Captain's Log:
Stardate: 25892
"I, Captain Andrew Robinson, have just received word that there is a new Voinian threat. The UE military officials call it the Dreadnought. After both rescuing the surviving crew of a UE scoutship and doing a covert ops mission to see the so-called Dreadnought in person, I have just purchased one of Anna Balashova's new UE Cruisers, named the U.E.S. Titan. After some well-paying missions for the UE and a quick trip to the Strand worlds, I have outfitted my prized ship with an engine, thrust, and RCS upgrade, making it a deadly fusion of power and agility. My crew and I are now preparing to face the Dreadnought."
Captain Robinson clicked shut his PowerPalm nervously and began shouting out orders to his crew. "Mr. Stone, set hyperspace coordinates for the Vorik system. Mr. Tabuchi, Mr. McLean, ready the fighter bays and prepare the weapons. Alright, make the jump to hyperspace on my mark." The captain, looking nervous, began counting down. "Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five..." He stopped abruptly, looking pale, beads of sweat dripping onto the shoulders of his United Earth uniform. Swallowing his fear, he began counting again, a more determined look on his face. "...four... three... two... one... NOW!"
The huge ship lurched into hyperspace in the blink of an eye.
When the Titan re-emerged from the void, the captain looked, horrified, at the viewscreen in front of him. The radar map was speckled with red dots indicating the hostile Voinian ships heading towards them. A klaxxon began sounding, signaling Red Alert. Captain Robinson sat in his chair, gripping it tight. He had not accounted for this many ships in the sector. And then it struck him. A few months before, he had accepted a mission to destroy a Voinian Task Force in the Vorik system which he had never completed. Robinson looked as all the ships raced towards the Titan, ready to send it to her doom.
Suddenly, in a flash of light, half the entire UE fleet appeared from behind the Titan. As the Voinians headed towards the warships, Robinson rose from his command chair quickly. "Attack the fighters first!" he yelled to the weapons officer. Picking up a communicator, he began shouting orders to the rest of the ship. "Launch all fighters! Ready the missiles and rockets!" Pointing to his helmsman, he yelled "Mr. Korbichov, full speed ahead!"
The Titan fought bravely, dodging rocket, neutron, and fighter to get to the Dreadnought. It was not a pretty sight. Destroyers, fighters, and carriers alike were fighting for their lives at the hands of the Voinian terror. Ship after ship went down, being crushed by the Dreadnought's enhanced neutrons and rockets, yet still managing to empty their missile launchers and let out a massive barrage of fire from their blaze cannons. As the last carrier exploded, the Dreadnought's shield status read "Shields Down".
"Mr. McLean," shouted Captain Robinson, "damage report please."
"We're at about twenty percent hull integrity with no shields. I don't think the armor can hold much longer, captain." Robinson thought for some time. Finally, he gave an order that could have been his last. "Mr. Korbichov, take us in."
The Titan and her crew sped towards the foe, firing rockets, missiles, and blaze cannons. The mighty foe had only a chance to send three neutrons at the cruiser before all became silent. The lights on the massive Voinian vessel dimmed and then faded. "Disabled..." muttered Robinson, dumbfounded. Then, he beamed. "Destroy it!" he said, jumping to his feet. As the hull of the mighty Dreadnought collapsed and exploded, Robinson heaved a great sigh and fell back into his chair in relief. A cheer sounded throughout the Titan that would last several minutes before, abruptly, two neutrons collided with the ship. The two remaining Voinian cruisers, firing at the Titan, were left behind as the victorious UE ship sped off into space...
(This message has been edited by moderator (edited 01-09-2002).)
