We spent the next two weeks going from Warp Gate to Warp Gate without issue. We went through three known gates to make sure that the addressing module worked correctly and the crew knew what they were doing and how to work together.
I spent the time studying up on the Information Warfare Suite and decided to cross train on helm. Since there are so few of us, it was understood that if our main jobs weren't called for that often - like for example someone whose job it is to make sure we're not being bombarded with hostile messages and if necessary to send our own out - then we could cross train where there was a need. I always wanted to know how to 'drive' a Starship and Far Reach was up for letting me train, so I started to train to be Kieran's backup on helm.
Kieran was a nice enough person, though we didn't really click. We were polite and civil, but I don't think I'd ever call them a friend. But, we were all professionals and it wasn't an issue.
I have to admit, getting to steer and operate a gigantic Starjumper like Far Reach was fun. In the end, because Far Reach is a sapient AI and able to make their own choices, it was more like I was driving if they were busy doing something else and if they weren't busy I was making 'recommendations' about where to go and what to do.
"But why Far? I asked them when I was back in my quarters, studying up on the orbital theory. "Plenty of AIs operate completely autonomously, why do you let us helm 'you'?"
Far chuckled. "It's a valid question Melody, and you're right, I don't need anyone to drive me, I can - and do - operate myself completely autonomously. But, when we're on a mission with a crew, it's a smart idea to have one or two people who also know how to drive. If I get distracted with something in battle - say keeping the reactors from detonating - then it's useful to have someone else who can steer us. Even when we're not in a battle, it's good to have a second set of eyes. Sometimes you see things I don't, or are able to make a leap before me and that keeps us safe. I don't mind sharing!"
I laughed. "So long as you don't mind, I'm having fun."
"I'm glad to hear Melody."
By the end of the week, we were ready to gate over to the farthest known Gate, in Xenni space. We had applied for special permission to travel through the Xenni empire months previous. I swear sometimes it feels like they're going slow just to go slow. But eventually, we received our visa and address code for the gate.
When we arrived, it looked like any of the Warp Gates. A large asteroid, maybe 10 kilometers in diameter, and on one side was a ring, sticking out into space another 10 or 15 kilometers. It was huge! It would be a tight fit, but even a colony ship would be able to use the gate.
Most of the gates in K'laxi space are well lit and even have a K'laxi station around them to facilitate people using the gate in an orderly fashion and reducing the chance for a collision. Way out here at a Gate that usually only the Xenni use, there was no such station. It was dark and cold and for all one could tell, looked dead.
I was on the command deck at my Information Warfare station - I'd be the one who would signal the gate before the addressing module took over and Captain Q'ari watched us drift closer to the gate. When we were a few dozen kilometers out from the gate, she ordered us to stop relative to it.
"Lieutenant Mullen" She said (I was on duty, so I expected it) "Please scan the Gate ahead and see if it responds to standard signals."
"Aye Captain '' I replied, and got to work. All of the Gates that the K'laxi use will stay dark until someone signals the gate and it activates, scans the ship for the addressing module, reads the address and then opens. On busy gates it might never go dark. Gates like this one which are hardly ever used might stay dark for years. I pinged the gate with my short range message laser, and presented our K'laxi derived credentials. A moment later and...
"Activity on the gate!" Ensign (Gene) Frankfurt called out. "Power levels rising and a message laser array seems to be coming online.
Just as I expected. Now, we wait for the acknowledgement of the ping and the scan of our addressing module. We didn't want to go anywhere just yet, so it's empty. I can visualize us being bathed in gentle laser light as the acknowledgement comes in. "Reply from gate confirmed." I called out. "We are accepted. Addressing module is empty, gate should remain dark."
We all watched with our breath held as the date finished. Like I had called out, the gate remained dark, but now there were lights around the ring and some small faint lights on the asteroid.
"Warp Gate is online." I said with satisfaction. "We can go down and look for a directory tablet."
Captain Q'ari nodded, satisfied. "Nicely done all. Mullen, Frankfurt and Perinem please suit up and prepare to head down to the Gate and search for a directory stone.
Fer'resi Perinem is our resident language and translation expert. He's also the K'laxi chef. See? Almost everyone has two jobs. He knows so much about languages and how they work. He says it's fun for him, can you believe it? Not only is his Colonic perfect, but he can even speak old human languages. I asked him once, and he spoke English to me. He said it was an insane language and had no idea why it was so historically important in our past. I couldn't believe it. It sounded so angry!
We made our way down to the main airlock and I got my pressure suit out. It's the first time that I've ever had a suit custom made! Normally, I'd use one-size-fits most suits and they never fit me exactly right. I'd always come out of EVA training with bruises and chafes. Not now though! It's so comfortable it's almost like wearing regular clothes. It's so pretty too. We were given some leeway in our designs. Mine is polished to a super deep gloss. It's super dark blue, with a very faint light blue K'laxi pattern on the arms.
I mean, it makes sense. We don't know where we're going so it's entirely possible that we will have to wear our suits a whole lot. What if we find a sapient species that doesn't breathe oxygen! We'll need to be suited up all the time if we visit them.
Anyway, I put my suit on. It's semi-rigid and segmented, so it's more like putting on pants and a shirt that doesn't bend. Once I have it on, I check my seals and run a diagnostics. While the diagnostics run, I check Gene and Fer'resi's suits and they check mine. Triple checks done, all of our suits light up green.
The last thing I do before going to the airlock is go to one of the weapons lockers. Since we're not under attack, only a few people can open them. Captain Q'ari has declared that since I'm the best marksman on board I'm security when I'm off ship. In addition to my helmsmen training, I had to take deescalation training, disarmament training and restraining training. We don't know who we're going to meet out there, but I need to be ready. The locker responds to my touch and personal keys, and clicks open with a hiss. I sign out a service pistol which clips to my waist on the pressure suit and a long range rifle which I can sling over my back. They're both modified for vacuum use and can be operated with a pressure suit. Feeling very badass, I close the lockers and head over to the airlock.
"Hey folks" Far Reach says over our suit radios "I'm getting us to within a couple of kilometers to the gate's surface. I'm not going to land, so you'll have to jet over. I see you've all taken EVA training so just remember what you were taught, clip your lines to each other and go slow. Radio us when you're on the surface and good luck!"
And that was that. We clipped together, Gene cycled the airlock, the little gas jets spun out of our suits, and we whooshed over to the asteroid.