Chapter 4D: To acquire an asset

Hank carefully drafts a message, detailing the Celestial Voyager's need for additional crew, particularly someone skilled in medical care. With the announcement posted prominently on the space station's bulletin board, he waits anxiously for responses.

In the meantime, he was contacted by Julia to get the Solaris and the repair supplies from a nearby docking bay. She told him the location and that he could bring with him an engineer, if he liked, to check it out.

Hank informs the Captain that he was headed out to check out the new used shuttle and the repair supplies and would be taking Corbin with him.

He then tracks down Corbin and says, "Hey! The supplier got back with me and we need to go check out the used shuttle and repair parts to make sure its everything we need and its in good repair. Considering what we both know of my repair skills, I'm not qualified to pass any judgements. Assuming it is all good, we'll have to work with them to remove the lifeboats and what's left of our old shuttle. Ready for a walk?"

"Not this time Kelly. Your skills are more efficiently used here. Also, Erin is already on the station, we are going to meet her there and bring her back." Corbin picks up a few tools and a data pad.

"Once the repairs are done and we're back on schedule, there'll be time for some sightseeing at some of the upcoming stops."

Hank and Corbin stood in hangar bay C14 of the space station, their eyes fixed on the vessel that would soon become their new acquisition—the Solaris.

The Solaris stood among other retired spacecraft, its silhouette a testament to its years of service and wear. Despite its weathered exterior, there was an undeniable aura of resilience surrounding the vessel, as if it had weathered every challenge the cosmos had thrown its way and emerged stronger for it.

Together, they approached the Solaris, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous hangar bay. As they drew closer, they could see the signs of wear and tear more clearly—the scuffed paint, the patched hull, the occasional dent from past encounters.

But despite its outward appearance, there was an undeniable sense of potential emanating from the vessel. Its engines hummed with latent energy, eager to be set free once more. Its interior, though in need of some refurbishment, held the promise of countless adventures yet to come.

As Hank and Corbin continued their inspection of the Solaris, they climbed a ladder to reach the top of the vessel, where they discovered a curious addition—a sandthrower weapon mounted on a turret.

Corbin whistled lowly, eyeing the weapon and gesturing toward it for Hank to see.As Hank and Corbin inspected the Solaris, a company representative approached them, her dataslab in hand.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," she said, catching their attention. - "My name is Julia, I am the local manager for Herald-Leader Salvaging. You're Hank right? The repair parts you requested for the Celestial Voyager are already aboard the Solaris. They're stored in the cargo hold."

"Just one thing to note", she added, with a serious expression. "With so many repair parts, they weigh approximately two tons in total. As your shuttle bay is damaged, you can't just fly the parts there. You will need a gravsled or a transportation services company."

Before we leave, Hank adds, "They only allowed me to bring one person."

On the way over, he asks Corbin, "Is it just me, or is she acting differently? She's acting more like a person that they usually have? Is this new?"When we get there, Hank will smile broadly at the sight of the sandthrower. Gifts are great! "I am sure there is something about this old shuttle that's gonna bite us later, but this is a great starting bonus!"

When Julia arrives, he replies, "Yes, I am Hank. And this is our chief engineer, Corbin McRogers." He then climbs down and offers a handshake. "I am please to finally meet you in person."

Hank says, "It's a big ship. We can dock with the cargo bay and unload that way.

"However, how do you plan to pull the lifeboats and get the damaged shuttle? I have to imagine you're going to want your payment for all of this." Hank smiles while saying the last part.

Corbin begins to look over the new shuttle.

Trade Era 1235, Day 138. 10:45 UTC

Hangar bay C14, Postal Authority orbital station, Draco III

Corbin approached the Solaris with a practiced eye, his mind already running through the checklist of pre-flight procedures. He moved around the vessel, then entered the engine compartment. With practiced hands, he began the meticulous process of checking each system, his eyes scanning the readouts for any anomalies.

"Found a loose connection here," he called out, his voice muffled by the hum of machinery. "Should be an easy fix."

Hank continued his conversation with Julia while Corbin worked.
"Oh, don’t worry. We've already considered this, as long as your crew can uninstall the lifeboats while you make repairs, we'll take care of it.

With the final checks completed and the repairs made, Hank and Corbin prepared to take off. With a steady hand, Hank guided the Solaris out of the hangar bay, its engines roaring to life as they ascended into the void of space.

As they approached the Celestial Voyager, Jil’s voice crackled over the comms system. "You are cleared to enter the cargo hold," she announced.

Hank acknowledges, guiding the Solaris toward their destination. With practiced precision, he maneuvered the shuttle into position, its landing gears engaging with a satisfying click as they secured it in place.

As the airlock cycled and they stepped out of the Solaris onto the familiar deck of the Celestial Voyager, Hank couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. They had successfully retrieved the vessel, overcoming some obstacles along the way, and now it stood ready to serve as a vital addition to their crew's resources. With the Solaris safely aboard, their journey through the stars could continue unabated.

After getting back with the shuttle, but before anyone else gets there, Hank says to Corbin, "Is it just me, or are the synths acting unusually? I don't remember the synths ever asking for anything before, much less for a chance to leave the ship. That was highly unexpected. Or have they always been like that and I just never noticed?"

"That behavior falls under super highly suspicious. Add to that, we just had a possibly bio-synth psionic saboteur on the ship. I'm thinking of seeing if the captain has an issue with me popping a 'factory reset' on the whole lot of them."

"Do you know if the synths can wirelessly communicate with each other? I would like to talk with Kelly before her reset. I am not sure what is going on, but getting more information can only help.

"Also, can we run a diagnostic on them? I'd like to know if there are observable changes from their factory configuration that we can detect and isolate? If they have been modified, it will be good to know if it is just software, or if there have been hardware alterations.

"And, I don't know how to say this correctly, but if they are now sapient, I am not going to feel completely comfortable resetting them. If they are now sapient, I don't actually know what to do. Automatons doing their duty with no break or say in the matter are just machines operating as designed. Sapient beings doing that is slavery. Mindwiping a sapient being is ... not good. We could be facing a situation no one is prepared for."