wattpad mit cri

Jenny waited next to the portal area dressed in flimsy silk and makeup- this prostitute's garb looking disturbingly incongruous on her young body. “I plan to act like my apparent age and hide under the bed- I hope those marines aren't too trigger-happy.”

“No worries there- those boys like to take slavers alive- all the better for tossing out the airlock.”

“Gate in ten seconds” said Sonja. “Time to get in character.”

Jenny stepped through to the (empty) captain's cabin of the 'Golden Caravan'.

***

Heavy Destroyer 'Wotan's Fury'

'Four Hour Warning- Normal space in four hours' sounded the intercom.

Captain Jamieson scanned his messages, then took a quick shower and put on a fresh uniform- along with the now traditional splash of Old Spice. Time for a quick tour about the ship before taking the helm for the battle. Outside his cabin, the duty officer was waiting.

“What's on the trouble sheet?” said Captain Jamieson.

“Two marines on the sick list- I gather they got carried away with close quarters training, Sir” said Ensign Johnson.

“Eichmann’s’?”

“Aye Sir”

No doubt Lieutenant Eichmann has already dealt with them, thought Wayne.

“Engineering?”

“Nothing operational Sir”, said Johnson, handing over a tablet.

Wayne scrolled down a list of minor faults- all under action. Just the usual house-keeping repairs.

He handed the tablet back- “OK- Commanders brief at minus three hours- dismissed.”

“Aye Sir”, said the ensign, saluting.

Forty minutes for a bit of breakfast before the final brief.

*

Heavy Destroyer 'Wotan's Fury'

CIC

'One hour warning- all hands secure for N-space running' announced the intercom.

"Call it" said Jamieson.

"Nav- all ships on-station".

"Tac- prox shows one megatonne plus, a capital ship, four frigates and multiple minor traces".

"Guns- all systems on-line and charged".

"Drive- grav on stand-by, tractors nominal".

"Damage- standing by".

"Security- standing by".

"Last comfort call" said the Captain- "Tac- call on status change".

"Tac aye- Trace firming- confirm 'Scimitar' class cruiser and eight contacts at minus 10,000 tonnes".

Their sub-space proximity array was one of the major factors in Free Company Wotan's Fury's success. The best anyone else possessed was a detector that would only work a few seconds before exiting sub-space- and that was more than most had. As they edged closer to the exit point, the information built up- tonnage, vector and numbers.

'All hands- minutes one to N-space.'

Then it was time and they crossed the threshold in to normal space. The collision alert klaxon sounded- they had exited exactly on course- dead astern of the escort cruiser and closing fast.