Bret ran up to the pair. “All the command deck stations are out.”
A noise from the catwalk interrupted them. The door to the captain’s office was being pried open by a pair of hands. Julie ran out of the pit and helped to open the door. Both John and Doctor Myers emerged.
“What the hell is going on?” said John.
“We don’t know,” said Julie. “All the terminals went out simultaneously. We can’t get anything back up.”
“Computer, ship status,” said John, but he was met with silence as the computer didn’t respond. “Command deck to engineering.” Again, no reply. “Looks like the computer and internal communications is out too.”
“It appears the ship has dropped out of its jump,” said Myers, pointing to the windows. Sure enough, the familiar streak of stars passing by was absent.
“We need to know what’s going on,” said John as he descended into the pit and joined Alex’sis, Drix, Kevin, and Bret at the operations table. “Is there any way to get power routed to the table?”
“What about auxiliary power cells?” said Julie. “They’re standard equipment on the bridges of capital ships.”
“Auxiliary cells were built into all the terminals as backups to save space on the ship,” explained Alex’sis. “If power was lost the auxiliary cells should automatically kick in.”
“There’s got to be something we can use,” said John.
“The command deck’s emergency maintenance bot,” said Bret. “It has its own power supply.”
“Its cell yields a higher power output,” said Alex’sis. “But I think the table could handle it. Private Michaels, you and Lieutenant Jacobson pull the cell from the bot.”
Alex’sis got on her knees and popped open the casing on the side of the table, exposing the circuits. She crawled in halfway and began unhooking the connections to the table’s auxiliary power supply.
“Captain,” said Myers, who had his medical scanner out. “Life support appears to be unaffected. I’m showing no changes in oxygen or carbon dioxide levels.”
“Maybe the power loss is isolated to the command deck,” said Julie.
“Except that we’ve dropped out of faster than light travel,” reminded Alex’sis. “Engineering may have been affected as well.”
As Kevin and Bret opened the container holding the dormant maintenance bot, John paced around the pit.
“What the hell could have disabled the ship like this?” said a worried John.
“John Captain,” said Drix. “The disabling of a ship in this manner is not consistent with known Screen behavior. If it was them, they would have attacked PHOENIX by now.”
“Thanks for trying to ease my worries,” said John. “But the bottom line is we’re stranded in open space with no idea if anything’s lurking out there that might be responsible.”
“Is there any race that you know of that can disable a ship in this manner?” asked Julie.
“The Rifva have the ability to drain power from equipment,” said Drix. “However, it is limited to small devices and weapons. Their technology cannot disable an entire starship and I have never heard of them attacking other ships.”
“Here lieutenant,” said Bret, handing the bot’s power cell to Alex’sis. It took only a couple of minutes for her to connect it to the table’s power grid. As soon as she made the final connection the operations table lit back up.
“Good job, Alex’sis,” said John. His senior staff began bringing up status indicators to determine the ship’s condition.
“I’m not getting anything from any of the systems,” said Julie. “It looks like the entire ship is down.”
“What about the crew?” asked John.
“I can use the sensors to determine the status of the crew,” said Drix.
“Do it,” said John.
Drix calibrated the sensors to scan the ship’s interior. “I am detecting over 5,000 lifeforms, human and Aldarian. It appears Myers Doctor was correct; life support is still functioning.”
“So some of the systems did survive the power drain,” said Julie.
John was relieved that the crew was safe for the moment. “Check the local space, see if anything is out there.”
Drix focused the sensors outwards. “There is no ship or other artificial object within the vicinity of the PHOENIX.” Drix expanded the sensors further out and the table beeped. “John Captain, there is a Screen vessel 1.4 light years from our position.”
John’s heart jumped. “We need weapons and shields, now!”
“I’ve been trying to restore them,” said Alex’sis. “But I can’t get them back up.”
“John Captain,” said Drix. “It does not appear the Screen is alerted to our presence.”
Julie checked the data. “He may be right, captain. The vessel is moving away from us at an angle sixty degrees at one-half sublight speed.”
“What about the hyperdrive and…” Before John could finish his sentence, power was restored to all the terminals and the lights came back on.
“Engineering to command deck,” came the voice of Professor Donavin over the speakers. “We’ve restored the main power grid.”
“I’m showing all systems up and running,” said Alex’sis.
“What happened?” asked John.
“Some modifications to the hyperdrive created a power surge in the grid,” said Donavin.
“What modifications?” asked John. He didn’t recall anything about work being done to the hyperdrive.
“I will have a detailed report for you within the hour,” replied Donavin nervously.
“One hour, professor,” said John. “Command deck out.”
“Captain,” said Julie. “Weapons and shields are fully operational. We can go after the Screen vessel.”
“No,” said John. “Until we know this won’t happen again I won’t risk taking the ship into a firefight. Kevin, plot a course opposite the Screen’s heading.”
“Yes, sir,” said Kevin as he went back to his station to navigate the ship away from its location.
“Captain, we may not come across another Screen vessel for quite some time,” said Julie. She didn’t necessarily disagree with his reasoning not to pursue, but she felt she was obligated to remind him of the obvious fact.
“I know, it’s a chance we’ll have to take,” said John. “Drix, can you head down to engineering and see if you can help?”
“Of course, John Captain,” said Drix.
“I’ll head to medical and see if there are any injuries that resulted from the shutdown,” said Myers.
