"I said I'm trying to reach Chief Council Member V'rick'krck, and don't you DARE put me on hold, I've been holding for most of the morning!"

Exasperated was the word that best described Commodore Kranur's mood. The Dralasite aide to Fleet Admiral Bralloff had been on duty now for thirty-two hours straight, ever since Strike Force Nova was on close approach to the planet in F.S. 37.

The subspace messages coming in were delayed by fourteen hours because of the distance they had to travel. Word had come in two hours ago of the disaster at F.S. 37. The Vengeance, which had made the final report of the battle, was proceeding toward the Zebulon system. The rest of the attack force was gone.

It was still hard for Kranur to imagine that the largest UPF fleet assembled since the siege of Outpost One had been eliminated so easily by the Sathar. With fleet strength cut in half, the UPF admiralty was scrambling to come up with a plan to protect the Frontier from the anticipated Sathar counterattack.

Kranur had been assigned to contact Chief Council member V'rick'krck of the UPF Council of Worlds. It had been a very frustrating task as one secretary after another had placed him on hold leaving him staring at the Videocom screen. Finally, he'd reached V'rick'krck's personal secretary at his main office on Gran Quivera only to be told that he was "indisposed" right now but the secretary would be happy to help him. That comment put him over the edge.

"Look here Secretary T'tresk'xt, I'm calling on behalf of Fleet Admiral Bralloff on critical Spacefleet business, and if you don't have Chief Council Member V'rick'krck on this videocom screen in two minutes, I'll see to it that the only job you'll be able to get is as a communications officer on a garbage hauler!"

Kranur was proud of that remark, having seen a similar one in a comedy holovid just last week, but the Vrusk secretary looked bored by Kranur's impromptu threat. Nevertheless, the secretary got up from his seat and walked out of the room.

At least he didn't put me on hold, Kranur noted with satisfaction.

Before the two minute time limit was up, the secretary reentered the room accompanied by another Vrusk which everyone in the UPF would recognize as Chief Council Member V'rick'krck.

The leader of the UPF carried himself with an air of authority and calm that reassured everyone who saw him that V'rick'krck was in charge at all times and nothing could surprise him.

Kranur wondered if that would hold true once V'rick'krck heard this news.

"Sir, thank you for coming so quickly. I'm Commodore Kranur and I was asked to contact you by Fleet Admiral Bralloff. If you could wait a moment sir, she'll be right with you."

V'rick'krck looked mildly annoyed by being put on hold. That made Kranur feel very good for the first time that morning. Nevertheless, Kranur hurried over to Fleet Admiral Bralloff and informed her that V'rick'krck was finally on the videocom.

Admiral Bralloff joined Kranur at the videocom and addressed V'rick'krck.

"Chief V'rick'krck, please turn your encryption equipment to setting Gamma twelve."

V'rick'krck nodded once and the videocom screen grew hazy as both units switched their encryption setting to a more secure method which allowed them to talk with complete certainty that their communications couldn't be monitored by any other beings.

When the lights verified that full encryption was activated, Bralloff began, "V'rick'krck, we have had a serious defeat in system F.S. 37."

V'rick'krck's eyes narrowed and he peered intensely at Bralloff.

"How 'serious' is the defeat Admiral?"

"We lost all ships sent to F.S. 37 except the Vengeance, which was too far out for the Sathar to engage. There were no known survivors on the other ships. I've sent out orders that all remaining UPF ships be placed on the highest alert status. We expect a Sathar counterattack from F.S. 37 any day now. Our intelligence report relayed by the Vengeance shows that the Sathar fleet at that system is now of about equal strength to the rest of our combined warfleet."

V'rick'krck remained silent for almost a minute staring off to the right of the screen. He finally replied, "I suppose you want this kept secret from the news media and you'd like me to quietly alert the other council members. Having them put their planets' militia fleets on full alert might help also."

"Yes sir, that's exactly what we I had in mind. Thank you, Chief V'rick'krck."

