Ikaruga, deck 7

[Dead Reckoning]

He entered the meeting room. "Gentlemen. You've all been pouring over the concepts of where we can get this much power from. I'm here to offer a solution that we have discounted. I present to you, the core mark two." *a rendered image appears on screen*



"We've been trying to work around the constraints of our existing power core. I suggest an entirely new one. This would be an extensive overhaul and we'd likely need to be moored up in Livadia for a few weeks, but my calculations suggest that it can manage to establish a stable wormhole to move Ikaruga and her escorts through safely." He paused for a second, "Sadly, it would not remove our need of external fuel completely, but it will be able to balance the fluctuations with the possible impurities in the fuel. On the plus side, the additional power output should enable some very interesting deck 7 and 8 experiments."

The others in the room looked at each other and there were murmurs of discontent but they slowly came to accept that this might be the safest and most rational option. Taking apart a colony ship was something that rarely happened except when dire repairs were needed. However, the intrigue of more power hungry experiments was too much to resist. The jump drive operating would enable Ikaruga safe passage to Ames without needing to worry the Houses about a colony ship passing through. He snapped back to reality when the conversation became more than murmurs.

"The math checks out Jim. I just hate asking Livadia to open her up again after we already went through all these retrofits.", one of the engineers said.

"I know. Let me deal with that." He hit the comm switch. "Brooke, set course for Livadia. I'll be up shortly."

He felt the familiar weight shift as Ikaruga came to life. Swinging to starboard, the engines sent a slight rumble through the ship that quickly dissipated.

He returned to the elevator, his head swimming in the possibilities this new core would present.