Overwhelming Odds
Chirakis Kirel
USS Agincourt,’s Captain Merida Lopez stood a step away from the main science console, her arms crossed as she watched Lt Coster pour over information his team had recently gathered. Intense focus on interstellar observations left them wondering if the ship should proceed farther into the interstellar mist of gas and dust or stay put for a while so they could sort things out.
Something did not feel right.
“Commander Aero, status of the ship’s hull?” she asked, glancing in his direction, brow furrowed in skepticism.
“Holding well, Captain. Slight shudder on the aft fore deck.”
“Status of the crew?”
“Focused. Watching every step. Commander Darris said that if we stay here too long, the ship could be in a bad situation all around. Interstellar medium is thickening. Interstellar gas is its clumping up distribution on all size scales. Shields are at 15% and holding.”
She nodded and moved away from Lt Coster so he wouldn’t lose his focus. “Ratch ‘em up to 50%. Any word from Chi Song or Rodman?”
“None. No word from Fleet command. Some of our….”
“Ho...ly... !!” came from behind, turning all eyes toward the forward screen. “What… the hell... is that?”
“Watch your language, Ensign,” Aero snapped as he studied the screen, his expression turning from concerned to confused, then alarmed as he watched the interstellar dust disburse, form into feathered colors and pull the ship toward the center of the galactic plane.
“It’s a nebular mist,” the captain replied, “but not an ordinary one. It’s drawing us in. Lieutenant, sound red alert!”
“Red alert, aye!” Klaxons echoed through the ship. All personnel stowed loose equipment and took their positions
Lopez turned to face the comm officer. “Send out a subspace mayday. Give them our position and continue giving them our position ‘cause we’ll be moving. Keep sending the call until we have a response.
“Darris,” she called on the comm to engineering. “Cut the engines, let the ship float, keep it on an even keel as much as possible. Set shields at 100%. Everyone strap in and hold on!”
Captain Lopez tightened her belt, muttering, “Nine hundred seventy three years ago they won. Well… we’re gonna win this one too.”