Thunderchild The sleek black shape cut like a shark through the slate gray of hyperspace, her slim lines a larger copy of a distant ancestor, one that flew in one of the subdued conflicts between major governments of old home terra. Her crew rested, for the most part, while the night shift stood watch. In her captain's cabin the lights came up, and the trilling of an alarm clock filled the cabin. From under the tangle of covers an arm emerged and swung hard at the clock. Making contact, the clock performed as designed and folded back into the night stand, shutting off. The rest of the bed performed as designed as well, folding back up against the wall, dumping its occupant and blankets to the floor. Captain Michael Thunders sighed as he struggled to his feet "Damn, but there has to be an easier way to get up in the morning." "Of course there are. But you have discarded them as ineffective." The new voice was a soft feminine alto that emanated form the walls. "I do agree that dumping oneself on the floor is a bit extreme, Michael. If nothing else, it leaves more of a mess for me to clean up." "Conceded, Angel, but we both know just don't want to get up in the morning." Thunders stretched and headed into the head, leaving a trail of sheets and such behind him. A panel slid up over the bed, while other panels opened and waldos picked up the discarded bedclothes. Other waldos laid out a uniform and a printer whirred briefly to life, spitting a sheet onto the desk as well. Michael emerged minutes later, still toweling his hair. "OK, Angel, give me ships status." "Ships time is 05:45 earth Zulu. We are in hyperspace, on course for rendezvous, ETA 08:00. Reactors one and two on standby, reactors 3 and 4 are operational at 75%. Third shift on duty, weapons on standby, fire control on standby. All other ship systems operating within normal parameters. You have called a meeting of all department heads in the wardroom at 06:00." Thunders nodded, as he finished buttoning his shirt. "Thank you Angel. See you tonight, old girl." "You got it, boss," Angel replied as Michael grabbed his hat and the sheet out of the printer and walked out the door to his cabin. The wardroom was full when he arrived, all the ships officers not on duty already present and standing waiting for him to arrive. Michael blinked once, in surprise, and took his seat at the head of the table. "You may be seated, gentlemen." As the assembled officers took their seats, the mess stewards moved around the table serving breakfast. He looked at his plate, then back up at the chief steward. "Fresh Eggs? Still? I hope you didn't trade anything we are going to need... Like the main gun or something." "No sir," the chief steward replied. "Just cost us a pallet of toilet paper I got from a man I had some dirt on in exchange for my silence" "Ha. Saints preserve us from a dishonest mess steward. Go get some chow yourselves, we have to talk business." The chief steward nodded, and he and his men withdrew from the wardroom while Michael ate a bit. When they were gone, he put his fork down and addressed his officers. "OK, gentlemen, this is it. Our orders are to report to the Talos system and rendezvous with other elements of the fleet. We are to take part in a new offensive commanded by Admiral Yaguchi meant to give Fleet tactical surprise and change the tempo of the war effort. Security is supposed to be tight around this one, but we cant take the chance of an enemy patrol happening to be hanging around. We will be going to General Quarters at 07:45. I want the men on watch now to be relived no later than 07:15 so they have a chance to eat before we go to action stations. We'll be getting the full scoop at a briefing after the fleet is assembled. Our immediate task, however, is to secure the Talos system before the fleet arrives." "Enemy Strength?" the combat officer asked. "Unknown. The system is uninhabited, and has nothing worth garrisoning, but the cats seem to have the damnedest luck and we might encounter a patrol or a scouting force in system. If its to big, we run. If not, we take them out. Finish up, and brief your division chiefs, have them pass the word. Make sure to relive the steaming watch in time for them to get fed." As Michael settled back in his chair and further contemplated his breakfast, some officers were already finished and quickly filed out of the wardroom. Others tarried, wolfing down a last few bites before going off on their business. The cadre of pilots for the ships fighters wandered in, all noise and bluster. Catherine Hobbs, his executive officer, took one look at the cadre and moved to sit at Michael's right as the pilots took over the far end of the table.. "Problem, X?" he asked with an eyebrow cocked in amusement. "Not really, sir. I just don't feel up to their youth and zeal this morning, that's all," She sighed, looking at the pilots. "I can't help but wonder how many of our crew are going to live through today." "All, if we get lucky. Most even if we get jumped, providing we do our jobs right. Is there a point to this, or are you just worrying out loud?" "I don't feel comfortable with taking this crew into combat sir. Half the crew is green and half the veterans are characters. To top it off, this ship has never been tested in battle before. WE don't know if half these gadgets will work or if they will just sit there making noises while we get chewed up." Cynthia looked down and started playing with her eggs. "Valid concerns, X, but nothing new. The way this war has been going we are lucky we don't have more green crewmen than we do. Hell, this ship was the test bed for most of the gear. The only really new gadget is the new drive, and that's been tested in combat on other ships," Michael finished his breakfast and settled back with a mug of coffee, pausing a moment to savor the aroma. "And at any rate, our major concern is showing the crew that we believe in the ship. If they think we believe, they will follow. That's why they call us leaders, X, and that's why we get these frills," he indicated the comfortable furnishings of the wardroom," to go with the ulcers that come with the job." "You certainly seem very fatalistic about this, sir. I don't feel comfortable relying on fate or luck sir." "And that's exactly why your my X.O., Commander Hobbs. Fate and luck only work for you if you make sure they don't work against you. You raise heck for me with the Dept. heads, they yell at their officers, who yell at the chiefs, and the chiefs watch the rest of the crew for you. and you don't really have to worry about carrying the blame for anything, X. I am the one command would hold responsible. Certainly Admiral Noguchi would. In fact, Luck is probably the only reason I have this command." "Really, sir? You've never told me how you came by this command. I understand there was quite a flap about it." "Another time, X. Little pitchers, et all" Michael gestured towards the pilots at the other end of the wardroom. " Meantime, I'll relieve the officer of the deck and make sure he gets food. See you on the bridge." Michael stood and left, pausing to draw a fresh cup of coffee on his way out of the wardroom. It was just few steps from the wardroom door to the airtight hatch that lead to his quarters. 'The only problem with this ship is its just to small', he thought to himself as he walked the short passageway forward past his quarters to the bridge. "Good morning, Captain," the Ensign on watch said, looking over from where he was standing just behind the helm and navigation stations. "We are still in hyperspace, on course, and nearing the projected breakout point. ETA for breakout is 07:55. I have the deck, sir." "Not anymore, I relive you, Ensign. Head aft and grab some chow." "Aye aye, sir. This is the officer of the deck, the Captain has the deck," "Thank you Ensign. This is the Captain, I have the deck. Steady on course, helm." "Aye sir," replied the Helm." "Oh, Ensign," Micheal said to the departing ensign, "After you eat, make sure that your first shift watch standers relive the watch no later than 07:15. I want third watch to have a chance to eat before breakout." "Aye aye sir," The ensign replied, saluting as he started towards the ladder down to operations. Micheal returned the salute and settled down into the command chair, swiveling around until he faced forward again with the horseshoe of displays in front of him. He smiled to himself. 'All this money spent on giving me the information I need and I feel like I am in some giant game machine,' he thought to himself. "All I need is a joystick and I could be blasting aliens from the fifth dimension!