered her thoughts and sent the entire package. The engineer stumbled and sat down quickly at a desk. She had a stunned expression and was having difficulty focusing her vision.
“She’ll be fine before the next class. This time she can teach them something they can use.”
Commodore Jekins watched Cassie walk out of class and wondered why she attended. She was so far ahead of everyone on the faculty that they all left her alone. She said from outside the door as she walked away, “I’m here to find a crew.”
Catherine MacDougal finally regained her senses and discovered that she now knew a Zeta-A from bow to stern and port to starboard. She looked up at the Professor and said, “Next time I’ll listen. She can’t have me removed from the service, can she?”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
Professor Jekins looked at the door Cassie had taken and said, “I really wish I knew.”
“Now that was interesting.”
“Don’t tell me you were watching?”
“Of course. Do you want that engineer reassigned to a public job?”
“You didn’t take a good look at her did you?”
“No, I was only seeing you; like I always do.”
“Really, Trey, you should expand your horizons. That engineer is going to be on the ship.”
“Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. She was warned and had the courage to find out for herself what she was being told to avoid. She has courage and the will to take a risk.”
“What do you want her to do?”
“Have the Emperor reassign her to the Defense Facility and have her go over the plans with Alex. She’s more bored with her current assignment than I am.”
“Consider it done.”
“One other thing, Trey, see if Emperor Valrico will send Junior to the Facility to assist her and Alex in drawing the plans.”
“I’ll have to tell him about the ship.”
“He’ll know anyway as soon as we ask for the facilities to build it. Junior is also being stifled here. He’s pretty much absorbed all he’s going to get out of this training and it’s time to start challenging him.”
“I can’t promise anything but I’ll do what I can.”
“That’s all a lady can ask for.”
“I love you, Cassie.”
Cassie smiled and went to her teleportation class. There were a couple of students that she was watching that may have what it takes to be on the ship. She smiled again and walked into class.
Jingo watched his display and saw that he had lost more than a hundred flyers to the ships that were attacking a civilized planet. The invading ships had weapons that were the most advanced he had ever seen outside the Black Ships. The Flyers ability to teleport to different attack locations is all that prevented him from losing his entire command. More than a thousand ships had been destroyed but he still had more than seven hundred advancing on the planet, “Jessica, can you call in a few friends and help us with these ships?”
“Greyson will be here in a moment and Grace is coming with him.”
“Will Trey be with them?”
“No, he’s with Alex working on a project.”
“Do you think you can handle these ships?”
“I believe so, Jingo. Why don’t you assign a Flyer to each ship and when we hit their force fields have a flyer teleport in next to the ship and take it out. I think they can use the training.”
“That’s why I’ve not called you in yet. We’ve lost a lot of Flyers but those that made it through this attack will be considerably stronger now.” Jingo issued the commands through the Division’s Com Links, “Alright, Jessica, they’re ready.”
“Commencing attack in 3, 2, 1…”
