The JHC Drive

[Zeppy]

“I hate this thing”, George mutters as he climbs into the cramped confines of the Icarus, an X-Shuttle that Jack uses on personal trips and for research into places the Graf Zeppelin cannot go.

Jack, who has already taken his seat at the pilot’s controls, smiles, “if you would stop procrastinating and get your pilot’s license then you could fly a rental or something”.

“You know that’s not the problem”, George scowls, “I hate flying in these little rust-buckets, it makes me nauseous.”

Jack motions George to be quite and reaches for a helmet, passing the other one to George who mumbles to himself as he dons it. The helmet’s speakers crackle to life and one of the bridge officer’s voices fills Jack’s ears, “Graf Zeppelin is ready to release, what is your status Icarus?”

Jack pulls the helmet’s microphone down in front of his mouth, “Icarus here, all systems check out, beginning core start-up”.

“Roger, signal when ready.”

Jack turns to George, who has taken his seat directly beside Jack at the engineering terminal and is monitoring the core as it starts. “Luckily for you George it won’t take very long to get to Dauphine”.

George replies without looking up from his console, “It will take at least four hours if we don’t use the Jump Gate network, more than enough time for me to rush to the toilet”, he mutters the last part darkly.

Jack simply speaks into his microphone again, “Icarus to Graf Zeppelin, core start-up complete. Icarus is ready for launch.”

“Rodger Icarus, launching JHC, target coordinates are the Dauphine system.”

The Icarus shakes slightly as a JHC is launched from a pneumatic tube on the underside of the Graf Zeppelin. George looks up sharply, just in time to see the spiked cylinder fly over their heads. “Was that a JHC?”

Jack does not reply to George instead his eyes begin to glow orange and he slowly moves his hand to touch his HUD. Moments later there is a silent implosion of asteroids and a swirling green Jump Hole appears almost twenty Kilometres away.

Jack’s speaker crackles to life again, “Graf Zeppelin to Icarus, scans show that the Jump Hole is stable and will remain so for an estimated fifteen minutes. We are transferring control of docking clamps to you, good flying Icarus.”

“Much appreciated Graf Zeppelin”, Jack replies. His eyes glow again and he briefly reaches out to his HUD, seconds later there is a loud clank and the Icarus begins to float away from the Graf Zeppelin.

“Is there any chance that you will take it easy on the throttle during this trip”, George asks resignedly.

Jack only smiles to himself as he charges the cruise engines.

---

Reseach into the Kansas sector

Research into the Privas Planetary Cluster

Research into Alien "Trade Lanes"

A new ship, Jack Denton's time on Freeport 11

The JHC Drive

An Unscheduled Vacation of Sorts

The above are meant to be read in order, if you jump in at "A new ship" you are going to be lost.

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