The Spectrals

Chapter 1 Part 2

          The Spectrals had stopped everything to look out of the window at their foe, the Blackwatch ships. The radar showed that another ship was warping into their sector, this ship bearing a Blackwatch signature as well. Then a dark, almost blackhole, looking shape appeared behind the Blackwatch frigates.

          "Is... Is that Reaper?" Mag pressed against the window, straining to see. The smokey disturbance began illuminating like a star. Something was coming. They couldn't comprehend what was happening, but it seemed like the space itself was being completely destroyed like a tear in reality. 

          "That's not a warp signature, something's wrong." Mag worriedly stepped away from the window, a quick glance at the nav computer confirmed her suspicion. Then they saw it, the nose of a ship emerging from the cloud-like wormhole. After only a couple of seconds the ship was fully warped in and the opening in space was closed. The ship was long with four large thrusters; it was boxy, especially in shape, with a pointed nose like a boat. There was no question this beast was made long ago; the style was outdated compared to the design of the much sleeker Blackwatch ships. Yet the computer still considered it a Blackwatch vessel.

          "That antique belongs in a museum. I mean, look at its weapons! They're sticking out like sore thumbs!" Zero said to the others. Mag noticed it as well, this ship was obviously built to be in the back of the fleet, not the front. Without any warning a bright flash of light blinded The Spectrals for a brief moment.

          "What was that?" Zero asked the others. Returning his eyes to the window he saw the Blackwatch ships drifting through space, their engines and lights completely shut off.

          "Those ships are disabled, that older ship just hit them with an E.M.P!" Nano informed.

          "No E.M.P is that strong, these ships are basically Faraday Cages. They're designed to not lose power in case of any nebula storms or Class E stars!" Mag was baffled at how strong that E.M.P must be to disable five Blackwatch frigates. The Dreamcaster began firing, due to Nano initiating the command. In mere seconds the Blackwatch fleet was reduced to debris, with their Point Defenses disabled, each torpedo hit their mark. Their computer started beeping, when a holographic image appeared, showing a human, clad in a green coat. The mysterious intruder reached into his pocket; retrieving a lighter and then a cigarette that he placed between his lips. After lighting the cigarette and puffing a large amount of smoke towards the screen, he began speaking to them. "Who are you?" He demanded with an air of authority and superiority.

          "We're The Spectrals." Mag replied. Another puff of smoke clouded the screen.

          "Is that so? We'll see about that." He cut the feed seconds after finishing his sentence.

The Dreamcaster lurched as it began moving towards The Hammer,

          "What's going on?" Zero instinctively rested his hand on his sidearm.

         "They must have a tractor beam on us." Nano was not as hasty and casually walked over to the airlock.

         "I'm not sure about this. How do we know we can trust him?" Zero asked.

         "Because they haven't blown us up." Mag joined Nano at the door. By now the Dreamcaster had been pulled into the hangar. The Spectrals opened the main ramp and walked out into the cramped hangar. Mag stopped and looked at the others,

         "Where is everyone?" The others looked around in confusion.

         "Maybe they're having a meeting?" Zero suggested, knowing it wasn't true.