Galaxy Corps Interactive Fiction: Near and yet Far

Beyond the Wall of Hope - Near and yet Far

Near and yet Far (14/04/00 )

Meanwhile, close to home...............

Aboard the heavy cruiser Sun Raptor

"Extended system scan complete, no sign of any debry, but there is an area of extreme tachyon build-up sir." reported the sensor officer.

"Hmmm, a time-space distortion? Nothing at all that relates to space debry, lieutenant?" Inquired General Alycron Sunclaw.

"Nothing in normal space..... the Multi-Phased Deep Scan Array is still processing data, it should be done in moments." the sensor officer reported.

"Fine, report when ready... communications? How are the sensor logs doing?" asked the General.

"Sensor log download is complete, we're running them through the computer and applying all scanmode overlays.... they're ready sir." The Comm officer reported.

"Excellent, prepare..." the General started.

Interupting, the sensor officer exclaimed, "General Sunclaw! Unknown ship entering system at hyperspace warp."

Worried, the General replied, "no one else knows of this location.... red alert, prepare.."

"Excuse me, General we are receiving a hail, its the Alliance sir, they request permission to dock and transfer personnel." interupted the Comm Officer.

"Acknowledge the hail..." the General looked around to see if anyone was going to interupt him again, "bring her on screen and prepare for docking."

The main view screen came to life, approaching at sublight was a heavy dreadnaught. The ship had a forward section triangular at the front and square towards the back, where it connected with the smaller central spire. The central spire was twice the length of the forward section, but only half its height and width. Along this spire were mounted (on pylons) large, double-barrelled plasma accelerators cannons. Eight on top (four on left, four on right), eight on the bottom, one lengthwise on left and right and two forward (left and right side of the forward hull). At the rear of the central spire is where the engine section connects with the ship. Built into the forward hull, on the underside, the ship mounted two large Mass Driver Cannons, as well as the main fighter/Mek bays. A massive ship armed for wars that never came to be and for a time that may have come to pass.

The Alliance dwarfed the Sun Raptor, a docking tube snaked outward from the massive hull and secured itself to the cruiser's airlock.

"One passenger disembarked from the Alliance, General. She sends safe journey and requests permission to release and warp-out." Reported the Comm Officer.

Alycron responded, "Signal all-clear and god's speed. Now who is this special passenger that they would send an entire dreadnaught to escort him?" As if I couldn't guess... he thought.

As if in answer to his statement, the translift door opened with a "woosh" and their guest stepped on deck.

A bridge security trooper snapped to attention, "Admiral on deck!"

With perfect military precision, the bridge crew snapped to attention. General Alycron just chuckled and shaked his head, "Somehow I'm always right about these things..."

"General Alycron, you almost looked happy to see me.... you're slipping in your old age." The Fenrir fox mused.

"Admiral Torvaine, I didn't see you there... all that gray in your fur blends in with these drab walls." They both grasped hands, "you old dog, come to take control of this operation eh?"

His expression hardened, "I came to find my boy Al, he never should have gone on that run..."

Pausing and with a downward glare, Alycron solemly repeated the hard words, "Tor, it's possible he could be...."

Interupting Torvaine stated "No, I would know... don't ask me how, but somehow I feel he is safe,"

To the surprise of the bridge crew, the General wholeheartedly accepted this as conclusive proof. "Well, we were just about to review the sensor logs of this listening post before you came in system. Lieutenant Brenn, let's have a look at those data tracks."

The sensor logs came on-screen and the events that lead to the Team's disappearance were displayed for all to see. It showed the Stealth Frigate's stealth system momentarily disrupted by an intense pulse from the neutron star. The battle and destruction of the frigate came into view and the General's Staff Secretary made notations for the letters to their families. Then the crossover sequence came up on the screen, the post's sensors clearly showed the Null space portal opening within and interacting with the Gyran carrier's warp bubble. The resulting explosion overloaded the visual sensors, but the remaining ones revealed the complete disappearance of all mass and energy within the blast's area. The space in that area was also shown to be extremely weak, an almost physical depression in the fabric of space.

"Hmmm, one would assume that the carrier and our drone were destroyed..............." General Alycron did not have time to finish.

"No, we can't assume that, I've arranged to have an attack squadron secure this system. We will have a hyperspace operational within a week. Until then, we go for the worst possible scenario, we'll move to VDS1 and advise them of the situation and report on the disposition of Ty and his team. Then we'll prepare.... Al, I do believe your right, but we must plan for an all out offensive. Now lay in a course for VDS1, Let's get to that last Wall of Hope.