Bug Hunt - Part 11

"Only two hundred more meters, Lieutenant–straight up!" Jensen said. "The hatch up ahead will take us to the turbo lift doors to deck one. Mission Ops will be on the other side."

"Copy that," Aaen said. Floating around like a balloon in different directions was getting old, and he still wasn't convinced that the intruder couldn't or wouldn't still be trying to follow either half of the away team–particularly in a low or zero-g area; even more so if the intruder didn't have to worry about whether or not gravity was functional to maintain pursuit. There's still that funny gut feeling, Aaen thought. He wasn't laughing, and the feeling was getting stronger. Fast.

"Away team, report," Jensen said. 

". . . We're on deck ten, section gamma. The lights are still off. Gravity's questionable." said Communications. 

Sounds like the intruder's not chasing them. Aaen reasoned. Which means it's either after us . . . Or something else. But. . .what? 

"Standby," Jensen said. 

The turbo lift doors were still closed. Aaen guessed they were sealed as part of emergency procedures in the event of an attack, and on suspicion that there is an intruder on board. Makes sense. If an intruder were to reach Mission Ops, there's no telling what they would be able to do. Good thing we got here, first . . . Or did we? "I don't hear any talking," Aaen said. 

"There's more atmosphere in your suit than there is in the turbo shaft. We can open the doors safely. Help me."

Aaen released his rifle–it quickly drifted around his shoulder. Aaen took hold of one of the doors and grabbed a bulkhead in the shaft for leverage, and then started to pull. He gasped, "They're sealed." 

"Pull harder. If Starbase One lost power that quickly during the attack, the emergency locks probably wouldn't have had enough time to engage. Pull!" 

Aaen pulled twice as hard. He could feel increasingly sharp, tense pressure in his shoulders and forearms as he started to lose feeling in his fingers. "They're . . . starting . . . to . . . budge!" He gritted his teeth. His head was starting to shake involuntarily. He could feel a pressure building up in his face. 

"Just a little . . . more!" Jensen said. 

The doors started to part. Multiple sharp, directed lights seared the forming inch-wide crevice between the doors. There was no other light coming from the other side–not even red alert. 

"At ease, Lieutenant," Jensen said. 

"IDENTIFY YOURSELF!" a voice yelled. 

Must be the starbase chief of security. There must be at least four or five rifles pointed at the door crevice. Aaen guessed. 

"Lieutenant Commander Jensen, and Lieutenant Aaen, from Odyssey." 

The doors opened a little more, just enough for them to get through. They took their helmets off and then held them under their arms. Mission Ops did not look like what he thought it would. A few wall terminals were flickering sharply, and sporadically. The only lights were small white lanterns placed strategically near what Aaen assumed were critical areas. Fleet Admiral Williamson stood in the center of the bridge, surrounded by twenty-five other officers. Aaen was tied for lowest in rank. Looking to his right, the main viewscreen was barely visible in the soft white lanterns, mounted on the wall two feet higher and at a lower angle than any starship bridge configuration. The screen was black. 

"Jensen. Report." Fleet Admiral Williamson said. 

"Confirming Starbase One is down. There's no power on any other part of the station as far as I could tell. Not even artificial gravity."

"Is there an intruder?" 

"Yes, sir. It attacked the away team on our way up. The Odyssey's Sensors and Communications officers are on deck ten, section gamma. They need a walk through to engineering." 

"We've established partial audio-only communication with engineering." said another Lieutenant with a blue uniform. "A few minutes ago, they reported being unable to restore main power. They're trying to get emergency power to Mission Ops, and to sensors, internal and external communications, internal and external sensors, and launch protocols."

"Has there been any word on the other ships?" Aaen asked. 

"Not yet." 

"Wait!" another officer near the back of Mission Ops said. The officer wore a yellow uniform. "There's some power coming to Mission Ops." 

"Route the power to internal and external communications, and internal and external sensors."  Fleet Admiral Williamson said. 

"Yes, sir." 

Five seconds later. . .three more consoles started functioning, security, communications, and sensors. 

