CHAPTER 2 - Hostile Visit

"Don't let the sun go down on me, although I search myself, it's always someone else I see..." is herd throughout the ship as every major compartment is either slow dancing with their partner or simply the person next to them. The panels rattle on the outer edge of the bridge as Silas and Skye slow dance in the center of the bridge. The Marines tasked with guarding the bridge slow dance with each other some using their shoulder radios as microphones to sing in. The dim red lights normally used for general quarters now shine as a romantic environment for the bridge crew who are slow dancing with each other at their consoles. The ship oddly rolls as other ships in the battle group fly at a steady pace. Crewmen and women from other ships look out their windows to see the smaller Stealth Intruder slowly roll, each rotation showing the crews of other ships the slow dance in the dim red light through the window. Some crews from other ships look through binoculars to see the abnormal sight. The main gun batteries slowly roll with the ship in synchronization as if the ship itself was slow dancing with the carrier next to it. Music is transmitted to every deck but the Captains and eventually to the entire battle-group. The Battlecruiser Columbia begins to roll with the ship replicating the same actions keeping in sync with the movement of the Stealth Intruders gun batteries.

For the last two months battle-group 304 has been searching the outer regions of Crystalline Passage. Two months ago the battlecruiser IPS Lone Wanderer lost contact with fleet command. After several searches there has been no sign of the ship. With over four thousand men and women on board the admiralty dispatched the 304th battle-group to search the entire passage and surrounding systems. Most of the crew believe the ship's navigation failed during a hyperspace jump causing them to appear in a sun or worse. After two months even the officers have convinced themselves there is little chance of recovery. The entire battlegroup being dedicated is a political move to show the people of the core worlds how dedicated the admiralty is at recovering the lost souls aboard the ship. The passage is a thick nebula  with several smaller pocket systems within it. Sensors are nearly useless and the passage has never been fully mapped. Leading this battlegroup is the battlecruiser Columbia as the flag ship. The Admiral of the fleet, Frank Diago does not believe the ship made a bad jump contrary to the recommendation of his advisers.

The Stealth Intruder continues to roll as the newly weds, Silas and Skye hold each other in the slow dance on the bridge when suddenly the Columba fires its stabilizing thrusters. Assuming whoever the officer was that danced the ship along had been caught Silas thinks nothing of it and continues his dance. Two ships in-front of the Stealth Intruder fire their main engines then four more power up. Silas cuts the music as he hears the phone ring on the command console. The crew returns to their posts as he runs over and picks up the phone, "Stealth Intruder - actual..." he says in an official tone. "Faint signal detected by radio telescope at planetary body Alpha zed five, break formation and engage stealth running to investigate signal. Oh and good song choice Commander but if you bash into my ship rolling like that i'll break my foot off in your ass, Admiral Diago out." Silas puts the phone back onto the console and begins to flip on the lights. Silas activates the alarm and points to the tactical officer Lieutenant Junior Grade Dan Rathers, "Sound general quarters, wake the Captain." Silas says while taking position at the center command console.

Alarms ring and red lights flash along the ceiling as crew rush around the ship finding their specific battle station. Main battery gunners crawl into their turrets and sit down strapping themselves in and activating a heads up display over their round transparent window. Large shells that look like canisters mechanically load into the gun turrets as they raise from their enclosures. Dozens of smaller laser defense batteries raise from their enclosures that each side of the entire ship. Commanding the gun crews is Lt. Commander Charles Baker. He is one of the youngest commanders on the ship this could be his first combat situation. He taps a button on his headset, "Bridge, Main batteries one through twelve manned and ready, all 32 automated point defense lasers activated and all four missile silos loaded with V100 nuclear tipped torpedoes awaiting your launch key." he says slightly stumbling over his words.

Pilots run from their bunks with their helmets in hand and sliding down ladders as if it was a firefighters pole. Pilots begin to suit up in special space suits designed for fighter pilots located next to their fighters as deck crew roll out carts that look like little red wagons full of magazines loaded with bullets and missiles. The wagons are placed under the wings and a lift raises the bed of the wagon up connecting the magazines to the wings. Deck crew pull the belts of bullets out of the now connected magazines and connect them to the main machine guns located on each side of the Talon strike craft. Missiles are connected to the wings and pins are pulled out of the nose arming the weapon. The sound of turbine engines spinning up deafen the hanger as pilots put on their helmets and jump inside the cockpits checking the main screen for weapon connectivity. They cycle through each weapon looking for a green display indicating the weapons are free to fire and in working order. Cockpit canopies are lowered sealing the pilots inside as each pilot connects a hose to their helmets which provides oxygen and atmosphere. Each pilot displays a thumbs up outside of their cockpit and the deck crew begging to roll each fighter by hand into pressurized tubes used to launch the fighters out of the ship at high rates of speed. Light a race car pit crew engines are checked and hoses are connected to the fighter for final fuel up as the fighters are only kept with limited fuel to prevent internal explosions in-case of a direct hit to the hanger. Lt. Commander Nake Reno will be commanding the fighter squadron he presses a small button on the right side of his joystick activating the radio "Bridge, fighter squadrons red and blue ready for launch, silver and gold squadron ready for second launch window. Fighters are manned and ready." He says enthusiastically over the radio.

