Episode 1: Lost

=Triangulum Files =

Episode 1: Lost
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August 25, 3468

Captain Ganymedes is incapacitated. 23 members of the crew and 182 civilian refugees are dead. We are cut off from all possible assistance from from Fleet HQ and the Union, stranded in the Triangulum Galaxy, approximately 2.7 million light years from the Milky Way Galaxy. A trip that would take centuries. This simply is not possible with the 53 482 refugees aboard....I, Dante Vento, have accepted the commission as Acting Captain......



5 days previous.....

Brigham Station was busy like every other day, but to one being amongst the throng it was the best day of his career. The man had just arrived from his 16 day journey crossing the Milky Way Galaxy. It was his first time in this part of the Union, in fact it was a day of firsts, that being why it was such a momentous day. Having served as the Auxiliary Ship Operations Officer aboard the USS Iliad for the past year. The assignment was to monitor all active and manage the small fleet of auxiliary ships that the USS Iliad carried. Finally getting a promotion, he was being transferred to the USS Yuiika as a Ship Operations Officer. He would be the second most senior in the department and would be taking a shift on the bridge. It was his first bridge posting and one step up the very long ladder that was a career in the United Stars Navy.

He followed the many signs directing him toward the dry dock where the Yuiika had just undergone extensive repairs. At 0812 hours it would depart and begin a brief series of space trials. If it passed, which almost always happened, then in 48 hours it would head out to patrol the Shiss/Union boarder. War with the Shiss had only recently ended, and the Union, officially called the United Stars of the Galaxy, still didn’t trust that hostilities wouldn’t flare up again.

