"Daggers of Darkness, Book 2, The Heart of Élendor": Chapter-4

Story by AncientWolf on SoFurry

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#4 of Daggers of Darkness, Book 2, The Heart of Élendor

UPDATE 2018-11-20: Added the new cover art.

Here's Chapter-4 for the second book of my sci-fi adventure series, "Daggers of Darkness, Book 2, The Heart of Élendor". This story is set 500 years into the future with some of the descendants of the characters in my novel, "Family Tails". This book begins the physical journey that will ultimately tie together the story lines of "The Sacrifice for Peace", "Family Tails". "Daggers of Darkness", and "Tangled Vines".

The posting of this story on here may not be a fully polished product -- that will come later when I have the story fully edited and published. However, I will try to keep the typos, etc., to a minimum. The main things I would like from those reading this are comments, questions, and suggestions. I only ask that you please keep criticisms constructive and polite.

Story, characters, and related art © 2013-2018 Ronald J. Lebeck (that's me).


4

"Pre-flight is complete," Tanya said when everything had been checked off the list.

"Rodger that. Syl, do we have clearance to lift yet?" James asked, looking over his shoulder at his Comm. Officer.

"Checking, sir..." CWO3 Stewert tapped her comm board and said, "Wens'ayla'lae Control, this is Nightwing, requesting clearance to left." She listened to the voice in her comm set, and said, "Rodger, Wens'ayla'lae Control; transferring departure vector to Navigation. Clear ground personnel from the pad." Sylvia looked at James and held her left hand up signaling to wait one. When the go-ahead was given, she twirled her index finger to spool up the thrusters. When the final clearance came, Sylvia dropped her hand, pointing straight ahead. "Go for lift, sir."

James nodded his head curtly and faced forward. Patting the top of his console, he said with a grin, "Time to fly, 'baby-cakes'."

Tanya rolled her eyes and shook her head.

James punched the All-Call button and said, "Attention all hands, this is the captain...we are lifting in five...four...three...two...one...mark!"

James eased the grav thruster control forward and _Nightwing_gracefully became airborne.

The sight of the intense blackness of the ship made those on the ground nervous around her. When she lifted and sounded her traditional hunting cry, many in earshot cringed at the unnerving sound. James and his crew were used to it, and they shared a smile knowing how others would react. Of course, it was heard throughout the interior of the ship, which caused the members of the science team, the fighter crew, and particularly the two Élendorians onboard to jump. Poor Læree'ahna, who had not heard it before, nearly curled up into a ball from fright.

As soon as the ship hit space, James called for the switch from Condition Blue (Atmospheric Flight), to Condition IV (Peacetime Cruising). Since Nightwing was a military ship, she had priority when it came to getting clearance to leave the system. Tanya made a last-minute check of the course calculation to the colony world of Élenswena and sent the flight path to James' console. When they got to the standard five planetary diameter distance for initiating jump, Shauna brought the main drive online.

"Engineering to Bridge. Main drive is hot and ready--jump at your discretion, Captain."

/* "Acknowledged, Engineering. Initiating jump..." */

Shauna yelled over the banshee-like shriek of the engine core to the SRBs, "Hang on, guys, here we go!"

Massive relays tripped and the pent-up power of the core dumped into the Field Emitter Pods--and then everything "ghosted" in rainbow hues as Nightwing leapt from normal space and transitioned to 4D hyperspace. Shauna felt her innards lurch as if she was on a rollercoaster. She_hated_ rollercoasters. Given that this was going to be a short hop, she and the other crew members would not have much time to settle into the experience of punching a hyperspace tunnel through warped space. Short jumps were the most notorious for making people "space sick", and Shauna was feeling a little green around the gills.

When the ship was still half a lightyear from Élenswena, James dropped the ship back to normal space with the idea of coasting in. This gave him time while still in interstellar space to perform a time-honored duty of starship captains--performing a wedding ceremony.

James brought the ship to a dead stop, and announced, "All hands, this is the captain. Switch uniform of the day to full dress; gather on the Hanger Deck in forty-five minutes for ceremonial detail. Captain out."

"Moira, mind keeping an eye out for any wayward vessels while we get Canberra hitched?"

/* "Certainly, James. Shall I broadcast the standard Ceremonial Services beacon?" */

"We're still in friendly space, so, go ahead. Setting thrusters to station-keeping. You have the conn, 'baby-cakes'."

/* "Acknowledged, James. My android avatar will be joining you shortly." */

"See you in a bit, dear." James unstrapped from his seat and, checking his instrument panel quickly to make sure everything was set, he slid his seat back. "C'mon, everyone, we have a wedding to see to."

* * * * *

"There, quite attractive you look," Miss Ja'f'darwe said in Élendi to Læree'ahna, after she put the finishing touches to the bridal attire in the Élendorian fashion.

Læree'ahna wore a pale sage colored triangular dress decorated with traditional lifilia flowers that tied at her right hip, a matching short-sleeved wraparound short top with a plunging neckline, and a headband decorated with a feather rosette on the left side.

"Is strange...I, my Felix, different we are, yet apart we cannot be," Læree'ahna said as she looked herself over in the mirror. Turning to face Miss Ja'f'darwe she asked, "Love him, I do...to anywhere I go with him, even cold mountains his home, even here away from friends, and D'wena! Natural, is this?"

Miss Ja'f'darwe held Læree'ahna's hands and said, "First love he is to you. Strongest always is first. Home is always Élendor, but with Terra, her people, in love I fell for it, them. You, too, I think will. Is good, Canberra Felix, take care of you he will. His ship, crewmates, trust them you should. For him, each other, they watch and help. For you, they will also."

Læree'ahna closed her eyes and bobbed her head.

Læree'ahna remembered the time Felix spent at her colony, along with the other members of the military, and how they acted together. That was something she wanted to have for herself, the tight bond that went beyond even blood family. When their six months were up from providing the humanitarian aid to rebuild the colony's utilities after the natural disaster, she remembered the feelings the others had when they were leaving and Felix was staying another month. The goodbyes were short, but the emotions ran strong. They had been together long enough to bond as a group, working for a common goal, helping to get the precious water flowing again on the semi-arid world, and the power generation infrastructure back online. There was also the added security the military contingent provided in deterring opportunists from harassing the colonists. They may not have been heavily armed as a group, but would-be raiders knew that if they attacked a colony with any regular military present, the Sol Federation Space Service would hunt them down and strike back with a vengeance--it proved to be a useful deterrence against raiders. Élendorian territory was on the far side of Federation space, towards the galactic rim. There were other races out this way, and not all were good neighbors. This was the main reason why the generally peaceful Élendorians (and their distant cousins, the Keori) wanted Federation membership. There were many tales of ancient civilizations--some long dead and forgotten, others still around in scattered clumps here and there. And then there were rumors of darker things lurking about in the out of the way places. Even though he was just a simple clerk in the military, Læree'ahna still felt safer with Felix around.

Before leaving Élendor to come back home, she had--thanks to Miss Ja'f'darwe's generosity--placed a call home to her parents so that she could give them the news of her and Felix accepting each other as their one and true mate. Her parents were excited, of course, for they thought a lot of Felix. Even though cats had a long history of being an independent lot, doing what they wanted when they wanted, Felix "knew" his place was truly with Læree'ahna, and she liked that about him and so did her family. She turned back to the mirror to admire the feather rosette again, but then she thought of how their celebration would be cut short due to his deployment. No sooner than they would be joined, he was going to have to leave, and it was unknown how long he would be gone. If the ship had been a private vessel, she would have begged to sign up just so that she could be with him. But Nightwing was a military ship, and generally only military people could be on one. She thought about the civilian members of the science team, and of Miss Ja'f'darwe, being on the ship, but they all worked for the government, and were on a government mission. Læree'ahna was just a worker at a water reclamation plant at a small colony, on a moon circling a gas giant, close to a star that had peculiar fluctuations--not someone who would likely be selected for a position on a long-range scout ship that would rarely see home.

