Honorverse ramblings and musings

cthia wrote:One question comes to mind and that is... from whence did they scare that extra suit up that Honor used?

Initially, I was thinking that one could just borrow a suit from someone of ~ equal size in a pinch. But after thinking about it more slowly... Ewww! These suits would be as personal as toothbrushes.

And of course, there would be gender specific suits because of the different plumbing. I wouldn't think there are many women as tall as Honor available.

What extra suit and when?

Height is an issue, yes. Correct number of limbs is another - both were reasons they couldn't find her a suit for the battle of Cerberus.

They didn't have any spares for Honor at Adler and she flat-out refused to get into a rescue slip - basically a giant balloon. Can't think of any other times she needed a suit and didn't have hers.

IIRC, warships have facilities for minor adjustments and repairs to skinsuits, but they leave full suit fabrication and fitting to bases.

munroburton wrote:

cthia wrote:One question comes to mind and that is... from whence did they scare that extra suit up that Honor used?

Initially, I was thinking that one could just borrow a suit from someone of ~ equal size in a pinch. But after thinking about it more slowly... Ewww! These suits would be as personal as toothbrushes.

And of course, there would be gender specific suits because of the different plumbing. I wouldn't think there are many women as tall as Honor available.

What extra suit and when?

Height is an issue, yes. Correct number of limbs is another - both were reasons they couldn't find her a suit for the battle of Cerberus.

They didn't have any spares for Honor at Adler and she flat-out refused to get into a rescue slip - basically a giant balloon. Can't think of any other times she needed a suit and didn't have hers.

IIRC, warships have facilities for minor adjustments and repairs to skinsuits, but they leave full suit fabrication and fitting to bases.

Do forgive me. It's been so long since I've read some of the books and many only once. I knew s'thing was a little fishy (npi). Which is why I questioned where she'd acquired it from - which also strengthens the notion that there probably are no spares; if the CO doesn't even have one.

cthia wrote:One question comes to mind and that is... from whence did they scare that extra suit up that Honor used?

Initially, I was thinking that one could just borrow a suit from someone of ~ equal size in a pinch. But after thinking about it more slowly... Ewww! These suits would be as personal as toothbrushes.

And of course, there would be gender specific suits because of the different plumbing. I wouldn't think there are many women as tall as Honor available.

I think it would make perfect sense, efficient and even practical, to design the suits where the plumbing parts are interchangeable and gender neutral. Unisex. That way, one could acquire a suitable size suit and switch out the plumbing.

cthia wrote:I think it would make perfect sense, efficient and even practical, to design the suits where the plumbing parts are interchangeable and gender neutral. Unisex. That way, one could acquire a suitable size suit and switch out the plumbing.

I get the impression they're essentially one-piece suits with a detachable helmet and maybe gloves/boots. Much easier to keep them vacuum tight that way. Possibly 3d printed, based on 3d scans of the wearer.

They were only able to find suits fitting about half of the "Elysian Space Navy" spacers from all the suits they captured along with the ships. And the ENS were running with reduced crews.

These suits are meant to be used for many long hours or even days. Off-the-rack simply isn't adequate - the fit should be as close to perfect as possible.

munroburton wrote:

cthia wrote:I think it would make perfect sense, efficient and even practical, to design the suits where the plumbing parts are interchangeable and gender neutral. Unisex. That way, one could acquire a suitable size suit and switch out the plumbing.

I get the impression they're essentially one-piece suits with a detachable helmet and maybe gloves/boots. Much easier to keep them vacuum tight that way. Possibly 3d printed, based on 3d scans of the wearer.

They were only able to find suits fitting about half of the "Elysian Space Navy" spacers from all the suits they captured along with the ships. And the ENS were running with reduced crews.

These suits are meant to be used for many long hours or even days. Off-the-rack simply isn't adequate - the fit should be as close to perfect as possible.

You are absolutely correct. I was experiencing a moment of delirium.

I should know better. I'm certified to wear a SCBA. I used to be part of an Early Response Team (ERT). And we are all fit tested to exacting tolerances. Even a several day growth of beard can prevent proper fitting of the respirator faceplates. Which could mean sudden death.

Doh!

Probably wouldn't want your plumbing to fit half-assed either!

Good call!

cthia wrote:Do forgive me. It's been so long since I've read some of the books and many only once. I knew s'thing was a little fishy (npi). Which is why I questioned where she'd acquired it from - which also strengthens the notion that there probably are no spares; if the CO doesn't even have one.

She didn't take a suit with her to Prince Adrian (which was a regs violation) because it was supposed to be a short uneventful trip and carrying a suit is a hassle.

In Enemy Hands wrote:Unfortunately, Prince Adrian's equipment list didn't include any of them. Rescue suits were provided for those cases in which people were temporarily separated from their personal equipment, but the Navy assumed naval personnel normally would keep their issue skinsuits to hand. Under the letter of the regs, Honor and her people should have brought their suits with them, however inconvenient the extra baggage would have been, since they'd intended to be aboard Prince Adrian for over twelve hours, but that regulation was routinely ignored. And so it was that of her entire party, only Nimitz, whose special skinsuit fitted neatly into a custom-designed carryall, was properly equipped for a warship at battle stations.

But that doesn't really inform us about how many skinsuits she might have in the closet back on her flagship; it'd be an equal hassle to lug along whether it was her only suit or one of a set.

Jonathan_S wrote:
But that doesn't really inform us about how many skinsuits she might have in the closet back on her flagship; it'd be an equal hassle to lug along whether it was her only suit or one of a set.

Indeed it doesn't. I would be more likely to think that she and most others aboard ship, especially large ships would have access to 2, one stowed in or near their berthing / mess / living area and the other stowed in or near their Battle Station otherwise you would constantly have to carry the thing with you nearly everywhere you went.