"Dante!" Hearing his name, the man stopped looking for the source. "Dante, over here," it came again.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">At last he spotted her waving at him from a café on the other side of the plaza he had been walking though. It took him a moment to place her, but realization finally dawning in his dark amber eyes. It was Christine Thorsch, they had been in basic training together, but hadn't seen each other since. That was almost 6 years ago. Dante made his way crossing through the foot traffic to reach the café. It was one of those quaint little places with seating outside, and a vibrant green awning over two sets of double doors, opened wide so you can see all the way inside. The name above the awning read, Lémon Café. Once he had gotten close enough, the woman rushed forward throwing her arms around his neck.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"How have you been Dante?" she asked hugging him tightly.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Doing good," came his reply, pulling her away to get a better look at her. In doing so he became distinctly aware of his hands on her waist, the smell of her perfume, lavender with a hint of vanilla and.....hazelnut or oranges maybe. Her dress was sleeveless, sunshine yellow, with a white sash. It hugged her body and reaching barely above her knees and left little to imagination in certain areas, which he was in the perfect position to view.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With a flush of red tinting his forehead, he quickly withdrew his hands and asked, "What brings you to Brigham Station?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"I'm on shore leave. The Harvard is in to get her engines serviced and some minor repairs. It will be going through final checks in a couple of hours. But you already knew I was in this neck of the woods. What about you? Last I heard you were still on the Iliad."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"I was. I'm being transferred to the Yuiika. I'm going to get bridge time!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! And you got a promotion too!" Once again she hugged him tightly with even more enthusiasm than the previous one, getting some of her light brown hair in his mouth. She must have seen the new rank on his black officers uniform.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Thank you," was all he managed to get out.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“When do you report? Do you have time to sit and talk?” she asked, finally releasing him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I do actually. I’m not reporting for another hour.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Excellent!” said Christine and led Dante back to her table.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What’s it like out here dealing with the Shiss?” asked Dante as they both sat down.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“They will do anything to get ahead. They’d betray their grandmother if it meant winning. So there are constant skirmishes along the border by alleged “independant Shiss” whom their government claims no connection to.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“The Kermac aren’t anything like that,” said Dante thick with sarcasm.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“The Iliad patrolled the Kermac/Union border?” questioned Christine.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yep. They use almost the same tactics, except they do it through one of the other species in the Galactic Council.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’ve heard that the Klack sent a delegation. They might be joining the Union,” said Christine.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“That would really help, but I don’t see it happening. They are an insectoid species, with tech that’s on par or better than the Union. There really wouldn’t be any point for them to join.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You might have a point. But a girl can hope, can’t she? If we had the Klack on our side we could finally teach the Shiss and the Kermac a lesson.....I bet if Stahl was still here then we’d still be able to do it, even without the Klack.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You’re probably right,” agreed Dante. Admiral Stahl was one of the 200 Immortals chosen by the Guardian to watch over mankind as they reached the stars. Over a millennia old, he’d been serving in the armed forces, first for United Earth and then the Union when it was formed. 64 years ago a Kermac plot managed to get him sentenced to a penal colony. He had managed to escape, and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“When are you to report in?” asked Christine.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Oh. Um, 1400.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Some of the sparkle that had been in her blue eyes faded, she had obviously been hoping they would have been able to sit and chat for awhile longer. "Oh," she replied, "You’re going to be late if you don't hurry. The dry docks are clear on the other side of the station. You had better take a Station Transport or you'll never make it in time. Head that way," pointing the way he had previously been headed, "there's a terminal not far and it can take you all the way there."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Thank you so much. I promise to give you a call in a couple of days when things calm down a bit," said Dante getting up from the table.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"You better.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Just as Christine had said, there was a Station Transport terminal not too far away. He quickly found himself a seat and the transport was off. His mind drifted as he waited for his stop, briefly pausing on the years of work ahead, before turning towards Christine. While they had only been friends, there always seemed to be this awkwardness and expectancy between them. Him, awkward. Her, expectant. He wasn't in the market for a serious relationship, and while he liked her, it was only as a friend.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With a sigh, Dante ran his hand through his short black hair, and tried to push away all thoughts of Christine and romance. He was about to embark on a great adventure. Seeing things that 99.99% of beings in the Union were unlikely to ever see with their own eyes. His stop was next, then he'd be far too busy to think about anything but his job. He needed to make a good impression, if the Captain decided he wasn't up to snuff then he could be replaced easily. With a Navy consisting of billions of beings, there were plenty of aspiring offices to take his place.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Exiting the transport he quickly made his way toward the dry dock. There were far less people in this section of the station, but one look outside the station made it clear that there was a great deal going on. With robots, shuttles, ships, and beings in powered suits going every which way, it resembled an insect hive, and just like with insects they were on any number of important tasks even if it looked like chaos.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Amongst the chaos was the USS Yuiika. She was a fairly new ship but had taken heavy damage in a border skirmish with the Shiss. Being a Uni-Design Battleship, or Uniform Design Battleship, she was easy to fix compared to a battleship made by a Union member species. With standardized parts that were readily available, the ability to repair damaged ships quickly could be invaluable. Measuring 2000 meters she was one of the largest ship in the fleet and had a wedge shape. Packed full of the best tech the Union had to offer she was also one of the most powerful.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Ahead was the main entrance to the dry dock complex, and as per his orders waiting outside was his commanding officer and Chief of Operations, Lieutenant Commander William Anderson.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Lieutenant Vento, reporting as ordered," said Dante, snapping to attention and saluting.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Good timing," replied Lt Cdr Anderson. "At ease, we have a lot to discuss. I'm assuming that you studied the specs, layout and stuff."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"That would be correct, sir."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Good. I'll be on the bridge for the most part directing things. Our department has first access to the ship, but not for long. Here is the finalized list of personnel, quarters allocation, and cargo manifest. Also you have the most up-to-date schedule I have, but it won't be for long."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Got that right," Dante replied, a knowing smile creeping in.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"That's right. You served as the AUX OPS Officer on the Iliad for a year," nodded Anderson. "I keep forgetting that. You're just so young."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Entirely understandable sir."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Alright, I'm going to place you in charge of getting the Marines in and set. They always make a fuss and I could use your experience with that," said Anderson, a smile creeping across his own face. Union Marines were feared by millions of civilizations, and there were only a handful of civilizations willing to go toe-to-toe with them. However, there was a tendency for them to wish for that same power of intimidation to carry over within the Union, usually in a new posting, where things are still working out a rhythm and territories are still being drawn. Working as the AUX OPS officer Dante had plenty of experience working with Marines as they used various auxiliary craft for any number of reasons and missions. "But that won't be until a little later. Until then, get OPS into their quarters and ready by 1500 hours. By that time the rest of the crew will be arriving and I'll need you to be my eyes and legs."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Yes, sir."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"And here comes the rest of OPS," said Anderson, pointing his chin behind Dante at the group of officers approaching, which they both turned to face.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As second command of OPS, Dante knew his responsibilities, he'd been studying them since he had received his orders. When the group had gotten close enough, he yelled, "Attention!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With a snap, the group of officers were standing at attention. "I am Lieutenant Commander Anderson. It will be an honor to serve with you all. This is my second, Lieutenant Vento, he has your assignments. We don't have much time, so get aboard, settled in and ready for the worst 8 hours of your life. Good luck." And with that Anderson left, leaving everything up to him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Lieutenant Tzzunissa......."