Imperium: Contact

Chapter 51

Anna checked the Twilight's sensor data, nothing out of the ordinary. This was the third sensor scan she'd run in the last ten minutes. She was probably being paranoid, even so, old mining capsules didn't booby trap themselves. Someone had taken the time to rig it, probably with a warhead from an old anti-ship missile. That suggested they had something planned in this system. Like all Stalker class ships, the Twilight had some of the most sophisticated sensors the Empire had to offer. However, even they could only scan a small section of the system at a time. A lot of things could be hiding in this asteroid belt and she wasn't going to be caught off guard.

The com beeped.

"Bridge here."

"Hey sis it's me, just wanted to give you an update on the Sergeant."

"He going to be alright?" Asked Anna.

"Yeah, he should be fine," John replied.

"He's lucky he's got those nanite enhancements though. A normal human would've died pretty quick from his injuries."

"How long until he's back to full strength?"

John laughed.

"I'm a decent field medic, but the medical technology in the Sergeant's body is way beyond me. You'd be better off asking him that."

"All right, thanks."

Anna glanced around the bridge. Aziz was still at the nav station and Graham at tactical.

"Lieutenant, I'll be leaving the bridge for a few minutes," she said.

"I've set the sensors for continuous scans, keep an eye on the readouts and let me know the instant anything moves out there."

"Aye Commander."

Anna got up from her seat and left the bridge.

She made her way to the briefing room, which was once again serving as a makeshift infirmary. As she entered, Anna spotted Sergeant Williams sitting on a chair by the conference table. John stood facing him, they seemed to be having an argument.

"Listen to me," John was saying.

"I know you're doing better than most people would be in your situation. That doesn't change the fact that you were severely injured, you need more rest."

"And I'm telling you, I'm fine," Williams insisted.

"I've run a full diagnostic and my nanites report all tissues are healing at optimal rates."

"Healing and healed aren't the same thing," John argued.

"If you were to exert yourself, you could do some serious damage."

"I'm not going into combat, I just want to do something useful."

Anna cleared her throat loudly.

"Oh good, you're here," said John.

"Listen, tell him he needs to stay here and rest."

"I'm telling you, I'm fine," Andrew interrupted.

"Okay that's enough, both of you," said Anna.

"John, is there anything else you need to do here?"

"No, the nanites in his system will finish repairing the damage."

"Then please go back to the engine room and assist Chief Nolan."

John threw an exasperated look at Andrew and left the room. Anna turned to the Sergeant.

"Making friends?" she asked.

Andrew shrugged, he wasn't wearing his armor anymore, it was lying on the floor next to him. Anna could see the burned patches where the plasma had struck. He had on a dirty pair of coveralls and a t-shirt.