Beyond the Void

The ship moved soundlessly through the void, trailing past the birth of stars and the death of worlds, all without so much as a creak of her hull. The Hannah had gone missing some years before, no one knew why nor remembered how it had happened. Her intention was to dock with an observation post but they lost contact and a search team was launched but nothing was found, not a trace of her, as if she had never existed. As suddenly as she had appeared she had returned, closer to Home and with a secret that couldn't be allowed to get there, the crew of the Determination did not know this, all they knew is that they had orders to bring her back and account for her whereabouts.



Chapter 1- Greetings


Captain Delson Homes, decorated war hero, survivor of many battles with a military record older than most of his crew, was scared. Scared wasn't the right word, nervous maybe, but not scared for his faith in the Allfather was strong, and he damned sure was not going to let something as trivial as a salvage mission shake him. He reclined in his captains chair and observed his crew, Commander Kale, his ExO, was keeping an eye on the Hannah. "What do you make of her, ExO?" the captain said, eyes still fixed on the screen. "She looks as good as when she was built sir, the scans indicate she's functioning normally." Commander Anton Kale was quite the decorated veteran in his own right having served with the Captain for some years now, having served in the Abyss Campaign together Homes thought highly of Kale, he had no vices and prayed quite often. "Pardon my frankness sir but she looks like a pile of shit." said Chief Harken.
Chief Egil Harken was much older than the Captain, he had never chosen to advance, he was much better suited to keeping the crew, and officers, in line. He had a way about him that brought respect, admiration, and loathing, from the crew. "Thank you for the insight chief, what do you think Norah?" "Scans indicate no life, Sir." came the reply from the Determination's onboard AI. All ships these days were equipped with an AI system, Homes wasn't used to this yet, he was still an old salt coming from the days when ships still mostly had a crew to preform tasks, the one thing he still could not get used to was how Norah appeared. Norah was often seen sitting next to him or walking around the ship. Homes thought it was like seeing a ghost. He doubted he would ever get used to holograms. "Bring us in close and tell the marines to prepare for insertion, I want this done quick and clean." "Aye Sir." Norah replied. Homes hoped this went as well as intelligence had told him it would, but he had doubts this time, as if the lingering prospect of death waited beyond the void waiting to snatch him and his crew into oblivion.
"Permission to speak freely sir?" Harken said, turning to face the captain. "By all means chief Harken, indulge the bridge with your knowledge." came the reply from the captain who was holding back a smile. "Sir, this mission has trouble written all over it, in all my years serving the Colonies I've never come across a mission where they send a battlecruiser to retrieve one of their lost toys, this smells of secrets, captain, things better left untouched." The chiefs' words caught Homes by suprise, Harken was unflappable in the midst of battle but now he sounded troubled, almost scared. "Are you suggesting our orders are misguided, Chief Harken?" Came a reply from the ExO. "Begging the commanders' pardon, but just what in the Allfathers name do you make of this, young one? Doesn't it seem odd to send a military ship on a salvage mission?" The shock on the ExOs' face was clear. "You secure your language chief Harken or I will have you removed from the bridge! Your words border on blasphemy and treason!" Harken calmly looked into Kales eyes and said "You watch your mouth son, I was serving on ships when your mother was still too young to realise where babies came from." Homes let out a sigh before Kale could respond. "If we're all finished we still have a mission to preform and I'd rather not have to worry about my bridge developing into a mad house while the marines are aboard the Hannah, do I make myself clear?" "Aye sir." cam the reply from the chief and ExO. "Good, I'd hate to have to put either of you in time out. Norah, what's the status of the insertion team?"
As if by magic she appeared in front of the captain. "They will be ready in ten minutes captain." "Good, and make sure the chaplain is down there before we launch." She looked at him for a second and then said "Aye sir, he is on his way now." then as quickly as she came she went. It always made Homes feel better to have a service for the marines before a boarding action, especially this time. Somehow he knew they would need all the help they could get.
Father Samual Decker was in his room reading when Norah appeared. "Father, the Captain requests your presence in the hangar so that you may preform a service for the marines before they board the Hannah." Decker sighed and looked up from his book, irritated at the AI's interruption. "Thank you Norah, I will be there momentarily." She looked at him for a moment and smiled, placing her hands on her hips. "Father Decker, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were annoyed with me." Her smile growing wider as she spoke. Decker stood "If I was annoyed with you you foul witch you'd know it! Now leave me so I can get ready to do His work, you soulless harlot!" he yelled at her. A mocking look of shck crossed Norah's face as she put a hand to her mouth. "Father Decker! Now that is no way for you to speak to a lady." she said as she disappeared. Decker stood there for a moment trying to calm down. He hated Norah with the passion and fury of an inquisitor, she was a mockery of humanity, an empty shell of a woman and not a true living thing. He shook his head as he prepared his things for the service, praying for the Allfather to give him strength.
Gunnery Sergeant Vasili Tors watched his men get their gear ready for the insertion, checking and re-checking their rifles and ammunition, more out of nervous habit than anything else. They were all ready to go and suited up in their DSO suits. Deep Space Operation suits were designed to allow a marine to operate in the void of space and stay alive. Their rifle could function in space also, the VX3 rifle fired a caseless round and barely had any recoil so it wouldn't fling you all over the place when you fired it in zero gravity. Gunny Tors was ready to get this mission started, the wait always made him a little nervous, he was built to be in the thick of the fight not 'Developing a case of the ass' as he would say. Lieutenant Bowyn Roose was the same, he was much more comfortable leading his men in the field. Tors looked over at the lieutenant, "You think these children are ready to swim in the deep end LT?" Roose looked over at him and smiled "I certainly hope so gunny, they either swim or they drown."
Private Piet Sebanec started shaking when he heard gunny and the lieutenant talking. Sebanec was scared, this was his first real mission and he wanted to do well.
"What the hell is wrong with you cherry? You look like you're about to have a damn seizure!" laughed Private Kyril Ramaker. Ramaker was a loudmouth and a trouble maker, he had lost track of how many times he'd been demoted through the years. "Ramaker, shut your mouth and leave him be." Ramaker turned around and smiled "Ah, the educated private Gorans speaks! Pleas oh wise and all knowing one, shower us with your knowledge." Private Emil Gorans was usually quiet but he'd had enough of Ramaker, everyone in the squad had, but Gorans was never usually one to say anything so when he did everyone listened. "Gorans is right Ramaker, if you don't stop scaring the cherry I'll toss you into the deep end myself, do I make myself clear?" said Private First Class Amon Darzen. Recently promoted Darzen was eager to assert his authority even though he was still learning the ropes on being a leader. "Clear as crystal private first class Darzen, sir yes sir I hear and obey..." "Ramaker shut you fucking mouth or I'll go back in time and bang your mother so hard that maybe you'll be gifted with some common sense because apparently your daddy didn't contribute anything of value!" Yelled Gunny Tors. "Aye gunny." said ramaker, moving away from everyone else to continue to check his gear. Lieutenant Roose looked over at the sergeant "Gunny what is your problem with Ramaker? I know no one likes him but you hate him so much that you seem willing to throw him into the void yourself." GySgt. Tors shook his head, a disgusted look forming on his scarred face. "Sir, me and Ramaker have a history and if it's all the same to you I'd rather not share it." Roose was puzzled but he decided to let it go. The door to the hangar opened and Father Decker walked in. Ramaker smiled and thought to himself 'Time for the last rites.'