"What the...!", Reed exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Around him, he could hear the troubled breathing of his crew, waiting, he knew, for direction.
"Uh...", he began, "probably just a power surge, people. No need to be concerned. Activate emergency lighting, Number Two."
"Commander", his subordinate replied from within the inky blackness around them, "that may be a problem."
"It's the switch on the right side of your chair, Lieutenant", Reed assured, "just flip it twice."
"I'm aware of that, sir", Number Two returned, "it's not working."
"You just flip the switch", Reed repeated, taking a tentative step toward Number Two's voice. "It's really not that difficu..."
Something on the floor took his legs out from under him, sending him down hard. Though dazed, the commander scrambled to his feet quickly. "What the hell was that?!?", he barked angrily.
"Oww", VanTedly muttered from the floor, "that hurt, man."
"What the hell are you doing on the floor, Ensign?"
"Safety precaution, sir", he remarked awkwardly. "You know, 'stop, drop, and roll'."
"That's for a fire, you imbecile", the commander corrected dryly. "And what are you doing back on the bridge? I thought you were with Mr. Schultz."
VanTedly stood, grabbing onto Reed's sleeve for support. "I was, but he ditched me."
"How fortunate for him", Reed observed dismally. He placed his hand on a his chair and felt for the communications button. He pressed the transmit button, but there was no response.
"Damn, communications are out." He returned to his seat, pondering their situation. "Lt. Scott, open the view port."
"The automatic controls are down, sir", Number Two informed him.
"Well, crank it open then, Lieutenant", Reed spat back, "or is that too much to ask?"
No reply came, but he could hear the lieutenant move from his chair, moving toward the bow. A few minutes later, the plate over the heavy polymeric window began to move, and a thin shaft of sunlight entered
the bridge, reflected from the surface of the nearby planet.
Reed looked around at his crew who had already begun trying to repair their systems. He peered through the view port into the vast space beyond, hoping beyond hope for a brief reprieve in activity.
