Stand Into Danger
"David?" Tammy's voice came through on the intercom.
"Yeah?" he replied sleepily.
"I am detecting a large collection of debris ahead of us. Sensor results indicate it is from multiple ships no less than three days ago"
"How long until we reach them?" asked the teen as he sat upright and pushed the covers off his bed.
"Three hours and twenty seven minutes"
"Plot an intercept course and prepare to launch Gunstars to take a closer look – we might get survivors"
"As ordered" Tammy replied, "However, I do not believe that we will find anybody alive. There are high amounts of radiation in the general area of the debris field"
"Damn" David pulled on the leather trousers and long frock coat he had appropriated what seemed like ages ago. "Wait a minute… Maybe we can find out who did this"
"What do you mean?"
"Remember when you taught me some really advanced physics?"
"Yes"
"Well you once said that you could trace the direction of ships passing through radiation by judging the way it was dispersing"
"I… I forgot. Scanning… Scanning… Scanning… David, I detect a group of at least forty vessels having moved through the area around the same time as the radiation first began"
"Where are they heading?"
"Plotting course and checking against navigational data" Tammy kept on speaking as David walked down the corridor and entered the Bridge. "They are on a direct course to Earth"
"Can you tell who the destroyed ships were?"
"I can only guess, but I would surmise that they were ships from your home planet, David. There is enough debris and body parts floating around to make up at least four vessels that we picked up on our escape from Phaelon" Tammy looked up from the Science station. "I can confirm no survivors" and David sighed.
"Max?"
"Yes, Navigator?"
"Is there any possible chance you can increase Sera's top speed?"
"No. I am already running at one hundred and ten percent of the reactors"
"Well… Get me one hundred and fifteen then – direct orders from your Navigator"
"Compliance"
"David, even if Ship gets us to Earth a bit quicker, my people's fleet already have several days head start on us. If I remember correctly, your people do not have faster than light communications"
"I know… Well, nothing that we made ourselves - by the time we get there, Earth will be destroyed"
"However, we might be able to give them some warning" Tammy continued.
"How?"
"We can impersonate a star and send out a series of pulses"
"Morse code?"
"Yes, it was a most interesting form of communication that told me about"
"Can we do it?"
"It will take a few hours to set up, and I will need to divert power from several places"
"Do it" David looked at the screen that showed the Sera's course. "Max, why are we diverting around the nebula?"
"The nebula contains high energy particles that will mess up my sensors as well as make the ship's company severely ill" MAX replied.
"How long would we take to go through it at maximum speed?"
"I do not know – I have not calculated it"
"Do it"
"In theory" and both teens got the impression the AI was very unhappy at the orders, "It will take fifteen hours to pass through"
"And how long will it take for us to go round?"
"Five days fifteen hours and seventeen seconds"
"We're going through" David and Tammy said.
"I am unable to do so"
"You have orders"
"I would do it, under protest, however, Sera's core commands for self-preservation can not be overridden"
"How long until we reach the point we have to make our course correction?" asked Tammy.
"Sixteen minutes"
"Alert us when we reach that point" Tammy ordered.
"Compliance. May I ask why?"
"You can't fly the ship through there, and neither could I" and Tammy pointed a finger at David. "Luckily we have a pilot" and David laughed.
"You want me to pilot this thing through fifteen hours of non stop manual piloting?"
"I am sure that you could take a break or something sometimes" Tammy shrugged. "Max, have you been able to increase the speed?"
"Yes, by an additional sixteen percent"
"Sixteen percent… That's impressive"
"Thank you. I was able to take power from systems we are not using at the moment such as weapons, shields, life support systems and lighting"
"We're going to need those shields" David reminded the AI.
"We wouldn't if we went round"
"We can't – you know that"
"I'm only saying…" MAX grumbled before muttering several phrases that made Tammy blush a deep shade of orange.
"Do I want to know what he said?"
"Not really" Tammy said weakly. "Max, is there any way we can spare power to the shields?"
"By hooking up all of the emergency batteries as well as tapping into the power supplies of the Gunstars, there would be enough for power to be provided to the shields for thirteen and a half hours"
"Still an hour and a half short" Tammy groaned and rubbed her chin in a human like manner.
"Can we take power from the sensors?" asked David. "We only need to see what is in front of us – not what is behind"
"That would give you minutes only, David. There is, though, a slight chance of additional power, but I can not say if it will work"
"What is it?"
