A Cry From The Dark - Part Five

The bridge cheered with raised fists as they enjoyed the view of the bright center of the solar system passing into the upper-left corner of the screen as a smaller dot appeared in the upper-right hand corner of the screen. The dot gradually became larger.

"I'm showing the Odyssey holding its course at our four o'clock. The convoy is maintaining its course at our six o'clock!" Aaen said. Aaen noticed his screen flashed four times. His smile disappeared, he quickly read the information on his screen, and then he turned to look over his left shoulder at the first officer. The first officer looked back at him. Aaen gestured for him to come to his station. Aaen pointed out the reading on his screen. The first officer's face soon lost expression.

"Oh, crap." he mumbled.

"What's wrong?" the captain asked, lowering his hands, panning between Aaen's screen and the first officer.

The first officer looked back at the captain with a worried look. "Bad just went to worse."

"Whaddo you mean?" the captain asked.

The first officer looked at Aaen. "Aaen?"

Aaen looked at the captain and breathed heavily as he said, "Sir, the USSC Yorktown's engines just stopped. They're adrift. According to sensors, they have taken a direct hit from a smaller rock to their port-side warp nacelle. Sensors didn't detect the rock. The rock was about the size of a type-two shuttle, moving at near-warp speed on a rogue trajectory. I'm detecting main power loss on the Yorktown. The Yorktown's escape pod bays are depressurizing."

They're abandoning ship. Their warp core must have been somehow irreparably damaged from the asteroid impact, Aaen reasoned, and knew the rest of the crew must have reasoned the same. They're probably losing antimatter containment. 

A subtle alarm echoed through the bridge. The printer activated, dispensing a document into the tray. The center communications officer picked up the document, quickly scanned it, and then rushed it to the captain with an alarmed look. "We just received this printed message from the Yorktown, sir."

"Captain! We are receiving an automated distress call from the Yorktown!" the captain rubbed the dripping sweat from his forehead. "The asteroid impact damaged their warp core. They can't stabilize the matter-antimatter reaction chamber. Their core is going to breach in three minutes. Their abandoning ship!"

The first officer looked at the left communications officer, "How big was the Yorktown?"

"They were going to take a hundred people, sir!"

The first officer dropped his head; his face indicated frustration.

"Sir, by my calculations, the convoy no longer has enough room to take the entire population—even with the Yorktown, we are in room deficit for over a thousand people!" said the left communications cadet.

The captain looked at the first officer, "What should we do?"

"I see only two options: one, we take only the people we have room for. . . or, we abandon the rescue eff—"

"Sir, there's another alternative!" Aaen blurted. The bridge focused on him like a spotlight.

The first officer looked at him wide-eyed, "What?"

"Sir, sensors show the Roterans near that rogue black hole. I'm detecting many D'Deridex class warbirds within sensor range of the black hole. Maybe they would be willing to lend us a few ships to take on the rest of the people."

"Are you—?"

"Sir, that planet won't withstand another pass through that debris field, and we don't have time to wait for backup or reinforcements from the rest of the fleet, which makes the Roterans a possible de-facto asset, as it were."

The Ambassador stood up then stepped forward to the edge of the command platform. "Captain, I agree with Aaen." she turned to face the captain. "Captain, with your permission, I can try talking to the Roterans. Maybe I can negotiate with them to the point of cooperating with us."

The captain sat down, his arms trembling. "Fine. Do it."

The Ambassador stepped down from the command platform and then rushed to the left communications officer. "Open a channel to the Roterans. Use a Roteran priority frequency. Hurry!"

The planet was the size of a baseball on the view screen. Their relative position to the solar system's sun and the planet was indicated on the tactical screen. Aaen looked the tactical screen. The debris field was mere minutes away, he estimated.

The left communication officer handed the Ambassador a small handset equipped with a speaker and microphone. She closed her eyes then took a deep breath before placing the speaker firmly against her left ear.

Five seconds later. . . "This is the Ambassador aboard the Federation starship USSC Voyager. We have contacted you to request your assistance with a matter of extreme urgency." she paused. "The third planet in the solar system is going to enter the debris field. Our fleet doesn't have enough ships to safely rescue the planet's population and then ferry them back to Federation space. We request you send a small fleet to assist in this rescue effort." . . . "Yes," she replied, covering the microphone as she turned to face the captain.

"Captain! The Roterans want to know what we will give them if they are willing to help us! What should I tell them?"

