Takeoff
Starship pilot who forgot that channel was open
Driscoll was running, fast, heading for the nearest ladder. Those who knew got out of the way, the rest were pulled out of his path, for their own sake. As he grabbed onto the ladder, he let go of the black box he had been reading from. The box, being tied to his belt, slammed into the wall, then his hip as the rope retracted. He barely parsed that something had happened when it slammed into his side.
He hauled himself up to the central shaft and, now weightless, flung himself towards the docks. There he used a pair of hand-railings to fling himself towards his ship, pulling airlock doors closed as he floated by and using them to launch towards the next.
Finally at the cockpit, he began the startup sequence. He pulled a large switch, and the console came to life, including a device, of substantial age, bolted to where there had once been a copilot’s chair.
He flipped switch after switch, three to four at a time, bringing on system monitors, reactor deadkicks, lighting, independent life support. Finally, comms came on and he contacted command. “Driscoll. Warming Zanjero, ETD 20 seconds. Reactor I at 540, reactor U at 12% and awaiting disconnect.” He continued to bring systems online. A voice came from the speakers throughout the console, “Disconnect cleared. Know where you’re headed, Driscoll?”
He released the docking clamps, puffed the maneuvering thrusters, and brought the engines to a low flame. “Clean disconnect, Reactor I at 630 and nominal, pushing off, bringing U up to 100%. I know where I’m needed; ETA 5 minutes, 12 seconds at 2.56ls.”
At this point, the odd device completed its boot process and filled the cabin with the sound of a soft string and brass arrangement, some sort of ballad. Driscoll’s shoulders relaxed ever so slightly as the music began.
Outside of procedure, command spoke again, “You’ve a band with you, Driscoll?” in the background Driscoll could hear Hoss and Glenn laughing as the operator asked. He scanned the console and unflicked the switch controlling the cockpit’s wide mic.
“Apologies command. Reactor U at 84%, fifty clicks from port and burning, will burrow at 100%.”
“Understood, we await your return.”
originally appeared on cohost!