Outside, Nathan turned to Gordon. “What do they think they’re doing? Sending an untested ship into a potentially hostile environment against an enemy that could destroy us in seconds?”

  Gordon took hold of Nathan’s arm and led him away from the conference room towards the main central shaft. “They’re sending the Orion because it’s the newest and most advanced ship in the fleet. They need to show that they’re taking this seriously otherwise there’ll be widespread panic amongst the crews. We’re purely a visual aid in keeping this under control.” The older man suddenly grinned, his eyes twinkling “Now come along and I’ll show you the Orion.”

  The inside of the Orbital Platform was hollow to house all the Starships that were berthed there. The central shaft was a circular column that stretched from the Control tower on the top of the platform to the bottom holding all the Confed operations and control rooms.

  Taking a lift down, Nathan and Gordon arrived at the level at which the Orion was berthed. An electric car was waiting outside and they climbed in. It followed the corridor until it stopped at a huge hangar area filled with crates and equipment bound for the Confed carrier.

  Gordon took Nathan to a small door set against a side wall and opening it, motioned him through.

  “I thought you might like to take a look at her before you boarded.” He grinned.

  Climbing a flight of stairs, they entered a large room situated above the hanger. Designed as a viewing area, a long row of windows dominated the room, with a view into the inside of the orbital platform.

  All manner of ships were either berthed alongside the central column, against the far walls, or were just floating in the centre of the space waiting for a berth, or permission to leave.

  One of the huge double doors was opening on the outer wall, and Nathan watched as an interstellar cruise liner glided gracefully though the opening and out into the vastness of space.

  Small shuttles and repair ships darted between the larger ships, avoiding each other with deft twists and turns that made Nathan’s heart lurch. Gordon touched his arm, and pointed down below them.

  Docked close against the central column, a few meters below them, was a huge ship. Half again as big as the usual Confed carriers, it stretched away to either side of the windows. It resembled a long elongated oval shape, with two bulges protruding, one from each side, just back from the centre. It flared out slightly at one end, where the engineering section began and the huge engines were located. At the other end, just above the nose, was a small looking bulge, where Nathan knew the bridge was located. The dull dark grey colour was spotted with gun ports and missile tubes. Lights illuminated the name written in huge writing along the sides ‘CFD ORION’.

  “She’s a real beauty isn’t she?” Gordon whispered.

  Nathan smiled, “She sure is. She’s also huge. Even the technical specifications didn’t prepare me for just how big she actually is. Shall we go down?”

  The two men made their way back down the stairs to the hangar, crossed to the hangar doors that were currently open and entered the short tunnel that led to one of the bulges on the side of the ship.

  This was where the fighters would be launched from and it also happened to be the easiest place to load equipment. The launch bay was spacious, easily big enough to launch three of the Talon fighters side by side, which would allow faster deployment in times of hostility.

  The launch tube led into the main hangar bay, which stretched across the entire width of the ship, to the far launch bay, and took up five decks.

  An elaborate racking system held the talons above the floor so that they could be lowered quickly and without fuss. Large bay doors could be slammed shut in an emergency, sealing off the launch bays from the main hangar. Currently a force shield kept the air from escaping into the vacuum inside the Orbital Platform.

  “Has my Talon been loaded yet?” Nathan asked.

  “Yes. It arrived sometime yesterday I believe. It’s up in rack A I think, you can confirm with the flight desk later. For now, come and meet Orion herself.”

  Gordon led Nathan to a door in the bow end of the hangar through which a long corridor with doors to each side led to a lift which gave access to the upper levels.

  “Bridge.” Gordon said and the door closed.

  Local inertial dampeners means that Nathan barely felt anything as the lift zipped upwards through the ship. Reaching a certain level, the lift halted its upward climb and started to shoot sideways until it slowed and stopped.

  The doors opened onto a corridor that led left, right and straight on. Nathan remembered from the specifications that to the left and right there were a couple of meeting rooms and the officers galley. Other lifts were located in each direction all with a short corridor that led towards the bridge.

  These corridors were designed to be closed off in a case where the ship had been boarded, to stop any attacker from reaching the bridge. Other areas such as Main Engineering and the AI suit were also designed this way.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Gordon led the way down the short corridor straight ahead and the door opened at his approach and they stepped onto the bridge.

