Chapter 3: Attacked

The next day I open my eyes and realize that I had dozed off again. I climb out of bed, quickly shower, and dress. I straighten up my hair and leave to go to the bridge to see how everything is coming along. As I close my door I notice a small package and card… I’ll have to look at these later…and I place them inside.

 

As I am walking to the bridge I turn around I thought I heard something “hello” I call out, but no answer. I dismiss the thought and finally walk the length of the ship to the bridge. “Hey Kelly, how is everything going so far?” immediately I could tell he was in a sarcastic mood. “Oh fine commander, glad you finally decided to stop playing dead and help out with some paper work.” I roll my eyes at him and start looking over the files he had gotten out.

 

“Where did you get all these?” He lets out a heavy sigh. “People in the lower decks are complaining that there have been power outages, that it’s to cold, there isn’t enough food, but I don’t know what we are supposed to do. I mean half of the complaints are maintenance and all the engineers are on the other ship.” “Well…maybe I could help. I have some minor engineering training from before I wanted to train as a scientist.” He looks at me with an odd crunched up facial expression. “Well too bad you where not here sooner… we could have had half these problems fixed by now.”

 

“Here do what you can with these” Kelly says as he hands me some engineering plans and list of complaints. “Yeah…try to be careful with those if I can get a real engineer over here I don’t want them to be unable to do there job because you screwed up.” I roll my eyes “Yes master.” I head down to the maintenance floor and realize that some of the problems where just because we didn’t turn the machine on. Like the heater and food distributer. After turning those on a red alert sounded throughout the ship and I started making my way to the bridge.

 

“Kelly what just happened!” I yell as I reach the bridge only to stop dead in my tracks at the sight of a Zoid cruiser. I regain my bearings “Ari evasive maneuvers!” I yell as I head towards the loud speaker. “Attention crew, this is Commander Dalia speaking, all hands to your posts where under attack.” I turn towards Kelly “Handle things up here!” and then I run down to the bay to get in my fighter.

 

We scrambled the fighters and I take off as the leader for all scientist vessels. All the other ship’s aircraft had already taken off and made contact. “Activate stealth generators.” I call out over the comm. “Recon tactic T-37” Groups one to four break off from our main advance to do the flanking maneuver while we hold steady. Watch over these good souls father. We reach firing range and unload everything we have on the cruiser.

 

My ship is hit and starts burning. The fighter starts filling with smoke and an odd pain shoots through my head…

 

I burst out of the water “Mommy! Mommy!!!” I cry. Where are you?  Something moves towards me and I scream and fall back into the ocean.

 

…I open my eyes, all systems failing. The cruiser retreats and a rescue team is coming towards me. My lungs start failing and I try to call for help over the comm. unit but sparks fly out of it and light the inside of the ship on fire. I tried to eject but it was stuck. I panic and start pounding on the glass screaming. Father…

 

Kelly directs the rescue shuttle toward Astrid when it suddenly explodes. “No!” he cries out as he watches the ship explode and no sign of her body or of an escape pod. Tears fill his eyes but he holds them in and orders everyone back to the ship. “We are landing on the nearest planet for repairs Ari…make a course.” “Yes, sir” She calls back as she turns the ship for the nearest space port. He walks out into the hall “Damn” he slams his fist into the wall and falls down onto his knees.

 

White glossy eyes stare at him from the darkness he doesn't know..."He doesn't know" it whispers as Kelly sits there in silent pain.