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Admiral Miles sat comfortably on the bridge, going through the daily reports. "Fleet efficiency at ninety-three percent, a few fights, some requests for shore leave, and the odd couple caught in places they shouldn't be." Pretty regular stuff, he thought.
Fraternization wasn't banned in the star navy due to the length one could spend in deep space. Sometimes, however, he would get a report of some crewmen caught in less than appropriate dress in areas they shouldn't be. Admiral Miles was one of the many that understood that being stuck on a ship for months or even years, this kind of stuff would happen, but still...
"Issue a warning to the crew and stick the offenders in the brig for a few days... Separately, he corrected himself." Passing the orders to his second.
Currently, the Seventh Fleet was on a course for an unexplored system. Dispatched over a year ago by star command with rather vague orders, "Explore the system and return after two month's stay." He mumbled, looking at the galaxy map as his fleet inched closer to their destination.
"Admiral, Long-range scanners are getting a lot of strange magnetic interference from the system. I can clean it up, but it's rather unusual." Reported, crewmen Bria.
"Must be why we're heading out there. Maybe some big brain found something worth studying and wants to make sure it's safe." The weapons officer added.
"Clear up the interference. I want to know what's in that system within the hour. Divert power from the engines and non-essential systems if you have to." The Admiral commanded, watching closely as the fleet slowed down to reform itself and began an in-depth scan of the system. He smiled at how well the fleet was performing. The 7th fleet was relatively new compared to the others, having been reformed recently after a devastating defeat by a combined pirate force only three years ago.
"What do you think, Norae? It seems a bit too far out for them to know something like this would be here." The Admiral asked his first officer. She was a good second, a bit too strict at times, but she held the respect of the 7th fleet.
"There shouldn't be a reason to send an entire fleet out this far. So they were expecting trouble like this, or they had plans for something else. If they were expecting trouble, They wouldn't have sent a fleet with zero combat experience." She replied.
"I'll have to agree with that, train of thought." Admiral Miles replied. Looking at what he could see of the system, he felt something was off.
"Sir, massive energy source approaching from S1-E8. It is going to pass us within the minute." Bria reported.
The bridge was silent. The fleet was currently moving at a relatively high speed. Being passed like this was not something that should happen.
"Identify, make sure it's non-hostile or some sort of spatial distortion." Ordered the Admiral.
"Confirm I.F.F. T.E.S. Quest Results. It's Packing, a load of gravitons on its hull, and it's moving Very, Very fast." Bria informed the bridge.
Engineer Tanda began laughing like a maniac as he studied his readouts. "It's a new FTL drive! Look at it go!" He shouted, happily putting the readout on the main screen for everyone to witness.
Admiral Miles let a vicious smile slide across his face as the ship sped to overtake his fleet. "Well, I guess we know why we're here now. Ensure our scanners get as much data as they can while it passes by. I'm sure the engineers would appreciate a secondary perspective." He said, watching as the ship passed his fleet at an insane speed. He silently wondered if he was witnessing history.
"Sir, it appears the ship is having issues slowing down. It's entering the system at a dangerous speed." Bria informed the Admiral with dread in her voice. "Correction, I've lost contact with the Quest Results, sir."
Silence permeated the bridge as the crew realized they might have witnessed the death of a pilot, prompting Admiral miles to stand from his seat. "How long until we can get to the system at max speed?" He asked in a calm voice, trying not to worry his crew.
"one hundred seven hours at max speed, sir." Reported the helmsmen.
"Do it! I want that pilot rescued and brought home." He ordered. "Or at least bring home what's left of him."
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Srettia had Michael sitting on a chair looking over him menacingly.
"Captian Michael, you stand accused of attempting to peep on a maiden out of dress. How do you plead?" She asked in a neutral tone.
"I was just getting some damn water. How was I supposed to know you were in the storage room." Michael protested.
"There are three rooms partner, cockpit, medical, and storage. you had to know she was in one of them."
"You didn't even bother to avert your eyes or leave the room. You just walked in and grabbed your water and left while I was trying to cover myself!" She hissed, staring the male down menacingly.
"Well, yea. I wanted water; I got it. Do you know how many titties and dongs I've seen in the service? Hundreds, that's how many." The pilot added flatly. "Besides, why were you even dressing in there. Isn't your room medical?" Michael questioned.
"Jack told me there were some supplies I could use to keep myself a bit warmer. I was placing heating pads in my inner pockets when you came along." She replied softly.
"Well, blame Jack then. He could have warned either of us." Michael said, looking up at a camera. "In fact, I bet he's the real reason this happened. Right Partner..." Ignoring both beings, Michael got up and walked towards his crash couch, water in hand.
"We'll never know, partner."
