IMP9

==Chapter 8 - Important People==
LCS Frederick Steiner
Tharkad Orbital Anchorage Yard - Slip 16
Tharkad System
Lyran Commonwealth
September 3097
"...told me that 'we never saw an officer pick up tools before!' can you Believe that??"  Amanda planted her feet, and hauled back on the stabilized ratchet.
Irena sat, anchored, in the control booth as her bunkie and fellow Lieutenant helped the core team adjust the secondary power feeders.
"I believe it." Irena said, "Most of the senior officers are from fighter branch and Captain Krieger's smart enough not to get in the way, or so I have been told."
"Huh."  Amanda disengaged the ratchet and handed it to an E-4  "See how I did that, and the torque reading?"
"Yes Ma'am." the Petty officer.
"There are connectors just like this spaced around the core assembly, you need to adjust them in a star pattern like I did with this one.  It equalizes pressure and prevents leaks, diggit ayeh?"
"Ahh..ayeh? yes."
"Good boy, get to it."  she clapped the enlisted on the shoulder, "Don't hurry, you need to be very sure you're applying the torques evenly."
"You know the Civilians are going to be upset you've got crew taking their work."
"If they wanted to do the job, they would be working." Amanda said, settling beside her new friend.  "You were telling me that part of all this plentiful idle time is delayed delivery of new components, ayeh?"
"Ayeh." 
"That's outside my reach." Amanda shrugged, "We can get what ship we have in ship-shape.  I mean, can you imagine the shit-storm if an admiral showed up and we had spacers playing pass the bottle or screwing in the cargo modules while the basic maintenance sat undone?"
"Would they even care?" Irena asked.
"If they don't, then we must." Amanda said, "It isn't the Admiral whose life depends on this ship being fit to fly now, is it?"
"How long were you out there? You seem to know a lot more about ships than a Nav Lieutenant should..." Irena said, "Not to mention how you motivate the crew!"
"We were in the Colleen system alone for three months." Amanda said, "We had to teach people who could barely spell 'ship' how to not die in deep space."
"Your crew or-"
"Refugees." Amanda said,  "Fleeing a genocide.  We almost succeeded."
"Almost?"
"We lost." Amanda said simply, "We lost, and they're gone."
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