Chapter 15. Aboard the Eridanus. Pre-zero Jero Countdown.
"We're just a little under full transducer power." said CPO Modine.
"Isn't that dangerous?" asked Egon, his eyes on the red warning indicators.
"What's there about interstellar travel that isn't dangerous? Didn't they teach you that in the zoo? Let's keep focused on the task at hand, capiche."
"Yes, Chief Petty Officer Modine. Task me."
"You will need to monitor the mid-course guidance system and collimate any off-tracking."
"Understood." The square of Jero time is proportional to the cube of the mean distance, recalled Egon. It's all starting to come back . . . albeit slowly.
"Any questions?"
"Not at this time."
Egon could hear his heart beat and his hands felt wet. He looked at the other crew members about their tasks. Everyone seemed so focused on their instruments and readings. The countdown continued and Egon's hands felt soaking wet. He wiped them on his uniform.
"Ten, nine, eight . . ."
"Prepare for de-actualization," said a voice.
"Transduction is at potential," said Modine.
"Three, two, one, zero Jero . . ."
Everything seemed blue. The skybridge was blue. The crew appeared blue. Even the red warning bars were bluish. They were traveling in the Higgs Glebe, an energy field that extended throughout the known Universe, a Type III energy resource on the Kardashev scale.
Egon glanced at his indicators and then at Modine.
"Prepare for actualization."
They had traveled light-years much faster than the speed of light. A new part of the Universe appeared on the viewers.
"Navcek, Bisher."
Egon verified their position. The navigational stars lined up in his collimator. Their jump through the Higgs Glebe was successful.
"Emerg. Emerg. Emerg."
A ship's mayday beacon sounded.
"Look," said Egon. "Another ship."
A lone, black, female officer appeared on the viewer.
"Subcommander Sanas of the Tucana, requesting your assistance."
"This is Captain Simme. How may we assist your ship?"
"Request evacuation of 41 souls."
"Wilco. Prepare for docking. Report to the bridge Subcom Sanas. SImme out."
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Minutes later the ships touched, locked into position, and the passageway between the ship was pressurized. Subcommander Sanas walked up the main fairway onto the skybridge and saluted Captain Simme. She was tall with dark eyes and short hair.
"Statrep, Subcom Sanas." said Captain Simme, returning the salute.
"Shortly after we actualized, we experienced some sort of an anomaly. We were't sure what it was because most of our systems were down. Something happened and it neutralized most of our instruments."
"The comsys?"
"It was down as well. We weren't able to communicate with any of the other ships. We tried visual, light, and infrared."
"And Captain Jem?"
"I presume Captain Jem is on Eternal Patrol."
To be continued . . .
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