The first officer looked up at the captain—the captain he shrugged his shoulders. The first officer turned to the Ambassador. "Supplies."

She relayed the offer; she turned back.

"What kind of supplies?"

"Fuel, engineering equipment, food. . ."

Again she relayed the offer and then paused.

"They said they've got all of those things, and they don't want our food. They're threatening to hang up! What else do we have?"

The first officer looked at Aaen. He looked back with a straight face. "Ask them what they want."

"What do they want?"

She relayed the question, then dropped her head.

The Ambassador gasped, "Slaves."

"That's unacceptable!" the first officer snapped.

She relayed the response. She dropped her head, returning the handset. "They hung up."

"first officer!" Aaen said.

"What!"

Aaen gestured him to come to his station. He complied.

"I know this sounds outrageous considering who we're dealing with, but we can always try to negotiate for the safe return of the people the Roterans rescue after the rescue operation is finished. The Roterans may not want to negotiate, but they wouldn't have enough time to enslave them until after they've rescued them and only after the Roterans fleet is safely out of the solar system. Even after that, they are still days away from Romulus, which means we will have time to save the people they would rescue from captivity."

The first officer gasped.

"Sir. We are out of time."

"Call the Roterans back." the first officer said.

The Ambassador was handed the handset back, and the communication line was reestablished.

"This is the Ambassador of the USSC Voyager. We have reconsidered your offer in exchange for your assistance in helping us rescue the people on the third planet." Aaen noticed the Ambassador grin, and then the handset was replaced. "SIR!" she returned to her seat and looked at the captain. "The Roterans are sending five of their ships from their fleet assigned to study the black hole to help us rescue the people on the planet."

The bridge filled with gasps of stress relief. We might just get through this mission, Aaen thought.

"Helm, slow to one-quarter impulse. Use maneuvering thrusters to enter into a standard orbit." the first officer said.

"Yes, sir!"

"Captain! Detecting Roteran ships entering the area! Counting five, Doriden-class warbirds!" Aaen said.

"Yellow alert." the bridge lights changed color. "On screen!" the first officer said.

The main view screen showed images of show five green, aerodynamically-elongated ovals with seeming glaring glowing faces quickly filling the screen.

"The Roterans are moving into the area at high impulse! ETA: two minutes. Sensors show they're on course to take a position on the opposite side of the planet relative to our position."

"Heh! They don't want to be any closer to us as they have to." the first officer said with a subtle chuckle.

"The important thing is that everyone on the planet will be okay, now." the captain said.

"Sir!" Aaen said.

"What?" the first officer replied.

"Detecting the debris field! It's gonna be raining much larger and harder rocks than we initially anticipated in one minute, thirty seconds. I recommend we start transporting people aboard!" Aaen said.

"Right." said the first officer. "Long-range communications, send a message to Spacefleet Command. Tell them the Yorktown needs them to send a rescue—"

            BANG—BOOM

            The lights suddenly briefly flashed sharply and flickered as the deck plating rattled. The hulk rolled sharply to port for several seconds. The crew leaned in the opposite direction to stay upright.

"Report!" said the first officer.

"Direct hit to aft shields!" said the tactical officer.

"It's the brunt of the debris field!" Aaen said.

"I thought you said it was a minute and a half away!" said the first officer.

"The debris field is" BANG; the lights flickered sporadically, "three-times wider and longer than originally estimated and five times as dense!" Aaen said.

"That last rock was huge! I'm reading a twenty-two percent energy drain in the aft shields!" said tactical. "The rock shattered against the shields." One tough ship, Aaen thought. She is a galaxy class, after all. 

"And there are a lot more asteroids heading this way," Aaen turned to the first officer—"many of them are going to be a lot bigger, and much denser than that one was, according to new sensor data, sir."

The first officer looked at the communications stations. "Tell the convoy to break formation and start beaming up the people from the planet. Give the 'go-ahead' to the Odyssey to break formation and start relay-transporting the as much of the population to our convoy as possible."

The Cadet nodded.

"Sir!" said Aaen, pointing at the main view screen.

The captain, first officer, and Ambassador faced forward, they gazed at the image, watching as a dense, rocky mist soared at the convoy.

"RED ALERT!" the first officer said. "Tactical, standby particle cannons, arm photon torpedoes, load all launchers!" He looked right to the cadet at the end of the right wing row, "Transporter control: start beaming people from the planet up. Short-range communications: signal the Odyssey to engage and destroy asteroid targets at will!"

