Then it soon became apparent as the Alliance ship closed to within two hundred thousand kilometers, that it was a close range weapon. Pilum faltered along her previous course.
But the Imperials had close range weapons of their own.
Several explosions rocked the Alliance ship, and the shield shimmered. Pilum pressed the attack with another volley of stealth missiles and lasers. The weakened shield protecting the ORA ship flared and died, and the lasers burned into its hull.
It seems the Alliance captain wasn’t suicidal after all, and the hostile ship turned away on a vector to lead them out of the battle area. The escape vector brought the alliance ship to within five-thousand klicks of Endeavor but it didn’t fire.
A brilliant flash lit the display as the ORA ship transitioned to light-speed.
“Commander!” Richards yelled, there was a distinct shrill to his tone. “We didn’t detect it due to interference from the transition to warp. The Alliance ship deployed an antimatter mine, five thousand klicks off our starboard bow.”
An antimatter weapon was exponentially more powerful than a nuclear device. If Endeavor’s armor matrix was intact, it might have deflected such a close range blast.
Avery stiffened. A thousand thoughts exploded into his mind at once. He was back on the bridge of Trident when Aaron had ordered the crew to abandon ship. The mine was certain death. The other option was an unknown outcome. But he knew it was survivable.
“Engineering, divert every last sliver of emergency power we have left, and anything you can squeeze from anywhere, to the engines. Take it from life support if you have to!” He turned to O’Brian. “Sound the alarm, brace for impact. Helm, give it as much as you’ve got, direct burn for the anomaly!”
The XO sounded the emergency maneuvers alarm. Three loud braaaangs echoed throughout the ship signaling anyone not strapped in, they had mere seconds to secure themselves for imminent harsh maneuvers, severe impact or critical structural failure.
Avery grasped the straps across his chest.
Richards reported. “Fifteen-thousand klicks from the anomaly!”
“The mine is critical!”
A wave washed over the ship. O’Brian had shut down the gravity system and re-routed power to the engines. The jostling threw everyone forward into their restraints. The shock wave caught the tail end of Endeavor as it reached the anomaly’s event horizon.
Avery’s body vibrated and the entire ship rattled. He couldn’t fight it anymore. He relaxed his grip on the restraints.
Before he lost consciousness, his final thought wasn’t of himself or his crew. A strange sensation flowed through him. Somehow he knew. And calmness washed over him.
His friend had awoken. And his friend would save him.
Chapter 3 – Dark Dreams
Recovery Ward, Medical Deck
United Star Systems Fleet Headquarters
Space Station—Spero, orbiting Earth
Sol
Present Day
It was a strange feeling to be dead.
The final desperate beat of a heart. A still chest after a final breath, and the final flicker of a neuron, in a brain incapable of processing stimuli.
Yet, he was no longer dead. At least he didn’t feel dead. Dead people didn’t think about feeling dead. Two weeks ago, he’d rejoined the living.
Who am I?
The answer made little sense. Aaron Rayne—rank: Commander, assignment: starship command duty. That could as well be someone else.
It meant nothing to him now.
He couldn’t move, yet he was certain he could hear voices. Sometimes, the voices seemed familiar and other times it seemed as if the voices were those that someone else should recognize. Sometimes the voices argued. Other times he could barely hear them. Once or twice he was convinced someone was crying. But why can’t I move?
Then there were odd noises. Beeps. Clangs. Bangs.
Back to those voices. People had been shouting. Then there was frantic conversation. Aaron could instantly recall the first memory and immediately shift to the last. Something cold was attached to his head. No, it wasn’t there anymore. Someone held his hand against their cheek. An image formed. Slowly it took shape. A humanoid-shaped head appeared. Then hair formed around its head, reaching the neck. The eyes came next. Blue, deep-blue eyes. The image was sad?
Now he was sad.
Something was hurting. It wasn’t pain. He flicked past that memory. Pushed it away. He heard laughter. Two persons in front him laughing. Both young, but one older than the other. What was so funny? He wished he knew.
The darkness swirled. Ghostly shapes appeared from the darkness. He twisted violently. It wasn’t fair. He couldn’t save them. He tried. He would have given anything to save them. They stood and stared at him. Their eyes burned into him accusingly. Why didn’t you save us? they seemed to ask. We depended on you—our captain. He reached out to them and they faded away.
He sobbed.
They knew he would let them down, and he did. Now he was falling. This is the end. The ground rushed up. A jarring force stopped him. His savior tossed him away. All the while, the savior stared at him with pleading eyes. The savior stepped back, outstretched his arms, and fell.
Another face flashed in his mind. At first, he shivered, and then he relaxed. The face appeared hideous at first. Slowly, the features molded into a kind, gentle smile—almost sorrowful.
Another face appeared. This one was angry, bitter, it was holding something. No! He was going to hurt the other one, the one with the kind smile!
The Lord Commander.
If he dies, everyone loses. I can’t let anyone else die. I can save them! I can save them all!
Aaron fell onto his stomach on a soft surface. He reached to his face, feeling for his scar. It wasn’t there. He’d chosen to keep it after Trident. Why would someone remove it? He rolled over and opened his eyes. He smirked.
Not quite who or what he was expecting to see.
Chapter 4 – Horsing Around
“I’m liable to inflict serious bodily harm upon you” – Lieutenant Malcolm Lee
Epsilon Eridani Planetary System
USS member world: Paradise
Lieutenant Malcolm Lee dove to the right and face planted in the dry dirt. He pushed up on his forearms, spitting out blades of grass, as the brown, furry animal galloped past. He closed his eyes as another one headed straight for him. Epsilon’s bright star beat down on him from above.