Ralph was an experienced engineer. His father had started his own work-n-repair shop for space cruisers and smaller vessels. By the time Ralph was born his father's company had grown to become very successful and well known.
It was a a running joke in his family, that he had learned how to replace a cruiser engine well before he even had learned how to walk. Ralph had a burning interest in cruiser engines and vessel design, and he always tried hard to impress his dad in everything he did. He had worked daily in his father's shop since he was five years old. His family had always assumed that he would of course some day take over the family business when his dad retired.
But when Ralph was in his mid-twenties he had decided that he wanted to make his own luck. His father didn't say a word the day Ralph told him he had decided to take a job offering working for UEG's own space division. He didn't have to say anything for Ralph to know that he was furious. His dad had always seen the U.E.G. as a rival.
Things hadn't been good between Ralph and his dad since that day. They hardly even spoke with eachother anymore, something his loving mother had a hard time tolerating. Never the less, Ralph was, as his dad very successful at his work, and only five years after having started working for the U.E.G. Ralph had his own team of engineers to supervise.
Despite Ralph's good reputation and success, these recent mishaps had him a bit nervous...
: He sighed. For now, he could do nothing but watch and hope that his crew was
: up to the task of mounting the last gigantic panel. He heard the sound of
: metal on metal and looked up. The arms carrying the panel had reached the
: gap in the sail where it was to be mounted, and the men were bringing it
: in to be clamped and bolted on to the rest of the sail assembly. This
: process, which involved inserting several hunderd heavy titanium bolts and
: fastening four large machanical clamps only took about thrity minutes when
: done by a well trained crew like Ralphs. But the speed made him nervous.
: "take your time!" He shouted into his radio. "I don;t want
: ANYTHING to go wronge this time, ok?"
: He frowned when none of his men groaned in the good natured manner of
: mechanics who were being paid by the hour. Edidently the snafu's had
: gotten to then as much as they had to him...
: The machine
