This is the next instalment in the adventures of Space Engineer Jonathan Selby and his android Billy. This an original work and completely fictitious and a product of my imagination. All similarities to past, current or future persons are pure accidental. This story is protected by all International copyright laws without prejudice.
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And so the journey continues...
And here we go again. Another day in space on the Battlecruiser ECS Novus Prime. In the engineering department looking after the engines that makes this bucket of bolts, nefarious material and metal go forward. With two saucy female androids, Ensign Billy Selby which has been declared my "wife", and the other one Quinn (Android QNN 0000001) who is a prototype of a specific next generation androids that (a) me and Billy inspired and (b) I am supposed to "test-drive". At my bloody age and dodging countless human females who wanted to get their hooks into me, and a wedding ring on the finger, I get snagged by an android. And we are joined by a female android that is just as saucy as Billy. This is interesting times we live in.
It is three weeks, Standard Old Earth Time, after the skirmish with the Aspers and things have returned to normal. We are almost three quarters of the way to our next Gate and the fleet based on ECS Novus Prime is flying through space serenely. You know what I mean! As serenely as a fleet of warships can be. Billy and I are in utility uniforms in front of the control panels, with Quinn taking readings in the bottom set of engines, when my internal intercom goes off.
"Admiral Le Fleur to Engine Room." I know, we are both old fashioned and still talk about an engine room.
"Engine Room, what can we do for you Admiral?"
"Are you up for an executive visit Jon?"
For a fleeting moment I look at Billy and we both look a little incredulous. Although Captains of ships do visit engine rooms from time to time, I once served on a destroyer where the captain did it on a fortnightly basis, it is usually not done often due to the fact that if there is a radiation leak the place will seal itself immediately and will only open when the radiation levels reach acceptable levels. Although medicine have advanced enough that radiation is not a death sentence anymore, it is still a health risk. And sealing the captain in the engine room for a period of two to three weeks is not good for a ship, although with our jury-rigged system the actual time spend in isolation is less than that.
"Whenever suits you would be fine with us Skipper." I politely reply. You watch you tone when you speak to your boss. Except if they piss you off, then all bets are off. But I digress.
"Thank you Jon, I will see you in two days' time."
Billy and I raise our eyebrows at each other, but carry on working. There is always work in the engine room.
On the appointed date Admiral Le Fleur enters the engine room through the bulk head, and I call us to attention.
"Admiral on the deck!"
Both Billy and I come to attention but the admiral just waves at us and smiles.
"Stand at ease you two. Relax. Where is Quinn?"
I blanch a little, not knowing how the Admiral will react.
"I had to send her to the Marines Skipper. As she is part soldier she has mandatory time that she must spend with them. Unfortunately it fell in this time period. She will be there for a week and then return. The work load in here still gets handled Skipper."
Smilingly the admiral pooh-pooh me and just waves a hand in my direction.
"I know Jon. You and Billy have this place ticking like an old Earth Clock. You even have all the other ships' engine rooms running the same. Thank you for that."
Billy beams at me as I scratch my neck shyly.
"We have weekly conferences over a secure channel Admiral, sorting out mutual challenges. And Billy and I are always available for advice."
The admiral nods her head in approval but before she could say anything a sound blip from one of the monitors and Billy and I immediately turn to the instruments and screens, the admiral forgotten. A valve in the number two engine topside near the plasma-ion converter was showing a slight anomaly and Billy jumped to her seat, fingers flying over her console.
"The valve shows a spike in radiation Boss." Billy says. "It is still within normal parameters but tripped your warning system. Give me a minute and I will see what the problem is."
I think for a few seconds. "Check on the feeder and leader pipes from the fuel tank. Sometimes there is gunk in the fuel and it sticks there. Check also the vibration dampers on the valve, it can be worn as well. That will mean a trip in for you. That area is too hot for me."
"Feeder and leader pipes clear Boss,' She answers immediately, "vibration dampers shows an anomaly. I will have to go and check it out. It's a high radiation area, too high for you as you said."
I nod, knowing that her assessment is accurate. The next moment I realise that the Admiral is still with us and I turn around apologetically. I am relieve when I see she has a big grin on her face.
"And now I have seen in action why the engine room is at the bottom of my list when it comes to worries. What is this that I hear about a warning system?"
Weighing my words carefully I answer her.
"All systems have standard levels where they give a warning that there is something wrong admiral. I set my own warning systems within those parameters. It assists with preventative maintenance and keeps us ahead of possible breakdowns."
