Chapter 5
"So here we are, aboard our new home." Issac smiled over at the other two ensigns beside him. "Issac Gerovnir, you?"
The female Omparian next to him spoke up with a smile. "I'm Melist Waters, nice to meet you Issac."
Issac nodded his recognition and turned to the Borfalkian, "I noticed you were fairly quiet."
The Borfalkian spoke softly with a nod, "Yes Mr. Gerovnir, my name is Millar Jacks, I'll be at the helm for much of this voyage." Issac extended his hand to the Borfalkian who had taken a dark skinned, scaled, form presently.
"Nice to meet you."
The conversation was cut short when the Admiral stepped up to the window and started his speech. He discussed the launch procedure, " I know you're all very appeased with this beauty of a little vessel." Raising his hand he said, "To the Mingus, may she see wonders undreamed of!" The crew returned the toast heartily and the admiral continued, "In a few moments I'll be leaving and you people can get to your quarters to settle in. After about one hour you will report to your posts as Captain Hyss wishes and we will send you de-docking permission, and you can make your way toward your first stop off, the rim mining world Uidera 4-G. The trip should take six days at maximum cruising speed, then you're on your own."
"So good-bye, good luck, and god speed! May the Emperor's vessel serve the Empire to the full extent of it's powers." With a final salute the man was out the door. Issac scratched his head in curious wonder about the nameless officer, another Naval drone, obviously a well trained one at that. Shrugging he rose and left the room quickly and eagerly, Melist Waters came behind and caught up as he reached the hallway. "I think you want to go right."
"Thank you." Issac chuckled as he headed more to the back of the vessel.
"Eager to see your quarters I'm guessing, me too. I'm right beside
you, I'll be your neighbour. So you're Ghix? I've never
seen one of your people before so excuse my curiosity."
"No problem, you're Omparian...is it true that you can heat and cool you blood at will?"
"Of course, it's actually quite handy."
Issac stopped at his quarters, he had needed to count his way as he went down the hallway and now he looked at the door and knew that the number on it was correct. "Here I am, I'll see you in an hour then?"
She nodded, "We'll probably be in engineering for the first hours since we have the most experience as assistants there, after tomorrow it'll probably be just you and Leftenant Jicks, he's Chief Engineer. I might be thrown in some maintenance tube or a helm station."
Issac said good-bye and went into his quarters then and the door slid softly shut behind him and clicked closed. Not on movement sensors, the doors to quarters were obviously button activated and could be locked if desired. Quite small, his quarters were situated on the port side of the ship. Immediately from the entrance was the living area with a broad oval window along the wall under a nice sofa, the coffee table in front of the sofa was a nice glass piece. The walls were bare so he could personalize his new home. To the right sat a two seater dining table, around the corner behind a separating wall was a replictor, a desk with a large computer station, and another window. Beneath the window was a bed with green covers and a short night stand. To the left of the living area was the shower and other facilities, on much of the walls facing against the corridor was shelfs and two closets. Issac smiled as he went to the sofa were he had left his belongings and began unpacking, after doing so he went to the replicator and got some tea. He sat at his computer station and looked out the window, watching the activities of the shipyard, then he began reading engineering specs off of the computer in prep for the departure.
Chapter 6
"Ensign Gerovnir," the Captains deep voice came through the comm. system. "Report to main engineering for departure proceedings now." Issac looked up from his reading and agnowledged the Captain across the comm.
Standing, he went to the door and in several minutes walked into engineering.on the second deck. Looking over the rail he saw Leftenant Jicks tapping away at a console directly opposite the main core. Issac quickly rode an unrailed deck-lift to the third floor level of engineering. "Ensign Gerovnir, reportong for duty sir."
The short Vokell turned his head revealing green eyes, black hair, and a long nose. He was holding two computer pads in his hand and nodded to Issac quickly before turning back to the console. "Attend to the Internal Power Systems console ensign."
Issac moved to the IPS Console and sat at the chair. "Sir, do you want me to bring indipendant power on line?"
"Yes, in a moment, I'm moving the Engine Core to full standard levels...now" Jicks tapped one last button and a low keyed chime rang through the room.
The male autonomus computer voice reported, "Engine Core reaction has attained standard power levels."