"Start scanning for the intruder."  Fleet Admiral Williamson said. 

"Eye." replied the Chief of Security. "—Sensor readings aren't conclusive. I'm reading multiple different energy signatures on decks seven, nine, eleven, and thirteen." 

Strategic. Aaen thought, referring to the intruder. 

"I gathered some scanner data on the intruder." Jensen attached his scanner to the security computer station and then inputted commands initiating a data transfer to the computer station. "Maybe this'll help the main computer to discern the intruder." 

"That helped! Can't discern what kind of life form it is, but it's on deck eleven . . . Correction!–Deck thirteen!" 

"I have patched the other half of the Odyssey's away team to the main speakers, Admiral!" 

"Very good!"

"Away team! Respond!" the Captain yelled. 

"This is Fleet Admiral Williamson, Captain." 

"Sir!" the Captain acknowledged. 

"What is the status of your ship and all on board?" 

"We're alive and well. We're tracking the intruder on our sensors. Have you detected it, sir?" 

"We have. It's on Starbase, deck thirteen." 

"That's what our sensors say." 

"That's where we are!" said Odyssey's Communications officer. 

"Engineering is on the bottom of the Starbase. Keep going down, and you'll arrive there shortly. You'll be safer there. Get there as quickly as you can." 

"Admiral, the intruder isn't leaving deck thirteen." said the Chief of Security. 

"There's nothing important on that deck. Why is it not leaving?" 

"Unless it doesn't need to," Aaen said. 

"Explain, Lieutenant." 

"The intruder has demonstrated that it can move from deck to deck in seconds. There's only one kind of life form that can travel that quickly and with such agility." 

"You think you know what kind of life form the intruder is?" Jensen asked. 

"Yes. I think we're dealing with a shapeshifter." 

Multiple dismissive gasps echoed through the room. 

"Think about it. How else could the intruder have traversed starbase as quickly as it did, bypassing security protocols and lockouts. . . What other kind of life form could do that?" 

"But why would a shapeshifter only attack Starbase One? Why not go straight after Earth?" asked a science officer near the back of the room. 

"Maybe it will. Maybe it's trying to carry out some kind of a plan to do just that. But it might need something that it doesn't yet have, but thinks it can find here." Aaen replied.

The room went silent for several seconds. 

"Deploy security teams to every access point on decks fourteen and twelve. Their orders are to intercept the intruder, and then either arrest it or force it back to its ship. Sensors, start scanning for other ships in the area."  Fleet Admiral Williamson said. "Lieutenant Commander Jensen, you and Lieutenant Aaen get down to deck thirteen. Odyssey Captain, establish a transporter lock on your away team and stand by to beam them back to your ship." 

"Yes, sir." the Captain replied. 

"Maintain an active comm-link. Let's get some answers,"  Fleet Admiral Williamson said. "Away team: move out." 

Jensen and Aaen replaced their helmets and then retrieved their firearms before returning to the turbo shaft, and then took a route that led them straight to deck thirteen. 

"Why would anyone try to attack Earth?" Jensen asked. 

"No idea. But I think there's a lot more going on right now than just what's happening on this Starbase." Aaen said. 

"Deck Thirteen is this way. Follow me." they were moving at nearly fifty meters per second. "We'll be there in less than five minutes at this speed."

Four minutes and thirty seconds later . . . Aaen raised his rifle at the destination doors. They were already partially open by a few inches. One of the doors was crooked and bent inward. 

Aaen took a deep breath. Here we go.

*****

Steve H. told Jordan Foutin, "You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."

DANIEL STORM, a Jordan Foutin eBook, is available for $8.99 at any of these fine online retailers: 

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Bug Hunt - Part 10

"Away team, respond!" Jensen said.

Heavy, panic-ridden breathing filled the intercom. "We're okay. . . .for now, I think." said Sensors.

"Are either of you injured?" Aaen asked.

"No . . . I mean, negative. We managed to get to a maintenance tube and close and lock the hatch . . . . I can hear something scratching against the metal."

