Tennokiken Voyagers: Seven
Kelly's eyes widened slightly but she kept her mouth shut as she took in the construct that hung there in space. As a Captain of a starship she was used to seeing large objects, but almost always they were natural. A planet, gas giant, stars, asteroids, they all were products of the processess of stellar creation. Even the largest of man-made constructs like Fleet Drydock and other orbital stations were a few miles across, occassionally a bit larger, but this dwarfed that easily.
"Weapon's status?" Kelly made herself ask, the green eyed blonde unable to pull her eyes away from the screen.
"Right," Rio was startled into action, quickly working her tactical station, a frown on the black haired woman's face. She narrowed her dark eyes, "I don't think they have weapons active but I'm not entirely sure of the readings."
"Understood," Kelly agreed. She took a breath, "Dan, move us forward."
"Yes ma'am," the brown haired man navigator answered. Dan brought the conventional engines on line, moving them forward.
The station that slowly began to fill their screen was a massive construction, dwarfing both the Venture and the Revenge combined. The slowly turning disk was a deep gray marked with silver, and it gave the impression of immense age. It was also quite clearly alien, the construction subtlely different than human work.
Kelly tried to get a rough estimate of the size by comparing it with the Revenge but finally had to give up. "Contact Siobhan Ward," she ordered.
"Got it Kelly," Lucille answered as she worked at her station, her light brown hair contained by one of her many battered caps.
Siobhan Ward's face came up on the corner of the screen, her coppery black hair falling into her eyes. "What do you think, Miles?" Ward smiled wryly.
"I'm impressed," Kelly admitted. She looked grave as she continued on, "This isn't going to be a first contact situation, I hope?"
Sio shook her head, "The station has been abandoned a long time. We've only explored a few miles on one edge, but there's no signs of life in the other sections."
Rio had to ask, "How big is this thing?"
Isis spoke up, the android smiling slightly as she said, "The station is 15 miles across and two miles high, though the circumference is somewhat irregular."
"We've got a dock and a section we set up with human atmosphere," Siobhan explained, "you can follow us in."
"Understood," Kelly nodded as they disconnected.
Jesse puffed out a breath at her engineering station, the scanning arrays on full and recording all the data she could. The dark blonde's hair was roughtly pulled back, her voice awed as she said, "I can't believe the power that thing is putting out."
"Passive scans only," Kelly cautioned her without turning around, "I don't want us triggering any automated defences."
"I see the dock," Dan said softly, the station filling the viewscreen.
"Bring us in slow," Kelly said needlessly, Dan already adjusting his controls.
The Revenge moved in to dock first, sliding between two metalic pilons that quickly held it in place with low level shields. From the station a older style boarding chute was deployed, smoothly locking in around the access hatch.
"Our vessel's compatable with that system," Jesse noted as the moved in.
The Venture slid into place, a slight rumble as the fields locked in around the vessel. Dan watched his controls, "All motion negated, we're at rest relative to the station."
"The boarding chute has attached," Rio noted. "sensor scans show no personel waiting to try and get in. The coast is clear so far."
Kelly sighed softly, silently wondering if paranoia was something they trained you for in the tactical school or if you just picked it up on the job? Still.... "Dan, Rio, Jesse," she got up from her chair, "you're going on board with me. Lucille, you're in charge until we get back."
"Aye, Captain," Lucille tossed a casual salute as the four left the bridge, their replacements coming onto the bridge.
"Are we going aboard armed?" Rio asked crisply as they took the lift down.
"No, we aren't," Kelly said to her firmly.
Jesse shook her head, smiling slightly. "You really don't like Siobhan, Rio. Why isd that?" she asked curiously.
"Considering her history," Rio glowered, "it's understandable."
Dan sighed softly, running his hand through his brown hair. He was surprised to see a sympathetic smile on Kelly's face and blushed, "Sorry."
Kelly chuckled, "No problem."
The lift let them off at the shuttle bays, the four of them moving to the access hatch the boarding tube had connected to. Jesse checked the exterior readings before noting, "There's a standard oxygen blend in the tube and a tight seal."
"Then let's go," Kelly said, pulling the lever and opening the hatch. She led the way into the boarding tube, floating in the low gravity as Rio growled in alarm behind her.
"You mind being a bit more careful?" Rio scolded, using handholds in the tube's lining to quickly catch up with her.
