• “Silva”

    CHAPTER 1

    0800 Hours/ Military Calendar: September 24, 2584/Talmia-Sydenian System/ Just outside of human controlled space.


    “Find anything yet, Lieutenant” Captain Howard asked.
    “No, sir, not yet” Lieutenant Silva said. “We are about 307 light-years away from Gamma-12 now; which is also 307 light-years outside of human-controlled space.”
    Charles S. Silva was a ‘Get along with everybody’ sort of guy with a cavalier sense of humor. He had a 4-year-old child, Joseph, who was at home with his wife, Crystal. He had a knack for getting into trouble for careless things. Sometimes, Silva would find himself accidentally letting out crude comments about his superior officers, who were usually hard-core soldiers, that didn’t seem to like people at all. They would then walk up to him and stare him down with soul burning glares as though they would enjoy seeing him be tore apart slowly, limb by limb.
    Apparently, he was blessed with some sort of talent, which many of his fellow soldiers could never understand. He always found some sort of statement to say that would lead the officer to laughter, who would then let him off with a warning for the rude comment. He cherished that ability more than any of his others.
    “Well, keep looking.” Capt. Howard replied. “The AEMI is going to want to know if we find any new inhabitable planets and also any extra terrestrial life. They’re not going to want to know that we found nothing on our search; this voyage cost the AEMI millions of dollars.” He smiled and added, “If we find something good for them they’ll find something good for us; so keep on looking, Lieutenant.”
    “Aye, sir”, Silva said with a new tone of inspiration in his voice.
    Capt. James M. Howard, the commanding officer of the EMDC frigate Ghosts of the Fallen, was one of the Earth Military Defense Corps’ best tactical geniuses. He had gray hair with small bits of black left in it; he was 52 and getting older.
    He planned on retiring in a few more months and would go to Erinia, one of the most beautiful and luxurious planets in the human colonies. It is filled with many tropical islands with beach resorts where he and his wife would spend the rest of their lives in relaxation.
    If it were not for his hair, he would look quite young. He had the athletic capabilities and the build of some of the younger, healthier marines and had a calm, patient, and high-spirited attitude.
    He had joined the military at the age of 24 as an Ensign; happily doing his job and implementing his duties everyday for the past 28 years. He had prospered greatly since he began his life as an EMDC Naval Officer. He had slowly worked his way up the ranks all the way to Captain of one of the greatest vessels in the galaxy, Ghosts of the Fallen.
    Ghosts of the Fallen was his pride and joy. It was 3 kilometers long and was one of the strongest and most efficient EMDC vessels in the human colonies.
    The Administration of Earth’s Military Intelligence had stated that any planets in the human colonies that break away from the superior powers of Earth’s government would have to surrender and have EMDC soldiers sent to the planet to maintain governmental order or they would forcefully make them surrender by capturing the superior leader of the planet or by unleashing a hellish attack on their military defense until they surrendered.
    Howard had been in many of those missions, 34 to be exact. He, his ship, and his crew were very widely known by EMDC and other military forces. He was an inspiration to many soldiers- a living legend. He thought nothing of it; it was only because of the love he had for the human race to maintain order so they wouldn’t fall apart.
    “Ensign Ming”, he said, “how much power do we have left on those engines?”
    He wanted to save as much energy as possible so that if what he dreaded most were to happen, that he didn’t find anything interesting and useful to the AEMI, that they would still have enough energy to get back to Gamma-12 and report their unsuccessful journey to the Administration.
    “82 percent, sir”, she replied.
    Ming was an attractive young lady with shoulder length black hair who loved warfare amongst EMDC and opposing frigates in large military space battles. That was her profession; helping the commanding officer of the large, vicious, and elegant vessels destroy the enemy with as minimal damage to their own ship and their surroundings as possible.
    She had been with Capt. Howard ever since she had become an officer. She wouldn’t prefer it any other way. Howard was fond of her skills in space combat, so he always had her on the upper decks where he and many other skilled officers worked. He would always put her on different stations, though. One battle, she’d be on weapons duty, then the next she’d be on navigation, or ship power, and many others. She didn’t mind it. If anything, she enjoyed it. It proved to Howard that she was skilled, dependable, and capable of many things.
    She hoped one day he would finally let her take command of the ship for a battle or two so she could show him just how skilled she really was. Then she would eventually become the Captain of her own ship; she would call it The Elegant Beast. She would be the best tactical officer in the galaxy.
    She laughed at the thought and continued her work, typing many different numbers, letters, and codes on her station display monitor’s holographic keypad at 136 key presses per 3 seconds.
    “Lieutenant Graham”, Howard said, “What’s that status on our weapons inventory?”
    He was already supposed to know that. The rest of his crew on the upper decks knew this as well, but they didn’t care. It hadn’t occurred to him that he hadn’t checked everything before they set forth on their journey. He was stressed out about what the AEMI might do with him if he were not to return with anything worthwhile; which could be anything they wanted to.
    “It’s a Captains’ duty to know everything about your ship all the way down to the tiny scuffmark that one of your soldiers had made with his boot while walking along the metal flooring the night before.”
    At least, that’s what Rear Admiral Anderson had told he and his fellow officers when they were being tested for Captain; the superior commanding officer of an EMDC frigate. Three out of thirty officers that were tested managed to make it to Captain and he was one of them. However, Howard only cared for the important information about his ship, such as engine power, navigation, weapons inventory, and the other essential information to keep his crew and himself alive, not scuff marks.
    “We have twenty-five Javelins ready for takeoff on the Air Pad with all four of our High-Velocity Mass Launcher turrets charged and ready to shoot when ever instructed to. We have thirty Thorn Missiles, two reconnaissance probes, and five Space Mines to destroy any five enemy ships that come in to close on our position,” Lieutenant Graham replied, almost running out of breath because he took no time to breathe while listing the inventorial items.
    “Very good, Lieutenant”, Howard stated with a small grin on his face, “Just make sure you breathe next time before you die from lack of oxygen.”
    “Yes, sir”, Graham replied attempting to hide his embarrassment.
    Graham was a young Lieutenant with blonde hair and blue eyes. Many EMDC female soldiers found him quite attractive. He would flirt with the female soldiers often and every now and then he would get himself into trouble when a superior officer found out.
    Although, he was also the best weapons managers on Ghosts of the Fallen. He always made sure before they’d embark on any mission that he’d retrieve all the necessary weapons supplies from the EMDC to ensure their safety so they would be able to live to fight another day. Capt. Howard would occasionally forget to do some things before they set sail on missions; it was usually up to him to get the supplies.