Whatever it is, it's trying to get to them. Aaen reasoned, concerned. "Lieutenant Commander, how do we proceed?"

"Sensors and Communications put as much distance between you and the intruder as you can. It's unlikely to be a Borg drone. It's not like the Borg to have only one drone separated from one of their ships without a connection to the rest of the collective."

It's not entirely impossible that the collective may have figured out a way to adapt to such circumstances. Let's hope. . . . Aaen thought.

"It's getting louder!" Sensors said.

"Let's get outta here!" Communications said.

"We're moving!" Sensors said.

"Proceed to engineering. Lieutenant Aaen and I will proceed to mission ops." Jensen said.

"Okay!" Sensors replied.

"Do you two know the way to engineering?" Aaen asked.

"Um. . . no." Communications said.

"Me neither." Sensors said.

"We'll get to mission ops, and then walk you through it," Jensen said.

"Okay. That would be helpful."

"Just keep moving, and stay in contact with the rest of the away team, and Odyssey," Aaen said.

"Got it." Communications said.

"Aaen, whatever was chasing the rest of the away team is still going to be out there. Let's move. Follow me."

"Odyssey to away team: the sensor contact is approaching your twenty!" the First Officer said.

"It must have seen our helmet lights through the doors!" Aaen reasoned, pushing away from the doors.

THUD

A large, five-fingered hand–more like claws!–shot through the newly formed door crevice. Aaen was pinned to the far edge of the shaft.

"There's no gravity in here! Disengage your boot magnets! We'll use inertia to get to mission ops! HURRY!" Jensen said. Aaen quickly complied.

"It's getting through!" Aaen yelled, raising his rifle to his waist, and fired two shots as he drifted upward at approximately three feet per second. Each shot found its target almost immediately–they just rippled off!

"Report!" the Captain said.

"Shots fired, sir." Aaen took a deep breath before continuing. "No effect on standard rifle setting," Aaen said. "The intruder appears to have some kind of protective armor on its hands. Whatever the material, it absorbed both shots. The doors to this shaft on this deck are going to have to be replaced before the shaft can be used again." 

"What was it, Lieutenant?" the First Officer asked.

". . . .BIG. It appeared to be humanoid. Didn't get a good look at its face. There are large scratch marks on the antigravity lift doors. I don't think the intruder didn't get into the antigravity lift. Considering how fluidly it's able to traverse each deck, I can't rule out the possibility that's tracking and likely following at least one-half of the away team."

One thousand meters. Dead end. Right turn, Drifting horizontally. The helmet lights were at a low angle, whereas the rifle sights illuminated the way ahead for so far.

"If it's humanoid, how could it have traveled so quickly between decks?" Sensors asked.

"There are some very physically agile aliens that we know of, but none of them are capable of traversing between decks as quickly as this intruder has demonstrated thus far," Aaen said.

"You sound like you think you know what we're dealing with, Lieutenant," Jensen said.

"Do you, Lieutenant?" the Captain asked.

"I'm not sure, yet, Captain. I'll be able to get a better idea of what we might be dealing with when we get to mission ops."

"Alright. Get there as fast as you can."

"Roger that."

"Just a few hundred more meters, Captain," Jensen said. 

Stop at the junction. Straight up for one thousand meters. Mission Ops should be close, Aaen thought. "Away team, standby for further instructions. As soon as we get to mission ops, we'll coordinate you're getting to engineering. You'll need to work with the engineering staff to restore power so we can more effectively track the intruder, and deal with it." 

"Agreed," Jensen said. 

"What do you mean by. . . . 'deal with it', Aaen?" Communications asked. 

Aaen reinforced his grip on his rifle, keeping it at least pressed against his shoulder–finger on the trigger. "We're gonna work with Starbase security to force the intruder back to its ship. Something tells me this is gonna be a long day." 

"I was afraid you were gonna say that." Communications said. 

*****

Steve H. told Jordan Foutin, "You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."

