Ethan sat at the helm controls, or the runabout using maneuvering thrusters to avoid entering the nebula. Chief Murphy was in the rear working the transporter controls. He was beaming the monitoring devices from the cargo hold. The devices were only 1 meter by a half meter. They had a power cell that had a life of over 2.5 million hours of usage.
Ethan was still excited about being in charge of his first away mission. Of course the memory of being shot on the Baku planet was still fresh in his memory. Ethan was trying real hard to do his job. "Chief how are we doing?"
"Fine sir, a few more minutes and we can head to that planet." Chief Murphy said as he beamed another one out of the cargo hold. He then used the runabout's tractor beam and moved the device to an area that would pick up movement, which was the things job.
"All done sir."
"Good, ploting course and powering up the warp engines." Razek said, sliding his fingers over the panel, and then tapped a buttion.
The trip would take 19 hours, and it would take 28 hours to build the array. Ethan stood up after placing the runabout on auto pilot. He headed towards the replicator, and stopped once there. "Chief you want anything?"
"Ah, a cup of coffee, black." Murphy replied as he was going over something on a PADD.
"One cup of Coffee black, one glass of Pineapple juice, and toast lightly toasted and lightly buttered." The items appeared and Ethan grabbed them and walked over towards the front of the shuttle. Murphy took his coffee and said. "Thanks."
Ethan leaned back, and was quiet for a few minutes. Then he tried to see what the Chief was doing. The PADD looked like nothing real important, something for recreation perhaps. "What's on the PADD Chief?"
"It's a letter from my father."Murphy said and went back to reading the PADD.
Razek, felt happy for the Chief. For Ethan's father was dead, and a very sketchy memory. At times he wished to have had a father, but then he herd stories about how fathers were mean and cruel, from other cadets.
"Well, Chief your lucky." Ethan said with a hint of excitement.
"Well, sir thanks for comments. But why do you think I'm lucky. You almost act like you don't have a father." Chief Murphy said with out knowing the facts about Ensign Razek's personal file.
"My father died when I was 7. Even then I hardly saw him, hw was working on Deep Space 9. Meanwhile I lived on Bajor. I'd like to think of Captain Wallace as my father. Or what a father seems to be like."Ethan said taking the empty plate and glass to back.
"Sorry, sir I didn't know that. Yes your right Wallace does act like a father at times. Sir why don't you go to the rear and get some sleep, it's been 16 hours since you slept."
Ethan was greatful to hear the offer to go and get some sleep, he felt comfertable with Chief Murphy. "Chief how was your father?"
"My father worked 6 days on a ship or station my whole life. He spent three hours once a week with me. I acted like I was interest at what he did at age 9 so I could spend more time with him." Murphy turned his chair and went over some stuff on the computer.