Dimension

<-2-> Chapter 2

Hellloooooooooooo!

It's spring break! Well, it was spring break. I actually hoped to write a lot more than I actually did, but life calls.

I don't like this chapter a lot because it jumps between a lot of characters and the segments are all pretty short, but I hope you enjoy anywho!

Don't worry! Things will get less confusing as the characters consolidate!

Here goes nothing!

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Five Years Ago

Kuznetsov found the Union's lack of technological sophistication oddly refreshing. Republic vessels were nicer, without a doubt, but probing through hundreds of systems and subsystems to determine the cause of a minute failure was certainly more complicated than tearing a cover panel off and swapping out a gearbox.

The more shocking aspect was how drastically different the Union's design philosophy was to the Republic's. While Republic naval vessels certainly weren't linear, it seemed as if every function in the Tempest was spread out across the entire ship, from torpedo bays to air conditioning. No single system was concentrated in any one part of the cruiser's frame. Even the living quarters were spaced out, linked through a network of small, surprisingly efficient trams.

But perhaps the most bewildering feature was the bridge. It was divided among multiple decks, with critical functions spread throughout multiple compartments connected via a central, bridge-only communications network. An elegant, if simplistic, method of isolating the bridge. Perhaps not as effective as the dead-space style employed by the Republic, but ingenious none-the-less.

"You need a Nygev-Ash matrix," Kuznetsov said bluntly.

Carson simply nodded.

"I'm not at liberty to just throw those around, you know. They're expensive."

"How many puddlejumpers does the Republic have?"

"Not enough."

"Enough to fight the Coalition and control Carok."

Kuznetsov flinched slightly. "We are not technically at war with the Coalition," he said, quickly regaining his composure.

"A Cold War does not count?" Carson questioned innocently.

"Depends on your definition of Cold War," the Grand Admiral retorted. "You could say the Republic and the Coalition have always been in a state of cold war."

"Indeed you could."

Kuznetsov sighed and placed his hands on Carson's desk. "Puddlejumpers are crucial to the Republic's defenses. I'm afraid I don't have one that I can just throw away, and my colleagues don't either."

"I am not asking you to weaken your Sector Fleets."

"Then-"

"Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but the Republic has more than enough conventional warships in Carok to obliterate the Union's fleets and fight the Prythian Federal Navy simultaneously."

"Depends on the day."

Carson glanced at Kuznetsov skeptically. "Depends... Why, then, is the Republic forced to maintain puddlejumpers in Carok?"

"Carok would turn into a clusterfuck the minute we pull a single ship."

"Of course it would. But whether or not Carok revolts is ultimately irrelevant."