Epilogue: Let’s Try This Again
#6 of Ten Thousand Lightyears, Book One: The Price of History
Transwarp flight tests are underway again. What will the team have learned from the accident, and how will they proceed?
Let's Try This Again
Copyright (c) FarmWolf's Player
"Experimental, this is Flight Control. You are go for launch."
"Roger that, Flight!"
Kisara cast off from the docking rail and piloted the new Experimental away from the station. As she set the autopilot, Albus Koy asked her, "Kisara, are you sure you want to do this?"
"My answer is the same, Commander, as it was the last nine times you asked me that question. I'm going to solve this."
At the test zone, Kisara activated the new subspace scanners she and her team had developed and engaged the Experimental's drive. When the ship reached 9100_c_ she reported to Flight Control.
"Flight, I'm at speed. Sensors check out. Give me a telemetry check please."
"Experimental, we are receiving your telemetry. Your data matched the models again."
"Good. After this run we should have a proper baseline. We'll know in an hour."
* * *
"We were right, Flight, we're still compensating at 9100, just as we were from 1000 to 9000. Tomorrow we'll try the next incremental test, at 9200."
"Roger, Experimental. Return to base."
As Kisara piloted the ship back to the space station she wondered for what felt like the billionth time what had caused the spike in their first Experimental. And she gave herself the same answer as always: they would find out. And, thanks to her efforts, hopefully they would find out soon.
It was on the twenty-third test flight, at 9950_c_, that Kisara finally began to dig up answers.
"Flight, I'm getting a minor imbalance in the injector assembly, are you reading it?"
"In great detail, Experimental. Do you still wish to continue for an hour?"
"Either that or until something looks dangerous, whichever comes first, Flight!"
"Roger, Experimental, continue at your discretion for an hour and then return to base."
The imbalance remained stable for ten minutes, increased by one thousandth of a percent, and after that remained steady for the rest of the hour. They finally had the first datapoint that would help establish a curve so they could investigate the problem.
They ran four more tests at that speed to check for consistency in the indications.
From time to time, Kisara had reservations about continuing with the process, but she resolved that the best way to honor Felix's memory would be to carefully continue the work that had been so important to them both.