1 Chapter 1 :
Sol System, Earth, 13th of november 2118.
United Nations Space Fleet, Starport Omega.
Time, 08:00
Captain Alex Wells
Captain Alex Wells walked briskly into the Starport hangar. He was followed by four of the senior officers, all exept the Chief Engineer.
He stopped for a few seconds, to observe the sight before him.
The UNS New Horizon.
A state of the art exploration ship, born of the most advanced technology ever used, courtesy of Experimental Science division. Those men and women consisted of Humanity's brightest.
According to it's specs, the ship boasted many new creations, including, but not limited to, a graviton generator, giving it the United Nation's first artificial gravity system.
It was held in place by a dozen enormous clamps that descended from the ceiling. A one hundred meter long glass boarding tube was attached to the side of the ship. On the other end, was a long staircase so personnel could board.
His crew was already on board, so he'd been told. The lights on board the vessel proved that. But a single individual stood in the boarding tube.
Ah, that must be the Chief Engineer, he thought. He checked his manifold. There he was, Cmdr Bentham Magnler, Doctor of Mechanical Engineering and Spacial Systems. Age 24. Height 1,68m.
Wells walked up to him, followed closely by the officers he'd known for at least a year.
"Is that him?" asked Commander Xeing, the Science officer.
"Yes, Anne, I believe it is." answered the Captain.
"He's rather young isn't he?" came in Lieutenant Flitztrauerlingh, the Security officer. A curious fellow. People found his name unpronounsable.
"That he is, but if his record is accurate, he is very sharp." replied Wells, then turned to look at the 26 year old science officer, who'd already been in active service for half a decade.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing. Josh, you didn't say that about Anne when she joined."
"Yeah, but that's because she was flippin' hot." retorted the Security officer.
Everyone laughed.
They arrived before a young man, seeming actually younger than he really was. He wore a small goatee and short hair, both black. He wore the blue uniform of the UN and on it was a badge with his name and rank.
"Good morning Captain, my name is Commander Magnler. I'm your new Chief Engineer." he said smartly, complementing his introduction with a salute.
"Good to see you, Bentham...?", when the engineer nodded, he continued, "I welcome you to the crew, my name is Alex Wells and this is Anne Xeing, Josh FTL, Lauren Regala and Imogen Parker." he motioned to each of them in part.
They all aquiesed him with a nod, exept Josh who, being Josh, gave him a coy wave and mouthed 'Hi'.
"I hope you find yourself at home amongst my crew."
"Thank you.", he answered, relaxing slightly.
Wells couldn't help but notice the young man's nervous mannerisms and slightly halting speech. He attributed this to social awkwardness, but wasn't sure just yet.
Wells left it at that, and boarded his new ship. He had studied it's schematics extensively and found it exactly as he remembered.
He walked up it's hall and to the elevator that led to the bridge.
He entered the bridge.
"Captain on deck!" yelled one of the ensigns.
"At ease." Wells said, when everyone stood, "Helm, when can we get underway."
The helmsman, a friendly if rough fellow by the name of Ethan Davis, answered, "As soon as you are ready, Captain."
"Very well," he took the chair, "Everyone to your seats. Imogen, give me shipwide comms."
"Yes captain." she flicked the switch that would allow the captain to speak through speakers to the entirety of the ship's crew.
"Attention, crewmembers of the New Horizon. This is your captain speaking. We are being deployed to uncharted space. So buckle your seatbelts. We are leaving in a few minutes, so anyone with problems, call them in now. Captain out."
He waited five minutes. Since no one called up, he gave the order to the helmsman to take them away.
With practised ease, the New Horizon slipped out of the hangar and into space for the first time. It's engines flahed as it sped up towards the distant structure. Once it's trajectory plan had reached the distant station, the helm cut the engines.
Wells called up the station.
"Bridgeway Omega, this is New Horizon. Ready for relativity jump. You may fire when ready."
"Copy New Horizon, Bridgeway Omega, prepping antimatter cannon."
the crew of the New Horizon watched as a huge nozzil swung around, light glowing from it's enormous length. Then, with a sudden flash, a streaking blue projectile was flung from the cannon at near light speed. It crossed space before exploding into a halo, showing stars too distant to have been properly seen before.
The relativity cannon could target a piece of space and tear a hole in reality to reach it. It generally took several months to cross that space but it was shorter than the millenia it would take otherwise. It bent space-time so that the points of interest were in fact much closer than they actually were. The process had been invented by one of the brightest humans in living history, Dr Heinrich.
"Okay Josh," said the Captain to the security officer, "Prepare everyone for Relativity jump. Let's not keep the unknown waiting."
"Yes sir," Josh, with a mischevous grin on his face, turned to his own comms, "Alright everybody, prepare for Heimlich maneuver."
Wells sighed, but smiled dispite himself. The Heimlich maneuver was what most of the lesser ranks called the Relativity Jump. It's said to have begun when the Lord Admiral of the Fleet had said, "this new method of transport will be called, in honor of it's creator, the Relativity Jump or Heinrich Maneuver."
The name stuck after actual jumps had been completed. Because of the relative space you are travelling in, when you exit, despite not actually slowing down, you still slow down due to the fact you have travelled much faster than reality expected. Thus you are given the heimlich maneuver every time you end a Relativity Jump. It was uncomfortable at best.
As their ship angled towards the hole in realspace, all seniors called in, reporting their charges to be properly attached.
The New Horizon slowly approached the wormhole, until it's nose touched it. The vessel suddenly lurched forwards. Stars became streaks of light as they accelerated. Three seconds later, it was over. Stars and Nebulae shot passed as they flew through space towards their target. The crew slowly began to detach themselves and begin their respective works.
