By the Fire: Issue 3 (5 page)

“There can’t be enough to support everyone on board though” Alicia interjected.

“No, but they help take some of the load off of the atmospheric systems. And they have a certain psychological effect. They’re very calming.”

She looked around again. “I can see how that might be important on a long term mission.”

“Oh, just watch.” He walked over to a control panel on the wall and hit a button. The roof began to retract. Alicia gasped and turned to run.

Delaney laughed. “Relax. We’re still enclosed. That is a clear polymer. Just have a seat and enjoy the stars.”

She followed him over to a bench and sat down absentmindedly. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sight over her head.

“It’s beautiful.”

They sat that way for close to an hour before a call came from the flight deck. “Commander Delaney?”

Delaney sighed and touched his watch. “Delaney, what is it?”

“We’ve got something up here that you need to see.”

“I’ll be right there.” He turned back to Alicia. “Sorry Captain, we’re going to have to cut this short I’m afraid. Duty calls.”

“It’s fine. Mind if I join you?”

He smiled and offered a hand to help her up.

****

The first thing she looked for when they stepped onto the flight deck was the holo-imager. Anything that was happening would be represented there. All that was projected however was a swarm of black specks.

“What is that” she asked.

Jones glanced to Delaney and at his nod answered her. “It’s debris ma’am.”

“Debris? Debris from what?”

“We suspect it is debris from a force of at least two dozen Sol Confederation ships.”

Alicia gasped. “What could destroy two dozen ships like the Morrigan?”

Delaney shook his head. “God knows. Let’s see if we can collect some of that debris for further study.”

She shook her head again. Her mind spun while she tried to imagine what must have happened. From the way Delaney was rubbing his chin and staring at the imager he was likely wondering the same thing.

Several hours later a technician came to the flight deck to report. Delaney wasted no time on formalities. Taking the tech by the arm he led him to the captain’s ready room. Alicia wasn’t invited but she followed anyway.

“Report” Delaney said abruptly.

“The debris shows signs of high yield energy weapons as well as heightened radiation levels possibly from nukes. Carbon dating reveals that this particular battle took place over five hundred years ago.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes sir. Roughly ten percent of the debris was found to have a non-terrestrial origin.”

Alicia and Delaney exchanged a glance. “Non-terrestrial” she asked.

He shook his head. “Whoever attacked us at the edge of the system must not have been from around here. At least we apparently got some licks in before they wiped us out.”

He looked back at the technician. “Have we recovered any fragments large enough to give us any signs of their tech?”

“None yet I’m afraid and we are rapidly pulling away from the area.”

“I suspect we’ll have more opportunity to examine debris before this is all over.”

He dismissed the tech. When he was gone Delaney sat back in his seat and rubbed his eyes. Alicia resisted the urge to reach out and touch him.

****

The image on the holo-imager showed a revolving planet painted in blue and green. As they grew closer it was constantly updating with finer and finer details. Alicia, however, watched the crew more than she watched the image. As the image refined faces began to frown and mouths fell open.

“What am I looking at” Delaney asked.

Jones tried to speak several times before the words came out. “It looks like signs of multiple nuclear strikes as well as” her voice broke for a moment, “as well as massive strip mines on every continent.”

Alicia could see Delaney’s hands ball into fists by his side. “How is the background radiation level?”

Jones checked her readouts again. “Tolerable. Whoever nuked the planet must have spent some time and energy cleaning it up; likely to facilitate mining operations.”

“Very well then” Delaney replied. “Prepare a landing party. Someone has ransacked our house and I want to find out who it was.”

About the Author

Stewart Felkel lives in Sterlington, La with his beautiful wife and their three fur babies. He has been a band director, music minister and optician. His hobbies include an eclectic mix of things such as boxing, archery, bow making, medieval combat and writing. For freebies, news of upcoming works and the occasional book review check out his website
www.stewartfelkel.weebly.com.