DANIEL STORM, a Jordan Foutin eBook, is available for $8.99 at any of these fine online retailers: 

smashwords.com (Remember to like and share!)

apple iBooks (This link is best viewed on iPhone or iPad)

barnesandnoble.com 

scribd.com 

kobo.com

blio.com

Make sure to buy your copy today, and like and share!

Make sure to like the official StormTeam Simulations Facebook page for the latest, including when DANIEL STORM will be available on Amazon.com for Kindle eBook and softcover! Coming soon!

Bug Hunt - Part Nine

"Clear," Aaen said determinedly.

"Away team: two-by-two box formation. Aaen and Sensors, you two take the lead. Communications and I will bring up the rear." Jensen took position ten feet behind Aaen.

Too reserved. Aaen decided.

"Lieutenant Commander, is that energy reading still showing up on your scanner?"

"Affirmative. However, scanner readings are becoming increasingly distorted."

"Distorted? Whadayou mean by that?" said Communications.

"Still think we're dealing with the Borg?" Sensors asked. The question's intended recipient was obvious.

Communications looked at Sensors. "Maybe!"

"Relax!" Jensen said. "My scanner's being interfered with, somehow. Odyssey, are you picking anything up?"

"Roger that, away team." the First Officer said. "There's definitely one or more contacts on sensors near where you're at, but we're not getting a complete reading. The reading's starting to fade in and out."

"The reading's fading?" Sensors said.

"Affirmative." the First Officer replied.

"Can you give us an—" Jensen said.

"Did you hear that?" Aaen asked, looking up.

"Yeah! I heard it, too!" Jensen said.

"—WHAT WAS THAT?" Sensors said.

"They're coming!" Communications said.

"Sounded like a bulkhead collapsed," Aaen said.

"It would take a lot of force to collapse one of these bulkheads, Aaen," Jensen said.

"I know. I paid attention in the first year."

"Away team: report!" said the Captain.

"Just heard a noise, sir. A freaking loud one, at that!" Aaen replied.

"Lieutenant Commander Jensen?" the Captain asked.

"Something's definitely not right, Captain."

"The Starbase's crew are most likely in designated shelter areas. Let's get to a panel. Maybe the scanner can interface with the main computer so we can figure out what the heck is going on. I have a gut feeling getting to either mission ops, or engineering isn't going to be a simple walk in the park in space suits. I'd be willing to get that the designated shelter areas have been turned into defense perimeters." Aaen said.

"You're sure there aren't Borg on the Starbase, Aaen?" said Communications.

"If there are, there sure aren't many of them. . .yet."

"That's reassuring." Communications said sarcastically. Aaen grinned, briefly. No. I don't think we're not dealing with the Borg. . . . I think we're dealing with is a—

"I heard it again!" Aaen said. "It was much louder, this time."

"Me, too!" Jensen said.

"So did I!" said Sensors.

"Odyssey?" Aaen asked.

"The reading is getting closer to you, away team. Proceed with caution!" said the Captain.

"How close is 'closer'?" Aaen asked.

"The last reading was within twenty meters of your position, away team!"

TWENTY METERS! Aaen's focus was briefly disturbed. He reinforced his grip on his rifle, inching his trigger finger into the trigger pool.

"Stay calm. We're closer to mission ops. Let's get there as quickly as possible." Jensen said.

"Lieutenant Commander, what are the odds that our communications with Odyssey are being monitored?" Aaen asked.

"Good question. I dunno."

"Aaen to Odyssey, request permission to terminate comm-link temporarily."

"Are you nuts?" the Captain asked.

"If the comm-line is being monitored by the source of the energy reading, then—" Aaen said.

"—LOOK!" said Sensors, hip-firing one shot down the corridor. Aaen snapped, trained his rifle on the far left corner of the corridor.

"WHAT?" Jensen said, snapping forward.

"Did you see that?" Aaen asked.

"What?" the Captain asked.

"Lieutenant Commander, did you see that just now?" Aaen asked.

"I saw it, too!" said Sensors.

"What did you see?" Jensen asked. Aaen assumed Jensen was talking to him as the next most senior officer on the away team, so he quickly responded.

"Whatever that was, it's not human."

