Story:Star Trek - Infinity - Ghosts/Prologue



2409 - Freightership Resilient

I scanned my control pad and watched the familiar lights flash across its screen. I glanced through the translucent window at the star-filled night sky; wishing I could leave this asteroid belt and go back to home to my family. But alas, I needed the minerals contained inside these space rocks to provide for them.

My thoughts were interrupted as a dot appeared on my pad’s screen. ‘What in Saldavea is that?’

I tapped a button on my pad and a channel opened over the comlink. “Sarto, did you just get a blip on your sensors too?”

There was a pause, then the voice of my first mate responded, “Roger that, captain. And I can see something outside too.”

I replied, “What does it look like?”

Sarto responded, “Well, it’s blue, and it’s got this weird translucent sort of appearance. It looks a bit like…sir I think it’s a planet.”

My eyes narrowed. “That’s not possible Sarto; you know as well as I that there isn’t a single planet for lightyears. It’s gotta be an asteroid or something.”

Sarto replied, “No sir, it’s too big to be an asteroid; and it’s getting closer!”

I activated the rear monitor, and saw with amazement that Sarto had been at least half right; whatever it was, it was getting closer. In fact, it was picking up speed. I could make it out more clearly now; it was a dark glowing blue shade, with a ghostly hue that surrounded it. Perhaps it was a fragment of a nearby blue sun? I tugged the controls; whatever it was, we had to get out of its path.

The voice of Alzo, my engine-worker came over the comlink. “Sir, we’ve been pulled into its orbit!”

I replied, “Can you boost power to the engines?”

Alzo responded, “I can’t sir, that thing is generating a massive gravitational pull!”

I replied, “All personnel, get to the escape pods!”

I moved away from my console, and exited the room. I soon met up with Alzo and Sarto, as well as our onboard nurse, Jilina. We entered the two escape pods, and I gave the word to jettison.

As our pods were launched away, I watched with awe as the hurling blue thing came ever closer; it was looking more and more like a planetoid now.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Alzo’s voice came over the comlink. “Sir, our pods are being pulled into the same gravitational field as the Resilient, we can’t break free!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The freighter dipped its nose as it entered the atmosphere of the blue mass, and I watched in horror as the second pod followed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nurse Jilina turned to me, her eyes filled with terror. “What are we going to do?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I held her hand and squeezed it. “It’s gonna be okay.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Warning lights flashed, and the voice of the computer spoke aloud, “Warning. Hull pod integrity exceeding safety limits.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I closed my eyes, and Jilina screamed as the pod burned…