ATLAS TELAMON
STARDATE 06.05.25
FIMBULVETR
“We’ve lost contact with the Landing Party, Lady,” the green, insect-like Navigator reported. He was covering Science Duties in addition to his regular responsibilities since the Science Officer joined the away mission with High Captain Edda. Two thin, long antennae popped out of his forehead.
“Last known location, Sage?” the Lady of the Stars asked. She appeared as an elderly woman with grey hair.
“The Northern Polar Rift,” Sage answered. He feared the worst because of Polaron-III’s harsh, unforgiving climate.
“Pygmy, keep trying to raise them,” the Lady of the Stars said to her Communications Officer. The mouse sized Lemur nodded, repeating constant hailing attempts to the Away Party.
We knew this would happen, the Lady of the Stars thought to herself. Yet I still have a bad feeling about this. I don’t like the idea of the Landing Party being on their own without support from the Atlas Telamon.
“Lady, I’m picking up three starships on long range sensors,” the Tactical Officer reported. She was a strange, mushroom-like creature that moved about with six long tentacles. “Their course will take them parallel to Polaron-III and our current location.”
The pregnant First Officer looked worried. “Can you identify the starships?”
The mushroom creature moved three of its tentacles over its console. It carefully examined the readings. “Yes, Lady. Confirmed. The lead starship is a Beholder Neo-Invader. It is flanked by two Sphinx Servitors. The Beholder is running deep scans of the area.”
The Lady of the Stars, a beautiful, young woman with long, golden hair, looked at her Chief Engineer, who was standing beside the Captain’s Chair. Stump was a short, stocky being about four feet tall, with three legs, three tentacle arms, two mouths, and three eyes. Stump’s three eyes grew large at the mention of Neo-Invaders.
“If we do nothing, that Beholder is sure to notify others,” Stump said to the Lady of the Stars. Before you know it, we’ll have a Neo-Invader Fleet on our hands.”
“Any yet we are supposed to remain here, waiting for word from High Captain Edda and his team,” the Lady of the Stars replied with concern in her voice. “If we move quickly, we might be able to dispatch the Beholder and its Guards before they can send a transmission.”
Stump rubbed his chin with one of his three arm tentacles. “Risky…very risky. We would be leaving the Away Team defenseless on the planet. The Beholder might also try to run, leading us further away from Polaron-III and into a trap. The safest bet would be to stay here and hope the Landing Party returns before a Neo-Invader Fleet arrives.”
The pregnant First Officer considered her options. She was certain the Atlas Telamon could destroy the Beholder and its twin Sphinxes. The question was: how quickly could she do it? It was at times like this that the Lady of the Stars wished she had a Cloaking Device. She imagined what High Captain Edda would do in this situation…
“Sage, keep careful track of our distance to Polaron-III. I want the Atlas Telamon to remain within two hours distance of the planet at all times. Keep me constantly posted and warn me if we are moving beyond range.”
“Nug, plot an intercept course. Maximum Warp. Time is critical, so push the Telamon’s engines for all she’s got.”
The floating gasbag with dangling tentacles acknowledged the command and activated the Warp Engines. A loud revving noise grew louder and louder throughout the Unity Battlecruiser.
“Stump, your place is in Engineering. I will be in communication with you from here. Go quickly, my friend.”
“Pygmy, Jam all their Communications,” the Lady of the Stars instructed the mouse-sized Lemur sitting near to the Captain’s Chair. “Make sure they cannot send a Distress Call out.”
The Lady of the Stars, now an elderly woman, addressed her Tactical Officer in a crackling voice. “Chanterelle, go to Red Alert. Raise Shields. Charge Phaser Capacitor to Maximum. Begin arming the Photon Torpedoes. Prepare to launch a Tachyon Missile. Charge the Energy Howitzer. Get two Suicide Shuttles ready to launch.”
Within her wrinkled skin and underneath two sagging eyebrows, the Lady of the Stars’ blue eyes twinkled, a strange shine coming over both orbs.
“LET’S GO TO WAR.”
