You get to a tactical station on the bridge. From there, you can keep track of the various teams as the move around in the Star Settler. You also have access to the telemetry feeds of the Marines and all communications channels. You pull up the visual feeds from the leaders of each of the initial patrol teams and Lieutenant McClusky. The halls of the colony ship pass quickly by the two scout camera feeds while they verify the environmental conditions. Once it is deemed safe, the rest of the Marine squads move across the umbilical.

You call up more visual feeds as more teams board the Star Settler. Most of your attention is still on the initial patrols and the Lieutenant. Suddenly, a flash on three of the visual feeds draws your eye. Phaser fire passes back and forth as the members of the patrol take cover behind crates in a cargo bay. Shouts and calls for aid mingle with reports of the locations of targets and orders to alter position.

You can do little more than observe and advise while the Marines do what they do to gain control. Lieutenant McClusky quickly gathers her team and prepares to advance to the cargo bay. Other squads move more carefully as they search for more possible attackers. Taking your eyes off of the monitors for a second, you call out across the bridge, “Communications, contact the captain of the Star Settler and have her order their security forces to stand down.”

The communications officer works furiously at her panel while you check on the status of the Marines. Lieutenant McClusky is leading her team through the doorway to the cargo bay in a frontal assault. You watch in fear as the telemetry of a number of Marines show changes that indicate severe injuries and one death. You watch Lieutenant McClusky take cover behind a crate. She rises up to fire at a target when her visual feed flashes brightly. Her telemetry indicates death almost instantly. You turn to look away. It was always a possibility that the woman you love would fall in battle, but that doesn't make it hurt any less when you watch it happen during a simple rescue mission.

Without knowing what you had just witnessed, the Communications officer notifies you that she is unable to raise the colony ship. Captain Hogarth looks at you as you yell for her to raise anyone on the other ship immediately. You turn back to the tactical panel and start relaying the signal to retreat. The only acknowledgments you receive are from the Marines posted at each end of the umbilical. You watch their visual feeds go dark and their telemetries lose signal. Briefly reviewing the last few seconds of the data seems to indicate they are being jammed.

Turning to the Helmsman, you give new orders, “Seal the airlock doors immediately and emergency blow the umbilical. Get us away from the Star Settler as fast as possible.”

Before you can explain your orders, Captain Hogarth calls out, “Belay that order. We will not be moving until I say so. Keep the airlock open and notify he crew to stand down when confronted by personnel coming over from the Star Settler.”

You look shocked at his attitude towards a possible invading force of unknown size. “Sir, I don't mean to question your orders, but we need to repel these boarders. They have killed our Marines, including Lieutenant McClusky. They need to be reported and arrested. It's bad enough they attacked a colony ship, but now they are attempting to take over an armed exploratory vessel.”

“They aren't attempting to take the ship over, they are doing it. I am under a set of orders that you aren't aware of. We will take them on board, then repair the Star Settler. Once that is done, both ships will head to a destination outside of normal patrols. You needn't worry about what will happen after that.”

“Captain, no. We are a Space Force ship. We do not tolerate pirates or mutineers. This behavior is unacceptable.”

Captain Hogarth stands up from his chair and puts his hand on the sidearm you didn't notice he was wearing. You stand up straight and hold your hands open at your sides, showing you aren't armed. Captain Hogarth raises his phaser and aims it at your chest. You lunge in the half second it takes Hogarth to press the firing stud. Instead of a lethal hit, the beam of high energy photons streams across your cheek. Despite suddenly losing the vision in your right eye, you tackle Hogarth hard, slamming him against the ground and one of the nearby consoles. His body goes limp after his head strikes a sharp corner.

As your adrenaline start wearing off and you feel the phaser burn down your face, you grab your communicator and start issuing commands. “All hands, Captain Hogarth was in league with the boarders. He has been neutralized. Detain any personnel coming from the colony ship. Use any force necessary to get them off of our ship.”

Months later, you sit in the Captain's seat. Your mission is no longer one of exploration, but now revenge. Space Force Intelligence learned that Hogarth was a small part of a group trying to form a black market network of slaves and equipment. Now your ship, renamed The Revenger, is out seeking ships that have been reported missing and investigating sightings of stations not a part of Space Force. Ultimately you are seeking those that took your eye, scarred your face, and took the woman you love from you.

The End

If you want to start over, click HERE.