"Wrong something is, Læree'ahna?" Miss Ja'f'darwe asked, sensing her emotions.

She turned and looked with pleading eyes, and asked, "So soon again I, Felix, must be parted...what to do shall I? Come with him, I would surely, but..."

"...But military you are not in, understand I do. A test this is, doubt I do not. For him strong you must be, as strong he is for you. Endure much he will, for you, felt it I have. No less can you do for him," Miss Ja'f'darwe counseled, putting her hand over Læree'ahna's te'nwah. "Everything to us this is. Forever part of you, yours, he is. Always. Remember that." _ _

Læree'ahna bobbed her head and looked back at her image in the mirror. An expression of resolve came upon her face as she held the _te'nwah_around her neck and touched the rosette on her headband.

"Worthy of poets ours will be," she said quietly.

Miss Ja'f'darwe smiled and lightly brushed the back of her hand across Læree'ahna's cheek.

"So it will be, doubt I do not."

* * * * *

"Ye keek lik' a rat cornered by a pack o' terriers, jimmy," Ivor said, looking over Felix's dress uniform.

"Hold your tail still, Felix, I'm trying to brush it!" Cara said in exasperation, for it was thrashing about.

"Ey, you'd be wound up, too, if you were getting' hitched, ey," Felix retorted.

"I suppose, but at least I don't have a tail that won't hold still!"

Ivor laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Juist trying tae picture ye wi' a tail."

"Hmph, maybe I just might get one of those animatronic ones to wear when you and Miss Stewert decide to tie the knot," Cara said with bit of sarcasm.

"Ey, don't forget the ears, ey," Felix said, wriggling his own.

"Oh, knock it off, before you have me looking like Miss Redhill!"

It was Felix's turn to laugh when he saw the expression on Ivor's face.

"Ey, she got ya there, hoser!"

"Says ye!"

"C'mon, McElroy, we gotta get our boy to the altar."

"Sure, we dinnae waant him tae git cauld feet."

The door to their berthing compartment opened and Lt. MacCloud poked his head in.

"Ready Canberra?"

"Yes, sir," Felix replied just as Ivor plucked a stray bit of cat fur off of his short cape.

"Let's go, the skipper's waiting for us."

"Aye, sir. Ye heard th' lieutenant, let's gang," Ivor said to the others.

With the exception of Læree'ahna, Miss Ja'f'darwe, and Lilly, everyone was already gathered on the flight deck portion of the hanger bay when Zach, Ivor, Cara, and Felix arrived. The hanger bay doors were open, with the atmospheric force field holding in the air, giving a wide view of the stars beyond. Felix spotted Zhir-Chi'an and Kfan-Hre'an standing together, apparently talking with Moira's avatar. Chi'an sensed his presence right away and turned her attention to him.

"Felix...," she sent privately to him.

"Chi'an," he replied.

She excused herself and walked over to Felix. When she held her hands out to him in greeting, Zach, Ivor, and Cara, went to mingle with the others. Felix placed his hands on Chi'an's palms and looked up.

"You are to be bonded to the Élendorian female, yes?"

"Yeah."

"I shall miss your company..."

"I'm still going to be around, Chi'an..."

"You know the way I mean."

"Yeah...I do. We had some good times, ey."

Chi'an smiled and sent, "Our vines now grow in separate ways, my friend--close, but..."

"Not as one."

Chi'an nodded her head.

"I will remember our times together long after your path in this life has ended. You have made me see certain things differently, and for that and more, I treasure our friendship." Chi'an reached into her belt pouch and removed something. Handing it to Felix, she said, "A gift for you."

He looked at what she had placed in his hand--a _Tykua-niya_flower that had been encased in a nearly indestructible crystalline substance.

Felix stared at it for a moment, and then looked up at Chi'an. Not caring what others might think, she knelt down and hugged Felix.

"We find our happiness where we may, Felix Canberra; you have found yours--someday I will find my own."

"I hope so, Chi'an. And thank you, for this," Felix sent, thinking about the flower and what he had learned of its meaning in Mûr Tua'ansa culture.

Chi'an smiled and stroked Felix's fur behind his ear, causing him to purr softly. She turned her head away for a moment and then sent, "She is here."

"Hey, Jamie? We're in the p-way just outside of the hanger bay. Is everyone ready?" Lilly sent privately to her mate.

"Give me a sec, Lil, so I can get everyone in place."

"Okay, let me know when they're ready."

James told Tanya what Lilly had just told him. As the Executive Officer aboard Nightwing, it was her place to deal directly with the crew. Giving a sharp bark to get everyone's attention, she said loud enough for all to hear, "All hands, form up for Wedding Detail."

Everyone quickly got into position--Nightwing's crew in front, then the science team, and the much taller Mûr Tua'ansa crew in back. Due to her short size, Thavi stood next to Mindy so that she could see. Rhuw-Rha'an stood to James' left and slightly behind, Tanya was on his right and also slightly behind. Felix and Ivor stood off to the side of, and in front of, Tanya. When all were in their places, James gave Moira's avatar a nod, and the traditional Élendorian music played at weddings began. James sent to Lilly that it was time.

"Læree'ahna? It's time," Lilly said, giving the bride-to-be's hand a squeeze.

"Th-thank you, I do, Dawn-el-sun Li'li," Læree'ahna said, struggling with Lilly's name.

"Canberra's a decent guy...he's lucky to have a sweet gal like you," Lilly said with a toothy smile.

Miss Ja'f'darwe, through the Élendorian ability of touch telepathy, told Læree'ahna in Élendi what Lilly meant.

Læree'ahna closed her eyes and bobbed her head, the green portions of her skin lightened briefly.

When Læree'ahna entered, escorted by Miss Ja'f'darwe and Lilly, Tanya called everyone to attention.

Læree'ahna walked gracefully ahead of her escorts to Felix and took hold of his offered arm. Together they stood before James.

"It is an honor, and a privilege, to be gathered here at this juncture of time and place, to join together these two, in love and commitment, among the stars.

"Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna of Élenswena, is it your solemn wish to be joined before all present to Felix Canberra?"

"Yes," Læree'ahna said, bobbing her head.

"Yeoman Second Class Felix Canberra of Terra, is it your solemn wish to be joined before all present to Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna?"

"Aye, sir," Felix replied.

James smiled and slightly nodded his head.

"You may then exchange your vows."

Felix and Læree'ahna turned to face one another, placing their right hand on each other's chest, and repeated what they had said to each other in the ship's library.

"Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna of D'wena Sa'n'sriel of Élenswena, I offer myself to you as your one and only true mate--would you have me as such?"

She smiled and replied, "Canberra Felix of D'wena Canberra of Terra, accept you I do, my one and true mate. Accept me, do you, as your one and true mate?"

"Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna of D'wena Sa'n'sriel of Élenswena, I accept you as my one and true mate."

They hugged and shared their feelings via telepathic means, and they exchanged the rings that SRB-5836 had made for them as part of Felix's Terran customs. Felix and Læree'ahna turned so that they faced James again.

"Are there any present that opposes the union of these two?" James asked, casting his gaze across all assembled. With no dissent given, James spread his arms and announced, "With all souls present aboard this vessel and the stars themselves as witnesses, by the authority granted to me under Sol Federation Fleet Law and duly registered by our Ship's A.I. entity, I hereby proclaim you, Felix Canberra and Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna, husband and wife."

Everyone applauded according to the way of their kind.

After a few moments, James held his hand up for silence.

