A Tale of Two Times

Chapter 2

The bridge stood still as all pups on deck took in the information that Buddy had dropped on them. Although he knew that the ship's environmental controls were working correctly, JC felt as if the bridge had dropped 10 C in the past few seconds with the news. Slowly, ever so slowly as the information finally sunk in, did the sound return to his awareness and the gentle hiss of the vents, the beeps and boops of the control panels and the subtle shifts of living pups became audible once more. JC finally found his voice again. Shakily calling out to Buddy he asked, "Are... Are you sure about this, master chief?"

Buddy looked back at him, expression grave, and softly said, "I swear on the intelligence of our first fleet admiral, sir, I'd never even ponder the probability 'bout somethin' like this happenin'..."

Buddy took in a shuddering breath and took an audible gulp, faint tremors wracked his frame. JC understood that he needed a moment to collect himself but inwardly he was anxious for Buddy to get to the point.

Eventually Buddy took in a shuddering breath and admitted, "We went over the data over for several hours-"

JC felt a sharp sting of betrayal, "You what?!" he exclaimed harshly, his voice filled with a low growl.

Buddy waved his paws looking franticly back at JC through the view screen, "N-no no! Don't work yourself up, commander!" He quickly cut in, stopping JC before he could do or say anything that would condemn the scientists on board. "We... We had to check-! Th-the gravity well is something new that the scanners just picked up at the start of shift- We'd-I- I would never willingly put the ship in danger, sir!"

JC silently admonished himself for his outburst. He knew that the problem was recent, Buddy had just briefed him on this not two minutes prior, but his immediate worry for the crew overrode his higher memory functions. Emotionality will do nobody any good in a crisis situation and he knew that, the master chief and his crewpups needed to be thorough. JC took a steadying breath and slowly let it out. Schooling his features he gave a soft response, "My apologies, Buddy, the fear of-"

Buddy simply waved him off, "I-I understand, commander, don't get-" Buddy stopped himself and shook his head, "B-but! Back to the matter at paw-!"

Buddy pulled up another chart on the view screen, this one showing complicated mathematical equations. JC thought he recognized the one for describing and calculating general gravity based off measurements from the home world but he's not positive. He'll have to brush up on his astrophysics at this point if even the most basic of equations lacks in familiarity at this early junction in the mission.

Buddy continued on, ignorant of his commander's computational plight, "I-We, us down in navigation, see? We've calculated some-"

JC got another hale on his command panel, this one flashing brightly to signal a priority emergency. Quickly the commander pushed to allow the communication to come through. Another intership view screen appeared, this one from maintenance for the ventral port engine wing. JC waved to Cupcake to move the view screen on the other side of the window to Buddy's. JC addressed the new message. "Commander here, what's going on, maintenance?" he asked the new face that popped up on the screen.

One of the crewpups, a petty officer if their insignia was anything to go by, appeared on the screen, his fur and uniform singed. JC noticed that there were several sparks going off in the background. Feeling the crush of anxiety, JC steeled himself for more bad news and wasn't disappointed. The crewpup gave him a sharp salute and in a peppy voice belaying the chaos behind them said, "Petty officer, Coral, here sir! We've got some biiiig issues over in the second FTL drive off port! There's a-"

A loud crash and several pops and hisses sound out, the view screen glitching as the electrical surges caused the connection to become tenuous. Coral's voice warbled and popped as it came through, "C-ction-! Tons of sheari-! -On't know how lo-!"