Chapter 2
With Rory's green light, Brigit confidently enters her passcode into the terminal. There is a soft bright beep, followed by the palm print reader lighting up. Brigit lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding when the doors sigh open as she presses her palm to the reader. She scolds herself while smiling, "Of course the code worked, you noop, it's your ship."
As soon as she steps across the threshold, two things happen at precisely the same time. They both make her smile. The first was Clare De Lune plays, and the second was the AI's voice which says, "Logged at 15:42 SAT, Captain Borea is aboard and has the com."
Her dazzling smile shows her excitement. Her blue-green eyes take in every detail as she walks down the hallway out of the airlock. She doesn't use Rory's same attention to mechanical detail, but still notes how shiny and new everything is. She had been on ships that had lived long lives, and even though the crews had maintained them well, they still racked up a succession of dings and tiny crevices collecting dirt here and there. Nothing to write home about, but enough to know that it was a lived-in ship. A ship is never as clean as when it's new.
She passes The Grove and makes a mental note to check it out later. Her first mission, though, is to see her new bridge. She has never been on a Sailfish class ship and is excited to see everything it offered in person. While walking around The Grove, she comes across the almost-ladder-like steep stairs that lead up to the bridge. She takes in the moment, realizing it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
After straightening her uniform, she reaches up to check her ponytail out of habit before nodding and heading for the ladder - she decides she is going to call the stairs that. Climbing the ladder, she could hear her boots ringing on the textured surface with each step, burning into her mind the feeling of her first ascent. As she tops the ladder, the lighting changes from a dark cabin lit only by the glow of the instruments to dim light - enough to make out chairs, cabinets, and instrument panels. She makes her way to the captain's chair, noting the first mate, engineer, and security stations. Brigit also makes a note that they had added an extra station.
She sighs as she takes her seat. Here is where she belongs. She swings the instrument panel over and brings up the schematics with a smile. She sees Rory has disconnected from port power and is running diagnostics. Brigit calls down to her on the comms. "How's it going down there?"
"It's going good. Should have the report in about 30 minutes. I've started my visual tour while that runs."
"Excellent, carry on," Brigit says as she turns her attention to the notification that someone has opened the docking door. She pulls up the security controls and pans the camera over, and remembered that this ship has the new AI in it.
"Computer, focus on the new person entering the ship, engage follow mode." As her voice is speaking, the computer is complying. It zooms in, focuses on, and follows Adair as they step aboard. As they leave one camera's field of view, another picks them up. She smiles and activates the all ship communication network and whispers, "I've got my eye on you, you noop," and spoils the effect by giggling.
Rory about jumps out of her skin, then realizes it was the captain and smiles as she activates her com. "Hey cap, can you not do that while I've got my head in the ship's innards?" She laughs before ending the com so that Brigit knows she isn't mad.
Brigit mentally kicks herself for forgetting that there was someone else on the ship. "Ah well, lesson learned," she thinks. She makes sure to comm Adair specifically, "When you get a chance, please make your way to the bridge." She closes the com and walks over to the view-port, watching as the tugs zip around with containers on other ships, some tugs pulling the vessels out from the station.
She knows it won't be long before Adair is there, as every cadet learned that "when you get a chance" in officer-speak was a translation for on the double. And right on cue, she hears Adair climb the ladder. She doesn't turn as they walk over. "Well, what do you think? You ready for this?"