Chapter 10
Tim sat in his seat, just looking at the viewscreen. Sarha noticed him merely sitting. "Tim, my previous Captain, use to sit and think about the things that had transpired. Are you doing the same thing?"
"No, I'm thinking about the skirmish to come, I just hope no one gets injured, except for the pirates. Sarha, I'm worried about the girls and the upcoming fight. I have never worried this much about any upcoming fight before. Why is this so different?"
"Tim, do you care for the girls? It may perhaps be you have feelings for each girl." Sarha replied.
"I have only known them for a short time; how could I have feelings for every one of them?" Tim replied, still seated looking concerned.
"Tim, you have saved each and every one of them. You may think you need to protect them." Sarha stated. She could try making it sound like a fatherly thing, but since he's had sex with three of them are ready, that would make it even worse.
"Tim, you have to trust the girls. Each one wants to help you. In their own way, they feel it best to do this. You have to remember if Tammy gets hurt, she's just like you." Sarha said.
"Speaking of Tammy, has Madlyn done any tests on Tabitha?" asked Tim.
"I just asked Madlyn, she said No. Did you want her to?" Sarha asked.
"Tell her, she might try, just to see, if there are any changes," Tim said.
Pauline walked on to the bridge and asked, "Tim, may I talk to you for a moment?"
Tim replied, "Sure, let's move to the lounge. That way, it's more comfortable." When they got to the lounge, he and Pauline sat down in the comfortable chairs. Tim turned towards Pauline, "Ok, what do you want to talk about?"
Pauline sat facing Tim with hands folded in her lap. "I would like to change some of the plans for tomorrow's fight."
"Ok, what part do you want to change, and why?" Asked Tim.
"First, as soon as the other ships appear in our scanners. I would like to send the cloaked probes to those ships. She's remembered that each probe can hold up to thirty nano-bots, and a nanobot can be programmed to be a high-powered explosion. Slip them up to each incoming ship and attach them to the ships.
"Second, can we send out cloaked probes with cameras attached? If we can, can we send out two probes for each ship. So, we have a probe on both sides of those ships. That way, we will be able to see if they send out drop ships."
"I think we should not allow them to leave their ships. If the dropship doors open, we can set off all probes. Also, Sarha can hack into one of their systems to. See if she can find out where they have their base of operations." Pauline said.
"Ok, I can see where that would be better, but why?" asked Tim.
"Simple, why take a chance of one of us getting hurt. We do not make an SOS call. That way, only the pirates know about the trap." Pauline states.
"Ok, point taken, it's a better plan. That's why you are the tactical officer." Tim replied.
Sarha was setting up the final probes Pauline and Tim wanted. Making sure all programs were working. "Tim, where will you be operating from?" Sarha requested.
"Sarha, you said you could control everything from one room. Can I get into that room?" Tim asked.
"Yes, there is a room for control. Yes, you can get into it. If you wish, I will show you now." Sarha stated.
"Thank you, Tim said, "please show us the way." He and Pauline stood up from their seats and followed Sarha to the lift. They took the lift to deck 8. Arriving on deck eight and turning right, three doors down, Sarha stopped. Turning to Tim, "through these doors is a large combat room, used by the former military personnel. I have had the cleaning bots working on getting it ready for you." Tim stepped up to the doors, and they automatically opened, "Tim, they open this time because I allowed it. The next time you must place your hand on the DNA scanner." Sarha stated.
Pauline and Tim stepped into the room. A sign hung in the middle of the room, with bold red letters, 'Tactical Operation Center.' This room was three times the size of the bridge. Tim could see ten stations with approximately ten display screens each, fixed to the wall There were another six stations with control panels, but only one viewscreen each. This control unit set was about ten feet back and about a three-foot drop, away from the other units. Still back and closer to where Tim stood was three more stations. Right in front of Tim was a table with four chairs, just waiting for someone to set down in them. Each station had a number over top of the displays so that the controller could call out a number, not a name.
"Sarha, what are all those monitors doing? What kind of operations were in here?" Tim asked. Looking around with a flabbergasted look.
"Tim, what you see here, was the main battle operating system. From here, they controlled more than half the fighting forces." Sarha Replied. She was now standing next to the nearest table.
"Sarha, are the weapons controlled from inside here?" Asked Tim.
"Yes, if you wish to control them manually, it will be from here," Sarha replied.
"The ladies, who controlled the heavy power pulse particle beam cannons, like to work from the station on the left there," Sarha said. "The one on the right was for the sixteen beam cannons for the defense grid. The second one on the right was the Mass Drivers which- launched their shells at Hyper Warp speed."
"The stations against the wall were for control of different probes. They also controlled the fighters."
"Sarha, could we have the girls come down here, so they may see what we will be working with?" asked Tim.
