The sparkle of a passing comet lit the small cabin up with a twinkling blue light. Several shards of white light paraded jubilantly across the the blue-hued wall and resounded in the glass ornaments that decorated the shelves.
Jon Trojan stared down at his four month old son, Yuichi, who lay in an exhausted daze in his cot, peering wearily toward the cerulean cieling above. Fatherhood had treated the man well. A playful smile or a near-talkative gargle would make up for a thousand burnt out engine coils or late shipments, the things he'd have to contend with everyday on the freighter. The major upside to being a freighter captain was that he was afforded the time to have a family, unlike most other full-time captains.
The rest of the crew, much like him were comprised of mother's and father's, who had grown up working the trade routes so much that it had become a lifestyle.
Jon stared for a few seconds at the smooth contours of his son's features, staring back at him with heavy eyes. He was just as beautiful as his mother.
As content he was with his life, he always hoped for something better. Typically, he feared for his child, as any father would. He feared for his son who would have to contend with growing up in a galaxy that had lost its way. His only hope would be to use what time he had, to ensure that his son would be safe, secure and happy.
So, in a gesture to secure that future, Jon's employers had charged him and several other ships to escort a convoy of twenty correllian corvettes to the world of Tholatin, first and foremost as a gesture of good faith, and secondly as an act that may help settle the current conflict for good.
His employers believed that those on the world of Tholatin had the tools to use this gift in an effort to help ease hostilities, they hoped that this force would become the spearhead to peace for all, on both sides of the conlfict.
Jon had felt an immense proud warmth grow over his person when he agreed to take on the job. His ship was well enough equipped to deal with marauders and pirates who may try to lynch the convoy and ruin his peace that he yearned for. His ship, the Argosy was one of three Enforcer-class picket cruisers sent to escort the gunships safely to thier destination.
An interuption in the form of a comm panel, buzzed its way through the formely calm ambience of the room, causing the baby's eyes to shoot sharply open and its mouth to let out a small series of yelps which would no doubt escalate into a cascade of cries.
Jon stood from his position over the cot and pressed his thumb onto the comm panel on the far wall.
"Trojan here. What's the problem."
"That's time Jon, I'd gauge we'll be on the outskirts of the system within the hour."
"Alright," Said the captain after drawing a deep breath from his lungs. "get started on the post-lightspeed checks, and have the crews at thier stations.
Any word on those transponders?"
"Aye, me and smith got the back-up working this morning. Stupid Mandal-sat piece of crap.
Anyway, Jon, after this, are we on for some poker tonight? It's been a good week since you, me and the boys got together?"
Jon chuckled at his friend, he had been distracted lately.
"Heh, I got the time, if you got the cash buddio."
"HA! Good to here. Sampson out."
The comm blipped once more, and the small light on its surface blinked out.
Jon turned to gaze at the wriggling baby squirming uncomfortabely inside the small cot.
He pulled the small blanket up and over, making sure Yuichi was warm and made a grab for his flight jacket and ID tag, which he promptly pinned to the breast of his uniform.
.......
One hour later-Tholatin Space, system border
Company policy called for all freighters to halt and request entrance to the destination system, a strange courtesy policy that Jon couldnt quite find the origins to, but followed nonetheless.
The twenty three starships dropped from Hyperspace one after the other, stacking up behind one another in a typical convoy line, led by the Argosy.
Each of the three Enforcer's in the line were intersperced by a group of corvettes, ten at the front, five in the middle, then the final five at the end.
"Alright, open a channel to the Tholatin port authority, state our buisness and standby to transmit all clearance codes."
The communication officer who sat at the bridge's fore, swivelled around in his chair from facing Jon, and flicked several switches, opening the first lines of communication of the day.
His voice, was amusingly fake, as though he'd just graduated from some ridiculous advertising commercial voice-over company.
"Tholatin control, this is Mandal-sat courior vessel, Argosy, requesting system entry for transference of cargo. Transmitting company memo and equipment manifest . . .now."
Jon turned towards his communications officer, a good natured kid with a nack for operating advanced devices. Newly married as he understood, with a child of his own on the way. It was for them that ensign Bonny, like the rest of the crew in the convoy offered to risk life and limb in the name of peace... in the hope for a better galaxy.
"Are we ready to transmit, Bonny?"
"Ready and able, Jon." Replied the ensign, his fingers dancing over the controls.
"Greetings Tholatin Republic. My name is Captain Jon Trojan, of the courrier ship Argosy." His voice was strong, proud. "On behalf of the Mandal-Sat Starship Brokerage Assosiation, myself and our people, all of whom desire galactic peace as deeply as yourselves, bring a gift for the people of Tholatin, in their galactic peace effort. Twenty, brand new Correllian-class Corvettes." He sighed, a breath that portrayed his anxiousness for the success of his operation. "It is our hope that you will take our gift, we only ask in return that you use them, to end this violent era of conflict once and for all, so that my family and I can . . ." he paused again, choking back a small flurry of grief, "so,that we can live in a world not ruled by blasters and ships, please . . .please . . .all I ask, is that you consider us , we are eagerly await your reply." He wiped a solitary tear droplet that had began to bead from the corner of his eye as his thoughts began to dwell on his wife and son.
"Done Jon." The channel blinked shut with a crackle of static.
"Signal our boys, our families will soon be safe."He said, recomposing himself, Jon hoped the news would redouble their wanning strength. They had been hardpressed to get the convoy safely ferried across the galaxy, running with skeleton crews of volunteer personelle.
