Chapter 1 of 'work In progress' Novel

Chapter 1

"Did you feel it too, Sandhurst?" Major Duffy probed his assistant eagerly.

"Indeed I -"

"It was strange, wasn't it? Very peculiar," the Major interrupted. Biff Duffy knew full well that everybody onboard the ship had experienced the same churning sensation. The ripple of exclamations that escalated into quibbles of bewildered responses was evidence enough of that fact.

There was need of adamant urgency, required to react accordingly to the incident that had not long passed. A tiny unidentified ship had astonishingly escaped from the Law Sustainer’s grasp of detainment and investigation. Despite that lapse of the law and its sudden need to restore it, Duffy could not help but get distracted by the melee of ponderous thoughts that pervaded him since being inflicted by that altering affect. It was akin to the nauseous feeling people get in the pit of their stomachs when subjected to high G-forces, except it was felt all over their body. As well as gnawing through the torso and limbs, it was felt in the tips of finger and toe nails, extending even to each singular strand of hair. It was an experience none had felt or even heard of before; a feeling unforgettable. More mysteriously, it was a sensation that although had evidently passed, the experience of it somehow lingered. Duffy without doubt felt his body was functioning normally again, however, there was a clinging ache within his deeper self; a niggling thought that swayed his sensibility. He could only compare the feeling to that of nostalgia; a sad joy of the past.

Major Duffy, in an attempt to gain control of the situation, was discussing the event with his assistant Sandhurst. Both were going over calculations, perimeter readings and visual recordings that were stored on the Ship's data banks at the time of the unusual happening.

"Blimey Sandhurst, that's enough energy to fling a spanner from The Milky Way to Andromeda in a jiffy."

Sandhurst nodded in agreement. "Yes Major, and I've gone over the calculations several times. It's a phenomenal amount of energy to be given off from such a small ship - if you can call it a ship. Let's say craft."

"Let’s say 'by golly!" Major Duffy exasperated.

"Indeed Major." Sandhurst learned he could have more constructive dialogue with Major Duffy if he merely ignored a lot of what he said.

"Let's see the show one last time Fella!" Major Duffy pointed to the control panel and stared intently into the empty space in front of the pair, from where the hologramic projection was to materialize. Sandhurst, ignoring being called 'Fella', immediately switched on the visual document of the incident. Light particles collided with one another intricately, shifting constantly to emulate the event.

The recording started when the unidentified craft slowly approached their colossus-in-comparison fleet ship. Their fleet ship was wary of the small craft because there seemed to be no communication technology on board. Because its identification code had also become corrupt, there was no way of telling who or what was on board. There was no need for concern though. Locking tractor beams had for some time been gently directing the craft into their docking bay for inspection. There had been many similar situations before. From past experiences, the unidentified craft would just turn out to be someone stranded due to craft damage. More interesting cases could reveal a runaway rogue or the attempt of illegal smuggling.

However, what happened on that particular occasion was unprecedented. It was when the craft was about to become in docking reach of the fleet ship, that the extraordinary ‘something’ happened. All that the recording observed was a sudden shifting. More accurately; the large fleet ship was pushed away from the tiny craft. It wasn't just the ship that seemed to be pushed away though - it was everything inside too, including everyone on board, as if the 'push' had simultaneously clawed its way inside the ship as well as out. That was the moment Major Duffy and everybody else onboard felt that peculiar churning sensation.

Not only did this nauseous shift happen, but the strong tractor beams of the fleet ship holding the small craft became disabled also. Straight after the mighty push occurred, the craft had turned and bolted away like light, disappearing out of view.

After Major Duffy and his Personal Assistant viewed the incident yet another time, the hologramic recording, left to play, continued to stare into the blankness of space.

"Nope!" Mayor Duffy exclaimed. "Can't see or suspect how this could have happened - where all that energy could have come from. No light. No jets of gas. Or heat waves. In all my years of being in this Fleet... I've never seen anything like it! Experimental technology!? I mean, have you ever felt or seen anything like what just happened? The craft looked battered though..." Major Duffy was reeling with the unexplainable. He stopped and thought for a moment, then turned to Sandhurst who had left Major Duffy to ejaculate his haphazard, stretching thoughts. "This is huge Sandhurst. You've realised this haven't you?"

"I expect so Major, but it's implausible to determine how or why with such an unknown entity as this."

“And what was it we felt so intensely?”

Sandhurst had no reply for this question, his face awash with his own niggling thoughts on that matter.

Major Duffy took a deep breath and thought long and hard about the situation as a whole, calming himself in the process. He seemed to come to a conclusion; pursing his lips, frowning and nodding slowly to himself. "Strange forces were at work, Sandhurst," Major Duffy eventually spouted to his assistant. "As witnesses to this pickle, it will be our duty to unravel this mysterious 'entity' - as you termed it. I must inform my superiors of this incident immediately, and gain clearance to abandon our patrol in order to track this craft. We will be like hounds on the scent of blood!"