In search of a Goddess

[MotokoSusu]

Part 3 A Goddess is Returning

After setting the auto pilot I decide to take along long walk through the Shizuha getting to know every corner of the ship. As I enter each hallway the flicker of lights coming on greet me at every entrance. In all the places with in the ship I had never gone into the domes or even known if they held atmosphere for that matter. I take out my crude map I had made of the ship and started down the each hallway that lead me to the port side dome. Arriving at the door I look through the window but can not see anything but the darkness of the surrounding space. Great I think to myself I must had lost it in the assent from the planet. I place my hand on the air lock door to check if it is cold. It seem to feel warm almost a neutral temp. I could see there other airlock was still in place so if this first door is opened I suppose I will not be sucked out in to space. Hitting the button the door slides open the air with in the lock was anything but fresh. The window to the second door was a bit higher and to look out of it I had to jump and take short glimpse. This was not going to do. I manage to remember there being some metal med supply boxes down the hall. After retrieving a box and placing it near the door I climb up on it to look through the window and still can not see anything. Disappointed I lean up against the wall not thinking about where I was leaning. Suddenly the first air lock door closes. Awww CRUD MUFFINS I yell. I had hit the second air lock door switch. Well at this point it was not going to any good to panic just accept the fate. As the second air lock opens air started to rush into the lock and not rushing out. Lights start to flicker with in the dome. A feeling of excitement unmatched only be the discovery of the Shizuha it self ran through me. I enter the dome not know what I am going to find.



The Zoner shipwrights built this doom on a slight angle which puzzled me. In the distance I heard running water. Great the water system has a leak in it and loosing all the water made in the dome. I follow the sound and to my surprise there is a small creek running through the dome.



Then it dawn on me the dome angle was to facilitate a way for water to flow down hill much in the same way the novelty table top water falls operated. After a few hours of walking around the dome I manage to find in that time children's toys, some books, and miscellaneous personal items. It seem the dome was a place to relax and watch the stars go by as well as a CO2 scrubber. But now it was kind of over grown and a jungle, which was not a bad thing. As I leave the dome and start my trek do the hall once again I look down at my flight boots and start to laugh. Mud ...mud in space.

After noticing the mud on my boots I leave the pair by the air lock so to use them the next time I was to enter the dome. This left me the only other option wear my socks on the rest of my tour of the ship. This reminded me of when I was a child and use to slide across floor of parents home like a ice skater. I giggle at the thought of doing it once more. So off I took down the hall reliving a childhood memory in my own home.

After some five hours of touring I come across the other dome this one was not so lucky and was in need to repairs that only a ship yard could provide. So I take my hand made map and duly note that the repairs are needed. A hundred meters down the hall was the cargo bay. I had gone through much of it look for any spare parts that I could use. There was hull plate. Some engine components like injectors, valves, and reaction chambers. Half of a salvaged Gunboat and a few fighters which models I had never seen before occupied the one corner and a bounty of sake, rice and rations oh and tea. Still no coffee of any quality only the instant that I find in the rations. Blah! I make my way back to bridge to see the progress of the journey.


I make a cup of coffee and sit at the helm watching small particles reflect light in cruise. It is almost hypnotizing to watch. I mange to get three quarter cruise by running the reactors at 110 percent. I had a lot of time to read tech data on reactor operations and mill over some of the engineering logs and 110 percent seemed to be the norm. So I am confident she will do fine. The one place I had not even looked over was the weapon systems station nor have I even gone to any of the turret, I have no idea if any of those systems worked for that matter. Do I check them or don't I? Do I risk a electrical melt down in my return with in uncharted space? NO!!! as much as I would like to spin carefree in a battleship turret shooting into random space I am going to have to pass I rather a ship yard go through those systems. Getting stuck out here is not my plane.

In my tours around the Shizahu I found the Captain Quarters, which was far more nicer then the quarters on my gunboat.



It was spacious with plenty of shelf space for all those important knick knacks. The closet was roomy and the bed well not so comfy that would have to change. I moved some of my personal items to the cabin. BUT!! The most important item was my bed. This is my home now I am going to have comfy sleeping time. After all the items are settled in I sit on the edge of the bed looking out the window thinking all of the places she had been and where I might take her. It was a full day I make one last check of the course and head for bed.

It has been four month in route that I finally start hearing chatter on the comms. I have 3 days before I am at the edge of known space and already deep space pilots are remarking on seeing the Shizuha as if she is returning from a battle describing the condition of her. I guess things look worse then I had thought on the outside. Never the less she is a solid ship and home. At this point I decide to send a comm to my parents letting them know that I was still alive and not alluring to the fact I was bringing back my prize only that I need to put in at a ship yard . Hoping for the best I send it. With in a few hours I receive a response it was my sister younger sister Yuki informing me that once I have put in at a ship yard they would see me there. This was wonderful news but also making the trip even longer it seemed.

I have reached known space and I am approaching my first gate with the Shizuha and I am having concerns if she is going to fit in the gate. I sit waiting my turn in line while all the silly little ship go first it almost makes me want to plow over them. Then finally I can enter the gate. All the proximity alarms go off. I do not think she is going to fit. I know she was big but not bigger then a gate. After easing her in the gate and watching the alarms close I manage to engage the gate. The Shizuha exit through the gate on the other side. I give a big sigh. Now the next hurdle the trade lane. After several attempts at engaging the trade lane and back up traffic I decided that just using the cruise engines seeing I only had at best 80 km of space till the next gate. I slowly make my to the Hiroshima system knowing there is a ship yard there from when I was in the Armed Forces. I finally enter the Hiroshima system and make best speed to the Renzu shipyards. The shipwrights there where in shock not only at the size of the vessel but the condition. I stood in the shipyard office and was actually getting a look of how bad off the Shizuha was. Never the less I was not going to give up on her she brought me back and she was my home. So after lengthy negotiation on the cost of repairs. They start the long task of rebuilding her to her former glory. The Goddess has Returned.

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