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[Editor's Note: This is a dirvivited work of Science Fiction, based in the Alliance-Union Universe created by C.J. Cherryh. The story you are now reading IS NOT written by her, and is not (as of yet) authorized by her. Please bear that in mind as you read this. This is not cannon for the Alliance-Union universe as created by C.J. Cherryh, but was written as a tribute. -C.J. LeBlanc/ShadowWalker]
[Editor's Note: Sections will be added in as the author has time to do them. -C.J. LeBlanc]
Interface.
A noiseless pop as jumpship ECS-15 Nova Scotia returns to the real universe. Breathing becomes normal, realtime now. Hands reach for nutrient packs.
A sudden jerk. First v-dump. Alert klaxon goes off. "Captain," that was Scan I, "2 ships, range, 15 minutes. IDs as Europe and New Hampshire. Outputs nominal."
"Acknowledged, Scan. Armscomp, Stand down to Yellow. Comp, Synch-up with Europe."
The officer at the Armscomp board began resetting the weapons from Condition Red to Condition Yellow.
Another shutter, second v-dump. The captain presses a button, opening up the ship, "Congratulations to all. We have safely arrived at Omicron. Situation is stable, and only the expected ships are here. Condition Yellow is in effect for duration of stay.
"My compliments on a job well done. I know this last double jump was hard on all of you, especially with the situation, but Captain Nagy wouldn't want us to neglect our duty. We will bring honor and glory to the Captain, and to Nova Scotia in our next mission. That's all I can say at this time. Again, Condition Yellow is in effect, but enjoy the downtime, we may not see some again for awhile. That is all."
The button clicked. The captain pushed another button on her board and gets a system schema on the main screen, showing her their location and the locations of Europe and New Hampshire as of 1 minute ago.
"Synch-up completed, sir." Comp I said.
Now the computers were talking back and forth to each other faster than com officers could. In fact, Europe was kindo of quiet on the voice end of communications.
The approach went smoothly, Helm brought Nova Scotia to within 100 meters of Europe.
Two hours went by with nothing from either ship except comp traffic.
As the third hour approached, Longscan detected another presence in space, a ship just came out of hyperspace, about 15 minutes away from the ships already at Omicron Point, heading towards them. All eyes were watching the Longscan board, waiting for the ID to come thru, or orders from Mazian. After about few moments, Longscan IDed the incoming vessel as Edgar's Australia. This was definately going to be a high level meeting, the Captain thought to herself, as she allowed herself to calm down.
Another hour went by, with first shift manning the controls still, while second shift waited patiently for shift change, which looked like it was going to be late in coming.
Four and a half hours after arriving at Omicron Point, the Captain's earpiece came to life, having been set for interfleet com traffic. The voice was familiar, Conrad Mazian, captain of Europe, and commander of the Earth Company Fleet, spoke, "Leave all decisions to your First Officer's and report to Europe at once." The earpiece went quiet again.
"Com, Acknowledge Europe." the Captain said, and then, after toggling a switch, said, "Troop Escort, 3 troopers, Airlock 2, Immediately." then she turned to her First Officer, "Lt. Surette, you have the bridge."
"Yessir, and Good Luck." Lt. Surette smiled at his captain, a brief one, but one all the same. She returned it and went to her quarters, one deck down, and got her dress shirt on, the only part of her uniform she had left in decent condition. Then, she took the lift down to airlock 2.
As she walked to airlock from the lift, she began to wonder how she would handle the situation if Mazian were to remove her from command. technically, he could, but she didn't think that he would at this point. In fact, she didn't think that Mazian even knew that Captain Nagy had died yet. She would get to be the bearer of that bad news, and now, with Nagy gone, she would have to perform this mission that had been planned for almost 2 years. Captain Nagy hadn't told her all of it, so she was going into a command conference half blind. It was going to be interesting.
The seals were tight on the umbilical between Nova Scotia and Europe. The airlock opened and Lt. Amber Vaissi, Nova Scotia's Acting Captain, and her escort walked through the lock and across the umbilical trunk to the open lock of Europe, and met one Europe's officers, a lieutenant as well. He gave her a quick once-over, and noticed her Lieutenant's bars instead of a captain's circle on her collar, and asked, "Where your captain, Lieutenant?"
"Lt. Vaissi, `Acting Captain', ECS-15 Nova Scotia, Lieutenant." With a strong stress on the word captain.
The Lieutenant looked at Vaissi, and decided not to take any chances, "Yessir, if you'll follow me to the conference room." And saying nothing more, motioned for Vaissi to follow him.
The Europe lieutenant stopped outside of a door, and motioned for her to enter. Her escort moved off to the side of the door, in the corridor, and stood at ready, in case their captain would need them, however slight that chance might be here. They stood with the other captains' escorts.
The door opened and Vaissi entered, noticing Mazian and Edgar, and Captain Hébert, of New Hampshire, of which Nova Scotia had worked with several times before.
Amber snapped to attention as the door closed, and said, "Lieutenant Amber Vaissi, reporting as ordered, sir."
Mazian regarded her, had been since she entered the room instead of who he was expecting, Douglas Nagy, who was the captain he had assigned to the Nova Scotia years ago. This was clearly not him.
"Where is your captain, Lt. Vaissi?" Mazian asked, curious as to her answer."
"Dead, sir, at 862 Beta. Command board blew and Captain Nagy took all of the blast, died instantly. I immediately took command. Albania was also with us, but we lost her in the end. Only 5 from Albania survived, and are now part of the Nova Scotia's crew." Amber replied, a touch of sadness in her voice, as she remembered that fight.
"Union casualties?" That question came from Edgar.
US Haven took heavy damage before we had to jump. Lonhgscan detected 2 Union jumpcarries entering the system, but, we did destroy the US Forge before we had to jump.
Mazian nodded, and, after thinking for a few moments, asks, "Do you know why Nova Scotia is here, Lieutenant?"
"No sir, central comp gave instructions to the cap, I mean me, right after we came out of hyperspace from 862 Beta, at null point Alpha 67. We were told to set course for Omicron, and meet you and New Hampshire here. It was a reminder message for Captain Nagy, but, no other information, and Captain Nagy never mentioned it to me. All I knew is that we had been slowly moving this way, towards Omicron, for the last 5 jumps."
"Lieutenant," Mazian began, "this next mission is the beginning or a hard strike at the heart of Union itself, Cyteen." He paused for a moment, dramatic affect, a trademark of Mazian's speeches. From what Douglas had told Amber, along with his flair for the dramatic, he was also vain. Not always a positive trait for a ship captain, never mind the Fleet Captain of the Earth Company fleet. Amber smiled to herself, remembering stories that Douglas had told her of Mazian, from his days as an officer on Europe, before Nova Scotia was commissioned, and he was assigned as her captain.
Mazian continues, "Nova Scotia, along with New Hampshire, and Iceland,
which will be meeting you at Gamma 183, will make a long arc around Union space, and come into
the Cyteen system from the back, while Europe, Australia, and Norway will
strike from a parallel course to their central corridor. Other ships will simultanously strike
at other Union stations and worlds, in an effort to confuse them. This strike is very detailed
and coordinated. Your central comp will have exact details about the mission, and timetables
for where you should be, and when. Make sure you follow them exactly, Captain Vaissi.
Effective immediately, I am promoting you to the rank of captain, and offically assigning you to
command the Nova Scotia. Captain Hébert will be in overall command of your strike
group, until our teams meet up in the Cyteen system. Any questions?"