"Okay initiate our indipendant power systems...now." Issac nodded his response and began the initiation sequence immediately tapping through sub-menus on his console and bringing up power graphs. The computer echoed the status writing that scrolled on Issac's screen, "Indipendant Power Core system attaining normal power levels, feeding power to primary systems, rerouting external station power. Power level balencing in progress, moving to full standard independant systems." A rumble coursed through the floor and the power core came online while the ship severed all electrical ties to the spaceyard.
A large view port on the wall flicked to life displaying captain Hyss's face, he looked excited as he reported the situation and issued commands. "Main engineering is ready for departure, the ships enviromental controls have been activated and Ensign Waters has safely retracted our docking port for us, we are waiting for clearance from traffic control for deparure and we'll be on our way. I'll leave the main view screen's signal on these trasmission screens from now on as a default so you will all know our status at all times." Issac chcukled to himself, Waters was already wondering the ships bowels doing grunt work.
After tweaking the systems a bit the screen dispayed a text only transmission from the Shipyard Traffic Command with dedocking and disembarkment authorization, Issac released the locks on the engine core and thrusters as the Mingus pulled out of docking. He watched the viewscreen along with Jicks as hull plating slid past and stars appeared with several scattered ships. Within seconds they flew by them as the Mingus quickly accelerated to a swift speed. Jick looked over at Issac and smiled, "Here we go, lets see what our girl can do." The engine core roared to life as it pulsed with power and the view screen went bright blue for a second as they entered tras-light speeds. The captain came back on screen with a wide smile and proudly announced their new cruising speed and course then congradualted everyone.
After about another seven or so hours of exciting work Issac was releived by Leftenant Idrius Paxez, a Selician Female who smiled at Issac as she walked in on 4 legs, she had blue skin and was perfectlty balenced on all four legs and they supported her angled to the ground at near 90 degree angles so she could walk comfortably. She had 7 fingers on each hand and blue eyes with green whites. Her hair was down ter her back and a navy blue color. Her tongue was even blue and she had nice white teeth, her ears were pointed and her thin nails were a milky white. Issac smiled back and left to the lift and returned to his quarters, exasted he colapsed into bed not having slept in many hours.
Chapter 7
When Issac awoke in the "morning" he was awakened by the computer chiming "It is 0.35 Cylcles." Arising from his comfortable bed he wondered to the shower and ran it hot, then after he got dressed he replicated some Ghix food for his meal and ate while watching the Imperial News Broadcast, he would still get these broadcasts until they cleared the outer rim, a 6 day voyage. He got bored soon however and sat in a chair and found himself strangly comfortably munching on a piece of fruit while staring into space, he accessed some music and just relaxed while stars twinkled back at him.
After nearly an hour of casually lazing about his quarters Issac went down to main engineering and found it empty, this ship was sparsly manned, out fitted for a long, distant exploration. "Computer locate Leftenant Jicks."
"Leftenant Jicks is in maitenance tube 12-A3, engingeering subsection."
Issac nodded and went to the status station to see what Jicks was doing, then went to work on another task after reporting in. They were cruising at maximum cruising speed, a very nice speed at that, and the engine was positively charged with power. Issac tapped away tweaking mechanics.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ensign Millar T. Jacks sat at the helm on the bridge as the Mingus rocketed through space, Millar was a Borfalkian who was on his first assignment, he had always wanted to fly through the unexplored, soon he would be doing just that, going into the depths of the unknown. The Bridge had 3 officers on it presantly besides himself; Captain Hyss, Commander Feres, and Leftenant Brown. Quertius Brown was the Borfalkian tactical officer and was talking to Hyss, he was going over specs and system stats. Millar ignored it, and looked at his star charts, they would reach the outer rim ourpost before setting off into unclaimed space, it had been roughly charted but was not well, the Mingus was to leave even that behind and proceed into the unknown, on the starcharts it was "Unexplored Region", Millar smiled and thought of the stellar data they were going to retrieve; maps, geological surveys, political maps. This would change his whole career, he would gain invaluable experiance here.
Since they were passing through Borfalkian territory everything was just routine, and Millar had to obey Star Traffic Laws, and communicate with passing ships and bases. Over the course of several days Millar found himself doing less and less talking and obeying rules, he ran into less and less ships every day and by the fourth day in flight the only ships he began to scan in extra star system space were freigters and factory ships, they were in the resource area of Borfalkia, the "frontier".