“Thank you, doctor,” said John. “Lieutenant Brandus, I want a complete diagnostic evaluation done on all systems. Prioritize the weapons and shield systems first.”
“Yes, captain.”
As Professor Donavin promised, he delivered his report within the hour to John up on the command deck. Julie was with the pair in the captain’s office and read the report first. She was disturbed by its contents and worried about John’s reaction once he read it.
“Are you kidding me?” said John as he put the DAT down. “What were you thinking making these modifications?”
“I was trying to improve the hyperdrive…,” started Donavin.
“Wait!” interrupted John. “Who even authorized you to tinker with the engines?”
“No one, captain,” said Donavin. “I took it upon myself to make these changes.”
“Changes that caused a complete surge in our main power grid and subsequent shutdown,” said John. “Your actions stranded us within proximity of a Screen vessel.”
“I didn’t anticipate the power grid would be affected,” said Donavin.
“Of course not,” said John, the anger in his voice clear. “You went ahead and did what you wanted to do, like always.” Donavin was about to protest, but John held his hand up. “I’m tired of your excuses. You refuse to learn from your mistakes, and this time you put the entire crew at risk. I won’t let your lack of common sense endang
er us any longer.”
John got up from his desk and approached the professor. “You’re relieved as head of engineering. Mr. Ecerson will take your place. From now on you’ll work as a technician in that department.”
“You can’t do that,” said Donavin. “I designed those engines and know the systems better than anyone. Ecerson doesn’t even have a doctorate, he’s not qualified.”
“Ecerson helped you design the engines and is just as capable of working on them.”
It was Donavin who was now angry. “You’ve been waiting for this, a chance to get rid of me.”
“Careful, professor,” said Julie, seeing him lose his temper.
“Be glad I’m willing to allow you to work in engineering at all,” said John. “I can always assign you to general maintenance.”
“I’m supposed to be grateful?” said Donavin. “People are right, you have no intention of completing our mission.”
“That’s enough, professor,” said Julie.
“Don’t you see it, commander? The captain doesn’t want to find the Screen, he wants to keep us out in space forever and rule over us.”
“You’re confined to quarters for the next two days,” said John.
“You can’t control me,” said Donavin as he stormed out of the office. John raced right after the professor.
“John, don’t!” said Julie, but he didn’t listen. The situation was spiraling out of control.
“Professor, you will report to your quarters,” said John. Everyone on the command deck looked up to see what was happening on the catwalk.
“Or what? You’ll shoot me?”
“It’s obvious you cannot handle your emotions,” said John, remaining calm as a captain was supposed to. “Roberts to security, report to the command deck and escort Professor Donavin to his quarters.” He looked at the professor. “Don’t make me put you in the brig.”
“Admiral Johnson was a wise man,” said Donavin. “But he made a mistake selecting you to command this ship. You have no intention of finding the Screen.”
Two security officers emerged from the lift and approached the pair.
“Now I know where you stand,” said John. “And I’m sorry you can’t see what I’m trying to do.” He looked at the security detail. “Take the professor to his quarters. He’s to remain their under guard for the next two days.”
“Professor,” said one of the guards taking him gently by the arm. The professor gave John one last disparaging look before leaving with his escort.
“John,” said Julie from behind him. “Are you ok?”
“I wish it didn’t come to this,” said the young captain.
“I don’t think there’s anything you could have done,” said Julie. She could tell John was upset because a member of the crew had lost faith in him. “I’ll inform Ecerson that he’ll be replacing Donavin as head of engineering.”
“No, I better do it,” said John.
Donavin didn’t say a word to his security escort as they walked to his quarters. As soon as he was inside, he heard the lock mechanism engage on the door. He looked around, unsure of what to do. Two days, a long time to be confined.
“Computer, open engineering file Donavin Alpha.”
“Unable to comply,” said the computer.
“Why not?”
“Computer privileges have been suspended for Professor Donavin by order of Captain Roberts.” So the captain intended to isolate him for the next two days.
“It seems the captain no longer values your engineering expertise,” said a distorted voice. Donavin looked over at the living room monitor and saw it was displaying a shadowy figure.
“Word’s already gotten around what happened to me?”
“Not quite,” said the mysterious host. “Let’s just say I always know what’s going on the ship.”
“What do you want?”
“The captain now knows you’re not his ally. We’ve lost an advantage.”
“I couldn’t stand by and not say anything as Roberts continued to sabotage our mission,” said Donavin. “Besides, he and I were hardly friends. I was never going to be privy to any special information.”
“And those powerful words you said to him have cemented the line you’ve drawn between you.”
“I know you said we have to work behind the scenes, wait for the right time to remove him from command. But if we wait much longer it could be too late.”
“What are you proposing?”
Donavin took a seat on the sofa. “I don’t know. But after what the captain did to me, I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to get rid of him.”
“Even if it means killing him?”
“As long as he’s in command he’ll keep PHOENIX in space indefinitely,” said Donavin. “Eventually, either the Screen or some other alien race will destroy us. I’ve worked too hard on this project to see its dream die. Whatever it takes, John Roberts must be removed as captain of the PHOENIX.”
TO BE CONTINUED….
The adventures of the TXS PHOENIX will continue in
PHOENIX IN CHAOS
To learn more about the author visit
www.goodreads.com
Phoenix Among The Stars (Exodus) Page 25
