Ten minutes later, they’d approached the testing area, Charlie Sector.

Mansel glanced out the viewscreen and caught Brungess’s attention.  “If memory serves correct,” he said, “this is where we were when you gave me a call a few years back to pick up those people that ended up hijacking my ship.”

The General frowned.  “Get over it.”

In his own chair, Commander Vaughn pushed a button to open a communications link with Engineering. “Fleury, warm up those new beauties,” the Executive Officer said, referring to the new superluminal engines. 

“Aye, Commander,” came the Engineer’s voice.  “I’ve got it all under control down here.”

“Let’s hope so.”  Vaughn ended the communication and addressed Mansel.  “Where are we scheduled to
end up at?”

“We’re supposed to end up near the boarder, if all goes according to plan.”

A loud high-pitched whine resonated through the Explorer as Lieutenant Commander Fleury kicked in the new engines.

“Max sublight speed, Jason,” ordered Mansel.  “Superluminal speed on my mark.”  The Excelsior class ship gradually climbed up to its top sublight speed, zooming through space.

“Ready…” Mansel began.  “Ready…mark!”

With a flick of a switch, Broadaway hit the superluminal engines.  The ship hesitated for a second, and then shot off at above faster-than-light speed, the sheer force pushing the crew into their seats.

The Explorer was gliding through superluminal space.

“Well,” commented General Brungess from the guest chair, “that wasn’t all that bad—”

He barely finished before a massive explosion rocked the Explorer so hard that everyone with the exception of Commander Talaj was thrown out of his or her chairs. 

“Damage report!” yelled Mansel, struggling to get back to his chair.

Fleury’s voice came overhead, above the warning sounds that had sprung to life.  “Captain!  The superluminal containment field has cracked!  The deutronium mixed with the neutridium and caused an explosion.  Another one like that, and the resulting explosion could very well tear the ship apart.”

“Then vent the particles!” ordered the Captain over the wailing klaxons.  The Red Alert system had cast a dark red light over everything, but Mansel could still see the worried faces of his bridge crew.

Already anticipating Mansel’s order, Fleury had started the venting process.  Choosing the front vents, he slapped the button and the resulting suction snatched both the deutronium and the neutridium out the ships and propelled it thousands of kilometers past the Explorer.

The bridge crew watched as the particles were expelled from the ship in two colored streams.  Mansel had just started to feel relieved when the Explorer shook again and everything went black.
On to Chapter 2