Kev'cect warily opened his eyes and looked around the darkened room. It took him several seconds before he identified the sound that woke him as the computer terminal's alarm clock program. Kev'cect's hand slammed down on the off button, and he lifted his torso off the sleeping mat and into the vertical position. Although a glance at his clock told him his duty shift started in ten minutes, he felt like he'd been jogging all night instead of sleeping. He stretched both hands behind him, joined his ten fingers, and stretched. Sleep was something he usually hated being interrupted from, but during this particular night, it had not been restful. Stumbling to his locker, Kev'cect's mind wandered to the events of the last few days.

The Challenger had no sooner been repaired when the orders had come through from Admiral Hooruets. Now Fleet Admiral Hooruets, Kev'cect reminded himself. The Challenger was to join the Carrier UPFS Vengeance in the Zebulon system. A scientific colony was due to be evacuated from Volturnus within the day, but the Sathar were expected there at the same time.

The Challenger and the Vengeance were ordered to cover the withdrawal as long as possible, then retreat back to the Truane's Star system. Dressing himself in his military skeinsuit took time, with eight legs and two arms, but at last, he was almost ready for duty. He pulled his sidearm, a Gyrojet Rifle, out of his locker and checked his ammunition automatically. His extra Gyrojet clips were all where he left them in a compartment in his locker. The computerized readout on the top of his rifle showed ten rounds in the clip that was already inserted in the spherical rear grip. He flipped the rifle over to check the grenade status screen in the launcher slung under the rifle's long barrel. It read, "AP Safe", which Kev'cect knew meant that a high explosive anti-personel grenade was loaded and the safety was on.

Kev'cect rotated his torso to face almost backward and shoved the rifle into its holster slung across the top of his thorax. The extra clips of gyrojet ammunition from the locker compartment were slipped into the pockets on the side of the rifle sheath, as were his extra grenades. He also took his Vibroknife and slipped it into a sheath on his right front leg.

Lastly, he attached the power beltpack to his Albedo Screen active laser defense and plugged the other cord into an electrostunner. The stunner was shoved into a holster attached to the beltpack. Taking a look in the mirror, he straightened his clothes and antennae and hit the button to open the door to his quarters.

The halls were hardly bustling with people, as the Challenger had far fewer crew members than most military ships of it's size. Because of the automation of various subsystems, crew requirements on the Challenger were almost halved. Kev'cect strolled through the corridor toward the ladder shafts and elevator. There were two crew shifts during the twenty hour solar days and Kev'cect was assigned to the day shift.

Not that day or night made a bit of difference on a starship, but all times throughout the Frontier were referenced against an agreed upon twenty hour day. It seemed as though twenty hours was the best compromise between the four races as some were accustomed to sleeping once every sixteen to twenty-four hours, depending on race. It was later found that all races were able to adjust their sleep schedules so that they could function well with a twenty hour day as the standard. This day length was adopted partly because the planet Gran Quivera had a forty hour day-night cycle, and as it was populated equally by all four races. Usually, crew schedules were split fairly evenly between the two shifts, but today, the day shift consisted of ninety percent of the crew. The reason for the skeleton night shift was that Captain Galvin wanted his crew to be well rested for these critical hours to come. Given the nervousnous of the crew most of them probably spent the night tossing and turning in their bunks.

The Challenger was only a few hours out from Volturnus and the Sathar were coming soon.

Kev'cect reached the ladder well on deck seven and began to climb the sturdy rungs toward Security on deck six. A short while later, he arrived at the door and went inside. Sixteen other security men and women were already inside, waiting for the morning briefing with duty assignments and news of the latest developments. Surveying the room quickly, Kev'cect had to admit that his fellow Landfleet security members looked as ill at ease and poorly rested as he felt.

The leader of the security detachment, Lieutenant Henin, had dark circles under his eyes and paced the front of the room nervously. One last security team member, a Dralasite, walked into the room and as Henin realized everyone was present, he began to address the team.

"I'll dispense with the preliminaries and get right to it. As you know, we're here to evacuate Volturnus Colony. The good news is that someone at Volturnus Colony had already ordered transport out before our defeat at F.S. 37. The bad news is that the only ship they could get to do the job is a mid-sized bulk cargo freighter. It doesn't have a shuttlecraft capable of entering the atmosphere, so we're going to have to provide the transport up from the planet. The Challenger's shuttle can only hold forty people, and that's pushing it, so this will take at least ten trips. In the meantime, Volturnus Colony has requested land reinforcements to hold the base perimeter if the Sathar land during evacuation. We're the only crew members that the Challenger can spare."

Lieutenant Henin let his eyes rove over his assembled men.

"I don't need to tell you that there are many risks involved in this job. Captain Galvin has assured me that he will do what he can to cover the evacuation, but the Challenger is the only big cruiser our forces have left, so he's under strict orders not to risk its destruction over Volturnus Colony. If the Sathar force arrives soon and it's larger than the Challenger and Vengeance can handle, they are under orders to accelerate to Void speed and jump out rather than make a stand here. I don't have to tell you what kind of odds an unarmed freighter and a shuttle will have against the Sathar Armada. There is a chance that everyone who accompanies the shuttle to the surface will be stranded there along with the colonists. The way the Sathar wage war, that's as good as a death sentence.

"Because of the risks, I've asked Captain Galvin, and he's agreed, that this should be an all volunteer mission. I'll be commanding the ground forces once we reach planetside. Who's going with me?"

Kev'cect stepped forward without a moment's hesitation. This was a mission where he could make a difference. He saw Lieutenant Henin's eyes meet his and as look of admiration filled them.

"That's one"

Corporal Brallsus, a Dralasite, stepped forward also, muttering, "This tub's getting boring anyway."

The laughter that ensued seemed to ease the tension in the room, and one by one, every member of the security detachment stepped forward.

For once, Lieutenant Henin appeared to be at a loss for words. He regained his composure and continued, "Well, we launch in fifty-five minutes. If you have any messages to record for back home, Captain Galvin has given us priority use of the Videocom units. After that, gather up full combat loads of ammo, and meet me in the Landing Party Briefing room for final instructions in twenty minutes. That's all"

The nervousness in the room at the start of the briefing was replaced by a well trained crew hurrying about their business. The last restless night before combat was, for them, finished. They had a plan, a goal, and duties to occupy them.

The wait was almost over.

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