James winced.  Modern carriers were built to avoid friendly fire ... but Ark Royal’s systems were less capable of separating friend from foe.  Even with computers – no human mind could hope to handle the speeds involved – it was still difficult to be absolutely sure that a foe was being targeted before the opportunity vanished into nothingness.  The engineering crew had promised that more modern sensors would be arranged, but they had problems interacting with the other systems.  Given enough time, he suspected that Anderson would have preferred to rip everything out and start again with more modern technology.  But that would have taken years.

“I’m currently working out ways to manipulate active sensor probes and passive sensor arrays to make it easier to provide full coverage,” Farley added.  “However, if we were flying with more modern carriers, I would suggest tapping down our own sensors and relying on theirs.”

“Dangerous,” James observed.  “I don’t think the Captain would approve.”

“Me neither,” Farley agreed.  “It depends on just how the Admiralty intends to employ us.”

James sighed.  After the first briefing, there had been nothing from the Admiralty – at least nothing concerning Ark Royal directly.  There had been security alerts, warnings that peaceniks were already starting to protest against the war, and a handful of speculative papers on just what the aliens might have in mind, but nothing more specific.  The media had been crammed with even more baseless speculation, ranging from horror stories about alien atrocities to suggestions that the human race had somehow provoked the war.  But no one knew anything for sure.

“I believe that depends on how quickly we get ready for active service,” James said.  He sighed, then looked up at the simulation.  “Keep me informed of progress.”

Farley nodded, then returned to his work.

James’s terminal buzzed.  “Sir,” Midshipwomen Lopez said, “the Royal Marine shuttle is requesting permission to land.”

“Oh,” James said.  He glanced at his chronometer, then swore.  The planned schedule had called for the Marines to arrive the following day, when Ark Royal was ready for them.  If the Marines came onboard now ... they would have to help set up their own gear.  The crewmen didn't have the time to handle it.  “Tell them to dock, then inform the Captain.  I’ll meet them in the shuttlebay.”

***

“Someone seems to like us, sir,” Captain Reginald Jackson said, once the XO had shown them to the barracks and departed.  “Only a little dust, smelly sheets ... good god, they even gave us a shower!”