{"id":2377,"date":"2018-02-17T07:00:20","date_gmt":"2018-02-17T13:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2377"},"modified":"2018-02-21T07:29:20","modified_gmt":"2018-02-21T13:29:20","slug":"master-of-violence-part1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2377","title":{"rendered":"Master of Violence – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Master of Violence<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 1<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Toncor looked on at the bridge as the captain quickly made preparations for leaving the system.\u00a0 Things had become very hectic after the latest bit of news, they were coming.\u00a0 The enemy they all believed didn\u2019t exist at all were now about to invade their home.\u00a0 An enemy whose power was unreal in the universe along with their evil.\u00a0 Even now he knew some ships were out there delaying the enemy in a hope to allow more ships to actually escape.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncoming call from the Ullis,\u201d the captain said to Toncor.<\/p>\n

\u201cPut it though,\u201d Toncor replied, watching as a blue-skinned alien appeared on his screen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019re ready to leave, we can\u2019t hold them much longer,\u201d the alien said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve done enough,\u201d Toncor replied.\u00a0 \u201cThis alien race is beyond anything we\u2019ve ever encountered before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish we could have done more,\u201d the alien said, even as the communications wavered slightly.\u00a0 \u201cTook a hit, not sure we\u2019ll last much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d Toncor said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d the alien said, turning to someone off screen.\u00a0 \u201cPrepare to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

The screen went blank as Toncor looked back over at the captain.\u00a0 \u201cAre we ready to leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be in a safe spot to jump in another thirty time units,\u201d the captain replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only hope we have that much time,\u201d Toncor replied thinking about it for a few more seconds before making a decision.\u00a0 \u201cPrepare for a jump now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The captain\u2019s shocked expression told him what a danger Toncor had suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t be serious?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am, if the last line of defense has fallen, then if we don\u2019t leave now we might not be able to,\u201d Toncor stated.\u00a0 \u201cOr do you wish to be a slave to them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d the captain relied making a decision as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe might only have a few more time units before they arrive,\u201d Toncor said.<\/p>\n

The rest of the bridge crew looked worried, even Toncor understood the problem he ordered them to do.\u00a0 Leaving so close to the gravity of the planet could damage the FTL engines.\u00a0 He also understood that if their engines were damage they might not be able to run very far with the enemy so close behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet us as far from the planet as possible,\u201d the captain said.\u00a0 \u201cFull power, and prepare for the jump.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toncor heard the engines rev up even as the crew nervously carried out the orders.\u00a0 He hoped they had enough time to get away from the planet, but knew time wasn\u2019t on their side.\u00a0 If the crew of the Ullis failed they had no protection anymore.\u00a0 It was a ship from a group of resistance fighters against an enemy who didn\u2019t care about life.<\/p>\n

\u201cSolution locked in captain,\u201d a reply came, as the ship picked up speed.<\/p>\n

They waited in tense silence as time seemed to pass by slowly.\u00a0 He waited in the chair even as others strapped in as well.\u00a0 He took a moment to look at the view, seeing the planet move away as the ship got further away from it.\u00a0 His home, and a part of him wondered if he would ever see it again, or if he was doomed to wonder space forever a refugee?\u00a0 The question didn\u2019t settle well with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, incoming ships!\u201d<\/p>\n

Toncor\u2019s mood sank with the news.\u00a0 They were still out from their position needed to jump safely, but they were out of time.\u00a0 Sharing a look with the captain they both knew what was needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrepare to jump,\u201d the captain said.<\/p>\n

He heard the engines powering up as well as everyone appeared nervous about this strategy.\u00a0 It was a risk they were willing to take to avoid being captured, and their chances for survival were greater than trying to confront the enemy warships which were closing in on their position.<\/p>\n

\u201cThree units till they intercept us,\u201d another voice said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEngines are done powering up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJump,\u201d the captain said.<\/p>\n

Toncor held on as an announcement went out to everyone on board to hold on as this jump would be bumpy.<\/p>\n