Aaen glanced to his left at the spiral staircase–the Fereni was walking up the staircase with the deputy following. The deputy had her sidearm trained on the Fereni. Aaen gave the Fereni an ugly look as the deputy followed the Fereni across the bridge to the far corner, and then down the far staircase. The deputy returned to her station five seconds later. She turned to the command platform. "Captain, the intruder is in the brig."

The captain nodded.

"Detecting three Roteran ships entering standard orbit of the planet. Detecting Roteran teleporters activating!" said the Cadet to Aaen's right.

"The debris field is getting closer! We're going to be surrounded by asteroids at least twice the size of Voyager, sir!" Aaen said.

"Tactical: your targets are the asteroids. Lock all weapons on targets—Fire-at-will!" the captain commanded. 

*****

Steve Hale of Portland, OR told Jordan Foutin, 

"You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."

Make sure to check out StormTeam's official website, Like and Follow the official StormTeam Simulations Facebook page, @StormteamS, and @JordanFoutin for the latest! 

Thank you for your support! Enjoy your dive into the beginning of your EPIC GALACTIC ADVENTURE, and remember to leave a comment/review!

AD ASTRA!

A Cry From The Dark - Part Four

The captain's complexion turned albino.

"Captain, are you okay?" asked the first officer. The Captain sat in his chair, his torso and arms shaking as if he were suddenly overwhelmed by chills.

The first officer leaned toward him.

"I don't know what to do." the captain mumbled, covering the upper half of his face with one hand.

The first officer gasped as his screen flashed. He looked over his left shoulder. "Captain, I'm getting a systems report from the main computer: someone's trying to access the bridge command pathways going to the warp engines—deck eight, section ten."

Aaen's screen flashed. "Captain, we are now less than five minutes from our destination!" he turned to face the first officer. "I recommend slowing to sublight speeds for solar system entry." he faced forward.

"If we can't slow down . . ." the first officer muttered. "We've got to stop the intruder from tampering with those command access pathways."

"Just . . .do whatever to handle it." the captain said, rubbing his temples hard with his middle fingers.

"Yes, sir." he turned toward security. "Security, how many personnel do we have available?"

"Only ten, sir. They're all on duty patrolling the lower decks. We don't have any more to send to where the intruder is. Sir, we can get to the intruder more quickly and arrest it."

The first officer nodded, and then looked forward, "Does anyone want to volunteer to be a part of the security team?"

Aaen turned toward the command platform. "I volunteer, sir."

The first officer looked at the chief of security, then pointed to Aaen. "Give him a phaser." the chief of security nodded, retrieving his phaser rifle. 

Aaen stood up and then immediately started for the security stations. The first officer looked at Aaen as he walked in front of the command platform. "Take the intruder to the brig once you arrest it." Aaen looked at the first officer and nodded. 

The chief of security retrieved a second and smaller hand phaser from a small compartment to the left of his computer station. The phaser featured a slightly curved, rounded black grip and a flat silver stock. He carefully handed the weapon grip-first to Aaen. A type-two hand phaser. Perfect. Aaen thought, activating its dual blue glowing power cells by sliding the action over the power cells' compartment. The beam weapon made a short, raspy hissing sound as two rows of LED lights behind the power cell compartment instantly came to life for several seconds—the top row was a bright red, indicating a higher energy output setting, the bottom row was green, showing a standard or slightly higher setting. Aaen observed the green row lit only to one-quarter of maximum; the red row dimmed. Stun, the default standard setting; he admired, enough to knock an intruder on its back. The deputy retrieved her weapon and also retrieved one set of hand restraints from a second similar compartment near her station.

"Ready?" the first officer asked.

"Yes, sir." Aaen replied.

The first officer nodded their dismissal.

Aaen held his phaser precisely upright, whereas the two security guards tucked their particle rifles into the crook of their elbows as the chief of security took point. Aaen followed him, followed by the deputy down the staircase, across deck two, up the textured stairs, left, and then through a set of double-doors to enter the turbo lift. The twin doors closed behind them. Aaen stood in the back, the chief of security and deputy took positions at the front facing the sides of the doorway, angling their particle rifles forward towards the deck plating.

"Deck eight." the deputy said. 

The viewports flashed for ten seconds as the carriage sped through the maze of inner workings. The carriage gradually stopped. The doors swooshed open. The chief of security and deputy quickly stormed out, taking swift, precise aim high and low at the corners of the straight corridor ahead before focusing on the end of the corridor.

