Flight Of Prometheus

Chapter 1- escape

Jets of steam erupt from Commander Higgins nose as he steps out into cold morning air. The nightly blizzards have been getting colder over the weeks leading up to this day, possibly just a feeling of getting caught. As he scans over the surrounding area of the dry lake bed he sees a rising dust trail approaching fast.

"Sarah, identify approaching vehicle." Commander Higgins asks the A.I. linked to his headset from their battle carrier hidden in the underground bunker below him.

"Sir, the approaching vehicle belongs to Governor Swift, one person on board, no other vehicles detected." reports the A.I. commander Higgins reaches down and unhooks the lock on his standard issue officers laser pistol, takes the safety off and waits to identify the driver. After a few minutes Sarah reports " Driver identified as Tom Bohne, our informant."

"Thank you Sarah, please inform the General we will be ready to go in a few minutes." A few minutes later the governors custom armor plated limo comes to a screeching halt. In a hurry Tom jumps out of the limo.

"Sir, we've got to launch soon," exclaims Bohne. "I over heard Smith talking to High General VanDelaare saying he knows of the plot to steal the Prometheus."

"Shit, did you hear anything VanDelaare said?"

"No Sir, all I heard was smith saying "I'll see you tomorrow, and bring the "Hades"."

"Sarah, tell the general..." Before he could finish Sarah cuts him off.

"Already ahead of you Sir, Baker knows and wants the limo on board, Copy that Bohne?"

"Roger, open the cargo doors" Bohne orders Sarah. Off to the side of the staircase building Higgins originally emerged from two big doors slide open to reveal an elevator that descends into the underground hanger. Bohne rolls the limo onto the elevator and is quickly lowered below the surface. Higgins scans the area around the dry lake bed and the surrounding mountains before heading back inside.

"Commander, General Baker wants you to verify everything is loaded and all external hatches are sealed," Sarah informs Commander Higgins.

"Roger Sarah, inform Ensign Parks she's got 5 minutes to secure everything." As Higgins runs down the staircase the Prometheus finally comes into view. The extra long rectangle body of the ship sitting on the hanger floor even though it is equipped with landing struts. Out of the top the squat neck supports the main bridge. On the sides the 3 large hangers dominate a lot of the ship.

On the bridge General Baker is giving commands to the bridge crew in preparation to depart.

"Captain Terock, start the main engines and engage the artificial gravity generators," orders the General. As Terock starts pressing buttons on his pilots station everyone's stomach turns upside down for a second as the artificial gravity kicks on and fights for dominance over the gravity of the planet. "Ensign Fuller, set the radar out to 100 miles. Sarah order battle stations. Lieutenant Mahana, charge forward and aft rail-guns, wait till we are clear the dock before extending barrels." Everyone gets to work on their assigned tasks. Down in the engine bay Lieutenant Grant the chief of engineering, is barking orders is barking orders trying to get the primary engines warmed up.

"Throw the primary and secondary safety switches, increase the antiproton output, get those relays connected." As she is calling out the orders her crew is busy running around getting the main drive core up and going, in the core the antiproton collider is starting to speed up till is starts slamming protons together at such speeds the rate of energy needed to power the massive engines slowly raises up to 100%. Once everything up running smoothly the generators for the engines kick on awaiting the main control switch on the bridge to activate. Over her comm headpiece "Commander Higgins, engines up to par ready when you are."

Through the speaker "Roger that Grant, need you to stay there this may be a bummpy ride."

"Copy that sir."

The last of the supply vehicles is loaded up and final checks are made. Commander Higgins makes his way up to the command bridge but is stopped along the way by Captain Lange. "What is it Lange?"

"I over heard the Hades may be coming. Want me to get my squadron ready?"

"Yes, alert 2nd and 3rd squadrons to be ready as well." With a quick salute Lange takes off down the corridor on his way to launch bay 1. A few minutes later Commander Higgins emerges from the rear elevator onto the bridge. As he approaches the center of the room he greats the general and proceeded to sit in the executive officers chair, allowing the general to stay in his seat.

"Sir, all doors secured all systems ready, awaiting your orders," Captain Terock reports.

"Fuller anything on radar?" Asked General Baker.

"No sir, everything is clear," she replays.

"Well Commander Higgins, are you ready?"

"Yes, let's get the hell off this rock," Higgins responds.

"Sir, battle stations manned, and civilians are secured in their quarters," Sarah pipes in.

"Copy Sarah. Okay Terock take us out." As Terock hits a number of switches the massive doors over the Prometheus slowly begin to open allowing dirt to fall into the hanger along with the sunlight. Once the door are completely open the anti gravity lifters start pushing the massive weight of the ship up threw the opening. In the bridge Terock is furiously punching in commands to his console keeping everything going smoothly. Out of no where the sun blasts its light threw the bridge windows, which the automated tinting glass immediately darkens.

"Clear of the hanger," reports Terock.

"Take us to course 145° and prepare to for planetary escape burn." The massive ship begins to swing to the right heading towards the south mountain range.

"SIR, Radar contact bearing 295°!" Yells Fuller.

"Identify." Before anyone can react a voice communication is picked up on the comm station.

"Sir we are being hailed, its High General Vandelaar," says ensign Anderson. The simple fact that it is Vandelaar means the approaching ship is the "Hades", the galaxies first super carrier. Although many other have been built ever since Hades proved itself in the first colony wars, it is still the most feared.

"Patch it threw." On bridge windows a screen opens revealing a man who's face has been scared in several battles. His one good eyes staring into the souls of everyone it glances.

"Well, retired High General Baker, and Commander Higgins. I thought that might have been you. Where are you going with that ship? I hope your not leaving us behind are you?" Vandelaar states his deep voice booming threw the speakers.

"General Vandelaar. Oh no you've got it all wrong, we are just taking her for a spin. Testing out her proto type engines." Replies General Baker. "I thought you were still on Royal Prime, how's everything" before he could finish Vandelaar cuts him off.

"Cut the crap Baker I know of the plot to defect. Land that vessel and surrender yourself for a royal court marshal."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Vandelaar, you see I'm taking this vessel and going somewhere you can't follow." With that he gives the comm officer the kill sign. The visuals disappear. Terock change pitch to 45° and engage planetary burn.

The Prometheus angles up right as a plasma round fly's past the bridge view screens.

"Sir they have opened fire," reports Mahana.

"TEROCK NOW!" Terock hits the launch button and immediately the ships engines kick into over drive, huge jets of fire shoots out the back of the ship rocketing up through the atmosphere. "So it has begun," General Baker thinks aloud.