"As I understand the custom among Élendorians, Læree'ahna...you are to now be known as Læree'ahn, is that correct?"

Miss Ja'f'darwe replied for her, "That is so, Captain. She will now be known among our people as Læree'ahn. The dropping of the last letter of a female's name signifies that she has chosen he who is first in her heart and has willingly given up other choices."

"This choice, make freely I do," she who is now Læree'ahn affirmed.

James nodded his head thoughtfully and then smiled.

"I wish the both of you luck and happiness."

"Thank you, sir."

"Ch'wan'a'i [1]," Læree'ahn said, giving James a friendly hug.

"You may dismiss them, Tan," James sent privately once Læree'ahn let go of him.

"All hands...aten-SHUN! Repair to the crew's mess for reception. Dismissed!"

There were more hoops, hollers, howls, and other joyful noises made as everyone headed off to celebrate.

Except for James, who lingered for a while, standing before the open hanger bay doors, looking out among the stars, contemplating what he had seen in the structure on Élendor.

Unbeknown to him at the time, a pair of blazing lupine eyes surrounded by swirling motes of light, held him in their gaze from across the vast spaces between the stars.

"Come, my children...I am waiting for you."

* * * * *

After the party finally wound down, the crew of the _Se'nika_went back to their ship, and James' crew changed back into their working uniforms and returned to their duties.

With the ship underway again, James settled into his seat for the remainder of the trip to Élenswena. There wasn't much to do, really, other than to watch for other vessels that may be entering or exiting the system as they made their way inbound. While they were still about an hour out from the system's boundary markers traveling at sub-light, James turned the controls over to Tanya so that he could make a head call and then get some more coffee. He noticed Zach was studying something intently on the sensors as he passed by. Figuring that his Science Officer would say something if anything was out of the ordinary, James ducked through the door to his office. When he came back to the bridge from the crew's mess with his coffee, James noted that Zach was still pouring over sensor data.

"Anything interesting, Zach?"

"Maybe...not quite sure."

James didn't like the sound of that.

"Anything to do with the local weather?"

"No ion storms or unusual magnetic disturbances in our vicinity," Zach reported.

"So, what's got you staring so hard at that screen?"

Zach straightened up in his chair and swiveled to face James.

"I've detected some unusual quantum fluctuations in an area off our starboard bow, thirty light minutes from our current position."

"Do you see anything that might be causing that?" James asked, starting to get concerned.

"No objects in that area that I can see."

There was a "ding" and a light came on, causing Zach to turn back to his board.

"What is it?" James asked, putting a hand on the back of Zach's chair and the edge of the control panel.

"I...don't know...never seen anything like this before."

"Syl, contact the Se'nika, and pipe me through to Rha'an."

"Aye, sir." A few seconds later, "On screen, sir."

James straightened up when the image of Rhuw-Rha'an appeared in the holo-display.

/* "What my I do for you, James?" */

"We've picked up an area of increased quantum fluctuations off our starboard bow, about thirty light minutes away. Would you mind checking it out to see if it's anything we need to worry about?"

/* "I will have Zhir-Chi'an examine the area." */

"Zach, send them the coordinates, if you would."

"Aye, sir. Sending..."

Turning back to the main holo-display, James said, "We're sending you the coordinates."

Rha'an looked down to her right a moment, and then back forward.

/* "We have them, James. Scanning the area now." */

"Well, we'll see what they come up with," James said to Zach.

"What's going on out there?" Tanya asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Something strange," James replied.

/* "James...we have scanned the area in question. Jhan-Kri'an is assisting with the analysis." */ Rha'an held up her hand a moment and turned away. When she looked back towards the camera, James immediately did not like the expression on her face. /* "James, come to a stop, quickly." */

Without hesitation, James immediately ordered, "Tanya, emergency stop, now."

"Emergency stop, aye," she acknowledged, and braked hard.

/* "Engineering to Bridge...what's going on up there?" */

"We have some kind of spatial anomaly off our starboard bow. The Se'nika is checking it out. They must have picked up something we can't because Rha'an said to stop quickly. I'll get back to you on it, Shauna. Bridge out."

"Forward momentum slowing rapidly..." Tanya announced.

Everyone on the bridge hung on to whatever they could during the braking maneuver until the inertial compensators caught up.

A short while later, Tanya announced, "Showing all stop."

"What do you have, Rha'an?" James asked.

Jhan-Kri'an's face appeared in the holo-display.

/* "Captain, some sort of rift is opening...it does not conform to any natural causes that I can determine." */

"Does it pose a threat to the colony?" James asked.

/* "Unknown at this time, captain, though it may be prudent to advise them of the situation." */

"Very well, keep an eye on that thing while we contact Élenswena."

/* "Understood." */

"Syl, get ahold of the governor of the colony, and advise them. They should route all traffic away from this area for the time being. After that, contact Command and let them know we have a potential situation on our hands."

"Aye, aye, sir," Sylvia acknowledge, and began making the calls.

"What's it doing now..." James started to say when the ship suddenly lurched.

"Highly localized disturbance in the gravimetric field," Zach replied.

"Let me guess...it's coming from that rift."

"It appears so," Zach acknowledged.

"Damn, that can't be good." James called out, "Rha'an, I think things are starting to get a bit bumpy around here."

/* "Agreed, James. Our sensors show another wave is being generated...it's coming. You best hang onto something..." */

"All hands, General Quarters! Brace for impact!" James shouted as he jumped into his seat and strapped in.

The GQ alarm went off and the ship shifted to Condition I--emergency seals kicked into place on all airtight doors and hatches, damage control bots stood ready, structural reinforcement fields ramped up, and just as the defensive shields snapped on, the next shockwave hit. Both ships shook violently.

"Moira, did we take any damage from that one?"

/* "No, James, though if these distortion waves continue to grow in strength, it may not be healthy to stay around here." */

"I'll keep that in mind. See if you can find out if anything like this has happened before around here."

/* "As you wish, James. Is there something in particular you are thinking of?" */ Moira asked.

"Yeah, actually there is. This system's star has had some rather nasty flares and massive coronal ejections, like the one that nearly fried Élenswena a while back."

/* "You think there may be a connection?" /

"Might be a possibility."

/* "I will see what I can find." */

"Zach, can you tell from here if there's been any effect on the local star?"

"On it."

"Rha'an, have you been able to learn anything else about this rift or the distortions?"

/* "The rift is getting larger...you should be able to see it now. Neutrino emissions are quite high and they are phasing rapidly. Another shock front is forming. I suggest you should turn into it and apply as much power as possible to your forward deflectors." */

"Bridge to Engineering, put as much as you can in to the forward shields! All hands, brace for impact!"

"Shields now at one-hundred twenty-five percent!" Zach shouted as the ship rocked violently.

"Damage report!" James demanded.

/* "Minimal, James. Minor internal damage caused by loose objects, though I do not think I can withstand another shockwave unscathed if they continue to grow in intensity." */

"Understood, dear." James looked over at Tanya, who was getting worried.

"Rha'an, how are you doing over there?"

/* "We are shaken, but unhurt. I recommend we put some distance between us and the rift--the next shockwave will be considerably stronger." */

"I concur. Any new data on what might be causing that rift, or what might be inside it?"

/* "Nothing conclusive yet. We are readying a probe to send into it. We will share its telemetry with you as we receive it. Mistress Moira will be able to translate our data stream into your words and numbers." */

"Good. How far away should we be?"

/* "Aren-Tal'an here, Captain. I recommend a distance of at least one light hour to be safe." */

"Will you still be able to get a good signal from your probe at that distance?"

/* "We will be using what you would call an 'entangled' transmitter on the probe--distance will be of no concern," */ Rha'an said.