Kelly just smirked, leading them over to the access into the great space station itself. She reached for the handle and Dan spoke up, "Ah, maybe Rio should go first?"
"Damn right," Rio growled.
The tactical officer moved in front, reaching out to take the hande, Rio aware of Kelly and the others behind her. She turned it, there was a hiss of air as the slightly higher pressure within the station equalized with the tube and...
"Oka-san!" a female figure flew by to hit Kelly with a hug.
"Isis," Kelly blinked, then gently wrapping her arms around the smaller woman.
"Mom?" Dan blinked. He looked over at Jesse who was watching the joyful reunion with amusement, "What's going on?"
"That's Isis," Siobhan Ward said, the cyborged woman standing on the other side of the portal offering a hand, "she's sort of Kelly's artificial daughter."
"Thanks," Jesse smiled, taking the hand to go aboard. Rio made her own way in, Dan following. Kelly and Isis came on last, the younger woman holding onto her mom possessively.
"Artificial gravity," Rio noted, standing up and looking around her warily.
"It's about 1.3 of Earth standard," Siobhan calmly agreed, "that's the lowest we've been able to get it so far." She tossed a smile at Jesse and Kelly, "Hopefully you'll be able to help with that."
The chamber they stood in was small, clearly a inner airlock. The walls were metal, gleaming, and a few control panels were the only accents. "Come on," Isis lead them over to a inner door, opening it up into a larger room.
"Whoa..." Kelly blinked. The inside was lit like daylight, and despite the components littering the ground and open control areas it shone like new. Several comfortable chairs were scattered about and viewscreens were set up for easy weatching.
"We think this was built to be a kind of waiting room," Sio said as they strode across the floor to another waiting door.
Jesse was looking around her thoughtfully, "So what is this station for?"
The other door opened, Shane waving cheerfully as they neared. "We think it was built as a self sustaining habitat," he explained, "watch your heads." They ducked through the small hatch, stepping out... and freezing.
A city, or at least a good part of one stood before them. Some of the structures had sunk into disrepair, others looking like they had just been built, and all of them looking like they had been plucked right from the Earth's surface. Lights glowed happily, power flowing through the structures, but there was no sign of any inhabitants.
"Taxi, anyone?" Sylvie smiled, the silver haired young woman sitting behind the wheel of a modified crew transport.
To be continued....
Tennokiken Voyagers: Eight
Kelly Miles didn't hesitate at all as the blonde captain crisply said to Sylvie, "Thanks, I think we'll take that ride."
"Then let's get aboard," Siobhan Ward said, the cybernetically enhanced privateer grabbing a seat behind Sylvie on two oversized plush benches. She was careful not to sit down on her coppery black hair, one of her few indulgences.
"Hey," Shane sat down in the seat up in the front cabin beside Sylvie, reaching out to gently put his hand over hers a moment.
"Isn't that interesting," Rio muttered while the black haired woman smoothly took a seat across from Ward to keep an eye on her. Ward looked amused by the action as Rio cautiously watched her crewmates get aboard the personnel carrier.
"Thanks," Dan smiled as Siobhan pulled him in with a single tug, then helping Jesse and Isis up before closing the side hatch.
Isis had a slight smile on her face as she looked over at her mother, Kelly. "You've been very quiet so far," the artificial being noted after they drove a short ways.
"Just trying to absorb what I'm seeing," Kelly looked out the window at the massive construct around them, "it almost looks bigger in here than it was outside."
"Very good," Siobhan murmured with a smile.
"But that's impossible," Jesse blinked, the darker blonde looking around in surprise.
"Not necessarily," Kelly mused, the woman shifting from ship's captain to scientist, "there are theoretical constructs like tesseracts with more internal volume than their exterior dimensions."
Rio leaned forward, "If this place is a tesseract, why haven't you called in the Science Academy to investigate the phenomenon?"
"I can't trust Fleet with the leaks," Sio said dryly, "and there's no reason to assume that the Academy won't pass data on to them."
"We're here," Sylvie called from the front seat as the personnel carrier slowed to a stop, "our home away from home."
The hatches on either side swung up to let them out, the surprisingly fresh smelling air of the construct washing over them as they got out. The building they stood in front of was actually not that big, only several floors tall and not terribly wide. It almost looked like an office building with glass windows and gray stone construction, just like an Earth building.
