Chapter 27
Part 3 of 4
Edited by Steve
By T Hodge
"Tim, you are needed on the bridge," Sarha said.
Tim sat up in his bed and stretched, looking around. The night had been rough, there were no bodies to snuggle with. The girls had gone to visit their parents for a couple of days.
"Yes, Tim, we have a situation with both corvettes," Sarha added.
Tim dressed quickly and got to his seat on the bridge right away, he sat and checked the forward viewscreen. "OK, somebody give me a heads-up on what's going on." Wrinkling his brow, simultaneously, rubbing one hand on the pant leg, trying to think about what is being said to him.
"Tim, DarkIce called and reported the appearance of one hundred ships on his long-range scanner." Mayio had turned from the pilot's seat to tell Tim this.
"I need to talk to DarkIce. Now!,"
"DarkIce's channel is open now!" The person at the communications station called out.
"DarkIce, this is Tim. What's the situation?" He sat there with a puzzled look.
"Tim, about an hour or so ago, one hundred ships appeared on the long-range scanner. They're just sitting there, and it appears they're expecting something."
"Are both corvettes cloaked?"
"Yes, as soon as we saw them I called a yellow alert. We immediately cloaked and put the shields at full power."
"Very good. In what direction do they seem to be headed?"
"This is the problem; their ships are scattered all over the region, and their formation does not point in any one direction."
"Send me a report every half an hour, and DarkIce, good work!" Tim had a gleam in his eye, knowing DarkIce was doing a great job.
"Will do, and Thanks." Appeared unaffected by what Tim thought but still felt the pride in knowing he was taking the correct action.
"Engineering, Tim here."
"Tim, this is Gento, how may I help you?"
"Gento, is the wormhole generator functional, and how long before we can use it?"
"It's functional now. We will start it up, and in six hours, you will be able to use it."
"Tawni, do the navigators have all the information to use the wormhole generator?"
"Yes."
"Was there any information on the side effects to the crew members?"
"Tim, the manual was a technical manual, and there was no information about side effects."
"Sarha, was the wormhole generator ever used?"
Sarha appeared to Tim's right side, "No, it was not even tested."
"Not tested." ... Tim took a deep breath. "How do we know if it even works?"
"I cannot answer that question. ... Sorry."
"How are we supposed to use an untested piece of equipment?" still trying not to think about what could go wrong.
"Tim, I am sure that the builders knew what they were doing."
"How sure are you?" Tim frowned, hoping she would have an answer.
"Everything else is working and has been for 10,000 years."
"But Sarha, if we start through and don't make it. We could die."
"Tim, if we don't make it through and all die, will you know it?"
"Point taken. Notify all department heads for a meeting in thirty minutes."
Tim sat in his seat and thought about what they would do.
Tawni walked up to Tim's seat. "Tim, can I tell you something you may not know?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Did you have any difficulty using the MTS machine?"
"Why, no. What does that have to do with the wormhole?
"Our MTS machines are wormhole generators."
Tim thought about this. Yes, the MTS machines were wormholes. He decided to inform the rest of the crew.