"My probe ship self has battery systems that are used to power life support, passive scanners and basic flight in an emergency. It is independent of the main power supply which, at this moment, is being used to give extra power to the engines. If a team can be put together to hook up my batteries to the Sera's main supply, shield availability would be increased to fourteen hours. After that, they would drop like a stone in a earth normal environment and radiation would rise"
"How quickly?" asked David.
"Lethal levels would be reached in twenty seven minutes"
"Easy… We'll all sit in the Gunstars and wear full suits" David said.
"Max? Would that work?"
"Unknown" the computer system replied. "It has never even been attempted as a joke, but the sketchy scientific theory may be valid. Radiation would still get into the Gunstar cockpits, but it may be at survivable levels"
"Run some calculations" David ordered. "Tammy, I need you to explain everything that needs to be done to the helpers down below"
"As you wish – lets hope we do not come across any pirates"
#
Hours passed and David was the only one still on the Bridge of the Sera – piloting the mighty vessel through the nebula manually. His scanners and sensors were next to useless and gave him only a vague warning of danger ahead of him.
"Gunstar One to David"
"Go ahead, Tammy"
"David, radiation levels are rising rapidly… I think you had better come down here and get inside" and David would have replied except that was a loud noise from deep inside the ship and the whole vessel seemed to groan. Automatic alarms sounded and flashed as David struggled to get the ship back on its original course. "What has happened?" asked Tammy.
"I don't really know" replied David. "Almost all of the computers are not working, but I have a decompression warning on decks seven through thirteen in the midships area"
"DAVID!" Tammy's voice sounded with urgency. "That is where the Gunstars are stored – you've been cut off from us"
"Yeah, I kinda figured that one myself" David said. "I think it might have damage the steering or the engines – she's acting sluggish"
"Computer control might have been damaged or destroyed somewhat"
"I can correct the drift with thrusters, but they will not last for all that long really – plus we have another three hours to go until we clear the nebula" and a thought struck the young human. "Tammy, the jump drive is still powered up, correct?"
"Yes, but all the safeguards stop it from being used while we are in the nebula"
"Can they be turned off?"
"Not without reprogramming the computers"
"Can it still be activated?"
"It is possible"
"Then I'll have to trigger it manually – the ship is yours"
"Manually…? David? Do you mean to engage the drive by hand from the engineering section?" but there was no reply as David had already started for the lower levels.
#
It took David a long time to climb down ladders between each deck as the turbolifts were offline. Reaching the top of the Engineering decks, he took a few moments to gather his breath before heading towards the nearest console – but it was showing Phaelon script. Whatever had caused the problems to the computers systems in the explosion had reset the computers to original Phaelon script. Tammy had taught him a few things here and there, but he was not even a half fluent speaker of the language.
"David to Tammy. Tammy, please come in…" but the suit communications were inoperative from radiation. "I guess that is what all this is about" he muttered. Pushing through the smoke and somewhat wonky gravity, the teen grabbed tools and carried them lower into the ship until he reached the deck where the main engines were kept along with the Jump Drive.
COMPUTER CONTROL NON-RESPONSIVE
MANUAL CONTROL OFFLINE
"How can manual control be offline? It's supposed to work when everything else but it is fucked…" David dumped the tools on the deck and set to work. Taking a screwdriver, he carefully removed the panel covering the wiring for the drive and set it down beside him. Looking inside, he saw a number of wires, switches, buttons and a very small keypad with a tiny screen on top. "Think… Think… There has to be a way to do this" he tried to remember everything he knew about Phaelon technology, but nothing seemed to come to mind. Tapping the screen proved to be no good as nothing lit up – in fact all David got was some rather nasty looking sparks. After sorting out certain wires, he cut the wires that passed through the control box and stripped a slight bit of their wire casing to expose the filaments. He fished through the tools he had and found a small power pack that Tammy had once said was enough to turn things on or off if needed. "Well, we're about to find out if it works or not" and he jammed the cables and wires into all of the slots he could find and turned the box on.
JUMP DRIVE ONLINE
NAVIGATIONAL ERROR – NO NAVCOM LINK
UNABLE TO JUMP
"We'll see about that" he grinned and hit the manual override and the entire deck filled with a humming noise and bright flashes of light before there was a loud cracking noise and David was thrown bodily backwards – slamming head first into a bulkhead wall and into darkness.
