{"id":2381,"date":"2018-02-21T07:15:38","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T13:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2381"},"modified":"2018-02-20T22:22:12","modified_gmt":"2018-02-21T04:22:12","slug":"master-of-violence-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2381","title":{"rendered":"Master of Violence – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

Part 2<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Toncor looked over at the captain having learned his name, Hakkas.\u00a0 The man had a grim look on his face which meant something was wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry Toncor, the engines are damaged, we might get another couple of jumps out of them, but beyond that they\u2019ll risk exploding if we push them too much,\u201d he said to him.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll need to find a planet for the next jump.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything around here?\u201d Toncor said, as he moved to the plotting room with the captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got one of my team working on it, never much of a predictor of what systems had what.\u00a0 I captained a ship, go to point A to B and make sure things get done,\u201d Hakkas said apologetically.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo need, I understand,\u201d Toncor said, knowing such a question should be given to someone with knowledge of astrology.\u00a0 \u201cDo we have anyone who is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found one person on board who said she was, she\u2019s working with Tressle,\u201d Hakkas said.\u00a0 They entered to see two people working, one was a female which slightly surprised Toncor but figured this was the person with the knowledge.<\/p>\n

\u201cTressle?\u00a0 You find anything?\u201d the captain asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink so, not much, a small system but we think there is a planet there which supports life and won\u2019t be far from our position when we exit,\u201d Tressle said.<\/p>\n

Toncor looked on seeing the system in question.\u00a0 It really was nothing special, a system of planets, typical layout, gas giants further away from the star and rocky planets further in.\u00a0 In fact the only thing atypical was the single star in the system.\u00a0 Toncor nodded his approval as the captain and navigator headed to the bridge leaving him alone with the female.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Toncor, are you not?\u201d she asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes I am,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoubt you remember me, we met years ago,\u201d she said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d Toncor replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cAvialla,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cSenior professor at the College of Astrophysics in Hecciber.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toncor thought back and flinched slightly knowing he was for shutting down the college, a bad move in retrospect.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recall the college,\u201d Toncor said.\u00a0 \u201cA lot has happened since then.\u00a0 We are lucky you are on board then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it ironic that had you not shut down the college, I probably wouldn\u2019t be on this ship,\u201d she said to him causing him to blink at that.\u00a0 \u201cBut its in the past, we must make a better future for ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Toncor said, slightly relieved she was not pushing a grudge.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to head to the bridge and see what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving up he reached the bridge to see the activity as people got ready.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrace for jump exit,\u201d the announcement said over the ship.<\/p>\n

Toncor waited as the normal things happened as the ship returned to normal space after the jump.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, scanner contact!\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Joe Niewen looked at his scanners keeping up with his wingmate who was in charge of the patrol.\u00a0 It was something he had not expected to do, but he really wasn\u2019t complaining with the view of space.\u00a0 Something he rarely got in any other ship, and the freedom to move around at will.\u00a0 It was the one thing which he loved about the military and being a pilot.\u00a0 If he hadn\u2019t been a pilot he would have quite the military last year when his enrollment ended.\u00a0 But he wanted to do this as long as possible.<\/p>\n

The two fighters streaked along before his scanner came to life.\u00a0 Looking down he frowned as something new appeared on it.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, you see that?\u201d Carl asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe replied unsure what it might be.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalling the Enterprise,\u201d Carl said.\u00a0 \u201cPatrol one to Enterprise, come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe waited a few seconds, listening in while keeping an eye on the scanner contact.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnterprise, reply patrol one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, Enterprise, we have a scanner contact out here which just appeared,\u201d Carl said.<\/p>\n

There was some silence for several seconds before a reply came back.<\/p>\n

\u201cRepeat that patrol one?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a new contact on our scanners,\u201d Carl replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold on patrol one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe wondered what might happen next.<\/p>\n

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

Mark made his way back onto the bridge having been summoned by an excited bridgecrew officer.\u00a0 He looked over see that Hans had left the bridge as well, probably to write up the reports on how the alert went.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, anything happen to the engines?\u201d Mark asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir, um, actually it\u2019s from patrol one,\u201d Yvette said to him.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ve encountered a scanner contact which just appeared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow far out?\u201d Mark asked.\u00a0 He suddenly wondered if it might be a ship in trouble with it engines.\u00a0 It happened, and usually they were never found in the vastness of space, especially if their communications had been damaged.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond our scanner range,\u201d Yvette replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cInform the patrol to have one approach, see if they need help, but not to lose contact with the Enterprise.\u00a0 Don\u2019t need two lost fighters,\u201d Mark replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstood captain,\u201d Yvette said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso inform HQ we might have a stranded freighter or something out here so they can prepare a rescue ship,\u201d Mark said.<\/p>\n

He made his way over to his chair to see what might happen next.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cJoe, you hear that?\u201d Carl said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe said, knowing one of them would have to close the distance.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou go on ahead, I\u2019ll keep you and the Enterprise on the scanners.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d Joe said, unsure he wanted to do this, but turned his fighter towards the scanner contact.\u00a0 Personally he hoped it was nothing at all, and just a glitch in the system.<\/p>\n

His fighter moved closer to the unknown contact and the scanners started to put forth more information telling him that the contact was a ship of some sort and not an asteroid crushing his hope for a glitch.<\/p>\n

The biggest problem he had was the fact his scanners had yet to identify the ship, nor did it have any sort of identification beacon.\u00a0 Something was going on here for sure.\u00a0 Moving in closer now the scanners could make out some things, including the engines which were, odd.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarl, getting some strange scanner readings, it\u2019s a ship all right,\u201d Joe said to his wingmate.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstood,\u201d Carl said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe in visual in a few minutes,\u201d Joe said when a burst of rubbish came over his speakers.\u00a0 \u201cWhat the hell was that?\u201d he asked no one looking around.\u00a0 \u201cCarl, did you hear that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, not sure what it was either, normal frequency,\u201d Carl said.<\/p>\n

