Chapter 17: Social Interaction and Other Hazards

As soon as the space station AI came online it began supervising the construction effort and several small tugs appeared from the replicators. The tugs began arranging the raw material stockpiles and the intermediate structures in the vicinity of the factory replicator and shipyard facility.

When the AI requested control of the lighter in the hangar bay rather than building another one, Celeste asked, "Why didn't you tell us you could operate the lighters?"

The AI replied, "You seemed to be have fun piloting the lighters, and I didn't want to disappoint you by taking over."

"Then, why are you doing it now?" Tuan asked.

The AI explained, "Because there are too many items that need to be positioned for the number of qualified pilots currently available. It is easier for me to coordinate the tugs with the more powerful lighters to precisely locate the heavier components needed to complete the erection of the factory replicator and shipyard than to give your pilots instructions verbally or even through the lighter's navigational displays.

"However, it remains safer for your pilots to deliver equipment to the surface of the planet," the AI admitted. "There is the possibility of unanticipated problems when the atmospheric disturbances encountered during de-orbiting maneuvers interrupt communications channels. The limited autopilots in the current craft could become overwhelmed, possibly resulting in the loss of the lighter and its cargo."

The five pods that had been used as temporary housing were reconfigured for the Marines overnight and were ready to be moved into the day after the five families had moved across the tunnel to their own pods. With the civilians and Marines offloaded and the shipyard not quite ready, Sir Galahad delivered the PAMs to a score of the nearby objects that had been mapped by Copernicus and set them into motion for a rendezvous with the Azahar station.

The transporter room adjacent to the Barcino CIC was expanded with pads linked to the Delta Company central dome and to the underground hub of the agricultural complex. The agricultural site was expected to have only the one 50-meter radius dome for a while. There would eventually be six corridors above ground that connected it to the much larger greenhouse facilities on the surface.

Constance insisted on a community gathering the first weekend that the Marines were her new neighbors. It gave everyone a chance to relax by the pool and playgrounds and get to know one another. As promised, she sent the invitation to the marine officers with instructions to extend the invitation to the members of their unit who were available for a social mixer.

Beatrice took charge of organizing contests and activities for the adults as well as various age groups of dependents. She randomly paired participants for wheelbarrow and three-legged races. It was rare that she allowed the teams to be split along Marine, Navy and Fleet Auxiliary lines.

With Beatrice coercing everyone into participating in activities and Aswani hovering like a Jewish mother coaxing everyone to eat just a little more of the food she and Phaninath had prepared, many of the newcomers were uncertain about who were sponsors and who were concubines. This was certainly true around the pool where most of the revelers were sky-clad, or as the French delicately phrase it: au naturel.

Captain Collins had authorized rotating shore leave and two-thirds of his crew could typically be found in the domed recreational facilities of the small colony at any one time. He had managed to run the gauntlet set up by Beatrice and Aswani and approached Constance.

Collins looked around as he commented, "This is an impressive recreational area, Ensign McKinsey. I've not seen anything like it on any of the other colonies. I particularly like the fountains and sculpture that keep the place from feeling like an antiseptic gymnasium or a roadside picnic area. It could pass for a resort facility to anyone on my ship. The sturdy-looking dome certainly keeps the rain from spoiling a picnic."

The sound of a wind driven rain that penetrated the thick stone structure was easily drowned out by the background noise of so many people enjoying the open space. Few even noticed that the sky had become darker.

"Please sit with me and relax for a few minutes," McKinsey insisted before addressing his observation. "I gave the idea to Margret, and she made detailed drawings and wrote a program to convert the drawing files into replicator files detailed enough for the AI to supervise the construction. It's our first attempt to make something that isn't on file and hasn't been scanned. We were all going a bit stir-crazy and had some excess manufacturing capacity. It was a challenge for the others to convince me that resources should be diverted to the project, but I finally agreed to splurge and haven't regretted it at all."

Collins nodded as he replied and visually surveyed the area, "I'm sure my crew will appreciate it as much as I, Ensign McKinsey. We've been cooped up in our ship for a year and only spent a month with our families on Haru before coming here. We'll be gone for six months setting up the outpost in the Hieloat system. Knowing that there are places like this being built gives all of us hope for the future."

"Are the repairs meeting your expectations, Captain?" McKinsey asked with a hint of anxiety in her voice. "Ensign Nguyen and I really appreciated your support in our dealings with the Marines."

Collins smiled and said conspiratorially, "Marines aren't all that bad. They just like to believe they're in control of everything. The modifications will be completed much sooner than anticipated, thanks to the priority you gave to creating replicators when you first arrived. You really should consider building starships. Your facilities are not likely to be pressed into service repairing battle damage, except maybe for low-priority vessels like Sir Galahad. Interrupting construction and reconfiguring the yard for repairs can be a major setback to building new ships at places like Haruat."

"I can understand that," McKinsey agreed. "We've just received a message telling us to expect shipyard workers to be transferred here from the Sector Base at Frikat." McKinsey smiled, "It would seem that someone higher up the food chain agrees with you, Captain."

Collins smiled inwardly. He didn't let on that the action taken by 'someone higher up the food chain' had originated with him.

The thirteen-year-old girls in the colony gravitated to Bobby like iron filings to a magnet when he arrived at the domed park with his mom and siblings. Roni grabbed his arm and dragged her willing captive off to the kiddie pool followed closely by Kim, Shelly and Sheila. All five would be fourteen in less than three months.

The girls knew Bobby from taking classes with him, Jason, and a few other twelve to fifteen-year-old kids, but Donna didn't want them fooling around while they were supposed to be working, and Ensign Clark backed her up. Kim complained that it sucked being back in school, but Donna made it fun and the sleep training tube made it easy. Donna and the AI challenged her a lot more than her video games ever had, and she really liked being challenged.

Kim and Roni were out of their clothes in a flash and helping Bobby with his. He was blushing a bit, but didn't fight too hard. When his stiff poker was released from his boxers and went on point like a bird dog sensing a covey of quail, all thoughts of jumping into the water vanished.