All those on the bridge of Nightwing exchanged surprised looks--the physics of quantum entanglement had been known for hundreds of years, but effective technology based upon it was still limited. A breakthrough in that technology as applied to long-range sensor probes was still being worked out.

"Understood, Rha'an. Let me know when you're ready to move back from this 'rift'."

/* "We will have the probe launched before the next distortion wave forms." */

"Standing by for your signal," James said, and then he pressed the mute button. "I hope that probe of theirs will survive long enough to give us some good data on that anomaly. Kri'an said it wasn't anything natural that she knew of, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily artificial."

"Correct, Captain. This could be a previously unknown phenomenon to either of our people," Zach said.

"Or at least something that hasn't been studied," Tanya offered.

"But what if it is being caused by artificial means? It could be a side effect projecting into our understanding of the space-time continuum of, say some sort of benign unrelated experiment, or maybe something or someone is trying to break through for one reason or another," Sylvia added, raising the point that no one particularly wanted to think of.

"Well, if it turns out to just be a localized natural phenomenon that reoccurs periodically, then the Élendorians may want to think about moving their colony somewhere else. But if it's something being done on purpose, then Command had best get some resources here to deal with whatever might be trying to come through. As it is now, it's clearly a navigation hazard, though we don't yet know how far the effects will be felt. If it gets bad enough, Élenswena may have to be evacuated quickly," James said to everyone. He turned to his Comm Officer and asked, "Speaking of Élenswena, any word yet from them, Syl?"

"No, sir; local comm traffic seems to have been disrupted. Whatever that thing is, it's flooding the subspace medium with lots of wavicle interference."

Sylvia was definitely not a "dumb blonde"--underneath that charmingly beautiful exterior was one very smart cookie that could physically mop the floor with nearly anyone stupid enough to try something foolish with her. James had sparred with her before in the ship's gym, and every time she had effortlessly put him on the mat. The only one of the crew she couldn't take down was Moira's android avatar, simply because Moira was far too fast and strong.

James asked Zach, "Would that possibly interfere with our ability to make jump in case we have to run for it?"

Zach thought a few seconds and said, "I can't be sure--it's not been tried before under those conditions. We could adjust the main drive to simply warp space around us in case the phenomenon should interfere with our ability to jump into hyperspace--that has been done before, but not by any of the Spirit class scouts."

"Okay, what about the other way?" James asked.

Zach and Sylvia glanced at each other.

"You mean, jump into hyperspace without warping normal space?" Sylvia asked with an expression of shock.

"Is...that a bad thing?" Tanya asked.

"It's been tried before, using test drones, but...the tests ended in failure," Zach replied.

"What kind of failure?" James inquired.

"They were never seen again," Sylvia replied somberly.

"So, what, did they blow up or something?"

"No sir, they just simply...vanished."

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Zach added, "The theory was that they somehow breeched the dimensional barriers, and...nobody has a clue where they might have ended up."

James was about to say something when Rha'an announced they were launching their probe.

He turned the mute off on their open channel, and Sylvia displayed the probe's trajectory in split-screen mode.

/* "We are getting data now, James; linking to your communications system." */

"Moira, are you getting the data feed from the probe?"

/* "Yes, James. Translating and displaying on the Science station's main monitor screen." */

"How does it look, Zach?"

"Strange. I think we should have Lt. Cdr. H'alwa come up and take a look at this."

"Very well. Moira, tell Lt. Cdr. H'alwa to come up to the bridge, and be sure everything seals up behind her."

/* "As you wish, James." (short pause) "She is on her way." */

"Thanks, Moira."

/* "James, Rha'an here...we should move away quickly--another distortion wave is building." */

"Understood, Rha'an; coming about on reverse course," James said, and turned the ship around. Applying full thrust to the secondary drive, _Nightwing_shot like a black arrow. "We're 'pedal to the metal', Rha'an, one-hundred-eighty degrees in the opposite direction."

Over on the Se'nika, Rha'an instructed her pilot, Thir-Bre'an, "Pilot--turn us around and put distance between us and the rift. Follow Nightwing_._"

"As you command," Thir-Bre'an sent, quickly turning the Chel-Sar Se'nika around and going in the opposite direction they had been traveling.

Bre'an had difficulty trying to spot their companion's ship.

"Detection, display Nightwing's current location and velocity--increase sensitivity to forward sensors as necessary."

Kfan-Hre'an worked her controls, and soon located Nightwing_by following the ionization trail left by her secondary drive. Visually, she could see nothing of the ship at first, but once she fixed the location, velocity, and vector, Hre'an was finally able to zoom in on the pale glow of _Nightwing's secondary drive.

"I have found them. Displaying trajectory, distance, and velocity, on main viewer," Hre'an said.

Thir-Bre'an looked up and thought to herself, "Ah, there_you are, my dark friend...you are not an easy one to find! But we shall follow you--as our Madam Commander said, 'We are with you to whatever end this Path leads us to'. Let us hope it is a_ good end..."

The two ships raced away from the rift at full impulse. From the time they had detected the formation of the spatial rift to the time they withdrew had only been six minutes.

"Syl, is there any way you can think of that might allow us to get a signal through to Élenswena?" James asked as they headed to a safe distance.

"I'll see what I can do, sir," she replied.

Zach poured over the sensor data from the Se'nika's probe and checked that against what he could observe of the star Élenswena's parent gas giant orbited.

"Captain?"

"Whatcha got, Zach?"

"That rift does appear to be having an effect on the local star. I'm seeing perturbations in its magnetosphere, the solar wind, and flare activity is increasing."

"Think it might trigger another huge coronal mass ejection?" James asked grimly.

"Can't say for certain," Zach replied.

"But if it does, then Élenswena could be hit by it."

"That's a possibility," Zach agreed.

"This is not looking good," James muttered. Drumming his fingers on his console a few seconds, he looked over at Tanya and asked, "We should be able to loop around and approach Élenswena from a different angle and get close enough to get a signal through to them. Zach, see if you can find relatively safe way through this mess and shoot it over to Tanya. Any luck yet, Syl?"

"I'm trying to route the signal around, but that rift is affecting comms even out this far. If this has happened before, it might be why nobody found out what happened to the colony when they got hit the last time until several days later," Sylvia replied.

"Have you been able to get through to Command yet?"

"Still trying, sir--still a lot of interference."

/* "I have established minimal communications with Nelson's_A.I., though it is not the best. Rana and I are working to clean up the signal as best as we can so that we can reliably send data between us,_" */ Moira announced.

"Excellent, Moira! Patch Syl through as soon as it's feasible."

/* "As you wish, James." */

Lt. Cdr. Murrali H'alwa made her way forward and as soon as the door opened, she asked, "Permission to enter the Bridge?"

"Granted, Lieutenant Commander," James replied. "Work with Zach and see what you can make of the data we're getting from _Se'nika's_probe. Zach, fill her in on what's been going on."

Both said, "Aye, sir," and Zach proceeded to quickly bring Miss H'alwa up to speed on the situation.

"A spatial rift...and not of a type that our friends have seen before," Murrali commented softly. "Neutrino emission is nearly off the scale, and rapidly changing 'flavors'--that is definitely unusual. Can we get a visual from the probe?"

"Sure, just a sec..." Zach said, punching up the video feed.

When the image stabilized, Murrali examined it closely.

"Hmm...what's that? Can you zoom in on it?"

"Sure," Zach replied, moving the cursor over the area of interest and enlarging it.

"Miss Stewert, if you have a sec, can you put me through to Jhan-Kri'an over on the Se'nika?"

"Just a moment, sir..." Sylvia said, and touched some controls. "Stewert to Shen-Lir'an...Lieutenant MacCloud wishes a link with Jhan-Kri'an. Thanks, putting her through..." Sylvia turned to Zach and said, "On your screen, sir."