The corridor ended after fifty feet, ending at a two-way curved adjacent corridor lined with silver bulkhead plating and dark orange doors lined with purple labels.

The deputy gestured for the group to proceed left at the end of the corridor. 

The next corridor extended for nearly a hundred feet, Aaen knew. There were no other crew members in sight, nor within earshot. Not surprising, they were running on a skeleton crew, considering the nature of their mission. The trio passed several similar adjacent corridors. Security sharply panned each corridor as a precaution as they marched. After eighty feet, the intercom activated, "first officer to chief of security, we have less than two minutes until we reach that solar system. You have to stop the intruder quickly, or we're going to lose helm control of the ship!"

The high-pitched whine of laser-based gear echoed through the corridor. Security trained their rifles directly ahead as the group turned the corner. 

After marching ten feet, the trio stopped. Security trained their weapons on a short stubby alien with large round, pronounced ears and a baseball sand skin complexion dressed in a green jumpsuit. The panel's bulkhead cover was sitting loosely on the floor of the corridor behind the alien. A hand-sized device was attached to the back of the alien's jumpsuit on the back of the alien's hip. Aaen guessed it was a weapon. The alien was crouched next to a glowing panel, waving glowing mechanical instruments in front of the panel. 

"FREEZE!" yelled the chief of security. 

The alien snapped, displaying a look of surprise as it rolled to its right, reaching for the device on the back of its jumpsuit. The chief of security fired half-way. A bright, golf ball-sized bolt screamed out of the barrel. A square-foot area of the floor behind where the alien had rolled singed on impact. The alien took aim at the trio. Both Aaen and the deputy security officer snapped. Dang! No shot because of the bulkhead cover! Aaen thought, moving behind and to the right of the chief of security as Aaen reattempted to train his phaser on the alien, to no avail. 

The deputy security officer crouched and then trained her rifle on the alien—fired. A clean hit to the upper-left shoulder. The alien cringed as it dropped its weapon and crumpled on its left side.

Security kept their weapons trained on the alien as they marched towards it side-by-side. The chief of security stood to the side as the deputy took the alien by its upper arms and then rolled it on its front. She coupled the alien's hands behind it's back and then applied the wrist restraints. The deputy gripped the alien under its right arm and then slowly lifted it to its feet. The alien was dazed but was aware enough to stand.

Aaen briefly examined the alien's shoulder where the bolt had struck. There was a black hole in the fabric, and the surrounding area was singed. He nodded, "Good shot." 

The chief of security turned to examine the panel. "It doesn't look like the Fereni was able to do any permanent damage." he looked at the deputy. "I'll replace the panel cover. deputy, take the Fereni to sickbay, get it checked out, and then take it to the brig. I'll meet you both back on the bridge." 

Aaen and the deputy nodded. 

The intercom beeped. "first officer to chief of security."

"Go ahead." 

"Whatever you did worked, Adam reports restoration of helm control. We need all three of you back on the bridge, immediately." 

"Understood."

The chief of security replaced the bulkhead cover, and then he and Aaen returned to the bridge the same way the trio came. The lights were yellow. The bridge was abuzz with personnel rushing printed reports to their necessary and immediate recipients. Aaen returned to his station. The chief of security looked at the captain. "Sir, the intruder has been arrested and taken to sickbay. I have asked the deputy to take the intruder to the brig afterward." the captain remained silent. The first officer nodded acknowledgment, and implying permission to return to his station. 

The captain sat stagnate.

The first officer nodded. "Alert condition three!"

The bridge lights turned blue. 

Aaen looked at his flashing screen. "Now approaching destination solar system." a cluster of delta-shaped icons filled the left side of the screen. A straight white line extended from the cluster toward a curved brown dotted line. He looked closer at the screen. The line was an asteroid belt. He turned to the command platform. "Standby for entry into the solar system! Captain, I suggest slowing to sublight speeds and using manual navigation for safe passage through the asteroid belt."

The Captain looked at the first officer. "Can you do this, please?"

The first officer looked at the captain with lowered eyebrows. "You weren't trained for command, were you?" the captain subtly turned his head a few times, a bead of sweat dripped from his brow onto his arm. "Alright, I'll handle it—Helm!"

"Yes, sir!" Adam replied, making eye contact with the first officer.

"Slow to one-half impulse. Take us into the asteroid belt."