She nods thoughtfully.
"And I can assume that all the ships in the fleet work on the same principle?"
I smile wryly as I answer her, remembering when I inspected all the propulsion units and the few egos I had to bruise along the way. But they all came around to my way of thinking (eventually) and now all ships' propulsion units, or engine rooms if you prefer, run the same way.
"Yes they do admiral. Part of the weekly conference is feedback on how it works out for everybody. I don't want to tempt the Gods but so far we have had less problems fleet wide than what I am used to. Things still break, break down or leak. But we are aware of potential problems earlier."
While we are having this conversation Billy went to the double door entrance and visually verified that her harness, tool-belt and kit is available and ready before turning to the admiral and I to wait for permission to go ahead. The impatient look on her face tells me that in normal circumstances she would have been in already, but is following protocol because the admiral is there. And then the Admiral drops a bomb on me. An Old Earth Plutonium Bomb.
"Hold up Billy, I am coming with. I want to see first-hand how your system works. And before you remind me of the radiation levels Jon, Ceruleans can handle up to 90% of the same level of radiation as androids. And our skins clean the same way with no radiation residue left behind. No offence meant Billy. Or you Jon."
Billy answers her with the same incredulous look I probably have on my face.
"None taken Admiral. I hope you are aware that we have to go in naked."
The fact that Billy is so blunt is an indication of how shocked she is. The admiral doesn't even twitch when she answers Billy.
"I am aware Billy. Where do you disrobe, right here?"
Billy nods.
"It is normally just us in here Skipper. Uniform goes into one of those bins over there, towels are here. Before the outer door opens when we return we get a rinse that takes off all the radiation residue. The scanner does that for you and will block the door from opening if there are any residue left."
The admiral just nods as she starts taking off her fatigues right there, even as Billy is doing the same. I just shake my head in wonder as I turn back to the relevant instrument panel and monitors checking out the anomaly reported. And to give the Admiral a bit of personal space, although in the fleet and especially in engine rooms there are no real room for modesty. Billy brings me back to the moment and I turn around to an incredible sight. Two naked ladies looking at me. Billy is her beautiful perfect self, her form one I am intimately familiar with. But to be honest, even at my age it is the first time that I see a Cerulean female naked and I am not sure if I am shocked or pleasantly surprised. In uniform they look skeletal but naked, they are a totally different story. Although thin, the admiral is clearly well-muscled and I can see why they are a lot stronger than what they appear. This and carbon fibre infused bones makes them dangerous adversaries and brilliant allies. I can't see what is happening in her hairless crotch but a pair of A-cup titties sits perky above a pair of boobless nipples. Now I am used to females with more than one set of nipples, I have been to Borelia a few times where the women walk around only in skirts with all six boobs out in the air (in two horizontal rows of three mind you), but boobless nipples are new to me.
Bemusedly the admiral metaphorically kick my feet out from under me again, and I blush profusely.
"The top ones are for feeding and the bottom pair for pleasure Jon." She says with a smirk on her face and Billy bursts out laughing, adding to my embarrassment. Billy rescues me however after her laughter has subsided.
"We are going in now Boss, if I need specific tools that I am not carrying with me I will let you know."
I only nod my head and watch as the two of them enter the chamber and start kitting up, Billy with a saucy look on her face and the admiral laughing away at something that Billy says. They activate their radios and as they disappear into the depths of the engine bay I turn back to the control panels.
It is a good thirty minutes later when Billy reports that they have reached the valve and is starting to inspect the vibration dampers. Luckily it is a quick fix, with an alignment slip that is easily reset even with the limited amount of tools she can carry, and within minutes the instruments slowly indicate a return to normal. As Billy cheerily informs me that they are on the way back the Dark Gods laugh at my earlier statement and pops my bubble. A series of alarms go off and I can hear the bulkhead leading into the ships seal itself. That only means one thing, radiation leak! My eyes scan the instruments at the speed of thought, and my hands fly over the instruments. Fuck. What the hell is it about the new technology and fucking automated valves that leak!
"Boss!" Billy's voice sounds over the radio, sound very worried. "What is wrong? I see an alarm at engine one!"
My voice sounds hollow as I answer her.
"Radiation leak at the automated outflow valve. Bulkhead is already sealed. I am starting the air purging even as we speak. Please go and identify the problem and tell me which tools you are going to need."