Joe now approached the unknown ship with a bit more wariness, unsure what he was approaching or why they would do such a thing.<\/p>\n

Slowly the ship came into view and he was able to make out some more details about the ship.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnknown ship, this is Eagle Six of the Enterprise, do you come in?\u201d Joe said, waiting a few moments to see if he heard anything back.\u00a0 Again another blast of jiberish came back.<\/p>\n

He finally got a better look at the ship, and realized it appeared as nothing he recognized, and engines were defiantly nothing the scanners recognized.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarl, sending this information to the Enterprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoger, anything else?\u201d Carl asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, just that nonsense transmission,\u201d Joe said as he sent the information back to the Enterprise and hoped they could make some sense out of all of this, because he had no idea what was going on anymore.<\/p>\n

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

Mark listened in as the reports came back and heard the strange transmission as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet the Nautilus on the line,\u201d he said to Yvette.\u00a0 He only had to wait a second before Alice\u2019s face appeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou monitoring communications?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really, why?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur patrol encountered a ship, thought it might be in trouble, but its unlike anything we\u2019ve encountered before.\u00a0 The patrol sent back the engine signature,\u201d he said to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cSend it on over, we\u2019ll take a look,\u201d she said to him.\u00a0 \u201cAnd that communications as well, I\u2019m sure someone would like to look at that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Mark stated, unsure what to do next.<\/p>\n

He watched as Alice looked down then froze.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this right?\u201d she asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, why?\u201d Mark replied wondering what the problem was.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the signature for an engine which is only in theory,\u201d she replied back to him causing his eyebrows to rise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes no sense,\u201d Mark finally replied.\u00a0 There was no way such a thing could happen.\u00a0 He wondered what was going on, and what this unknown ship was.\u00a0 He looked on as Hans entered the bridge as well.\u00a0 \u201cGet me HQ.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, what\u2019s up?\u201d Hans asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnknown ship was discovered,\u201d Mark replied back to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably a freighter broken down,\u201d Hans said logically.<\/p>\n

He only had to wait a few minutes before Admiral Richard Jorkenstein answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain Pappas, was there a problem with the tests?\u201d the admiral asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir, the tests appeared to have worked fine, barring results,\u201d Mark replied.\u00a0 \u201cThe problem is we\u2019ve discovered an unknown ship.\u00a0 I was wondering if there were any freighters calling in a distress?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDistress?\u201d Richard replied.\u00a0 \u201cHmm, nope, nothing has come to our attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we have a ship out here,\u201d Mark stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, we have a communications coming in,\u201d Hans said.\u00a0 It was the way he spoke which made Mark look up and over to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold on sir,\u201d Mark said, moving over to see the communications.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis came from the Nautilus,\u201d Hans said.<\/p>\n

Mark looked it over seeing that the scientists had looked over the communications and noticed it repeated, but wasn\u2019t anything from Earth languages but had a structure of intelligent life.\u00a0 It was the scientists\u2019 opinion whoever sent the communications wasn\u2019t from Earth.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, admiral, we might have a larger situation than a damaged freighter,\u201d Mark finally said seeing the admiral frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMark, you\u2019re not actually going to believe this are you?\u201d Hans said speaking up from his station, interrupting anything he might have said to the admiral.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you suggest?\u201d Mark replied back to Hans.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2018m open to suggestions, but we\u2019ve heard nothing but this, this gibberish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIts all a hoax,\u201d Hans said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProbably some illegal ship hoping to avoid any meeting with a ship like us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the power source, its still a theory, no known engines produce that signature,\u201d Mark said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is going on?\u201d the admiral said, still on the line and looking impatient at being ignore.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry sir, but when we went to investigate the unknown ship the energy signature wasn\u2019t like anything any current ship uses.\u00a0 The scientists on board the Nautilus stated it was what they would expect for a theoretical engine, not one we currently use,\u201d Mark said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, and this communications comes in how?\u201d the admiral asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also received this gibberish, sent several times and sent that to the Nautilus as well, they said it looks intelligent but doesn\u2019t appear to have originated on Earth,\u201d Mark stated wondering how such an explanation would go over.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we have an unknown ship which has a possibility of being alien, correct,\u201d the admiral said.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, yes sir,\u201d Mark said seeing Hans roll his eyes at the possibility of such a thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, there is only one thing to do, go meet it,\u201d the admiral said logically.\u00a0 \u201cAnd for God\u2019s sake, don\u2019t shoot them.\u00a0 Last thing we need is to start an interspacial war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re to make contact?\u201d Mark asked making sure his orders were clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, now go on, and take the Nautilus with you, they might prove useful,\u201d Richard said to him.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll brief the president on this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well sir, we\u2019ll do our best,\u201d Mark said.\u00a0 \u201cHelm, plot a course to intercept the unknown ship, have patrol five notified we\u2019re on our way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd notify the Nautilus to follow us,\u201d Mark finally said.<\/p>\n

End part 2<\/p>\n

Continued in part 3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Master of Violence by AJ Marks Part 2 Toncor looked over at the captain having learned his name, Hakkas.\u00a0 The man had a grim look on his face which meant something was wrong. \u201cSorry Toncor, the engines are damaged, we might get another couple of jumps out of them, but beyond that they\u2019ll risk exploding […]
Continue reading…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[3,28,5,12],"class_list":["post-2381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-original","tag-aj-marks","tag-original","tag-sci-fi","tag-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2381"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2381\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2382,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2381\/revisions\/2382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}