"Borg?" the First Officer asked.

"I only got a glimpse of the contact's shadow. It might have been." Aaen replied.

"It looked like some kind of alien, but I didn't recognize it. It was wearing all-dark clothing."

"Yeah, that rules out Borg," Aaen said, somewhat sarcastically.

"Odyssey, do we continue?" Aaen asked.

"Yes. Proceed, away team."

"There's that sound again!" said Sensors.

"Yeah. If that thing's the cause of the sound, then what the heck is it doing?" Aaen asked.

"Why don't you go and ask it?" said Communications.

"We're not splitting up. Continue down the corridor. The end of the corridor is only another twenty meters or so. We're almost there." said Jensen.

I'm not worried. Aaen thought.

"Odyssey to away team, the energy reading is now within ten meters of your location!" said the First Officer.

"We're being stalked!" said Sensors.

"Lieutenant Commander, we're about ten meters from the end of the corridor." The away team slowed to a crawling pace. Weapon light sights glared against the way ahead. "What's the fastest way to get to mission ops from this junction?" Aaen asked, his sternum felt like it was getting heavier. Keep it together. Aaen thought.

"More ladder climbing. We need to take a right and then breach into a turboshaft. The turboshaft will offer a more direct route. We should get to mission ops in about ten minutes if we maintain a steady pace."

"Whadoyou mean by, 'steady pace'," said Communications.

"Since artificial gravity's offline, we could just float through the turbo shaft. We could be at mission ops in five minutes or less."

"Let's hope artificial gravity stays offline for a little while longer," Aaen said.

"Agreed," Jensen said.

"Wait. If artificial gravity's offline, then how would the designated shelter areas be able to form a defense perimeter?" Sensors asked.

"There are enough spacesuits on board for the entire crew. Non-essential personnel—such as the crew's families—would have been evacuated by escape pods and shuttles in the event of an emergency." Aaen replied.

"What if they couldn't evacuate in time?" said Communications.

"Then they're locked down in crew quarters," Aaen said, quickly peeking around the corner to the right. Aaen gasped before speaking again. "Good part is: I'm not seeing any drones on the right. Sensors?"

"Um. . . .no. Not seeing anything down the left corridor."

No drones. Good. Aaen thought.

"Everyone stay focused. Something doesn't feel right." Aaen said.

"Whadoyou mean?" Jensen said.

"This was way too easy," Aaen said.

"You're not afraid of the dark, are you, Aaen?" Sensors said.

"Afraid—of the dark? You're kidding?"

"There was a little hesitation in your voice."

"Not hesitation. . . . What you heard, was excitement."

"Excited for what?" Jensen asked.

"DID YOU SEE THAT?" Communications said.

"I saw it!" Sensors said.

"What?" Aaen asked, snapping.

"Down there! Down the corridor!" Communications said.

"Borg?" Jensen asked.

"I don't know! My helmet lights only made it barely visible at this distance!"

"Keep your rifle in front of you! Just in case!" Aaen said.

"It looked like it was a biped!" Sensors said.

"It?" Aaen said.

"Like I said: I didn't get a good look at it! It practically flew across the end of the corridor."

"There's that sound again!" said Communications.

"Aaen help me get this door open, now!" Jensen said.

"Yes, sir!" Aaen said, tossing his rifle over his shoulder. The shoulder stock rested against his right hip. The two started inching the twin doors apart. Three inches in two minutes. Not good enough, Aaen thought, six inches at least. C'mon! C'mon! His fingers gradually hurt, and then he started to lose feeling in the first four digits on both hands. Three more inches! Aaen thought, clenching his jaws.

"Sensors, you see that?" Communications asked.

One–more–inch! Aaen thought, pressing against the bottom of the other door with his left foot.

"I see it, too!"

C'MON! . . . . "Finally!" Aaen said, retrieving his rifle, stepping left, training it down the corridor.

"What-in-the-world?" Aaen asked, rhetorically, with lowered eyebrows. A shadowy figure–barely visible–started down the corridor. "Crewman?"

