Date: 14 July 820 System: Sigma-17 Location: Atka Research Station, waiting room. Topic: "Any last words?"
Sitting, waiting, wishing. I've listened to a relaxing song while I was sitting in the waiting room for the final deliverance. I've already said goodbye to Melosa since she - and myself - couldn't have endured the nervousness and pain of possibly never seeing each other again.
The waiting room was completely empty. An untouched cup of tea was annoyingly waiting for its consumer to be drunk. I didn't even noticed when the nurse did bring it. I was just starring at the sensitively white wall in front of me, while listening to Jack Johnson's words; "But Lord knows that this world is cruel. And I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool..."
Suddenly my IPPCD rang, telling me that I received a transmission. That must be Shodan I hope. She already took her long enough to inform me about The Narcotic's progress. And I guessed right. A short summary of the current progress was attached together with visual informations.
Hasn't got any tidier, but larger.
The private rooms - mostly offices, bedrooms and dining rooms - were tried to be kept the same. While their numbers did of course increase - considering that a larger ship also needs a larger crew - the private rooms did also got enlarged a bit and did now provide a more comfortable and homelike feeling, totally to my liking. In future, I've planned to have the ship be able to travel longer times without having to find a docking place, so this was a required change.
Simplicity. The multifunction libary.
Longer journeys do also demand options for entertainment. Such as reading. While the new libary will serve as public place - it'll also be used by the researchers who do seek variety - away from the bright monitors in the research labs. Besides the libary there'll also exist a few fitness centers with swimming pools, an old-school cinema, restaurants, bars and clubs aswell as a small shopping mall.
Laboratory and medical station rolled into one.
The original medical deck will get its own upgrade in form of a new lab together with hypersleep chambers and other expensive equipment. This measure will not just allow the Narcotic to reach Sirius' borders, but also to stay there for a while. Infections and other health issues are often the first reason for a exploration mission to end abruptly.
Reaching stasis with hypersleep chambers.
Passing time without alteration, whether by biological or physical means, was a human's dream for a long time. One day, interstellar traveling was made possible thanks to the cryogenic sleep. And this feature is nothing one want to miss anymore.
The larger the ship, the longer you walk.
Shodan has invented an interesting route planning system for crew members to always take the shortest route without getting lost somewhere. She also did construct the layouts of the decks and their rooms that perfect as none human being could have done. There's a logic behind every staircase, corridor and even blind alley.
The interrogation room - no comfortable seats here.
The interrogation room would be a 'blind alley' for prisoners and hostages who refuse to share the truth with us. Actually, I haven't asked for such room - but it seems like Shodan cosidered it as mandatory for a ship of Narcotic's size. Who knows - maybe it'll indeed find a good use someday... for someone.
The lower the deck, the tighter the corridors.
A heavier ship needs a larger engine. It'd make sense in atmospheric places, but also for interplanetary flights. Indeed, the Narcotic will be able to land on planets - no matter the size. If this feature is going to be find a use - is yet not to decide. Fact is, that it needs heavy cruise- and thrustengines. Its seven large engines will do their job pretty well. Compared to the ship's size - it'll remain as fast as a gunboat. Probably.
Enough room for her dresses and shoes?
The cargo bay will be massive. There'll be enough space to store a few hundred tons of commodities, fuel, food rations, water and other consumer goods. Enough for the whole crew to survive months in open space for sure. Near the cargo bay is also the adapted cloaking device found. Unfortunately, Shodan didn't seemed to have managed fixing it. I wonder why she kept it anyways. She didn't built it in as fixed part of the Narcotic, but let it remain a portable device, so in case of emergency it could be displaced to a safer place, in order to have it unharmed. She must have her reasons for that I guess. I'd call it a waste of space, considering that I'm carrying this non functional device with me for ages already.
The docking bay. Ships inside a ship.
Just in front of the cargo bay is the docking bay located. It'll likely won't maintain more than two snubcraft vessels at once, but it'll serve its purpose well. This place will also be used as temporary storage bay and tractored items will find their way here first for investigation and restoring. Besides, the docking bay will always have the Narcotic #2 docked - its very small counterpart in form of a Series Z "Sabre".
Which way?
All in all, I was pleased with Shodan's work on the Narcotic's major update. In some cases I didn't quite understood the massive measures she implented. As example the heavy weaponry and the high priority for the hull plating and defensive systems, such as the portable cloaking device and docking module. However, these are things one can't disagree with. It just came as suprise. No displeasing change though.
Displeasing it'll get soon enough. The bell just rang. My sign to enter the operating room. Just in the moment I laid my - of nervousness-shaking-hand - on the white doorknob, the nurse did open it full of verve and asked with a halting smile: "Do you wish to say any last words?"