""We picked this structure for several reasons," Shane said as they walked forward, "including the fact that it's compact and defensible."
Rio instantly went on guard as she asked, "You've been attacked?"
"No, we have not," Siobhan tossed Shane a cross look before continuing on, "but certain members of my crew are more cautious."
"Or our captain has a reckless nature," Sylvie was entirely unrepentant as she continued, "you can take your pick."
Rio looked over at Kelly and smiled just slightly, "I think I know what you mean."
"So how many people are there on the construct?" Dan asked as they walked up to the building and through the front doors.
"Not many," Shane said simply, "we have the crew of the Revenge quartered here along with a few others, but the rest is handled by the mechs."
"Mechs?" Kelly asked as Siobhan lead the way over to a industrial lift.
"A Raider ship we captured had a full hold of third generation Servomechs," Siobhan said simply as she hit a few keys on a control pad, "instead on returning them to their owner I appropriated them for our use here."
"That's against the law," Rio said crisply.
"Then the Fleet can add it to the bill for the ship we stole escaping," Sylvie tossed Rio a fierce look, "assuming we can find someone we can trust in Fleet."
"Sylvie," Shane put his hand on her arm, gently tugging her back.
"This is an extraordinary circumstance," Kelly said firmly as she looked between Rio and Siobhan, "I'm certain that allowances can be made."
"Bleh!" Sylvie stuck her tongue out at Rio.
Siobhan sighed, running her cybernetic hand through her long hair. "I mean it when I say I'm willing to face trial by Fleet when this is all over," she said gravely.
"Understood," Rio nodded grimly.
There was a thump as the lift came to a stop and Jesse puffed out a breath. She smiled slightly at the others looks as she explained, "I hate those old lifts."
"You're a ship's engineer," Shane raised an eyebrow as they headed out into the hallway, "don't you have to deal with them all the time?"
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Jesse said dryly.
Sylvie smiled wryly as they reached a large door. "This is our command center," she opened it up, "more or less."
"Damn," Kelly muttered, eyes almost instantly drawn to an massive star-chart of the sector, symbols dotting it indicating Raider attacks. A large table was set not far away but she walked right by, her eyes narrowing. "There's been more attacks than we were told about," Kelly said as she turned back towards Siobhan and the others.
Rio's eyes studied the clusters of insignia, her eyes narrowed as she tried to find a pattern. "They're random," she finally said, "almost too much so."
Dan sighed softly, sitting down at the table as he waited to see what his commanding officers would come up with next. Jesse gave him a sympathetic smile then they were joined by Shane and Sylvie. "Enthusiastic, aren't they?" Shane murmured.
"You can say that again," Jesse agreed. She looked over at Dan then at Shane, "So what's this I hear about you being the best pilot?"
"Siobhan exaggerates," Shane said dryly, "I'm at best an average ship- handler."
"Don't be so modest," Sylvie took his arm with a little smile, "he's pulled off some interesting stunts in our skirmishes with the Raiders."
"Maybe we should test your skills against Dan's," Jesse offered.
"Now that's an idea," Jesse nodded eagerly, "an obstacle course, maybe?"
"We could use sensor equipped mines," Sylvie offered the idea excitedly, "if either of them get too near they'd go off."
"Oh no," both Shane and Dan blurted out at the same time.
"What are you doing?" Isis asked curiously, wandering over to see what was going on.
"My girlfriend is plotting to blow me up," Shane sighed.
"And me with him," Dan added.
"Spoilsports," Jesse pouted.
"Don't be so eager to die," Siobhan said as she, Rio and Kelly headed over, "we'll get you blown up in due time."
"That's comforting," Sylvie commented, "what's up?"
"I think we may have a bigger problem then we initially thought," Kelly said grimly, "it looks like the Raiders are trying to build their own little Fleet out here."
"And they're using fleet arms to do it," Rio scowled.
"You're certain?" Isis asked, her expression completely calm.
"Siobhan had already collected all the data," Kelly said grimly, "and combined with our limited Fleet intelligence it's the only conclusion."
"Uhm," Dan spoke up, then stopped.
"Yes?" Rio looked over at him.
"How do we know we can rely on the Fleet data? We already know there's a leak, they could have modified the data," Dan shrugged.
"Crap," both Rio and Siobhan cursed at once.
To be continued....