Hanging ominously in the deep vastness of space rested a small group of battleships and cruisers. This was the pride of the Terron kingdom, it's First Fleet. The variously shaped, dull gray vessels were lit only by faint star light from all around them and a few lights along their exteriors. The entire fleet was well armed with numerous laser cannons, and laser buckets littering their hulls. Posed at the front of this armada was the cruiser the T. K. S. Casine. Even though the Casine was the smallest ship in the fleet, it was the best armed and newest vessel in all of the Terron forces. That was why she was chosen to be the fleets Flagship. The Casine's design was a rather simple one. All her engines were mounted together to make up the bulk of the ship. Its two jump engines at the side with an ion drive in the rear were all housed in this part of the vessel. Extending from the front of this was a long neck and a hammerhead like structure. Viewed from the front the hammerhead was elliptical with its ends tapering out to a point. Here was housed the ships main laser cannon. Only a mere ten meters above the ships most powerful weapon were the bright lights of the elongated bridge viewport. Blue clad men were stationed on the hexagonal bridge. The viewport took up the front wall while the others were covered with command consoles except for two doors in the back. The only console not attached to bridge walls was the command station in the center of the room. Seated at this console was an older man who wore the ranking uniform of Commodore. He was not only in command of the Casine, but also the entire First Fleet. He was a well seasoned space officer who still possessed the physique of a trim thirty year old. Only his wrinkled dark brown features and long bright white hair gave away his true age. The Commodore was staring out the bridges long viewport just below a large view-screen. He sat there quietly, waiting. From behind him one of the access doors opened. A tall young officer gracefully walked onto the bridge. The door silently closed behind him as he stopped and stood behind the Commodore. Even with his bright yellow eyes and pale skin his profile was still rather dignified. His smooth ashy white face was flawless, except for a few small burns. He had been in the service for a while now and being a Pale made it far more difficult on him than others. In the early days it was extremely hard on him. Not only did he have to build up his immunity to all kinds of germs, he had to protect himself from being burned by the mildest sun light. Over the years he had found useful anti UV products for protection, but he still had to be careful. “Well Mr. Pio where is she?” asked the Commodore, still looking out the viewport knowing his young first Lieutenant was behind him.  The man, being somewhat surprised, was only able to say, “Uh, I'm not sure sir.”  “Damn it Pio if you can't do your job. I'll just get someone else to be my tactical and acting first officer,” barked the Commodore as he turned in his chair and looked up at him. “Commodore Zoyas, I do not know where the T.K.S. Sandra Twenty-Three is. She should have been in scanner range by now,” Pio coldly stated. “So first lieutenant Pio, it's not your fault this time.” The Commodore said with a grin. “I have no idea what could hav…” “Sir!” interrupted a short young female officer stationed along the wall of consoles. She was looking intensely at her scanning station. “Yes corporal Lena, what is it?” asked Zoyas as he quickly rose from his seat and walked over towards her. Zoyas stood behind the short plump lady and gazed over her shoulder as her console screen began to glow. Pio quickly took his tactical station nearby. “Well what the hell is it?” again questioned Zoyas. “Something coming in on long range scanners sir,” replied Lena working on her console. The Commodore turned sharply and headed for his seat ordering, “Let's keep it simple for now, give me a two-D tactical on screen Pio,” Zoyas said focusing his eyes up to the large view screen above the viewport. As he took his chair the large screen came to life. A white dot with a number of blue ones underneath it appeared at the center of the screen. Slowly a small red dot faded on the top edge and began to move towards the center. “I have tracers on, trying to identify,” Pio said working at his console. “Is she talking?” Zoyas asked. “Nothing coming from it on any channels sir,” stated the communications officer along the wall focused on their station. “Go ahead and try to contact it Lieutenant Gibs,” ordered the Commodore. “Yes sir,” The communications officer replied. Then after a few moments he said, "I'm not receiving any signals from the target at all sir.” “Hum that's funny,” Whispered Zoyas. “It may be the Sandra?” Pio said looking up from his console over at the Commodore. “Then why doesn't she respond Pio?” “Commodore you're not possibly suggesting that it could be a Meant vessel.” “And why not Pio?” Zoyas asked. “Come now sir,” Pio was saying almost with a laugh. “The Meants wouldn't come this deep into Terron space.” “Well Mister Pio a year ago they said the Meants would never touch Oma.” Pio rubbed his chin puzzled then said, “If it is a Meant ship, maybe they are the reason for why the Sandra has not showed up yet?” “I see you finally understand my point of view then?” Zoyas asked. “I'm not sure sir,” stammered the tactical officer still rubbing his chin. Leaning forward the Commodore ordered. “Half speed ahead, combat alert.” “Aye sir, half ion-drive ahead,” Echoed the helmsman from a console at the front of the bridge. A soft whine filled the room as combat warning sirens sounded throughout the ship. The bridge lights slowly dimmed. “Gibs,” Zoyas said swiveling around to face the communications console. “Yes sir,” he replied. “Order the rest of the fleet to combat alert, and tell them the Casine will check this boggy out herself. The rest of the fleet is to maintain their current position.” “Yes sir,” he said going to work at his console to relay the information. The rear of the Casine flared to life. Hot jets from the ion drive streamed from her aft. Slowly the flagship pulled away from the rest of the fleet. “Alright I think the crew is alerted now cut that damn alert noise,” the Commodore ordered. He was relieved when the droning stopped. Looking around to the tactical station the Commodore asked, “What do tracers tell