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">If only it had been 8 hours, but no, it just wouldn't truly be hell if there was an end in sight.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Corporal! Can I help you with something?" asked Dante. The Marine in question had a civilian engineer against a wall, with tools and parts strewn across the hallway.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"No, sir. I have everything covered," answered the Marine.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"I see that," replied Dante as he was unsure of how to handle the situation. If he pulled rank, right out of the gate then he'd be sending a very bad message. However not doing anything at all would be a mistake too. "Corporal, I need this hall cleared ASAP, we are testing the emergency bulkheads. Help me get these picked up." And started picking up the tools and parts off the floor. From the type of parts, the civilian must be the engineer sent to get one of the IST’s, Inter-Ship Transports,  working, since engineering couldn't spare anyone at the moment. With about 2 hours until take off it was not a good time to have any delays.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With a snort and a stare, the Marine finally let the civilian go and reluctantly began helping. In a moment it was finished.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Thank you for your assistance, Corporal Klien," said Dante, reading the name off his uniform.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Not a problem, sir," came his reply before heading down an intersecting corridor. <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#38761d;font-weight:bold;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Thanks. I thought he was going to hit me," said the engineer.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"I'll hit you myself if you don't get that IST fixed," said Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">       "You'll be the least of my worries if I don't get it fixed," chuckled the engineer, heading down the way he had been going, at a fast walk.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante pulled out his PDD, calling OPS, "The civilian got delayed, but is on his way now."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"All hands, Condition Yellow. Prepare for launch," came over the ship wide intercom.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">At last, <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> thought Dante as he stood at his station on the bridge. His was not the most glamorous job. Mostly he filtered incoming requests headed to the bridge, anything non-essential he took care of. If no requests were being sent then he did what the Chief OPS Officer did, monitoring every system. It was essentially a redundancy post. The duty schedule put him in the Chief OPS position for a shift and someone else took his secondary station, but for emergencies or combat this was his post. Not the most ideal position, he reflected, but it was a huge step up. Conceivably he was 4th in command. It went the Captain, and then the Executive Officer, aka the XO, and then it fell to the officer with the most experience in OPS. It could get confusing but it did make sense to keep command to those with the most experience in ship operations.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Turning his attention back to his station he watched the request go out to Flight Control, the engines go to full ready, shields up, and a check go through every airlock. The reply came and navigation plotted a course, sending it to helm, Dante checked that the course was good, and the projected course of every other ship out there would not interfere. The launch window was in 4 minutes 21 seconds. In the meantime he checked that every member of the OPS department was at their stations, double checked the engines, and triple checked environmental.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With absolutely no issues, problems or fanfare the ship launched to begin space trials and Dante was relieved from duty to get some much needed sleep.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"May I have your attention please, this is the Captain," came a voice over the intercom. Dante bolted upright out of bed, he'd learned during his academy days to sleep lightly, mostly to avoid pranks.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"We have received reports of an attack taking place about an hour from our present location. The 'how' and the 'why' were not explained to me. We have been ordered to assist in the evacuation of Hillburg II. It is a recent colony with only fifty thousand colonists. You are all to get to your stations and report to your department heads for specific orders regardless of duty schedule. That is all." While the Captain had been updating the ship of its new orders, Dante dressed and had just left his room by the time the Captain had finished, knowing well that he'd need to get to his CO, Commanding Officer, before the rest of the department.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Running through the corridors had become quite hazardous as crewmen piled out of their quarters, the few in the Operations department tried vainly to get his attention and ask what was going on, but Dante didn't have time. He didn't even have time to think about what he'd actually heard or their possible implications.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Finally reaching an IST he squeezed himself in just as the doors were closing and felt the brush of the door on his back. He couldn't move any further forward as there was no room. Thankfully he'd taken an express which were designed to cover only the main decks. Being the highest ranking officer in the IST the Bridge was prioritized first. Despite the high speed that the IST traveled it still felt like the thing was crawling slower that a glacier.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">At last the IST opened up to the bridge. It was a medium sized room, almost an elongated hexagon, without any windows as it was located near the heart of the ship. There was however a large view screen at the front which was displaying the Hillburg System. Helm, Tactical and Navigation were all located at the front below the viewer. The Science and Communications stations were located on either side. The ship’s throne was right in the middle of the room with the XO and OPS stations flanking it. Relieving Ensign Hattabaugh from her station, he sat down next to Lt Cdr Anderson who sent over the orders for the department which Dante then gave out as they arrived at their stations.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Time blazed by so quickly despite the constant reminders flooding his console, it wasn't until the Captain called for General Quarters that Dante realized they were 10 minutes from dropping out of quasi-space.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Vento, I need you to be in charge of receiving the evacuees. It's going to be chaos down there and I need our best down there in AUX OPS,” said Commander Anderson. "On top of that we'll only have about 15 minutes to get everyone on."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">This changed things greatly. The plan to evac the colonists was to take about an hour, but now it would need to be done in a quarter of the time. They'd need to use the hangar bays, opening them and accessing them directly. It could be done, but almost the whole plan had to be scrapped.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Yes, sir. The colonists will need to be informed to gather in the freight section of the port," replied  Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"What?" answered Commander Anderson confusion evident in his voice. "Oh, you're right. Update me with your plans as you go." Catching on that the old plan couldn't be done in 15 minutes. Without waiting to hear if there was more, Dante gave his station to Ensign what's-his-face, unable to recall the Ensigns name at that moment. His mind was already hard at work figuring out how to load fifty thousand people on to a ship in 15 minutes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">By then the corridors were empty, and thankfully the IST was empty too so it took him only a minute or two to get to AUX OPS.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"Change of plans...." said Dante upon arriving. No one liked the news but then again, no one liked that they'd be heading into a combat situation with an unproven ship either.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Quickly and decisively, Dante organized his plan, updating the bridge as he went along.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Exit from Quasi-Space in 3 minutes,” blared the shipwide intercom.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">   Dante stood before the assembled crewmen. They knew what to do, they knew what to expect, and yet they all stood there looking to him for something......to say something. He’s not one for motivational speeches, but he was a bridge officer and if that meant motivating his people then that’s what he’d do.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“None of you know me. None of you really know each other. None of us know those colonists. But none of that matters. Those colonists are relying on each of you to fulfill your duties to perfection. We are the United Stars Navy......Perfection is what we do. Now, lets go get those colonists!”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yyyaaaaahhhh!” cheered the crewman as they rushed off to their assigned positions.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Flopping down into one of the chairs in AUX OPS with a sigh, Dante pulled up the status for the Hillburg System. The Hillburg System had 4 planets, the two inner planets were both rocky planets and both were in the Goldilocks Zone. Hillburg I was still highly volcanic, with a thick atmosphere similar to Sol Systems planet Venus. Hillburg II was a Garden World surveyed and marked for colonization in the year 5002. Colonists followed within a couple of years and created a small colony which they named Oceaus after the large oceans that covered 86% of the planet. Since the colonies founding the population had increased to over 50,000.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">And now the system was under attack....well, not anymore. The attack happened almost 2 hours ago. Someone had gotten their hands on a P-Bomb, or Parking Lot Bomb. Dante wasn’t a scientist so there were a lot of things that went way over his head, but he could follow the gist of what was happening on the surface. A P-Bomb ignites the common elements like carbon and slowly builds in temperature until it eventually ignites the higher elements and atmosphere. The result if a temporary mini sun that, once exhausted, leaves the planet’s surface glassy and smooth. Like a parking lot.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Considering the close proximity to the Shiss border, they were the likely culprits of this unprovoked attack..

