Wilson Port, Tewanta - 3305-09-21 08:11, Galactic Standard Time
Francis Bonetti arrived at his cubicle office on the maintenance deck of Wilson Port to find his chief engineer, Kayleigh, waiting for him. She was sitting on his desk, with a coffee bulb in one hand, a slice of cake in the other with her legs swinging.
"Morning Frank. Nice haircut! Have some cake. It was sent up by one of Progenitor Eisley's staff, 'in appreciation for all your hard work'. There's a little hand written note pinned to the box."
"That's nice. Is it good?"
"Oh yeah! It's Tewantan Boon Cake. Sweet, spicy, with a faint citrus tang."
"You sound like one of those chefs on the new entertainment holo-vid channels."
"I am a confections connoisseur, Frank. You know this. Hey, did you hear about the guy winning a luxury cruise holiday to the California Nebula? Lucky sod! That sounds like fun."
"It's the same guy that was injured in the station defence turret incident in the landing area. Don't spread this around, but there's a rumour that he stopped Official Tewanta Order people smuggling something on board the station and the pulse laser took them out before they killed him. The holiday is a reward and a way of getting him off station to protect him while the rest of the smuggling ring is mopped up."
"Okay, then that would be a little too much excitement for me. Drinks with the girls, cool engineering projects, and checking out the new shops in the main concourse is good enough for me, if that's the price of a luxury cruise. Speaking of Official Tewanta Order, I hear Commander Graves has left the station. Any idea where he has gone?"
"He will be back, sadly. I heard that he left to check himself into rehab for combat-stim addiction. His assistant is still issuing orders in his name, so they don't intend to replace him, by the look of things."
"Frak! I suppose it was too good to be true. On a happier note, I was out with Hiroko yesterday. She says hi."
"Say hi from me, next time you see her. How is she doing?"
"She's doing good. She can't speak about her work, obviously, but she says the Protectorate is expanding into another system soon. With luck they have access to a Material Trader. She's really busy, but happy."
"Great to hear. She's one scary lady. I pity the other guys."
"Indeed! So what's on the cards today Frank?"
"Well there's a raft of FSD upgrades for Buur Pit ships. Adders mostly."
"We'll get Maria, Li Fong, Arild, and Miguel to look after those. Any idea what they are up to? Those people are normally adding enormous guns to their ships."
"The word is that they are off on an expedition, doing scientific research for a few weeks."
"Digging up alien artifacts and such?", Kayleigh said with a chuckle.
"Seriously, that's exactly what I hear their plans are. That and scientific research on fast orbit moons, high gravity planetary landings, scanning alien life forms in space and on planets."
"Wow! Okay, then. Never a dull moment with those CMDRs. Anything else?"
"CMDR Tomasson needs weapons and installed on LCU: Split Infinitive, and the power plant and shield generator needs to be replaced. CMDR Tomasson has provided the new ones. Engineered to within an inch of their lives, of course."
"Of course. I'll put Paul & Maxine on that. But what's up with that? The LCU: Split Infinitive is an exploration vessel. Why the guns?"
"Apparently there is an explorer, called Prime, coming to the station soon. He's been to the other side of the galaxy and has gathered a lot of data that The Buurian Protectorate considers very valuable. A bunch of Buur Pit CMDRs are going out into The Black to escort him home. They're taking no chances. There's enough firepower going out to win a war."
Kayleigh scanned the work order. "No kidding. Restricted Federal Navy frag cannons and experimental frag cannons! And tha's just one ship!"
"Right! Anyhow, that's everyone else sorted with work for the day. What's your plan for the day?"
"Oh, I am going to be working on The Protectorate's new experimental Vipers. It'll be awesome. Everything with grade five blueprints, experimental weapons, experimental upgrades to regular weapons. I can't wait!"
Frank paused and took a deep breath. "Let me repeat the question. What's your plan for the day, Kayleigh?"
"Ah! Right! I'll be doing routine maintenance, Frank"
"And if anyone asks about the Vipers?"
"I am unable to comment on rumours & speculation surrounding operational issues", she said with a smirk.
"That's better! Anything else?"
"No. It is all good. It is amazing how smooth things are running now Yergey isn't around, frakking things up!"
"Too true."
Frank opened a drawer in his desk. He picked up his rucksack and careful transferred a daintily wrapped purple box from the rucksack to the drawer."
"Ooh! Expensive chocolates! Wait! And a new haircut? Are you going on a date after work?"
"I cannot comment on rumours & speculation surrounding operational issues!", Frank replied sheepishly.
"Ha!", snorted Kayleigh. "Are they nice?"
"She's very nice, yes. She's from Bedaho."
"The golden skinned woman that runs the new restaurant on the concourse? She looks nice! Good luck. First date?"
"Third. She used to be a Saud Kruger sales rep., but took the opportunity to fulfil a dream of hers and open a restaurant here. Thanks to The Order, there were unusually few types of restaurant for a relatively prosperous station."
"You sneaky devil! I am happy for you. Right, I better get to work on my 'routine maintenance'. Chat to you later."
Kayleigh hopped of the desk and headed across the workshop deck to her screened off work area, high-fiving Maxine on the way. Frank grabbed a slice of cake and took a bite. It was really good.
Cake for breakfast, dates with an interesting, intelligent woman from other star system, happy staff, and a range of new shops and entertainment and the freedom to enjoy them: a guy could get used to this civil liberty thing, Frank thought to himself.