The Nathan Daniels Saga: Part 1 (4 page)

She ran back to Nathan, eyes still wide with excitement.  “Mother didn't tell me she was a Saber c-163!  These things are legendary!  I've read they fly as if they were a part of you!  How did you manage to get your hands on one?  God, she must be over a hundred years old!”

Nathan felt his ego ratchet up a couple of notches.  A princess was actually impressed with his ship!  “I bought her at auction, she was literally falling apart.  It took every penny that I had to restore her and make her flight worthy.  Of course, I made a few modifications, mostly internal, but I was able to boost her speed by fifty percent.”

“Really?” she looked at him disbelievingly.  “How could you pull anymore out of the Rico-Sanchez engines?  Or did you put in new engines all together?  Everything I have read says the Rico-Sanchezes were optimized and there was no way to get more power out of them.”  Her brow furrowed, it was a cute look on her.

“
They're the same Rico-Sanchezes.  Putting in a different engine would have totally changed the flight characteristics.  The c-163 was designed around the R-S’s.  However, the R-S's were optimized for sub-light performance, and there haven't been any major breakthroughs in
that
arena in nearly five hundred years.  FTL is another story.  We still don't completely understand the physics of it, and every time we learn some more, ships gets faster.  I replaced the FTL components of the engines with state of the art components.  Just getting the new active frequency modulation transtator gave her a twenty-five percent boost.”  Daniels grinned.  The princess was turning out to be quite a surprise!

“
But how do you protect against active feedback across the interface?  Those new components must be completely mismatched with the century old sub-light components.”

The princess really knew her stuff, at least on paper.  “I jury-rigged an adapter, and in the last ten years I’ve only had one active feedback issue, and that was when I tried to jump to FTL without waiting for the components to be fully warmed up and online.”

“Why would you risk that?”

“
Let’s just say I had unexpected company, and they weren't there for dinner.” Daniels gave the princess a wink.  She wasn't sure if he was talking about smuggling problems or women issues, and she was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to.

“
Shall we go aboard and I’ll give you the nickel tour?” Daniels extended his arm, and the princess linked hers through.  They went up the ramp, directly into the cargo bay, with Omany following right behind.  At the top of the ramp, Daniels retrieved the package that was delivered earlier and he held it in his free hand.

“
This is, quite obviously, the cargo bay.” The bay was stacked floor to ceiling with crates of Halifren gems.

“
It seems a little smaller than it should be.”

“
One of those internal modifications I told you about.  I moved the forward bulkhead to add a second bedroom to the passenger suite, and a small gym.”

“
Doesn't that make it more difficult for you to turn a profit?”

“
Difficult, yes, but not impossible.”  Daniels flashed a smile.  “The gym helps break the monotony on a long voyage and without the extra bedroom, you wouldn't have your chaperone.” he nodded back to Omany.

“
And do I need a chaperone, Captain Daniels?” Remini smiled as she said it.  Nathan just moved the party forward.

They moved through the hatch and Nathan pointed out the gym and the galley on the left, and took them into the passenger suite on the right. 

“I hope this meets with your approval.”  Remini tossed her hood back and removed her cloak revealing a peasant dress which suited her figure nicely.  Daniels could see slight disappointment flash across her beautiful features, but it didn't remain there long.  She made a quick inspection of the other rooms and came back to the captain and flashed a warm smile.

“
It will do very nicely,” she said. 

“
Glad to hear it!  I'll just leave you folks to get settled in.  Breakfast is grab what you need whenever you wake up.  Lunch is served precisely at noon, with dinner at 18:00.  We leave at 10:00 tomorrow, so if you want to see it, be on the flight deck, which is upstairs.”  He turned to leave and then remembered the package he was holding.

“
Oh, and this is for you,” He said, extending the package to Remini.

“
What is it?” she asked, looking at him quizzically.

“
Clothes,” he replied.  “If you are going to be an apprentice you have to look like part of the crew, not a passenger.  Hopefully I guessed your size correctly.  If not, we'll replace them the first chance we get.” He turned to leave again.

“
Good night, Captain Daniels,” Remini called after him, “and thank you!”

“
Good night Princess.  Omany.”  He nodded in their direction and took the ladder above deck to his quarters.

“
Come my child,” Omany said, pulling her back into the room.  “We must meditate and put away the day's events.” He was already getting the incense out of the bag.  It was exactly what Remini needed. 

Upstairs it was not quite as easy for Nathan Daniels.  He was stripping off his uniform and talking to Max.

“What have I gotten us into, Max old pal?”  The cat mewed and rubbed against his ankles.  As soon as his clothes were hung in the “refresher” he picked up the feline and she began to purr.  “A year with a beautiful woman on board who actually knows something about something!  And I can't even touch her!  Back at the palace I thought, no problem, she's probably some snooty little bitch who is going to do nothing but complain the whole time!  I figured I’d end up hating her and not wanting to have her.  But now...”  he paused and looked down at Max, who licked his nose with her rough tongue.  Nathan let the cat down and took care of his nighttime necessities.  He climbed into bed and began a fitful, dream riddled sleep.

CHAPTER II

The next morning, Daniels was strapped in on the control deck, working his way through the pre-flight checks.  He had the engines warming up, and the slight vibration could be felt throughout the ship.  He was checking the power pod indicators when he felt, then heard her come through the hatch.

“
Good morning, captain,” she said with a smile, as he turned his chair around to face her.  She was wearing one of the khaki jumpsuits he had bought her, nicely setting off her skin color. 

She did a slight twist back and forth and asked, “What do you think?”