Srettia angrily looked up at the camera. "Never again."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Srettia walked into the medical room and picked up her datapad for some quality reading time away from the Terran animal. Though, upon reflecting for a moment, she leaned to the side of her bed and whispered into an audio receptor. "Hey, Jack... What's a tittiee?"
Jack laughed and threw an image of a Terran female in undergarments onto the nearest screen and began explaining the concept of mammary glands. Srettia listened closely to the explanation frowning as the topics of attraction came up.
"Oh... I see. We don't feed our children like that." She informed Jack dryly, deciding to turn to her datapad and begin browsing her book selection.
"Mostly romance and adventure novels." She thought, putting her datapad back down and huffing in anger. "Why am I so annoyed right now, and what the hell is wrong with that jerk. He has no decency! Just doing what he wants regardless of what others are doing." She complained aloud.
"I wouldn't let it get to you. According to his file, Michael has always been like that. It takes a special kind of brave and stupid to do the dangerous things he does. It more often than not results in such an attitude towards things. Besides, I think he is doing fairly well, considering he almost died a day ago."
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
"Yeah, I suppose that kind of makes sense." She said, picking up her datapad and choosing a random adventure book to start reading.
"He's still an animal." she said to no one in particular.
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Michael was busying himself, watching the sensor logs in an effort to gleam the weakness of the navy ships tailing them. "Primitive laser weapons and ion drive, efficient but still primitive. They'll eventually catch us, but not before we make it out of the system. They also have a massive amount of ships. Why do they need over four hundred warships for one system? And are we just going to keep running until they catch us? Or do you actually have a plan?" He asked Jack.
"Calm down, Michael. We passed the Seventh fleet on our way into the system. We are currently on a heading straight for their last know position. The current plan is essential to meet up with the Seventh fleet, at which point it's the Admiral's problem. Which happens to be much larger than you think."
Michael sat in his couch, looking dumbly at the nearest camera. "When were you planning on telling me an entire fleet is about to park itself in an inhabited system? Seems pretty important to leave out. Though I did have a feeling that the navy would do something like this." He sighed, swinging the sensors back towards the outer system.
"That is why we must leave the system and signal to the fleet to stop and rendezvous with us. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."
"So let me go through my list. Currently, there's a grumpy alien that complains about me being an animal every time we cross paths, which is often considering the size of the pod. An enemy fleet chasing us that will eventually catch us. And to top it all off, an entire allied fleet about to park its ass inside a system inhabited by said grouchy's people. That about cover it?" Michael lamented.
"No, There is also the fact that I have been investigating the remains of Acarro. I do not think the destruction was natural."
"This system has been nothing but trouble. It's like everything around it is made of grumpy and suck. So, we meet up with the Seventh fleet and hope the Admiral is a nice guy. Open diplomatic relations, and pray whatever destroyed Acarro is long gone?"
"That is the best course of action we have availa-."
"Whoa, hold on!" Michael said, interrupting Jack. "You found that out Through Srettia's scanners, right? That means there is a high chance the Aasteran government knows about it. Which explains the quick response, The large pursuit fleet, And the size of their military."
"You're much smarter than I gave you credit for, partner. You did miss that also means that if the Seventh fleet parks in the middle of the system, it will most likely lead to hostilities. Also, I've finished running the calculations. The fleet will make it to the system before we can leave."
"Ahh, of course! What a happy day to be the Terran to start an interstellar war." Slamming his head into his hands, Michael decided now was a good time for some sleep. He had lots of work to do.
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Srettia was doing her best to avoid Michael for the last three days, keeping herself locked away in her makeshift room and only leaving to attain food. "Every time I see his stupid face, I get angry!" She complained to herself. "Jack, How long until we get out of the system?"
"Thirty-seven hours to go, Srettia. You seem to be troubled about something, anything I can do to help?" Though Jack knew what was bothering her, discretion was key at this current moment.
"I'm just frustrated about everything. I've been stuck in this pod for over three days. And every time I run into Michael, he always acts like it's the end of the world and ignores me!" She complained, turning over in her bed in frustration.
"You will be sad when he is gone. And besides, he is acting like that because he is worried."
"I'm sure he is... Wait what? Why would he be worried? What aren't you two telling me!?" She demanded. Jack hesitated for what felt like an eternity but was a mere second for Srettia.
"The Terran Seventh fleet is heading towards this system. He's very worried your people might react negatively and fire on the Terran fleet. The results could be disastrous for both our people. He has currently been in and out of the pod for the last few days, altering your communication software and equipment, trying to boost the signal to reach the fleet. I've been helping, but with our limited knowledge, it has been hard."
"Why didn't he tell me? And why haven't I noticed him missing?" She asked quietly.
