The Story Of Andrew Shepard

[Switchback]

**Begin Blackbox Playback**
Andrew: What a Eventful few days. We Found and Repaired a Ship, Cataloged Hundreds of specimens.
AI: Sensors just picked up a anomaly... Warning. Unidentified Cruiser Class Vessel heading on a intercept course.
Andrew: AI, Power Weapons. Sound Red Alert.
*The Alarms Blare, as Crew and non-Combat Personnel Scramble to get to their Posts*
Andrew Runs to the bridge, and takes a seat in the captains Chair.
Andrew: Power All weapons. Any Communication from the unknown vessel?
Jacob: None sir. Scans Reveal Mortar class weaponry. SIR. they just fired!!
Andrew*on comms*: Brace for impact!
*The Light Mortar Glances across the shields, Dissipating energy from the Forward shields*
Andrew: Christ! Maria, Fire Pulse cannons, followed by a Cerberus Barrage.
Maria: Firing!
*The Pulse Cannon Blasts Fly thou the emptiness of space, then hit the unknown vessel.*
Maria: Scans indicate Minimal Cerberus Damage, Pulse Cannons had 20% Effectiveness
Andrew: Come about. Reroute power from all non-essential Systems to Shields.
*Over Comms*Evan: Sir, The shield Emitters are failing. the next Blast will render them useless!
Andrew: Copy that. Helm, Power Cruise Engines!
Jacob: Engine Controls are not Responding! Were dead in the water.
Andrew: Right. Maria, Tell all gun Batteries to fire at will, try to cover the escape Pods trajectory.
Maria: Copy.
Andrew*on comms*: All hands, Abandon ship. I repeat, abandon ship!
Andrew: Lets go people get to the Escape pods!
**Blackbox Connection Severed**

*Present*
Andrew paced around in his Escape pod. The Thruster had malfunctioned, and he was floating around in the debris field. Then a series of Bangs occured.
The Escape Pod hatch opened, and a Navy Captain was there.

Joe: Andrew! Looks like we found the wreckage. How ya been?
Andrew: well my ship was blown up. What else is new?
Joe: Well, My Military Term is about up. The Fearless will be needing a new captain. I bet I could Get a few favors done and you could be re-Enlisted as captain, after all the Training.
Andrew: Ide like that. But later. Im hungry, the Rations in that pod are quite tasteful...
Joe: Lets get this man some food and a Bed. Oh and Radio the Search Party we found the wreckage.
Andrew: How much of the crew survived....
Joe: Now that we found you, all of them.

**a Couple months later**
Joe: I heard The Phoenix Is almost Completed.
Andrew: Yep. Taking a Transport Down to Omicron Theta to supervise the Launch.
Joe: So What will be your first order of buisness once the Phoenix Is opperational?
Andrew: Ive been Hearing about a Place called Tau-117. Were going to search for the
Jumphole to that system. Hopefully we will find something.

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Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.