In the engine room Lt. Commander Gabe Seproth is securing hatches and lowering bulkheads over external windows to prevent hull breaches. Large doors drop over the reactor to prevent any jolts or impacts from breaching the anti-matter containment. He raises the reactor output to one hundred percent and divides the power evenly between the engines, maneuvering thrusters and stealth systems. Lt. Commander Seproth lowers the stealth arrays located at the bottom of the ship for the Captain to engage stealth at any time. He opens a book with a list and begins to flip switches on the engine room consoles putting the ship into a combat ready status. He sits down at a large console that overlooks the reactor and straps in. He puts on a headset and presses a switch on the side, "Bridge, Engineering reports checklist complete, all bulkheads secured, the board is green, stealth arrays deployed and engines ready for hyperspace jump. Compartments are manned and ready." the Commander says as screens power on in-front of his consoles.

On the bridge communications officer Ensign Vanessa Magger calls off as each compartment reports in. "Medical manned and ready, Weapons manned and ready, Engineering, Manned and ready..." she carries on her call outs as she flips switches from red to green on her console activating critical screens from each compartment for the command officers to view. Bridge crew reach behind their seats pulling straps like seat belts over their shoulders connecting them to the center of their seat to keep them in place if the ship was to lose gravity. Two marines open the hatch to the bridge and raise their rifles in a salute as the Captain walks in. Marine Lieutenant Mike Buran yells "Captain on Deck!" in a deep Russian accent. "Commander Benjamin Report." Captain Devoy says in a stern tone as he walks to the command console. "The flag ship detected a signal, they just sent it over and it is definitively man made. It very well can be a distress signal Lieutenant Benjamin  is plotting its location now." Silas says while drawing on the tablet like screen on the console highlighting the general area. "Fuck me thats confusing, SKYE im using your first name so i dont confuse myself. Where is that signal coming from?" He yells. Communications Officer Magger yells to the bridge "All compartments manned and ready we are now at general quarters Captain!". Captain Devoy looks back at her and says "very well coms begin listening for distress calls upon the exit of hyperspace." Magger responds with a loud "Aye sir scanning all frequencies." Skye taps a few buttons on her console which sends her work to the main screen hanging from the center of the ceiling. She walks over to the command console and points up at the screen, "I believe there to be a planetary body there just as the carrier detected. Designated as Alpha Zed 5 the world appears remotely uncharted. It was discovered by probe about 92 years ago. I have plotted our jump right outside of geophysicists orbit. Helmsman Thomas Mitchell I have sent the coordinates to your screen." she says while inserting the jump key into the command console. Captain Devoy picks up the phone on the console and switches it to intercom and says, "attention all personnel stand by for jump in 3... 2... 1..." he turns the key allowing for the helm to control the hyperdrive. Helmsman Mitchell puts his right hand on a flight stick in the center of his console and his left on a throttle lever located on the back left of his console. He flips a latch which determines if the throttle is for hyperspace or normal space. The throttle glows red and he pulls the throttle back sending the ship into a quick blink of which it appears outside the remote planet of Alpha Zed 5.

The Bridge crew quickly look at their screens and consoles scanning for updated information about their new location. Captain Devoy looks up at the radar screen for any signs of contacts from other ships. “Radar shows no signs of other ships in orbit, scanning the surface now.” Skye says as she flips switches on her console. Captain Devoy remains quiet as he looks through the forward windows. He looks suspicious as he walks up to the rail separating the large window from the bridge and looks around. “Captain we are reading moving heat signatures and low level power emissions from small pockets on the planet. There is a colony here sir, I am going to bring us into orbit so I can use our optics to look at the surface.” she says surprised and confused. “Do it, put the ship on stand by we can take the fighters out of the tubes. I still want gun crews at their stations but power down the guns and direct that power into the sensors.” he says to Skye. Skye activates a large telescopic array designed to look down at a planet like binoculars. She rotates dials and taps buttons on her console to focus the optics. “Sir there is a colony down there, third world at best but they have limited power and it appears the center continent has the largest city. They look almost tribal, they are human and have some architecture and fashion similarities to the ancient Arabic nations of old earth.” She says slowly looking over at Captain Devoy and Silas. “What the hell, we were told nobody was out here but i find it hard to believe their level of technology could bring down a military ship. Silas your with me notify a marine squad to meet us in the hangar we need to see what's down there, Skye you have the Bridge.”