V'rick'krck fixed Bralloff with an icy stare that seemed to reach out through the videocom screen. "I'll want a full report from you personally about what went wrong. You assured me that the reservations I had about this plan of yours were unfounded. I'll be on the next shuttle to Fortress Gollwin. Until then, Admiral, you had best work on a plan to stop the Sathar."

"Yes sir. I'll see you soon. Bralloff out."

With that, Admiral Bralloff killed the videocom channel and let out a long sigh. Kranur watched her walk back to the system strategic display in a particularly foul mood. He knew from past experience that Bralloff's days as Fleet Admiral were numbered, and wasn't particularly saddened by that. Admiral Bralloff was not known for being an easy person to work for.

With his last duty task completed, Kranur logged off his videocom unit and got up. He was really starting to look forward to a good sleep. He looked toward where Bralloff stood and briefly contemplated asking if there were any other tasks she absolutely needed done right now, but fatigue got the better of him, so he slipped out, knowing he wouldn't be missed.

Kranur was but one of the Admiral's aides, and he felt it was time the rest of them pulled their fair share of the load. Besides, the events of the morning had left him so surly, he was likely to punch the next admiral who looked at him funny. An insubordination charge on his record would put a crimp in his career plans by ending any shot he had at every making Rear Admiral.

Without another thought he strode toward the exit of the Strategic Command Center. He noted that he wasn't the only admiral's aide who looked to be at the end of his rope. Spacefleet disasters had a way of disrupting regular work schedules and this one had been particularly bad.

He finally reached the exit and noticed another Dralasite standing in the doorway and scanning the room as if he were searching for something. Looking carefully at the pattern of veins over his skin and catching his scent, Kranur noticed that the Dralasite was both new to the Command Center and quite nervous.

Kranur's curiosity got the better of him in spite of his tired state. He approached the stranger and commented, "Excuse me friend, you look lost. Don't be so nervous, it's just a bunch of admirals who can have you on KP duty for the rest of your military career if you make a mistake."

The other Dralasite didn't take the joke the right way, and if anything, became more nervous than ever. He fumbled for a reply but finally just gestured weakly toward the portable data storage unit in his other pseudopod.

"Ah, yet another report coming in, huh? I'll help you figure out who it goes to", Kranur said, reaching out for the unit in his hand.

The other Dralasite seemed to find his voice at last, "Oh, there's Admiral Gellane. Excuse me." With that, he turned away and strode into the bustling command center.

Kranur had detected a faint odor when his hand was near to the Data Storage unit. For some reason, it reminded him of earlier training. In his sleep deprived state, his mind fixated on that scent as he turned down the corridor toward the elevator.

It had been a while since he'd smelled that particular odor. It had a sharp, chemical smell that wasn't at all like circuit boards or electrolytic capacitors. It brought to mind the firing range where he learned to fire automatic pistols and gyrojet rifles, but that wasn't quite it either.

Kranur finally reached the elevator to the hub of the station. The doors whooshed open and Kranur entered, absentmindedly punching the button for the floor three levels above him where his quarters were located. He felt the elevator start it's ascent and then it hit him.

Not the firing range, the demolition range! It's a Tornadium D-19 explosive charge! I have to warn them!

Kranur stabbed the emergency intercom button in the elevator just as a massive blast jolted the elevator upward. The sound was deafening and was quickly followed by depressurization alarms.

The elevator shaft and each section of the hull were equipped with airtight bulkheads that sealed off the section with atmospheric loss, but Kranur had no idea how extensive the damage would be. If his section was damaged, the air would leak out, and he would die.

How many have already died where the bomb went off? I should have been more alert and remembered it earlier! I should have questioned that Dralasite more.

Those thoughts didn't help matters, but he couldn't help but feel guilty. The elevator seemed to be stuck in place between floors and showed no signs of moving any time soon. Kranur pressed the open door button and crossed his finger pseudopods. Fortunately, the door lurched open, showing the next floor to be only three feet above the level of the elevator.