Nathan examined her closely, since he had been asked.  The jumpsuit fit her nicely, tight in all the right places.  She had zipped it to just above her cleavage, leaving an excellent view of her caramel neck and upper chest.  She had tied a lavender scarf around her waist.  She wore Dangling earrings of the same color.  They were rather plain; definitely something a modest trader would wear.

“
You look like the perfect apprentice!”  Remini dropped herself into the co-pilot's seat with a practiced ease which was every bit regal.  “Engines idling at ninety-eight percent efficiency, Captain,” she said reading off the indicators.  She could tell her outfit had precisely the desired effect on Captain Daniels.  He had watched her movements with intense interest, and obviously struggled to return his attention to the pre-flight.

“
You fly?”  he asked.

“
A little,” she replied.  “Nothing like this, mind you, but I am completely certified for both space and atmo.”

“
You continue to surprise me, Princess.”

“
You should probably lay off the 'Princess' thing, wouldn't do any good to attract attention planet side.”  Nathan hadn't even considered that.  “Call me Remi, it's what mother calls me, and it's never been used outside the palace.”

“
Remi it is then.”  Just saying it sent a warm flush through Nathan's body. 

“
Retracting cargo ramp, sealing hold,” Remi said as she flipped the appropriate switches.  “Switching to internal life support.  Indicator shows three weeks plus of oxy.

“
Three weeks?”  she asked.  “I thought it was only a week to Rhadasia”

“
First rule of flying across the galaxy on your own: never skimp on the essentials!  Always lift with fuel, oxy, and water tanks full.  You never know when a trip is going to take longer than you expect.  As it is, we are going to have to restrict ourselves to short hops only, about one third the distance Max and I can go on our own.”

“
Max?”

“
My cat, I'll introduce you later.”  Daniels explained.  “Shorter trips mean we have to be more selective about our cargo.  As a general rule the further you haul something, the more you can get for it on the other end.  Luckily, I had already decided on cargo for only a week's trip, otherwise we'd have to spend a day dumping and reloading.”

Nathan snapped on the intercom.  “Hey Omany,” he said, “Better strap down, old man, we're about to take this bird up!”  He flipped the intercom off and turned to the Princess.  “Want the honors?” he asked.

Remi nodded reaching for the accept switch that would download the takeoff information from spaceport control to
Nola
's flight computer.  Nathan stopped her mid-motion.

“
It doesn't take a
pilot
to do an automated take off,” he said.  “Besides, nothing beats the comfort of real live human interaction when it comes to take off and landing.  Can you handle it manually?  Or was that not covered in your training?”

Remi gave him a sly grin and donned the co-pilot's headset.  “Kurufet control, this is Imper...  er private spacecraft
Nola
, registration number .  .  .  “ she looked at Nathan.  Daniels slapped on his own headset “two-five-five-bravo-tango three-four-six-niner” he said into his microphone.

“
En-route to to Rhadasia,” Remi continued.  “Requesting taxi authorization and take off vector.”  She sounded like a pro.

The headsets crackled to life.  “Roger
Nola
, proceed to taxiway three-alpha.  Take off vector is twenty-nine point five-seven-four.  Keep below four hundred knots while in atmo.  Have a safe trip, and out.”

Remi flipped the release levers for the docking clamps and there was a slight shutter through the ship, now that she was free.  The Princess toggled the switches that released the umbilicals. 
Nola
, like her pilot, were ready to go.  Remi programmed in the take off vector, and eased the throttle into reverse to bring them out of their berth.  she punched the controls to bring in the landing gear, as the ship was now supported by repulsors.

Nathan went to flip to a rear view on the co-pilots screen when he noticed she had already done so.  Once they were clear of the landing bay, Remini deftly dialed the ship around, after killing the backwards momentum.  She lined up on the beacon for taxiway 3a, and nudged the ship forward like a pro.  At the end of the taxiway, she lined up on the take off vector.

“Kurufet control, this is spacecraft
Nola
,” she radioed.  “Aligned on takeoff vector three-alpha, set for three hundred eighty-five knot atmo take-off, requesting final clearance and count.”

“
Roger
Nola
, take off in five-four-three-two-one.”  Remi punched the throttle forward, and they were shoved back into their seats by the G's.

It didn't take long for the inertial dampening system to come fully online and compensate for the G forces.  Inertial dampers were one of those inventions that made space travel comfortable.  Originally they were designed to be used to reduce the inertia of the ship, allowing it to reach near light speed with minimal expenditure of energy.  With the discovery of FTL travel, this was no longer necessary and the dampers were re-aligned to provide comfort for passengers and crew.

Nathan watched the orb of the planet pull away, as Remi kept them meticulously on course.  He watched her with one eye, however. 
Nola
, was his baby and he was ready to jump in and take control if it looked like he needed to.

“
Calculating for orbital insertion.”  Remini's fingers danced lightly on the controls.  “Orbit in three-two-one,” she cut the throttle, and Nathan felt the familiar twinge of microgravity in his gut.  “Engaging artificial gravity,” Remini announced, as Nathan felt some of his weight return. 

“
Artificial gravity at zero point five Kurufet standard.  That's one way for a girl to lose weight!”  She smiled.

“
Have you ever calculated an FTL jump?”  Nathan asked.

“
Only in a sim,” she replied.  “Omany said I had a good grasp of the theory though.”

“
Tell me what you know.”

“
As you were saying last night, scientists are always learning more about the physics of FTL.  Without getting into math that will give both of us headaches, the basic theory is this: the universe exists in multiple energy states.  At each of those energy states distances between points are different.  At higher energy states, everything is closer together, at lower energy states, everything is farther apart.  Normalcy is sort of an in-between energy state, and since the universe is expanding its energy state is constantly decaying --entropy in action.”