  The bridge was much bigger than Nathan had expected. It was probably twice as big as any he’d been on before. Roughly circular it had consoles and displays all around the outside wall apart from the wall opposite the door he had entered, where a huge rectangular screen dominated the wall. This was the main viewscreen that would show outside, or anything that the Captain wanted. At that time it showed lists of personnel and cargo that was being loaded. A scattering of personnel sat on swivel chairs bolted to the floor in front of the various consoles and screens.

  In the centre of the floor stood a large, low circular table with a graphical representation of the local area of space, with different coloured icons indicating all the ships within scanner range. Currently the display was tied into the space stations sensors, so it showed the local area of space around the station. Hovering above the table was a large holographic head of a stunningly beautiful woman.

  Just back from the central display was the captain’s chair. It stood on a low plinth which gave it a sense of importance. It had a console sitting in front and just to the right of it with various displays, which would allow the captain to see what was displaying on any other console on the bridge, or even what was showing in engineering. There was a chair slightly to the right that was almost exactly the same as the Captain’s, that Nathan knew was the first officer’s seat. The navigation station was situated between the central table and the main view screen.

  Chris Cox and Karl Evans were already at their stations, Karl at a console to the right of the doors and Chris at the navigation console. Four other officers were on the bridge that Nathan didn’t know.

  “Captain on the bridge.” Karl called out as Gordon and Nathan entered, and all five officers came to attention.

  Gordon winced, “At ease. I tolerate that from the ensigns and when I’m around the bigwigs on the stations, but please carry on with your work, it’s bound to be more important than welcoming me on to the bridge.” He turned to Nathan. “I’ve never liked the stuffiness that a lot of Captains ask for. I’d rather have my officers comfortable and able to feel that they can approach me with anything. Although, I guess most of them will now come to you in the first instance.”

  He led Nathan to the central table and gestured around the bridge, “Chris and Karl you’ve met, may I introduce Samantha Holliwell our brilliant science officer; Richard Dooley, our put upon chief engineer; Robert Ferguson, communications; and Mike O’Callaghan Flight Operations.”

  Nathan shook hands with the four officers and turned back to Gordon who smiled up at the hologram, “This beauty is Orion, our indispensable AI.”

  Nathan smiled, “Hello Orion, I have read a lot about you.”

  “Welcome Commander Scott. I have read a lot about you as well.” Orion answered with a smile.

  “Not all good, I hope.” Nathan replied with a smile of his own.

  “Indeed, not all of it good. I look forward to working with you. If you will excuse me, I have to inventory the torpedoes and missiles that we have just had loaded.”

  “Of course, please don’t let me keep you.” Nathan said shaking his head.

  “Amazing isn’t she?” Gordon said in a stage whisper, “Don’t let her hear you say that though, it’ll make her head even bigger than it is.”

  “I heard that.” Orion said, “Would you like me to have a smaller head? I can arrange that if you would prefer. Although it might make it harder for you to see me all the way over in your chair at your age.”

  Nathan chuckled, “A computer with a sense of humour. Interesting.”

  “I am not a computer, Commander, I am an Advanced AI, capable of over a billion calculations a millisecond.” Orion said.

  “Sorry,” Nathan said, “I didn’t mean to be rude.”

  Orion nodded her head in his direction and then went back to talking to one of the techs on the other side of the table.

  Nathan shook his head in wonder and then turned to Gordon, “When are we scheduled to leave? I’d like to find my quarters and get settled in if I have the time.”

  “Of course. We’re not scheduled to leave for another hour or so, please explore and familiarise your self with the ship. Sam, would you please show Commander Scott around for me?”

  “It would be a pleasure Captain.”

  Sam Holliwell was tall, about three inches shorter than Nathan and slim with long auburn hair falling down her back, tied in a regulation ponytail, which kept it out of her face. With large green eyes, she looked Nathan up and down as she approached and it appeared as though she liked what she saw. Until she saw the wedding ring on his left hand, then a small pout appeared on her lips for a brief second and then she brightened again and smiled a smile that lit up her face and eyes.

  Taking Nathan’s arm, she led him towards the door, “Where would you like to see first Commander?”