Blood Impulse

Part 34.2 - NOT MALFUNCTIONS

Ensign Alba was pale, perhaps terrified, but he still reached up and began checking the ship's systems. "FTL Drive Three is not reporting, and likely nonoperational, but the rest of the ship's systems appear undamaged. However, that maneuver put severe strains on the structure, sir. We're not damaged, but the structural integrity is spent." The strain gauges throughout the ship's structure were all reporting red. "We've got to let her rest." The ship's structural strains would ease over time, allowing the structure to realign and regain its strength. "Another FTL maneuver could cause severe damage. We can't jump."

"But we're okay?"

"We're okay," Alba agreed. "I'd estimate twelve hours before it would be safe to jump, though."

So, we're stuck here, Zarrey realized. At least we made to the station. Here, they could lend aid to the away team. Still, another thought suddenly occurred to him. "Wait, when did we regain control of the ship's systems?"

"After the jump," Alba said. "Now, everything seems fine."

"Comms recovered before the jump, Colonel." Robinson answered. "I asked if you wanted to make a warning announcement." Strangely, though, he had not responded. He had been frozen in apparent shock of the situation.

"Helm control was nominal until just after the jump, sir, but I have system response again now."

Galhino glanced to the helmsman, but turned to Colonel Zarrey instead. "I never lost control of the sensors, sir."

Zarrey scratched at the scar on the side of his jaw. "None of that makes sense." A complete system malfunction should have been simultaneous, and if Command had issued an override, they should not have control again now.

"No, Colonel," Galhino told him, furrowing her dark brows, "That makes perfect sense. Don't you see the pattern?"

"No, Galhino," he snapped, "I don't fucking see a pattern."

"We only lost the systems that were needed to initiate an FTL jump," Robinson realized, speaking aloud. "Navigation to stop an override to backup coordinates, Engineering for the drives themselves, Comms. for the warning alarm, and the helm for that deceleration maneuver."

"Right," Galhino nodded, her curly hair bouncing with the movement. "The sensors aren't involved in any of that." Their usual operation had been all that was necessary. "We only lost control of the systems needed to make a safe FTL jump, and we only lost control of them for as long as they were necessary." After that, control had been immediately returned.

"...With the exception of weapons," Zarrey suddenly remembered that announcement. He turned to the officer manning that station, uneasy, "What are we targeting?"

"The station, sir," came the response. "The main battery has been raised and turned to target Midwest Station."

Zarrey tried not to feel the shiver that ran up his spine. At this range, the silhouette of the main guns would be more than menacing aboard the station. He swallowed, almost afraid to ask, "Are they loaded?"

The crewman looked down and checked, "Yes, sir. Standard rounds."

Hell fires in heaven. At this range, that would be fatal to the station and everyone aboard it. At two or three times this range, it would still be unquestionably lethal. Calm down, he told himself. The crew was looking at him strangely, perplexed by his reaction, so Zarrey clenched his fists and did his best to steel his expression. "Can you... uh, disengage the main battery?" Damn, that was a weird command. He could not remember the last time he had actively instructed people not to blow things up.