(One of my characters has appeared in a few scenes here. Let's see what's she's doing.)
"This is your ship. Why do you want me to fly it?"
Miyuri looked up from her tablet to see Shinji's worried face, and decided not to say that it was an order. "Technically, it's the station commander's ship, not my ship. More importantly, you're a better pilot than I am. I'll give you the course."
The plan was simple - skirt the edge of the Limit until they were at the closest point they could reach at FTL to where 77 Frigga would be if they made a straight-line drive toward Sol, then make that straight-line drive. If the calculations and piloting were exact, they'd reach the point in Frigga's orbit where Frigga would actually be.
Flying so close to the Limit was always tricky. One wrong vector and the ship was either going on an impromptu trip into the Black or going substantially more slowly than expected - either way, it meant added time. And time was something in very short supply.
However, Miyuri Akisato was both one of the three best astronomers studying the Limit and one of the five best sensor operators in StellviaCorp. If anyone knew how to read how the Limit was acting, it was Miyuri.
Putting that knowledge into practice was the responsibility of Shinji Ikari. He wasn't the greatest pilot in space - in fact, he was barely average - but he did have experience operating a vehicle in high-stress situations. Not for the first time, Shinji thanked Jet for giving him the personality and memories that she had when she built him.
"I know you know what you're doing, Commander. I hope I know what I'm doing."
Miyuri mock-glared at Shinji. "You know what happens when you call me Commander." She put her elbows on her armrests and crossed her hands in front of her face, obscuring her mouth. "I have to talk like this for the rest of the meeting."
They both laughed, breaking the tension in the air.
Miyuri uncrossed her hands. "Seriously, Shinji, I trust you to get it right. Not just because you're my security chief, but because Anika's expecting us."
Shinji nodded. "I'd do anything for my sister. Let's do this."
* * *
A half-hour later, they were within the Limit and diving Sunward, on course to where Frigga would be when they got there.
"We're committed to this course, ma'am."
"Shinji, 'ma'am' is only slightly better than 'Commander'. Why can't you call me Miyuri?"
"I'd rather not while we're working, ma'am. Would you take the controls, please?"
"Sure. Is there something else you need to do?"
Shinji reached into his bag and withdrew a weapon case. "I am your security chief, and Jet does have a well-earned reputation for getting into combat. I need to make sure this is in perfect working order." He opened the case, pulled out a Minebea PM-9 and its cleaning kit, and started cleaning the machine pistol.
"Good idea. When you're finished, you can take the controls again and I'll make sure my AMT Backup is in just as good condition."
Shinji's eyebrows rose. "You're armed?"
"Haven't you seen the anime that Noah took my personality template from?" Shinji shook his head, and Miyuri continued, "Everybody knows that the character I'm based on was an astronomer and a sensor operator. Most people forget she was also a military cadet. Of course I'm armed."
"Oh." After a few minutes, Shinji added, "Is your Backup chambered for 9x19mm NATO rounds?"
"Yes, and before you ask, yes, that is where your ammo has been disappearing to."
Shinji sighed. "Some security chief I am."
* * *
"Ma'am?"
"Yes, Shinji?"
"Does Jet know we're coming?"
"I don't know. Did Anika tell him?"
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
"This is your ship. Why do you want me to fly it?"
Miyuri looked up from her tablet to see Shinji's worried face, and decided not to say that it was an order. "Technically, it's the station commander's ship, not my ship. More importantly, you're a better pilot than I am. I'll give you the course."
The plan was simple - skirt the edge of the Limit until they were at the closest point they could reach at FTL to where 77 Frigga would be if they made a straight-line drive toward Sol, then make that straight-line drive. If the calculations and piloting were exact, they'd reach the point in Frigga's orbit where Frigga would actually be.
Flying so close to the Limit was always tricky. One wrong vector and the ship was either going on an impromptu trip into the Black or going substantially more slowly than expected - either way, it meant added time. And time was something in very short supply.
However, Miyuri Akisato was both one of the three best astronomers studying the Limit and one of the five best sensor operators in StellviaCorp. If anyone knew how to read how the Limit was acting, it was Miyuri.
Putting that knowledge into practice was the responsibility of Shinji Ikari. He wasn't the greatest pilot in space - in fact, he was barely average - but he did have experience operating a vehicle in high-stress situations. Not for the first time, Shinji thanked Jet for giving him the personality and memories that she had when she built him.
"I know you know what you're doing, Commander. I hope I know what I'm doing."
Miyuri mock-glared at Shinji. "You know what happens when you call me Commander." She put her elbows on her armrests and crossed her hands in front of her face, obscuring her mouth. "I have to talk like this for the rest of the meeting."
They both laughed, breaking the tension in the air.
Miyuri uncrossed her hands. "Seriously, Shinji, I trust you to get it right. Not just because you're my security chief, but because Anika's expecting us."
Shinji nodded. "I'd do anything for my sister. Let's do this."
* * *
A half-hour later, they were within the Limit and diving Sunward, on course to where Frigga would be when they got there.
"We're committed to this course, ma'am."
"Shinji, 'ma'am' is only slightly better than 'Commander'. Why can't you call me Miyuri?"
"I'd rather not while we're working, ma'am. Would you take the controls, please?"
"Sure. Is there something else you need to do?"
Shinji reached into his bag and withdrew a weapon case. "I am your security chief, and Jet does have a well-earned reputation for getting into combat. I need to make sure this is in perfect working order." He opened the case, pulled out a Minebea PM-9 and its cleaning kit, and started cleaning the machine pistol.
"Good idea. When you're finished, you can take the controls again and I'll make sure my AMT Backup is in just as good condition."
Shinji's eyebrows rose. "You're armed?"
"Haven't you seen the anime that Noah took my personality template from?" Shinji shook his head, and Miyuri continued, "Everybody knows that the character I'm based on was an astronomer and a sensor operator. Most people forget she was also a military cadet. Of course I'm armed."
"Oh." After a few minutes, Shinji added, "Is your Backup chambered for 9x19mm NATO rounds?"
"Yes, and before you ask, yes, that is where your ammo has been disappearing to."
Shinji sighed. "Some security chief I am."
* * *
"Ma'am?"
"Yes, Shinji?"
"Does Jet know we're coming?"
"I don't know. Did Anika tell him?"
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012