Emerald Isle

Jamie sat at the command console.  She was extremely nervous.  With good reason, she was to bring the Emerald Isle into space dock by herself.  She was on her final boards of Merchant Testing to obtain a provisional Masters Permit.  Captain Samuelson sat passivly at the helm.  He was now taking her orders and grading her on the way she performed.  It had been this way for centuries since the Galvin Consortium standardized the testing for all Merchant Masters.

"Helm, slow to station speed. Ears, contact Station Master for permission to dock and get us a docking berth."
"Aye Mam, slow to station speed." answered the captain

"Aye Mam, contacting station master." replied ears.

So far so good.  Now if she could only settle down.  It was bad enough when she first boarded the Emerald Isle so many years back.  She struggled with the books and the computer simulations. Her only worry was George Daniels, her only competition.  She remembered the time when she almost lost out because of his antics.  She was finally at the precipace where she could taste her Masters Permit.  Well, at least her provisional Masters Permit.

"Helm answers slow to station speed Mam."

"Very well"

"Ears? Status?"

"Station Master sends his regards and asks us to stand by for traffic departing to our port."

"Very well. Helm. Station keeping, bring us to a stand still now."

"Aye Mam." answered the captain.

So far she could not tell whether he approved of her actions.  Time would tell.
"Helm answers to station keeping Mam"

"Very well." How many times would she say that. Lots and lots and lots of times.

"Helm answer station keeping starboard thrusters two second burst if you please, and bring us about ahead slow two degrees starboard."

"Aye, helm answering station keeping thrusters two second burst, coming around slow two degrees starboard."

WARNING WARNING WARNING THIS SHIP WILL IMPACT STATION IN 25 SECONDS.

"Ship!!! Sameuleson, TJ Captain Merchantman License number Alpha Romeo seven seven nine seven Command to Helm. Execute!!" Yelled the captain as Jamies face turned ashen white.

"Ship station keeping thrusters amid ships, forward thrusters fire small bursts three second intervals. Assess collision status of this ship to the station."

SHIP WILL IMPACT STATION IN TEN SECONDS.

"All hands this is the captain....secure all i say again secure all rig for collision"

ALL SHIPS CORRIDORS ARE SEALED.  HULL INTEGRITY ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. NOSE ASSEMLBY BEING IMPACTED BY STATION. PORT SIDE BEING IMPACTED BY STATION. THIS SHIP HAS ZERO MOMENTUM.  HARD DOCKING IS ADVISED. HULL INTEGRITY STILL AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. ALL MOTION HAS STOPPED. THIS SHIP IS NOW AT STATION KEEPING PROTOCOLS IN EMERGENCY STATUS. AWAITING COMMANDS FROM AR7797 SAMULESON TJ ACTING CAPTAIN EMERALD ISLE.

"Ship. Stand by. No other authority is given."

UNDERSTOOD. AR SEVEN SEVEN NINE SEVEN SAMUELSON TJ CAPTAIN ACTING IS THE ONLY AUTHORITY RECOGNIZED.  ALL FURTHER TESTING IS HEREBY SUSPENDED.

"Master Apprencentice Sorreson come with me to the ready room. Now!"

"Captain", chimed in ears, the station master is yelling what in the world you are doing.  What shall i tell him?"

"Tell him I'm a bit busy right now and will get back to him in fifteen minutes!. Sorenson get your sorry butt in the ready room now!"


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What in the Belt of Orion were you doing? If SHIP handn't caught the drift we could have had a very expensive and very bad docking!  Do you want to be put down from the testing? Do you want to start over again and have to come up to this level in another three years after you take your written boards and your similuations again?"

Jamie stood absolutly still.  She was ready to break down and cry a river.  But she would be damned if she did it in front her Captain.  Soon enough to do that when she got to her quarters.

"No captain, I don't want to start over. I dont know what happend on the bridge.  I was following all the standard protocols.  I have no explanation to what happend."

"Jaime I know your zeal. You're not careless. That's what puzzles me. But I can't ignore it. I've got over three hundred people on this vessel.  You are but only one of them.  Until I find a satisfactory explanation to what's happened I'm going to have to reduce your access to critical portions of command.  I know how this hurts Jamie, I really do.  But this is not a minor ding with a rock size meteor.  It's a full blown collision with a space station.  And, I've got to report this to the insurance company for repair. I've got to send another to the company office. This is going to go on your record unless we can find a reasonable explanation for it.  But Jamie, I'm not hopeful. I dont know how to prove it was not your fault. Dismissed."

"Yes Captain.  May I ask a question sir?"
"Yes"

"Does this mean I cannot observe? I mean am i still allowed on the bridge. If not in command training perhaps as Ears?"
"I really don't know for now Jaime. I've got to write a report right now while its still fresh in my mind. Any other questions?"

"No sir"

Captain Samuleson turned away and pulled a huge book from the shelf. Jamie turned and left. No use in talking further. Captain Samuleson was right. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do. And Jamie had an idea that any thing she tried to say would only make it worse. It would be better to lay low and not attract attention to herself.
Going to her quarters required her going through the crews mess. Great! By now word had probably gone through the whole ship.

"Hey Jamie" Called George Daniels.  "You get you nose bent out of shape by a merchant ship?"

"Don't press it Daniels. Don't you dare press it. I'll squash you like an insect!"

Her voice whispered where no one else could hear.  George Daniels shivered at that voice, remembering the last two times these two crossed paths.

She hurried past the mess toward her quaters, ready to break down. No! Not yet. Please God not yet.  When I get to my room. Then I can break down.

The little twit. I could have docked this ship better than she could, thought Danny as he sat at the mess table.  Taking his coffee cup he poured another cup. I should have been docking the Emerald Isle. I should have been doing that, not her! His nose still hurt from the memory of the academy.  One of these days I'll be ahead of her. Soon. Very soon, he thought.