Vandel IV Chapter I Part B

by: Raymond Dwight Powell

A golden colored Wusoc sits in the command chair looking out into space. A golden-feathered hand pushes a button on a nearby console.

“Captain Roosoe of EP-1. To all other ships. Split up and stay warery. We don’t know anything about the DZ. Report all findings.”

After all the acknowledgements are received, the captain leaves the bridge. The captain’s quarters isn’t large but is still larger than of his shipmates. A small nest like bed site in on corner, metal table on one wall, and a small table and two stools in the middle. Various doors and drawers line another wall. The small space is a must. The ship is mostly engines and computers of all kinds. Captain Roosoe paces back in forth in the cramped space. His disheveled feathers make him look like he hadn’t had a good nights sleep in days. A knock brings him out of his trance as he looks in a mirror. Another knock sounds.

“Come in.” Roosoe says straitening his feathers.

“Captain?”

“Ah yes. Sit down Baroc.”

At about five feet Baroc is on the short side for a Slinx. The grey and green jumpsuit he wears is crisp and clean. Sitting as straight as his body will allow, small black eyes look intently at his captain. Baroc is the perfect example of what a member of The Common Wealth Force (UCF) should look like.

“Baroc? “ Roosoe says looking out a porthole.

“How long have we known each other?”

“Since we were cadets sir!”

“Can the sir! We’ve been friends to long for that behind closed doors.”

“Yes si…”

“Now I value your opinion or I wouldn’t have asked for you to be my second in command. It has been almost two months since we entered the DZ.”

“Yes it has and what is on your mind?”

“Well… no word has come from the other ships.”

“They only report if they have any information.” replied Baroc.

“True enough yet info has been found.”

“That’s good.” saying with an excited tone.

“That depends. I want to show you something.”, saying as he turned towards a monitor

The screen flashes to a view outside of the ship.

“What do you see?”

“An asteroid sir.”

Zooming in, the asteroid’s features become clearer, showing that not all of it was natural. A lot of the surface was covered by antennas and dishes of all different shapes and sizes. A small flash appeared near the bottom of the asteroid.

“You see that?” Roosoe asked pausing the screen.

“Just a flash. What of it?”

“I’ll zoom closer.”

“A ship!”

The image on the view screen was blurry, but you could tell it was a ship. The red glow from the engine was barely visible.

“I had it tracked.” Roosoe said flatly.

“Where did it go?”

“Well … it didn’t go deeper into the DZ. We are still tracking it. But that’s not all of it. A few hours later this happens.”

The screen flickers revealing the same asteroid. A larger ship is seen stopped and seems to be waiting. Moments later a light appears as a large bay door opens and the ship disappears inside.

“So, it’s really a station.”

“Yes.”

“And the first ship is going to another station?”

“I think so.”, replied Roosoe.

“They haven’t noticed us or they are watching and learning about us. There isn’t much radio traffic coming or going out of there, and what there is we can’t tell what they are saying.”

“You think this is the reason no reports ever came out of the DZ?”

“I do.”

“So this changes everything.”

“Right! We went from explorers to spies about an hour ago.”

“How so? Maybe they are like us.”

“I’ve got one more thing to show, or should say listen to. Now this message wasn’t coded. As a matter of fact it was broadcast on all channels.”

“This is Captain Hyak of Explorer Two of The United Comm… Any friendly …in … a rea … UNDER ATTACK … PEACEFUL …. FOUR HOSTILE … STAND MUCH MORE … EP-5 JUST BROKE UP … SOMEONE PLEASE RES … …”

“That was all of it!” Roosoe said hanging his head.

“So you think that these same ones destroyed EP-2 and 5?”

“Either that or ones like them.”

“What do you suggest then?”

“You know all about the situation as I do. I want to know what you make of it.”

“It seems to me that they”, nodding toward the screen, “are not very friendly, and we are not in a good position either.”

“As I see it, we have two options then. One, we run for known space and report what we found. Two, we sit and try to find out more about them.”

“Yes, on both accounts, but we don’t know if we can outrun them, and the longer we sit, the greater the risk of being found out. So as I see it we really have one option at the moment.”

“Sit tight and observe.”

“Right, and hope the rest that are left can get other info and report back to HQ.”

The asteroid station was a hotbed of information. In the 3 months EP-1 was there, much was found out. None of the ships visiting the station seemed fast. Being only transports, but each one had two smaller faster ships guarding them. The extended stay in one spot was starting to get to the crew, and Roosoe knew he had to get them out of there with the information. He couldn’t risk it right now. A freighter was inbound with its two guard ships. After two days, the freighter left with its escorts. Roosoe waited another day to be safe. Slowly EP-1 drifted away from its hiding spot on its way towards home. For a week EP-1 tumbled, slowly gaining speed nor drawing attention to its self. Only when the asteroid station was just past this edcte of its range did it right its self and fire its engines.

Captain Roosoe pushed his ship and crew hard. They all knew that they had to get back at least the info did. After weeks of being pushed beyond its limits, EP-1 started showing problems. They were back into Commonwealth space, but Roosoe knew they needed to get to a shipping lane and find a hyper-ring then they would be safe… for a time.

Roosoe looked out his widow into the dark sky of space. Surrounded by all the latest amenities. All of his wants and needs supplied to him by the UCP. He knew that he deserved all of to. No longer a captain he retired five years ago. Many of his peers said that he should run for senate. He would have wan also, but he always commented that wasn’t him, and that he belonged in space not on the ground. He wanted to be in command of a ship. Yet the UCF said he was to valuable to risk on the front line so they stuck him behind a desk. That job only lasted a couple of months until he took retirement. Everywhere he went he was called a hero.

“If it wasn’t for you Mr. Roosoe we would never known about the An Kron.” They would say.

“Just doing my job.” He’d reply.

But that was over 130 years ago and the An-Kron was still gaining ground. Sure others civilizations were found to help them, but they were still fighting a loosing war. Far below on the pristine planet of Guidance, the members of the Senate were debating to increase the number of planets into the Common Wealth. Only the military had the most reasonable argument.

“Let some of the planets into the Common Wealth and they will fight harder.”

But with all the pomp and flair nothing was settled. As the meeting ended the top military stomped off grumbling about self-centered senators, and having to do it themselves.