R.S.S. Moonstone

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter One

Its Just Another Boring Mission

She was bored out of her mind. She was Lt. Commander Sandra Mathersit of the Republic Space Force, Task Force Seven, second officer of the aging R.S.S. Moonstone, all of thirty-some odd standard years of age and she sat in her ships Captain’s chair. Exactly as her Captain would be doing right now, had he been there, she was quietly reading one of the uncountable reports that were generated each day. Truthfully she was simply killing time while she waited for her Captain to return. Eventually her review of medical stores was interrupted by a soft, yet urgent voice. “Priority message waiting Mam.” It was young Lt. Huffman reporting from his, to him, brand new station. That would get old soon Sandra knew from long experience. Very, very old. Barely glancing towards her communications officer she gave a slight wave of one hand. It was all he needed to play the waiting message.

It couldn’t be anything life or death, as currently they were docked at Stronghold Three. Itself an aging station still fairly deep in Republic territory. She knew from the morning traffic report that an unexpected message drone had docked with the base several hours ago. More than likely this was something to do with its cargo. This deep into Republic space, whatever was coming in by message drone probably wouldn’t be that far out of date. A week, perhaps two if it was from Terra herself. Up to two months if it was from the frontier. She watched a small display mounted on the cocoon chair as a standard Survey emblem appeared on her scratched LCD surface.

“Matersit here, go your message” she told whomever was on the other side of that link. Almost instantly her Captains face replaced the emblem. “Hello Harry. What’s up this time” she asked. “You should be drunk or in some cheap dive. Or both. Not dressed to the nines like that” she continued before he could answer.

“Thank Admiral Harberson for my current deployment” her Captain, Harry H. Roberts answered. “And try to be formal when we’re at a Stronghold. You never know who’s listening. One of these days your going to get it right, and then I’m gonna die of shock.” He shook his head in false dismay. They were old acquaintances, older friends. An ancient time ago they had even been lovers, though it hadn’t worked out. He’d been Second Officer of the light destroyer Star Reach, back when she was a lowly lieutenant fresh from Academy issue.

“I’m sending supplies and sixteen more people over ASAP” he continued. “I already know its our life support max, and that it’ll stress our capabilities but this ones important. One of those smart assed little private scouts found another artifact drifting in space some months ago. A huge one this time. From what I’ve been shown its almost as big as a Stronghold. Task Force Vega’s been called away from the site, more ‘pirate’ troubles. Probably the Uralth feeling their oats again. Currently R.S.S. REDEMPTION is holding station alone. At least until we get there. Its only a light destroyer so times short on this one. We’re leaving as soon as the extra supplies can be gotten aboard. This artifacts a hot one Sandra. A real hot one. No way we want the Uralth or Moffel to get their hands on it. At least not until we know what it is.”

Sandra closed her eyes in thought. Max load meant things were going to be rough for their crew. A research ship of their class wasn’t all that big in the first place anyway. “Understood sir. Any idea on how long we are going to be alone out there?”

“Admiral says about three weeks after we get there, maybe twice as long I think. Could be a bit less with luck and a following wind. Task Force Dragon will be on their way, as soon as they pick up Stronghold’s message drone. They have the R.S.S. Imperium with them. She’ll take over research, leaving us to dump our extras with her then we get back on our original schedule. Isn’t it nice being the closest available ship?”

“I remember you mentioning that a couple times” she responded. “I don’t remember you being much happy about it at the time though.”

“I wasn’t, I’m not now” Roberts admitted. “I don’t much suspect you are either. A messenger is on his way with the details right now. Sandra, send him back will you? He’s one of the Admiral’s favorites. I don’t want you locking the poor boy up in your quarters like last time. I’ll be aboard as soon as I can, probably with the last loading shuttle. Things are kinda busy over here right now.”

“Understood. Until your aboard sir.” She cut the feed almost as fast as Roberts did. It was an old game with them, who could hang up on the other faster. Roberts was inhumanly fast so normally she lost. She’d lost again it seemed. Only the com tech would know for certain and even he was already way too smart to tell anyone. She pushed down a smile as she ran her Captain’s in-joke through her mind. No one would believe it of course, but it was based on ancient fact. Though she’d been married to the messenger in question at the time. That was long time, and an old death away.

Selecting the ALL SHIP channel from her command bar, Sandra worked over her words while the alert tone echoed its way through her ship. When it quit she closed her eyes again for a moment before she spoke. “This is the Second Officer speaking. We have just been given the short end of a very dirty stick. All personal are to prepare for immediate departure. Someone found something. We’re going out to look for about six weeks. Hang out all the extra beds people, their max loading us with scientists. Once we are underway I’m sure the Captain will tell you more. That is all.” She cut the feed while forcing herself to relax again. One thing her crew liked about their second officer was she didn’t hide things, didn’t sugar coat them and if she said ‘I can’t tell you’ you stopped asking. While Sandra waited for her ship to be ready she listened to the comm officer’s traffic. Right now he was busy tracking down crew who’d been given shore leave. That news would really be popular she knew.

Real popular.