Readiness
The light inside the dimensional extension chamber, DEC to everyone, was bright. It washed out Jazzmine Reilly’s dark brown skin and raven jet braids of hair as Doctor Carmen Braithewaite attached sensors to her body. Reilly was reclining on a seat in the middle of the bare chamber in her simple shorts and T-shirt. Braithewaite focused on her work, attaching and testing each sensor, in silence. In the intense light, Braithewaite was porcelain white, a product of her long hours in the underground laboratory in Tāmaki Makaurau’s Manukau. Braithewaite’s hazel eyes were the only break in the white of her cloak, skin, and bleached blonde hair.
“Are you comfortable, Jazz?” Braithewaite asked her test volunteer.
“Sure. It’s a bit chilly in these threads, but I’m ok,” Reilly smiled.
Braithewaite liked the young volunteer who was about to make history. She was smart and brave. Her smile lit up her face as it creased the smooth dark, almost black, skin around her pitch dark eyes. Her hair was tied into three large braids that were nestled around her shoulders. Braithewaite suspected Rob Summers, her research partner, had a small crush on Reilly. Her slightly up-turned nose and slim looks were definitely his type, but he would never make a move on her. He was a jellyfish around women.
The doctor’s entire career and all the sacrifices she had made over decades led to this moment, to this day. Both her ex-husband and daughter were estranged. They could not handle the long absences and Braithewaite’s driven obsession with her work. Braithewaite had not seen them for over three years, since they moved to Europe. None of that mattered to the nerves that were upsetting her stomach. So much was riding on the success of today’s trial that Braithewaite had had little sleep for the previous three nights. She had no mental space left for anything but the project and the test today.
“Umm - Carmen? His Lordship is summoning you again,” the voice of Rob Summers interrupted her thoughts over the intercom.
“Now?” Braithewaite asked, annoyance in her voice as she finished off attaching the last of the sensors.
“Yeah, afraid so,” Summers answered.
“Crap. Okay, I’ll go now,” Braithewaite told her oldest colleague. “Are you alright to wait here for a few minutes?” she asked Reilly.
“Yeah, sure. Go answer the call,” Reilly replied with a short laugh.
“I won’t be long,” Braithewaite assured the young woman. “Rob’ll get you anything you need.”
Doctor Rob Summers was the Lead Trans-Dimensional Engineer under Braithewaite and he despised their CEO of Trans-Dimensional Extensions, Noel Fullbright. TRADE was the corporate side of the project through which the funding came. Fullbright was a pen-pushing bully who managed to rile Summers up in every way. An opportunity to take a shot at Fullbright was never missed by the lead engineer.
“I’ll keep this short,” Braithewaite promised Summers as she walked past his station in the circle of computer terminals and equipment surrounding the DEC.
“Yeah, right.”, Summers chuckled in sarcasm.
“Just keep Jazz happy. If she needs anything, get it, ok?” Braithewaite said needlessly as she left the laboratory to get the lift up fifteen floors to His Lordship’s office. Summers was more than happy to wait on their volunteer.
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