Turn 1: Orders are orders
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:45 pm
Date: August 14, 2189
Time: 09:30:00
Location: Orion’s Belt, Alnitak System Alnitak is a triple star system in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the three main stars of Orion's Belt, along with Alnilam and Mintaka. The primary star, Alnitak Aa, is a hot blue supergiant with an absolute magnitude of -6.0 and is the brightest class O star in Earth’s night sky. Colloquially called Alnitak A, it is itself a close binary, comprising the stars Alnitak Aa and Alnitak Ab. The third star, Alnitak B, circles the other two stars in an orbit of over 1500 years. Alnitak Aa is roughly 33 times as massive as the Sun, with 20 times the diameter. It is about 21,000 times brighter than the Sun, with a surface brightness some 500 times greater. It primarily emits ultraviolet rays that are not observable by the human eye.
The May and the Heimlich coasted into the outer limits of the system. Nearly a month had passed since they took off from Capua. Those who were already awake took the time to open the cryotubes and soon everyone aboard was conscious. The full compliment of the USS Heimlich ate a meal together in the mess hall and then scattered to do various activities. It was still a number of hours before they would reach the system.
Ensign Patrick Yu sat on the bridge of the Heimlich. The bridge on a stealth craft of the Heimlich’s designation couldn’t hold more than four crew in tight quarters. Nevertheless, Yu was accompanied by two flight personnel and two Marines. Sergeant Major Sykes and Staff Sergeant Morse stood at awkward angles, discussing various contingencies with the Ensign who was nominally in command of the Heimlich.
“Sir, the May is sending signals in our direction. Shall I pick up the hail?” asked Seaman Daryl Stark.
Glancing at the Marines, Ensign Yu replied, “Go ahead.”
“USS Heimlich, this is Lieutenant Nelson aboard US Cutter ‘May,’ do you copy?”
“Copy, Lieutenant.”
“We picked up a hail from a friendly destroyer. I’ll send it your way.”
Danny Sykes smirked with second-hand pride, knowing that whatever vessel had picked up the May had not picked up the stealth fighter.
“This is Commander Zimmerman of the USS Higgins, Destroyer Class. US Cutter, identify yourself and proceed to the coordinates attached. You are hereby ordered along with all consort and crew to assist in the defense of Gaia Station from an unknown terrorist vessel. You are now under my command until further notice.”
“Well, let’s go tell the others to get ready,” said Sergeant Major Sykes. He picked up the intercom and ordered all crew to join him in the armory. The room wasn't large enough to fit the normal crew, and the addition of a dozen more people made for tight quarters indeed. Sykes did his best to relay the situation to everyone aboard, with the help of Morse. Basically, they had been superseded by some US Destroyer and now were ordered to help with a terrorist attack on a local space station. Once he was done with the vague briefing, he asked for questions.
Time: 09:30:00
Location: Orion’s Belt, Alnitak System Alnitak is a triple star system in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the three main stars of Orion's Belt, along with Alnilam and Mintaka. The primary star, Alnitak Aa, is a hot blue supergiant with an absolute magnitude of -6.0 and is the brightest class O star in Earth’s night sky. Colloquially called Alnitak A, it is itself a close binary, comprising the stars Alnitak Aa and Alnitak Ab. The third star, Alnitak B, circles the other two stars in an orbit of over 1500 years. Alnitak Aa is roughly 33 times as massive as the Sun, with 20 times the diameter. It is about 21,000 times brighter than the Sun, with a surface brightness some 500 times greater. It primarily emits ultraviolet rays that are not observable by the human eye.
The May and the Heimlich coasted into the outer limits of the system. Nearly a month had passed since they took off from Capua. Those who were already awake took the time to open the cryotubes and soon everyone aboard was conscious. The full compliment of the USS Heimlich ate a meal together in the mess hall and then scattered to do various activities. It was still a number of hours before they would reach the system.
Ensign Patrick Yu sat on the bridge of the Heimlich. The bridge on a stealth craft of the Heimlich’s designation couldn’t hold more than four crew in tight quarters. Nevertheless, Yu was accompanied by two flight personnel and two Marines. Sergeant Major Sykes and Staff Sergeant Morse stood at awkward angles, discussing various contingencies with the Ensign who was nominally in command of the Heimlich.
“Sir, the May is sending signals in our direction. Shall I pick up the hail?” asked Seaman Daryl Stark.
Glancing at the Marines, Ensign Yu replied, “Go ahead.”
“USS Heimlich, this is Lieutenant Nelson aboard US Cutter ‘May,’ do you copy?”
“Copy, Lieutenant.”
“We picked up a hail from a friendly destroyer. I’ll send it your way.”
Danny Sykes smirked with second-hand pride, knowing that whatever vessel had picked up the May had not picked up the stealth fighter.
“This is Commander Zimmerman of the USS Higgins, Destroyer Class. US Cutter, identify yourself and proceed to the coordinates attached. You are hereby ordered along with all consort and crew to assist in the defense of Gaia Station from an unknown terrorist vessel. You are now under my command until further notice.”
“Well, let’s go tell the others to get ready,” said Sergeant Major Sykes. He picked up the intercom and ordered all crew to join him in the armory. The room wasn't large enough to fit the normal crew, and the addition of a dozen more people made for tight quarters indeed. Sykes did his best to relay the situation to everyone aboard, with the help of Morse. Basically, they had been superseded by some US Destroyer and now were ordered to help with a terrorist attack on a local space station. Once he was done with the vague briefing, he asked for questions.