Prologue:
0934 hours, July 7th, 2371
This is the personal log of Admiral Richard Lawrence of the GTD Lazarus. I will be keeping these logs specifically for the new assignment our ship has. Command has informed me that our ship will be part of the scientific exploration of a new jump node. Details about the location and such are sketchy, but they did tell us what we would be doing. We will be escorting the GTSC Kasdan, the science vessel leading this operation, and the GTA Celeborn, which will be supplying AWACS for multiple purposes. With us will be the GVD Aswan, a Typhon class destroyer with a magnificent reputation, the GTC Emperor, the GVC Ismailia, and the GVC Rhulain. I personally look forward to seeing the Aswan in action.
Command doesn’t want anything bad to happen to their little science vessels, it would seem. I honestly can say that our planned convoy has enough firepower to take on anything. Maybe command only wants to scare off all chances of a pirate attack with our sheer size. Only an idiot or a full fledged army would even consider attacking a convoy of two destroyers and three cruisers. With AWACS support, no less.
I plan to brief the crew some time this afternoon in the hopes of catching them in a good mood. These kinds of missions rarely turn out to be more than a long venture into empty space that command assures us was totally necessary. I personally regret the boredom my crew will have to face.
This is Admiral Lawrence, end log.
0448 hours, July 11th
Personal log of Admiral Lawrence, commanding officer of the Orion class destroyer Lazarus. Command has officially briefed the convoy on their plans and the node. We will rendevous at the node, designated Node U83, at 0900 hours and commence subspace jump. After that, we’re mostly going to be on our own. The Celeborn will be conducting long range scans for planets and life while the Kasdan runs tests on the Celeborn’s results. The node is located in the Ikeya system, which means we will be relatively cut off from supplies. Our only reassurance is that the node is entirely stable.
On another note, due to our recent losses we have added a total of three new squadrons to our fighter bay. Two squadrons of rookies and the 193rd Bellmakers. Command’s thinking is that the Bellmakers can train the rookies with the time we’ll be spending out here doing nothing. I agree with their plan, and also to getting an elite squadron.
This will certainly be an interesting mission.
Lawrence, end log.
0925 hours, July 11th
Admiral Lawrence, personal log. We have successfully traversed Jump Node U83. The crew is in relatively high spirits as am I. We are one of the first to enter this new node and cannot help but feel excited. But, unfortunately, nothing else will happen for the next several weeks. So far there are no visible planets or other signs of life. But then again, we will be venturing 10,000,000 clicks in every direction around the node, so we might find something. The set end-date of this expedition is August 16th, but at my briefing command informed me that we will almost certainly be staying past that date. Therefore we will stay out here until the Kasdan and Celeborn have gathered what they think to be sufficient data. I can only hope they become bored easily.
I am needed on the bridge.
Admiral Lawrence, end log.
0923:54
Echo 2: Space is always quiet. It has no sound of its own. The only thing you can hear in your fighter is the hum of the engine. And even the hum is so hushed that it takes hours of silence to hear it properly. The click of your controls moving the wrong way is unwelcome to this silence. The silence that conquers all... The silence that-
Echo 1: Echo 2, cut it out. Your monologue is giving me a migraine.
Echo 2: Outrageous! An insubordinate draftee has interrupted my deep theoretical vocalizations!
Echo 1: It takes a special kind of insanity to not kill you when you’re like this.
Echo 2: Are you suggesting that I am unpleasant to listen to?
Echo 1: Fifty percent of the time, yes.
Echo 2: Unheard of.
Echo 1: I like that. What you just said? “Unheard of”? That would not sound terrific right about now.
Alpha 1: On behalf of Alpha Wing, I am requesting that both of you shut the hell up.
GTD Lazarus: Seconded. We can hear you guys too, you know.
Echo 1: Belay that order, Echo Wing. I can assure you all that before this expedition is over “radio silence” will be a distant memory.
Echo 2: One so far away that you will forget the meaning of the word and need a tutor to teach you the very spelling of it.
Echo 1: See? You CAN use your powers for good.
Echo 2: I thankest thee kindly, good sailor.
Echo 1: Alright, you just lost me again.
Echo 2: You have my deepest apologies.
