The navigator was examining the fine inscriptions etched into the surface of the compass in the control room bulkhead. He had had it installed in a more prosperous time, when the captain had advocated the acquisition of more expensive and more capable equipment.
Since then a LOT had happened. For one, the user manual had been lost--after all, who needs the manual to use a compass?
It wasn't a digital model. It had a digital interface--as everything nowadays did--but part of the draw of this model had been the ability to watch the spindle move. This had saved them more than once, most notable in the antimatter reefs where it had seemed to anticipate the shifts in the wispy, lethal structures.
The writing was intriguing.
NON-DETERMINISTIC QUANTUM-TEMPORAL REFLECTION SENSOR
5V 300mA DC DO NOT DEGAUSS
He tapped on the glass again. There were two spindles.
Many of my readers know I like to write and publish vignettes like this one. As usual, there may or may not be a metaphor underneath; however, in this case, I couldn't let go of that ending to do the metaphor justice. It was just too flavorful. For this reason, I've decided to publish that original, and then provide a more finished and complete version.
The navigator was examining the fine text etched into the housing of the compass in the bridge bulkhead. It had been installed in a more prosperous time, when the captain could afford to advocate the acquisition of more expensive and more capable equipment.
That had been years ago. During the renovations and crew changes since then, there had been a complete loss of all but the most essential (read: regulatory compliance) documentation, including user's manuals. Besides, who needs a manual to use a simple compass?
He suspected part of the allure of this model had been the free-floating spindle visible under the glass. Sure, it had a digital interface the ship's computer could plug into, but just watching the spindle swing as the ship came about was mesmerizing. It was a little quirky--while navigating the Behrer Antimatter Reefs it had seemed to anticipate the shifts in the wispy, lethal structures and guided them through safely.
The writing was intriguing:
GNOLAUM INSTRUMENTATION CORP.
NON-DETERMINISTIC QUASITEMPORAL QUANTUM REFLECTOMETER
5V 100mA DC DO NOT DEGAUSS
SEE MANUAL FOR CALIBRATION INSTRUCTIONS
He tapped the glass again. There were two spindles.
He remembered, now, that there had been ghost spindles while navigating the reefs. At the time he had just chalked them up to his fatigue. Perhaps the other instruments could provide disambiguating information...
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