I would logically assume that the Captain and Flag Officer (if any) would be berthed very near their Bridge or Flag Bridge (right across or down the passageway) and so have easy access, especially if they have a mess steward to assist but for Missile Tech Smith, that berthing area and his GQ station might well be at opposite ends of a 500 or 1,000 meter long starship.

Run to one end and up or down 5 or 12 decks to grab the suit and then run back the other way after donning the thing doesn't strike me as efficient especially when you have nearly 1,000 other people doing exactly the same thing when the GQ alarm sounds.

There may also be the issue of a crew member standing normal underway watches at one station but have his battle station at a different location entirely.

My own experience was stand underway watches in the ship's Intel Center just aft of the CIC or on the Bridge in the superstructure but my GQ station was in Damage Control Central down in the bowels of the ship. If this were an RMN starship, where would I stow my suit? I couldn't leave my underway station until relieved by the guy who takes that position at GQ, then I had to haul ass to DC Central. Or I'm off watch in my bunk and someone is thoughtless enough to sound GQ and I have to get dressed and haul ass to DC Central.

Or does it just suck to be me?

robert132 wrote:
Indeed it doesn't. I would be more likely to think that she and most others aboard ship, especially large ships would have access to 2, one stowed in or near their berthing / mess / living area and the other stowed in or near their Battle Station otherwise you would constantly have to carry the thing with you nearly everywhere you went.

I would logically assume that the Captain and Flag Officer (if any) would be berthed very near their Bridge or Flag Bridge (right across or down the passageway) and so have easy access, especially if they have a mess steward to assist but for Missile Tech Smith, that berthing area and his GQ station might well be at opposite ends of a 500 or 1,000 meter long starship.

Run to one end and up or down 5 or 12 decks to grab the suit and then run back the other way after donning the thing doesn't strike me as efficient especially when you have nearly 1,000 other people doing exactly the same thing when the GQ alarm sounds.

There may also be the issue of a crew member standing normal underway watches at one station but have his battle station at a different location entirely.

My own experience was stand underway watches in the ship's Intel Center just aft of the CIC or on the Bridge in the superstructure but my GQ station was in Damage Control Central down in the bowels of the ship. If this were an RMN starship, where would I stow my suit? I couldn't leave my underway station until relieved by the guy who takes that position at GQ, then I had to haul ass to DC Central. Or I'm off watch in my bunk and someone is thoughtless enough to sound GQ and I have to get dressed and haul ass to DC Central.

Or does it just suck to be me?

most text covers officers off duty, or shows steward bringing suit to bridge for the captain, but yours is a reasonable theory.

Dauntless wrote:

robert132 wrote:
Indeed it doesn't. I would be more likely to think that she and most others aboard ship, especially large ships would have access to 2, one stowed in or near their berthing / mess / living area and the other stowed in or near their Battle Station otherwise you would constantly have to carry the thing with you nearly everywhere you went.

I would logically assume that the Captain and Flag Officer (if any) would be berthed very near their Bridge or Flag Bridge (right across or down the passageway) and so have easy access, especially if they have a mess steward to assist but for Missile Tech Smith, that berthing area and his GQ station might well be at opposite ends of a 500 or 1,000 meter long starship.

Run to one end and up or down 5 or 12 decks to grab the suit and then run back the other way after donning the thing doesn't strike me as efficient especially when you have nearly 1,000 other people doing exactly the same thing when the GQ alarm sounds.

There may also be the issue of a crew member standing normal underway watches at one station but have his battle station at a different location entirely.

My own experience was stand underway watches in the ship's Intel Center just aft of the CIC or on the Bridge in the superstructure but my GQ station was in Damage Control Central down in the bowels of the ship. If this were an RMN starship, where would I stow my suit? I couldn't leave my underway station until relieved by the guy who takes that position at GQ, then I had to haul ass to DC Central. Or I'm off watch in my bunk and someone is thoughtless enough to sound GQ and I have to get dressed and haul ass to DC Central.

Or does it just suck to be me?

most text covers officers off duty, or shows steward bringing suit to bridge for the captain, but yours is a reasonable theory.

It's just one of those things I have to ask about. Normally aboard ship, merchant or warship you have at least 2 and probably 3 people who stand the normal underway watch at a certain station (i.e. Helm) rotating through during the 24 hour duty day, usually every 4 hours in the USN.

When GQ sounds those extra watchstanders HAVE to go somewhere and you don't need 3 helmsmen on the Bridge. Usually THEY (or at least one of them) might go to THE OTHER END of the ship to man the emergency steering station in the (you guessed it) the Steering Engine Room, under hatches and locked in.

Or like me, 1 of 3 qualified watch section supervisors in the Intel Center, so of course I end up in DC Central since I was interested enough and dumb enough to qualify as station supervisor and the 3rd dude ended up on the Bridge manning a sound-powered phone talking to the lookouts.

Join the Navy (or RMN or Starfleet) and wind up learning a whole bunch more than you bargained for.

Going to GQ stations on a ship does take time but there's different times for different sized ships. When I was in the USN the ship I served on had a standard of 15 minutes but we regularly took 12 minutes and if we were really motivated 10 minutes and couple of times less than 8-9 minutes. During Desert Shield/Storm I kept a pair of coveralls at my GQ station and the DC repair locker had 20 coveralls and rubber boots for just in case. IIRC at least twice I had to go to GQ wearing nothing but a bath towel. And yes my birthing compartment was at the opposite end of the ship from my GQ station. IIRC the CG DD FF/G had 15 minute and the BB and CV/N had 20 minutes to get to GQ.