"When you're done, transmit the manifest and transpoder codes."
*
Jon Trojan stared down at his four month old son, Yuichi, who lay in an exhausted daze in his cot, peering wearily toward the cerulean cieling above. Fatherhood had treated the man well. A playful smile or a near-talkative gargle would make up for a thousand burnt out engine coils or late shipments, the things he'd have to contend with everyday on the freighter. The major upside to being a freighter captain was that he was afforded the time to have a family, unlike most other full-time captains.
The rest of the crew, much like him were comprised of mother's and father's, who had grown up working the trade routes so much that it had become a lifestyle.
Jon stared for a few seconds at the smooth contours of his son's features, staring back at him with heavy eyes. He was just as beautiful as his mother.
As content he was with his life, he always hoped for something better. Typically, he feared for his child, as any father would. He feared for his son who would have to contend with growing up in a galaxy that had lost its way. His only hope would be to use what time he had, to ensure that his son would be safe, secure and happy.
So, in a gesture to secure that future, Jon's employers had charged him and several other ships to escort a convoy of twenty correllian corvettes to the world of Tholatin, first and foremost as a gesture of good faith, and secondly as an act that may help settle the current conflict for good.
His employers believed that those on the world of Tholatin had the tools to use this gift in an effort to help ease hostilities, they hoped that this force would become the spearhead to peace for all, on both sides of the conlfict.
Jon had felt an immense proud warmth grow over his person when he agreed to take on the job. His ship was well enough equipped to deal with marauders and pirates who may try to lynch the convoy and ruin his peace that he yearned for. His ship, the Argosy was one of three Enforcer-class picket cruisers sent to escort the gunships safely to thier destination.
An interuption in the form of a comm panel, buzzed its way through the formely calm ambience of the room, causing the baby's eyes to shoot sharply open and its mouth to let out a small series of yelps which would no doubt escalate into a cascade of cries.
Jon stood from his position over the cot and pressed his thumb onto the comm panel on the far wall.
"Trojan here. What's the problem."
"That's time Jon, I'd gauge we'll be on the outskirts of the system within the hour."
"Alright," Said the captain after drawing a deep breath from his lungs. "get started on the post-lightspeed checks, and have the crews at thier stations.
Any word on those transponders?"
"Aye, me and smith got the back-up working this morning. Stupid Mandal-sat piece of crap.
Anyway, Jon, after this, are we on for some poker tonight? It's been a good week since you, me and the boys got together?"
Jon chuckled at his friend, he had been distracted lately.
"Heh, I got the time, if you got the cash buddio."
"HA! Good to here. Sampson out."
The comm blipped once more, and the small light on its surface blinked out.
Jon turned to gaze at the wriggling baby squirming uncomfortabely inside the small cot.
He pulled the small blanket up and over, making sure Yuichi was warm and made a grab for his flight jacket and ID tag, which he promptly pinned to the breast of his uniform.
.......
One hour later-Tholatin Space, system border
Company policy called for all freighters to halt and request entrance to the destination system, a strange courtesy policy that Jon couldnt quite find the origins to, but followed nonetheless.
The twenty three starships dropped from Hyperspace one after the other, stacking up behind one another in a typical convoy line, led by the Argosy.
Each of the three Enforcer's in the line were intersperced by a group of corvettes, ten at the front, five in the middle, then the final five at the end.
"Alright, open a channel to the Tholatin port authority, state our buisness and standby to transmit all clearance codes."
The communication officer who sat at the bridge's fore, swivelled around in his chair from facing Jon, and flicked several switches, opening the first lines of communication of the day.
His voice, was amusingly fake, as though he'd just graduated from some ridiculous advertising commercial voice-over company.
"Tholatin control, this is Mandal-sat courior vessel, Argosy, requesting system entry for transference of cargo. Transmitting company memo and equipment manifest . . .now."
Jon turned towards his communications officer, a good natured kid with a nack for operating advanced devices. Newly married as he understood, with a child of his own on the way. It was for them that ensign Bonny, like the rest of the crew in the convoy offered to risk life and limb in the name of peace... in the hope for a better galaxy.
"Are we ready to transmit, Bonny?"
"Ready and able, Jon." Replied the ensign, his fingers dancing over the controls.
"Greetings Tholatin Republic. My name is Captain Jon Trojan, of the courrier ship Argosy." His voice was strong, proud. "On behalf of the Mandal-Sat Starship Brokerage Assosiation, myself and our people, all of whom desire galactic peace as deeply as yourselves, bring a gift for the people of Tholatin, in their galactic peace effort. Twenty, brand new Correllian-class Corvettes." He sighed, a breath that portrayed his anxiousness for the success of his operation. "It is our hope that you will take our gift, we only ask in return that you use them, to end this violent era of conflict once and for all, so that my family and I can . . ." he paused again, choking back a small flurry of grief, "so,that we can live in a world not ruled by blasters and ships, please . . .please . . .all I ask, is that you consider us , we are eagerly await your reply." He wiped a solitary tear droplet that had began to bead from the corner of his eye as his thoughts began to dwell on his wife and son.
"Done Jon." The channel blinked shut with a crackle of static.
"Signal our boys, our families will soon be safe."He said, recomposing himself, Jon hoped the news would redouble their wanning strength. They had been hardpressed to get the convoy safely ferried across the galaxy, running with skeleton crews of volunteer personelle.
"When you're done, transmit the manifest and transpoder codes."
*
