//ooRP: Hey guys. Now that the Okinawa incident is complete I have opened a suggestions thread to the story. It can be found here
Character List:
Captain Richard Stedman: CO of Okinawa
Commander Hiroshi Matsuo: XO of Okinawa
Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Stedman: Science officer
Lieutenant Charles Adams: Chief Engineer
Lieutenant Kaoru Tanaka: Chief Security officer
Sub-lieutenant Daniel Hsaiao: Communications officer
Ensign Chiyoko Matsuda: Helmsman
790A.S Yukawa Shipyard Honshu system
"Captain all systems are reporting green across the board. Engineering is standing by and we have just received clearance to proceed with the launch sir".
"Thank you ensign Matsuda.; said Captain Richard Stedman; Bridge to Engineering."
"Go ahead Captain." came the reply from the internal comm systems.
"How are the engines looking down there?"
"Purring away quite happily sir!"
Richard turns his chair to face the helm station "Thank you Charles! Helm take us out. 1/4 impulse.""
Ensign Matsuda quickly turned to face the captain. "Sir may I remind you that regulation states that while maneuvering in space dock all ships are to use thrusters ONLY.
Hiroshi cleared his throat loudly and with authority states, Ensign. 1/4 Impulse was the command."
"Ai sir. 1/4 impulse."
With that Chiyoko input the commands into the console in front of her and the Okinawa slowly began to accelerate out of the dry-dock at Yukawa shipyard.
"Sir we have cleared Yukawa and we are ready to engage cruise engines", reported Ensign Matsuda.
Richard pushed the comm button on his chair. "How is she looking Charles?"
"With readings this good I think the Okinawa is more eager to be underway than we are!", came the quick response of Charles Adams.
Richard turned his head to the sound of the lift doors opening and smiled when he saw Elizabeth. She replied to the smile with a smile of her own and said "Sensors should be up to 100% now. I managed to finish calibrating those last few stubborn systems", she sat down at her station and started pouring over the new reading she was getting making sure everything was in order.
Alright then!", the captain yelled "Lets go and explore the sirius sector! Helm set a course for the Sigma-19 jump hole. Maximum cruise velocity."
"Ai sir" Chiyoko was already inputting the commands into the helm.
And with that the KNF:Okinawa, an Ahoudori class explorer, Jumped to cruise and sped away.
797A.S in an uncharted system, later to be called Omicron-90
KNF:Okinawa flies through the system at full impulse. Her crew continue about their daily business as the crew of a ship does. Delivering sensor reports or maintaining systems. On the bridge a relaxed atmosphere. Captain Richard Stedman sits in his chair staring at the viewscreen. An image of the beautiful system is being displayed. Elizabeth as always was glued to her station constantly taking sensor readings which were being used to chart the system.
"This system is amazing!"I mean look at the colour of the clouds! Such a lovely purple."
Richard laughed and replied; "If I knew you loved purple so much Chiyoko I would have arranged to have your quarters painted before we left Yukawa. Liz! Come stop staring at that damned screen and come and look at this! I mean really? At least the baby has to get a look at this!"
Elizabeth briefly turned to Richard before looking back at her display;"No. Sorry. I am getting some odd readings and I am trying to figure out what is going on."
Puzzlement appeared on Richard's face;What readings?
Just some odd temperature readings ahead of us. Probably just gases present in this system nothing to worry about. Just trying to work out what might cause it."came the reply.
As she said that a large alien vessel uncloaked just ahead of the Okinawa. Alarms on the bridge sounded all around as the crew frantically tried to bring Okinawa to a halt, the captain shouting orders around the bridge. Once the Okinawa had stopped the crew had a chance to take in the sight before them.
"Elizabeth I need a full spectral analysis of that vessel. I need an idea on what that thing is! Daniel open a communications channel. Broadcast greeting and messages of friendship in all known languages across all frequencies and channels", Richard ordered.
The vessel has a hull of mostly organic composition, it also has a power reading that dwarfs most vessels in our database, I also cannot pinpoint exactly where the power sources exact location is on that ship. It appears the entire ship IS the power core. This vessel matches none of the vessels in the database. I believe we are making first contact with an alien species". Elizabeth stated.
"Sir I am getting no response from our hails", Stated Danliel Hsaiao
Suddenly alarms started ringing from Elizabeth's sensor station I am detecting a massive power surge in the ship....Its opening fire!", Elizabeth screamed.
Richard's blood suddenly grew cold and a thousand thoughts and scenarios suddenly flashed through his mind at once, the first being the safety of his wife and his unborn child. "Lieutenant Tanaka bring the shields up and arm all weapons!"
As Richard said that the energy bolts from the ships weapons slammed into Okinawa's shields. Power conduits over loaded and exploded around the bridge, Richard fought to keep himself in his chair as the deck pitched and rolled beneath him. "Report!"