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Still staring at the Hillburg System status screen as the Yuiika reentered normal space the hangers were emptied of most of the fighters and auxiliary craft to make room for the evacuees. Each had their own ISAH drives for faster-than-light travel so they wouldn’t be stranded.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Being the first ship on the scene Dante did a quick check of the space surround the system which showed that the Harvard was only minutes from entering the system too. It must have already began it’s patrol when it received the colonie’s call for help.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Not even bothering to get into orbit, Yuiika barreled into the atmosphere. Normally a ship her size would be restricted to a slow speed in the atmosphere of a planet because of the shockwave it would create, but there wasn’t much of a point if the planet was about to go nova.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“23 seconds to touch down,” came over shipwide.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As the ship was still settling into place the hanger doors opened wide and out went the Marines. Their job was to do two things. First to keep the citizens orderly and from pushing or rushing, and second to keep the citizens calm. There isn’t anything in the universe like a platoon of Union Marines in FATMAN battle suits. Feared by countless species, outside the Union and in it, and respected by all who are intelligent. Standing well above the heads of most they provide a visual reminder that the Union hadn’t abandoned them and that it would be best to do as their told.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">In rushed the mob. It was chaos in a can! The noise was so bad it took several attempts for the autotune feature on the comms to compensate enough for Dante to understand what was being asked.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Sir, the mess hall is full. Where should I put them?” asked someone.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Have them head for the leisure deck,” Dante replied.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Storage 1 through 6 are filled.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Ok, send them on to the auditorium.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“ Leisure deck full. What do we do?!?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Ahhh, start using crew quarters. Empty ones first.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“This is Hanger 3, we got everyone.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Bridge to AUX OPS. We are running out of time, what’s the holdup?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“We have everyone off the portside and I’m checking on the starboard side now.” replied Dante. “Hanger 4, how’s it looking?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“There is a jam somewhere, and we still have about 250 people outside.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Divert the remaining civilians into the labs,” ordered Dante to all the personnel assigned to the evacuation.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“AUX OPS....”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“We just need another minute sir.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Your 15 minute were up 2 minutes ago!”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“This is Hanger- we got everybody.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Bridge, we’re done.” They had done it. Over 50,000 people on board in 18 minutes 12 seconds. It was a good thing the shields were up or there would have been scorch marks on the hull. It was unreal to watch as the planet consumed itself in the inferno. They said it was going to take weeks before it exhausted all the possible fuel. Until then, the Hillburg System had a second sun.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">His job complete, Dante headed for the bridge. He had just gotten to the IST when everything went dark.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As the lights came on moments later, so did the artificial gravity. Thankfully it hadn’t been off too long or Dante might have landed on something other than his rear.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">What was that? <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> thought Dante. <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">What could have happened to have caused a complete momentary loss of power? The backups didn’t even kick on!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As quickly as the IST would go, Dante rushed to his post on the bridge. He relieved the Ensign he’d left there......Ensign....Hazelett, that’s what his name was!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Reports were cascading in from across the ship. Damages were reported in nearly every system. Most were minor, but they had all happen simultaneously.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Ship wide diagnostics. I want to know what hit us and I want to know now!” barked Captain Ganymedes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As the self diagnostic reports from the general systems came back, Dante ran a second just to make sure and compare it to the ones that the bridge had just done. Both came back the same, all systems had been working perfectly. There had been a ship wide power loss across all systems, but it had lasted no more than 0.8 seconds.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Navigation had just finished repositioning the ship and it wasn’t where it should have been 0.8 seconds from where we had been. The report had to be wrong, so Dante double checked the findings. The ship had traveled over 2.7 million light years from it’s previous position.....