#
"What was that?" asked one of the crew members that had stayed with David and Tammy to help crew Sera.
"I am uncertain, but my Gunstar's navigational data indicates we have moved out of the nebula after making a jump" Tammy replied. "David must have made the connections needed to manually trigger the drive. David? David, this is Tammy – please respond" but there was no reply at all…
"Could he be dead?" asked another voice over the radio.
"I am picking up lifesigns from the Engineering decks – maybe his suit is damaged" Tammy frowned at her thoughts as she wondered what had happened to her friend. "I'm going out there to find him" she said to the others.
"But what about the radiation?" came the question.
"I might not be harmed that badly by it" Tammy shrugged as she opened the Gunstar's canopy. "And even if I am, David has to be saved before me. I swore an oath to help him whatever might come his way"
"An oath to him?"
"When I was imprisoned on Phaelon, David saved me from being attacked badly even though he had no reason to do so. It was on that day I swore my remaining existence to serving him as his guardian and body guard. He is also the Navigator - his life comes above all others" and she jumped out of the Gunstar and headed for the service ladders to get down to the deck where David's lifesigns were showing.
# # # # #
David came round several minutes after his act of heroism and looked around - seeing the dead mass of circuitry of the Jump Drive. He followed this by checking himself out as best as he could in his suit, then pulled himself up to a sitting position. He regretted it as a wave of nausea hit him and he tried hard not to be sic inside his helmet. He knew that if he took it off to be sick then he'd get lethal amounts of radiation quickly and die. Limiting his movements to a slow and steady pace, he checked the sole working computer screen which indicated the drive had disengaged after several minutes and was now in bad need of repair. The engines, according to the text he could wave through the blurriness in his eyes, had gone into an automatic shutdown sequence and would power up again in several minutes. Groaning as he pulled himself to his feet, the teen knew that he had to get to the Sera's Bridge and disengage the engines from the last commands that had been entered for them. Once the ruptured fuel line was fixed or bypassed, they could then resume their passage for Earth and try to stop the Phaelon fleet. As he picked up the tools he had brought with him, he noticed a small line of text had appeared on the screen.
VESSEL 1918 REPORTING... SCANNERS CONFIRM CLEAR OF RADIATION... DOES VESSEL 1918 HAVE YOUR PERMISSION TO BEGIN POWER UP SEQUENCE AND INITIATE AUTOMATIC REPAIRS?... TAP SCREEN TWICE TO CONCUR...
It took David several seconds to make sense of it, and he reached out carefully and tapped it with his gloved hands. The whole screen darkened before clearing of everything and an image of MAX's probe eye appeared.
"Greetings, Navigator... Request vectors"
"I don't know what you mean" said David fuzzily. "Can you vent this entire compartment and get Tammy here? I don't feel so good"
"Sensors indicate that you have absorbed a lot of radiation, David. If I were Human, I believe my reply would be 'I told you so'. However, I believe that Tammy is already on her way down here, so I will begin radiation clean up of the areas between her and you at once"
"Max, I don't feel so good... I fe-" David stopped talking as the radiation that had leaked through a small hole that he hadn't noticed in his suit got the better of him. He swung violently from side to side before dropping to the deck like a sack of potatoes.
"Code Red. Code Red. Code Red. Code Red. - Officers down in Engineering! Code Red. Code Red. Code Red. Code Red. - Officers down in Engineering!" Max sounded alarms and cut out his sarcastic comments as his friend and Navigator took a turn for the worse.
"This is Tammy - where is he?" the voice of the young Phaelon drifted through the intercom.
"He is in the Engineering section near the power supply for the drive's manual override"
"Automatic safeguards are not letting me open the hatches"
"The radiation has not dropped below ten thousand radions" MAX replied.
"Open exterior hatches and begin explosive decompression"
"Unable to do so. That action requires the consent of the Navigator, and he is injured" MAX said in an apologetic tone.
"Max, I want you to listen to me very carefully"
"Understood"
"The Navigator is badly injured and unable to carry out his duties. Can you confirm that I am the next ranking officer on this ship?"
"Confirmed"
"Then as the next ranking officer on this ship, I hereby relive the Navigator of his duties and assume command of the Sera - do you understand?"
"Yes... Confirmed and Understood"
"As Acting Captain, I order you to begin explosive detonations and venting to clear the radiation from the Engineering section and the Sickbay"
"Compliance!" and moments later Tammy could feel a rumbling under her feet as hatches were blown off and the atmosphere was sucked out into space. The hatch opened and Tammy raced along the deck to her fallen friend.
