Trading Free

Introduction: Golden Vizier

Posted by

FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANUAL

COLD START (PAYLOAD SECTION) CHECKLIST

41-1115 KALANTHA-CLASS FREE TRADER: FLIGHTS 14-22

Islien Yards
Flight Dynamics Division

Issue 04

APPROVED FOR RELEASE

PANEL GLOSSARY

CCMS    Flight Commander’s station, communications panel.
CINF      Flight Commander’s station, overhead computer panel.
CKEY      Flight Commander’s station, computer interface.
EAUX     Flight Engineer’s station, auxiliary reactor panel.
EOVR     Central bridge overhead panel.
EPWR    Flight Engineer’s station, power control panel.
ESD        Flight Engineer’s station, system diagnostics panel.
ETHR      Flight Engineer’s station, thermal management panel.
FLHS      Flight Director’s station, left-hand panel.
SUB        Underside of Flight Commander’s central panel.

PRESTART PROCEDURES

…install fresh panel auxiliary cell, if required (undervolt)

SUB        PANEL AUX CELL – ON

…wait for control panels to illuminate…

EOVR     BRDG CENT LIGHT – DIM
EOVR     INST LIGHT – ON
EOVR     VDU BACKLT – ON

…check umbilical voltage nominal (144 V) on panel EPWR…

EPWR    ESS BUS SRC->(ALL) – OFF
EPWR    ESS (1, 2, 3) BRDG – ON

EPWR    MAINT SAFE – OFF

EPWR    EXT/ESS (1, 2, 3) – ON

SUB        PANEL AUX CELL – OFF

EPWR    ACC A/ESS 1 – RECHARGE
EPWR    ACC B/ESS 2 – RECHARGE
EPWR    ACC C/ESS 3 – RECHARGE

…MASTER ALARM and ACC LOW warnings will illuminate amber-caution; alarm will sound…

ESD        FAULT ACK – PRESS

…wait until ACC CAPACITY indicates >12% for ALL accumulators on panel EPWR…

EPWR    ACC A/ESS 1 – NORM
EPWR    ACC B/ESS 2 – NORM
EPWR    ACC C/ESS 3 – NORM

EPWR    EXT/ESS (1, 2, 3) – OFF

…MASTER ALARM and ACC DISCH warnings will illuminate amber-caution; alarm will sound…

ESD        FAULT ACK – PRESS

FUEL CELL STARTUP

EPWR    ESS (1, 2, 3) SRC->FCM – ON

EPWR    O2 MANIFOLD – OP
EPWR    H2 MANIFOLD – OP

EPWR    O2 SRC SEL – per manifest
EPWR    H2 SRC SEL – per manifest

EPWR    FC A REAC – OP
EPWR    FC A – START

…wait for and LOAD RDY light to illuminate blue-go (cell temp and voltage have stabilized at nominal values)…

EPWR    FC A – RUN
EPWR    FC A/ESS 1 – ON

…repeat above procedure for FC B/ESS 2 and FC C/ESS 3…

ESS BUS INTERCHG – BALANCE

CANNED LIFE SUPPORT STARTUP

EPWR    ESS (1, 2, 3) SRC ELS – ON

ELIFE      O2 SYS AUX – OP
ELIFE      O2 SYS EMER – CL

ELIFE      INERT SYS AUX – OP
ELIFE      INERT SYS EMER – CL

ELIFE      PPO2 SENSE – AUTO

ELIFE      O2/INERT REG AUX – AUTO
ELIFE      O2/INERT REG EMER – OFF

ELIFE      H2O SEP AUX – ON
ELIFE      H2O SEP EMER – OFF

ELIFE      TEMP REG AUX – ON
ELIFE      TEMP REG EMER – OFF

ELIFE      BLOWERS MST – ON

THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS STARTUP (LOW HEAT SINKS)

EPWR    ESS (1, 2, 3) SRC TM CNTL – ON
EPWR    ESS (1, 2, 3) SRC TM PMP – ON

ETHR      LOW LOOP (1, 2, 3) MODE – SINK

ETHR      LOW LOOP (1, 2, 3) PRESS – TEST

…wait 12 sec. for TMS PRESS TEST 1-3 lights to illuminate blue-go…

ETHR      LOW LOOP (1, 2, 3) PRESS – NORM
ETHR      LOW LOOP (1, 2, 3) CIRC – AUTO

ETHR      LOW LOOP ENABLE – ON

…wait for heat flow stabilization as indicated by consistent readings on panel ETHR…

