Shakedown Cruise, Part 2 (Episode 2)

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Solomoriah
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Re: Shakedown Cruise, Part 2 (Episode 2)

Post by Solomoriah »

Scott knows that all he has to do is (a) charge Skylark's batteries, and (b) give it a boost to fire its wormhole generator (and then someone on board has to push the button to maneuver it into the wormhole). What I need is some suggestion as to how he's going to separate the two ships in that moment before the Skylark enters the wormhole. The Russians used explosive fasteners, but you have only one set of them and two cables needing disconnected.

Very interested in how this turns out... :D
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Re: Shakedown Cruise, Part 2 (Episode 2)

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Scott looks through his materials and equipment with anything that can be used to "glue" one head to the positive contact, but with low enough tensile strength to break away once tension is put on the cable. When I say glue, I mean to make a connection between the line and the ship so that power will flow and then compact around that connection with a hardening material that will hold it in place under low tension.

He is thinking about attaching the one good cable (negative line) with the explosive bolts to the negative contact.


Move back along the positive line enough distance such that the positive head has a little slack in the line and bolt the positive line to the negative line so that the negative line serves as the tension cable for both connections (ie, so that the movement of the ships don't pull the connections apart.) He will use insulation and separators to prevent a short from occurring at the joining of the two lines.

Then, using the slack in the line, connect the positive line with the "glue".

Then when the explosives bolts are blown and the ships pull apart the "glued" end of the cable will just pull apart.

I suppose Scott should go with the Skylark because he has had civilian experience with bridge watch and limited navigation.
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Re: Shakedown Cruise, Part 2 (Episode 2)

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Scott knows he can cut the Russian's power cable in half to get enough cable; further, he has spare clamps for power cables, so he can make "permanent" connections if he wants. However, as nothing on Pegasus is secured with any sort of glue, he has none of that in spares. The only "glue" on board is the patching compound used to apply patches to the hull from the inside; he's pretty sure it's not strong enough to do the job, as it's more a sealant than a glue.

In case it helps you understand the situation, I've included a drawing of the Russian cable end.
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Re: Shakedown Cruise, Part 2 (Episode 2)

Post by Hywaywolf »

(Patching compound is exactly what I was thinking about. why wouldn't it be strong enough? There will be no tension on the positive connection until after the negative side blows its bolts. )

It would be connected like this, Patching compound holding the connection in place and straps, bolts, separators and insulation clamping the two lines together.

http://sketchtoy.com/62002822
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Re: Shakedown Cruise, Part 2 (Episode 2)

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Given Blazeguard's very understandable distraction, I'm going to play out this final scene for him.

Lt. Scott pitched his idea to Steele, and though the XO felt more than a little uncertain, he decided to go with Scott's plan. Leaving Skylark unguarded seemed to be just asking the Russians to come and take her, and he didn't have a better idea how to get her home.

The engineer used up two tanks of air cobbling his solution together... the patching compound was just so sloppy and weak that, even with most of the strain removed, it just didn't want to hold. Finally he decided it was solid enough.

It took several hours to put a full charge back into Skylark's batteries; as soon as the readouts in the derelict's engine room showed full charge, Lando asked Steele to cut the power shunt so he could switch the internal connections. In just a few moments, Skylark was ready to jump home... all that remained was for Steele to re-engage the power shunt, and for Scott to fire the wormhole generator and maneuvering thrusters while simultaneously hitting the explosive bolt detonator.

What could possibly go wrong?

Steele engaged the power shunt. Scott, standing in Skylark's engine room, was as much listening to the sound of the wormhole generator charging as he was watching the dials. The dials jittered, and he felt the wormhole generator jitter as well... the cables weren't making solid contact. But the dial continued to climb, so he held his peace. Again the jitter, and again... but still the charge increased. Finally the dial indicated the correct charge level, and Scott pressed the red button. He felt a gentle, reassuring "bump" under his feet.

Steele called out that he saw the wormhole, and Scott activated the detonator and engaged the maneuvering thrusters to push Skylark into the hole.

Amanda was seated at the engineering console of the Pegasus, watching the monitor, when the ship lurched. She had neither strapped in nor locked the seat swivel... it hadn't seemed necessary. So it happened that she fell on her backside on the floor of the ship.

Steele was strapped in, as was Finn in the equipment bay, so neither man was thrown from his seat. The ship was pitching sharply, and Steele quickly realized why.

The charging cables were still attached. One of them, at least. He yelled at Scott, but the other ship was already entering the wormhole. Finn spun the multiscope as Steele switched to the aft maneuvering camera, and both men watched as their ship was dragged backwards toward the already-collapsing near end. Steele didn't dare engage the main drive with it pointed at Skylark, but he did fire the aft maneuvering thrusters in an effort to separate the two ships.

Then the lights went out.

Every instrument was dark, and the ship was unusually silent. Cursing under his breath, Steele unstrapped and headed back toward the engine room, kicking off from handhold to handhold in zero G. He was reassured when he heard the gentle hum of the reactor and saw telltales glowing in the darkened room.

Steele wasn't an engineer, but he knew how to reset the main breakers. The problem was, as soon as he did they just popped again. What could be causing it, he wondered... and then he remembered the power shunt. He pulled the lever to disengage it, then reset the breakers again, careful to have his boots on the floor when he did.

Lights and gravity returned in a rush.

Scott had given Finn instructions regarding the removal of the power cables, which he carried out right away. The source of the short circuit became obvious when he pulled in the remaining cable... the two leads had been compressed together and stretched out in a most distressing fashion. It seemed the near end had collapsed around the cables.

Had Steele not fired the maneuvering thrusters, Finn felt sure it would have been the aft end of Pegasus that was crushed by the wormhole.

............

With the charging cables removed, Finn took his place as honorary ship's engineer. Steele brought Pegasus around to the same heading Skylark had just followed and ordered the wormhole generator charged. With a welcome lack of drama, Pegasus slipped into the wormhole and returned home.

((( roll credits! this episode is over! )))
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Re: Shakedown Cruise, Part 2 (Episode 2)

Post by Solomoriah »

Hywaywolf wrote:((lets take a bow))
... using your mod powers to post in a locked thread ... tsk tsk ... :D
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