Escape Velocity
PROLOGUE
Stardate: 38924. The Confederate/Rebel war wages on. The Confederates and their tyranny wanting nothing more than to control the galaxy. The Rebels, or Freedom Fighters wanting to stop those tyrants. The war has no end in sight, the killing continues. This is the universe that I, Baskikir Turgi was thrown into.......
CHAPTER ONE
Today was May 24, a day special only to me since it would be my last day on this bucket o bolts and I could finally by my own ship.
Is that Everyone? asked the captain of the the S.S. Houston, a courier class-ship. I was on of the officers on that ship. I had been for about 2 months. nothing special, just manned the single turret on board, and the only defense this ship had. It wasnt too bad, being paid one thousand and one hundred credits per cargo mission we took. There were only six of us besides the captain. and our mission usually paid ten grand, two-hundred usually for fuel and the captains share of 3 thousand thousand and two hundred credits.
Ya, the six of us replied. We all finished loading the last bit o cargo on board.
We refueled and started the ship. I climbed down into the gunner station, board knowing there was never any action or there were other ships which attacked the hostile ships first. But today, little did I know Id be wrong.
Attention Crew, we will be entering hyperspace on a jump for the Spica System in thirty seconds and counting, that will be all, the captains voice said of the com. Well, at least only one more mission, this is the last one. I could barely contain my excitement.
Five, four, three, two, one, All hands brace for hyperspace jump. Here we go I thought. The ship entered hyperspace and in about a minute we would enter the system, although in real-time an entire day would have passed.
We will be entering the System in five, four, three, All hands brace, one, now entering the Spica System. The ship shook momentarily then a flash of light and we were in the system.
ERR!ERR!ERR!ERR!ERR! the ships alarm sounded.
This is the captain, Code Red! Baskikir, ready the turret incoming Clipper-Class ship. Hostile, Pirate! Engineering! 100% power to engines! Begin intercept course for Clipper, 50 clicks away bearing point 5543.9815! Captain out.
My heart was racing as I powered up the turret and kept in trained on the approaching Clipper. Oh, man. I didnt need this! Its my last day! Last mission!
Baskikir, Captain here, Clipper will be in range in 10 seconds.
Ten seconds I thought, then I looked back up and the turret beeped indicating I was in range. I pulled it around and opened fire. The Clipper, being a clumsy-sort-of-ship went to far and had to turn around. Soon opening up with its own blasting. The rest of the ship had migrated up to the bridge. They all had their fingers crossed and hoped the shield would hold and I could get em. I too had my fingers crossed, knowing Id need the luck since this ship wasnt meant for combat. A warning flashed, the shield was down to 10%. I saw that the clipper was still up at 78%, great I thought. Then I opened the com with the captain, (and the rest of the crew since they were all on the bridge).
Captain, I am-
I know the crew are in their escape pods too, Get up here, NOW one escape pod left since one was destroyed by the initial attack. This captain is goin down with his ship. Now thats an order, get to the pod! the captain said before I had a chance to say anything.
Well not being as eager to die as the capn I climbed back into the ship and ran down the hall. I saw the rest of the crew climbing in their pods at the end of the hallway. Then a blast shook the ship, causing me to fall, another siren sounded indicating that the shield was gone. The siren the stopped abruptly and the lights went out, disabled! God our ship was disabled. I climbed back to my feet and jumped, literally, into he pod and slammed my fist down on the eject button, closing the doors and sending me out into space. As I drifted away I opened up a not-so-tasty ration bar and saw the Clipper dock with the S.S. Houston. Then after probably taken the credits stored on the ship, luckily I had mine with me, retracted the docking tube and blasted a hole in the cargo hold. I saw a couple of robots moving out and transporting the cargo and then saw them open the fuel tank and take our, correction, once ours fuel. Then the Clipper blasted away a bit and turned around, opened fire, and then the S.S. Houston was gone forever, like the captain, God the captain. I then turned around and grabbed the controls. I took off towards and incoming freighter just as the pirates hyperspaced out of the system. I hailed the ship, well didnt really communicate just directed a distress signal towards them, and hoped they got it. Soon the ship turned around and came in my direction. It lined up with mine and opened the cargo holds, I directed the ship in and was swallowed up by their ship,
Goodbye captain, I said as the cargo doors began closing and sealing air-tight.
