THE RELIANT

KAYLAR

"Captain," ship's android Roger said, "there is a ship approaching us."

"Can you identify the ship?"

"Yes, sir." Roger nodded. "It appears to be a shuttlecraft."

"A shuttlecraft?"

Roger nodded again. "Yes. sir."

"Now what would a shuttlecraft be doing all the way out here?"

"I can't give you an answer to that without receiving more information on the matter."

John ignored Roger's comment the way he sometimes did.

"Sir," Tamala said, "the ship is hailing us."

"Put it on viewscreen."

"Aye, sir."

Within seconds, a man appeared on the viewscreen. He was a younger-looking man with light brown hair. He had this intense look on his face. He was really staring intently at John. John, of course, didn't know if this young man had some kind of personal grudge against him or if this the way he always looked.

"I'm Captain Yager of the Alliance ship The Reliant. And who might you be?"

The man paused before he introduced himself, "I'm Saif."

"Well, Saif, are you in need of any assistance?"

Again, Saif paused before he answered, "Yes, Captain, as a matter of fact, I do. My engine is damaged and in need of repair."

"How did it get damaged, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I was traveling aboard a freighter when the ship was attacked by raiders."

"A freighter?"

"Yes. During the scuffle, I managed to board a shuttlecraft and fly away from there."

"And how did your engine get damaged?"

"The raiders chased me for a bit and shot at the shuttle and the engine was hit. But I managed to get away before they could do any real damage."

"I see. So why were you traveling on a freighter and not on a transport vessel?"

He paused once more before telling him, "Because traveling on a freighter is cheaper than traveling on a transport vessel, Captain."

John and Saif exchanged a brief, albeit harsh, look. There was something that didn't sound right with John about Saif's story. But, according to Alliance regulations, he was required to render aid to any craft and its crew members that needed it regardless of whatever misgivings he may have had.

"Well, Saif, you can park the shuttle in our landing bay and I'll have my engineer Ron take a look at your ship's engine, all right?"

"Thank you, Captain," Saif replied brusquely.

"Viewscreen off."

After the viewscreen went blank, John got up from his seat and went to the intercom on the wall of the bridge. He turned it on and said, "Ron."

"Yes, Captain."

"There's a shuttlecraft that's about to dock in the landing bay with a damaged engine. I want you to go in there and take a look at it and repair it."

"Will do, Captain."

"Captain out."

John turned off the intercom and sat back down in his chair. He leaned back in his seat and murmured.

"Problems, Captain?" first officer Lisa asked him.

"I'm not sure, Commander. There's something that doesn't sit right with me about his story."