Free The Apprentice Starship Engineer: Book One The Link by Daniel Hanks Page B

explain why an apprentice is walking around barefoot.”
    Jenny smiled. “Margret is right. You look like shit in those coveralls. See you later.” She turned down another hallway.
    No one was home at my dorm. I grabbed a pair of overalls and boots and then headed to maintenance.
    I overheard Bob as I entered the room. “Jack, I never heard of it before. No one has ever had to realign a bender ring during flight.”
    “Bob, we’ve been over this at least five times. It’s a safe procedure, and can be done with the three of us,” Jack said.
    “Yeah, I know, but we shouldn’t have to. The ring must have warped or something.”
    Jack sighed. “I can’t find it, Bob, and I checked everything. The structure hasn’t changed. The ship is still straight. I used magnetic imaging to check for cracks and structural flaws. Everything is fine.”
    “No, we need to align the bender ring so something happened. We have to stop and figure it out.”
    “It’s not our call. The officers say we continue.”
    Bob looked up at me. “I didn’t want you to push the home icon.” He laughed. “You sure did move. That was fast. Let me take that.” He got up and grabbed my cart. “I have to go to the airlock, anyway.” He set three large cases on top my spacesuit and then left the shop.
    Jack sighed. “Bob, he’s a good guy, a great friend, but sometimes he can be an ass. He set you up. He did that on purpose. You can bet on it.”
    “Hmm, well, it’s a good thing I found disposable coveralls in the airlock change room,” I said.
    Jack smiled. “Yeah, I try to keep stuff at the airlocks just in case. Let’s get started. We have a lot to do this afternoon.” He walked over to his favorite display. After tapping the screen, a drawing of the bender ring was displayed. He circled part of it, and the screen zoomed in, showing only the section he’d marked. “This is the area we’ll be working on tomorrow. Navigation has determined that these thirteen emitters are in need of alignment.”
    Jack stood back, looking at the display, then circled one of the emitters. It filled the screen. He took a deep breath, then continued nonstop, taking me step-by-step through the procedure. He went over it several times, each time he made me point out the hazards.
    “Don’t get in front of the emitter unless you want to die young. Understand? Stay behind this point,” he said, pointing at the display. “Don’t cross it, and while we’re adjusting it, stay tethered to the support.”
    Bob entered the shop and then set tools onto his bench. He kept glancing over, giving Jack worried looks. “Jack, I have a bad feeling. We should just turn around and get the ring repaired in a space dock,” he said. He turned his back on us and put his tools away.
    “You said that before. Why do you have a bad feeling? What exactly is bothering you?” Jack asked.
    Bob slammed a wrench down and turned. “This whole damn mission! That’s what’s bothering me! Jack, it’s wrong. We shouldn’t be doing this, going out beyond the arm.” He glared wildly at Jack. He looked scared to me.
    Jack shook his head. “It’s not up to me, Bob. You signed up for this trip, knowing full well where we were going. Tomorrow we’re going to realign the ring emitters.”
    Bob continued to glare at him. “Jack, when I was out there alone, I saw the sign in the warp. Something is going to happen.” He turned away.
    “Horse shit. You don’t believe that shit, do you, Bob?” Jack asked.
    “I saw it. The double spiral cross as plain as your face. Something is going to happen.”
    Jack let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, something is going to happen if you’re not ready to go tomorrow. That’s for sure.”
    “Ah, Jack, what the hell is a spiral cross?” I asked.
    “Superstitious bull people believe. If someone sees a spiral cross, it means the voyage is jinxed and will meet with disaster. Idiots believe that since we’re punching through the time barrier. They