Tevun-Krus #16 - Military SF

Pearl of the Stars: Kronos - A Short Story by @AngusEcrivain

Pearl of the Stars: Kronos - A Short Story by @AngusEcrivain

"Smoke 'em if you got 'em, boys," the Chief said, his expression somewhat tempered by the fact that despite the fact the mission should have been routine, one fickling fool of a pilot had managed to get too close to the surface of the moon's ocean and had to ditch his plane when it got caught in a particularly nasty updraft.

"Carter, with me. Cap'n wants to see you."

"Aye, Chief." Carter snapped off a smart salute before tossing her mask and breathing apparatus to one of the Chief's many subordinates. As she followed her Commanding Officer she pulled the zipper of her flight suit to a point slightly above her midriff, exposing the fact that she wore nought but underwear beneath it to anyone who cared to look.

Carter didn't care though, not in the slightest. She would rather let the entire crew of three hundred ogle her rather than continue sweating as profusely as the suit encouraged.

"What happened down there, Carter?" the Chief asked as the two strode along the centre of the corridor. "Ulsan reported an updraft but there wasn't anything like that showing on the scans."

"Couldn't tell you, Chief," she replied, lighting a cigarette with a match struck upon a bulkhead. "First I knew about it was his request to ditch. Ulsan's a handy pilot and I know damn well he wouldn't have requested such a thing if he had any other choice."

"Hmph."

"We all know the situation here, Chief. We're at the arse end of fick knows where without so much as a map or a fickling compass." She paused to draw upon the cigarette before continuing. "Look, I'll have a chat with Ulsan later and if it turns out he's been a stupid motherfickler then I'll beat the piss out of him. How's that?"

"It's good enough for me, Carter," the Chief replied, chuckling lightly. "Just means me an' my boys gotta' work 'round the clock to get one of the salvaged planes repaired before the next time you take 'em out."

"Ain't like you to bitch, Chief." They both chuckled at that comment but such frivolity quickly ceased due to their arrival upon the bridge.

"Officer on deck!" a watch-stander called out, and those on the bridge who weren't of officer rank themselves stood to immediate attention.

"At ease," the Captain, a woman in her mid-forties with thick black greasy hair pulled back into a tight, high pony-tail, ordered. "Thank you, Chief. That will be all."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, flicking a lazy salute before he turned and left the bridge.

"Captain Carter."

"Ma'am," she replied with a nod. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes," the Captain replied. "I need you to have a look at something. Normally I would discuss this via conference with the Fleet's other Captains but, as you are well aware, there is no Fleet; at least, if there is a Fleet, they are not here. The Kronos is, for the time being, alone."

"Once we make it back to the Ryban System, Ma'am, we'll know how much, if any, of the Fleet survived."

"Aye, indeed," the Captain replied with a half-smile. "The issue with that is that everyone who knows even a little about interstellar navigation claims we are at the very least three hundred and seven light years from the Ryban Star System."

She glanced at Captain Carter, instantly recognising the knowing look upon her face.

"You know far more than you let on, Captain," the Kronos' Captain said, quietly. "Without question, you know more than your rank would suggest."