Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-04-16

The drone and piton technology developed
for mountain climbers also works nicely in micro-gravity. Though on spaceships, the use of self drilling pitons is highly frowned upon.

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-04-19

Mr. Thurmad,
I presume.

Indeed. I am ready to assist.

Our first step will be to remove this hull plate, so we can access the reactor compartment.

Florence, remember
that's a derelict ship.

You have
the option of destructive disassembly.

Thank you, Sam. While that would be faster, I prefer not to have a local Kessler event named after us.

Color by George Peterson

Kessler syndrome – so far, the hypothetical buildup of debris density in near-planetary orbit from collisions of orbital constellations with already accumulated debris, capable of completely interrupting orbital flights

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-04-21

All the bolts are removed. The hull panel should have opened.

No matter how high tech spaceships get, it's still handy to have a prybar around.

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-04-23

Removing the first shield block.

Something this pretty should not give me such a bad feeling in my stomach.

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-04-26

Radiation levels are good.
I'm going in to look around.

Do you remember how I was careful to get all the water out of the polywell reactor before we transferred it to the robots?

Yes.

Well, if you tap into my cameras, you'll see
a nice example of what happens when you don't take the water out of a system.

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-04-28

I'm at the reactor.
It doesn't look good.

Megaohm readings across the test points. The superconductors are damaged. The reactor casing is so distorted that I can see it with
the naked eye.

Is it salvageable?

Only in the sense that if we melt it down, we might have the raw materials for a new reactor.

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-04-30

This reactor is more broken than our broken reactor. Mr. Thurmad, will you please double check we're at the right ship?

Verified. You are
on the correct ship.

Understood. There's nothing for us here. Exiting the compartment.

This is inconvenient.
I was hoping to get a working reactor without going to
plan B.

Plan B?

The space station has multiple reactors. How long would it take before they notice one is missing?

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-05-03

No. Theft is wrong and the station reactors are too large to be used on your spaceship.

I'll concede on that last point. Hmm. We can't leave without two reactors. Florence, were we set up?

It was the chief of police who gave us the tip.

He has the debilitating flaw of never doing anything underhanded. That means someone on the station knew about it and lied.

Or they didn't know either. The ship had no power. We didn't know until we opened the reactor compartment.

Florence, we're in a bad situation. Don't make it worse by depriving me of someone to blame.

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-05-05

Can we get the polywell reactor back?

The robots did us a favor
by letting us use it during transport. The reactor was never ours.

We'd lose our reputation if we promised a delivery and went back on our word.

That's not good.

I'm glad you agree.

Guilt by association. I am being unfairly smeared with the repu­tation of being dependable.

Color by George Peterson

Out to get a reactor
[!0.987]2021-05-07

We were counting
on that reactor.

Yes. However, that reactor is unusable. We're going to have to find another way.

Another way. Hmmm.
Other ships must dock
at this station.

Who's up for
a hijacking?

Legal ways, Sam, legal ways.

Color by George Peterson