"This is Tammy to the Doctor - get to Sickbay and get ready for major trauma to the arms, legs, neck and spinal areas. Standby to treat radiation sickness"
"Understood!"
"Tammy, I believe you should understand that I have begun effective repairs of all damaged areas of the ship. Engines will be online for testing in on hour"
"Great work... Concentrate on repairs and do a short and then a long ranged scan of the area and compare it to your navigational data - use it to plot a revised course to Earth at maximum sublight speeds"
"Compliance!"
# # # # #
As much as she wanted to spend time with him, Tammy did not see David again for three days - three days in which she spent nearly every moment helping to repair or replace damaged systems. She also ran a complete engine check before powering them up and setting off after her own people. MAX had done a number of long ranged scans and said that he had picked up faint traces of Phaelon communications which might indicate that they were close to catching up to them. That being the case, she'd had the stealth systems powered up and engaged so they'd not be spotted on their pursuit.
"Sickbay to Bridge"
"Bridge"
"I thought you might like to know that David Freeman has come round and wishes to speak to you"
"I will be there in an hour" Tammy replied. "I am engaged in repairs to the main shields"
"Understood. Sickbay out"
"You could let me finish those repairs" MAX said to her.
"I know, but I need this to take my mind off things"
"What things?"
"The fact that I nearly lost David. He is not just the person I vowed to save, but he is my very best friend and lover - I do not believe I could go on without him with me"
"Scriptures say that Suicide is a sin"
"They also say that about rape" Tammy poked at a wiring loom with emotion, "But it didn't stop my Uncle from doing it to me"
"I..." MAX's colourful eye image swirls blackened for several seconds and paused as the machine entity pondered on this. "I am sorry... I did not know"
"There was no need for you to know" Tammy said. "I suppose that I had better finish this bit and then change into a clean uniform - this one is all dirty and gungy"
"You ain't much better yourself"
"Do you want reprogramming?"
"David says it is impolite to disagree with a lady"
"I am no lady"
"That's true" MAX snarked. Tammy just glared at the main screen before tapping a few buttons and leaving the Bridge.
# # # # #
"You know that we nearly lost you" whispered Tammy as she sat by David's bedside.
"It was worth it if it saved your life" he replied. "What is happening?" the boy asked.
"We are on our previous course direct to Earth. The engines took some time to repair, but we are at full speed and Max says he has thrown everything including the kitchen sink in to get us there in time. However, I see no purpose of including parts of the galley as fuel"
"It's an expression" and David explained.
"Max to Tammy" MAX called over the intercom.
"Go ahead" she said as she smiled at David and one of his bizarre Earth expressions.
"Is David awake?"
"Yep"
"I have recalculated our position after leaving the nebula and, given the distance already travelled, I fear there is something you should know"
"What?" asked Tammy.
"Long range scanners detect three Sera class vessels ahead of us as well as well as a dozen cruisers, six destroyers, a number of smaller vessels and hundreds of fighter craft"
"Oh my God…" David breathed. "Have they detected us?"
"No, but they are too busy dealing with their targets"
"Targets?" asked Tammy in confusion.
"We've arrived at Earth's solar system. The Phaelon fleet will be in weapons range of Earth's defence ships in one hour and fifteen minutes"
"We don't have anything that is capable of taking on even one destroyer" said David, struggling to get to his feet.
"I know" Tammy said. She helped him off the bed and held him until he had found his feet again.
"New information" said Max.
"What?"
"They have raised shields and powered weapons… Navigator, they have cleared for action" and David looked into the eyes of Tammy who simply stared back before nodding sadly.
"Max, send a message to the Earth ships – tell them that we are coming in and will join the attack on the Phaelon fleet"
"Compliance"
"Battlestations"
A/N:
Well a little shorter then what some might expect, but I hope it will no less exciting for everyone.
I've put in a few things in this chapter that refer to past events in the story – see how many you can get… Also included is a nod to the show "Andromeda" if you spot it…
Next chapter will involve the full on assault by the Phaelon Navy against Earth, and only one ship can do anything about it! The next update will be for Friendship and Honour which is my HP fic followed by the HP/SW crossover Escape To A New World
Before I go, just time to mention there is a new vote on my homepage I'd love you all to take part in…
Regards
Pixel and Stephanie Forever