ETHR      TMS LOOP INTERCHG – BALANCE

…if at any later point heat sink capacity (on panel ETHR) >80% or heat sink temperature exceeds amber-line, proceed IMMEDIATELY to step “THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS STARTUP (LOW RADIATORS)” and complete that section before continuing…

AUXILIARY REACTOR STARTUP

EPWR    MN (A, B, C) SENSE – OFF

EPWR    ESS 1 SRC AUXPRC A – ON
EPWR    ESS 2 SRC AUXPRC B – ON
EPWR    ESS 3 SRC AUXPRC C – ON

EAUX     EMCONT (A, B, C) – LOW

EAUX     CONTROL (A, B, C) – STARTUP

EAUX     PREHEAT (A, B, C) – ON

EAUX     D MANIFOLD – OP
EAUX     HE MANIFOLD – OP

EAUX     D SRC SEL – per manifest
EAUX     HE SRC SEL – per manifest

…wait for CORE RDY lights to illuminate blue-go (core containment and core temperature have entered operating zone)…

EAUX     EMCONT (A, B, C) – RUN
EAUX     PREHEAT (A, B, C) – OFF

EAUX     MANIFOLD ISOL (A, B, C) – OFF
EAUX     ENABLE (A, B, C) – AUTO

EAUX     FUSE INIT (A, B, C) – PRESS

…wait for FUSE SUSTAIN lights to illuminate blue-go (core temperature/pressure have entered running zone)…

EAUX     PLASMA ISOL (A, B, C) – OP
EAUX     MHD (A, B, C) – ON

…wait for MHD output to reach nominal on panel EAUX…

EAUX     MHD/MN (A, B, C) – ON

EPWR    MN A/ESS 1-2 – FEED
EPWR    MN B/ESS 2-3 – FEED
EPWR    MN C/ESS 3-1 – FEED

EPWR    MN (A, B, C) SENSE – MONITOR

FUEL CELL STANDBY

EPWR    FC (A, B, C) – HOT STBY

THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS STARTUP (LOW RADIATORS)

ETHR      RAD (0°, 120°, 240°) PRESS – TEST

…wait 24 sec. for RAD PRESS TEST (0°, 120°, 240°) lights to illuminate blue-go…

ETHR      RAD (0°, 120°, 240°) PRESS – NORM

ETHR      RAD (0°, 120°, 240°) ISOL – OP

ETHR      LOW LOOP (1, 2, 3) MODE – AUTO

INFORMATION FURNACE STARTUP

EPWR    ESS 1 SRC IF A – ON
EPWR    ESS 2 SRC IF B – ON
EPWR    ESS 3 SRC IF C – ON

EPWR    IF (A, B, C) MN PWR – ON

CINF      IF A MODE – NORM
CINF      IF B MODE – NORM
CINF      IF C MODE – BKUP

CINF      IF (A, B, C) IPL – PRESS

…wait for boot and diagnostic messages to finish scrolling on master systems monitor…

CKEY      Insert Flight Commander’s Key and enter shipholder’s password when prompted.

CKEY      Enter command “set-sismode run”

…wait for SIS interface to appear on station CKEY…

STC REGISTRATION

FLHS      NAV LIGHT (ALL) – ON

CCMS    COMMS ENABLE – ON
CCMS    COMMS MODE – EXT

CCMS    IIP REG – PRESS

…wait 6 sec. for IIP UP light to illuminate…

CCMS    check in with local space traffic control as a vessel under command

…wait for STC acknowledgment.

IF FOLLOWING NOMINAL STARTUP PROCEDURE
PROCEED TO CHECKLIST
“COLD START (PROPULSION BUS)”

IF NO PROPULSION BUS PRESENT
PROCEED TO CHECKLIST
“PRIMARY SYSTEMS INITIALIZATION”

Introduction: Auril

Posted by

Offices of hinRyktor and hinVersar Orbital Housekeeping
Ryskar City
Sefra (Perist Spire)

The seforn behind the desk looked down, straightening the scatter of durofilm sheets on his desk and shuffling them into piles that were, to Auril’s eyes, indistinguishable from the piles they had previously been arranged in.

“Well, En. Amathi, all your licenses and papers are perfectly satisfactory. And you have experience in close orbit satellite maintenance operations?”

