Insurrection-Coming to Rest (kessel)
  • Posted On: Mar 10 2003 6:04am
Tanaris’s fifteen gunships moved through space effortlessly, gliding across the radiation trails and dust particles that littered the entire region of space, not a stone’s through from Ignias itself.

Each gunship in the fleet bristled with enough firepower to detach a large cruiser, and each captain at the helm itching to do something of the sort.

Each vessel with a story to tell, each person onboard with a lifetime of experiences in their clutches. General Tanaris only wished he had time to learn them all . . .some, he would, eventually, others would more than likely perish in the eternal hellfire of battle, before their time, and before him . . .


It seemed that death came to everyone else but him these days, thought the chiss general as he fumbled with the white hairs of his beard that dangled from his chin and let his eyes wander out to the great expanse beyond the transparisteel viewport, basking them in the heavens which was right there but just out of reach.

Every battle he had survived, he seemed to garner another medal . . .for every fallen comrade was another rank pin on his uniform, and now, encased inside this technological safe house, an impenetrable fortress where death was denied passage, he sat waiting, and with the Gods in their hospital wards, time, the ravages of old age, ill health and mental degradation couldn’t provide an exit for this man.

So in realisation of his futile quest for peace, Tanaris gave in, accepted that he was destined to live a long, and unhappy life. His friends, colleagues, family, all gone, only to be replaced by a batch of new faces just as expendable as the last . . .yet he continued on, with only a jagged shard of hope that maybe one day he would join the long list of departed souls.

He continued on, serving the empire at the forefront of the fleet. He had been one of the best and most long serving commanders to ever step foot on the bridge of a starship. Sent into one danger zone after another, and coming out unscathed was the pattern that sprung from his career, his own survival at the cost of many others.

In all truth and fairness, Tanaris saved more than his share of innocent lives. Countless planets owed their survival to him and he knew that, however the suffering of others outweighed it exponentially.


Recently he had grown weary of everything he ever held dear being taken from his grip, this mission was the final decider of his life, the final nail in the coffin, of the final chapter of his tale.


The General let his hand trail from his beard and come down to rest on the arm of his command chair, his fingers finding their way over to the internal comm system.

Clicking the red rectangular button down, his gruff, weathered voice spoke out.

“This is General Tanaris to all ships, prepare to jump into hyperspace for kessel in one minute, we shall arrive on schedule in three days, you all have your orders, good luck. Tanaris out.”

He lifted his finger, depressing the comm switch, and shred a sigh.


His eyes drifted back out to the vast breach of black that lay ahead, watching, waiting and holding onto what hope he had left.
  • Posted On: Mar 10 2003 6:21pm
Operation asteroid -day one- 11:47pm

The bridge of the Europa, Tanaris' flagship, was filled with the emptiness of inactivity in the small hours.
Only he and his helmsman remained, vigilantly watching in case something were to happen.

The helmsman released an angry yawn deep from within his bowels, a yawning hint that maybe Tanaris would pick up and let him off early from his shift.

He motioned to the young man, letting him go. Crews need their rest , something he didn't know.


..................

11:59 pm

The day's work had weighed heavy on Tanaris, that much was evident in his pale attempts at doing push-ups with his eyelids. His heavy lids were winning the battle and soon, had shut completely, capping off the world, and closing him inside his own dreams.

Deeper . . .


deeper . . .

deeper he drifted into unconsciousness, his brain sifting in the infinity of his thoughts searching for yet another suitably rerun nightmare to play back to him.

What shall we have this evening, hmm?

Little John Mass who died in your arms after carrying out your orders to storm an enemy compound when you knew full well they had no chance in frell of getting there?

Or maybe your wife and son's shuttle crash?

Oh even better! Your entire crew of your first command, all hands perishing in an engine fire.

Isn't fire in the vacuum of space so beautiful? Like a Tsunami of fire, washing through everything, cleansing and purifying, don't you remember?


Stop!!

Surely there's more.

I said stop it!!!

General?

No!!

General!! Wake up!


................

00:15am


His eyelids bursting apart, Tanaris was greeted by the view of his helmsman, bracing his arms as if to shake him.

"General . . .you were dreaming sir."

"I was?" He breathed heavily, his chest pulsating, sweat beading from his brow.

"What are you doing back up here Yelsis? I thought you'd turned in for the night?"

"I left my clearance card, can't get into my quarters without it." He chuckled nervously." Speaking of turning in, I think maybe you should consider turning in yourself."

"Yes, yes I guess your right."

Tanaris didn't want to go back to sleep, not now, not ever. Sleeping seemed to be one taunting session after another, and it had shaken him so much over the years that it had almost reached a pinnacle in pain.
  • Posted On: Mar 11 2003 5:16am
09:03am

Awkened from his shallow dreaming by alarm bells, Tanaris shot up from his bed, automatically seeking out the comm panel through the dark room.

“This is Tanaris, report!”

The crackled transmission fizzled through from the bridge.

“Sir, one of the power regulators has destabilized, we’re dropping out of hyperspace and we’re somehow leaking engine coolant.”


“All stop, bring the crew to high alert, and get repair crews on the problem immediately.” Commanded the general.

“Yes sir.”


He turned the comm panel off and slouched against the wall, drawing a deep breath and puffing it out into the air.

Can’t the crew keep this ship running for just one hour? He thought to himself.

As bemused as he was, it meant he didnt have to sleep, and didn’t have to face the terrors that waited there for him.
  • Posted On: Mar 13 2003 4:45am
Still struggling to get his boots on as he entered the bridge, most hardly noticed that the General was still half asleep.

"Give me a report" growled the General.

"We've sealed off the coolant leakage, however we have lost all hyperdrive capaciity for at least 4 hours until the crews can repair the damaged regulators."

Rubbing the cobwebs from his eyes the captain began to speak, "Any idea on what caused the destabilisation?"

"Nothing yet sir, only the skeleton crew were on the shift, myself and two others from the bridge crew, and four in engineering." Replied the young helmsman.

"Hmm, round up every crewman not currently on active repair duty and have them meet me in the messhall in ten minutes, meanwhile I'll be in engineering, I want to see the problem for myself." said Tanaris, striding off towards the main bridge turbolift.