Chapter 3

The next several days passed inexorably. A succession of sleep learning modules interspersed with a whole mass of pre-requisite knowledge review sessions. Every eight hours, or so I awoke to the smell of food at my desk / meal replicator station. Hot tea seemed to be the beverage of choice except at breakfast. The meals were a variety of main courses with fresh salads and fruit juices present alongside the dehydrated, or re-constituted entree. Water bottles were always available to supplement all the fluids that I desired. On the second day when I awakened, I noticed a set of uniform coveralls, a regulation flight suits I guessed, laid out on the desk chair. Various pieces of new underwear and other clothing were in a wall mounted chest of drawers. Everything I tried on seemed tailored to fit me well.

It might be my imagination, but the pace and complexity of the sleep learning modules has increased. The variety and contents thereof necessitated I frequently sought pre-requisite knowledge sessions. One day progressed to the next; only broken with meals, exercise in the ship’s gym (at Alara’s insistence), and trips to the En-suite for ablutions. I neither saw, nor heard any other individuals throughout this period of incessant studies.

Finally, one day I awakened and was presented with a much more elaborate breakfast service. Instead of a biscuit, a thick chunk of what looked and smelled like a grilled steak was resting on my desktop plate. After my quick ablutions, I ate it with a gusto absent from previous meals I had been served. After finishing breakfast, AIara made a whistling sound of three precise audible tones and announced. “Attention on Deck. Captain John Daniel Martinson. You are now assuming command of the Imperial Battleship Leviathan, designated. Let the ship’s log reflect your assumption of command at this date and time.”

“Have I really finished all the learning modules for the ship’s Captain?” I asked.

“Affirmative, Congratulations are in order, Sir. Be advised that repeated requests for other crew assignments have been made in your name. I have received no DNS response to date. I will submit new requisitions under your name, as the Ship’s Captain.

I might also suggest further sleep training modules so that you can become familiar with Sensor Suite capabilities, Weapons Characteristics, Engineering plant operations and another supervisory knowledge that you might feel could be useful at some future date. Regardless, I have ordered the replication of close-in defensive weapons and munitions from templates available in the archives of this vessel. Replication of offensive weaponry will be initiated only upon the demonstration of suitable defensive capabilities.”

This last proclamation passed right through my ears without me being aware of the total implications. All I was thinking about was even more sleep training was being suggested. “More sleep trainer lessons I presume, Alara.”

“Affirmative, Captain.” She replied. I swear that I could almost hear humour in her vocal patterns, but I could surely be mistaken.

“In addition, I have begun replicating ordnance to supply those weapons as we speak. Such will come from the stores of raw materials available to this ship. At your command, I need the authorization for our reactor to increase its power output to pre-launch levels. This will facilitate all necessary replication activities. I will further require all available scrap metals in the vicinity of this ship. Such will facilitate fabrication of the necessary systems and mounts. Such will also allow for their immediate emplacement. My android repair crews are sufficient to accomplish all but the installation of the Plasma and Particle Beam Cannons. These require Depot Level authorization and installation. All such requests have been ignored to date. In their place, room exists within the hull for added stores of kinetic energy projectiles and additional missile launch containers. Adequate space is suitable for construction of tactical control and crew duty stations. With your approval, I shall make the necessary modifications to our Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE), the basic load out, crew duties, and conversions of that space within the hull. As-built drawings for all such modifications after they have been completed and tested.” “Make it so, Alara.” I spoke with more assurance than I felt.

“Affirmative, Sir. “Alara replied and continued, “I anticipate it taking eleven, twenty-four-hour android technician shift days to complete the necessary conversions. With your permission, I will begin the process of energizing the propulsion systems and storing fuel in preparations for the required flight testing of the new systems and their capabilities in accordance to Imperial Orders will be transported to the Launch Facility and mated with the required booster elements to achieve planetary orbit prior to flight testing. I will be making the appropriate requests and taking steps to assure that the ship and its crew are prepared for its upcoming acceptance trials.”

On hindsight, I ought to have asked for further clarifications, before I answered, but I heard myself utter, “Make it so, Alara.”

After exercising and further ablutions, I climbed back into my berth and started viewing the Sensor Suite Operations sleep learning modules. As before, the days passed in a progression of mind-numbing similarity. The meals and exercise were pleasant interruptions to the tedium of the modules that I undertook. Upon finishing the Sensor Suite modules, I began the Weapons Control Officer modules. One difficulty was stressed by all the weapons sleep learning modules. Android crew could never independently conduct weapons engagements. Alara explained that each weapon system was now controlled from the Bridge. Each class of weapons had a cease fire / resume fire switch on my console. Android crews were expected to track and conduct engagements on their own, but without me pressing the resume fire switch for their systems, no weapons would be fired. To assist my decision making, a ready to fire lamp illuminated whenever the crew was tracking or had computed an intercept solution within range of their weapons. I alone, could thus control any weapon discharge within the ship. I alone had to accomplish target damage assessments and resume fire if appropriate to insure target destruction. If I inadvertently left a resume fire switch engaged, the android crew would continue firing at the target, even long after it had been destroyed. I had to learn to reset the cease fire switch after each missile firing. The close-in defensive lasers and rail guns were less problematic. Any such target overkill was not a real concern of mine.

By the weeks end, I found myself taking Engineering Officer sleep learning modules as well as Communications Officer modules. I purposely avoided taking any Medical Officer learning modules. I was the only human crew and I seriously doubted that I could fix any of the android robotic units. I began to see them as I became more aware of their duties. While transiting the ship’s corridors during my daily excursions throughout the ship, I recognized the variety and complexity of the android crew. Some looked almost like human manikins while others were wheeled or tracked vehicles. Their mostly silent attention to duty were somewhat disconcerting whenever I inadvertently spoke to them.

But once in the gym, my exercise routines made most of my concerns vanish like fog on a clear morning.

At some point in this interminable procession of sleep learning modules,

I awakened to the sensation of the ship moving slowly along the ground.

“Alara”. Are we moving now?” I asked.

“Affirmative, Sir. All communications with Galactic Command have remained unanswered. There have been no efforts by them to re-commission this ship. Thus, after making the necessary modifications, A self-launch within 6 hours is anticipated.

I discovered that the solid rocket boosters available in the ordinance bunkers of this shipyard had deteriorated somewhat; however, by recycling their chemical fuel components, adequate fresh propellant has now been placed within four expendable booster bodies. Once we arrive at the launch site, the boosters will be mated to the Leviathan and we can resume the launch countdown.”

Sensing I was struggling with the information, the AI paused her presentation momentarily until I nodded. She continued by making a final proclamation. “With all boosters properly mated, the countdown will be resumed at T-60 minutes. Without living crew, my android technicians will function as all the crew you will need for both launch and the shake-down flight which follows. I will alert you to the resumption of our launch sequence, once we are ready to resume the launch.” “Hmmm, ... No communication yet with Galactic Naval Headquarters. Doesn’t that seem odd?”