You forgot to tell him to standby maneuvering thrusters! Aaen thought.

"Aye!"

The bridge turned red, accompanied by an alarm warning.

"Aaen, what's going on?" the first officer asked.

Aaen leaned to his right, "Do a quick scan on the size of the asteroids, and their distance from each other."

The cadet was quick with the controls. Aaen examined the scan results, turning his head.

"The asteroid belt is pretty tight, sir! Adam's going to be busy in a few seconds!"

"Phasers!" yelled the first officer.

Aaen snapped. "Sir! I wouldn't recommend that! The asteroids are too big and too close together. It would take combined phaser-torpedo fire to thin the asteroids out. The remaining pieces might create a larger and more dangerous obstacle too big for the convoy's shielding to protect them!" 

"Agreed!" said tactical. 

"The asteroid field is very dense. If we destroy the larger rocks, we're creating more obstacles that we'll have to navigate around. Our present course is the safest flight path. If we navigate carefully, I think the convoy will be able to make it. I recommend slowing to one-quarter impulse for easier maneuvering." Aaen said. 

"Alright, slow to one-quarter impulse. Standby maneuvering thrusters!" 

The tactical display projected a diagram of the seeming asteroid obstacle course, the ship's current projected path of travel, and the recommended 'safe route.'

"Sir, the convoy's keeping up with us! They should be fine as long as we don't take too many tight turns!"

"Acknowledged! Shields up!" he faced the left side of the bridge, "Navigation! Come left, one-four-mark-six!"

"Aye! Thrusters are firing!"

"The convoy's matching our course and speed!" Aaen said. 

Anti-gravity compensated for the ship's thrusters having rolled the hulk thirty degrees on the x-axis. The main viewscreen showed a dense field of jagged rock drifting up and right.

Aaen's screen flashed. "Another cluster!" said Aaen. "Five seconds 'til collision!"

A thundering alarm echoed through the bridge.

"Hard right! Z-minus-fifty meters!" said the first officer. 

"Aye, sir!"

Aaen looked at the main viewscreen, watching as the asteroids drifted to the top of the screen then apparently over the ship.

"Large asteroid drifting into our flight path directly ahead! HOLD ON!" Aaen said. We're gonna hit! He thought, leaning forward and holding on to his desk station. 

"All hands, brace for impact!" yelled the first officer. 

A sizzling electric sound filled the bridge. The main viewscreen displayed a bright shining shimmer mixed with chain lightning as a large cratered mass filled the screen.

The deck plating vibrated, the station desks rumbled, and the overhead lights flickered erratically for several seconds. Aaen clenched his jaws and displayed a determined look. 

"Direct impact on forward shields!" yelled tactical. "Detecting shield impact, starboard side! Reading a thirty percent drain on the starboard shield!"

"Aaen?" asked the first officer.

Aaen turned his head. "That rock was about a hundred thousand metric tons! If the shields hadn't been up the bridge and most of the saucer section wouldn't have a ceiling right now! The rock's impact on our dorsal shield has shifted its trajectory away from the convoy!"

"Confirmed!" said tactical.

Aaen looked at the screen to his right, then compared the information on his screen to what he saw. "Another asteroid cluster! Detecting three asteroids! Collision in ten seconds!" Aaen turned to the first officer. "Sir! Some large asteroids have drifted into the convoy's path directly ahead at fifteen hundred meters. The path ahead has become too dense for safe passage. Our current position, course, and speed make the obstacle unavoidable. We're surrounded by asteroids. The forward shields will not withstand another direct impact at their present strength! I recommend strategic proximity detonation of a full spread photon torpedoes to disburse the asteroids directly ahead. The shock wave will disburse the immediate obstacle, the residual force from the asteroids should knock the remaining obstacles out of our flight path!"

"'Should'?"

"Our odds of survival are now less than five-to-one, as-is, sir. The asteroids directly ahead are each three-hundred-thousand metric tons. A full spread of photon torpedoes at half of maximum yield should remove the obstacle for the convoy, safely. The shields will hold against the shock wave."

The first officer displayed a look of surprise at Aaen's demonstration of prowess. Aaen's intuition told him that he and the first officer were thinking the same thing about the Voyager's assigned command structure . . .

"tactical, you heard 'im!"

"Aye, sir!" he sounded eager to finally use one of his tools, and he was quick and precise with the controls. "Torpedoes set for strategic proximity detonation from targets!" the tactical screen displayed the detonation point and the convoy's relative position. The image on the main viewscreen was quickly and gradually becoming larger.

