I hope this is up to my older stuff, I may be out of practice.
Chapter 4: The Hopeless Fallen
System: Beta Aquilae(Delta Serpentis jump node)
May 18, Year 2371, 9:57 hours.Bridge: GTD VegaSimms looked down at the terminal, while keeping a slight eye on the crew stations below him. He grimaced as he pulled up the latest report.
OPERATION COUGAR MET STRONG RESISTANCE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE BACK RIBOS. EARLY ESTIMATES INCLUDE TWO DESTROYERS, TWO CORVETTES AND A CRUISER WERE DESTROYED WITH AN ESTIMATED 40,000 DEAD WITH MANY MORE INJURED. ATHORS FORCES ALSO TOOK HEAVY DAMAGE. NOW REPORTS ARE COMING IN THAT SEVERAL DESTROYERS HAVE REBELLED TO JOIN ATHORS FORCES IN ALTAIR. OTHER FORCES MAY BE REQUIRED TO ASSIST IF NEEDED.
GTVA COMMAND(SECTION IV)
The situation was rapidly heading toward another massive civil war, one far greater than the NTF Rebellion as Athor was a very powerful and persuasive man. Then he pondered that information Hanley had told him earlier. What exactly was Hanley leading to?
"Incoming jump signature"
A tech said.
Simms watched as the Adrastos class heavy cruiser exited subspace to join the assembled forces guarding the Node. So, the stand off continued. Simms just couldn't shake the loss of his pilots and the crew of the Flawless. All those crewmen sacrificed. But, he swore to himself, he would see them vindicated.
Chapter 4: The Hopeless Fallen(Continued)
System: SOLPike put his hands over his eyes. He was exhausted. His fellow pilots and himself were taken on board a frigate and interrogated for at least three hours it seamed to him. He lost count on how many times he had recounted all that has happened since the Great War. He briefed them on the GTI Rebellion and the Second Shivan Incursion into Allied Space, and he had no doubt his fellow pilots had the same treatment. He rubbed his head, even though it was bandaged up, it still was quite painful and he was still slightly dizzy from the slight concussion he suffered.
A knock at the door.
A man obviously a lesser officer walked through the door.
"You have been cleared. Come with me please."
Pike stood up, he then realized how bad his muscles ached. He walked around the officer only to find Heirden and McKinley waiting with the another crewman. They too looked both emotionally and physically drained.
"Where are they taking us." Pike asked in a whisper.
"I don't know, they haven't told either one of us anything. Nothing at all for that matter." Heirden answered.
"Please follow me." the officer said as he flicked his hand.
A few minutes and an elevator ride later, they arrived in the small hangar they had landed in only to find scientists and pilots looking at their fighters. But, that was not their concern. They were directed to a Hermes shuttle, and after they were seated, the craft raised up off the surface and pulled away from the frigate.
They could see it would be a short trip as the craft immediately turned toward the large vessel. The ship was so large it had deployed the frigate after it exited subspace. Pike watched out the glass as the ship grew larger. It was un-like anything else he had seen. In fact, it looked as someone had put a number of designs together to create this monstrosity so that it was more like Frankenstein than a ship at all. But, as they neared it was easy to tell it was a formidable vessel, full of gun emplacements including what appeared to be massive cannons very much like what appeared on naval battleships many hundreds of years ago.
"Command would like to know about this." Heirden said quietly.
However, Pike's attention was now on the cavernous hangar now in front of the Hermes. Even from this distance, he could see the hundreds of fighters on multiple decks.
The Hermes pulled into the hangar. Pike watched as both crewmen and pilots stopped and watched the craft, "watched them" float slowly toward an empty space.
McKinley tapped on the window glass. The older fighter pilot grinning as he pointed toward a wing of fighters.
"Valks. Those were the first fighters I ever did fly."
"What are those?" Pike asked as he pointed to another wing of fighters.
"I don't know, never seen that class before" McKinley responded.
It was obviously based on the Hercules class, not as sleek as the Hercules Mark II he was familiar with, but just as formidable. His attention shifted as the Hermes set down on the hangar floor. The guards stood as the metal doors opened. Pike put his hands on the frame as he stepped out. The whole hangar was dead silent, all eyes shifted to the men. Pike watched as man wearing the blue garb of a high ranking officer approached.
