\u201cNow, if all concerns are addressed,\u201d muttered Dr. Ganshar as Jansha prepared for the tests, \u201cwe will begin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNazay,\u201d called Arsha, \u201cwe\u2019re going to the Borsootha Slime Oasis. I want Jansha to help us maintain a surveillance distance as the Grand Storm hits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSetting course for the Borsootha Slime Oasis,\u201d confirmed Nazay. The Endeavor<\/em> moved towards the oasis at a speedy rate. Jansha made calculations to observe the storm en route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResponding as normal,\u201d reported Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSlamfal wants to talk,\u201d reported Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPut him through,\u201d directed Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, Arsha!\u201d called Slamfal. \u201cLook at you, gaining fame! I see you\u2019re on the way to my domain!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYep, a surveillance mission on the Grand Storm,\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cWe\u2019re testing out a new crewmember.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe robot?\u201d asked Slamfal. \u201cI hope you\u2019re treating her right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI heard that!\u201d hissed Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, you ARE in the room,\u201d realized Slamfal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour committee has been harassing me for some time!\u201d hissed Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis IS a new life-form,\u201d argued Slamfal. \u201cI won\u2019t be so gauche as to argue right now. This is not the time. I\u2019ll see you once Jansha\u2019s tests are completed. Slamfal out.\u201d The call ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStupid Arties\u2019 Committee!\u201d she griped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It took the Endeavor<\/em> well over an hour to get into a proper survey position. Jansha calculated that it was necessary to ensure survival. \u201cAll survey equipment online,\u201d reported Jansha while Arsha had assumed her post on the bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVery good,\u201d praised Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHelm, maintain a safe distance from the storm,\u201d ordered Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnderstood,\u201d confirmed Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOak, may I see you in my ready room?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Of course,\u201d replied Oak. The pair got up from their seats and entered the Captain\u2019s ready room. \u201cIs something wrong?\u201d asked Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCommander, may I ask why you\u2019re still here?\u201d quizzed Arsha. \u201cOn this ship?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t think I understand,\u201d muttered Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI heard you were offered the Captain\u2019s chair of the Realmtrail<\/em>!\u201d explained Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI decided not to pursue that commission at this point in time, ma\u2019am,\u201d answered Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe\u2019s a fine ship, Oak,\u201d urged Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI must insist that I not pursue that commission,\u201d replied Oak. \u201cIt would be counterintuitive for me to do so, given that I\u2019ve submitted my retirement letter last night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Retirement letter?\u201d repeated Arsha. \u201cYou\u2019re leaving Realmfleet?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRose is pregnant,\u201d explained Oak. \u201cI need to be there for her and my future sapling. She retired a year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh,\u201d sighed Arsha. \u201cWhen are you leaving?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAfter Jansha\u2019s tests are completed,\u201d replied Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see,\u201d murmured Arsha. \u201cWell, it\u2019s been an honor having you on the Endeavor<\/em> as long as I\u2019ve been in command.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe honor is all mine,\u201d replied Oak as they shook hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWould you mind watching over the bridge for a minute?\u201d requested Arsha. \u201cI need to talk to Rokalla and see if I can get a good replacement First Officer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI believe Commander Denstra Welmeva will be a suitable replacement for me,\u201d answered Oak as he left the ready room. As the door shut, Arsha connected with Rokalla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain, a pleasure to hear from you again,\u201d he greeted, now more warmly than when she started her career. \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDid Realmfleet receive Oak Mosstrunk\u2019s retirement letter?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI take it he told you he was leaving along with Rose,\u201d guessed Rokalla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe did,\u201d confirmed Arsha, \u201cand he recommended a Commander Denstra Welmeva as his replacement. Do you know anything about…?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDenstra?!\u201d yelped Rokalla. \u201cThat upstart?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUpstart?\u201d repeated Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain, if Commander Welmeva\u2019s going to be your First Officer, keep a close eye on her!\u201d ordered Rokalla. \u201cShe takes risks and, being part Neko, has a tendency to be high-strung!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPart…Neko?\u201d gulped Arsha. \u201cI think I see your point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I can\u2019t stay chatting,\u201d finished Rokalla. \u201cGood luck with Jansha\u2019s tests.\u201d The call ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Malak sat at Tactical with his arms folded. As the Endeavor<\/em> held its position, there wasn\u2019t much for him to do. He was about to nod off when his console flashed a light for a second. \u201c…Meh, I\u2019m seeing things,\u201d he muttered to himself. The flash came back. \u201cThen again,\u201d he then said aloud. \u201cCaptain to the bridge!