"Michael went to great lengths to make sure you were unaware of his activity as his suit is heavily damaged, resulting in serious harm to his body on each excursion. You avoiding him also helped considerably as he did not want to alarm you."
"Well, I'm very alarmed now." Srettia replied, getting up from her bed and making her way towards the bridge where she usually found Michael. "Where is he?" She asked.
"He is fine."
"Oh no, I insist you tell me." Srettia replied with a menacing smile.
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Michael was, in fact, not fine. "Damn it, Jack! This panel won't budge. These damn aliens must not believe in quick-release levers." He complained, slamming on the panel with a hammer. "How the hell do they expect to get any repairs done?" He finished, finding that he was starting to lose the feeling in his arms.
"I do not think they planned repair around an alien working outside in Exo while the ship was moving at an unsafe speed partner. Your vitals are dropping; you are dehydrated and suffering from hypothermia. It's time to call it a day."
"I don't have time to die, pal. You said it yourself the Seventh fleet could be here in a bit over four days. We're looking at five, minimum for coms range unless I get this installed." Finally, the panel flew off and was lost to space as it crashed past Michael and towards their pursuers. "Well, that works. Maybe it'll hit one of those cruisers chasing us."
Michael laughed at the idea. "Now let's see if, ahh, there it is." Pulling out the communication console he stole from his pod, Michael began to install it onto the alien ship. "I'll die once this is done. Besides, I'm fine." He hoped.
"Srettia has just discovered your activities. She is very, very angry."
"What for, wouldn't she be happy if I died? I mean, she seemed pretty content to ignore my existence. Is she worried she wouldn't get her FTL engine?" Michael stuttered out.
"Your file begins to make a lot of sense when it comes to women partner. She is demanding you return immediately."
Michaels's fingers weren't cooperating. They were numb and hard to move. "I'm almost done. Once I get this installed and foam it, I'll return to the pod. Until then, tell her to buzz off." He replied, fumbling with plas welder. He went to work putting in the final pieces.
"She did not like being told to buzz off."
"Great, that's the last thing I needed. Tell her I'm almost done then." Michael responded.
Michael was not almost done, and it was just over three hours later before he finished up his work and chucked the foam canister into space. Shakily he rose to his feet, silently making his way back to his pod, where an angry alien was waiting for him.
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Tail twitching around angrily, Srettia waited at the pod entrance for Michael. "Buzz off my tail! I'll show him what telling me to buzz off gets him." She said, sitting down and waiting for the idiot to return.
It was surprisingly hours later for her when the pod entrance opened, and Michael stumbled in. Her eyes burst wide in shock. The strong-looking male she had only known for days was hardly able to hold himself upright. He was shaking, and his skin was as white as her front scales. She watched in horror as he walked into the pod and closed the door before crumbling into a heap on the floor.
"I THOUGHT YOU SAID HE WAS FINE!" She yelled at Jack, rushing over to Michael and trying to pick him up. It was then she realized for the first time just how heavy and dense he was. "I can't move him, Jack. What do I do? What the hell is he made of?"
"You need to remove his Exo suit and follow my orders. I will highlight all the equipment you will need to treat him in the medical bay."
Rushing over to medical, Srettia grabbed a blanket, a pouch of liquid, some needles, and a vial of thick grey liquid. Running back over to Michael, she began removing what she could of his Exo suit, noticing that places of his skin had turned black or were peeling and red. What shocked her the most, He was frozen, cold to touch. "What do I do?" She asked.
Bringing up pictures for her to see, Jack guided her through the steps needed.
"Needles first just as shown in the proper order."
Srettia hesitated for a moment before shaking her head and bring the needle over Michael's Chest. She took in a deep breath and shoved a needle in his heart, his leg, then his arm.
"Correct good work. Now dump the grey vial over his heart where you inserted the needle. Good. Take the bag and put it in a spot a high spot, now put the pointed edge in the highlighted point; excellent, now you just need to wrap him in the blanket and let the medical nanites do the rest. If he's lucky, it won't hurt too much, easy as pie, right?"
"Easy my tail, He nearly died from what I can tell. If it wasn't for your dumb alien healing tech, I'm betting he would not have made it." Srettia returned, pointing a finger at the nearest camera. "What would possess a male to do something like that?"
"Terrans are very durable. He still might have survived without medical help. Also, avoiding a potential war that would cost your people lives sounds like a good reason,"
She looked down at the sleeping human. "He's too heavy to move. Will he be okay here?"
"Yes, he is fine, and his vitals are stabilizing. He now needs rest and liquids. So just leave him there for now. It looks like his repairs have worked, and I am in contact with the Seventh fleet. They'll meet us outside the system."
"Least the idiot did something right," Srettia said, kneeling beside Michael.
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