Chapter 3 Chapter two
The other four new crew members of the Intrepid also boarded the ship under the leadership of a short and sharp officer Del Sol and quickly took their positions.Dahl was brought before King, the Intrepid's Chief Science Officer.
"Sir." Dahl said, saluting.
Jin returned a salute and said, "Second Lieutenant Dahl, nice to meet you. I usually don't treat new department members like this, but I'm not on duty right now, so maybe I can show you around your post. You need Did you tidy up your personal belongings?"
"No, sir," Dahl said.The luggage of him and other crew members is undergoing the safety inspection of the spaceship, and will be sent to their respective dormitories later, and the address of the dormitory will be notified to everyone through the communication machine.
"I know you spent a few years on Fuershan. So you also know the language there," Jin said. "All four dialects."
"Yes, sir," Dahl replied.
"I learned a little about it at the Spacefleet Academy," Kim said, clearing his throat, "Aaachka faaachklalhach ghalall chkalalal."
Dahl restrained himself from laughing.King just tried a third language for the traditional greeting from the right, "I give you the bread of life," but his phrasing and accent changed the meaning to "Let's invade the cake!" The basis of language, which people on the right rarely actively use to converse.Leaving aside this point, the act of violating the cake together is not allowed anywhere on Fuershan.
"Aaachkla faaachklalhalu faadalalu chkalalal." Dahl responded with the correct traditional response in the third language: "I share the bread of life with you."
"Am I right?" Kim asked.
"You have a peculiar accent," Dahl replied.
"I admit," Jin said, "I have to ask you about the Fursan language sometime."
"Okay, sir," Dahl replied.
"Come with me, Lieutenant," King said, striding forward.Darl followed quickly.
Wherever King went, the Intrepid was methodically busy.The crew and officers shuttled between the corridors, and everyone seemed to be going to some particularly important place.King passed through them, and the crowd parted as if by magic, like water cut by a knife, and then merged behind him.
"It's like rush hour commute." Dahl looked around.
"You'll learn that the crew here is fast and efficient," King said. "As the flagship of the Cosmos Alliance, the Intrepid is very carefully selected."
"I believe that, sir," Dahl said, glancing behind him.The crew behind him all visibly slowed down, staring at him and Kim.Dahl didn't understand what their expressions meant.
"I know you applied to be stationed on the Intrepid when you were at the Spacefleet Academy," King said.
"Yes, sir." Dahl said, turning his gaze back to his superior. "Your department is doing some very cutting-edge work. The data from your experiments on the shipboard project was so beautiful that we couldn't reproduce it when we repeated it at the Spacefleet Academy."
"I hope you're not implying that something is wrong with our work." Kim's voice tightened.
"Not at all, sir," Dahl said. "Your reputation as a scientist is unassailable. I know that for the kind of work your department does, initial conditions are critical and difficult to reproduce."
Kim seemed relieved. “Space is big,” he said, “and the mission of Intrepid is to explore. A lot of the science we do is way ahead — characterizing, describing, making initial hypotheses. And then we move on and have follow-up research done by others.”
"Yes, sir," Dahl said. "It's this forward-looking that attracts me. Exploration."
"So," King asked, "would you like to go on a field mission?"
A crew member stumbled in front of them.Dahl held him up. "Oh!" Dahl supported his back, "watch out for your step." The crew member pushed him away, murmured "thank you", then turned around and left quickly.
"Sharp and courteous," Dahl said with a smile, which he stopped when he saw Kim stop and stare at him. "Sir."
"Field team," King resumed, "would you like to join?"
"I was more of a lab rat at Spacefleet Academy," Dahl says.Kim frowned. "But I understand that the Dreadnought is an exploration ship. I've always dreamed of being able to do some exploration myself."
"Very good," Kim said, taking another step forward. "Being a guinea pig is fine at the Spacefleet Academy, and maybe on other ships. But the reason the Intrepid makes so many great discoveries and captivates you is because her crew is willing to go into the field , even to the point of getting your hands dirty. I want you to keep that in mind."