you Mister Pio?” “Target is still out of range for any definite ID sir. Though it does appear to be a space vessel of some type,” replied Pio gazing at his console screen. “Um...,” Zoyas muttered biting his upper lip as he stared back up at the red dot on the main view screen. The small group of blue dots, representing the fleet, moved sluggishly down the screen as the unknown target drew even closer to the center white dot. “Position of unidentified ship?” the Commodore asked still biting his lip. “They are at eleven point six mark one point seven. It's approaching us at top sub-light speeds. There's a definite hot ion trail behind her sir,” Lena reported from her post. “Helmsman Una, set course to eleven point six mark one point seven, full speed!” barked Zoyas. Looking over at the Commodore Pio asked, “Are you sure about this?” “You don't reach my rank for being someone else's patsy,” He told Pio coldly. “Course and speed set sir,” the helmsman replied. “Alright Una lets go,” Commodore Zoyas ordered. Large ion thrusters from the top and sides of the ship burst to life to turn the massive ship to the new course. Once reaching it, counter thrusters fired to lock the ship onto its new heading. “We are now on collision course sir,” shouted the helmsman as a cold sweat rolled down his face and new alarms wailed. “Gibs anything yet?” Zoyas snapped with his eyes still locked on the red dot coming down the center of the screen growing closer. After a brief moment Gibs replied in a shaky voice, “Nothing sir.” “Right,” The Commodore said leaning back into his seat. “Arm the main cannon!” he coolly ordered.      “Aye sir,” boldly said another corporal at the weapons station. With a few punches on his console he stated, “Armed, ready to fire on your orders.”      “Set to full power Mister Mandez,” Zoyas added.      “Aye sir,” Mandez replied. Rubbing one of his ears the Commodore grunted, “Turn that damn collision alarm off, I think we are all well aware we are headed right for the target!”      The alarm stopped and they all watched as the small red dot drew closer to the white dot at the center of the screen. The small group of blue dots were now about halfway towards the bottom of the screen. “Give me a visual of the object, full magnification,” Zoyas calmly ordered. Pio looked up from his console for a second to see the screen. He has seen combat before and each time it reminded him just how mortal he was. The colorful dots faded away and a field of stars replaced them. A small gray spot could be seen at the center and it was growing. “Well Pio what do you think it is?” Commodore Zoyas asked his tactical officer. Pio replied while still looking at the screen, “I have no ideas sir. I'm sorry I am still unable to ID.” Looking over at the weapons station Zoyas orders, “I don't want anyone getting trigger happy. No one is to fire until I so order it.” “Aye,” replied corporal Mandez at his weapons post. “Sir!” said a loud voice from behind the Commodore. “Yes Gibs?” He asked swiveling around to look at him. “I'm picking up some radio wave chatter. I can't make it out,” he reported placing an ear phone to his ear trying to hear it. “Hum… well Pio what is your assessment?” Zoyas asked looking over at his pale white officer. “Commodore, since radio frequencies are no longer used for standard communication I wonder if it could be some sort of covert communications signal, maybe even some attempt at jamming. I say fire on them before they can attack us,” Pio strongly advised. After looking at Pio for a few seconds the Commodore said with a smile and a twinkle in his eye, “No that's not very good advice Mister Pio.”  Then looking back at the communications officer he said, “Gibs open up the red radio channel; code one, ship to ship.” Gibs looked at him curiously at first. Then quickly did what the Commodore asked. Looking over at Pio Zoyas simply said, “One last thing to check first.” Gibs stated, “Go ahead sir, channel open” “This is the T.K.S. Casine. Please identify your vessel,” officially asked the Commodore as he stared at Gibs. Static filled the bridge. The spot on the viewer grew even larger. Its details were still not very clear. Everyone on the bridge, except the Commodore, continued to stare nervously at the object. Finally a sharp clear voice broke though the static. “This is the T.K.S. Sandra, Captain Keel reporting in sir. I'm sorry for the delay. We have been having problems with our communications. Just before we jumped out a large solar flare knocked out our Hyper-subspace communications. Our radio seems to be the only thing functioning sir.” “Those good old three stars of the Alpha Centaurian system can be rather unpredictable,” Zoyas told Keel. “Yes sir they are. It may take some time to get everything back on-line again. We'll stay on red channel until then sir,” said the clear voice of Keel through the static. “Very well Captain, follow us on to the fleet. We'll send some help over once we rendezvous with them.” “Aye sir, Sandra out,” Keel replied followed by a loud click. “Positive ID on tracers sir,” said Pio. Which didn't matter now, everyone could see the large number twenty-three clearly on the screen. Even the bright lights of Sandra's bridge were now visible. “Sound the all clear and power down all weapon systems,” Zoyas ordered. As the bridges lights brightened a soft warm all clear siren rang a few times throughout the ship. You could see just how relieved the bridge crew now where. “Mister Gibs please inform the rest of the fleet about both ours and the Sandra's status. Oh yes, make sure to keep that red channel open,” Zoyas said turning slighting in his chair to look at Pio.      “Aye,” Gibs replied. “You knew all along, didn't you sir,” Pio asked staring at the Commodore. “That was your lesson for today Pio. Anything or anyone could be out there. No matter where you are. Never take anything for granted. Take no chances and try not to make any stupid mistakes either,” Zoyas told Pio with a smile. Pio could only mouth a few words, he was dumbfounded. The old dog taught the puppy a few new tricks this time. “Mister Una hard about, return us to the fleet.” Zoyas ordered with a smile turning his chair back towards the screen and viewport.           Firing its thrusters the Casine turned ever so slowly around and headed back towards the fleet with the Sandra following closely behind. © Lee Crystal's Outpost 13 All rights reserved