YOSHI
George slipped quietly through deep space, the outer navigational lights winked back at the millions of stars. The colours of space are always vibrant like the bottom of a coral reef, when you are immersed in its splendour. However when you are looking from inside a planet, everything is not quite as spectacular.
It was the 4th quarter watch and much of the crew were fast asleep, with only a skeleton crew at the helm. There was no use calling this the early morning shift, as there was no night or day in deep space, just the ever presence of dim constant light. Their location was a considerable distance from the solar system. The majority of the time, their mission took them well past the orbits of the last planet searching for gravity wells.
Yoshi was one of the few people awake, plotting the final course on the bridge’s navigation console. The console was a large table that allowed for electronic interaction. It required a little bit of mental arithmetic as this was still only a two dimensional display, attempting to create a three dimension representation. The console displayed gravity waves created by the astronomic bodies and natural solar winds that drifted through space like huge rivers. All of these elements made efficient navigation plotting, more an art then just travelling from point A to B.
Suppressing a yawn Yoshi picked up his coffee mug, his face was a picture of concentration as he studied the console. Yoshi did not notice Kurogane at first, who had walked up beside him. “I believe you could use a fresh cup sir” Kurogane stated. He conveniently held two cups of steaming coffee in his hands, one of which he was offering to Yoshi. Yoshi swallowed down the last dregs of a coffee from his current mug, the coffee was stale and heat had long since vanished. He did that more out of habit, then any great desire to punish his taste buds. In a family of three boys, it was the quick or the dead in that household, especially when food was on offer.
Yoshi gratefully accepted the other mug after setting aside the one he was holding. “How many times have I said, to call me Yoshi when the crew are not around” affirmed Yoshi, the Lieutenant responded cheekily “ I am not sure sir, force of habit I am afraid sir”, “my humble apologies, sir” the last part was deliberately paused. Both laughed heartily. “You really do my head in, Kurogane. Anyway how can I help you XO in this ungodly hour, and why aren’t you getting any sleep.” The Lieutenant took a sip from his mug and then proceed to give his report on how the engine repairs had gone well but they were in short supply of certain filters, phase couplers and various other engineering parts.
They had been on mission now for nine months, discovered and mapped four systems with grav wells. The ship was well overdue for minor repairs and maintenance supplies, and the crew overdue for shore leave. George’s sister ships had been launched and were progressing just as well, but unfortunately there had been no defining link back to Earth made.
When Kurogane finished his report, Yoshi had stopped procrastinating over his navigational plots. He reached forward and press the confirm symbol on the navigation console. “Understood Lieutenant, we will complete this system in two days and head back to New Osaka. Please communicate back to Fleet, to expect us within the week.” Yoshi looked back at his console as Kurogane stood at attention and smartly said “Hai” marching from the bridge. Just before Kurogane exited, a junior communication nco came hurrying in almost knocking over the Lieutenant, his quick reflexes saved him from a shirt full of hot coffee but not the XOs fury. The XO berated the young man “Damn you man, what is your rush” the young nco look down at the floor, afraid to look into the eyes of the now glowering XO. “Sorry Sir, won’t happen again” nervously the nco bleated out. He cautiously stepped around the XO, “your right it won’t happen again, dabo, I will see you are transferred to the galley for clean-up duty for a month.” The XO grumbled his way out the entry.
Yoshi glanced at the young man giving him a look of disappointment, rather than anger. Disappointment, Yoshi felt was far more effective tool to drive home a point. The personal shame would encourage him to be a little more careful. The nco stood to at attention behind Yoshi, Yoshi decided to make him wait. Yoshi place his mug on the console proceeded to look over the navigational plots. Although there was nothing left him to do, it was not good for the commander of a vessel to jump to a junior’s needs. His officer training enforced the idea that these small idioms of hierarchical games made a good commander. After moment or two he turned and acknowledged the junior NCO’s presence with a slight nod of his head. “Communication Technical Yokotake, reporting for shift change Kaigun Chusa”, the nco announced as if on parade. Yoshi gave the nco a slight nod and grunt fit for a wise old man. The nco took over the communications console, from a female colleague that also berating him in hush tones, she then quickly left her post. Internally he felt sorry for the young nco, today was not going to be his day. Once his senior hears about the events, he will end up being punished twice as hard as the XO’s threats.
Life aboard a military starship, was not a casual affair. It was filled with disciplined precision and an expectation of perfection. A ship was only as good as the weakness link, so it was important to keep the standard high and the crew sharp. New Osaka Fleet had never been able to rely on military numbers, but strived on exceptional standard of training from the small numbers it possessed.
The communication icon bleeped onto DEBI, the communication nco was quickly grabbing and decrypting the signal. Yoshi slowly walked to the middle of the bridge, clasping his hands behind his back. Yoshi then rocked back and forth on his heels impatiently waiting for the incoming transmission. Eventually the communication nco completed his work, and glance back to his superior “Sir, audio communication from the Lucknow”. Yoshi requested the communication nco to put it through the bridge speakers, the crackle of static followed by Kaigun Chusa Kira voice echo through the speakers. “Lucknow to George Ogden Abell, request assistance, punctured fuel tanks have lost 30% fuel with only 10% remaining. Request fuel resupply and shadowing back to New Osaka. Location Grid reference 34 Zeta, 26 Xray, 22 Yankee, please respond”. Yoshi eyes rolled back in his head and let out a deep sigh, but quiet enough for the bridge crew not to hear. “Communications record. Acknowledged Lucknow, heading to Grid reference 34 Zeta, 26 Xray, 22 Yankee. Communications Encrypt and Send”.
Yoshi gave a cold stare towards the communication nco who quickly busied himself. Even though it was not the ncos fault, his bad luck had now run onto the rest of the crew. Yoshi turned back to his navigational console, “Frag, seven hours of careful navigational plots now useless” ran though his mind. He deeply breathed in, and then let out a long sigh. Yoshi began plotting a new course to the Lucknow, after that home. There were no further grav wells in this system that was course of action now decided in his head.