Kaoru Tanaka's reply was bleak at best;"Shields are down to nine percent! Their weapons are strong sir, we can't take another hit like that! They've knocked out our cruise engines with their first shot, we are on impulse only!
Richard's response was swift but calm;"Evasive maneuvers! Divert all remaining emergency power to forward shields and weapons systems, return fire with everything we have got!"
As he said that alarms started shrieking across the bridge again Elizabeth's expression turned to one of terror:"They are firing again! All hands brace for Impact!"
And with that more energy bolts slammed into what remained of Okinawa's meager shields and started tearing through her hull like paper. On the bridge Daniel Hsaiao's console overloaded and exploded and sent him hurtling into the air. He was dead before he hit the ground, burns covering his face.
"Medical teams report to the bridge. We have a medical emergency.", Hiroshi Matsuo loudly stated over the alarms that were shrieking across the bridge.
Charles' voice came over on the comms;"Captain we have major problems down here. Main power is failing and we have a coolant leak. We are evacuation engineering!"
Richard was now desperate, thinking frantically on finding a way out of this situation. Okinawa was firing barrages from her guns that would be lethal for many human ships but they seemed to be leaving no mark on the strange alien ship, which responded with another barrage of its own guns. Crewman Hoshimi Nakajima was working on deck 2 trying to repair a damaged conduit. Suddenly fire erupted in the corridor and a roar rang in her ears. She watched with horror as the hull in front of her tore away in slow motion. She was lifted off her feet as the vacuum of space started to suck everything out the ship. Hoshimi managed to grab hold of the bulkhead as she was pulled out. She could not maintain her grip and she was sucked out into space, shrieking in terror, and then blackness...
The scene on the bridge was one of disaster. Alarms were shrieking and fires were burning at several stations.. The offensive smell of burnt circuitry reached Richard's nose and he had to try and not wrinkle his nose in disgust."Report!"
"Weapons are failing and shields are offline. We have hull breaches on decks 2,4,5 and 6. Main power is failing as well"'came
Kaoru's desperate reply.
With that Richard's heart sank. They were out of options. He had no choice but to evacuate the ship. " That's it everyone lets go. We're evacuating all hands abandon ship. Let's go! MOVE! MOVE!"
"What about you?"
"I'll meet you there I promise! Now get going! Änd with that the crew started to abandon ship. A crew member was running towards a pod on deck 3 when suddenly an explosion sent her flying into a bulkhead with bone crushing force. Killing her instantly.
Richard seated himself at the helm of the ship. From there he sent the remaining energy to the weapons and engines systems. He knew he was lying when he said he would meet Elizabeth at the pod.
"This is pod 10 sir we are waiting on you."
Pod 10 is my wife on board?"
Another explosion rocked the ship and the shrieking sound of tearing metal rang all around.
"Yes sir she is. we are standing bye."
"Negative pod 10 you are to leave immediately!"
"Sir?"
"Go now do you understand?"
"Yes sir."
"No wait! Richard!" Where you!" came Elizabeth's desperate response.
With that Richard's heart broke and he began to weep. Weep for his wife. Weep for his unborn child who would not have a father. Weep for all the days he would not get to spend with him.
"I am sorry honey I can't be there."
Richard pushed the engage button and the Okinawa lurched forward toward the alien ship, her engines screaming.
"What why not? You said you would be here?"
Escape pod 10 launched into space. Leaving the scared and battered Okinawa behind.
"I know but I have to fight them off so you at least have a chance of surviving. If I don't they will probably destroy the escape pods as well!"
"But our baby! He needs a father!"
"He also needs to survive as well!"
We haven't even discussed a name!
Another explosion tore through the Okinawa and her port wing began to disintegrate. On the bridge fires were burning and a support beam had collapsed.
"You want to discuss a name now?"
"Yes of course!"
"Ok. What about Alastair?" It means protector of mankind."
"Alright Alastair it is."
And with that a scream came across the comm channel. A voice came over the comm;"Sir your wife has just gone into labor."
"You guys take good care of my wife now see! Lizzy if you can hear me I love you." and with that Richard severed the comm link, tears streaming from his eyes. "Computer activate self destruct sequence, authorization, sierra, india, delta, two, three, zero, eight. "Auto destruct activated. sixty second count down."
The Okinawa hurtled closer to the alien ship. Shreds of hull plating tearing off as the velocity of the vessel increased.
"30. 29. 28. 27. 26. 25."
Okinawa continued relentlessly on her suicide run.
5. 4. 3. 2. 1.
Mere meters away from the alien vessel, the Okinawa exploded in a brilliant flash of white. The shock-wave and shreds of burning and molten hull crashed into the alien ship. The ship shuddered and the purple glow of the ship faded and grew dull as it "died" in the lifeless void that is space.
Minutes later, in a pod that is huddled in among dozens of other pods, a scream pierces the silence and a baby was born. His name was Alastair Stedman.