They had to pass through a huge muddy coloured nebula at the end of the fourth day and it made Millar's quarters look wierd, the dark gases were lit up with the glowing spheres of new stars and they reflected a wierd light upon the walls. Millar's quarters were his new little cozy spot and he liked having a nice comfortable place to go to every day. He already had hung a picture of his homeworld Lioth on the wall above his table, he had set up a small work area in a corner where he was working on a model of a Lioth Sailboat, back on his homeworld, he used to race them for enterainment. The replicator had given him the parts, paints, etc. for the ship...on the cost of a few lunches, he was building it out of wood, string, and fabric and when he was done it was to be two feet long, so now he could occupy him self on these long nights of flying. The others often were in the galley and tried to get him to join but he tended to prefer his nice quarters.
On the fifth day he had been eating his breakfast when he saw one of the friegters go by his wondow because they must've been talking with it and Millar was floored, the ship was huge, it slowly lumbered under the Mingus and Millar stood and watched it pass under, it was at least 10 kilometers long. Metal strut after strut wink along below the window. Millar had never really considered where all the ore came from, it was just...there. But that ship was massive!.
When he went on duty that day he asked the Captain what was going on. "Sir, why was that huge cargo ship so close with us?"
Hyss smiled and replied, "They were oredered to give us 300 pounds of Selenium and we were just making a rendevue, that'll probably be the last real Borfalkian vessel you'll see for a while."
"One hell of a vessel sir, I'm still getting over its size."
"It's carries ore from an astroid belt around here back to a refinery, it carries several million metric tonnes."
"Amazing sir." Millar turned back to his console, he continued working, tomorrow they would dock at the rim mining world Uidera 4-G, tomorrow would be the last day he was in Borfalkian space for a long time. Millar scanned the stars in a admiring sweep as he took a deep breath, on his break he decided he would go up to the galley, he knew that no one would probably be there now, he could have nice view of space while eating his lunch in peace. He was happily staring out into the stars when he was rudely snapped to attention, his comm. pad beeped and the Captain spoke, "Miller, get down to the bridge, we've picked up a distress call and we need you at the helm, Hyss out!"
Millars head snaped up, distress call? Out here, in the rim? He leaped out of his seat leaving behind his food as he ran down the corridors to the lift.
Chapter 8
Millar promptly sat into his chair at the helm and began navigating to the source of the signal. They had picked up a distress call from an unidentified ship in orbit around a gas giant, it had asked for assistance because they were under assault by 3 other vessels. The vessel that was trasmitting the signal was not Borfalkian, or any other known race for that matter.
Millar spoke up, "Sir we're getting them on long range sensors, we should have a visual in a second."
The viewscreen flickered and an image of a huge dark purple gas giant with large thin rings appeared, low to the rings, nearly in the atmosphere, was a green flickering. It lit up the clouds of the massive world with irregular bursts of green light.
Captain Hyss spoke up, "Ensign magnify the image in closer to the lights, there seems to be some serious fighting happening here."
The image grew to include a visual on three medium sized craft firing a barrage of weapons at a large cruiser that was fighting back ferociously but slowly loosing as its shields weakened.
Hyss opened a channel to the cruiser and they recieved a visual feed, a creature with 6 eyes and pale yellow skin appeared and the translaters kicked in, "Help us, please any assistance, we are on patrol, these people are attacking us for our-". The image shook and crackled, "...boarded HELP!!!"
Hyss closed the channel, seconds later the cruiser exploded and the screen went white for a moment as the large vessel flew apart, Hyss shouted, "Raise shields and prepare for impact with the shockwave!"
As Millar squinted he saw two black dots shoot through the explosion and then felt the rumble of the shockwave. The two vessels shot large green beams and the Mingus shook as the shields were hit.
"Shields down to 86% sir, shall I return fire?!" Millar shouted.
"Yes!"
Millar slammed his hand onto the padd and watched as energy spheres streamed toward a ship, with in seconds it exploded. After some tough brawling the other vessel lowered its shields and trasmitted a surrender message.
Millar gave Hyss a quick report, "Sir we've sustained minor damage to our shields, they've lost all major systems except communications and life support."
Hyss nodded and announced, "Good prepare to beam them into the brig, after that we 're taking a trip to that ship to see what they're all about."
