An Endless Voyage continued ch 14
A dozen crewmen each trom the Lee and the Jackson had beamed over, and were now gathered with Maya in the mess hall. They were a mix of soldiers, pilots, and Engineers, as well as a linguist. Earth's counterpart to Excalibur's Molly. Of course she was not as skilled as Molly, not by a long shot, but nonetheless she was Earth's best linguist. She was a short stocky cajun woman with a dark complection, long black hair, and confederate flag earrings. "Lt Commander Penny Dalton." she gave her name and rank in an accent very similar to Maya's. "Deep space communications and cryptolinguistics specialist."
"Welcome aboard." Maya said.
One by one the others followed suit, and then once Maya had welcomed everyone aboard, she explained the situation, and then added: T' that end, thats why yer all here. Ah need y'all t' learn t' operate this ship, an' given the time Ah reckon it'll take the minin ship t' complete their minin' operations on the planet, that means y'all got about a week, 8 days at most. "When the time comes, y'all'll report t' Tom, he'll be actin' Admiral until Ah regain mah higher brain function."
The human officers all confirmed they understood the orders, and then Maya handed them each a datapad corresponding to their particular assignments. "Familiarize yerselves with these systems. Molly'll put written translations next t' the controls t' help ya interpet the readouts, but Ah recommend y'all try t' learn a little Canid jus in case y'need t' read somethin she didn' git t' translate." Maya said. "In the meantime Ah want ya each t' report t' yer assigned stations an' observe mah officers doin the jobs....Dismissed."
The humans dispersed, and Maya returned to the bridge.
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Hours later, after Tom had finished with Ashley, and everyone had eaten lunch, Maya called Tom, Hank, Maxine, May, Tom Jr, and the rest of the pups their age, Doc Natalie, and the human officers to a meeting.
After discussing the problem in depth, they discissed all their options, and how best to assign positions.
"I want May for my first officer, and Hank on Tactical." Tom suggested. "Dawson on sensors and Larry in Engineering." "As long as Ah'm able t' function yes Ah agree." May said. "But firs sign mah judgement's impaired Ah recommend Hank take over that job."
"Bill kin take over tactical." Maya agreed. "April, Dixie, Tom Jr, an' the rest a' ya'll do lahkwise. Help yer assigned human counterparts acclimate themselves t' our systems, then relegate control t' them at the firs' sign a' impaired judgement."
Everyone agreed that sounded reasonable.
"Unfortunately crossin the anomalie field 's only one problem" Maya said. "We need t' neutralize this new weapon fore they kin mass produce it."
"You want me to take this ship into battle with a skeleton crew?" Tom asked. "With all due respect honey, that would be ill advised in the best of circumstances."
"Ah'm aware of that, commander." Maya replied. "But we aint got much choice....sahdes their own arrogance's against em. they reckon no Mammilian ship kin cross the anomalie field without losin' the ability t' function...s' they won' be heavily defended."
"I agree." Larry said. "Given what we know of the Xians' tactics, they won't expect anyone to attack them in that sector. If we hit them fast enough, with sufficient firepower this battle could be over in a matter of seconds."
"Kin ya do it Bill?" Maya asked.
"I believe so, Admiral." Bill repliedd. "Your tactical systems are unfamiliar, but I am a fast learner."
"Ah'll hold ya t' that." Maya said.
"Doc, you sure there's no way to keep May and the other pups from losing control at least?" Tom asked. He wasn't thrilled about having his own kind take over vital systems, which wasn't surprising given his distrust for his own kind.
"Aye lad, I canna stop it." Natalie replied.
Tom sighed. "well we will have to do our best then."
"You want /Me/ to take the helm?" Hank questioned puzzled. "I dont know how..."
"When May's judgement becomes impaired yes." Tom said. "I need somebody I can trust to follow my orders as first officer."
"But I never piloted a starship before." Hank said.
"Y'kin fly fighters." Maya said. "The principle's the same."
"Yeah, an' we got 8 days. Kayla kin teach ya the helm." May added.
"Alright." Hank relented
"Admiral I disagree." Ensign Emily waters, a young blond woman interjected. "I'm a test pilot by trade, and I have some experience with the Lee's helm during night shifts. I would be a better choice."
"Ah considered that, but Tom informed me he wants ya an' three others t' man fighters jus' in case." Maya replied.
"Understood." ensign Waters replied.
"I should be on tactical, Admiral." Major Dan lewis pointed out. "That is my area of expertise."
"Exactly why you'll be on security detail." Tom said.