GVD Aswan: We’re picking up a subspace disturbance from the node. Are you reading anything, Lazarus?
GTD Lazarus: Now that you mention it, yes. Attempting to identify source now.
Echo 1: Ahh, great. Looks like we’ll get some action in after all.
Alpha 1: What makes you say that?
Echo 1: Disturbances are always hostile wings, Alpha 1. That’s the first thing you’ll learn out here.
GTD Lazarus: Don’t be so sure, Echo Wing. Sometimes it’s...
GTD Lazarus: Picking up a wing of Maras entering the node. All fighters, intercept.
Echo 1: What was it you were saying, Lazarus?
GTD Lazarus: You’re bucking for a court martial, Echo 1.
Echo 2: Can I have one too?
GTD Lazarus: I... No... Yes?
Echo 1: Aww, look, we made him confused.
Echo 2: Indeed, very unfortunate.
Echo 1: Be sure to send him flowers, Echo 2.
Echo 2: Quite.
GTD Lazarus: Reading three Shivan cruisers coming through the node. Two Rakshasas and a Cain. All fighters, disengage. Our capital ships will handle this.
GTD Lazarus: All fighters, ignore previous orders. Two wings of bombers have just entered the node. Intercept.
GTD Lazarus: Two Lillith class cruisers have entered the node.
GTD Lazarus: Three wings of Dragons have entered the node.
GTD Lazarus: Two more cruisers have entered the node.
Echo 1: What the hell?
GTD Lazarus: Four wings of Maras... Three more Rakshasas... Five wings of Basilisks... A Sathanas just jumped through...
GTD Lazarus: Deploying wings Beta, Delta, and Gamma. Echo 1, you are in command of all wings. The Admiral needs to re-evaluate the situation.
Echo 2: Peculiar.
Echo 1: What?
Echo 2: It looks as though one of the Shivan fighter wings is jumping out.
GTD Lazarus: What was that, Echo 2?
Echo 2: Several Shivan craft are leaving the area.
Echo 1: Confirmed, a Shivan cruiser jumping out. Wait-
Echo 1: All of the Shivans are jumping out, Lazarus. More are entering as they leave.
Echo 2: Very peculiar.
Echo 1: It looks like-
Echo 1: Holy ****!
GTD Lazarus: All vessels, red alert.
Alpha 2: Oh my god. How many are there?
Echo 1: Countless Shivans vessels jumping in and out, Lazarus.
Alpha 1: What’s that green-
“There were no more communications involving fighter wings Echo, Alpha, and the Galactic Terran Destroyer Lazarus from 0925:30 of July 11th to 1120:00 of July 11th.”
The computer’s mechanical voice brought Lieutenant Commander Williams’ pacing to a stop.
The remaining ships of the Shivan armada traversing new node. Every communications hub in the Ikeya system failing to work for exactly thirty minutes. An entire convoy disappearing without a trace and only a single fighter remaining.
Williams was exhausted from all of his research. He had just spent four straight hours of delving into every fact related to the Node U83 incident and he still had a long way to go. Other GTI operatives were busy inspecting the site of the incident for traces of the convoy. And meanwhile Williams’ task was to investigate the possibility of it being an inside-job, which he was skeptical about. There was absolutely nothing to support any treason theories. But none the less his assignment was to test every possible angle.
He began pacing again.
“Computer, bring up the file of Logan Billing.”
“Insufficient data.”
“Flying Officer Logan Billing. Bring up his file.”
“Insufficient data.”
“He was the only survivor of the Node U83 incident. Now bring up his god damn file.”
“Insufficient data.”
Williams looked at his computer with an eyebrow raised.
“Computer, has there ever been a GTVA pilot with the name ‘Logan Billing’?”
“No.”
“Check civillian databases.”
“No matches found.”
“Search again with possibility for error.”
“No matches found.”
“Computer, activate my clearance codes.”
“Voice recognized, Lieutenant Commander Mark Williams.”
“Search for any reference to the words ‘Logan Billing’ in the entire GTVA database including communication logs, personal logs, privatized letters, all GTI files, and all SOC files.”
“Searching. Estimated completion time: One hour and forty-two minutes.”
“Notify me when the search is finished. I’ll be in my quarters.”