"Tim, I have asked each girl to come down. They each will have to have a DNA scan done to enter." Sarha replied.
Each girl scanned into the room and looked at was in front of them. Their eyes were wide open, never having seen anything like this before. They each looked around, wondering what this place was and what are they doing here.
"Ladies, this will be your battle stations for the ship to ship fighting," Tim replied. Looking at the girls, moving his arm towards the seats and viewscreens. "Now you have seen it. I'll let Pauline take it from here."
"We will not be doing any person on person combat tomorrow, Ladies," Pauline said. Moving to stand in front of the girls. They were all there, even Jeanne.
"For the next hour or so, we will be in here training. Sarha will set-up different scenarios, so you get used to your stations." Pauline said.
"Tabitha, your station will be # 12. You will be the pilot from there. Tammy, your station will be # 2. You will have control of the cloaked probes. Madlyn, your station will be # 4. You will have control over cloaked camera probes. Jeanne, your station will be # 11. You will have control over the two heavy power pulse particle beam cannons." Pauline stated.
After an hour of practice, the girls felt that they knew what they should do, feeling good about it and about tomorrow too. Everyone went to the lounge for lunch. They all agreed on the proposed changes.
Setting in the lounge, after a filling meal. "Tabitha, Tim would like me to do a DNA test on you. Just to see if anything has changed, Is that ok with you?" Madlyn asked.
"Sure, it's ok with me. When do you want to do it?" Tabitha was turned to hand her plate to Millie for cleaning. Millie was now the friendliest bot around. She always was in the lounge to take care of each person coming in, getting them food or drinks.
"How about, when you leave here, you drop by." Replied Madlyn. Getting up and heading for the doorway. Turning her head to look at Tabitha, "See you in a bit." walked out the door and on to the lift.
The other girls started to stand up, going back to the various things they were doing. As they left the lounge, Millie said, "See you, ladies, at dinner time, have a good afternoon." She went about cleaning up the lounge, waiting for the next time she was needed.
***
Madlyn entered the medical bay, with Jeanne right beside her. They were talking about Tabitha, coming down to be tested, "I need you to get the syringe for the blood draw ready. Also, we need to check on Jane Doe. Maybe she's recovered from the shock." Madlyn told Jeanne.
Jeanne was walking over to Jane Doe's unit. Seeing Doctor Marus standing there. "Doctor, how's the patient doing?" Moving closer to the bed, she carefully picked up Jane Doe's arm, being careful not to move too close to her hand. Since she had seen the flames coming from those fingertips. She was shy about getting too close to the hands, to avoid getting a hot hand.
"She has not moved since you and doctor Madlyn left." Said Doctor Marus.
Jeanne gets ready to take Jane Doe's pulse. She lifted her hand, carefully, looked toward the hand. Saw the flames start to appear. She starts talking to the flames without thinking. "I am not going to hurt her. I just need to take her pulse, then I'll lay her hand back down, ok?"
Jeanne found a steady pulse with a good strong beat. She is laying the hand back down, "See, I said, I wouldn't hurt her." She turned to write the information she just took on her chart. When she turned back to Jane Doe's the flames are still there. They seemed to be getting bigger and are now about an inch tall. They look exactly like fire flames from an open fire. Closes to the fingers, the bottoms are round, working up from there the tops came to a point. These points are moving from side to side like they are dancing.
The flames stayed at the fingertips for a little while longer, then just disappeared. Jeanne was still just looking at the fingers when Madlyn came in. "How's the reading this time?" Madlyn asked.
Jeanne shook her head, coming back to reality. "I was just talking to the flames, without realizing it," She was now turning to face Madlyn with a stunned look.
"Well, did they say anything?" asked Madlyn. She had a big smile on her face but knew what it's like talking to something you know cannot talk back. She had done it several times, herself, then thought she had to be foolish.
"No, nothing. The pulse and heartbeat are doing fine. The flames are doing fine themselves." Replied Jeanne.
"Ok, so now we know both are doing just fine. I guess we'll just have to wait." Madlyn said.
She was turned to walk back over to her station. Jeanne sat down next to Madlyn. "What are we going to do now?" asked Jeanne.
"Did you get the syringe ready?" asked Madlyn, reaching into a drawer and, pulling out a file folder with Tabitha's name on it.
"Yes, it's on the tray with the other things you will need." Replied Jeanne.
Tabitha walked through the medical bay doors, "I am here. Where do you want me?" asked Tabitha. Tabitha looked down at the folder with her name on it. "That's just to keep you straight which one I am, right. Are you going to put my paw print in there?"
"The schools used to keep records, but it seems Tammy's files were always more significant than mine. She spent a lot of time with the headmaster." Tabitha said.