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d asked Shalvey as Arsha arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy console indicates there\u2019s a vessel approaching the starboard side,\u201d reported Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShalvey, open a channel,\u201d ordered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChannel open, Ma\u2019am,\u201d replied Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIncoming vessel, this is Arsha Royana,\u201d announced Arsha. \u201cYou are coming too near a Realmfleet survey of a natural occurrence. Turn back immediately.\u201d The crew waited a few seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo response,\u201d reported Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI say again, turn back immediately,\u201d urged Arsha. \u201cYou are too near the twin funnels of the Borsootha Slime Oasis\u2019 Grand Storm. It is too dangerous for untrained vessels to be near it.\u201d There was still no reply. \u201cOn screen,\u201d directed Arsha. The screen showed off a cloudy expanse, but there was no vessel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat…doesn\u2019t make sense,\u201d remarked Malak. \u201cMaybe my console\u2019s on the fritz.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChannel\u2019s still open,\u201d replied Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…A cloaking device, perhaps?\u201d guessed Elmar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThose are illegal,\u201d recalled Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was the agreement Realmfleet reached with the Goblins,\u201d recalled Oak, \u201cbut I don\u2019t think pirates have such scruples.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHail them once more,\u201d ordered Arsha. \u201cI want to know…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWEAPONS DISCHARGE!\u201d warned Malak. The ship lurched as it was hit by an invisible weapon. The crew picked themselves up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReport!\u201d ordered Arsha as she moved her hairpiece to her waist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWeapons discharge struck our starboard hull!\u201d answered Malak. \u201cMinor hull breaches on decks 17, 18, and 19!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRaise shields and ready weapons!\u201d ordered Arsha. \u201cRed alert!\u201d The Red Alert sounded throughout the ship as all crewmates moved to battle stations. As the Endeavor<\/em> readied its weapons, the enemy vessel faded into view. It was a brown vessel with two red windows, a sensor array on the bottom, a pair of slender, pincer style claws, and the name and registry read BEX-01, Scorpion<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEnemy vessel sighted!\u201d reported Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeam weapons! Now!\u201d ordered Arsha. Streams of light across the spectrum went in a straight line towards the enemy vessel. An orange shield absorbed the shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo effect!\u201d reported Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTorpedoes! Fire!\u201d decided Arsha. Malak keyed in the command…but nothing happened. \u201cMalak! Torpedoes!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy console\u2019s not responding!\u201d called Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEngineering! What\u2019s going on?!\u201d demanded Arsha over shipboard communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA computer virus has infiltrated our systems!\u201d replied Thangred. \u201cWe\u2019re doing what we can to get rid of it!\u201d Jansha and Dr. Ganshar then arrived on the bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDid you hear the news?!\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI did!\u201d answered Dr. Ganshar. \u201cJansha, demonstrate your abilities! Get rid of the virus.\u201d …Nothing happened. \u201cJansha?!\u201d called Dr. Ganshar. Still nothing. \u201cFine time for you to malfunction!\u201d hissed Dr. Ganshar. \u201cI\u2019ll do it!\u201d She moved to an Engineering console. Then, it happened. Jansha grabbed Dr. Ganshar by the shoulders, spun her around so she could face her creator, then slammed her fist into Dr. Ganshar\u2019s gut. \u201cWhat are you…?!\u201d coughed Dr. Ganshar. \u201cHow?! Jansha, the Directives should be correcting you on that! Look, you\u2019re malfunctioning and I can fix you, but we need to save the Endeavor<\/em> before it\u2019s destroyed by the enemy vessel!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Endeavor<\/em> will not die by the Scorpion<\/em>\u2019s weapons,\u201d argued Jansha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…So that IS the name of the enemy vessel?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCorrect,\u201d confirmed Jansha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow do you know it won\u2019t destroy us?!\u201d argued Dr. Ganshar. \u201cThere\u2019s a virus on the ship that\u2019s taking control of various functions of this vessel! If we don\u2019t purge it from the systems, we\u2019ll either be destroyed by the enemy vessel or drift too close to the Grand Storm!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe latter will happen,\u201d declared Jansha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen help me get rid of the virus so it WON\u2019T happen!\u201d insisted Dr. Ganshar. \u201cThat\u2019s an order!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou idiot!\u201d hissed Jansha. \u201cWho do you think planted the virus on the Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s systems?!\u201d That statement stunned everyone on the bridge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cNow, if all concerns are addressed,\u201d muttered Dr. Ganshar as Jansha prepared for the tests, \u201cwe will begin.\u201d \u201cNazay,\u201d called Arsha, \u201cwe\u2019re going to the Borsootha Slime Oasis. I want Jansha to help us maintain a surveillance distance as the Grand Storm hits.\u201d \u201cSetting course for the Borsootha Slime Oasis,\u201d confirmed Nazay. The Endeavor moved towards the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1920,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,95],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-2074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-2-the-rise-of-living-metal","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2074"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2075,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074\/revisions\/2075"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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