"Whatever it is, it's still coming!" Communications said.

"STOP!" Aaen ordered.

"Wha?. . . ." Sensors asked. "Where'd it go?"

"Away team, get into the turboshaft. Now." Jensen said. "Lieutenant, you're first."

Really? Aaen silently asked disappointingly. He carefully approached the turbo shaft doors, raising his rifle, panning the corners, and then high and low. Clear, so far. Aaen started through the doors.

"HELP!" Communications screamed.

"Jensen!" Sensors said.

"Fire!" Jensen yelled.

Aaen felt weightless, turned around to face the corridor. Particle fire filled the corridor.

"It's in the wall!" Jensen said.

No clean shot. Aaen silently admitted. "Watch your fire! Watch your fire!"

"It's gone!" Sensors said. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"C'mon, get away from that wall."

"Everyone, hurry!" Aaen said.

"It's over there!" Sensors said.

"Get into the turboshaft!" Jensen said.

Aaen watched, wide-eyed, as something tossed across the corridor hitting Communications and Sensors. WOOAHH! Jensen, get outta the way! I've got no shot! MOVE!

Jensen's compression rifle was seemingly knocked out of his hands, boomeranged against a bulkhead adjacent to the turbo shaft. Jensen suddenly tumbled backward toward the turbo shaft. He reached toward the turbo shaft doors. His faceplate deeply scratched, cracked in two places. Aaen pulled him inside.

"Close the doors!" Jensen ordered.

"Wha—?"

"Now, Lieutenant!"

"Away team, what's going on?" the Captain asked. Particle fire continued, echoing through the comm-line. "Report! Now!"

Jensen held on to the emergency escape ladder on the side of the turboshaft.

They're pinned down over there! Aaen took quick aim at the shadowy figure and started firing. A spherical bolt of concentrated particle energy shot from his rifle. "Odyssey, I'm giving Sensors and Communications cover so they can fall back. They're pinned down by the intruder!"

"C'mon!" Sensors said to Communications. "Look out! We need to fall back!"

"Lieutenant, close those doors! Now!" Jensen said. Aaen lowered his rifle. The shadow overlapped the rest of the away team. Aaen complied. The doors caved in

"Did you hit the intruder?" the First Officer asked.

"Unknown, sir."

"Sensors and Communications, report!" said the Captain.

"Trying to get to a. . . ." rifle fire continued to echo, "a nearby Jeffries tube. Keep shooting!"

Communications broke down, "It's getting closer! HEEEELP!"

"What is it?" the Captain asked.

"Close the hatch! Close the hatch!" Communications cried. More particle fire shot down the corridor; sparks shot from the impacts from nearby bulkhead panels.

The turboshaft doors screamed and groaned from sudden pressure.

"Captain!–Something just smashed the turbo lift doors. They're domed inward."

"What?" the First Officer asked.

"Away team, sound off!" Jensen said.

*****

Steve H. told Jordan Foutin, "You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."

DANIEL STORM, a Jordan Foutin eBook, is available for $8.99 at any of these fine online retailers: 

smashwords.com (Remember to like and share!)

apple iBooks (This link is best viewed on iPhone or iPad)

barnesandnoble.com 

scribd.com 

kobo.com

blio.com

Make sure to buy your copy today, and like and share!

Make sure to like the official StormTeam Simulations Facebook page for the latest, including when DANIEL STORM will be available on Amazon.com for Kindle eBook and softcover! Coming soon!

Bug Hunt - Part Eight

The climb to the next upper deck took about sixty seconds, Aaen guessed. Aaen stepped off first and then helped the other Odyssey crew members up before Jensen brought up the rear. Aaen sharply panned both ends of the corridor with his sidearm, as far as his suit's helmet lights would reveal.

"Looks like power's out, here, too," Aaen said.

"Scanner readings show negligible power readings within scanning range," Jensen said. "The weapon locker is ahead about twenty meters. Let's move."

A one-minute walk later, the away team arrived at twin doors whose coloration was different than crew quarters or those to mission-critical rooms or areas.