"Five seconds 'til impact!" Aaen announced. The screen showed a large, dense cluster of mixed blunt and jagged rock seemingly bearing down on them.

The first officer looked at the main viewscreen. "FIRE!"

"Photon torpedoes away!" a second, brief alarm filled the bridge. The bridge watched as a trio of bright red glowing darts soared into the cluster.

"Collision in four!. .three!. ." Aaen said. A blinding, red-orange light filled the screen. A brilliant, chaotic shock wave quickly spread in every direction.

"Emergency power to forward shields!" said the first officer.

The bridge rattled as the main viewscreen filled with intense static and then beamed a blinding white light as the bridge vigorously shook. The crew shielded their eyes and turned their heads away from the main viewscreen while they struggled to hold on to their desk stations and read their station screens.

"Shockwave impact on forward shields!—Forward shields are holding!"

Aaen looked at his screen, "We're almost through the shockwave! It's dissipating!"

The main viewscreen started to clear. The bridge gradually calmed.

"It worked!" yelled the cadet to Aaen's right. Aaen looked to his right to find the cadet grinning. "The asteroids are disbursing! Detecting clear space ahead!"

"Confirmed!" Aaen said.

The asteroids disappeared from the screen seconds later.

Aaen took a deep breath, and then looked to the first officer. "Sir, we have entered solar system golf-tango-one-seven-four-zero!" 

*****

Steve Hale of Portland, OR told Jordan Foutin, 

"You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."

Make sure to check out StormTeam's official website, Like and Follow the official StormTeam Simulations Facebook page, @StormteamS, and @JordanFoutin for the latest! 

Thank you for your support! Enjoy your dive into the beginning of your EPIC GALACTIC ADVENTURE, and remember to leave a comment/review!

AD ASTRA!

A Cry From The Dark - Part Three

The crew complied.

Fleet Admiral Williamson stood at the top of the staircase, and then faced the crew.

"Cadets, this is the moment you've been waiting for. You've been trained on how to communicate and work with each other; now you are going to briefly learn how to use the computer equipment you've each been assigned. The people on that planet need to be rescued soon, and you're pressed for time, so we need to make sure you know how to do your jobs before you launch to improve the odds of your mission ends as successfully. The recordings you see in front of you will teach you how to operate your computer stations. You are to listen to the recordings, do everything they tell you to do, then surrender your recording when you're finished." he turned to the command platform. "Pick up your recordings then press play. Hold your recording in the air when you're finished." he faced the bridge. "Begin."

Aaen's recording was shared between him and the cadet to his immediate right, who operated the ship's external scanner. Two pairs of over-ear headphones were tied to one playback unit. Aaen pressed play. The recording featured an introduction to the ship's Chief Engineer, Tex. He has a southern accent, Aaen noted. Next, a virtual tour of both cadets' computer stations and their respective responsibilities ranging from Aaen's being responsible for reading and announcing what is on his screen and the scanner officer keyboarding identities of possible sensor contacts and then scanning for sensor contacts. The recording lasted about five minutes, Aaen estimated. Both he and the scanner officer raised their headphones into the air. Something must have gone wrong when they were assigning jobs. This is not what I was trained to do, and far less than what I'm capable of. Either there was a mistake made somewhere in the system . . . or someone is underestimating me. He was confident he knew the answer . . .  Aaen observed the communication officer taking intermittent phone calls from the convoy, writing down a series of numbers on a single piece of paper. 

Fleet Admiral Williamson collected the recordings from the rest of the bridge promptly as they were finished over the course of fifteen minutes. He stowed them in a trio of black plastic drawers on the far side of the bridge at the top of the downward staircase. Aaen waited patiently for the ship to launch, relishing the soft hum of the ship's translight core through the bridge deck plating, and the faint beeping echoes filling the bridge. The Main Computer was finishing routine pre-launch diagnostics on all of the ship's systems. The tactical screen showed a 3D diagram of the ship rotating at different angles in a precise sequence with a translucent rectangle passing through the diagram at each angle. Everything was working perfectly. Good, Aaen thought, grinning lightly. 

Aaen looked around the bridge. Training was finished. Fleet Admiral Williamson stood once again at the top of the stairs, facing the cadet assigned as the ship's Captain. 

"Captain, is this your first time commanding a starship?"

"Uh . . . yeah?" he replied.

