Throughout the Night Sky Ch.2

The Snetra, as it always is during the sluize rush hour, was jam packed.  Tehrag checked his digimeter, and sure enough, it displays 4B5, 5 clicks past midday for the sluize.  He was late again - his friend Filba would have already been here for at least those 5 clicks, and most likey around 8 clicks.  Tehrag sighed, and glanced around the crowded resturant.  However, after about 4 clicks of searching with no sign of Filba, he decided it would be better to get a table.  Perhaps Filba was just running late - yes, he must be... perhaps it was one of the monthly meetings he was required to go to as being the Professor of Holography... except he had had such a meeting only a few days ago.  But then again, Filba also had a family, and also wasn't always exactly 'right' in the head, so there was many other things that could have caused such a delay.  After waiting a further 6 clicks, he decided that Filba would not have wanted him to wait this long, and decided to head to his apartment in the lower section of the front half of the ship.

After being chuted down to Deck C of the sluize, he made his way down the long hallway that led to his room.  All the rooms in the Dawn were similar, although the size and location of the room greatly depended on the size of the family that lived there.  As a bachelor, Tehrag had a room on the lower decks of the front end of the ship, next to the beam warp generators that powered the ship.  As of such, his room was always filled with a gentle hum, a constant reminder of the many devices which let the ship run with little mantinence.  1C5, 1C6, 1C7... Tehrag counted the rooms, each hidden by a shiny silver door, down the emerald decorated hallway until he approached his own room, the second to last door on the stretch.  1F0, 1F1,... he finally reached room number 1F2, and stood on the sensor pad which determined his identity.  A green light scanned the heel of his feet and was followed by a faint hiss as the pressure seal which locked the door was neutralized.  Tehrag pushed the ajar silver door inward and stepped inside his humble abode.

A faint glow lighted the room from hidden flourescent bars near the top of the ceiling, contributing to the calm and mellow aura of the room.  The room was full of curves, the counter, the bed, even the bathroom door was slightly curved to emphasize the peace and relaxation exhibited by the lighting.  Therag moved to the counter and flipped open the rounded box built into his wall, uncovering a set of switches.  He glanced over the ones labeled 'change room style' and breezed over to the ones that said 'room service', before flicking down the one with the sublabel that said 'lunch'.  For a moment his eyes caught another set which stated 'control window'.  He grinned when he saw the suboption 'open' and pressed it, knowing that nothing would happen.  The pilots wouldn't dare risk angering the captain by causing one of the citizens to go blind.  He sat on his bad and leaned back into his soft pillow as he waited the 3 clicks it would be till his lunch arrived.

-----

With a woosh, a visitor was rushed up to the pilot deck by chute.  Horles didnt' turn around.  "The captain will be there in a few moments, Filba" he said mockingly.
The old one Filba stood disooreinted at the chute, blinking owlishly in the dim light.  Horles turned and looked at him.

"What Filba, looking for the captain?  I told you, he's not here right now!"

Filba shook his head, the words not seeming to assemble in his ancient mind.

"I see", snickered Horles.  "Well aren't you going to bother sitting down?"

Filba muttered something about his luncheon being interrupted but was unheard by the assistant who was clearly enjoying having someone to needle around.

"What, can't find your way to your chair?"

Filba rolled his eyes, and made his way to the midnight shaded spinner that existed at the head of the room.

"You can sit there if you would like Filba.  I'm sure Captian Tosey would be totally delighted to have you sit in his reserved chair", Horles scoffed.

Filba ignored him and instead sat in the hard plastic chair that was parallel to the spinner.

"Ah yes, that chair, I put it there especially for you.  It's really to bad you don't get one of these cushiony ones like the one I have", said Horles, pointing to the slim cusion below his rear.

Filba sighed and closed his eyes serenely, drifting off to where the assistant could no longer bother him.

Horles laughed and made fake snoring sounds, having no effect on the immovable Filba.