The engine whine maxed out as the ship jumped.\u00a0 Toncor was pushed into his seat but felt a bit relieved when the ship remained in one piece.\u00a0 They had made it, away from the enemy and hopefully to a safe spot for now.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Mark made his way down the corridor of the ship heading to the bridge.\u00a0 Things were actually quite peaceful at the moment, not that he expected anything differently.\u00a0 Today they were undergoing some new tests as the Enterprise had left dock with a new experimental engine.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are things going?\u201d Mark asked his second in command, Hans.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout to reach the testing area, the Nautilus is beside us watching the tests,\u201d Mark said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Mark replied.\u00a0 He moved to his command chair and waited a second for the captain of the Nautilus to appear on the screen.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey old man,\u201d Alice said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlice, how are things civilian side?\u201d Mark asked.\u00a0 She had been a former bridge crew member of the Enterprise before retiring to take over as captain of the scientific ship.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, pays better as well,\u201d Alice said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd less rules and regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, are they ready for all of this?\u201d Mark asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be in position in thirty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll give us time to get ready as well,\u201d Mark said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll hear back from you in thirty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be ready,\u201d Mark replied as the screen went dark and he turned back to Hans.\u00a0 \u201cAre you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really, this isn\u2019t what this ship was built for,\u201d Hans complained.<\/p>\n

Mark sighed knowing what his second in command was saying.\u00a0 \u201cI know, but it appears the government thinks the Enterprise is expendable for some reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Enterprise was the last large warship in the Earth defense force.\u00a0 Classified as a battlecarrier it was the most powerful warship ever produced by humanity, and had become a test bed for experimental engines and other things due to the way the hull had been constructed.\u00a0 They felt it would hold together better than any other ship, and rather than build a new, expensive ship, it was easier to modify the engines of the Enterprise for the tests.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is a beauty of a ship not appreciated by anyone,\u201d Hans said, crossing his arms like a kid pouting when he didn\u2019t get his way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been over this with HQ,\u201d Mark said.\u00a0 \u201cIts something which has to be done, otherwise they fear she would be broken up and dismantled.\u00a0 Then we\u2019d be out of a job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot fair,\u201d Hans replied.\u00a0 \u201cSo, what\u2019s this engine supposed to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBe more efficient in jumping,\u201d Mark replied.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s to take off some eight percent of fuel used.\u00a0 A big deal to the corporations doing travel to other colonies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it speed things up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that I\u2019m aware of,\u201d Mark replied trying to recall the report.\u00a0 \u201cAll it should do is use less energy for the jumps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBig deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark understood his friend\u2019s concerns knowing they would be undertaking the test real soon.\u00a0 He felt no concern over the trial, this one was actually less dangerous than previous trials.\u00a0 Everything about the mechanics was sound.\u00a0 If it didn\u2019t work the only thing which would happen was they didn\u2019t jump because the engine didn\u2019t get enough fuel.\u00a0 A simple thing really in his opinion.\u00a0 It was when they went for more speed that was dangerous to the crew.<\/p>\n

For this jump he had a normal crew, even the fighter pilots were aboard this time, though they were probably just as bored.\u00a0 Many had been through this procedure once before.\u00a0 Of course he would call for a drill once the jump was completed, and treated it as a drill for the crew, but they didn\u2019t know that yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs everything ready for after the jump?\u201d Mark asked looking over at Hans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u00a0 Oh, yeah, I\u2019m all set,\u201d Hans said.\u00a0 \u201cAbout the only thing I\u2019m looking forward to with all of this.\u00a0 The pilots don\u2019t know it yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark watched as he grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts not like we\u2019ll ever use it,\u201d another voice said, as Mark turned to the helm officer, Yvette, a younger officer on the bridge and reminded him of his niece with her blonde hair and green eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but still fun to do,\u201d Hans said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are we going to go against, pirates, hasn\u2019t been a pirate attack in almost ten years.\u00a0 Aliens?\u00a0 Everyone knows they don\u2019t exist.\u00a0 This ship is a dinosaur,\u201d Yvette said.<\/p>\n