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante’s control panel ignited with activity, as Captain Ganymedes gave out new orders. Helm and Navigation were to double check the ship’s location manually. Science to scan the ships surroundings along with Tactical to make sure there weren’t any hostile ships nearby. OPS was to work with Engineering to do a visual inspection of every system starting with life support, shields, engines and the computronic.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Captain had called a meeting of all the senior staff 15 minutes after the momentary blackout. It was assumed by everyone else that it was to make sure everyone was on the same page, especially those department heads that normally don’t stay on the bridge like Medical.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With the Captain, XO and all the senior staff off the bridge in the meeting, Dante had the bridge. He wasn’t comfortable with the idea of sitting in the Captain’s chair yet so he just stood there in the middle of the bridge and waited for the meeting to end.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">From all the information that had passed in front of Dante he know most of what was being talked about in the meeting. It had been confirmed that the Yuiika was indeed 2.792 million light years from the Hillburg System and located somewhere in the Triangulum Galaxy. Minor damage had been taken but there had been a 0.8 second power loss from all systems; cause unknown. The Marines were currently prepping for a mission to the Harvard which had been spotted drifting not far from the Yuiika. Life signs had been detected but she had experienced much more extensive damages. Most notably the ISAH drive, and power systems.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">9 minutes had passed since the meeting had started, and they were 9 glorious minutes for Dante, when the senior staff came out of the conference room along with Captain Ganymedes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Lieutenant Vento, I’m placing you in charge of the civilians. You are to make sure that their needs are met and that they are as comfortable as possible, is that understood?” ordered Captain Ganymedes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, Captain!” replied Dante as he quickly left the bridge and headed back down to AUX OPS.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Captain Cheops Ganymedes had been a Captain for more years than Dante had been alive. He’d even tried retiring once, but that hadn’t stuck. There was a good natured rumor that he was married to the stars. If he didn’t mention how he wasn’t the kind for marrying, it probably would have been true. Born on the Saran world of Theben which is known for it’s clear skies, it wasn’t a wonder that he found his way into the Navy. Like all Sarans, the Captain had dark brown hair that was turning quite grey especially on the sides and dark brown eyes, with bronze colored skin. He had a moderate build and was of average height. But none of that mattered. It was the aura of many long trials that got your attention. Like he had been through and seen so much he must know everything, so you had better listen up or you might miss the universe unfolding.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Rooms upon rooms. Corridors upon corridors. All filled beyond capacity with the displaced colonists. All were scared, some cried, but most simply sat there staring into nothing. Those that weren’t blubbering or near comatose, were angry and in some cases violent. The fact that the environmental systems were working on overdrive didn’t help much. The rooms were all stuffy and hot. Water and food were being handed out, usually escorted by a marine, but there was only so much that could be done. It was hours before Dante had the opportunity to sit again. And even then the work wasn’t over. Sitting down into a console in AUX OPS, it had become a sort of HQ for anything regarding the civilians, Dante called up to OPS.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lt Cdr Anderson’s face appeared on the screen and said,  “You look dead, Vento. What can I help you with?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’m not alone in that. You should take a look at yourself.......I was wondering if Engineering was having any luck boosting environmental yet,” said Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I doubt anyone has been working on it. The Captain has almost every engineer over on the Harvard assessing the damage and trying to get propulsion back.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Figures. We’re roasting down here, and I think the waste facilities down here are starting to feel the strain. If someone doesn’t take a look at those soon they might shut down. If that happens we could end up with a riot.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Really?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, sir. I’ve had to spread out the marines, especially with the water and food being handed out. There have been 4 altercations amongst the civilians and 2 more against crew members. They are fed up with not being told anything and having to stay confined.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“It’s the Captains orders to keep our status quiet.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I know, it’s just......making things harder, sir.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Well the Captain is planning to announce our situation once the crew from Harvard have all been recovered........Something’s happening, “ Andersons expression became more serious as he checked to see what was going on, “The Captain has been injured! They are rushing him to sick bay. I’m going to have to go. I’m sending someone down to relieve you. Get as much sleep as you can and report for duty in 4 hours.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Y-yes, sir.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Captain has been injured? Could it have happened at a worse time? <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Pulling up the status screen Dante tried to make out what had happen while he waited for his relief. It appeared that a power conduit blew as they were trying to get power to the IST system, which must have been one of the systems damaged. The Captain and XO had been standing next to it without any sort of protection. It was pretty bad, but Union med tech, medical technology, was some of the best in the galaxy. The Yuiika had moved up next to the Harvard and had stopped it’s slight spin. An umbilical had been extended and pressurized as there wasn’t anything wrong with the Harvards hull. The ISAH pods were fried. One was actually still glowing from the heat. There was some more, but Dante’s relief had just arrived so he needed to get off to bed.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The bed wasn’t his. All of Dante’s belongs had been hastily packed for him to try and make room for the civilians. Instead he would be hot bunking with any number of other crew, all sleeping in shifts to maximize space, but that didn’t matter. Dante was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“All officers are to report to the auditorium in 5 minutes,” blared the intercom.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante checked his time on the PDD. He could not have been asleep for 4 hours and he hadn’t been. It had only been 2 hours and 26 minutes. With a sigh, he got up and checked his uniform and shaved before heading up to the auditorium. It had been filled with civilian evacuees but they must have been moved for this meeting. By the time he got there it was already packed, and there were still plenty more coming. It wasn’t until Christine walked in that he remembered that she was on the Harvard. Dante was about to get up and move next to her when the Captain walked in and it wasn’t Captain Ganymedes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“For those of you who don’t know, my name is Janella Arrequin, Captain of the Harvard. Captain Ganymedes is currently in a coma. There’s not much that can be done at this point, and will be placed in zero stasis. As a result I am assuming command. Our status is thus....We are currently in the Triangulum Galaxy and are effectively cut off from all Union assistance. The Harvard has experience extensive internal damage, mostly to it’s power systems and ISAH Drive. Work will begin to remove much of its armaments, shields and other necessary equipment and supplies. We are then heading for Union space. This journey will be difficult but it will be possible.” This was where she paused. “In our current situation, it would be impossible to make this journey. Sacrifices will need to be made.” She pauses again. “I have decided that we will need to leave the civilians behind on the Harvard to give this ship a chance of making it back to the Union....I will be asking for volunteers to remain behind....”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Before she could continue further Dante raised his hand.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You have a question?” asked Captain Arrequin