-----

About 9 clicks later - the captain was not very timely - Tosey arrived huffing in the pilotroom, carrying in his arm a gigantic stack of papers.  "Where are those macturans when you need them?" said the captain sarcastically.

"Oh, just a call away." laughed the assitant, mimicking his captain's voice.  Pointing to the snoozing Filba, he stated, "As you can see, Filba is here... but not exactly here at the same time."

Filba opened one eye. "Tosey."

The captain sighed and began his briefing.  "As of 32F this morning, there has been an unidentified signature displayed on the hologram.  This normally would not have been of concern, and we would have used the standard light-bending stealth to avoid interactions with the unidentified object.  However, as you know, today, in less than E clicks away, we are sheduled to proceed through a solar field, and if we were to activate stealth, it is altogether possible that the main-grid of the Dawn's systems could be exposed to the strong solar energy in the field, and be fried.  And that would leave us running on the backup-gird, which is risky business considering it hasn't been updated for about a decade.  So we need you to help us identify the risk behind this mysterious object in the holograph, so we can determine our course of action."

Filba stayed silent, walking over to the huge holographic display that had been projected midair.  Stepping into the lights themselves, he studied the unusual shape that the hologram had imprinted upon what should have been empty space.  "I cannot tell what this object is, but I do not think it will be dangerous." he stated finally, stepping away from the floating image.

"Well that's just in good time," said Horles, "we are scheduled to enter the solar field in about 3 clicks."

Filba stalked away.  Something had just not seemed right.  He glanced at the hoard of papers that Tosey had now place at an empty desk-spot.  The top paper read 'A Brief History of Our Races'.

"Tosey, how did you get your hands on this book, it is quite rare?" asked Filba with unease.

"Oh, it was just burried under the storm of papers on my deck.  It's quite possible that's it's been there for a centruy.  Maybe even from before the time I was captain.  I haven't read it yet."

Filba was about to say more, but hesitated.  This book contained mentions of the old war, and the technology used in it.  Perhaps it would be better if Tosey didn't read it.  He flipped open a few pages, browsing through the few pictures that the book contained.

"1 click till we enter the solar field.  All openings to the ship have been contained, we are safe to pass through the field." announced one of the pilots.

"Good, good, now lets all put on our shades then" said Tosey, grabbing a pair that was in his pocket to safely shade his eyes from the sheer energy of the field.  The others in the cabin, including Filba, did the same.  Still flipping through the book, Filba arrived at a picture that looked a few millenia old.  It's subcaption read, "Emp. Nartuha, who was the founder of the Alze Dynasty of the race."  Emp.  It standed for empress.  Empress Filba thought.  Emp.  EMP.  Suddenly, some of the memories returned to Filba, memories far before the time he had lived on this ship, memories before the time he had been cryptologically frozen in time.  Memories of his own expereinces in the old war.  Filba gasped in fear.  Now he knew what that signature was!

"We have entered the field" the pilot said, as the light in the room intensified, although the shades blocked the worst of it.  However, Filba had his mind on other things.

"Captain, turn this ship around, now!" barked Filba

"Huh?", said Tosey, "What?"

"Captain, if you don't turn that ship around now, that unidentified object, is going to hit you.  It's a Long-Range EMP."

"EMP?"

"Electro-Magnetic Pulse Weapon.  Turn us around now."

"Sorry, no can do Filba, that would expose the main grid."

"Do you hear me?  The main-grid burning up is the least of our problems now!"

The pilot hesistated, and turned to the captain.  "Should I turn us around?"

"No." said the captain, "How close is the object now?"

"It's approaching at a good speed... it should come closest to the craft in about a click.  However, it will miss us."

"Good.  Stay on current course."

Filba looked at the captain with a horrified look.  The captain shrugged, and looked unconcerened.  And the digigram counted down.  Filba turned around, all to knowing of what was about to occur.