"Are you nervous?"

"Uh . . . yeah."

"You should be." the rest of the bridge crew briefly chuckled. "Remember, Captain. You don't have much time. Get to that solar system and rescue those people!"

"Okay," he replied, hesitantly. Aaen glanced at the captain through his left peripheral—the captain was already starting to sweat a little. Aaen's grin shrank. 

"Captain, I'll be leaving the ship before you launch. If you have anything you'd like to say to your crew, perhaps a few words of encouragement you are free to do so now. You have your orders. Good luck."

Fleet Admiral Williamson turned sharply away from the command platform then walked off the bridge down the far staircase near the recording drawers.

"Umm . . . everybody go a good job?"

The crew laughed, mistaking the captain's hesitance for a poke at sarcasm.

Ten seconds later, the intercom whistled.

"Engineering to Bridge! Engineering to Bridge! You got Tex, do you hear me up there, Captain?" the call echoed through the bridge like crisp rolling thunder.

"Uh . . ." he stuttered, finishing with a subtle, "yeah."

"Captain, howya doin' today, sir?"

"I'm okay."

Aaen glanced again in the captain's direction through his left peripheral. The captain looked awe-struck at the sight of the rest of the class on the two levels of the bridge below him. His torso was stiff as a bedpost; he was grasping onto the armrests as if hanging onto the edge of a cliff for dear life. The rest of the bridge was focused on the main view screen.

"Captain, I'm the chief engineer, I work down in the engine room at the bottom of the ship. If there's anything you need, just say, 'Hey, Tex!' and I'll be happy to help you in any way that I can."

". . .Okay."

"Captain, from what I can see we're all ready to get underway. We just need to get the translight engine's goin', and we'll be on our way."

"Who does that, again?"

Embarrassed, Aaen covered his face, pretending to rub his forehead and the inner corners of his eyes.

"Sir, that's Adam's job. He sits on the left side of the bridge. Just say, 'Adam, translight speed!'"

"Adam . . . 'translight speed'!"

"There are nine of them, sir!" Adam replied.

"Okay . . . translight . . . factor . . . three!"

How random, Aaen thought, rolling his eyes behind his palms before resting his hands on the blank white desktop between him and his computer screen hidden behind black plastic.

"Excellent choice, sir!" said Tex.

Adam clicked the button to carry out the captain's order.

"Speed change: translight-factor-three. All hands brace for translight insertion." the Main Computer announced over the intercom. The Main Computer's voice sounded like someone trying to speak up over a loud background noise while plugging their nose.

A thin, bold mechanical whine gradually grew to a fine roar as an explosion of swirling light lit the main view screen. The stars streaked into the corners of the screen, followed by a thundering boom. The stars then appeared as fine white streaks of light passing by.

Aaen's screen flashed several times; then the screen displayed a grid that filled the screen with a small Federation logo in the lower-right-hand corner, slowly moving to the opposite corner. A long vertical gray bar on the right side of the screen displayed a long list of black text.

"Aaen, what does your screen say?" the captain asked.

Aaen read the text aloud.

"Now en route to the destination. ETA: seven minutes. Detecting eight ships in pursuit of this vessel. Clear space ahead."

"Uh, Sensors, who are those other ships?"

Oh, good grief. Aaen thought. Those are the ships that are going to take the people on the planet!

"Scanning," the cadet sitting immediately to Aaen's right said. "Sir, according to the Main Computer's analysis of those ships' transponders, they are the ships that are going to take the people on the planet."

The printer to the left of the internal communications officer activated, a paper document slid out of its front port. The cadet picked it up then took it to the decoding station to the right of the next officer to the right.

Five minutes later, the cadet walked up a two-piece staircase in the middle of the bridge, and then approached the command platform, giving the paper to the captain. "Sir, this is from Spacefleet Command."

The captain read the document, then gave it to the first officer who flagrantly tossed it into a trash can under his desk.

"There's another ship in the area; it's headed in our direction." the captain mumbled to the first officer.

"What are we going to do when it gets here?"

The captain shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know!" he whispered loudly.

"Is it going to attack us?"

"How am I supposed to know? Ask the scanner officer."

"Scanner officer, is that ship going to attack us when it gets here?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."

Aaen leaned toward the scanner officer. "Scan that ship for its vessel type and trajectory."

"Isn't the captain supposed to give the orders?"

"Yeah, and he would have if he knew what he was doing. Just do it."

