Moem The Beginning

PROLOGUE

PRESENT DAY

"Captain, we've been hit!" Lieutenant Rawlings voice bellowed above the explosive sounds of the battle going on around them. Then the radio operator's voice relayed even more devastating news. "Six enemy fighters coming in at three o'clock, three more at ten o' clock, sir!"

"Damage report on the double, Lieutenant!" Captain Robert Bingham replied in a detached unwavering tone of voice. "Aye, sir!" The young husky looking man turned and left his station to check with the ship's engineer's as to how serious the attack upon the starship Verboten had been.

It did not take long to hear the bad news from first engineer Steward. "The hull has been penetrated at aft deck one and two sir! We are losing power. I cannot promise that I will be able to repair the damage anytime soon. We are operating with the back up system now."

"Well, get to it man! Time is of the essence!" Lieutenant Rawlings yelled, his voice straining above the sound of gunfire. The possibility of an explosion in space crossed his mind as he raced up the stairs to report to the Captain.

The bridge was filled with a hub of activity as the officers and crew moved about quickly. Each performing their job with the efficiency that had been part of their ongoing life upon the spacecraft for many years.

Another explosion rocked the ship. Again the lights dimmed, but the generator kicked in keeping the ships lights and electrical system working.

Captain Bingham stood over the radio operator shouting commands to the small squadron of fighters dotting the night skies.

"Six enemy fighters at three o'clock, watch your tail, flyboy! Two more coming in at ten o'clock! Dammit man, pay attention!"

A volley of missiles was launched to find their way toward the attacking ships but not before the Verboten suffered another crippling blow.

Captain Bingham nearly lost his balance as the ship listed eerily from the explosions. He yelled loudly into the intercom. "Lieutenant Rawlings, report to the bridge on the double!"

Several more rockets took out oncoming fighter ships lighting up the heavens with an eerie phosphorescent glow. The blips on the monitor showed a huge squadron of enemy fighters vastly outnumbering their dozen remaining fighters.

Two enemy fighters momentarily veered off course avoiding a collision with a deluge of debris, giving the Verboten a chance to maneuver out of the path of oncoming missles.

Lieutenant Rawlings returned from below deck. "The news is not good sir, the ship's electrical system is two- third's down. We are operating on just enough generator power to try for a thrust into hyper-space which would land us in the remote part of the galaxy where there is only one planet adaptable to human life. The planet Katchwari."

The captain knew that Katchwari was able to sustain oxygen for plants and humans alike, he had been there before. The catch was outsiders were unwelcome. But he would have to take his chances or stay and fight to the death in an unholy war where the outcome was most likely terminal.

They were down to six fighters left. The sky was filled with gunfire and missiles. They were not going to win this one. "That fiend Mahakala has us on the run! Growled the captain. "Mr.Winston, give the order to our fighters to retreat. Do it now!" "Aye, Captain!" The radio operator replied, hastily barking the command.

Captain Bingham hated giving in to that cold-hearted bastard, Arcaine but he wanted no more blood on his hands. The battle was lost. It was time to make a run for it.

Once the decision was made, the captain watched the fighters veer off one by one out of the path of enemy fire.

"Godspeed" he whispered, as his Spaceship Verboten hurtled through space at hypersonic speed leaving in its wake the surprised and angry band of mongrels who had been denied the catch of the day.