"Agreed." Maya said.
"We'll get through this, Tom." Larry said. "But you have to trust us...none of us out here have any alterior motives, we are all in this together."
"Agreed." Tom said. "we can make this work"
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Several hours later the meeting was concluded, and everyone returned to their duties.
Hank was on the bridge with Kayla, who was giving him a crash course in helm control.
They had reached the planet now, and the mining ship was already in the process of commencing operations on the planet. ................................
Molly had slipped into the girls' bathroom unseen as she always did, found an empty stall, and sat down to relieve herself. She had such a princess complex she didnt want anyone knowing she even used the bathroom, and as such she had made every effort to never be seen doing so. Today however her pregnancy was starting to complicate things. Not only did the badger have to pee more frequently, but now it was beginning to make defecation difficult as well. Molly grunted and cried out in pain as she strained to empty her colon. She had never been constipated before, as she was careful to eat lots of greasy foods to offset the constipating effects of meat and cheese, but in this case her uterine horns put pressure on her bowels, slowing her colonic motility to the point it made her scat hard and dry.
In the next stall over, Belle, who was taking a big piss having been on duty an extra two hours today overheard Molly crying out in pain. "Are you okay in there?" the collie asked helpfully.
Molly felt her ears grow hot with embarassment. She thought hard about how to respond. If she didnt say something Belle was liable to call for Doc Natalie...and the last thing she wanted was an enema. Finally she said: "I am fine Belle....I just....well...I sat down to pee, and accidentally sat on my tail."
"you don't need to be embarassed Molly." Belle said. "Everyone uses the bathroom....Let me guess...Your pregnancy has you mildly constipated....don't worry I been through that myself, just drink extra water and increase your fat intake, and it will go away."
"D...Dont...Tell anyone..." Molly whispered "And thank you."
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Karen and Hira has spent several hours pleasuring eachother, everything from tongue and finger play, to urethral sounding eachother, and even taking turns looking inside eachother's butthole's with a speculum, but now Hira was a little afraid As Karen squatted over her face preparing to mark her.
"Please tell me you are not going to make me...eat...waste." Hira shakily pleaded.
"I hate scat." Karen said. "I'm not going to shit in your mouth....but I am going to mark you." And with that the spaniel released her bladder. A hot golden stream flowed from her perfect canine vulva, and Karen slowly moved forward so that Hira was soaked head to toe.
Karen told Hira to wear it for 24 hours, then she got dressed, and went to instruct the human who would be taking over transporter operations while inside the anomalie field.
His name was Jason Mack, Lt, 2nd class. He was a tall balding man, light complection, and reasonably fit for his age. "I've heard a lot of good things about you." Jason told Karen. "That paper you wrote on the theoretical possibility of transporting while in hyperspace was a very interesting read. It has a lot of people back home excited about new possibilities."
"You comprehended that?" Karen asked. Jason nodded affirmitively.
"Good, then you may be able to learn these systems in such short time." Karen said. "Pay close attention."
"Alright." Jason said. "It is an honor to work with you."
"If you like, maybe we can compare notes later." Karen said. "I would be interested to hear what you think of my theories."
"I would enjoy that." Jason said.
After that, Karen began the first of many lessons.
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In sick bay, Doc Natalie was giving Dr George Grayden a tour of her sick bay, showing him how to use all the advanced medical equipment. As part of the lesson he got to watch Doc Natalie perform a transrectal ultrasound pregnancy checkup on Callie, then take detailed bioscans and collect a sperm sample from Ace, followed by a prostate exam. Then he watched her perform a vaginoscopy exam on Kayla. amd after that she had him watch several medical videos.
The next hands-on thing Natalie showed him was perhaps the most unpleasant. One of Karen's pups., Grace, was due for a colonoscopy. It was a routine procedure as Natalie explained, She didnt expect to find anything wrong.
"Do you know why you're here?" Doc Grayden asked the little spaniel pup, as Natalie prepared the equipment.
"Doc Natalie's going to stick that big tube up my poopie-hole and wash all the poop out with warm water, then shes going to use a special tube with a camera and light to look inside my butt. she has to put air up my butt so she can see, and it makes me fart a lot. It smells gross, but it feels weird." Grace replied.
Doc Grayden was surprised the pup knew what to expect, but Natalie explained. "Yearly colonoscopies are important."
Doc Natalie stuck the colonic irrigation tube up Grace's butt and inflatd the balloons to keep it in place as she spoke. "Grace ain't had a problem before, so you should get to see a normal colonoscopy."