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No....I’m volunteering,” replied Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You don’t have to decide now. We won’t be ready to depart for another 12 hours.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No, I’m volunteering now.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Thank you. Anyone else who wishes to volunteer can inform their department heads, and as I said you have some time to make your decision. The senior staff from the Harvard are now your new department heads until I have time to review your records and make any possible changes. This is to remain confidential and does not leave this room. Dismissed.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The gathered officers began to disperse but Lt Cdr Anderson desperately tried to get the Captains attention before she could leave the room. He didn’t get far before being intercepted by a Commander. Dante couldn’t care less, as Christine was making her way toward him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What are you thinking?” asked Christine, an edge in her voice.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’m thinking I need to get back to bed,” replied Dante slightly put off by her tone..

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“How could you volunteer to stay behind? It’s a death sentence.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I-I....I worked too hard to save those people just to leave them behind....They are Union citizens whom we are sworn to protect.....How could I not volunteer?” Not bothering to wait for a response, Dante left Christine standing there. He had intended to get back and get what sleep he could but Anderson caught up to him before he could get to the IST.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Vento. You are to move all the civilians onto the Harvard.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Now?” asked Dante with exasperation.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Captain wanted it as soon as possible or so Commander Shaulis says,” said Anderson, clearly not happy about his demotion of sorts..