"Yes, sir."
"Okay," King said, pausing in front of a door marked "Extraterrestrial Biology."He opened the door, showed Dahl the whole picture of the laboratory, and walked in.Dahl followed him.
The room was empty.
Dahl asked, "Where have all the people gone, sir?"
"There are many cross-departmental joint cooperation projects among the crew of the Intrepid, so many people hold two or even several positions." Jin said, "For example, you yourself have language skills because of your experience on Fuershan. department. So people aren’t always tied to their desks.”
"Understood, sir," Dahl said.
"However," Jin said, taking out the communicator to contact someone, "Captain Collins, a new member of your department has come to report to your laboratory." After a moment's pause, "Okay, that's all." Jin Hang up the communicator and say, "Captain Collins will come to meet you."
"Thank you, sir," Darl said, saluting.Jin nodded and stepped out of the laboratory after returning the salute. Just like when he came, the crowd parted in front of him and joined behind him.Dahl watched him disappear at the corner of the corridor from the door.
"Hey!" There was a voice behind Dahl.He turned and saw a crew member standing in the middle of the lab. Dahl looked at the door through which King Kong walked out, and then at the new crew member, "Hi," he responded, "You weren't here just now." "Yeah, that's right," said the crewman, walking up to Dahl and shaking his hand. "Jack Casaway." "Andy Dahl." Dahl shook his hand back. "How on earth did you do it?" "Business secrets," Kesaway said. The door on the other side of the lab opened and another crew member walked in. "It's a trade secret," Kesaway said. "What's in there?" Dahl asked, pointing to the door. "The storage room," Kesaway said. "You've been hiding in the storage room?" Dahl said. "We're not playing hide and seek," said another crew member, "we're taking inventory." "Andy Dahl, this is Fiona Becky." Kesaway said. "Hello." Darl greeted. "You should be thankful we took stock," Betsy said. "That should be left to the rookies." "Well, well, thanks," Dahl said. "We'll have to send you to pour the coffee, though," Becky said. "I'd be happy to oblige," Dahl said. "Look, these are the few remaining people." Kesaway nodded towards the two people who came in through the corridor door. One of them immediately walked up to Dahl.Dahl saluted her when he saw the epaulettes of her captain's rank. "Don't be restrained." Collins said, still returning a military salute. "The salute is only required when His Majesty passes by." "You mean, Chief Kim?" Dahl asked. "It seems you caught the pun," Collins said. "His last name sounds like His Majesty." "Yes, sir," Dahl said. "For a nerd, you have a good sense of humor," Collins said. "Indeed, sir." Dahl smiled. "Very well," said Collins, "we don't want to bring in a dull man and make it go around. I think you've seen Cassaway and Betsy already." "Yes, sir," Dahl said. "You already know that I am your boss," Collins said, pointing to the other crew members. "This is Ben Trinh, the second in command of the laboratory." Trin came over and shook Dahl's hand. "That's all the staff." "You forgot Jenkins," Becky reminded. "Well, they probably won't meet," Collins said. "Maybe," Becky said. "When was the last time you saw Jenkins?" Trin asked Becky. "I think I saw him once, but it turned out to be a snowman," Kesaway said. "Stop talking about Jenkins," Collins said. "Who's Jenkins?" Dahl asked. "He's working on a separate project and he's too busy to get away. Leave him alone, you won't get a chance to see him. So now," Collins went to a table, picked up the data pad and turned on the power, "you've Graduated from the Spaceship Academy and became one of us, Mr Dahl." "Thank you, sir." "Is Flavius Antoniscu still the dean of the School of Extraterrestrial Biology?" Collins asked. "Yes, sir," Dahl replied. "Please don't add 'sir' to every sentence, Dahl, it sounds like you have a dysphonia." Dahl smiled. "Okay," he said. Collins nodded and looked back at the data board: "I'm surprised that Flavius recommended you to the Intrepid." “At first he said no,” Dahl recalls discussing with the dean. “He wanted me to work at the institute.” "Why didn't you go?" asked Collins. "I want to look at the universe, not at those Europa microbes in a 60-kilometer borehole." "Don't you like Europa microbes?" Collins asked. "I believe they're brilliant as microbes," Dahl said, "and they deserve to be studied by some people