The old man sat in his chair reminiscing about the past. He was staring off into space, but not so far that he couldn't see the goings on about him. He was a retired Captain of the United Navy forced to retire at 65. Unfortunately, Captain Seamus "Nemo" O'Dae was not paid well by the UE Navy, and his pension barely covered his rent on New Toronto. The Captain sat in the bar waiting for an old friend.
A ghost of a man slowly entered the bar. His eyes, though deep and sunken, were penetrating and icy gray. His walk carried a small limp. He wandered to the captains table.
"It's good to see you Nemo," the man said to O'Dae with a deep Bavarian accent.
"It's been far too long," replied O'Dae, "Did you secure a ship?"
The man leaned back obviously pleased with himself, "I found an old, beaten, run down Freight-Courier perfect for two old, beaten, run down spacers like ourselves."
"Excellent, because I found our first job," O'Dae paused dramatically, "A friend of mine that is a pilot for Frontier Express and needs a second ship to join him on a cargo run to Outpost Alpha."
"I suppose we should find a crew."
By the end of the day Nemo and his old Chief Engineer, Gunther Heißler found themselves a crew of seven experienced spacers. Three were from his last crew aboard the Diligent that retired when the ship was 'decommissioned' after the Battle of Sol. They were Ian Davis, Lieutenant (retired) and Tactical officer; Motu Barraka, Lieutenant Commander (retired) Comm Officer; and Mikail Buikus, Lieutenant (retired) Doctor and Science officer. The four others were unknown to him, but came with impressive reputations. The Ops officer was to be John Talbot. David Corwin was to assist Ian Davis, and the last two, Paul Avery and James Prescott were both assigned to assist Gunther.
The next day the newly commissioned S.S. Damocles launched from New Toronto with a cargo hold full of med supplies and the F.E.S. Sutherland leading the way.
The bridge was cramped to say the least. It reminded Nemo of an old WWII submarine except the dials were digitalized and there was a view screen above the helm. He hated to even think about the ship's prowess in combat. The worst part, though, was the lack of gravity. All the rest he could put out of his mind, but the free floating just wasn't healthy for a man of his age. At least that's what he told himself.
As though reading his mind and trying to calm it or annoy it, a channel opened from the Sutherland, "How's it feel Captain?"
For a split second Nemo considered telling him the truth about the durasteel coffin he had just purchased but thought better of it. "Just fine," Nemo paused, "We are ready to jump when you are Captain."
The Sutherland responded, "Acknowledged, Captain. One moment as we upload the coordinates to your computer."
Now strapped into the center chair, Nemo took a look around the bridge again. The tactical screen by his right hand was as flickering on and off annoyingly. Barraka was seated rigidly in his chair a bit indigent that he wasn't plotting the course to the Bakka system. Davis was punching the fire control panel trying to get the system to come online. Talbot was sitting at his council also trying to bring the weapons system to life. Buikus was reading data gathered by the long range sensors during startup of the ship.
"What this ship needs is a shakedown cruise where we won't be attacked by Vionians or Pirates." Nemo thought aloud. A low tone of approval escaped from the bridge crew.
"Mr. Heißler, what is our engine status?" The captain said into the intercom.
"Captain, this ship is a piece of... What was that?... Engines are ready Captain, but I make no promises about speed."
"Thank you Engineering."
Buikus chimed in from his council, "Captain message coming in from the Sutherland."
"On screen." Nemo directed.
The captain of the Sutherland came on the screen. "All ready captain?" Nemo nodded. "Jump!"
The journey through hyperspace was uneventful, thankfully. During the twelve days the engineers fixed the weapons control council and the captain's tactical display. They found out that the rear turret was fused and could no longer fire in any direction. Also the fuelers had decided to only fill their tanks half full but charge full price. Damned fuelers.
The two ships jumped into the Bakka system. Buikus performed a quick sweep of the system.
"I only see normal system activity, "he paused, "Wait a... Three Voinian ships jumping out of hyperspace. They are turning on an intercept course to the Sutherland."
"Red Alert! All crew to battle stations," shouted the Captain over the intercom, "Mr. Davis, target missile tubes one and two for the lead destroyer. Mr. Corwin, prepare to fire turrets as soon as the destroyers enter range. Mr. Heißler, give us the best speed you can. Mr. Talbot, all available power to engines, head for the station. What is the station doing Mr. Buikus?"
Looking over his sensor readouts Buikus replied, "The Station has launched its fighters, but... by the time they arrive, the destroyers will be on top of us. The Sutherland is charging weapons and has started firing missiles."
The Sutherland and the Damocles raced for their lives. The Voinian ships, however, were simply too fast, and the missiles too weak to slow them.
Corwin shouted over the cry of the engines, "Captain, the Vionians will enter rocket range in three seconds, and blaster range in five."
Nemo shouted, "Mr. Corwin, fire when ready!"
Buikus chimed, "Captain, the Vionians have launched rockets at us. Four seconds till impact."
