The Crimson Heart part 2 by Cameron Olson

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SUMMARY: Part 2 of the novella detailing a mission undertaken by Marsden Security.

Dialogue Legend:
"Spoken Dialogue"
//Electronic Communications\\
::Private Thoughts of a Character::
--Other--

Part 2

Two days later Tevvin stood on the bridge of the Dawntreader dressed in the sharp red and gold uniform of his company. The holographic-surround display still showed the bracketing arms of docking port 43 at New Wallstreet station, but that was set to change in the next few moments. The last of the mooring cables retracted and everyone on the bridge heard the dockmaster say,

//Dawntreader, you are clear to activate standard thrusters at 1 gee of acceleration.\\

"Understood," Ensign Wilmoth replied into the comm. and Tevvin nodded to the lieutenant, Emmanuel Vourkais, manning the helm. The Dawntreader backed out from between the bracketing arms, slowly at first, but picking up more speed as the maneuvering thrusters did their work. As the ship cleared the docking port Tevvin looked to the right and saw a massive red, black and white ship that had already done the same and was in the process of turning around to leave the area. The ship was so close he could read the sharp black letters giving its designation, "Harless". He had already recognized it as an MCL StarNavy Battlecarrier by the colors and shape.

"An impressive sight, Captain," Garrett commented with a smile.

Tevvin nodded and told one of the ensigns to turn on visual recording. Later he would print out a poster of the battlecarrier to go on his wall.

//Alright Dawntreader,\\ The dockmaster radioed, //You are clear for turnaround. You may increase to five gees of acceleration on my mark.\\ Tevvin signaled the helm and the Dawntreader made a slow 180. //Mark,\\ the dockmaster called and the aft fusion thrusters on Tevvin's ship flared up and accelerated the ship away from the station. Tevvin noticed that his ship was keeping pace with the much larger MCLS Battlecarrier.

"I wonder how she moves under full power," Garret said and Tevvin smiled.

The minutes passed while the two ships remained in sight of each other and then the dockmaster radioed, //Dawntreader, you will be clear to use your grav-drive in thirty seconds.\\ Tevvin looked over at the battlecarrier, now falling a little behind, and estimated that it was no more than twenty kilometers off their port side. He thought it was beautiful, a great red arrowhead shining in the brilliant sunlight.

::Father, I'd like to have a ship like that someday,:: he thought.

Suddenly the lieutenant manning the sensor station cried out, "Hyperspace signature directly ahead! Range within 350 klicks!"

Tevvin's head snapped around and he said, "Ensign Colucci, charge shield generators. I want them ready now." Then he looked to where a flashing purple box indicated the visible flare of purple-white energy surrounding a ship exiting hyperspace. The event was so close that he could see the crackling lightning surrounding the transiting ship. "Lieutenant Saia," he called to the lieutenant on sensors, "Do a full scan of that vessel."

The lieutenant nodded and then her eyes went wide, "Unknown Battleship class vessel is locking MCLS Battlecarrier.