He gasped before performing the scan. His screen flashed moments later.

"Captain, the approaching ship is Ferenian, and they're on an adjacent course relative to ours."

Aaen's screen changed almost immediately. He compared the readings on his screen with the new information on the scanner's screen, then snapped to his left to look over his left shoulder at the captain, appearing alarmed. 

"Sir, at the Ferenian's current speed and course, they'll collide with us in approximately one minute. I recommend either adjusting our course and that of the fleet or contacting the Ferenian'sand warning them!"

A series of beeps echoed through the bridge.

"Sir, we're being contacted on the Ferenian Priority Frequency!" said the center communications officer, loudly.

"Okay, um . . . let's talk to them!"

"Should I put it on speakers, sir?"

"Sure."

Beep

"Captain, Ferenian vessel now coming into visual range!" said Aaen. 

The main view screen showed a long silver hulk gradually entering the upper-right-hand corner of the screen, moving toward the center, stars streaming around it. 

"This is the captain of the Ferenian ship! We claim this region of space; you must leave, immediately!"

The captain looked at the first officer. Wide-eyed, he held his palms in the air in uncertainty. "What do I say?" 

"Tell him we're on an important mission and we're not leaving." 

"We're on an important mission and we're not leaving." 

"Are you sure you don't want to leave? We are prepared to use force!" 

"What do you mean?" the captain asked.

"We are prepared to do battle!"

"Can we take them on?" the captain blurted out to the tactical officer, sitting on the left side of the bridge. Aaen dropped his head and cringed. That's not what you want to yell out loud! He thought.

"Yeah, we've got plenty torpedoes, sir!"

Aaen looked at the first officer and turned his head, in short, small bursts. 

The first officer stepped down from the command platform and came to Aaen's station. 

"What, Aaen?" he asked sharply.

"Sir, if that planet goes into that asteroid field while we're still taking on passengers, we're going to need every torpedo we've got to keep us from getting pulverized. The Voyager's a big ship with strong shields and plenty of muscle, but she's not indestructible. Besides, the Ferenians know attacking a Federation starship could lead to an 'incident,' and we have better technology than they do, and they know that, which means they're just trying to scare us. If they attack, we could lose ships, and you know we can't afford that. I strongly suggest calling his bluff. If even one ship leaves the convoy . . . say . . . the Odyssey—that could doom this mission."

"You think we should avoid fighting the Ferenians?"

Aaen nodded. 

The first officer returned to his seat then tapped the captain's shoulder. The captain leaned in his direction as he whispered something into the captain's ear. He nodded, wiped his forehead then sat upright. Aaen peered over his station at the communications officer; he looked like he was a little over halfway done with whatever computations he was working on. 

"If you really want to fight us, then do it."

Aaen rolled his eyes. His screen flashed.

"Aaen, what . . . what does your screen say?" the captain asked.

"Ferenian ship has adjusted course to fly parallel with this vessel," he replied, pausing as another grid appeared on his screen, including a cluster of Federation icons led by three larger icons to the upper-right-hand corner of the screen as the first screen. The leading icon—the Voyager—was briefly neighbored by a Feren icon for several seconds.

"Feren ship has entered transporter range!"

"Yellow alert!" the first officer yelled. The lights immediately changed color, followed by a grumbling alarm. The light looked stern against the bridge stations.

The sound of a transporter echoed through the bridge.

"What happened? What was that?" the captain asked.

"Intruder alert!" said the Main Computer over the bridge speakers.

"Confirmed, detecting one additional life form on board!" yelled the left security officer.

"I get the same reading, sir!" yelled the engineer.

"Security, find the intruder!" the captain said, rubbing his forehead.

"Captain, the Fereni ship is moving away!" Aaen yelled, reading his screen.

"I wonder why they suddenly broke away?" asked the first officer.

"I'm just glad they're gone." the captain said.

Aaen's screen flashed.

"Captain, three minutes until we reach our destination!"

The left communication officer stood up and looked at the captain in shock.

"What's wrong?" the captain asked.

"Captain, I just compared the occupancy numbers from the convoy with the latest probe data on the planet. Sir, we don't have enough room in the entire convoy to take the entire population!"

*****

Steve Hale of Portland, OR told Jordan Foutin, 

"You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."

Make sure to check out StormTeam's official website, Like and Follow the official StormTeam Simulations Facebook page, @StormteamS, and @JordanFoutin for the latest! 

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AD ASTRA!