Carpathia IV: Episode 238 - New Car
Amenaru's House
The skies above swirled with shuttles, darting this way and that, picking up Shadowdancer crew from various areas of Andrast. The updates were finished and it was time for Amenaru and the others to leave their little vacation and go back to work. Outside the Pendergast family home, they said their goodbyes. Particularly passionate were the two temporary couples that formed during the vacation. Summer flings, as they say, but Amenaru did hope that none of them got too attached. Particularly Meri, since she's the one who got with a tokki. Darius and Ramses he could understand, but a long-distance relationship wouldn't be fun for anyone.
James: I'm so glad you've been able to come around so often lately. It used to be that years would go by between visits.
Amenaru: Lots of weird stuff happening lately. Still, despite all that, this was a routine upgrade.
James: I'll take it. All of you, take care of yourselves! You'd better get going or you'll be late for your shuttle.
One last round of hugs and the group was off.
Shuttle
Darius: I'm gonna miss all the home-cooked food. It's been ten years since I've had food like that. Only cafeteria stuff.
Sylvar: I'll bet that's not all you enjoyed eating!
While it was impossible to tell if a nekomi was blushing, the ears told all, and Darius's flitted spastically about.
Amenaru: You know, Mikado, I forgot to ask if you and Meri talked about how it's not in the nature of most tokki to get into monogamous relationships.
Mikado: If you're worried that she might get the wrong idea, it's okay. It's a major point during orientation. Turns out that Meri is rather more tokkish in her view on relationships.
Amenaru pursed his lips and nodded slowly.
Amenaru: Yeah, that sounds like me at her age. Up to recently, frankly. I appreciate your conscientiousness.
Mikado: Hey, I didn't come here to be an asshole, you know!
Amenaru: You're doing a good job. I'm sorry I wasn't much of a host, with all the studying.
Darius: No worries! The rest of your family was great.
Mikado: And I learned about Indian food.
Amenaru: That's good. Kit, I hope you were fine while I was away.
Kit: I missed you, but everyone did their best to include me in whatever they were doing. I was never lonely.
Amenaru: Thanks, guys!
Sylvar: If there's one thing I've learned since the first time I met Voxx, we look out for each other.
All heard the shuttle engines slow, a clear indication they would be docking in a moment. A glance out the window told Amenaru that they were entering the smaller Port 2 rather than Port 1, which was most common for personnel transport.
Amenaru: Oh, I wonder why they're putting us here.
Kit: Maybe they ran out of space.
The shuttle touched down on deck with a gentle thunk while everyone grabbed their backpacks and waited for the door to open. Outside, they were greeted with a most unusual sight indeed. The high-level officers, including Admiral Zhang, standing around did not phase them, but this did.
Sylvar: Wow! What's that?
Aire held his hand out and beckoned them closer.
Aire: Come on! Come on! You too, cadets. We'll be introducing this to the rest of the crew later. For now, this is for the bridge officers and senior staff.
The others filed out of the shuttle and then noticed that there was something interesting indeed amongst the high-ranking officers, a very distinguished, and somewhat scary-looking, tokki with ornate garments, red hair, and an ornate, bird-like hat. She also carried a spear, which she held perfectly vertical and still with the end on the deck and it had a ribbon tied near the blade. It took a few moments for them to realize who they were looking at, for they had only seen her in video before today.
Zilyana: If everyone is here, shall we get started? I have appointments to keep.
Admiral Zhang: Yes, everyone gather around. Let's get started.
All moved closer to the vehicle and, just as they did, the front door popped up revealing Teek inside.
Teek: I've been training on this during the refit!
Admiral Zhang: This new all-terrain vehicle, the ATV, is the first new machine developed under the Carpathia Tokkastra Cooperation Agreement. Teek will demonstrate some of the features as we go.
Aire: One of the biggest disadvantages of the shuttles is that they have a startup and shutdown procedure, which can be costly if time is important. We've solved that problem with a dual engine setup. Under the hood is a standard, though downsized, shuttle engine. Under the center section is a smaller engine that can start and stop as quickly as a standard electric motor.
Amenaru: Coulda used that earlier this year.
Trex: Rather low to the ground for rough terrain, isn't it?
Aire gave a nod and then poked his head into the open door.
Aire: Teek?
Teek: Yes, Captain!
Teek pushed a button on his console and the car's body began to rise. Up it went until it had at least 40 more centimeters of ground clearance than before.
Aire: For the dimensions, we had two requirements. First, it needed to be able to drive down a Carpathian or Tokkastran road. Second, it needs to fit into a shuttle. Not that it has to, but you never know when that might be useful. It can fly through space on its own, though. Teek?
Teek nodded and tapped at his controls again. This time, the wheels folded up, the suspension collapsed back down again, and the car floated about 30 centimeters off the deck.
Much appreciation emanated from the onlookers and Ramei punctuated with a clap.
Ramei: Nice! What else does it do?
Aire: We've got the usual sensors, storage, and low-yield weapons. For the really interesting stuff, Zilyana can explain.
Finally, the moment everyone waited for, the answer to the question of why Zilyana was there in the first place.
Zilyana: With this vehicle, we have combined Carpathian and Tokkastran technologies. It contains Carpathian weapon and sensor technologies combined with Tokkastran stealth and shield penetrating abilities. With your sensors, you'll be able to read it just as well as anything else. Our studies into the Vashta tech tell us that they will have a very difficult time detecting it. If they do, they'll probably think it's just a bit of space debris.
Baal: That could be very useful. Any chance of adapting that to the Shadowdancer?
Zilyana: That is the reason why this exists. We have succeeded in blending Carpathian and Tokkastran technology on this small scale. To do so on anything bigger is going to require much more creativity. The larger the object, the more difficult stealth tech becomes.
Admiral Zhang: We are most grateful for the work that the Carpathian and Tokkastran scientists have done. Adapting this to full-sized starships will likely take decades, but we hope for incremental improvements until then. This new ATV is proof of concept. Thank you, Zilyana, for coming to our unveiling.
Zilyana: My pleasure, Admiral. We will keep the crew of this ship apprised of future developments through Reylen.
Reylen: Happy to be of service, Madam Zilyana.
Zilyana turned and gave what one might describe as a menacing glare at Reylen, which, in truth, did not differ much from her usual expression.
Zilyana: I know you are because I know why you wanted to be here in the first place. Ensure your duties to your crewmates here do not falter for attention to personal activities.
Reylen: Absolutely, Madam Zilyana!
Zilyana now turned to Admiral Zhang.
Zilyana: Admiral Zhang, I am pleased with this tokki liaison arrangement on the Shadowdancer and I am fond of this ship. From the reports that I have received, it seems almost tokkish. With your permission, I would like to expand this. I have heard of another ship like this one that also has tokkish characteristics, perhaps even moreso than this one. Might we place a tokki liaison on the Chrono Blade as well?
Some of the crew, knowing what transpired at Teren's promotion party, cast a side eye at Aire. Indeed, it appeared that he was clenching his teeth, but otherwise showing no obvious signs of irritation.
Admiral Zhang: I think we can arrange something.
Ziyana turned again and addressed the assembled crew in her most authoritative voice.
Zilyana: Thank you, Admiral. I would also like to express my appreciation for your crew. I have spoken!
Zilyana raised her spear and slammed the end on the deck, creating a sound that reverberated throughout the shuttle bay. Then, without another word, she marched away with Admiral Zhang following.
Aire: Tech specs for the new ATV are in your files now, so study up on those. Dismissed!
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
