------chapter 4-----
1234 hrs EST
By time Gideon arrived on the bridge, Mathis was standing up from the command chair. If he didn't know his XO better, he would swear John was using his empath abilities to sense his presence. But Matthew knew John better than that.
Matthew had known John since he assumed command of the Phoenix. When he first came onboard, Mathis, one of the first telepaths allowed into EarthForce service since the disbanding of the PsiCorp, was the deck officer. Third in command.
After Matthew lost his XO in a transfer to the Agamemnom, instead of receiving a transferee, Matthew saw the promise in John and gave him the XO position. They served together on the Phoenix for three years.
It was John that stood up for his captain to halt the mutiny when word first came of the plague on Earth and a portion of the crew wanted to stay as far away from Earth as they could. Delaying the mutiny so Matthew could mobilize, John helped save the Phoenix.
That was a two years ago. Now Matthew and John stood side by side on the mightiest starship in the systems. On the most important mission ever in human history. The search for the Cure.
And appearing seemingly out of nowhere on the opposite side of the bridge was Galen. Galen, always when you least, and sometimes when you expected him.
"Report, Lieutenant."
"At our current speed, estimated time of arrival to the scene, twenty minutes."
"Inform engineering to redline the engines. I don't want them to get away this time."
"Aye, sir," John said as he relayed the message to the engineering compartment a mile behind his current location. Even John marveled at her size and speed.
After the order was relayed, Gideon sounded his next question. "What did the recon sats indicate?"
"Two class 3 battle wagons."
"If we can take the wagons out, disable one of them, we could trace their course back to their home base," Gideon hypothesized.
"The key word in this case, is disabling on of these battle wagons." Galen let his two cents worth known.
"Weapons array on-line, fighter squads on stand-bye," John announced as the report came in through his comm-set over his short cut black hair.
"Good. We've got the bastards this time. This is for the colony ship." With that remark, Gideon sat in his command chair and pressed the console on his arm-rest which lowered the periscope from the ceiling. There he studied the scanner readings of the region.
Galen leaned over to Gideon's ear. "How's the head?"
Gideon turned around and gave the Techno-Mage a stare that would had put fear in a Shadow. But with Galen, he found it only amusing.
"Lieutenant, what is the fighter compliment for a class 3 battle wagon?" Galen inquired.
"Maximum capacity, four wings. According to Raider protocols, about five fighters in each wing."
"Will be a most interesting day," Galen remarked as he took position beside Gideon. "Glad I would not miss it."
EarthForce protocols forbid civilian personnel on the bridge during a military situation unless directly summoned by the commanding officer.
It didn't surprise Gideon that Galen would not have any problems disobeying protocols. In fact, it was almost comforting to have Galen on the bridge. But Gideon would never tell the mage that. He would never let him forget it.
The crew of the Excalibur had been through hell and back since the start of their mission. And their mission not even close to being completed. But what didn't kill them, made them stronger, and brought them closer together.
Even now, Matthew had a fondness of Max. He sure would never let the man, or any onboard know that. Because it would be like asking for a death sentence. Or worse, death of personality. No one onboard would ever let him forget it.
Max came onboard as an arrogant, holier than thou art linguist and xeno-ologist specialist. To this day he still has the same qualities. But Mister Eilerson's knack in translating a language not spoken for thousand of years is what got him the job on Excalibur. Even though at one time Matthew considered even though Max was a pain in the ass, 'he would be our pain in the ass,' was the phrase he used when he told John that he was bringing Max onboard.
"ETA, fifteen minutes." John announced.
Gideon was getting in the zone, that every commanding officer got into before a battle. Accelerated heart beat, adrenaline screaming throughout his body. No commander was immune to it. He was even sure not even John Sheridan. He only imagined that it would be worse now with Sheridan stuck behind a desk on Minbar leading an InterStellar Alliance.
Breaking the tranquility before the storm, an alarm sounded from the scanner station manned by a middle-aged woman who did not look a year out of the Academy. But she was the best of the best. Because only the best served on Excalibur.
"Report?" Gideon ordered as John walked over to the station, looking over the young ensign's shoulder at her readout display.
"Aft scanners are picking up a silhouette on an intercept course."
"Raiders?" Gideon inquired as the silhouette appeared on the scanner display. But it looked more like a ink blot than anything recognizable.
"Negative," John said, and looked away from the display to Gideon, sitting on the edge of his seat. "A Warlock destroyer."
"What the hell?"
"Always when you least expect one," Galen muttered.
"They are hailing us," John announced.
"Put it up," Gideon ordered as he stood from his chair, and walked over to the vid-screen on the left of the bridge where a moderately aged man appeared.
"Excalibur, this is Captain Martin Doherty of the EAS Pathfinder."
"This is Captain Matthew Gideon. You've picked a tensed time for a visit, Captain. What brings you out here in our neck of the woods?"
"This isn't a social call I'm afraid. Captain Gideon, under Article 7 paragraph j of the EarthForce Code of Justice, I am relieving you of command of the Excalibur. You are to stand down and prepare for transport to Mars."
Matthew stood still as a statue as if the entire world around him stopped. He stood within the moment, seemingly forever.