H.M.S. MARY ROSE
STARDATE 09.20.24
MITOSIS
“Report!” Captain Grenville said loudly as he entered the Bridge of the Mary Rose and took his Command Chair. A triangle on the wall flashed red as it beeped loudly, indicating Red Alert status. Captain Grenville focused his gaze on the View Screen. The Mary Rose was speeding forward, stars racing by quickly.
“We have arrived at the source of the Distress Call,” his First Officer reported. “A Gallia Heavy Cruiser, the Segomaros, is under attack by three unknown vessels. Each is the size of a Destroyer and employs technology never seen before. Clearly visible on each of the vessels is the image of a Blue Eagle.”
The Science Officer continued. “The Segomaros has suffered significant damage to her Shields, but no internal damage. She has launched her two fore Plasma Torpedoes and has just turned so that she can launch her two aft Plasma Torpedoes. The Plasma Torpedoes are concentrated on one of the three unknown assailants. They will impact in five seconds.”
“What is our time to intercept?” Captain Grenville asked his Navigator.
“One minute, fourteen seconds, Sir.”
The Segomaros won’t survive until then, Captain Grenville thought. His brow crinkled as anxiety slowly creeped down his spine. He wished he could change the laws of physics.
“The first two Plasma Torpedoes have struck the center assailant,” the Science Officer reported. “No damage. Some kind of Shield has ‘swallowed’ the Plasma Torpedoes. I have never seen the like. Running scans now to gather more data.”
A second passed. “The second two Plasma Torpedoes have vanished in a similar fashion, Captain.”
“The three unknown vessels have launched a counter-strike. Three missiles composed of an unknown energy type. The projectiles are traveling faster than a Plasma Torpedo.”
That’s not possible, Captain Grenville thought. Nothing can exceed the speed of a Plasma Torpedo. Captain Grenville stared at the missiles that appeared to be composed of space and stars.
The Segomaros turned desperately to bring her two aft Phasers to bear on the incoming Seeking Weapons. Beams of light shot out, but had no effect on the Starry Missiles. As a last resort, the Segomaros launched a Shuttle acting as a Wild Weasel to distract the Missiles. The three strange Missiles continued to home in on the Segomaros.
Captain Grenville couldn’t believe his eyes.
“The three inexplicable Missiles have struck the Segomaros! They have penetrated her Shields as if they were only made of silk webbing. The Segomaros is now in Critical Condition, Captain. She’s barely afloat.”
“Time left to intercept? We’ve got to get into this fight!”
“Thirty-four seconds, Captain.”
Suddenly, the three unknown attackers bearing the symbol of a blue eagle turned and began to move in a direction away from the Segomaros. In the next instant, they were all gone.
“Wha…?” Captain Grenville exclaimed. “A Cloak?”
“Negative, Captain. I am detecting no trace of Cloaking Device emissions or particles.”
“Why didn’t they finish the Segomaros, Captain?” his Communications Officer asked in a confused voice.
“A probe,” Captain Grenville replied, his fist clenching. “They were scouts collecting data, testing our defenses to see how formidable we are. It appears they were the smallest of those who threaten our region of space. The actual assault force is still to come.”
“There’s no way each of our individual empires can resist this foreign threat by ourselves.”
“WE MUST ALL HANG TOGETHER, OR ASSUREDLY WE SHALL ALL HANG SEPARATELY.”