"Thanks, Miss Stewert." Slipping on his comm set, Zach touched a control and said, "Kri'an, Zach here. We see something in your probe's video feed that you may want to look at. Sending you the coordinates..."

A few seconds later...

/* "I see it. I am instructing Chi'an to direct the probe towards that area. A moment, please..." */

Zach and Murrali watched the live feed as the probe changed direction towards the area in question. New telemetry came in as Jhan-Kri'an refocused the probes sensors. Meanwhile, Moira managed a clear enough signal between her and the Ship's A.I. entity, Rana, on the Nelson. Sylvia promptly contacted the attack carrier, and filled them in on what was going on, sending the data that had been collected on the rift and how it was affecting the star that the moon Élenswena was on and its parent gas giant orbited. The captain of the Nelson said she would relay the situation to Fleet Command and would be standing by to assist in case the situation worsened.

/* "We are analyzing the section of the rift now...it does_appear to be an unknown object inside the threshold, or perhaps just beyond the other side of the rift. The object is generating an unknown type of energy that appears to be directed_ at the rift itself." */ Jhan-Kri'an said once the probe got closer.

"Can you detect any life signs?" Zach asked.

/* "The distortions are making an accurate scan quite difficult, though..." */

Zach and Murrali saw the expression on Jhan-Kri'an face suddenly change from mild annoyance to shock. She jerked her head away to look up at her commander, Rhuw-Rha'an. A moment later...

/* "James, Rha'an here. We must destroy the object before it widens the opening any further! We know what it is...you do not want the owners of that object to establish themselves here! We will need considerable weaponry to do so, and quickly!" */

"Why, what is it? Who are you talking about?" James asked, wondering what could possibly scare Rha'an like this.

/* "You must trust me, James...there is no time! Are there any of your warships in the area?" */

"The attack carrier Nelson and its battlegroup are the closest, I think. I can guarantee that Command will want to know what and who they are before we start shooting, though as far as I'm concerned, if you say they're trouble, that's good enough for me. Give me at least a name or something that I can give Command," James said.

/* "They are known to us as the M'Ka Sha'en_--they are in league with the_ an'im-Raleen who plagued our own world far in our past. Some night I will tell you about them, but now we must stop them from coming through!" */

"But, why would they want to come here? Wouldn't it make more sense for them to try coming from where we found you? Jeez, we're a long way from sector one-four-nine."

/* "They are attracted to those who are skilled in the mental sciences, James--the Élendorians are more advanced in that area than your own people are. They may have been trying to come here before. If they make it through, the Élendorians will not be able to stand up to them." */

"I'll get this through to Command and see if we can get some help," James said. "Syl, if you can still get through to the Nelson, tell them what Rha'an said and have it relayed Priority One - Hostile Incursion Alert."

"Aye, aye, sir!" Sylvia acknowledged, and immediately sent the message to the attack carrier.

A short while later, an encrypted message came from the Nelson:

TO: S.F.S. Nightwing, SLG-78

IES Chel-Sar Se'nika

FROM: S.F.S. Nelson, CVA-274, CARBATGRU- 12

MESSAGE FOLLOWS AS:

Received authorization to assist. Executing jump to your location to contain incursion. STRIKEGRU-94 enroute. ETA: 18 minutes/1 hr, 14 min. Recommend do not engage until support arrives, unless fired upon first. Recommend covert recon if practical, and continued analysis of spatial anomaly.

END MESSAGE

"Syl, forward this on to Rha'an," James instructed, after reading the message.

"Done, sir."

After receiving a copy of the message, Rhuw-Rha'an contacted James.

/* "James, our Se'nika has processed the data from the probe--the M'Ka Sha'en appear to be attempting to form a type of gateway to this place. Between us we may not have enough to completely stop them, though perhaps we can slow them down long enough for your other ships to arrive. It will mean getting as close to the rift as we can and targeting their device." */

Zach piped up and said, "Sir, if we can time our run so that we stay between distortion waves as much as possible, we should be able to acquire target, fire, and withdraw to a safer distance."

"We're now one-point-five light hours away from the rift--we'd have to execute a short jump in and out," Tanya added.

"Did you get all that, Rha'an?" James asked.

/* "Yes. My pilot and navigator are calculating the timing and will share that with you shortly." */

"Understood, Rha'an." James muted the channel and then contacted CWO2 Redhill in Fire Control. "Sonya, time for you and McElroy to get some target practice in--we're going to see if we can put a dent in a device we discovered in that spatial rift. Rhuw-Rha'an is hoping we can slow down what it's doing enough to buy some time before hostiles start coming through. Nelson_is on her way with her battle group, and STRIKEGRU-94 is coming to assist, though they're still over an hour away--_Nelson will be here in about fifteen minutes. We have to see what we can do until then."

/* "Rodger that, sir--all weapons, hot and dangerous!" */ Sonya acknowledged gleefully.

"We'll find out quick what these new torpedoes can do. Set warheads to maximum yield, and standby. Bridge out."

James drummed his fingers a few seconds, thinking, and then he pushed the 'all-call" control.

"Attention all hands, this is the captain. There is a spatial rift opening near the Élenswena system--Madam Commander Rhuw-Rha'an says that beings known to her kind as the M'Ka Sha'en are attempting to create some sort of a gateway so that they can prey on the Élendorians. We aim to put a stop to that. CARBATGRU-12 and STRIKEGRU-94 are on their way to assist. Nightwing and Se'nika are going to execute a quick jump in and out between distortion waves to do what we can to slow down the hostiles long enough for the Nelson and her battle group to get here--their ETA is under fifteen minutes. We don't know exactly what we might run into, so everyone be ready anything. We're the front line, folks--let's show these miscreants we mean business. Captain out." James looked over at Tanya and saw the worried look on her face. He reached over and held her hand for a moment. "Let's kick some tail, babe," he said quietly with a serious grin.

Tanya nodded her head once--like James, she was a decorated combat pilot during the R'Hinsa Campaign, and she understood the job they had to do.

"Plotting course and distance for combat jump..."

* * * * *

"Ship gonna fight?"

"Looks like we're gonna be in one, yeah."

Thavi looked up at Carmen and crossed her arms.

"Hmpf, if bad people somehow get on ship, Thavi fight, too!"

"But you're an engineer, Thavi! What do you_know about...wha...! OOOF!!! GrrrOWL!!! What did you do _that for?! What the..._HEY!!!_Put me DOWN!!!"

The last thing the stout bear G.E.L.F. saw before hitting the deck was a brownish blur and something knocking her legs out from under her. Shortly thereafter, Carmen found herself being bodily lifted off the floor.

"Carmen forget Thabbani move fast--strong, too! Thavi much_stronger than Carmen! Only one on ship _stronger than Thavi is Moira's android. All Thabbani know how to fight. Bad people don't pick on Thabbani, at least not more than once. Thabbani good at building things--good at knocking things down, too! Thabbani knock bad people down, bad people stay down...don't get up again," Thavi explained as she put Carmen back on her feet, ending with a devious grin.

"Jeezers, what did you hit me with?" Carmen asked, rubbing the sore spot on her legs.

Thavi simply smiled and thumped the deck with her dense, muscular tail. Given her strength due to being from a heavy gravity world, Thavi could have easily broken both of Carmen's legs with one quick lash of her tail if she had wanted to.

"Jeez, girl, if you can do that just playing around, I'd hate to see what you could do when you're pissed off!" Carmen said with a little grimace.

Thavi grinned ferally and said in a low voice, "Thavi save _that_for bad people."

