Reed barely noticed when the lights returned, so intent was he on the view port. Twice since Lieutenant Jacobs had first spotted the errant star, the erratic object had shown itself,
only to pass out of their range of sight.
"Damn it!", Reed exclaimed. "What the hell is that thing?!?"
"I'm not exactly sure, sir", Jacobs replied, "but I believe I saw it bank around the planet..." She paused momentarily, her gaze fixed outside of the ship. "Sir, I believe we're drifting
toward it."
"Toward what", the commander queried, feigning ignorance to their plight.
"The planet, sir", Jacobs said excitedly, pointing outside the view port, "it's getting closer."
"Nonsense, Mr. Jacobs. I'm sure it just seems that way to the untrained eye."
She turned toward him, her largish hair spinning a second behind the rest of her head. "Sir", she related slowly with great emphasis on the word, her jaw set in a rictus anger, "I think my eyes
are as well trained as anyones, and we are moving closer to that planet."
"You are hereby relieved of your duties, Lieutenant", Reed returned loudly, causing all heads to turn their way. "Go down to sickbay and see if Dr. Egan can't do something about your eyesight."
Jacobs bit back a reply as she stormed off the bridge. He couldn't deny it much longer, Reed knew. They were indeed in great peril, but with no way to change the fact, he could only hope to keep heads
cool until power was fully restored.
Thus, for the moment, he gave more attention to the unidentified vessel that seemed to be playing hide and seek with them, than the inevitable collision with the planet Mars. There was a great flash of light from
the view port as the object they'd been tracking blazed past the nose of the Escort, sending crewmen jumping for cover in every direction. From experience, Reed knew what it was.
"Hail that ship!", he barked at the communications officer.
The young crewman looked up from his console. "B-but sir...that will put a strain on our current power supply, and..."
"Just do it!!"
"Uh, what frequency should I use", the bewildered ensign asked timidly.
"Standard Space Fleet frequency", the commander replied, and be quick about it."
"Got it, sir", the over tasked ensign yelled as static rolled over the bridge's communications system.
"USS Escort to unknown Space Fleet vessel" Reed called calmly into his comm-link.
"Go, Escort", a vaguely familiar voice responded within seconds.
"Identify yourself."
"Uh...alright", the voice acknowledged belatedly. "This is Alpha-Two-Niner...uh, Golf, something, something, Four."
Reed shook his head as the lights around him began to dim. "State you name!", he shouted. There was a moment of garbled static as the transmission began to fade.
"....ut everybody calls me Krash", came through just as the system shut down.
