Sholan Alliance Ch. 03

It was the Space corpse and he waited for them to park by the entrance to the slip and waved them inside. "Morning all, I do have some coffee for anyone who would like it, fresh and hot just to warn you. I left the access hatch off so it would be easier for you to get to the engines and tubes." He turned and walked into the shed and waved them towards the coffee. He smiled as the three men and one woman took a cup and popped a lid on it.

"Well we have several other inspections today so why don't we get started. Now based on the down check the primary issue was the de-crystallization of your tubes. There were some minor issues so we are going to split up to speed process. Two of us are going to examine the tubes and the other two the minor repairs. If you will show them around I would appreciate it." The four started climbing into the engine compartment.

"Not a problem and I would hate to keep ya'll longer than needed. I have to admit I would like to hurry this up so I can get back to space and making money ifn' you know what I mean." He gave them a good homeboy grin when he said that and the woman actually laughed.

"I think I can understand what ya'lls speaking about." Just for good measure she winked at him and it was obvious she was giving him the eyeball.

Billy had to admit it was a nice view as she climbed the ladder but right now Satasha was more than enough for him. He followed them up the ladder and into the compartment. "So who is going to check the minor repairs?" The engine compartment was just shy of spotless and he noticed appreciation on one of the men's faces.

"You know I served on one of this class. Not the tug version but they were some rugged Ships. That engine is frigging massive. I don't even want to think what you could haul with this old lady." He ran his hand across the engine and smiled again. "I would love to check the engine out but Ensign Vorlander and I am going to check the minor repairs and if there is time left help check the tubes."

Billy had to grin. "I gotta admit that she's saved me from the occasional bandit a time or two. They always seem shocked when I go full throttle and almost vanish from their scanners." He started forward and started showing them the repairs he had done. At one point they almost had him sweating when Vorlander asked him about a modification he had made that had to be installed before the engines were fired up.

"I had to do an upgrade to some of the circuitry and the original hardware I needed wasn't available. This modification operates pretty much the same as the original." He was actually ready for their questions though and hoped that they bought it.

"How can you know that this modification will work?" She was scanning it and it seemed to check out but it definitely was not an original part. When he pulled out his VR glasses she pulled a set out and put them on as well and waited.

Billy pulled up the original schematics and the modified schematics. "The board used is actually a newer version of the original since it was a good solid design. The changes I made were to..." He described the changes he made to ensure the board would work much the same as the original. "I am actually saving about 5% power by using this board and that adds up."

She took her glasses off and stared at him. "How did you know that and how to make those changes?" She was now acting as an officer and even if she liked the homeboy look it wasn't going to stop her.

Billy gave her an easy grin. "Former LT. Billy Bob Madlax. I worked with the navy development board many years ago and I have owned this lady for quite some time. If you want to see the equations I used I can send them to your glasses."

The man was an older man and a senior enlisted. He narrowed his eyes and then nodded. "The Lt. Madlax who developed the modified hyper shields? That Lt. Madlax?"

Billy shrugged and nodded. "Yup that be me. I was sort of bored at the time and was reviewing the math behind the shields and realized they had been designed poorly or had been rushed through development. Took me a month or so to work up the new equations."

The Ensign looked more than startled at his admission and gave him another look. "Goodness I am meeting a man that is still being talked about. I am honored and would love to have a meal with you and pick your brains."

Billy knew that Satasha wouldn't mind since Sholan's were not monogamous but their relationship was to new for him to even considered it. "I appreciate the offer but right now once you up check me I have to finish buttoning her up and I have a cargo already lined up and have to get it to Atlas." He showed them the rest of the minor repairs and those were up checked which he had expected.

What he didn't expect was the disgruntled expression on the senior officer's face when they arrived back in the main drive chamber. "Is there a problem officer?" He was trying to figure out what might be going on since anything that impacted his getting off the ground was troubling.

"I checked the serial numbers on the tubes and they are the original ones that were down checked. The problem is I can't find any indication of de-crystallization anywhere in the tubes. I know we didn't screw up because I have copies of the scans." He gave Billy an evaluating look. "What did you do?"

Billy grinned at him. "I figured out how to re-crystallize the hyper tubes. There wasn't any welding or cutting needed. I can show you some of the equations but right now the process has been sent to the patent office. I am waiting for a reply that it is original work and original process."

The Lt. snapped out his VR glasses and put them on and turned them on. "Show me what you can." He ordered.

Billy casually pulled his out and flipped them open and put them on and took a sip of coffee while the glasses connected. "Okay first you have to identify the amount and depth of the de-crystallization. That is what this equation is for and it uses the standard scans to base the rest of the equations. I have blocked part of the equation since that is proprietary information but if you look at these..." He ran him through a fair portion of the equation and finally took his glasses off. "Does that explain what I did?"

The Lt. had been lost after the first section of equations and just nodded at the right times. The older man leaned over. "Sir this is the former Lt. Madlax who developed the modified hyper shields."

The Lt. pulled his glasses off and stared at him and looked more than startled. "Why are you just a tramp freighter captain? God I can't imagine the advances you could have made." Lt. Madlax had been mentioned in school and that he was considered one of the premier theoretical and practical engineers of their generation. "I am going to talk to space command about this and we might just have a contract for you if you can prove it works."

Billy laughed. "I like that idea and that is one of the reasons I am doing this run so soon. I am going to need to do some tests before I actually take her for a long run." Well actually the modifications to the engines more than the re-crystallization. "Not sure how long I will be gone but I will send you periodic test and diagnostic data." That is assuming he made it off the Sholan Mother Ship.

The Lt. signed the up check form and Billy almost danced in place. "Thank you sir and ya'll have a good day. Fill your cups up if you want before you leave." As they were leaving he was already starting to lower the hatch cover. He wanted off the planet as soon as possible. By the time he had the hatch on the securing bolts Satasha walked in.

She smirked at him. "it seems someone was interested in you. You should have taken her up on the meal and made her pay for it." She didn't mind and actually was pleased that her companion had gotten attention.

Billy turned red and shook his head. "To young for me. Being that she is an ensign she is at most 26 years old." It had never occurred to him to ask Satasha how old she was and it was mostly because she was commanding a ship however small.

She stared at him and then started laughing. "Oh Yilly you are so silly. Do you have any idea of what my age approximately is by your world's standards?" Satasha had to lean against a bench as Billy started thinking.

"Oh god I am robbing the cradle aren't I? It never occurred to me to ask your age. You were commanding the scout ship and I just sort of assumed you were older." He winced slightly when he asked her age since he had a feeling that she was way younger than he had thought.

She snickered at him. "We do tend to live longer than humans but I would be maybe 28 or so. I guess that makes you a dirty old man." Satasha had to turn away to keep from starting to laugh at him again. His expression was a total riot.

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