With some effort, he pulled himself up to that floor and found a wall intercom unit that still worked just ten meters down the corridor. Because the command center was gone, Kranur tried other locations on the intercom until he reached one that was still manned and functional. It was only the space traffic control center, but it would have to do. The officer answering sounded a bit shook up, so Kranur took charge.

"This is Commodore Kranur, aide to Admiral Bralloff. There's been a major explosion in Strategic command that has probably killed most of the command officers. I'm assuming command of the station until replaced by a higher ranking officer. Your post has the best communications gear, so it's now the command center. I'm on my way there, start organizing rescue teams and a comprehensive list of damage. Rescue teams should have spacesuits and anchors. The spacedock in the hub should have extra suits. Also, contact Star Law and fill them in. We need a forensic investigative team here ASAP."

The officer sounded more in control now that he had tasks to keep him busy.

"I'll get right on it, Commodore!"

Kranur hit the disconnect switch and hurried on his way. Space traffic control was in the hub section, and with the elevator out, it would be a long climb. At least the artificial gravity created by the spinning station would get weaker as he ascended the ladder.

All thoughts of getting sleep soon were gone now. He briefly wondered if he was close to breaking the Dralasite record for sleep deprivation and tried to remember how long ago he'd risen from his bunk.

Memory wasn't his strong point today, besides, it didn't matter much anymore.

After he'd climbed for three or four minutes, he reached a porthole built into the spoke of the station. Kranur looked out and down toward the ring section. The top of the ring looked relatively undamaged where he was when the blast occurred, but it was backlit from fires still burning several levels below where the Strategic Command center used to be. Kranur scanned the ring to both sides of the blast area and discovered that a large section, almost one quarter of the ring, was missing on the opposite side of the hub. The hub itself looked intact, so he continued to climb.

It took him ten minutes to finally reach the space traffic control center. The ranking officer on duty introduced himself as Fleet Lieutenant Wilkins. Wilkins was short for a human, barely taller than Kranur was in his current form. Wilkins had done a good job setting up the temporary command center. The largest monitor, formerly a space traffic display screen, now showed a diagram of the station with different colors representing levels of known damage. Green indicated undamaged sections, which was confined to the hub, three of the spokes, and the innermost parts of the ring on the A and B sections. Yellow showed some damage and possible hull depressurization, which covered most of section C and a small portion of one of the spokes.

Red color highlighted the sections which were known to have severe structural damage or missing entirely. Sections D, E and large portions of F section were solid red. The remaining sections' outermost edge of the ring was also red, with yellow along the inner borders.

Wilkins narrated what he'd discovered, "You were right about the blast occurring in Strategic Command, but that wasn't the only explosion, as you can see. Simultaneous explosions all around the ring's lower decks have destroyed large portions of the station."

Wilkins pointed to the damaged spoke above the completely destroyed section, "The largest charge was planted right about here, and when it went off, sections D, E, and F broke away from the station. I don't have any hard casualty figures yet, but the sections that broke away were quarters for military personnel and the fighter bays so it's likely to be high."

"The station's military assets were apparently the main target", Wilkins continued, pointing to different parts of the outer ring. "You can see that every Laser Battery, Rocket Battery, and ICM launcher was destroyed in the attack. Masking screens still work, because they're located with us in the hub, but other than that, we have no offensive or defensive capabilities."

Kranur glanced at the other monitors, which were displaying live camera views of the damaged areas from work pod or rescue team cameras. Twisted fire charred metal and melted plastic filled the screen along with the more grisly scenes of dead beings who had died of sudden decompression. The enormity of the disaster was just starting to hit him.

"Lieutenant, is there any word from Morgain's World or Gran Quivera about when assistance will arrive?"

Wilkins shook his head and elaborated after a questioning look from Kranur.

"We've had some difficulty reaching any of the other bases. Our radios check out with self diagnostics, but there has been no response to our message thus far."

It would be twenty-three hours before help finally arrived at Fortress Gollwin because, unbeknownst to them, the rest of the UPF bases had problems of their own to deal with.

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