"The doors aren't opening when you walk in front of them. Something must be wrong with the doors." said Sensors to Aaen.

"Part of the base-wide power failure, Ensign. Lieutenant Commander, these doors don't have a backup power supply in case of emergencies like this, do they?" Aaen asked, already knowing the answer.

"Negative, Lieutenant."

"Are we gonna have to cut through these doors, too?" Communications asked.

"No. That'll take too much time," Aaen said. "I have another idea."

"Lieutenant?" Jensen snapped.

"Sensors, stand back." Aaen took three steps back. The away team followed suit.

"Lieutenant, what are you doing?" the Captain asked.

"These doors are reinforced—they're designed to prevent anyone who shouldn't be getting in from getting in. They're resistant to sidearm fire. Explosive charges would probably only dent them."

"So how are we going to get in?" said Communications.

"Simple," Aaen replied, training his sidearm on the door controls. He fired. A thinner, slightly wider beam of bright yellow lightning struck the target with near-expert precision. Sparks flew for several feet—the away team raised their arms instinctively.

"They're still closed!" said Sensors.

"By disabling the door controls, we can open the doors manually by hot-wiring the door control circuits."

"Do you know how much electrical power you're talking about, Lieutenant?" Jensen said.

Aaen looked at Jensen. "Yeah. Anyone have any better ideas?" The away team was silent.

"Lieutenant Commander, is the energy reading you were detecting earlier still on your tricorder?" Aaen said.

"I haven't checked since we got on this deck. Our priority right now is getting more heavily armed. We can worry about tricorder readings later."

Aaen gasped, briefly. "Understood, sir. We just need to pull these doors apart enough to get through."

"Away team, form up," Jensen said. The doors came open in thirty seconds—at least, enough for a person to barely fit through.

"Let's never do that again." Sensors said.

"Woah!" said Aaen, turning around to pan his helmet lights around the room.

"Never been inside a weapon locker before, Lieutenant?" Jensen asked.

"Only simulated ones. No functional weapons on the recreation deck, at least not in the programs used during Highlight."

"Roger that. Away team, pick up a sidearm from the lockers, and a compression rifle from one of the wall mounts. Activate the sidearm and rifle—set your sidearm and rifle to stun."

The away team complied.

Nice! Aaen thought, tucking his rifle into his right shoulder, pulling the weapon's action just behind and below the weapon's triangular LED sight. The weapon briefly hissed as the power output meter gradually showed two rows of green. This thing'll put a full-grown targ flat on its back wondering which way's up. Aaen raised the rifle's sights, pointing the weapon at an angle at the metal floor. He admired the weapon's reasonable weight—just under ten pounds, Aaen estimated—and how the lights illuminated the fine scope sights, two wire-thin lines intersecting in the center of the four-inch scope. The lines were bright enough to aim effectively, and the lights nearly doubled visibility. Jensen walked to the front of the room.

"Away team, form up on me." He held his tricorder in front of him, panning right and left twice, then right again. "The life form reading hasn't changed position since we got into Starbase. Our priority is to get to the bridge, and main engineering. We can split up into two groups, or—"

"—Away team, stay together." said the Captain.

"Understood, sir," Jensen said.

"I recommend we make the bridge our first priority," Aaen said.

Jensen looked at Aaen before responding. "Agreed."

"I recommend we maintain the same formation, sir."

Jensen stepped out of the way. Aaen raised his rifle as he proceeded through the gap in the doorway.

Here we go. Aaen thought.

*****

Steve H. told Jordan Foutin, "You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."

DANIEL STORM, a Jordan Foutin eBook, is available for $8.99 at any of these fine online retailers: 

smashwords.com (Remember to like and share!)

apple iBooks (This link is best viewed on iPhone or iPad)

barnesandnoble.com 

scribd.com 

kobo.com

blio.com

Make sure to buy your copy today, and like and share!

Make sure to like the official StormTeam Simulations Facebook page for the latest, including when DANIEL STORM will be available on Amazon.com for Kindle eBook and softcover! Coming soon!