As Silas and the Captain walk down the halls to the hanger they are joined by various Marines walking behind them. Each marine is wearing green fatigues with plate carrier armor similar to the type of gear that has been used on earth since the early 2000’s. Marines all wear specialized black balaclavas to hide their face from modern facial recognition systems and provide a seal for oxygen masks in the event they lose atmosphere. Marines are armed with the R-93 adaptive combat rifle. The rifle is a compact railgun that uses a power cell loaded in each cartridge in substitute to gunpowder to propel superheated thorium metal projectiles at extreme velocities. This allows the weapons to fire in the vacuum of space if the need arises. The R-93 is the infusion of two major designs used on earth, the weapon looks much like an AK rifle from earth's Russia blended with American M4. Since expanding into the galaxy these two gun designs over time fused together with each improvement and revision. Each soldier has a NS-44 revolver, a six inch barrel connected to a cylinder loaded with six thorium cased rounds with self contained power cell. These weapons may not look very advanced however they are devastating when impacting a human body. The round hits with such force that each shot tends to chew through the body often exiting out the other side. They are also equipped with a multitude of tools and grenades. One of the main grenades marines carry is the PG-17, an energy pulse grenade that renders anyone in the blast radius numb or temporarily paralyzed. If the cap is twisted twice the power output triples and the area of effect causes severe electrical burns. Fleet Marines are some of the most highly trained combat units in the and are stationed on every ship in the fleet.

As Silas and the Captain approach the transport powering up to take them down to the surface two marines each hand them a R93 rifle, NS-44 in a leg holster and an armored plate carrier. As the marines load into the transport they strap the weapons and armor onto themselves before jumping into transport themselves. The transport is a UD-12 Shepherd, a multi role transport ship with four engine pods that rotate as needed. The Shepard has two chainguns on the right and left side which can be remote controlled from the craft. The rear of the ship has a twin chaingun designed to hold off pursuing craft. The Shepard has been in service for over 40 years and can be modified to suit nearly any role. The engines continue to spin up as the Shepherd is taxied to the rear airlock. Inside marines are checking their gear and racking back the bolts on their rifles. “Sir im Marine Lieutenant Michael Miv, I will be your squad leader on this operation. We have been briefed on the situation and are ready to back you up. Don’t worry Captain we have already won this battle.” the marine says under his mask with confidence. “Did you just say we won a battle we have not even arrived yet?” Silas says in confusion. “Yes sir, would you like to see my service record?” the marine says arrogantly. “No I dont want to see your service record we are in the fucking transport get your head in it marine, remember this is a remote colony they may be completely peaceful just provide the Captain and I security.” Silas says while placing his hand over his face in frustration. The marine pulls out a laminated copy of his service record from his pants pocket in expectation for it to be looked at but Silas and the Captain have no interest.

The inner airlock door closes as the air is sucked out of the compartment. A loud wind sound fills the Shepard as the outer door opens looking out into the darkness of space. The transport ship fires its thrusters and takes off quickly turning towards the planet as it leaves the hanger. Silas towards the back of the Shepherd to see a marine sitting at a rear facing turret and the large Stealth Intruder shrink as the transport begins to enter the planet. The transport begins to violently shake as an orange glow fills the ship. As the ship cuts through the atmosphere it shakes more and more violently. Marines hold onto their straps as the transport enters the airspace as the shaking stops and a quick thrust from the engines makes the marines lean towards the rear of the ship.

The Shepard flies over the city as Silas uses the remote gun cameras to look at the people below stop what they are doing and look up in awe. There are no visible landing pads or any vehicles of any kind. The pilot decides to land in a large open area near what looks like a small pyramid. The ship fires its landing thrusters as the landing gear deploys and the chainguns retract into the ship. The ship sets down with a large jolt to the marines inside and the pilot leans back giving a thumbs up to Silas and the Captain signaling they have landed. The side doors drop open as the armed marines run off the Shepherd with guns raised eventually making a circle around the craft. Villagers dressed in what looks to be like ancient Arabic clothing slowly begin to walk towards the marines in awe. They stare at the marines and transport as if it was magic. Silas picks up the radio inside the craft, “Stealth Intruder this is Shepard 789 we have landed, beginning our survey.” Silas says while grabbing his rifle and stepping out of the hatch.