"Sir there are 45 crewmen on that vessel."
""Then we'll use one of the cargo bays, they're going to pay for this, them and their people!"
"Yes sir, commencing transport."
In a few minutes the entire crew was aboard, and Hyss and the second officer went down to the cargo bay to meet their prisoners.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hyss strode down the corridors swiftly with Commander Feres at his side, he was anxious to see what kind of scum of a nation would be doing this, he hadn't seen this level of battle since his days as a security detail on the rim outpost Fesha 8. When he arrived at the cargo bay he instructed the computer to create a force field in a semi circle around the entrance with a 2 meter radius. Then he entered and was shocked to see the most ragged bunch of crew he had ever set eyes on. The were dirty, dressed poorly and the men were mostly unshaven.
Hyss murmered, "Who are you?"
One of the bigger men stepped up and grinned a crooked grin, "We're the Veross Belt Pirates, well I suspect you'll be executing us now, get on with it!"
"Pirates?", he left the room with Feres quickly as the pirates laughed loudly at them.
Hyss turned to Feres in the hallway and repeated himself, "Pirates...I've only read of that in the ancient years, no civilization allows pirates to exist long."
Feres nodded, "Sir may I remind you were on the edge of known space, obviously this area of space is extremely underdeveloped and is very unstable, we should be prepared for this...frontier like attitude."
"Agreed, so what should we do with this rabble?"
Feres smiled and said, "I think I've got an idea you might like..."
Chapter 9
It was an excellent little plan, they would find a suitable uninhabited planet with low forms of life, compatable with the pirates basic survival needs, and in an out of the way system. Thus the pirate crew would have new home...for a very long time since the defensive satallites they planned to put in orbit would likely deter any curious inquesitions. Mean while Hyss assembled a small group to board the pirate vessel and strip it for every thing it had to offer. It had the appearance of something that had been thrown together from various patches and repairs over decades, yet seemed suprisingly effective.
Hyss decided on sending Ensigns Waters and Gerovir along with Leftenant Quertius Brown as the team commander. Brown was a cocky man, recently promoted and somewhat low on experiance. Hyss decided the best way to make Brown gain the experiance was the only way, missions, missions, and more missions.
~~~~~~~~~~
When Gerovnir got word of his assignment he immeadiately cringed, he did not want to see some pirate ship, even though the thought of a foriegn ship interested him he knew that such a vessel would be....uncomfortable.
Now he was on the transporter pad and had with him a large sum of engineering tools in a compact case. As soon as they transported to the ships bridge Issac smelt the horendous reek. Garbage lay scattered across the floor, and a haze of stuffy air filled the room, the ceiling hung low and Issac had to bend his neck to avoid hitting tubes and wires. The Borfalkian, Brown, laughed and said, "Putrid barbarians, this rotting hulk of scrap is barely space worthy!"
With that comment Brown promptly flowed into a shorter muscular form, he grinned and ordered Gerovnir to find the engines and computer cores, Waters to start checking the whole ship end to end for anything of considerable note while he began to head down one hall looking for the captains quarters.
Gerovnir started down a dark shaft, the only things to hold onto were clamy metal rungs at irregular intervals. As he decended further down he found the lighting getting increasingly poorer until the last flickering light just barely illuminated the narrow shaft. After this he had to activate his head lamp...did no one use this shaft? Soon after it seemed an endless decent he found a small door, he had passed several already but none that would even budge. This however looked used, at least used somewhat, and after much deliberation with a key access pad Issac coaxed the door to open. On the other side was yet another tube, horizontal and grim. He pressed on, and after nearly a half hour of exploring he dicovered a large door that opened into a tight but some what large chamber. Her Issac located the Engine core, a tight hot, noisy, and above all dark and diry hole. It was obvious engineering skills were not a top priority here, the room looked barely visited. Issac decided he would turn that around and set about cleaning and seting up a base of operations from where he could get the ship into peak order before they stripped it. The Pirate manuevering thrusters were very adept and might be worth looking at once they got the ship into better shape.
Issac began the cleaning precess, he was a very clean and orderly person and wanted this room spic and span as he going to be here for a while. As he worked he smiled, his idle mind began to run senarios through his head...interesting senarios, dangerous senarious.
Chapter 10
