Chapter 2
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"Sir, we have visual on Crew Shuttle USG-09, approaching from the starboard side. Estimated time of contact, 6 minutes."
Lieutenant Chen spotted the distant, shadowy mass of a small boarding vessel, inactive and freefloating, as the USM warship slowly approached it. Captain Sarius and his crew listened to the soft klaxon beep of a distress signal sounding through the communications array, growing louder as they drew closer to the lame vessel. He looked out the front window, then turned to address the pilot.
"Alright, this looks like it. Hail it."
The pilot immediately punched up a few commands on the control panel, staring intently at the response screen, and spoke into the transmitter.
"USG-09, this is the crew of the USM Credence, responding to your distress signal; please reply."
After a few moments, he tried again.
"USG-09, this is the crew of the USM Credence. We are responding to your distress signal; please reply."
The pilot turned around to face the Captain.
"No response sir."
Sarius nodded, his focus fixed on the darkened ship looming larger as they closed in.
"Maybe their comms are down. Lieutenant, run a remote diagnostics scan on their systems. I wanna know what's wrong with that thing."
"Yes, sir."
Chen turned to the control panel and activated a few more systems functions, watching as the orange holoscreens spilled forth nearly endless lines of data for several moments, then finally broke.
"Main engines down... Gravity boosters inoperable... communications functions offline... life support minimal... port boosters unresponsive. Captain, looks like just about the only thing working on board that ship in full capacity is the distress communications line."
Sarius assessed Chen's report, rubbed the scruff of his chin.
"Any life signs detected?"
Chen paused briefly, the orange glow of the control panels bathing his face in its eerie light.
"Not sure. I'm picking up something, but its really faint. It might be someone on board, or we could just be reading transient static from the disruptors."
"OK, people, we're gonna try to dock with it. Lieutenant, I want the autodock prepped immediately. If the systems aboard that ship are down, find a way to remote pilot it."
Chen nodded, and called up the docking command sequence. Within moments, multiple gravity tethers extended from the Credence's hull, suspended in the vast emptiness of space like spider's threads. The pilot then attempted to remote activate the systems of the target vessel, but to no avail.
"... Looks like their autodock operation system is malfunctioning as well. I can't line it up to establish a connection."
The Captain glanced out the window, surveying the events outside the ship and muttering under his breath.
"Shit. Well, looks like we're gonna have to jump it."
"But the vessel's at least 200 feet away. Can't we get a little closer?"
The pilot behind Chen shook his head.
"No... Too risky. If the docking sensors on their ship aren't operating properly, we might slam into them."
The Captain nodded.
"We'll have to jump it. That means you, Chen."
Chen gave an annoyed smirk, donned his helmet, and positioned himself near the decompression hatch.
"Ah, man - I hate this friggin' shit."
The Captain took no amusement in his quandary.
"Don't worry, you'll be tethered to the Credence. Just make a straight jump for it, and you should make it with no problem. We'll be right behind you. Everyone, helmets on."
Chen, along with two other crew members and the Captain, climbed into the decompression chamber, attaching tethers to their suits. The lone remaining pilot at the helm sealed the inside hatch with a few button clicks, and set the outside hatch open sequence.
"Prepare for decompression in five, four, three, two, one..."
The outside hatch soundlessly opened into the vast fold of space, and one by one the Credence crew members drifted out onto the side of the ship. Once they were lined up, with Sarius coming up last, he motioned toward the darkened vessel, now floating directly above their position.
"OK Chen, you first. Secure the tether to the ship, and we'll follow."
Chen took a deep breath - no matter how many times he had been exposed to the dark vacuum of space on these missions, he never could quite get used to the disorientation immediately felt at first. With no sense of direction or depth, the shapeless, endless universe surrounding him always made him feel like a goldfish being sloshed around in a plastic bag. Aiming for the widest area of cover on the target vessel, Chen took aim, bent his knees and pressed off the side of the USM Credence.
It took him longer than he expected to reach the USG-09; in fact at one point he began to worry if he had overshot it, somehow missed it, until he suddenly saw the side of the vessel's hull closing in on him quickly. The Captain's voice cut in on his suit's communications receiver.
"Careful, Chen, you're moving pretty fast."
Chen extended his arms out before him and laxed his elbows a little to absorb the shock as he made contact with the side of the ship. His speed was greater than he had anticipated, and before he could get his gravity boots to lock down on the metal panel properly, he slammed into it and slid down the side a few feet.
"Ah, shit!"
Fumbling, Chen finally managed to attach his grav boots to the ship's skin and stop his sideways descent. Once stabilized, he grabbed the tether still trailing behind him and secured it to a gravity noose protruding from the vessel.
"OK, we're clear. Come on over."
One by one, the Captain and remaining crew sidled along the tether until they reached the ship. Once all were stabilized by grav boots on the side of the vessel, the Captain radioed back to the Credence.
"Alright Corporal, open the hatch."
After a brief delay, the outside hatch of the USG-09 sprung open, the men detached their tethers and clamored into the decompression chamber. As initiation sequence completed, the inside hatch popped open and the soldiers slowly made their way inside the vessel. The first thing they noticed was that the entire ship was covered in darkness - with the exception of the faded, blinking light of the activated distress beacon, there were no lights or signs of life. Sarius turned on his helmet-mounted flashlight, and prompted the other soldiers to do the same.
"Well, this looks promising."
They peered around the ship, the flashlights and aqueous green glow of their helmets' visors cutting through the layers of freefloating dust as they examined the darkened interior. Chen approached the front of the ship, stopping right behind the back of the pilot's chair and took note of the damage all around.
"Sir, it appears to be empty.. nothing but some moderate damage to the controls..."
Chen was suddenly startled as a hand flopped out from the pilot's seat, brushing his arm. Caught completely off guard, Chen yelped, immediately pulled his arm back and flipped around to face whoever was still in the chair.
"Hey, freeze!"
Chen aimed his flashlight at the pilot's chair, and gasped as the light broke the darkness to reveal a human figure - a man bent over in the seat, lying with his arms strewn across the control panel. He was weak, barely alive. The figure was dressed in a weathered, bloodied CEC engineer's uniform, the RIG unit upon his back critically empty and repetitively blinking with a feint red glow. A dented helmet lay lopsided against the base of the chair on the floor. The man's fingers twitched intermittently, and it was apparent he was drifting in and out of consciousness. Chen's eyes widened.
"Captain! We've got a survivor over here!"
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