Mark said nothing, knowing how the two would bicker back and forth over such things.\u00a0 He kept out of it despite his own feelings.\u00a0 He felt there were no aliens, but kept an open mind in case it actually happened.<\/p>\n

Humanity had grown to two colonies now, one finally outside their own system.\u00a0 The first colony was on Mars, which had now become a fertile planet after much work at terraforming it.\u00a0 The other colony was only beginning, but things were going well.<\/p>\n

Of course there were several mining colonies in the system, on some of the moons around the large gas giants, dangerous work.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, we\u2019re in position,\u201d Yvette said.<\/p>\n

\u201cContact the Nautilus,\u201d Mark stated knowing they were about to engage the test.<\/p>\n

\u201cContact made,\u201d Hans replied.\u00a0 \u201cThey are standing by at the exit point, waiting for us to arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, begin powering up of the engines.\u00a0 Notify HQ we\u2019re a go.\u201d<\/p>\n

He watched the bridge crew do their work as everyone prepared for the upcoming test.\u00a0 Looking over at Hans who was working despite his protests earlier.\u00a0 He was a good man, always working when needed, but never afraid to give his opinions on something.<\/p>\n

\u201cT-minus one minute,\u201d Hans voice said.<\/p>\n

Mark could hear the engines powering up, the whine growing higher with each second.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t a louder sound, just higher in pitch until he finally heard it reach the sound before jump.<\/p>\n

\u201cT-minus thirty seconds, engines respond as good to go,\u201d Hans said.\u00a0 \u201cAll crewmembers brace for jump.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark checked his straps on his chair to make sure everything was correct.\u00a0 He looked up to see almost everyone else on the bridge doing the same thing before they went back to their jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cT-minus five seconds, four, three, two, one, jump!\u201d<\/p>\n

He saw his vision go blurry for a second and was pushed back into his chair as the engines did their jobs.\u00a0 The entered jump with no problems from what he could tell, exiting wasn\u2019t as much of a problem as jumping.\u00a0 You only had to make sure you didn\u2019t exit into something.\u00a0 For that reason certain areas around Earth remanded clear for such jumps.<\/p>\n

The jump itself would only a few minutes, just beyond the system to an isolated spot good for testing.\u00a0 Hans appeared ready for the exit, which was when he would call for the alert of the fighters and other personal, except for the engineers or people who had been told and were part of the test.<\/p>\n

\u201cExiting jump in T-minus thirty seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark settled in waiting for everything to occur.\u00a0 He really had nothing much to do except watch as everyone did their jobs correctly.\u00a0 He listened to the countdown and prepared for the exit of the ship and the familiar blurring of vision and gravity disruption.\u00a0 It passed quickly and he found himself looking out into normal space.<\/p>\n

\u201cShipwide red alert,\u201d Hans said, not surprising anyone on the bridge.<\/p>\n

Mark waited as the klaxons wailed and the message of red alert sounded all over the ship.<\/p>\n

\u201cFighter squads, be ready to launch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark ignored that for a moment and looked to Yvette who worked the helm waiting for the report.<\/p>\n

\u201cEngines report normal captain,\u201d she said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, send the report to the Nautilus,\u201d Mark said to her before looking over at Hans who was working on the red alert.<\/p>\n

It took a few minutes but he finally seemed satisfied, a bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll stations report ready captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm, a bit rough,\u201d Mark said looking at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, not sure that would work for wartime,\u201d Hans answered.\u00a0 \u201cFortunately we\u2019re not at war, and I don\u2019t see where we would be in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark had to agree with his friend.\u00a0 \u201cSend me the reports, keep them on alert for a few more moments and then stand down, might send a few fighters for a patrol around the area while we wait, get in some practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Hans said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be in my office,\u201d Mark said unbuckling himself from the chair and standing.<\/p>\n

End part 1<\/p>\n

Continued in part 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Master of Violence by AJ Marks Part 1 Toncor looked on at the bridge as the captain quickly made preparations for leaving the system.\u00a0 Things had become very hectic after the latest bit of news, they were coming.\u00a0 The enemy they all believed didn\u2019t exist at all were now about to invade their home.\u00a0 An […]
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