"Approaching Terra!"
"Bring our speed down to one c." Tail adjusts her controls.
"At approach speed. 60 seconds till exit."
The bridge is quiet. We have all been to Terra numerous times, being based out of the planet, we visit routinely. The difference this time, a war with the Shikes has just started. History has shown on multiple occasions how fear and large populations don't mix well, and Terra is the most populated planet in the ITA.
"Exiting...NOW!!" The Regress drops its warp bubble. The space around us aligns and straighten into coherent images. Directly ahead of us is Terra, brilliantly green and blue.
"Pull us into an orbit, Arron."
"Acknowledged, adjusting into orbit." Arron starts adjusting the controls and starts a burn on the main engines.
"We're being hailed by the TSS Archimedes," announces Quick. "Do you want me to patch them in?"
"Go ahead."
The speakers turn on as audio is established. "This is the TSS Archimedes hailing the Alacritous Regress, come in Alacritous Regress."
I thumb the speak button. "This is Captain Shooting Star of the Alacritous Regress, how can we be of service."
"What is your purpose for coming to Terra?"
"We are here for redeployment."
"Please radio NASA confirmation codes."
I don't press the speak button. "Al, please send those over to them."
"If you insist," the AI snarks back.
"Confirmation codes received, please proceed to Tokyo space port."
"Tokyo? We're supposed to go to Florida for reassignment?"
"Not according to your ships itinerary. Proceed on to the Tokyo spaceport or risk being fired upon." The connection ends.
The room is quiet for about a minute. "Orders sir?"
"You heard them, Arron. Pull us out of orbit and land us at the Tokyo space port."
<<>>
"You're ground control, usually we come to you, not the other way around." Me and Teresa are sitting in a small office at the Tokyo space port. With me is Brian and Kyle, Brian, because he is a mage and under a different chain of command, and Kyle, because as an intern he's here to learn.
"You aware of what's going on, right?"
"If you're referring to the war with the Shike, then yes." She groans.
"The Shike's actual numbers and resources our unknown to us. So far we have managed to repel their attack and take control of most of the neutral zone, but we're taxing our forces with this."
"So you think you can solve this by making an alliance with the Australians?"
"No! It's not my idea. If it was up to me, I'd send you on a scouting mission deep into Shike territory."
"To see what their numbers and resources are?"
"Nope." We all remain silent for several seconds.
"So you want us to negotiate an alliance?" Brian asks.
"Heavens no! You are all replaceable, even you Brian, but the situation with the Australians is volatile. You'll be escorting the ambassadors."
"Send a hand skilled enough to defuse the bomb," Brian states, "On the arm you are willing to lose."
YOU ARE READING
Alacritous Regress
Science FictionA wizard, an engineer, and a space alien are trapped inside a small tin can far from the nearest star. This is the story of the starship Alacritous. Its two year mission, to visit ordinary old planets, to prevent alien interaction. To boldly maintai...
