Mayday

Mayday

I.

Mission time:  Day 45, 0700 hours. The spaceship "SS Steel Joseph" is exploring the outer reaches of Alpha Centauri.

Inside the Captain's quarters, the Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander  Theodore Black meets with the Skipper of the boat - Captain Thomas Pope.  

"So there it is.  No re-supply.  Where's the justice in that?" Pope says.

"There is no god, therefore there is no re-supply."  Seeing his joke, did not go over well, Black replies, "The Centre says, 'It's simply not possible.' At least not for a few days."

"They said that three days ago."

"We are behind schedule seven days, Skipper.  But they have emphasized with great emphasis the importance of the information you are sending back Captain."

"I will talk to them.  Is that it then, Ted?"  The Captain gets up

"No sir."  Black pulls out a manila folder.  "There's the Angel affair."

"We have been over this Commander."

"Sir, its a question of discipline.  We cannot have technicians missing movement especially in essential missions such as these.  Justice must be swift to be effective."

"This will be the last time.  We discuss this  Lieutenant Commander.  Pending a full Medical review, Space Technician Michael Angelides is on rear detachment at Roosevelt Flats."

"But he has no more leave saved up."

"No one in his chain of command supports your prosecution of Angelides.  Let me ask you something.  Angelides is a propulsion mechanic.  Do you want to entrust the ship's propulsion to twenty two year old kid who delivered his still son?  Do not bring this up again.  That is an order, do you understand Lieutenant Commander Black?"

II.

1000 hours.  Black enters the bridge.  

The Helio Physics Officer Ensign Bartholew Childers reports, "It's interspace phenomena that we do not have enough data to assess the danger."

"What is it?"  Black demands.

"As I was explaining to the Captain, Commander, the sensors are picking up highly magnetized particle nebula."

"Your science experiment have to do with our mission.  Proceed on present course."

The Chief of the Boat, a salty man vested into middle aged named Salvador Pike snapped, "That is not your decision."

Captain Pope interjects, "This particle nebula will intercept our current heading for Alpha Centauri Beta B."

Childers states, "We may have to abort the mission to avoid the particle nebula."

"We can't just wait it out?"

The Captain states flatly. "You know our supply situation better than any of us.  The Wilson Station 4 is 2 parsecs away.  It would take months to reach us."

"The Scientific consensus states Particle Nebulas will in no way harm satellites. It will not harm us especially with its double hull construction.  If we abort this mission the Centre will want more than answers.  We must proceed forward." 

Childers interrupted, "So what happened to the crew of the Stanislaw?"

"Do you always coat insubordination Ensign Childers with oddball conspiracy theories or is this improvised ejaculation a special indulgence?"

"That's enough!" Captain Pope bellows.  "The Uncle Joe is a good ship."  The words 'good ship' alarm the men on the bridge. "The Centre wants results."  The Captain eyes Black speciously.  "Compartment 9, ready the engines on course heading "227 degrees, angle 45 and sustain that heading at point double six parsecs at point sub-warp six."

The Helmsman, Petty Officer Third Class Sigmund Charon responds, "heading "227 degrees, angle 45 copy."

Over the intercom, Lieutenant Gaius Wheeler reports back, "Engines at point sub-warp six in 5, 4, 3, 2 . . . "

Collision.

The collision rattles the ship sending smoke on the bridge.  The Chief of the Boat takes over firefight responsibilities, he and two technicians squelch the fire.

Pope: "Charon reverse 180 degrees angle 225."

A second collision.

The intercom reports, "Damage to reactor one.  Shutting rector one down."

A third collision knocks out Commander Black.

III.

Black out.

Black wakes up in the infirmary.  He sees a pistol on the table.  Then the medic, Petty Officer Second Class Donald Reed patches him up.

"XO, you have  a mild concussion."

"Where are we?  Where is everyone?"

"You have been out for a few days."

"Answer my question Petty Officer!"

Petty Officer Second Class Donald Reed looks at the the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black.  Then Captain Pope's voice comes over the intercom, "Petty Officer Reed, we need you in the bridge."

"Excuse me Commander."

The XO, Lieutenant Commander Black sees the pistol is no longer there.  He waits and waits but the doctor doesn't come back.  He steps out of the infirmary and searches the ship.  No one is onboard. Every compartment he enters he sees the pistol and when he confirms its there, it's gone.  He tries hailing Headquarters dubbed "the Centre."  No luck.  He tries to control the ship by himself but the meteors have damaged the thrusters. The ship is adrift.

He hears a voice of some of the crew in whispers.  The Captain calls the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black and asks for a report over the intercom.  the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black checks in but the Captain can't hear him report.  the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black sees the gun.  This time he picks it up.

He hears the InterSat radio break squelch and he moves to the communications console.  The SS Vladimir is hailing.  the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black returns the greeting.  But the Vladimir can't hear him but they report that she and the SS Catherine Parr are 0.1 parsecs away and closing to the Steel Joseph's Keplar coordinates.  He is happy then a hand grasps his shoulder, firm and hard.  He turns and a corpse falls at his feet.  It is the emaciated corpse of the Chief of the Boat, Master Chief Pike.  He cannot recognize the corpse except by his nameplate.  

He looks across the bridge and the technicians at the stations are all dead much by the same means.  He screams and then he hears the Captain hailing him on the intercom.  The Captain is yelling him and telling he has to get a hold of himself.  the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black asks the Captain if he can hear him.  He says of course, he can hear him.  the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black asks what happened to the crew and why are they all dead, what did they die of?  The Captain refutes that and that they are all fine and healthy.  When the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black looks again, the corpses are gone.  He asks where are the men?  The Captain says they are all in the ward room celebrating their scientific conquest and invites him to join them.

The XO, Lieutenant Commander Black enters the ward room and sure enough the crew is there gorging itself on food and drink.  Everyone appears in good spirits and happy.  The captain congratulates the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black and informs him that he is recommending for a commendation and early promotion for recommending his bold action.  Hr eats and enjoys himself and everyone is toasting to him and back slapping him.  He says weakly that he is just happy to see the crew, alive and happy.  Then he sees the medic  eat raw meat like a dog.  Then men start fighting amongst themselves for portions.  The food is the corpse of the young ensign.  The crew are no longer healthy men anymore but zombie starving to death.  He shoots his pistol at them.  After 3 shots, they are all dead.  He leaves the ward room and hears.  "We're coming to get you. We're coming to get you."

Finally he sees with open eyes.  The crew all of the crew is dead and died at their battle stations having starved to death.  He sees the air lock.  Light.

IV.

The Captain of the Vladimir asks the investigating officer what happened to the Steel Joseph.  The Investigating Officer states that the ship had been adrift for 3 years having been damaged by meteors from the Storm Nebula.  Without the ability to move or communicate, with the crew died of starvation.  the XO, Lieutenant Commander Black came out of a coma and shot himself.

The Captain of the Vladimir tells him to finish his report and have it on his desk by close of business today.