"Welcome aboard the Galatea. Colonel Hood pleased to make your acquaintance."
He shook the pilots hands in succession.
"Please come with me, there is much to be discussed"
Hood motioned with his hands and begun walking.
"Galatea.... I've heard that name bef..." Heirden whispered.
"Orion class, destroyed by the Lucifer in The Great War." McKinley spoke up, almost speaking the name with reverence.
Walking through the massive hangar, they were under constant watch from all crewman and pilots.
"Inviting bunch, huh" Pike whispered watching the expressions of the crew.
"Well, after being isolated from the rest of the GTA from thirty plus years, they have reason to be." Hood spoke up, his voice monotone.
Pike looked at Hood, as they continued to walk, and noticed the hearing aid behind his left ear. They entered the elevator, guards standing at the entrance saluted.
For what seamed to be minutes the elevator traveled. Heirden watched out the single viewport as they traveled along the great vessel.
"Magnificent, isn't she" Hood spoke softly.
"Thirty-two years of engineering, fifty thousand crewmen."
Pike opened his mouth.
"All questions will be answered in due time" Hood spoke, obviously expecting Pike's question.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Guards outside saluted. They walked down the hallway, toward a door. Hood pressed the intercomm.
"Sir, the pilots from the GTA"
"Enter"
The door opened to reveal private quarters. The room was well lit, there a man sat at the desk his face behind the computer monitor.
The man, in his late fifties early sixties Pike guessed, looked up at them them. He smiled.
"Welcome aboard this excellent vessel" He spoke with a grin on his face stood. Pike could see he wasn't a very tall man, somewhere in the range of five foot, ten inches. He walked around his computer desk and as shook Pike's hand.
"Admiral Jacobs"
Pike couldn't help but see all the medals and awards he wore on his uniform. Triple Ace, Gold Cross, but a certain patch caught his eye, it was tarnished slightly, but still the emblem of the 242nd Suicide Kings stood out among everything else.
"Yes, pilot of the Galatea under Admiral Wolf, and to this day the Orff was nothing but a piece of scrap" Jacobs laughed.
Pike completely stunned nearly saluted when Jacobs waved him off.
"Long time ago, my friend." Jacobs grinned as he sat and motioned for them to do as well.
"I think this would be a good time to answer some questions and to ask some of my own. The smile on Jacobs face disappeared.
"We are pilots of the GTD Veg.." Pike spoke but was interrupted.
"I mean no offense, but I already know that information from the transcripts of your interegation" Jacobs said.
"Perhaps if you ask your questions first, we could get on the same level."
Pike sat silent for a second then spoke.
"Maybe you could explain this vessel and it's purpose"
"Ah the Galatea, Well after we destroyed the Lucifer, we found that jump node back to allied space had been cut off as you also know. Well, to begin with we didn't have a clue what to do to get back in contact with Command. Well while our scientists tried to study the first recorded collapse of a jump node, the science ship Hope's Call found something very interesting."
Jacobs opened a file folder and handed Pike recon pictures. His blood went cold as he stared at the images, and Jacobs saw it.
"You have seen this before"
Pike looked up.
"I have sir, these images match the devices known by the codename Knossos. They are subspace gat....."
"We know" Jacobs spoke.
"That is how you got here my friend. That device appeared mysteriously after the destruction of the Lucifer, why it wasn't detected before we do not know. But, we have re-engineered it to create Pyli, our subspace portal to reconnect us to the allied systems. The device has been active for close to a month now, but by all means far to hazardous to cross, at least until you and your fellow pilots flew through it. Now all science ships have recorded it is now stable and safe for travel."
"Is the Knossos activated?" Pike inquired.
"No, even though we were able to reverse engineer it, it is far to complex to activate."
"So how did we make it though the node?" Heirden asked.
"Our scientists have debated, but have concluded whatever device you claim was built in Delta Serpentis somehow stabilized the node."
"So, what now sir?" Pike rubbed his chin.
"We re-establish the prodigal son with his father." Jacobs gave a small grin.
"And of the rebels on the other side of the node?
Jacobs smiled.