“Not strictly speaking. I do, however, have eight years’ prior experience in habitat maintenance, involving extensive extravehicular work, and as you saw, I have a special piloting endorsement and commendation for low-orbit maneuvering.”

“That should do nicely. Very well, En. Amathi, we have only one more question before offering you the position. What was your father’s name?”

Auril winced, internally. Not again.

“Nién Amathi.”

“The Nién Amathi?”

“Yes. That Nién Amathi. Infamous interstellar master thief, Nién Amathi. Who took pieces from the House of Collectors on four separate occasions. Who stole the Calyet President’s desk during his inauguration. Who was found mysteriously dead of a heart attack inside a Gilea & Co. Prime Vault. I’ve heard all the same stories that you have…

“But I’m not him.”

*  *  *

Fifteen minutes later, Auril was once again walking the streets of Ryskar City.

“Always seem to be close enough, though,” she muttered angrily. “Rusted, heat-leakin’ hinterworlds satellite-wranglers. As if any self-respectin’ thief would want to steal their ash-crystal-cheap constellation, and I certainly wouldn’t hire on as their contractor to do it. Reputational assets!” The words were a curse. “This whole planet doesn’t have reput –”

“Citizen Auril Amathi?”

She spun on her heel to see a ciseflish hurrying up behind her, heat shimmering from the radiative striping of his – probably his – environment suit under the Sefran sun.

“Yes?” She closed her eyes for a moment, issued a command, and felt the artificial calm of her limbic modulator take hold. “Pray pardon me, sir, my day thus far has not met with success. I am she, at your service. Might I enquire your name?”

“Arbel min Kinethill, at yours and your clan’s. I have a business proposition for you…”

Introduction: Moic

Posted by

4

(This is the first in a series of character introductions for my next planned longer work, working title “Trading Free”.)

Lairh hinGastref winced again at the sound of the raised voices emanating from the station manager’s office, and wished that his auditory palps weren’t quite so sensitive in the upper frequency ranges.

“Because you’re a gods-be-damned idiot, hinRykar, and your predecessor was an idiot, and both of you followed in an established tradition of decades of idiocy! It’s –”

A bellow of anger from within was abruptly cut off.

“Then try acting less like one. The smartest thing you did here was hiring me –”

“A lot of good it did me! I needed a miracle worker –”

“And you got one! But I can’t miracle without something to work with. I’ve kept this tin can running for a year waiting for you to come through with parts and funds for repairs, and you came through with nothing. Did you even try?”

“This station has a budget. It’s your job to work within it.”

“It’s my job to keep the systems that keep everyone on this station alive working, and I told you ten months ago that that wouldn’t fit in the damn budget. What did you –”

“I don’t have to answer to – get out of my office!”

“It’ll be a pleasure, hinRykar, yes, and your station too. You can have my resignation right now, and I’ll send you confirmation from dirtside.”

The doorway to the office hissed open, and hinGastref watched as a small round vehicle, its upper bowl crammed with a dozen hand-sized, furry bodies rolled out, pivoted, and came to a stop up against the side of his desk. One of them climbed up to the side of the bowl, pulled a data plug from what resembled a miniature toolbox, and jammed it into one of hinGastref’s data ports.

The communication screen on the wall – and presumably all over the station – lit up.

“Attention, residents. This is a priority message from Moic Fortybodies, former head of Station Engineering.”

“I’m about to get all forty of my tails off this death-trap, and I’d suggest you do the same. Attached to this message is my detailed technical report on all the maintenance your Station Manager is too gods-be-damned cheap to bother doing. You can ask him about that when he figures out how to override the lock on his office door –“

An enraged yell from within, on cue, suggested that he’d Just discovered that for himself.

“- but here’s the short list. The sectional air seals weren’t installed to spec, and are rotten. The fusion reactor shielding is three years overdue for replacement and patched with whatever we had handy. All the pipework is leaking, and if you didn’t know, maybe 40% of the entire damn station is pipework. All that moisture’s made the clut grow out of control down in the serviceways. Don’t ask about the chemicals they’ve been using to keep it out of public areas. Meanwhile, the wiring is full of undocumented ad-hoc fixes with scrapyard salvage. Oh, and the radiators are so pinpricked with micrometeoroid holes this place is pissing tons of volatiles every day.”

“I’ll see you at the descent pods.”