who are really interested in them." "It's going to take a lot of work to get Flavius to change his mind," Collins said. "My grades were very good, which attracted the attention of Chief Jin." Dahl said, "Then luck came, and there happened to be a vacancy on the ship." "It's no luck," Becky interjected. "It's a dragon ice shark," Kesaway added. "Luck level is E." Becky continued. "One of what?" Dahl asked. "You replaced a crew member named Sid Black," said Tring, "he used to be a member of the field team of Dragon Lane 7. Dragon Lane 7 is a frozen planet. When exploring the ruins of the ice city, the field team The team was attacked by an ice shark. Sid was taken away and never returned." "His leg is back, more specifically, his calf," Becky said. "Shut up, Fiona." Collins sulked.She put down the data pad, looked at Dahl and said, "You should have met Lieutenant Colonel King." "Yes." Dahl replied. "Did he mention the field mission to you?" Collins asked. "Yes, he asked if I was interested in participating." "What's your answer?" "I said, I've been in the lab all the time, but I've been looking forward to being in the field one day," Dahl said. "What's wrong?" "Looks like he's on King's radar," Terling told Collins. Dahl glanced at Trin and asked Collins, "Did I do something inappropriate, sir?" "No." Collins glanced at Tring. "I just don't want Jin to interfere with my crew's ideas. That's all." "You have differences of opinion?" Dahl asked. "None of that," Collins said, "you don't have to worry about it. We'll take things one by one." She pointed to a corner of the room and said, "That's your workbench. Explain the situation. Jack and Fiona can answer any other questions you have, but it’s okay to ask. Then, the new guy is responsible for pouring the coffee.” "I've been told that," Dahl said. "Excellent," said Collins, "then I can have a drink now. Help him into position, Ben."
"So, have you all been asked about the field team?" Duval came to the table with the plate in his hand, where Dahl and Hansen were already sitting. "I was asked." Hansen said. "Me too," Dahl said. "Is it my illusion? I think the attitude of the people on this ship to the field team is very strange." Duval said. "Like?" Dahl asked. "Within five minutes of my new job, I heard about three different ways field mission members died: by falling rocks; by poison gas; and by blasting them clean with a pulse gun." "There are also those who died from the failure of the hatch of the shuttle boat." Hansen added. "There are also those who died from ice sharks." Dahl answered. "Due to what?" Duval's eyes widened. "What is an ice shark?" "You're asking the right person," Dahl said, "I don't know what the hell this is." "Is it a shark made of ice?" Hansen asked, "or is it a shark that lives in ice?" "They didn't give me the details at the time." Dahl said, poking a piece of meat on the dinner plate with a fork. "I think you should point out on the spot that the ice shark story is bullshit," Duvall said. "There aren't many details, but you probably guessed right," Dahl said. "People here are very focused on field missions." "That's because someone always dies in the mission," Hansen said. Duval raised an eyebrow: "Jimmy, why do you say that?" "Well, we are all here to replace the previous crew," Hansen pointed to Duval and asked, "Why did your predecessor quit, is he transferred?" "No," Duvall said, "he's the one that was vaporized by the pulse gun." "My ex was sucked out of the hatch," Hansen said, "and Andy's ex was eaten by a shark, maybe. You have to admit it's kind of weird. I bet if we asked Finn and Hearst, they'll probably say something similar." "Speaking of them..." Dar pointed somewhere with his fork.Hansen and Duval followed the direction and saw Hurst at the end of the noisy cafeteria line, holding a plate, looking gloomily at the bustling hall. "He's such a morose guy, isn't he," Duvall said. "Oh, he's fine." Hansen said hello to Hester.Hester seemed startled by his own name, and then seemed to be hesitating whether to join the three of them, then walked towards them as if giving up resistance, sat down at the table, and began to choose and eat. "Have you had a good day?" Duvall finally couldn't help asking him. Hurst shrugged and fiddled with his food again.Finally he made a sad face and put down his fork.He looked around at everyone at the table. "What's wrong?" Duvall asked. "Is it just me," said Hearst, "or has everyone on this ship gone nuts with this damn field mission?"