    The Last Stand was floating slowly through space behind Ghosts of the Fallen, about three hundred meters. It was a tad bit smaller, although, it was just as efficient. It was one kilometer long; it had the same amount of HVML turrets but held less Thorn Missiles and Javelin close combat space fighter ships. To make up for its lower weapons supply, its small size allowed it to travel a lot more evasively and weave in and out of enemy turret fire.
    Captain Marissa R. Sanders sat in a reclined seat in her private HQ. She had black hair down to her shoulders that glimmered like the sun around Earth’s solar system. She was the age of 46, but acted as though she was still in her twenties. She was a stubborn, hardheaded woman who lived to get her way.
    She was still a very attractive woman and appeared much younger than her current age. It annoyed her immensely on how much the younger soldiers would try to “hit on her”, as the less mature would say, since they didn’t yet know of her age. Although, it did boost her self-esteem knowing that so many young men thought she was still beautiful.
    She smoothed out the wrinkles in her white skirt and sat back down, pushed her glasses further back on her nose to where they were touching her face, and continued her research.
    She was studying the Talmia- Sydenian star system; the human colonies had only inhabited five planets out of the entire system, and the rest was all unexplored space.
    She was reviewing some of the reports from Gamma-12 of the uncharted parts of the Talmia- Sydenian system. They stated in their report that they had seen many strange non-human made flashes of light that looked nothing like comets or meteors. It also couldn’t have been an EMDC frigate; Gamma-12 was farther out west in human controlled space than any other human-inhabited world and 153 light years away from any other EMDC military instillation or human colony. They believed it to be extra terrestrial life.
    She laughed in disbelief. The AEMI and close to every other EMDC soldier believed in extra terrestrial life. To her it seemed highly illogical; since she was so stubborn she believed that humans were the only life forms in the whole universe. There had to be some sort of logical explanation for it. It may have been a strange radioactive star that could have self-destructed. There are many possibilities, though; extra terrestrial life just couldn’t be the answer.
    “Why would there be any “aliens” now in this time?” She felt like that word was used only by the unintelligent. If there had never been aliens in the history of humanity, why would there be any presently? Besides, the photos and reports made of unearthly beings from the 20th and 21st centuries were all just hoaxes. Humanity had still found no other life forms nearly 500, almost 600, years later.
    She knew they were going to find no sort of “unearthly beings” and felt that the fellow officers on Ghosts of the Fallen should stop wasting their time and look for the things more important to the EMDC, especially since Capt. Howard was so worried about no valuable information being brought back to the AEMI, such as finding inhabitable planets for the human colonies to live on or new energy sources.
    She sat back, trying to rid herself of these insane reports and thoughts, grabbed her Styrofoam cup of warm coffee and took a sip.
    She stood up with her coffee in hand and stepped out of her “off limits” room and walked back to the control room of the ship.
    “Any sign of something worthwhile Cochran”, Sanders asked impatiently.
    “Unless space dust and pebble size rocks are important, then no ma’am”, Lt. Cochran replied wearily. “We haven’t even spotted an inhabitable asteroid field.”
    Lt. Cochran was an impatient woman who had short brown hair and green eyes. She was very dedicated and did what she had to until instructed to stop. She loved astronomy; star systems had always amazed her, but this one hadn’t so far. Her energy and patience wearing thin, she grabbed her bottle of energizing water, full of energy supplements and essential vitamins and minerals, which was designed to keep soldiers from becoming drowsy, took a swig of it, and set it back on the dash board of her navigation sector’s console. It was very careless of her to set it there, for if it were to fall over it would fry the system of the navigation controls and cost the EMDC hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair it, leaving the ship without a ‘map’, as well.
    “Lieutenant Delray, put Capt. Howard on the view screen”, Sanders commanded with partial anger in her voice.
    “Aye, ma’am”, Delray said immediately.
    Lt. Walter A. Delray had a brown-haired almost shaven head; he was always responding to and completing any task almost instantly. He had also always been quick about everything else. Even in his school years back on Nordanta in the Erdentary- Jerraminus system, he would always be the first to turn in each and every assignment.
    “Did you miss me already Captain”, Howard said jokingly.
    “This is not a joking matter, Captain Howard”, Sanders snapped, “We have been out here in the eastern side of the Talmia- Sydenian system for two whole weeks now and we haven’t found anything but space dust. By the time we may finally find something we will have already become space dust ourselves. There is nothing out here. We should just head back to Gamma-12 and report our expedition to the AEMI so they will know that they don’t have to worry about the eastern side of the Talmia- Sydenian system and that they’ll just be wasting they’re time.”
    “Sorry to burst your bubble, Captain, but I have strict orders from Rear Admiral James Albertson himself to locate something useful in at least three weeks before deciding to turn around and mope back to Gamma-12 without an amazing find. Unless something catastrophic occurs then we need to be out here for at least four more days. Believe me, Captain, I want to go home just as much as you do, but orders are orders; we just have to obey them no matter how exhausting, boring, and tiresome they are.”
    “So we have to put up with this for four more days?” She sighed and took another sip of her coffee and said contentedly, “Well, as long as I have my coffee, I guess I could last through this last week of boredom. That is if we don’t find anything, which I am really hoping we do. We need some excitement. Thank you, Capt. Howard, Sanders out.”


    The view screen went blank and Capt. Howard sighed. He too wanted to turn around and go home, but like he told Sanders, orders are orders.
    “Let’s just hope we find something worthwhile before we all die of boredom”, he said, laughing a bit.
    It was quiet on the deck and even throughout the whole ship it seemed. The darkness of space didn’t seem to help it either. Even with his high-spirited attitude it didn’t seem to help enlighten him.
    “Ensign Sporeli”, Howard said snapping out of his thoughts. “Get me Master Chief Petty Officer Statlin; tell him to report to my private HQ.”
    “Aye, sir”, he said. He set the speaker mode on his station’s control system and pulled out his microphone from its resting spot beside his communication monitor.
    “Master Chief Petty Officer Statlin, report to Capt. Howard’s HQ immediately,” he said over the intercom. “I repeat, Master Chief Petty Officer Statlin, report to Capt. Howard’s HQ immediately.”
    “He should be on his way, sir.”
    “Thank you, Sporeli”, he said and walked off the bridge’s command station.
    At least this walk gave him something to do. Although that’s not the reason he ordered MCPO Statlin to his office. He wanted to speak to him, just give him simple orders, but he also had to do something in his office that he couldn’t do in the command station. All the command station officers would be able to publicly view it; it was classified information with a “Commanding Officer’s Eyes Only” label on the files. Only he and Capt. Sanders could view it.
    He arrived at his private office whilst MCPO Statlin arrived. He entered the ten- digit code on the door and it slid open. He sat down in his seat and waved Statlin in. The doors slid and locked shut behind him. Virtually, nothing can get through those doors when they’re locked. Not even a single dust particle.
    Statlin walked in and saluted. “Master Chief Petty Officer Zane L. Statlin reporting as ordered, sir.”
    Statlin stood 6 foot 5 inches and had dark- brown shaved hair. He was a hardcore marine, he was strategic and thought before taking action, and had a calm mind. He was also a very understanding person. Besides his combat skills, his good authority, and using his rank to the fullest, he wouldn’t be considered a “hardcore” marine. He was a very kind- hearted human being and didn’t have any enemies or rivals. He was able to get along with anyone because of his caring and unpretentious nature.
    Capt. Howard stood, returned the salute and they both dropped their arms in unison.
    “Sit down if you want to, Chief”, Howard said.
    Statlin looked at the standard “Enlisted Soldiers” seat. The “enlisted soldiers” called them the HUCs, “Hell’s Uncomfortable Chairs”. They were just bare metal seats that were squared on every corner and edge.
    He was just about to sit down in the HUC when Captain Howard halted him and said,” Never did like those darn things. Sit in that chair over there.”
    He pointed to a chair in the corner that was exactly the same as his. A reclining function, heat adjustment sensors that adjusted to your comfort, and was bedded with layers of comfortable, soothing padding.
    He grabbed the chair, pulled it up to Capt. Howard’s desk, and sat in it. Even with all the luxuries of the seat he still sat with his back straight up, not even touching the back of the chair, as though an enlisted should when in the presence of a superior. He waited for the completely relaxed Captain to speak as the temperature adjusted in both of their seats for maximum comfort.
    It was the most luxurious and comfortable thing he had ever sat in. He thought it felt like heaven in the form of a chair and couldn’t help but to slowly lean his back against the soft, warm leather.
    Captain Howard propped his legs up on the desk and said,” Feel free to do the same if you wish, Chief.”
    “I’m grateful for your offer, sir, but I’m content with the way I am right now, thank you.”
    He didn’t want to get too comfortable. It seemed as though he would be disrespecting his superior commander by accepting every comforting offer that Captain Howard gave him. He was already overstepping his boundaries.
    “As you know, Chief, we have been out here for two whole weeks now and have discovered nothing so far. How are the other soldiers doing? I’d like to give them the same comfort as you and I are receiving right now.”
    “They’re doing fine, sir. They’re marines. They can endure it. It’s a hell of a lot better than getting shot. Although, it would feel pretty good right now to be on the front lines of the battlefield; the incessant traveling with no action is lowering the morale of the soldiers.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that, Chief. However, I’ve got plans for you and your soldiers that I’m pretty sure they’re going to like. I have a feeling that something may happen soon. It may not be today or tomorrow but I keep getting a feeling that something is about to happen. Get your men on standby just in case something does happen.”
    “Aye, sir. Will do”, MCPO Statlin replied inspirationally with excitement in his voice that wasn’t there before.
    “You are dismissed, Chief.”
    Master Chief Petty Officer Statlin stood up, pushed his seat in, and snapped a crisp salute. Capt. Howard returned the salute, they dropped their arms simultaneously, and MCPO Statlin marched out of the room, the doors slid shut as soon as he left the room.
    “Now”, Howard said exhaustedly,”Let’s look at these files.”
    The files stated the reports that Gamma-12 had supposedly seen. Strange unearthly lights, extra terrestrial life; how far do they think the lights they had seen came from? He searched the paper for a distance. There it was, in italicized text to emphasize how close they managed to find out with their advanced sonar technology, it can move 10 light years pear second, they found out that it was quite close to human controlled space; roughly 390 light years away from Gamma-12. How far had they drifted since he had last checked; they had already been 307 light years away from Gamma-12.
    Would they finally stumble upon extra terrestrial life? Would they finally have reached something worthwhile? This would be the biggest breakthrough of all mankind. A new form of life that they could possibly communicate with and find out their cultures and technology, it could be a revolutionary breakthrough for their own technology, as well. That is if they are willing to share it.
    Then another thought occurred to him. What if they weren’t looking for friends? What if they were hostiles to the human race? If they did have more advanced technology they could easily obliterate them and the human colonies.
    He stood up and marched quickly out the room leaving the papers on his desk and the seat left back away from the desk instead of being pushed in; the door closing swiftly yet quietly behind him.


    Master Chief Petty Officer Statlin walked into the enormous room where all the marines had gathered to play cards, gamble, show off their muscles by performing different exercising maneuvers, sleep, talk, and whatever else a bored marine could find to do while there was nothing to do.
    “Get up all you lazy good for ‘nothins”, Statlin yelled over the microphone by the front of the room next to the door entrance.
    One thousand marines all stood at attention in the place they were doing their activities in and turned towards the entrance.
    “We finally got ‘somethin to do”, he said with a grin on his face.
    A thunderous roar of HUAs fell upon the room that could be heard throughout the entire ship.
    “Alright, knock it off”, Statlin said tranquilly, but with authority, to regain everyone’s attention. “Everyone, get your gear on, grab your ammunition, your grenades, your guns, and man your originally assigned positions.”
    Hundreds of marines scattered grabbing their supplies they needed, strapping on their gear, and hustling to their positions as a quake of footsteps shuddered the thick metal beneath them.
    Soldiers ran to the launch bay and started the engines of their Javelin close combat fighter ships as others ran to their stations just in case something were to come aboard that shouldn’t.
    MCPO Statlin hoped Capt. Howard knew what he was doing and wasn’t just wasting their time; that would obliterate the marines’ short jolt of high spirit and their feeling of importance on this journey. He looked around at all the commotion, sighed satisfyingly, and said contently to himself, “Just like it should be.”


    Captain Howard arrived at the bridge and walked over to Lt. Silva and asked,” How far away are we from Gamma-12 now?”
    “We are about 382 light years away from Gamma-12”, Silva said then added,”And now… 383.”
    Get me the exterior view screen, Lieutenant”, he said with a bit of nervousness in his voice.
    A view screen popped up in the front of the bridge. It showed the Talmia- Sydenian system. All that could be seen was the blackness of space and millions of stars.
    “Ensign Ming”, he said with the same tone, “how much power do we have on those engines?”
    “90 percent, Captain”, she replied apprehensively.
    Good. If there were hostiles then they would have enough energy to escape.
    “Silva, how long would it take us to drift to these coordinates right here?”
    He pointed to the navigation monitor on point three two zero by five nine four. It was the distance that Gamma-12 claimed to have tracked the strange light source to, 390 light years away from Gamma-12.
    “About two days, sir, with respect, why that exact location?”
    “Sorry, but it is classified information for the superior officers only.”
    “Ensign Ming, how much energy would it take to make a slipstream jump to this location?”
    He uploaded the coordinates to her side navigation map.
    “Probably… 9 percent, sir”, she replied. “Do you want me to initiate a slipstream jump?”
    “Standby”, he said. “Ensign Wellington, get me Captain Sanders on the view screen.”
    “Aye, sir. View screen coming up.”
    “Hello, Captain Howard, nice to see you again”, Capt. Sanders said on the view screen. “What news do you have for me?”
    “Look at your navigation pad and tell me what you think about going there”, he said.
    On the NAV pad it showed point three two zero by five nine four. A random place to go to, to make a slipstream jump there would be strange as well- only 7 light years away.
    “Why this specific-“, she stopped and paused remembering the course coordinates that Gamma-12 had tracked the strange light to. She pondered the thought; this could finally be something interesting. It’s not an alien life form, but it could still be something interesting.
    “Well”, she said willingly,” I don’t see any point in not trying.”
    “I’m glad you agree, Captain”, Capt. Howard replied with a more calm voice than earlier. “I would suggest readying your marines, weapons, and whatever else you might need for warfare. I have a feeling that something might happen there.”
    “You can’t be serious, Howard”, she argued in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’re actually afraid of extra terrestrial life? It doesn’t even-“
    “I already know what you think of alien life forms, Captain Sanders” Howard replied, cutting off her sentence.
    “Although, we can’t take any chances lest there is a threat in the range of those coordinates. Now rally up your soldiers and tell them to man their positions, I was put in tactical control over this mission and directed by the AEMI to direct orders to any one on our voyage when lives could be at stake. You’re one of those “anyone”, he said decisively.
    She held in her rage and attempted not to argue with him. She realized again what Howard had said before, “Orders are orders”. Besides she was too exhausted to argue anyways.
    She put off her anger and replied with a quick “Yes, sir.” And the view screen went blank again.
    Lt. Silva said aloud,” I hope you know what you’re doing, sir… with respect”.
    The paranoid Captain looked out the two-story sized window and quietly said “Me too, son. Me too.”


    CHAPTER 2

    1100 Hours/ Military Calendar: September 24, 2584/Talmia-Sydenian System/ Just outside of human controlled space.


    Captain Sanders walked over to Lt. Delray and said,” Announce on the intercom that all soldiers need to man there positions and get whatever they need before they do so.”
    “Attention all personnel, grab all needed supplies and head to your positions. Once there, make sure that you are secured. We are going to make a slipstream jump soon. I repeat, all personnel, grab all needed supplies and head to your positions. Once there, make sure that you are secured for the slipstream jump.”
    “We should be all set, Captain”, Delray said.
    “Ensign Pundory”, Sanders said, “Weapons status, now.”
    “We have twenty Javelins, four primed HVML turrets online, fifteen Thorn missiles, two reconnaissance probes, and three space mines.”
    It’ll have to do, that is, if there is any alien activity. If so then the Ghosts of the Fallen may be of better use to them than Last Stand. Unless evasive maneuvers are helpful, Last Stand may have to depend on Ghosts of the Fallen to help them survive.

    Sergeant Major Kevin H. Scarlett was rallying up his troops and putting them in their positions. In the Javelins, in the Launch Bay in case something makes its way in there, in the corridors of the frigate, and anywhere else a marine could fit and be effective in combat.
    He always wanted tactical control over the whole area before going into battle. That way, they could be on the offensive but at the same time they’d be on the defensive.
    He was a black male with a strong chin, and was one of the strongest and most muscular marines in the EMDC. He was a rock solid, bad to the bone, hardcore marine and tactical ground-based combat genius. “Sergeant Stone” is what his fellow marines called him, because of his heart of stone toward the enemy. “Why give ‘em mercy if you can give ‘em hell?”
    That was his motto. It never failed him either; some of his fellow marines had picked up and followed that motto as well. It didn’t really make much sense; as long as something sounded violent, it was all right by him.
    He’d never lost a fight. He would run into the battle first to lead his troops. Another motto he had was “It’s better to die first than last.” It was much better to die for your squadron to save their lives rather than to let your squadron die for your life.
    He was an inspiration to many marines- he, too, was a legend, but not a space legend, a ground legend.


    The two behemoths gently drifted through the never-ending blackness of space, nothing but fragments of asteroids and distant stars could be seen in the icy cold depths of the Talmia- Sydenian system.
    Captain Howard stared at the blinking point on the NAV pad of course three two zero by five nine four, deep in thought.
    What if there really is nothing out here in the eastern side of the Talmia-Sydenian system? What if there is something out here? What if that something is otherworldly beings? Would he be bringing him and his fellow soldiers to the greatest discovery in human history or would he be bringing them all to their Talmia- Sydenian graves? So much weight is on your shoulders when you’re in charge.
    “Sir, permission to speak freely”, Ensign Ming asked as she walked over to where Howard stood beside the monstrous window; portraying all of space and its wretchedness.
    “Permission granted, Ensign”, he replied averting his gaze and coming back to consciousness. “What’s on your mind?”
    “Sir, you know how I am when given less information on a state of affairs than others know. Is there any possible way you can tell me at least something on the current situation”, she begged.
    “Ensign Ming”, he replied contemptuously, “you should already know that I can’t give away classified information.”
    The disappointed Ensign quickly snapped to attention, knowing that she had asked for more than she should have, and said with remorse, “Sir, yes, sir. Please forgive me for exceeding my bounds, sir.”
    Howard stood there hesitantly then replied, “I’ve broken so many regulations in the past two weeks than in my whole life just because I know that the AEMI don’t know everything we’re doing. He shook his head, placed his hands on the sides of his skull, and exhaled deeply as he started rubbing his temples with his index and middle fingers, trying to demolish his headache.
    “I guess there’s no point in trying to follow the rules now. Sure, I’ll tell you, but that’s only because I trust you more than anyone else on the ship. This must be kept on a need to know basis, understand, Ensign.”
    “Sir, yes, sir”, she responded admirably.
    “Lieutenant Silva, where are we from Gamma-12 now”, Capt. Howard asked.
    “Well, my fine but now very confusing Captain”, Silva remarked lightheartedly, “We are 383 and eight tenths light years away from Gamma-12, at this current time.”
    “Glad you still have the spirit to joke around, Lieutenant.”