THE RELIANT: DARK HORIZONS

PREDATOR & PREY

"Captain," said ship's android Roger, "there is a message coming in from Admiral Flagg."

"Admiral Flagg?"

Roger nodded. "Yes, sir."

John let out a heavy sigh as a sense of dread filled him. "Put it on viewscreen."

"Aye, sir."

Within seconds, the dour-looking face of Admiral Flagg appeared on the viewscreen.

"Yes, Admiral?"

"Captain," the Admiral began curtly, "I'm sending you and your crew to the outer rim."

John appeared surprised. "The outer rim?"

"Yes, Captain." Richard nodded. "You will go to the planet Phuna."

"What's on Phuna, Admiral?"

Richard didn't respond immediately to John's question, which made John more suspicious than he normally was about his former friend's missions.

"There's a science outpost that we've lost touch with."

John furrowed his brow. "Why is there a science outpost all the way out there?"

Again, Richard didn't respond for a moment. "That's classified, Captain."

John nodded his head. "I'm sure it is, Admiral."

"You have your orders, Captain. Admiral out."

The viewscreen went blank.

"Well," first officer Lisa began, "that was short and sweet."

"Yeah," John muttered before he reluctantly looked over at ship's pilot Zack and said, "Mr. Renjay, plot a course for the planet Phuna on the outer rim. Full speed."

"Aye, Captain." He keyed in the coordinates. "Course plotted."

He leaned back in his chair and let out another deep sigh. "Let's go."

"Aye, sir."

"Captain," Lisa said, "I've got to say I don't feel right about this mission."

"You and me both, Commander." He snorted and added, "But then, I never feel right about any mission Admiral Flagg sends us on."

Lisa nodded. "Agreed."

John looked over at Roger. "Roger, what do we know of the planet Phuna?"

"I'm afraid not much, Captain," Roger replied, looking back at him. "As you know, there's not a whole lot that is known in general about the outer rim."

"So, the question is, why would there be an Alliance science outpost all the way out there?"

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that question without further information, Captain," responded Roger.

"Well, I guess we'll find out just what the hell is going on when we get there." With that, John got up from his chair. "Mr. Renjay, let me know when we reach the outer rim."

"Aye, Captain."

"If anyone needs me, I'll be in my office." He turned and headed for the door that led off the bridge. "You have the bridge, Commander."

"Aye, sir."

***

Phuna was one of the smaller planets on the outer rim. And, like every other planet on the outer rim, it hadn't been colonized by the Alliance or any other system. Usually people traveled to the outer rim if they wanted to disappear for whatever reason. And the fact that there was an Alliance science outpost out there made John all the more suspicious, especially since Admiral Flagg was somehow involved.