The two twin-linked blaster turrets opened fire on the armored destroyers. The ship was literally shaking with the blasters.
"Three, two," Buikus counted off the seconds waiting for the worst, "one..."
"Brace for impact," the Captain.
The bridge seemed to erupt. Sparks flew from ruptured power conduits in the ceiling and the crew were thrown, shoved, and pushed in their restraints.
"Report!" yelled Nemo over the howl of the ship's many alert sirens and klaxons.
Heißler went first, "Shields down to forty-six percent. Engines down to eighty-seven percent. Multiple hull breaches forming on the starboard side of the ship."
Davis, "Captain, All weapons still active and firing."
Buikus, "Captain the fighters have arrived and one of the Vionians had broken formation to engage them."
Nemo gathered his thoughts, "Mr. Barraka, how long at present speed until we reach the station?"
Barraka didn't even look at his council while he answered, "five minutes twelve seconds, sir."
Nemo looked at his tactical display. He knew the destroyers would make another run and be in firing range in a minute or so. "Mr. Buikus, how's the Sutherland?"
"Her shields are down and she has depleted her missiles. Her engines are at maximum... both of her turrets have been destroyed."
"Defenseless..." Doesn't this bring back memories Nemo thought back to the Battle for Sol. "Who is carrying the most cargo Mr. Talbot?"
Talbot answered reluctantly, "They are, sir."
According to his tactical view screen, if the Vionians were delayed a minute the Sutherland would reach the station's shield's perimeter. "Turn the ship on a collision course with the lead Voinian craft," Nemo ordered.
Barraka entered the new coordinates into his computer, and the ship gracefully broke formation with the Sutherland. "Heading of new course, Captain, 197 mark 25. collision in thirty-five seconds.
Nemo shouted, "All shields forward. All power to weapons, aim for the bridge."
Davis turned to the captain, "Sir, you remembered how this turned out last time."
Nemo replied, "Yes, Mr. Davis. Do you?"
Davis smiled to himself.
Buikus interrupted, "The destroyers will enter rocket range in five seconds, blaster range in eight." Pause. "The destroyers just fired another salvo of five, no six missiles. Ten seconds."
"Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Barraka. Prepare for impact!"
Corwin opened up with his blasters. He aimed for the bridge of the lead ship. For five slow seconds the Damocles fired all it's weapons at the one target unhindered.
Buikus ended his count down, "one..."
The ship was thrown from it's course by the force of the rockets. Talbot's council exploded, sending shards of actiplastic and electronic components into his upper torso and ricocheting around the bridge. One of the main ceiling supports collapsed swinging to the floor by the force of an exploding eps conduit over head. The rail swooped past the back row of councils, almost taking off Corwin's head.
From the intercom, the bridge could hear Heißler shout, "Captain, I think I have one dead crew man... and a coolant leak. Shields are disabled and the engines are at fifty percent."
Talbot's blood floated around the bridge mixing with blood that came the others cuts from the exploding eps conduit and council shards.
Nemo trying franticly to quickly fix his tactical display said, "Mr. Buikus, check on Talbot. Mr. Davis how long until we are within range again?"
"About a minute, sir."
"Captain," interrupted Barraka, "The Sutherland will make it baring any other enemy ships jump into the system."
The ship rocked.
"Report!" shouted Nemo.
"The fighters have destroyed the third destroyer, but only two fighters have survived, " replied Davis.
Buikus said to no one in particular, "He'll live. He has some bad lacerations, but as long as we don't stay out here too much longer he shouldn't bleed out."
Nemo said, "Do what you can now for his..."
Davis interrupted, "Captain, three of our missiles that missed the target are circling around. They should impact in ten seconds."
The intercom squawked, "Coolant leak locked down, Captain. Engine output now at seventy-three percent. Multiple hull breaches on the port side of the ship."
As Heißler's short report ended the missiles impacted the destroyer's bridge. The bridge exploded in of torrent of flames and debris. Then the Fusion reactors on the port side of the ship, no longer being regulated by the bridge or the vacuum of the now exposed ship's engineering, exploded, filling the surrounding space with even more burning plasma and debris. The last Voinian ship, feeling a sudden surge of self preservation, jumped from the system.
"Mr. Barraka, Take us into the station."
"Aye, sir."
Their ship being overhauled by the station's engineers, the crew sat in the mess hall on the gravitated Outpost Alpha. Their clothing was still dirty, grunged, and bloody from their first mission. The captain of the Sutherland entered the room.
"I am glad to hear that your two crew men will make it, Nemo."
"As am I."
"Captain, you did a fine job for Frontier Express, here is your pay... There is job that the commander of the station has for you. He says he wants you to aid in a search for a lost scoutship."
"We'll accept. Will you be coming with us?"
"No, the Sutherland is going on to the Grentis system."
"In that case, good luck and we thank you for the job."
"It was an honor to see the Captain of the legendary U.E.S. Diligent back in action."
"Well, only a few more missions and we'll have enough to retire on... again."
(This message has been edited by moderator (edited 01-12-2002).)