Read Online Alutia Rising, Anniversary Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 1) by Craig Gerttula - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Craig Gerttula
Ads: Link
difficult , she
reminded herself, deciding to have that planned discussion with Sir
Seb’Losh and his officers as soon as possible.
She turned her attention back to the image of
the ABF Princess One, noticing the small seating area she had just
exited and wondering about its purpose, deciding to interrupt
Xin'Eir before she continued.
“What is the reason for the seating
area...here?” She pointed towards the projection, hoping that
Xin'Eir could see where she referred.
“That...that is the protected passenger
compartment, where you and your entourage are requested to be
seated during launch, landing, and during emergencies,” Xin’Eir
paused, seeming reluctant, “Much of the shuttle has been converted
for your private use, and certain defensive systems are no longer
uniformly effective. So it was decided to design a...safe
area...within the starship that would also double as an escape
shuttle in the event of the eminent destruction of the ABF Princess
One. It allows us to eject the seating area, providing you and your
companions an opportunity to escape and rendezvous with friendly
forces.” The image Xin’Eir’s words called forth sent a shiver down
her spine.
“What of you and the rest of the crew,
Xin'Eir? Does the bridge have a similar functionality? Or did the
designers think your lives worthless?” Venom seeped into her words,
not aimed at Xin’Eir, but at the NHA Starship Design and Research
Group, or SDRG, who were responsible for all approved NHA starship
designs.
“Not exactly, Sasha,” Xin’Eir squeaked, Sasha
cursing herself for letting her annoyance show, “there are escape
pods in addition to a small ferry shuttle. The crew should be able
to escape if we have sufficient time.” Sasha, though relieved the
crew had been provided escape options, couldn’t help but frown.
During combat, or emergences that ultimately
led to a starship’s destruction, it was a rare for the crew to have
sufficient time to reach the escape pods. This meant that survivors
from destroyed starships were rarely found, and most crews accepted
the fact that starships were inescapable coffins. We will just
have to see about that, won’t we? Sasha thought, deciding it
best to have a discussion with the flight captain, sooner than
later, about emergency procedures in relation to allowing everyone,
crew or not, to utilize the seating area during emergencies.
“This area in front of my apartments must be
the bridge then, where we are now?” asked Sasha, deciding to shift
away from that less then upbeat topic.
“Very perceptive, Sasha...that is indeed the
bridge,” Xin’Eir’s tone reminded her of Tiana, who would pepper her
sweet words with compliments, but show her real meaning with the
mischievous look in her eyes. Xin'Eir's eyes, however, matched her
words, showing only honesty.
The image on the CID highlighted the area she
had been pointing, the upper bow of the starship. “Now for the
lower deck,” Xin’Eir had fully calmed, no longer daunted by Sasha’s
presence, “Directly below the bridge we have the combat system
station, or CSS. This is where the Electronic Warfare, or EW,
Energy Shield System, or ESS, and Laser Particle Arrays, or LPAs,
are managed, along with providing redundancy in case the main
bridge is incapacitated during combat.” Sasha nodded, trying to
remember the information being provided, but knowing she would most
likely forget what most of it meant. “This next section is the crew
quarters and mess. Nothing special here, except if you need to find
the flight captain when he is off duty, he is usually goofing off
in the officer’s lounge.” Sasha grinned as Xin'Eir's mind caught up
to her mouth, her expression shifting to panicked shock the moment
she realized what she'd said about the flight captain.
Sasha couldn't contain herself, bursting into
hysterical laughter. The rest of the bridge crew, busy monitoring
systems and preparing for the short acceleration to the
reminded herself, deciding to have that planned discussion with Sir
Seb’Losh and his officers as soon as possible.
She turned her attention back to the image of
the ABF Princess One, noticing the small seating area she had just
exited and wondering about its purpose, deciding to interrupt
Xin'Eir before she continued.
“What is the reason for the seating
area...here?” She pointed towards the projection, hoping that
Xin'Eir could see where she referred.
“That...that is the protected passenger
compartment, where you and your entourage are requested to be
seated during launch, landing, and during emergencies,” Xin’Eir
paused, seeming reluctant, “Much of the shuttle has been converted
for your private use, and certain defensive systems are no longer
uniformly effective. So it was decided to design a...safe
area...within the starship that would also double as an escape
shuttle in the event of the eminent destruction of the ABF Princess
One. It allows us to eject the seating area, providing you and your
companions an opportunity to escape and rendezvous with friendly
forces.” The image Xin’Eir’s words called forth sent a shiver down
her spine.
“What of you and the rest of the crew,
Xin'Eir? Does the bridge have a similar functionality? Or did the
designers think your lives worthless?” Venom seeped into her words,
not aimed at Xin’Eir, but at the NHA Starship Design and Research
Group, or SDRG, who were responsible for all approved NHA starship
designs.
“Not exactly, Sasha,” Xin’Eir squeaked, Sasha
cursing herself for letting her annoyance show, “there are escape
pods in addition to a small ferry shuttle. The crew should be able
to escape if we have sufficient time.” Sasha, though relieved the
crew had been provided escape options, couldn’t help but frown.
During combat, or emergences that ultimately
led to a starship’s destruction, it was a rare for the crew to have
sufficient time to reach the escape pods. This meant that survivors
from destroyed starships were rarely found, and most crews accepted
the fact that starships were inescapable coffins. We will just
have to see about that, won’t we? Sasha thought, deciding it
best to have a discussion with the flight captain, sooner than
later, about emergency procedures in relation to allowing everyone,
crew or not, to utilize the seating area during emergencies.
“This area in front of my apartments must be
the bridge then, where we are now?” asked Sasha, deciding to shift
away from that less then upbeat topic.
“Very perceptive, Sasha...that is indeed the
bridge,” Xin’Eir’s tone reminded her of Tiana, who would pepper her
sweet words with compliments, but show her real meaning with the
mischievous look in her eyes. Xin'Eir's eyes, however, matched her
words, showing only honesty.
The image on the CID highlighted the area she
had been pointing, the upper bow of the starship. “Now for the
lower deck,” Xin’Eir had fully calmed, no longer daunted by Sasha’s
presence, “Directly below the bridge we have the combat system
station, or CSS. This is where the Electronic Warfare, or EW,
Energy Shield System, or ESS, and Laser Particle Arrays, or LPAs,
are managed, along with providing redundancy in case the main
bridge is incapacitated during combat.” Sasha nodded, trying to
remember the information being provided, but knowing she would most
likely forget what most of it meant. “This next section is the crew
quarters and mess. Nothing special here, except if you need to find
the flight captain when he is off duty, he is usually goofing off
in the officer’s lounge.” Sasha grinned as Xin'Eir's mind caught up
to her mouth, her expression shifting to panicked shock the moment
she realized what she'd said about the flight captain.
Sasha couldn't contain herself, bursting into
hysterical laughter. The rest of the bridge crew, busy monitoring
systems and preparing for the short acceleration to the
Similar Books