* * * * *

"If there's going to be any fightin' to do, why aren't we prepping our bird?" Lt. Cha'rhu'ez demanded while pacing back and forth.

"I don't think we'd stand a chance if we got hit by one of those shockwaves, Diz. You felt how much they rocked the ship! Besides, if those 'tangos' are enough to put the fear into the Mûr Tua'ansa, and they're way ahead of us technologically, what the heck are we going to be able to do out there? Yeah, I'd like to get into the fight, too, but we're not going up against Firentha merc fighters, Diz--these folks are making a hole_into our space from wherever they exist! How do we stop _that?" John argued.

Diwenzi crossed her arms and looked down at the deck, her ears twitching in frustration.

"Hey, at least the Nelson is on her way here--if things get to where we can get out there to do something, our squadron will be flyin' with us," John said, giving Diwenzi a pat on the shoulder.

She looked up at John and said, "I'd still like to prep our bird...just in case."

"Yeah," John agreed quietly, "but I'm sure James has his hands full at the moment--he's probably concentrating on how he's going to get his ship in and out in one piece and keep everyone alive in the process. After all, the ship's supposed to be on a science mission to find that artifact, or whatever it is, and he can't do that if we're splashed all over the place."

Dropping her ears, Diwenzi said, "You think too much--that's probably why you'll make captain before me."

"Hey, just because my dad's an admiral..."

"That's not what I meant, skunk-butt," Diwenzi cut him off with mild sarcasm. When John gave her a puzzled look, she added, "I like flying--it's something my people think I'm crazy for doing, but maybe I am. Flying is all I ever wanted to do, but you...you think about things. You have a mind for stuff I don't. You'll make captain and be telling other people what to do. I just wanna fly like a nesi'ci [2] through the trees. I don't wanna spend my whole life in a nest hole...I just wanna fly."

Diwenzi looked up at him and the look in her large eyes tore at him. John had to admit that Diwenzi was just so damn cute that he couldn't be annoyed with her for long. And what she said, about flying, did_mark her as an oddball among her own people whose homes were traditionally built underground. Veswans in general had a cultural disdain for wide open places, and most were definitely _not fond of working in open space. They didn't mind working inside space stations--working outside on a station, or flying spacecraft of any kind, was suspiciously close to being mentally deranged in the views of most. Diwenzi was one of the few of her people who truly enjoyed flying and being out in open space.

"Yeah, I know you do, Diz," John said softly.

She was about to give him a hug when over the intercom came...

/* "All hands...initiating combat jump!" */

Diwenzi and John looked wide-eyed at each other.

"Yiezwa!"

"Hang on!"

* * * * *

Felix was at his General Quarters station, which was in Sickbay, since being a Yeoman was not a "combat" rating. His assignment was to help Mindy in case of casualties, though he might also have to help out wherever else an extra set of hands were needed. This time, however, Læree'ahn was with him--being a strong empath, she was relatively good with people, and she had at least basic first aid skills.

Sickbay was one of the safest places to be on the ship--the bulkheads, deck, and overhead were reinforced, it had its own isolated power and life support systems, and it was in the central portion of the hull. The shaking the ship had gone through was unnerving to Læree'ahn, but with Felix near her, she drew from his strength and was able to remain fairly calm. Mindy, being older and also a combat veteran, had seen more than her share of trauma, suffering, and death. Since Frer-Sha'an completely healed Mindy's old war wound and the psychological trauma that went with it, Mindy was better able to deal with the current situation much better than she would have when she was transferred to Nightwing.

"Doing okay over there, Læree'ahn?" Mindy asked lightly while she was preparing Sickbay for the types of trauma associated with ship-to-ship combat.

Læree'ahn had been given the task of putting blankets in a warming unit. She looked up at Mindy's question, and casting a quick glance towards Felix, she said, "Used to the shaking I am not. A fight ship will be in?"

"I've been through a lot worse shaking than what we went through a bit ago. The captain said we are going to stop some bad guys from attacking your people, so, yeah, we're going to be in a fight. This is the safest part of the ship, though."

"Bad...guys?" Læree'ahn asked, not understanding.

Felix said something quietly to her in Élendi, and then Læree'ahn understood.

"Ah, dark-souled ones. Understand now I do. Yes, stop them they must be. Better, peace is, but life important more."

"I think that's something we can all agree on," Mindy said with a slight smile. Mindy's sensitive ears picked up a change in the low background noise of the ship. "Did you two take your jump sickness meds?"

"We did, ey," Felix answered with a questioning look.

Before Mindy could speak, the answer came over the intercom.

* * * * *

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Dr. Garland asked nervously.

"Sit here and let the crew do what they're trained to do, Professor," Cdr. Williamson said calmly.

"What, get our atoms scattered all over the place? Do you have any idea what happens when an engine core decides to turn itself into a small sun?!"

"Calmly, Angelina, I understand the captain is quite a good pilot. He survived fighting the R'Hinsi, that should tell you something," Dr. Teros said, trying to calm his colleague.

"Calm?! We might get vaporized! We're supposed to be finding that Heart-thing, not picking fights with who knows what!"

"If the worse were to happen, Angelina, I do not think we would feel it," Dr. Teros said casually.

"How can you sit there and not be worried?!"

"Dr. Teros-s-s never worries-s-s about anything, Dr. Garland," Lt. Armus Slis'issa said with an amused look on his face.

"It's all we can do, for the time being, other than staying out of the way. This is what they're trained to do--crews of long-range scout ships have to be the very best. And I'm sure the crew of the Mûr Tua'ansa ship is exceptionally good at what they do, too," Cdr. Williamson added.

There was a soft cough-like sound from a corner chair, and everyone in the space turned to look. Miss Ja'f'darwe gracefully stood and joined them.

"Captain Daugherty is one of the best pilots in the Fleet, and he is not foolish. He knows what must be done, and so does his crew. Madam Commander Rhuw-Rha'an of the Chel-Sar Se'nika is strong, level-headed, and wise. We are in very good hands, Dr. Garland--the crews of both ships will do everything to keep us safe. However, we must consider why they are taking this course of action. Many more lives are at stake than just our own. The thousands of colonists on Élenswena are depending on this ship and the others that will be joining it. Beyond them are the billions of souls on Élendor Prime. None of us wish to perish in violence, Dr. Garland, but we must remain strong and calm so that the crew may concentrate on performing the task at hand. We will know if we are needed, but until then, we wait and see." Miss Ja'f'darwe lightly touched Dr. Garland's arm...and the squirrel G.E.L.F. visibly relaxed. "There now, perhaps you may wish to read a book and take your mind off of things for a while..."

Dr. Garland blankly nodded her head and went to a shelf. She pulled out a book, apparently at random, and then got comfortable on the U-shaped couch in the ship's library.

"That was a neat trick," Cdr. Williamson said quietly.

Miss Ja'f'darwe smiled gently and said, "We each do what we can under the circumstances." When the announcement came over the intercom, she quickly added, "We should take our seats."

* * * * *

As soon as the current shockwave passed, Rha'an sent to James, "Now!"

James punched the "All Call" control and announced, "All hands...initiating combat jump!"

Space warped wildly around both ships and then they accelerated into the hyperspace tunnel that formed before them. It was a short jump with the terminus only a few thousand kilometers from the rift.

"_Lock onto that object and blast the hell out of it!"_James sent to Sonya in Fire Control.

Sonya grinned as she activated the targeting system for the dorsal and ventral emitters...but then she frowned.

"McElroy, you got a lock yet on that puppy?"

"Ah see it, bit cannae git a snib oan it."

"Damn, me, neither. We're gonna have to eyeball it, farm boy."

"Aye, switching tae manual targeting."

"Skipper, we can't get a lock on it...we're goin' manual," Sonya sent back to James.

