Voyage of the Acasta

The Andromeda Galaxy Part I

 The Command Bridge

The command bridge of the Acasta was a symphony of blinking lights and soft beeps, starkly contrasting the chaos that raged outside its hull. Captain Helena Voss sat in the Captain's chair, her eyes reflecting the storm's fury as she navigated through the cosmic tempest. First Officer Darius Kael and Navigator Lysander Choi were seated on both sides. Helmswoman Nyx Phobos sat at her console with sweat on her brow anxiously awaiting the next instruction, each of her movements precise and deliberate.

"Steady as she goes," Captain Voss commanded, her voice the calm within the storm.

"Yes, ma'am," Nyx responded. She had been training for moments like this one, but reality had been nothing like the simulation. "I'll get us through."

The bridge crew held on as the ship shook violently. The hull groaned around them. Voss felt a bead of sweat run down her forehead, but her expression remained impassive.

"Damage report," Voss said, her tone even.

"Hull integrity at 95%, minor damage to decks 3 and 5," the engineering officer replied.

"Good," Voss said. She looked around the bridge, her gaze landing on First Officer Darius Kael. She saw his hand gripped tightly on his armrest, his jaw clenched, "Not afraid of a little lightning are we?" she asked.

"Of course not," he said, his expression unreadable.

Voss watched as a bolt of lightning streaked across the viewport, illuminating the bridge.

"I've seen worse," Kael said.

Voss thought he was bluffing. She only barely managed to keep it together herself. This was one of the worst celestial storms she had encountered. She looked down at Phobos a perfect statue in her chair. Turning to Choi he was also just as steadfast. What training did they put these two through?

Licking her lips she could taste the salty sweat on her face. "How much further Choi?" Voss asked.

"It's hard to say, Captain. The storm's making it difficult to get a fix on our position."

"Well, you'd better hurry up and get us out of here. I don't know how much more the ship can take," she replied.

As if on cue, another bolt of lightning streaked across the void. It struck the Acasta's shields, causing them to flare brightly. Voss couldn't place it, but something felt off about the lightning. It was to frequent, it's strikes we to consistent.

"She is a good ship, She'll get us there?" Choi answered.

Voss couldn't help but notice the doubt in Choi's voice. The line sounded rehearsed. As if on autopilot. She had similarly rehearsed lines, and when you had a crew the size she commanded. You tended to recognize the falsehoods.

"Helm, how long until we're clear of the storm?" Voss asked.

"I really can't say...Captain," Nyx replied, fumbling on the formality. "But if we can just hang on a little bit longer..."

Suddenly, the sound of the alarms cut through the bridge. The lights flickered, and the crew braced themselves as the Acasta shook violently.

"What's going on?" Voss demanded.

"We just lost power to engines, we're...stuck," the engineer answered, face turning pale at the news.

Tala was going to be pissed about this. She always was when stuff didn't work. This ship was as much hers as it was Voss's. But when it came to the Physician of the vessel and brains of the ship. Voss knew who she would pick.