Notes:
"Hey!" There was a voice behind Dahl.He turned and saw a crew member standing in the middle of the lab. Dahl looked at the door through which King Kong walked out, and then at the new crew member, "Hi," he responded, "You weren't here just now." "Yeah, that's right," said the crewman, walking up to Dahl and shaking his hand. "Jack Casaway." "Andy Dahl." Dahl shook his hand back. "How on earth did you do it?" "Business secrets," Kesaway said. The door on the other side of the lab opened and another crew member walked in. "It's a trade secret," Kesaway said. "What's in there?" Dahl asked, pointing to the door. "The storage room," Kesaway said. "You've been hiding in the storage room?" Dahl said. "We're not playing hide and seek," said another crew member, "we're taking inventory." "Andy Dahl, this is Fiona Becky." Kesaway said. "Hello." Darl greeted. "You should be thankful we took stock," Betsy said. "That should be left to the rookies." "Well, well, thanks," Dahl said. "We'll have to send you to pour the coffee, though," Becky said. "I'd be happy to oblige," Dahl said. "Look, these are the few remaining people." Kesaway nodded towards the two people who came in through the corridor door. One of them immediately walked up to Dahl.Dahl saluted her when he saw the epaulettes of her captain's rank. "Don't be restrained." Collins said, still returning a military salute. "The salute is only required when His Majesty passes by." "You mean, Chief Kim?" Dahl asked. "It seems you caught the pun," Collins said. "His last name sounds like His Majesty." "Yes, sir," Dahl said. "For a nerd, you have a good sense of humor," Collins said. "Indeed, sir." Dahl smiled. "Very well," said Collins, "we don't want to bring in a dull man and make it go around. I think you've seen Cassaway and Betsy already." "Yes, sir," Dahl said. "You already know that I am your boss," Collins said, pointing to the other crew members. "This is Ben Trinh, the second in command of the laboratory." Trin came over and shook Dahl's hand. "That's all the staff." "You forgot Jenkins," Becky reminded. "Well, they probably won't meet," Collins said. "Maybe," Becky said. "When was the last time you saw Jenkins?" Trin asked Becky. "I think I saw him once, but it turned out to be a snowman," Kesaway said. "Stop talking about Jenkins," Collins said. "Who's Jenkins?" Dahl asked. "He's working on a separate project and he's too busy to get away. Leave him alone, you won't get a chance to see him. So now," Collins went to a table, picked up the data pad and turned on the power, "you've Graduated from the Spaceship Academy and became one of us, Mr Dahl." "Thank you, sir." "Is Flavius Antoniscu still the dean of the School of Extraterrestrial Biology?" Collins asked. "Yes, sir," Dahl replied. "Please don't add 'sir' to every sentence, Dahl, it sounds like you have a dysphonia." Dahl smiled. "Okay," he said. Collins nodded and looked back at the data board: "I'm surprised that Flavius recommended you to the Intrepid." “At first he said no,” Dahl recalls discussing with the dean. “He wanted me to work at the institute.” "Why didn't you go?" asked Collins. "I want to look at the universe, not at those Europa microbes in a 60-kilometer borehole." "Don't you like Europa microbes?" Collins asked. "I believe they're brilliant as microbes," Dahl said, "and they deserve to be studied by some people who are really interested in them." "It's going to take a lot of work to get Flavius to change his mind," Collins said. "My grades were very good, which attracted the attention of Chief Jin." Dahl said, "Then luck came, and there happened to be a vacancy on the ship." "It's no luck," Becky interjected. "It's a dragon ice shark," Kesaway added. "Luck level is E." Becky continued. "One of what?" Dahl asked. "You replaced a crew member named Sid Black," said Tring, "he used to be a member of the field team of Dragon Lane 7. Dragon Lane 7 is a frozen planet. When