The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 25.4

[Hope]

Hope reveled in her element. Until recent events, she had spent much of her life helping her father repair starship power and drive systems, and became nearly as much an expert as he was. She felt more comfortable dealing with a starship than people.

Laying on the floor in the power room, her legs extended out from underneath a bundle of piping and power cables near the port fusion reactor. A six-legged maintenance-bot stood nearby, ready to assist.

"I see the problem, Sai." she said to bot. "There's a partial blockage in the helium-3 feed line. Enough to limit reactor output in high demand situations. Hand me the wrench."

The bot grasped a tool with a mechanical claw and placed it in Hope's extended hand. After a series of clanks and grunts, she slid out, holding a section of curved metal tubing. She sat up to examine the piece, which had a diameter not much larger than her thumb. It continued to amaze her that such a small pipe could supply enough fusion fuel to power a starship.

Giving the tubing piece to the bot, she said, "Fabricate a new piece. Also, let's check and clean the feed filter. We may have gotten some dirty fuel."

"Yes, Hope," replied the bot in a machine voice.

The bot tottled off to complete the assigned task. Hope wiped the sweat from her brow with a bandana and retied her messy hair into a ponytail. Her gray leggings and blue tank top bore the grime of her work. She slid back under the bundle, holding a scanner.

A pair of feet came into Hope's view. Gabriel's voice said, "You have visitors. The colony governor and his entourage."

Hope replied, "Okay. Send them in here. I just need to check the power couplings."

A moment later, multiple footsteps approached her and stopped nearby. Someone let out an airy humph.

Gabriel bent down on one knee, peering under the pipe bundle. "Hope, they're here. Come out and do your Empress duty stuff."

Hope scooted out and, while seated, wiped her hands on the bandana. Looking up at three visitors, she said, "Oh, hello."

The Governor, a portly man with puffy cheeks, wore a shiny purple mantle that nearly reached the floor, covered with a white scarf, and carried a wooden staff topped with a gold medallion. His attendants, a man and a woman, were similarly attired, but without scarf or staff. Eshe stood behind them with her usual stern on-duty expression.

The Governor regarded Hope with a frown. "You are the Empress heir?"

Hope stood up. "Yeah, that's me."

Gabriel pulled his lips tight, looking like he could burst out laughing. He stroked his cheek with two fingers while catching his sister's eye. Realizing the message, Hope wiped a black greasy smear from her face with her bandana.

She said, "Sorry. I'm a bit of a mess right now."

Frowning ever deeper, the governor snapped his head around to Gabriel. "Now, see here! We have important matters to resolve and have no time for silly games. Take me to the real Empress."

"My apologies, sir." Gabriel said, bowing elegantly, which Hope knew to be a sarcastic gesture. "If you would take the stairs up one level, someone on the bridge will help you."

Hope bit her lip as the governor stomped up the stairs, mumbling to himself. Eshe broke from her stern duty expression, covering her mouth with a hand to hide a grin.

Stepping beside Hope, Gabriel said, "I can't wait to see his expression when he comes back."

After a few moments, Celeste returned with the governor and his attendants. She gestured toward Hope. "This is the Empress heir, Governor."