BY WHAT NAME ARE YOU CALLED
Neville Rankin


TUNNARD


Commander Surri stared blankly at the viewing screen in front of him, at a speed of character 10 his mind could not quite grasp the enormity of the distance his ship traveled in just one second. Even though the ship had been deregulated to third class, it was still a formidable battle ship, one with which he was very comfortable, so much so that sometimes he thought he and the ship were one. A pity the crew couldn't function in the same way and this time it was worse. Of his 800 crew 100 were raw recruits plus the normal difficulty of having a representation from each of the three planets of the United Federation.

If only they would spend a little more time training these beings at the academy on his home planet of SADAI. Not just in the united language, but on the codes and social structures of each other, maybe just maybe they would be a little more tolerant towards those of another race. Still his thirty years in the United Fleet had served to broaden his own mind in the understanding of racial differences and tensions between the three planetary communities. One simple rule was all a commander really needed, YOU ARE THE FATHER OF ALL OF THOSE WHO SERVE UNDER YOU. Those were the words his father had said to him when he was given his first command, a simple concept from a simple SADAIN, but one that really worked. Out here there could be no favouritism, all aboard his ship were to be treated as his own sons and daughters. Oh! Sure, there were still difficult times, but his reputation as a fair commander often weighed in his favour when dealing with a fiery situation.

"Commander, we are approaching visual range of the asteroid stream".

The shrill voice of the comms operator cut across the operation centre. This wasn't the first time he had a raw recruit at the comms console and he wondered if it was panic or excitement he detected in the voice or was it just the normal tones of the young Sadain.

"Reduce speed to character five". The Commander replied."Bring visual depth to 100 percent". He said turning to the comms operator.

"It's Ronk isn't it".

"Yes Sir, Comms Op 1 Ronk Sir". Came the reply.

(Ah! Another fresh faced rookie, why do they take things so seriously it tends to put everybody in the op centre on red alert just as if we were in the midst of battle. Damn another six hours of this is going to be really stressful.) Surri thought as he turned back to the viewer.

"Ronk, we are looking for a class four asteroid, notify me when you have located one".

"YES SIR, Beginning search". Ronk replied.

Surri sauntered across the op centre to his second in command Captain Baea, another Sadain like himself.

"Baea notify engineering that we are in position and are currently searching for a suitable target".

"Yes Sir". Baea replied

Surri pondered as he focused on the viewing screen. The Tunnard maybe classified as a second class vessel but at the moment fitted with the new trial weapon she was the most potent ship in the entire fleet, that is if the bloody thing worked. As he recalled trial firing on the moon base at Calai had not been, how did they put it --- entirely successful. Yeah! Unofficially he had heard that the crystal turret that focused the lethal ray had distorted during the firing sequence and the resulting power backup in the oscillating warp chamber caused an explosion that disintegrated one tenth of the moon. A permanent crescent shape one might say.

"Commander, scanners are locked on to a class four asteroid". Ronk's voice cut in.

"Very good Ronk". Surri Replied

"What distance Baea?"

"Asteroid is at twenty thousand Sir, nearly twice normal weapons distance". Came the answer.

"Bring the ship to a standstill and notify Engineering that they may begin testing".

"Yes Sir". Baea replied.

One could feel the hum through the ship as the weapon was bought to full power.

"Engineering report the weapon is ready to fire Sir". Baea's voice appeared calm even though he knew the danger.

Surri's right hand passed across the glowing crystals of the firing control panel, the scanners of the Biochem ships computer identified him as COMMANDER SURRI of the battle ship TUNNARD.

Normally the Biochem computer would have identified him anyway, any where on board ship via its scanners and by matching voice prints it knew where he was at any given time. This however was an A1 priority, only he could give the command to fire.

"CODE MATCH". Flashed the console alarm.

The red crystal on the console powered up. All was ready.

Surri's eyes were fixed on the viewing screen, as his index finger moved forward and touched the Red firing crystal.

A tremendous shudder traversed the TUNNARD as a blinding light leapt forward from the front of the ship. The op centre lights dimmed, followed by a groaning roar and the grinding of metal.

The asteroid on the viewing screen disintegrated into brilliant flashes of blues and greens.

"Sir, the ship is revering at a speed of character one". Baea's voice rang out.

"Forward thrust to counter. Ronk ask Engineering to report on that groaning noise we heard".

Surri surveyed what was left of the asteroid on the viewing screen, there was nothing but dust and vapor billowing out into empty space. This was truly a weapon of destruction.

"Commander, Sir, Engineering are reporting on damage".

"Very good Ronk, what are they reporting". Surri asked, his voice tending towards abruptness.

"One dead Sir, three seriously injured .... Sir". Ronk was wondering if he, in some way was causing this annoyance to the Commander. "Apparently the recoil from the blast emission has disintegrated the fluidizing shock absorption unit, thus sheering the forward hull mountings forcing the laser turret up against the hull of the ship ..... Sir". Ronk's formalities were finally beginning to subside.

"Sir, forward thrust is not functioning correctly". Baea cut in.

"Ronk. Ask whether the ship has suffered any functional damage?" Surri's voice tended toward concern.