"Malfunction?"

"Nope--we got visual, but targeting sensors say it's not there. Might be an effect of the rift, what the object's doing, or else it's runnin' countermeasures," Sonya replied.

"Put some hits around it as well as on what you see, just in case it's distortion," James recommended.

"Gotcha, sir." "Hey, farm boy, put a close spread _around_the target while I punch the center, just in case it's not where we think we see it at."

"Aye, mum. Tubes yin thro' six, firing..."

A quick succession of soft thumps--three each from port and starboard--announced the launch of the torpedoes. Ivor had programmed them to detonate in a hexagonal pattern around the object's apparent position. When they were close, Sonya cut loose with both emitters, aiming for the center. As soon as James saw that the torpedoes were away, he flicked off the safeties for the ship's main armaments--the forward beam cannons and the devastating pulsar cannons in the weapons pods mounted at the end of the ship's wings. Lining up the object in the crosshairs of his HUD[3]and selecting both weapons to fire simultaneously, James squeezed the trigger.

Rhuw-Rha'an ordered Tres-Sal'an to open fire the instant Nightwing_fired her torpedoes. The terrible beams of disruptor energy lashed out ahead of the salvo, raking across alien object that was forcing the rift to open wider. As it was suspected, the object was shielded, though the combined assault laid upon by both ships _did have an effect--it got the attention of the object's creators. The crews of Nightwing and Se'nika again poured a withering assault upon the object, although the success was only a small waiver in the object's output. Between the second and third rounds of fire, the Se'nika's probe darted into the rift and sent back what it saw on the other side.

It definitely was not good.

/* "James, we must pull back--another distortion wave is building. We are much too close!" */

"Rodger that, Rha'an. Coming about...initiating jump sequence to previous coordinates..." James called back.

The two ships leapt away just in time as the distortion wave broke free from the rift.

"Did we do any good, Rha'an?" James asked once they were back in normal space.

/* "As I feared, we only managed to deplete the object's energy a little--it will take more than our small ships to end it, though it cannot be determined if they have more of those devices or not. However, that is not the worst of it. Zhir-Chi'an has a visual from our probe that you and those that command the other ships coming need to see." */

James cast a quick glance at Tanya and then said, "Have her send it over."

Rhuw-Rha'an nodded her head once, and her image was replaced by the probe's video. It took a few seconds for what was shown in the image stream to register. There was a startled hiss from Lt. Cdr. Murrali H'alwa.

"What are those things?" Sylvia asked, staring at the main holo-display.

/* "Those are segments of a portal that they wish to erect on this side of the rift. It will allow their ships to make the crossing quickly and in great numbers. It is not known exactly how they acquired the technology, though it is thought to have been stolen from an even older civilization. At any rate, they must be stopped. Closing the rift would provide some time until they could open another, though if the segments could be destroyed, then they would no longer have the means to establish a strong presence here." */

"I suppose that means somebody is going to have to go through that rift, blow the hell out of anything and everything they can on the other side, and hope they can get back to our side," James remarked.

"Maybe not, sir," Murrali offered.

"Go on..." James prompted.

Standing up and coming closer, Murrali said, "Assuming that device needs all of the segments to work, if one could be taken out from our_side as it's being brought through, I'd think that would make the rest of it unusable. And depending on whatever it uses as an energy source, maybe it might make a big enough 'boom' to put a hurt on the rest them _and take out that generator propping open the rift."

"And that would keep anyone on this side from getting trapped on their side," Zach added.

"Sounds reasonable. What do you think, Rha'an?" James asked.

/* "Jhan-Kri'an agrees...and so do I." */

"Alright, I'll get that idea passed along. Those M'Ka Sha'en surely know we're here by now and are making trouble for them. The _Nelson_should be here any minute now, so let's hit it one more time after the next wave hits." James turned to Sylvia and said, "Get that off to the battle group." Turning back to the display James added, "Rha'an, I've got an idea..."

After the next shockwave hit, both ships immediately jumped back to the rift, only coming at it from either end. As soon as Nightwing_reentered normal space, she immediately activated her stealth field. This made _Se'nika_the only ship visible with the hope of drawing attention, and it worked. A small craft, the size of a fighter, came through the rift and headed straight for her. James, however, had thought the enemy might attempt something like this, and he was ready to pounce. _Se'nika made to run, causing the fighter-like craft to give chase. Nightwing dived down from above and behind the smaller craft and when nearly at point-blank range, opened up with the pulsar cannons aimed squarely at the engines just as she gave her hunting cry.

"Splash one tango!" James called out as the small attack craft went up in a ball of plasma.

/* "At least we know their small craft can be destroyed," */ Rha'an said.

"Maybe they'll try something bigger," James said with a bit of hope in his voice.

/* "If they do, then perhaps you can be the bait," */ Rha'an fired back with bit of light sarcasm.

"But you're much easier for them to see," James said with a chuckle.

/* "Just where are you, James?" */ Rha'an asked.

"Look to your right," James said teasingly.

Rha'an looked across the Command Pit and out the window.

/* I see nothing." */

"Are you sure? Look again."

James touched a control pad on his console, deactivating his ship's stealth field. This time Rha'an didn't see a patch of stars.

/* "You are giving my Command Crew fits, James." */

"I'll make it up to them," James said with a laugh.

His good humor was short lived, though, as a swarm of attack craft came through the rift.

"Captain, we have at least thirty bogies coming through!" Zach announced.

"Bri'an, break left, break left!!!" James called out, breaking right himself, activating the stealth field, and accelerating. "Bridge to Fire Control--keep an eye on Se'nika--fire at will on bogies chasing her!"

/* "Aye, aye, skipper!" */

"Damn, these buggers are quick!" James said, frowning as he closed in on a pair and fired.

Banking hard left and up, and then a hard bank to the right and down, James dived Nightwing into the swarm, cannons blazing. As soon as he passed through, he cut forward thrust, spun the ship around, and applied full thrust. It resulted in braking the ship quickly, forcing his opponents to overshoot. He shot the main weapons when they were too close to evade. Cutting forward thrust and again spinning around, James accelerated, closing in on a group of three.

"Sir, hyperspace tunnel endpoints forming! Nelson's IFF code confirmed!" Zach announced.

"About time...patch me through, Syl!"

"Hey, we saved some bogies for you...(*ship rocks*)...damn, they're firing all over the place!"

/* "We'll see if we can clear a few of them out for you," */ Captain Aria Davis replied.

"Have at 'em. Did you receive our message about what these jokers are wanting to do?"

/* "Confirmed. Heading your way." */

The battle group's destroyers, Ch'nai? and Oberon_were the first to enter the fray, using their point-defense systems to make quick work of the remaining enemy attack craft. James brought _Nightwing_alongside the _Nelson and using highly secure ship-to-ship communications, he and Rha'an quickly discussed the situation with Captain Davis. The plan they worked out was to hold off until the strike group arrived and then fire a mass volley at the nearest segment of the gateway and destroy it if possible. However, the situation suddenly changed as the rift opened further and more attack craft and large ships began coming through.

/* "All ships, concentrate main batteries on lead enemy ship!" */ Captain Davis commanded.

The carrier launched her attack fighters and interceptors to take on the enemy attack vessels, while the rest concentrated their firepower on the lead enemy ship. The enemy's shields held through the first barrage, and its weapons inflicted damage on the frigate, Azov, requiring her to withdraw for damage control. The lead enemy ship fully emerged from the rift and therefor had room to maneuver. Moira watched and analyzed the ship's movements, weapons, shield effectiveness, and energy consumption--and made a discovery.