exploring the ruins of the ice city, the field team The team was attacked by an ice shark. Sid was taken away and never returned." "His leg is back, more specifically, his calf," Becky said. "Shut up, Fiona." Collins sulked.She put down the data pad, looked at Dahl and said, "You should have met Lieutenant Colonel King." "Yes." Dahl replied. "Did he mention the field mission to you?" Collins asked. "Yes, he asked if I was interested in participating." "What's your answer?" "I said, I've been in the lab all the time, but I've been looking forward to being in the field one day," Dahl said. "What's wrong?" "Looks like he's on King's radar," Terling told Collins. Dahl glanced at Trin and asked Collins, "Did I do something inappropriate, sir?" "No." Collins glanced at Tring. "I just don't want Jin to interfere with my crew's ideas. That's all." "You have differences of opinion?" Dahl asked. "None of that," Collins said, "you don't have to worry about it. We'll take things one by one." She pointed to a corner of the room and said, "That's your workbench. Explain the situation. Jack and Fiona can answer any other questions you have, but it’s okay to ask. Then, the new guy is responsible for pouring the coffee.” "I've been told that," Dahl said. "Excellent," said Collins, "then I can have a drink now. Help him into position, Ben."
"So, have you all been asked about the field team?" Duval came to the table with the plate in his hand, where Dahl and Hansen were already sitting. "I was asked." Hansen said. "Me too," Dahl said. "Is it my illusion? I think the attitude of the people on this ship to the field team is very strange." Duval said. "Like?" Dahl asked. "Within five minutes of my new job, I heard about three different ways field mission members died: by falling rocks; by poison gas; and by blasting them clean with a pulse gun." "There are also those who died from the failure of the hatch of the shuttle boat." Hansen added. "There are also those who died from ice sharks." Dahl answered. "Due to what?" Duval's eyes widened. "What is an ice shark?" "You're asking the right person," Dahl said, "I don't know what the hell this is." "Is it a shark made of ice?" Hansen asked, "or is it a shark that lives in ice?" "They didn't give me the details at the time." Dahl said, poking a piece of meat on the dinner plate with a fork. "I think you should point out on the spot that the ice shark story is bullshit," Duvall said. "There aren't many details, but you probably guessed right," Dahl said. "People here are very focused on field missions." "That's because someone always dies in the mission," Hansen said. Duval raised an eyebrow: "Jimmy, why do you say that?" "Well, we are all here to replace the previous crew," Hansen pointed to Duval and asked, "Why did your predecessor quit, is he transferred?" "No," Duvall said, "he's the one that was vaporized by the pulse gun." "My ex was sucked out of the hatch," Hansen said, "and Andy's ex was eaten by a shark, maybe. You have to admit it's kind of weird. I bet if we asked Finn and Hearst, they'll probably say something similar." "Speaking of them..." Dar pointed somewhere with his fork.Hansen and Duval followed the direction and saw Hurst at the end of the noisy cafeteria line, holding a plate, looking gloomily at the bustling hall. "He's such a morose guy, isn't he," Duvall said. "Oh, he's fine." Hansen said hello to Hester.Hester seemed startled by his own name, and then seemed to be hesitating whether to join the three of them, then walked towards them as if giving up resistance, sat down at the table, and began to choose and eat. "Have you had a good day?" Duvall finally couldn't help asking him. Hurst shrugged and fiddled with his food again.Finally he made a sad face and put down his fork.He looked around at everyone at the table. "What's wrong?" Duvall asked. "Is it just me," said Hearst, "or has everyone on this ship gone nuts with this damn field mission?"
Notes: