ATLAS AEROSPACE FINDS

THE STAR DIAMOND

by: Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Atlas Aerospace © Mr. Terency Owens

"Captains Log; Stardate 920505.15, Terry Hatcher commanding. Approaching Earth Orbit and home. Time for a little vacation."

"Terry" Mimi called from the Science Station. "We are being scanned, Z+23.21 X-30.01 Y-45.5."

Terry glanced at Mimi and smiled, then turned back to Casey. "Put whatever it is on screen ok?" he asked.

Casey flipped a few switches, the screen shifted and settled to a new area. "Nothing showing Terry. Are you sure something's out there Mimi?" she asked.

Mimi fine tuned her controls. "Oh darn, its a scout sensor, their at least half again further than our best scanner system can even see" she reported.

Terry looked thoughtful, then turned again to Mimi. "Interesting Mimi, lets go take a look shall we? Casey, Warp six, bring us in close, less than ten thousand Kilometers."

The ship changed course and moved forward suddenly, easily reaching the requested position.

Mimi frowned. "Its gotta be there, but there's nothing" she says.

Casey looked up at the screen, turned a dial. The area in question magnified. "What about a cloaked ship" she asked.

Mimi scratched her head. "No, not even the expected energy bleed of a cloak. Its there, were still being scanned although not a very intrusive scan. By now they know our ship type, weapons, and energy output. Yet their doing nothing offensive."

"Shall we close or run?" asks Terry.

Mimi looked back in the scanner and made a decision. "Warm up the weapons just in case, then close. This is interesting."

Casey reached over to another section of her station, flipping switches. "Missiles ready, Plasma warming, ready in ninety seconds. Shielding now at full. We go in Terry?" she asked.

"Bring us in another 3,000 klicks, then hold. Maybe we found a skittish friend." he answered, leaning forward as if doing so would show him what is there.

The ship moved, then coasted to a stop.

"Holding position, engines on standby for a quick reverse, all weapons holding ready. Wanna dial 'em up Mimi?" asked Casey.

"Atlas Voyager to unidentified vessel, we come in peace. Please Respond. This is the Atlas Voyager on a peaceful contact mission. Unknown ship please respond." Mimi listened for a few seconds then turned to Terry. "No answer Terry, what now?"

"Well, I guess we wait...uh oh" he said.

On the screen a large warship began to fade in.

"Casey, get us out..." he started.

"Two more behind us, shield five & three. Rum-Ulan Flamehawk class. Weapons show ready but we are not being painted." Mimi looked at Terry & Casey. "Not that they’d need to at this range. I think we are a tad bit out gunned here."

"Atlas Voyager, this is the Science Ship Star Diamond. Please power down your weapons and we will begin peaceful contact. If you decline to power down your weapons we request that you leave the area or you will be fired on" came over their ships radio.

The three look at each other... "Science Ship Star Diamond?" asked Casey. Mimi turned back to her scanners. "Library reports no Star Diamond active. Last ship to use that name disappeared one hundred and ninety years ago, presumed lost." She looked up at the other two. "It was a private ship" she finished quietly.

Terry sat back down. "Well, we're out gunned but they don't want to fire. Lets power down and see what happens."

The girls looked at each other. Mimi, unseen by Terry, mouthed 'Is he out of his flipping mind?' to Casey. Casey shrugged and powered down the weapons, except for the missiles.

Moments later a small freighter popped into existence less than two thousand kilometers from the Atlas Voyager. "Ok boys, thanks for the assist and take care" come over the radio. As the three watch they are amazed to see the warships de-rez. "They weren't real" exclaims Mimi. The screen flickered, then showed the interior of a well warn command deck. Looking into the camera was a small female snow leopard. Behind her floated a silver/grey sphere. She grinned into the camera. "Hi people, how’s tricks" she asked. "My name is Snowaters and ...uhh... " (she looks around in a conspirator way then continued in a stage whisper) "Wanna be friends?" Seeing their reactions she smiled, giggled then started laughing so hard she fell out of the command chair and off the screen.

Casey looked at Terry and in a dry voice asked. "Launch Missiles?".

Mimi laughed, "At a Science ship with full fleet scout capabilities? Don't waste the ammo, they would never get there. Use a baseball bat."