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On the bridge he plugged in his sextant again, patching in the radar and IFF inputs, and brought up the Moon Roadstead. Roth lay on the outskirts of the roads, near buoy seven. Several smallcraft lay inward of her; she would have to be careful in lighting her engines. Outward lay the Arras frigate. No local traffic below the anchoring plane. “Helm,” said Captain O’Brian, “take us below the roadstead at one quarter slow and then forward at two knots. Once we’re clear of the Arras, bring us three points to starboard and lay in a course for I-16 outbound, full speed.”
“Sir,” piped Barus, “engineering generally prefers to run at three quarters speed, not to tax the number two engine.”
“Three-quarter speed it is, then.” Jack made some quick calculations in his head - I-16 would be perhaps a degree further along in its orbit if they approached at 3/4 speed. “Three and a quarter points to starboard, then, once we’re clear of the Arras."
Roth worked her way free of the roadstead, turned lazily to starboard, and then fired her thrust engines in earnest for the first time under her new captain. A low thunder filled the bridge and the brig shook - Stephen looked at Jack, surely this was not normal? But Jack and the rest of the crew seemed oblivious to the sound and motion, only raising their voices slightly to talk above it, making occasional, unhurried, minor corrections to the brig’s course. Barus had retreated back to his phone, playing a game that beeped and squawked from time to time.
“Mister Barus,” said the captain, taking notice of this, “is there not a rule about using your phone when on duty?”
“Beg pardon, sir,” said the midshipman, “but I don’t think that there is.”
“Well there is now. Aside from use having to do with official duties, you are not to give way to distractions during your time on watch. Doctor, I am afraid that I will be more or less pinned to the bridge for the next several hours, but if you’d like to see the officers’ recreation space it is through that hatch, or our quarters are below. Of course, you’re welcome to stay here, if you’d prefer, though I expect it will be pretty quiet.”
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