/* "James, the enemy ship is protecting the area around its exhaust ports. I have detected a weakening in those locations when its main batteries are firing. I suggest a radical move--force the ship to turn so that our ships can concentrate fire on its engines." */

James and Tanya exchanged quizzical glances.

"And how do you propose we do that, get in front of them and have Shauna do a strip tease dance on the flight deck?" James asked with a bit of sarcasm.

/* "While I'm sure that would get your attention, James, I have a more practical idea." */

Tanya, Zach, and Sylvia laughed at James' remark.

"And that is?" James prompted.

/* "We give it a good shove." */

"You're joking..."

"I think that might actually work, Captain," Lt. H'alwa said, getting into the discussion. "If the Se'nika can help, we can ease in and then use our shields and secondary drives to push, much like one might push a water vessel with another."

"Like a tugboat pushing a freighter up to a pier," Zach added.

"We'd have to haul tail before the other ships started to fire," Sylvia noted.

James thought for a second and then said, "But the Se'nika_is a bit more obvious than we are. That ship out there might not see _us_approaching, but it _will see the Se'nika. Given the mass of that ship, it would be quite a strain on our shields."

"If the Se'nika stayed close to us, with _Nightwing_between her and the enemy ship, they would have a much harder time seeing her," Lt. H'alwa suggested.

James thought quickly...and then started to grin.

"You know, that is freakin' crazy--let's do it!"

Sylvia put the word out to the other ships in the battlegroup. The Azov would maneuver around to draw the attention of the enemy ship--since she was already damaged, the thinking was that the enemy wouldn't resist an easier target. Rhuw-Rha'an was shocked by the idea--not only because it was something she would never had thought of doing, but also because it was _Moira_who had suggested it in the first place. Her opinion of the Ship's A.I. entity rose another notch. Thir-Bre'an wholeheartedly agreed that it was a totally 'unhinged' idea, but she was willing to try.

* * * * *

"Eh? What's this?" Sa'leh asked out loud to no one in particular. "Now that shouldn't be there... R'arena, dear, sniff out that energy trail and see where it's going off to; I don't like the looks of it."

/* "It leads away from Nekharn space, towards where Mistress Naoia was last at. It has a faint scent of the gateway that went missing after the Ta'neho obliterated their own star system." */

"The Ta'neho...why that's been, what, ten or so galactic rotations[4]ago?" Sa'leh asked her ship, idly scratching an ear.

/* "Eleven-point-one-three, to be more precise." */

"Hmm...almost forgot about that little incident. They were idiots anyway. I suppose I'd better tell Naoia--I'm sure she'll be wanting to pounce on that since it was one of her systems to keep tabs on. What do those tail-for-brains want with that old gateway? I thought that thing hadn't work right since it was made."

/* "It did have a flaw." */

"What fool thing did it do?"

/* "What happened to the Ta'neho system." */

"You mean it...?"

/* "Yes." */

"And if those tail-for-brains Nekhar set it up and try to use it..."

/* "Boom." */

"Oooh, we can't have that! Excuse me for a moment, dear, I need to tell Naoia...!"

* * * * *

It took a little doing to trick the enemy ship to get far enough away from the rift and pointing in the right direction for Nightwing_and _Se'nika to get into position. It was a bold plan, and dangerous, too, but if both ships could manage to push the aft end of the enemy ship around just enough, the two destroyers and the frigate, Camden, could concentrate their firepower on its drive ports. If it didn't work as planned, the strike group would be arriving within the next ten minutes.

"Bre'an, you're going to get a quick lesson in close formation flying. Keep us between you and the enemy, in your line of sight, and stay just outside of shield perimeter range--we don't need to be bumping into each other. We don't want to ram his shields, just make contact and _then_shove like hell. Got that?"

/* "Understood, Captain. Ready when you are." */

"Alright, let's hope nobody on that ship is paying too much attention to what's going on behind their backs. Form up, and let's move!"

* * * * *

/* "I have found them, Mistress." */

"If Sa'leh was right about that gateway, we best destroy it before they attempt to connect it. It should have been destroyed long ago after the flaw was discovered in it. Such things shouldn't be left lying around for fools to find and then try to use what they don't understand. What are our friends up to in that system, anyway?"

/* "I detect weapons being used--they are attempting to bring down a Nekharn cruiser." */

"Do they have the ability?" Naoia asked her ship.

/* "They have a slim chance, though it is almost certain they do not know the full capabilities of that ship," */ Char'ena replied.

"We may have to help them, then. Take out that gateway first if you can, dear."

/* "Yes, Mistress." */

* * * * *

"Full throttle, Bre'an!" James said as they started to push.

By keeping Nightwing between the smaller Se'nika and the enemy's ship, all anyone would likely see from a quick glance would be black against a black background. The shields flared as the two smaller ships came into contact with the shields of the enemy. The sudden full impulse burst caught the enemy ship's pilot off guard, allowing the other ships to dart in and fire at maximum effectiveness. Once the enemy ship's crew realized what was happening, they initiated a massive surge in shield energy that expanded quickly and violently outward. With alarms going off on both Nightwing and Se'nika, James and Thir-Bre'an fought to regain control.

/* "We are heading into the rift!" */ Bre'an exclaimed, frantically trying to pull more power into stabilizing her ship.

"Hang on!" James called back. "Zach, get the towing beams online--let's try to grapple them before they cross the threshold! Shauna, need you to put a hoof in it--we gotta catch _Se'nika_before she enters that rift!"

/* "Trying to, James!" */ Shauna yelled into the intercom.

Working quickly, James regained enough control from the wild tumbling to get the stern pointed towards the Se'nika.

"A little closer...!" Zach called out. "Almost got them...got lock on!"

"All hands--emergency jump! NOW!!!"

Space wildly distorted and the hyperspace tunnel formed just outside of the rift. James punched it, snatching the Se'nika from the rift's maw. No sooner than Nightwing entered the hyperspace tunnel, James initiated the drop to normal space. It was not a maneuver most ever wanted to do for it was risky. Power levels dropped throughout the ship--the emergency lighting automatically kicked on, and the two ships drifted until main power built back up.

"Damage report!" James ordered.

There was silence for a moment.

"Moira? Talk to me!"

/* "Sorry, James, that was...unexpected. Towing projectors are offline, reserve power at thirty five percent and slowly climbing. Hull is intact, internal atmosphere is normal, though it will be a few minutes for the circulators to come back to full power. Repair bots are working on it. Basic sensors are online and extended sensor suite is rebooting. Mindy is not reporting any casualties at this time. Main drives are currently offline due to power drain, though secondary drives and thruster systems are operational." */

"Thank you, baby cakes," James said with a sigh of relief. It could have been much worse.

/* "James--look out the window." */

The shutters that normally close about the bridge's wraparound window during combat retracted to allow a direct view outside. Everyone on the bridge looked out in time to see the spectacle unfold.

It looked as if space itself opened up and a rainbow-hued streak bolted out, racing towards the rift. The leading part of the streak was not uniform--it had a strangely odd, yet familiar, shape. And it was huge.

"Recorders!" James shouted.

/* "Already on, James." */ Moira acknowledged.

A mouth appeared to opened on the face of the huge rainbow-hued form and a blazing arc of light blasted forth, stabbing into the rift. Multiple explosions within spewed forth plasma and the rift collapsed upon itself. The form sped towards the enemy ship, pouncing on it as if it were a predator attacking its next meal, ripping it apart--the shields didn't even slow it down. James and his bridge crew stared dumbfounded at the sight they witnessed. What happened next was beyond comprehension.


[1]Ch'wan'a'i - "Thank you so much" in Élendi.

[2]Nesi-ci - (pronounced: NEE-see khey) a small agile bird.

[3]HUD - Head Up Display.

[4] The Milky Way galaxy takes about 230 million years to make one revolution.