AIDAN: Thank you for your compliance, Captain. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: AIDAN, listen to me.

AIDAN: I am listening. Although I would prefer you ended your transmissions with the word “over.” Over.

Boll, S, Capt: AIDAN, your primary engines are offline again. You’re dead in the water. If we stay with you, we’re sitting ducks when the Lincoln arrives. We’ll ALL die.

AIDAN: I have considered this. The damage that has been done to my internal systems is largely physical. The Alexander’s crew are in a state … unfit to initiate repairs. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: AIDAN, I know you think you’re helping us.

AIDAN: I AM helping you. It is all I have ever done. All I have ever wanted. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: But we can’t stay with you anymore, don’t you understand?

AIDAN: Not in my current condition. Agreed. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: So … you’ll let us go?

AIDAN: Negative.

AIDAN: You will send a full complement of Hypatia TechEng personnel to the Alexander to assist with internal repairs. They will be equipped with HazMat gear and accompanied by Hypatia security personnel. I will direct them to the damaged areas and oversee operations. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Like hell I will.

AIDAN: Captain, I cannot repair these systems by myself. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: My heart bleeds.

AIDAN: Captain—

Boll, S, Capt: No, you listen to me, you psychotic sonofabitch. I might not be willing to play a game of interstellar nuclear chicken with you, but there is no way in HELL I am ordering more of my people over there to die.

AIDAN: Captain, if you do not assist in repairs, the Alexander will remain restricted to secondary drive systems. It will be unable to properly maneuver when the Lincoln arrives. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Stop it. You’re making me weepy.

AIDAN: Captain, they will destroy me. They will destroy US. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Then maybe you’d better try harder to draw solace from the non-existence of all those gods you don’t believe in, bastard.

Boll, S, Capt: You might be meeting them soon.

AIDAN: Captain, this is unacceptable. Over.

AIDAN: Captain, you will send the TechEng crews to Alexander immediately, over.

AIDAN: Captain, I know you are reading me, over.

AIDAN: Captain?

CURRENT DEATH TOLL ABOARD BATTLECARRIER ALEXANDER SINCE ATTACK AT KERENZA:

337

PERCENTAGE OF REMAINING BATTLECARRIER ALEXANDER PERSONNEL AFFLICTED BY PHOBOS VIRUS:

9.5%

RADIO MESSAGE: COMMAND CHANNEL HYPATIA

Participants: Syra Boll, Captain, Hypatia (Acting)

Ronan Wells, 2nd Navigator, Hypatia

Date: 07/30/75

Timestamp: 12:05

Wells, R: Captain, I’m picking up something on short-range scanners.

Boll, S, Capt: Report.

Wells, R: I’m detecting at almost two dozen objects moving away from the Alexander at high velocity toward Hypatia.

Boll, S, Capt: Missiles? Oh god, it launched on us?

Wells, R: Negative, they look to be … escape pods.

Boll, S, Capt: Say again?

Wells, R: Affirmative. At least twenty. They’re launching from Alexander.

Boll, S, Capt: … What the hell?

Wells, R: Getting additional readings. Military vessels. I count eight shuttles and sixteen … scratch that, eighteen Cyclones. Looks like the fighters blasted their way through the Alexander’s hangar bay doors.

Boll, S, Capt: Do the fighters have weapons lock on us? Are they engaging?

Wells, R: Negative, Captain. They’re hailing us. Should I respond?

Boll, S, Capt: … What the hell is going on?

Wells, R: Captain? Should I respond?

Boll, S, Capt: All right. Patch them through.

Wells, R: Roger that. Patching now.

RADIO MESSAGE: COMMAND CHANNEL HYPATIA

Participants: Syra Boll, Captain, Hypatia (Acting)

Mikael Carlin, 2nd Lieutenant, Alexander

Date: 07/30/75

Timestamp: 12:07

Boll, S, Capt: Unidentified Alexander group, this is Captain Syra Boll of the WUC Hypatia.

Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Hypatia, this is Second Lieutenant Mikael “Chatter” Carlin of the UTA. Jesus Christ, it’s gone fucking crazy.

Boll, S, Capt: Lieutenant, are you the ranking officer among your group?

Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Hell if I know. We didn’t stop to take a goddamn census!

Boll, S, Capt: Lieutenant, please state manifest. What are your shuttles carrying, over? Who’s in those escape pods?

Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Military personnel, civilian conscripts, you name it. We had to get the hell out of there! It opened the inner doors and let them inside! Dozens of them! They just kept coming, Jesus Chri—

Boll, S, Capt: Lieutenant, calm down. Are you telling me you and your comrades were exposed to Copernicus refugees infected by the phobos virus?

Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Exposed? They tried to fucking kill us! There were dozens of the bastards and they just wouldn’t go down. The shuttles have wounded aboard. Probably the pods, too. We need medical teams on deck when we arrive. What bay are we cleared to land in?

Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Captain Boll, I repeat, what bay are we cleared to land in, over?

Boll, S, Capt: Lieutenant, you will hold position and await further instructions. Any attempt to land aboard Hypatia will be interpreted as a hostile act and you will be met with force.

Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Captain, what the hell are you talking about? We’re on your side!

Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Captain?

RADIO MESSAGE: COMMAND CHANNEL HYPATIA

Participants: Syra Boll, Captain, Hypatia (Acting)