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’ll get right on that, sir,” replied Dante trying to sound less tired than he was.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Let me know if you need any help,” offered Anderson before heading back towards the bridge.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante hadn’t been this tired since Basic. It wasn’t just physical fatigue either but a deep exhaustion one feels inside and out. But the ‘Captain’ wanted the civilians moved so that’s what he’d do. First he needed to figure out where they’d be going. Which meant he needed to get over to the Harvard and see things for himself.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As he made his way across the umbilical to the Harvard he passed streams of engineers and supplies. Which was at first comforting until he realized that supplies that were coming to help were actually leaving for storage on the Yuiika. The place was being stripped and Dante was supposed to get all the civilians on board.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Harvard was different from the Yuiika in that it was a 1500 meter Terran Dreadnought. Terrans tended to design in a very aerodynamic way despite the lack of air in space. The thick armor was dotted with weapons turrets. There was something to the design that made you think it was born and bred to fight.....and win!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Grimmly Dante pressed forward into the vulture ridden ship, seeking out someone who could give him some answers. It was the shouting that drew Dante’s attention.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As Dante entered main engineering he was greeting by two Commanders yelling at the top of their lungs at each other, nose to nose. They were both attempting to yell over each other and both seemed to be succeeding as there wasn’t much discernible over the roar. It wasn’t until one of their PDD’s went off that either backed down.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Commander, you are not to take any crews off their task. Do it again and I’ll have you court martialed! End of discussion!” yelled one before marching off in a huff staring at his PDD.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I was looking for some who could tell me how things are going over here. I’ve been ordered to move the civilians over here and will need somewhere to stick them.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Well Commander Ovidius could have told you that if his head wasn’t so far up his....” stopped the remaining Commander, realizing what he was about to say. “Vento, right?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, how....” started Dante but was cut off before he could finish.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You’ve become quite famous since your little incident in the auditorium,” interjected the Commander.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“But that happened less than 5 minutes ago.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You should know that gossip flies faster than light. Especially amongst engineers. Anyway, I can help you I suppose. I’m Commander Ross, but you can just call me Ross. I am.....was....the Chief Engineer for the Yuiika until......well, you know.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“It’s nice to meet your, sir.” replied Dante extending his hand.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No “Sir’s”, just Ross. You earned it.” said Commander Ross shaking Dante’s hand, “So how can I help you?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Alright. Ross it is. I’ve been ordered to move all the civilians from the Yuiika over here to the Harvard and I need to know which areas I can stick them.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Hmmm....Harvard is a bit smaller than the Yuiika. It’s going to be tough getting everyone in but I think we can make it work.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“We? Don’t you have other things to be doing?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Nope. That shouting match you overheard was just on that subject.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“It sounded like it was about you reassigning work teams?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Exactly. If <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">we <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> hope to use the Harvard, we are going to need engines. I had re-assigned a team to if any of the ISAH pods could be salvaged, but the <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">new <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Chief Engineer caught wind of it.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“We......as in you and me? You vol....are going to be on the Harvard too?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Of course,” replied Ross. His expression had darken slightly, like he wasn’t too happy about leaving a ship full of civilians behind.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Oh,” said Dante, not knowing what else to could be said.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No matter. It will be 2 hours before we’ll be ready for the civilians.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Now I just have to figure out how to get them over here. I’m assuming the IST’s are pretty much useless.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Then you’d assume correctly. We’ve got one working and that’s only just barely. And don’t look for me to be getting another one working just for you. I don’t like you <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">that <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">much.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Understood. Just get start and I will let you know when to expect guests.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">sir <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">,” acknowledged Ross before heading off to do.....something. It might have been Dante’s imagination, but there appeared to be a bit of a spring in his step.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Back across the umbilical to Yuiika, Dante tried come up with a plan. There wasn’t much to work with. Upon getting to AUX OPS, Dante filled out his complete plan, giving details about how long it should take, the needed personnel to pull it off and the resources required. Once completed he sent it up to OPS for approval.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The biggest problem with the plan was that it required exclusive use of the umbilical and that there not be any more dismantling of the ship. That in itself was going to take a few hours so Dante spent as much time with the civilians as possible. He was place in charge of them after all.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">One of the people he came upon was the mayor of Oceaus. He was particularly insistent to be informed of what was going on and all Dante could do was send the mayor's request up to Captain Arrequin.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Eventually his proposal for transferring the civilians to the Harvard was approved with one slight modification.....Instead of have 6 hours to make the move, Dante had to have it done in 4. Possible, but it was going to be gruelling.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Immediately Dante began putting his requisitioned resources to work, getting the second umbilical into place and dedicating one of the IST for the move. Lastly he called over to Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Ross, how far are you along?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’m finished. Thanx to some help I was able to confirm that the ISAH drive is completely fried. She’s dead in the water.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“We can deal with that later. Expect for the first civilians to arrive within the next 5 minutes.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Will do,” replied Ross before cutting the call.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Now to make sure everything goes to plan,” Dante said to himself.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yuiika, this is Lieutenant Vento. The civilians are now all aboard the Harvard,” reported Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Acknowledged,” came the reply.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante had moved over to the Harvard. The bridge had been systematically abandoned, so he was alone sitting at the OPS station at this point. As the civilians had moved over, he had found himself increasingly busy. In the end he was coordinating all the efforts aboard the Harvard.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The reports of what equipment would be left aboard the Harvard wasn’t comforting in the least. Weapons were just over half her standard complement was all that was left. The ISAH pods were still fused, and would need to be replaced entirely. There were several Wolfcraft Fighters which were still left in the hangar along with numerous civilian craft that had been taken aboard while the Yuiika had been evacuating the surface. Parts, emergency equipment, water, food, meds and ammunition were mostly cleared out except for a few dregs or those which Yuiika no longer had room to store. Without the help of the computronic, which was in deep diagnostics for another 4 hours, it was impossible to tell how long their supplies would last, but Dante could tell it wasn’t going to last.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Thankfully the MCH, Molecularly Compressed Hydrogen, stores were nearly full. So they had enough fuel for a few weeks but they had no means of refueling.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Currently the seriously injured crewmembers were being transferred from the Yuiika, as it would appear that Captain Arrequin  was going to leave them behind as well. Large batches of orders were also pouring from the Yuiika’s bridge with orders to report to the Harvard with their belongings. It wouldn’t be long until the Yuiika left....

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante woke with a start. He’d just fallen asleep at his post. Checking the time, he was relieved to see that it had only been for a moment. Surreptitiously, he checked to see if anyone had arrived on the bridge yet. No one had, so his slip went completely unnoticed. Knowing he was no use to anyone in his state, he called up an ensign from OPS he knew had volunteered to stay on the Harvard to relieve him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Finding an empty bed, Dante let the events of the past 4 days seep away as he drifted into a deep sleep.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Lieutenant Vento, wake up.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Wha?” slurred Dante coming up from a too deep sleep.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“The Captain is asking for you, sir,” replied a doe eyed Petty Officer.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What does she want?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Not “she”, sir. Captain Ganymedes.” If Dante was a little more awake he might have heard the contempt that in the Petty Officer’s voice when he said “she”. Instead he focused on the latter part of the statement.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Captain Ganymedes is awake?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes sir. He’s in sick bay waiting for you.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Thank you Petty Officer,”  replied Dante. As the Petty Officer left, Dante checked his uniform and shave. Both were terrible. After a brief moment of internal struggle, he decided it was better to keep the Captain waiting a minute or two than to show up in his state. Stepping into the autodresser Dante selected the express clean and shave. Nanites began cleaning off the built up dirt and oils in his skin and hair while other nanites straightened his uniform. Once complete no one would be able to tell he’d only had 6 hours sleep in the past 4 days.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Darting out the quarters he had been hibernating, to his great surprise he found that the IST he was coming up on was operational. <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Ross must have been busy, <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">thought Dante, before jumping in.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The IST dropped him off on the deck where Main Medical was located. It was shorter than he expected before he got there though. The Harvard was a bit smaller than the Yuiika, but from the inside it was easy to get fooled.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Entering Sick Bay Dante was greeted by the sight of Captain Ganymedes lying in a bed. A doctor, probably the Chief of Medical, was standing nearby along with Ross. They were talking in low tones, so out of respect Dante stopped just inside the doors, scuffing his heels extra loudly to draw attention to his arrival. Which worked perfectly. Ross motioned for Dante to come over, which he did quickly.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Lieutenant Vento, reporting as ordered.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“At ease Lieutenant. I don’t have time for formalities. I have called you here as I will soon be placed in zero statis. My injuries are quite severe,” Captain Ganymedes paused before continuing, “So it now comes down to the matter of command. XO Tresler should now be in command, however, he was with me when I was injured and died before aid could arrive.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’m sorry sir,” offered Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“It is unfortunate, but accidents happen. Regardless someone must take command of this ship. To that end you have been brought to my attention.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“How can I help, sir,” asked Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You can help by leading this ship and all aboard,” stated Captain Ganymedes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Is there something in my conduct that needs improving?” inquired Dante, a little puzzled that the Captain felt it necessary to personally correct his behavior.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No,” said the Captain while Ross was attempting to stifle what appeared like a violent sneeze.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’m sorry, sir. Might I ask what the purpose of this conversation is then?” asked Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Listen closely, as I don’t have time to repeat myself,” began the Captain, “This ship needs <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">you <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> to be it’s Captain.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">This came like a blow to the gut for Dante. He had been coming up with a lot of different outcomes, but nothing even remotely close to this one. “I-I can’t do that sir. I’m not qualified,” stammered Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Shut up. Do you decline?” barked Captain Ganymedes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“N-no, sir.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Good. Computronic, recognize Ganymedes.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Recognized, Captain Cheops Ganymedes,” said the Computronic.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Confirm command authority,” continued Captain Ganymedes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Confirmed. Captain Cheops Ganymedes is the highest command authority aboard the USS Harvard. All attempts to communicate with higher command authorities have failed,” reported the computronic.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Effective immediately, I hereby commission Dante Vento as Acting Captain of the USS Harvard and all that it entails. In 3 months time, a board will review his conduct. If finding him competent, this commision will be extended indefinitely until someone with proper authority revokes it. All is to be done in accordance with the instructions I have previously established. Computronic, recognize Captain Vento.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Recognized, Captain Dante Vento, Acting Captain of the USS Harvard.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Now, get me into zero stasis before there really is no hope for me,” the Captain ordered the doctor. With the press of a button on his PDD, the Captain fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Ross, you should gild our new Captain and then get him up to the conference room. I’ll just put Captain Ganymedes into zero stasis and meet you both up there,” said the doctor.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Sounds good. Come with me <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Captain <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Vento,” replied Commander Ross, gently leading Dante out the door and into the hallway.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante was in such shock he just let himself be guided down the hall to the IST. Once in the IST and it started moving he finally found his voice.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Where are we going?” asked Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Captain's Ready Room. There is an autodresser and it’s on the way to the conference room where there is a meeting with the department heads waiting for you.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Oh,” was all that Dante had to reply in response.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">It wasn’t until he was standing in the autodresser that his mind caught up to his body. He couldn’t tell what it was that had finally brought him back to the present. Whether it was the tickle from the nanites or the gold bands that were added to each sleeve but realization dawned..