Grace winced in pain as the balloons anchored the tube in place, then relaxed once more as Natalie started the flow.
"It'll take a while to work." Natalie said, showing Grayden how the waste had began to flow out through the large tube. Then Natalie lifted the back of her scrubs and bent over one of the beds. "Take that speculum over there and look up my butt." she instructed. "Examine my canine anus, and lower rectum while we wait for the irrigation machine to work."
Grayden was a little reluctant, but did so nonetheless. "I can't see much." he finally said "There is too much fecal matter in the way."
"Aye lad." Natalie said. "I havena had time ta use the bathroom today, and I wanted you to see what an unprepared rectum looked like."
Finally Natalie removed the colonic irrigation tube, then had Grayden look up Grace's butt with the speculum to see what a clean canine rectum looked like.
After that, Natalie got the colonoscope she had set up. it was about 1'2" diameter, and several meters long. She stuck the tip up Grace's butt, and began to instill air until the little spaniel pup began to fart. Grace giggled making light of the fact, and Doc Natalie began to advance the scope.
Grayden watched the screen closely which displayed the inside of the pup's colon as the scope advanced. There were a few streaks of brown where folds in the intestinal lining had retained residual fecal matter, but for the most part the view was of a slick pink tunnel, healthy in every way.
Once the scope was fully advanced, and Grace was farting almost continually in response to the air needed for proper visualiization, Grayden asked why her ileocolonic junction was slightly offset compared to a feral canine's. "I thought all Canids had the same anatomy as their feral counterparts." he said.
"Aye lad We do, but Grace is half human." Doc Natalie said. "Hank is her father."
"Ah I see." Grayden chuckled. "This was a test. you wanted to see if I would notice that."
"Aye but she was due for a colonoscopy anyway." Natalie slowly began to withdraw the scope as she spoke.
When Natalie pulled the scope out completely, she gave Grace a sucker, and instructed her to get dressed and go rejoin her father, and then she moved on to the next lesson.
............... "Throttles for sub-light engines one two and three, fully forward engages afterburners, fully back engages reverse thrust." Hank began to recite. "RCS thruster pedals, maneuvering jets, deceleration jets, atmospheric descent thrusters, power throttles for hyperspace generators one two and three, hyperdrive activation controls, auxiliary thrusters, sub-light and hyperdrive velocity indicators, horizontal and vertical heading indicators, pitch indicator, gravitometer, atmospheric altimeter. flight control yoke, autopilot controls."
"Excellent." Kayla said. "Ive locked the controls so we won't actually leave orbit, but show me what you would do if I said "Come about, bearing one eight zero, mark one four two, one quarter sub-light."
"Left rcs pedal, flight yoke hard back and right, throttles to one quarter." Hank replied as he moved the controls. "Course now one eight zero, mark one four two, velocity one quarter sublight ma'am."
"Excellent." Kayla said. "Now I want a one second hyperspace jump along this heading, war emergency power, then shut down all propulsion and coast on a ballistic trajectory toward a gas giant. Fire maneuvering jets at the apogee to make final corrections for a slingshot orbit."
Once more Hank followed Kayla's instructions.
"Good." Kayla said. "Now accelerate away full afterburner along the slingshot vector, and maneuver to give the tactical officer a clean shot at the Xian ship."
Again he did as she instructed."
"Good." Kayla said. And so the lesson continued.
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While the mining ship was hard at work mining deuterium from the plenet, Tina and an engineering team were busy upgrading their shields, and installing auxiliary generators to augment their power systems. They also had orders to replace the two small 10" Rotary autocannon turrets designed for shooting asteroids with something a little more potent. The design of the ship did not lend itself well to the installation of weapons, but nonetheless two 40" autocannons were successfully installed in the ship's bow, and a single 40" autocannon in the aft section. It wouldn't do much good against an Xian battleship of course, but it would discourage smaller ships from harassing the slow moving vessel. The greater challenge however, was for the miners to train the two-dozen humans assigned to them to operate the ship when the time came.
"When the work's done>" Maya was telling the captain of the mining ship, "Ya'll actually have limited offensive capability. it aint enough firepower t' take on a Xian battleship s' dont try, but combined with the shield modifications ya'll stand a chance a' gettin through this in one piece. Keep yer distance an' use the weapons t' discourage smaller ships from gettin too close."
"Why?" the captain asked.
"Y'said yerself ya bin tryin t' git yer people home...with these modifications yer more likely t' succeed." Maya said.