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’m a Captain,” whispered Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What was that, sir?” asked Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Why me? Why was I picked over everyone else? I just became a lieutenant!’”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You have made quite a name for yourself even before you took your previous assignment. But your conduct during these past few days is what really brought you to the attention of Captain Ganymedes....sir.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Sir? You don’t have to call me that Ross.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Oh, I think I do regardless of what you prefer, Captain. As you mentioned yourself, you were a lieutenant. By saying “sir” it will help establish your authority amongst the crew, <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">sir <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Alright, but that still doesn’t explain why I should be picked over Commander Anderson.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“The only people who really knows that are Captain Ganymedes, who’s going into zero stasis. Your XO might. I don’t know much about him though. He’s a Stellaris and  a retired Navy Captain, and had been living on Hillburg II before all this. After myself and Commander Relis were asked to take command and both declined, Captain Ganymedes requested to speak with him. It wasn’t until after that conversation that your name was brought up, Captain. A causal investigation into your abilities seemed to confirm whatever the Captain was looking for.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The autodresser had finished by this point and Dante had stepped out. “So why isn’t he in command?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Your XO? From what I can tell he refused too, but eventually agreed to be your XO with a rank of Commander. Regardless, you are the Captain and your crew awaits, sir,” said Ross gesturing towards the door.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I guess I have to, don’t I?” asked Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No, sir. You don’t <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">have <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> to do anything. But it would probably be best,” replied Ross with a grin.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Quite right, Mr. Ross, it would be best,” Dante grinned back before leaving the Ready Room.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Captain on the bridge!” yelled someone. Everyone that was on the bridge stood to face him and saluted. Dante was struck from behind by Ross, as he had stopped so suddenly. In stunned silence he stared at them and they stared back, saluting and at attention. It wasn’t for several long moments before anyone dared to do more than breath.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“As you were,” said Dante as he saluted in return and headed for the conference room. He could feel their eyes on him as he crossed the room.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Arriving at the conference room was much different. No one seemed to notice he’d entered at all. It might have been something to the shouting match going on across the table. Dante had paused just inside the door, and Commander Ross had come up next to him. Ross gave him a look with one eyebrow half raised. It took Dante a moment to get what Ross was implying with this look, he was wanting to know if he should announce Dante. With a slight shake of a head, Ross got his reply. He nodded in reply and headed for an empty seat. Listening to the argument, Dante slowly made his way to the head of the table.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Commander Ross,” began one of the shouters, having seen Ross sit down at the table, “we have just been informed by Commander Relis that Captain Ganymedes has been placed in zero stasis, and that he is refusing to take command.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I was just down speaking with Captain Ganymedes before this and can confirm that he was about to be place in stasis,” stated Ross in response.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“So you will be taking command,” inquired Lt Cmd Anderson who had been the other person shouting.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No, I have refused also,” said Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“So, command would fall to me,” said the original shouter as if this would be the final point in her argument.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No, command should still fall to Captain Freeman,” countered Anderson.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“He’s retired. That makes him a civilian!” escalated the female commander.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“He’s got more experience than any of us!” shouted back Anderson.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Lieutenant Commander Anderson, sit down before I throw you in the brig!” yelled back the female commander.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Anderson was about to retort back with something else, but he finally caught the looks he was getting from Commanders Ross, and Relis. With grim determination, Anderson took his seat and kept quiet.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Now we can start our meeting,” said the female commander as she took her own seat.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Dante had already gotten to the head of the table and seated and no one had given him more than a passing glance.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Our current greatest need is propulsion. Commander Ross, how long would it take to get one of the ISAH pods operational?” demanded the female commander.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“The ISAH pods are all fried. We would need to build one from scratch,” replied Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Then how long for you to build one and get it installed?” asked the female commander, an edge in her voice.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“If I stopped all other work we might have one in a month,” said Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Do it. Tactical?” said the female commander.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’d prefer if you didn’t,” interrupted Dante. The female commander who had taken charge whipped her head around so quick it looked as if it must have hurt.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What are you doing in here? This is a meeting for senior staff only!” demanded the female commander.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Which is why I’m here. And I would prefer not to take all of my engineers off their current tasks without first having a full status report. Commander Ross, please give your report.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, Captain. Currently we....”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Excuse me, I am in command and you will do well to learn that quickly. Leave now before I have you thrown in the brig,” seethed the female commander.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">By this time everyone else had picked up on Commander Ross’s use of the title “Captain” and confirmed the suspicion with the gold bars on Dante’s sleeves. He had been sure to place his arms in front of him on the table. A couple of the senior staff, including Lt Cdr Anderson, were wide eyed and slack jawed.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Commander Ross, continue,” prompted Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No,” the female commander shouted. She then touched a button on the table. After a moment, in walked a pair of marines. “Take him to the brig,” she ordered, pointing to Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Having finally had enough, Dante rose to his feet.”Enough. Marine, please take Commander...”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Asher,” supplied Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Thank you. Please take Commander Asher to the brig. If it’s not operational yet, just stick her in an empty room and post a guard,” ordered Dante before sitting back down. He made it look nonchalant but it was really because his legs were shaking so badly that he was afraid he might collapse.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">All attention turned to the marines. They looked confused beyond measure, but it was only for a moment before they moved to either side of Commander Asher. “Ma’am, come with us,” said one.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Commander Asher was about to say something when her eyes fell upon the sleeves of Dante’s uniform. The three gold bands standing out against the black sleeve, with a matching set on the other sleeve. She simply let herself be taken, lifted from her chair and frog marched out of the conference room.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">After the doors had closed, attention was turned back to the head of the table where Dante was sitting. “Let us continue,” said Dante with the intention of having Ross give his report, “ Oh, and Mr. Anderson? If I hear you speak to another superior officer in that manner I will send you down to waste managment for the rest of your career. Understood?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Y-yes sir!” replied Anderson.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Commander Ross, please give your report,” said Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, sir. Currently we have power to 90% of the ship, but should be finished within the hour. Communications and sensors are operational but each will need a couple of hours downtime to get them back to peak efficiency. As you already heard propulsion is fried. All other systems are in perfect working order,” reported Commander Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Does anyone have any ideas for getting us propulsion?” asked Dante. No one did, or that they were willing to share. “What’s the status of our Wolfcraft?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Other than some minor damages, they are in perfect working order, sir,” replied Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Including their ISAH drives?” questioned Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I believe so, Captain,” said Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Would it be possible to mount a Wolfcraft to the hull and tie its systems into the ship?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I suppose so, but......Oh, I see what your getting at. The mass of the ship might be too much for just one, but we could get a couple and that should do it. 4 should be enough. It wouldn’t be pretty or fast but it could get us to a nearby system,” said Ross eagerly.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Does anyone see anything wrong with the idea?” asked Dante. Still no one spoke up. “Ok, if we do get propulsion, then we’ll need a destination. Science?......”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“That’s Commander Asher, sir,” offered Anderson.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Oh....Navigation then. Are there any nearby systems that are more likely to have habitable planets?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“The nearest system is the most likely from what we can see from this distance and is approximately 13 light years from our present location,” reported Lt Cdr Veline.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Good. Keep working with Commander Asher and get me some details on the system by 0800 tomorrow. Comms, I want you to see if you can detect any signals, we’ll need to know if there is sentient life in this section of space. Tactical, what’s our status?” asked Dante.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Lt Cdr Gnaeus Maccius was the Chief Tactical Officer and a Pan Saran. The Pan Saran and Saran were once one and the same. During a particularly heated internal conflict the Pan Sarans left to establish their own society. After centuries of separation a few differences developed. Pan Sarans have lighter hair and include shades of brown. Their skin lightened and took on an olive tone. These features were exemplified in Lt Cdr Maccius. “Shimmer shields are operational. Approximately half of the offensive systems were removed and ammunition is dangerously low. Captain Arrequin cleaned out most of what we had.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Is there anyway we can replenish our supply ourselves?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“We have some manuals, but we lack the proper facilities to do so,” supplied Ross.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I guess that will have to do. OPS, what’s the state of the auxiliary craft?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“We have 8 Wolfcraft Fighters. There are also 11 civilian ships and all they’d need is a thorough inspection but they should all be fully operational.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Thank you.....There will be another senior staff meeting tomorrow morning at 1000. I want full status reports on my desk by 0800. Dismissed.” Each of the department heads got up and left to get back to their duties. Ross gave Dante a smirk before heading down to get started on the Wolfcraft. Soon the room was empty and he was alone with his thoughts. While the shock of this....promotion had passed, the weight of his new responsibility was only just beginning to settle on his shoulders.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Remembering his forced dismissal of Commander Asher, Dante left the conference room in search of where the marines had stuffed her. He found her in the brig. From the looks of it she had cried not too long ago.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Please release Commander Asher and give us the room,” ordered Dante. The security personnel didn’t move at first but only a moment before jumping up to carry out his orders. It wasn’t until after they had left and Dante and Commander Asher were alone that he finally spoke again. “Commander Asher, this is not an official reprimand. We are in an unusual conditions and it is only normal to be a little more edge because of it. However I am asking that you be more observant in the future. As a senior officer aboard this ship you must set the example. Your conduct was inappropriate and I do not want to hear or see you do something similar....ever. Am I being clear?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, Captain,” came the meek response.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Work with Lt Cdr Veline and determine what you can of the nearest star system. I want the report by 0800.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, Captain.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Dismissed.” Dante waited for Commander Asher to leave before he headed up to the Captain’s....no, <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">his <span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Ready Room. There was one thing he still needed to do.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Sitting down at the desk, Dante opened up a large book. Each United Stars Navy ship had one, and it was considered one of the ships greatest treasures. Despite centuries of advances, a physical book was still used for the ship’s log. The computronic could easily follow what he wrote and compiled a digital copy for official purposes.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Finding that the last entry was from the day before the Yuiika and Harvard were transported to Triangulum, Dante began to write.

 

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">August 25, 3468

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Captain Ganymedes is incapacitated. 23 members of the crew and 182 civilian refugees are dead. We are cut off from all possible assistance from from Fleet HQ and the Union, stranded in the Triangulum Galaxy, approximately 2.7 million light years from the Milky Way Galaxy. A trip that would take centuries. This simply is not possible with the 53 482 refugees aboard....I, Dante Vento, have accepted the commission as Acting Captain......