In 5300, the Union of Planets is the primary faction. One part of the Union is called Earth Command. Captain Allen Dunswick is one of many captains in Earth Command, he is in command of a Selcor-class ship called the EBA/Rebel.
Currently the Rebel and its crew are in the Delba system near the ninth planet in the system, called Felter. It is investigating an unknown signal they believe to be a starship. “Any sign of it?” Captain Dunswick asked his first officer, Commander Duke Williams.
“No, sir. It has to be here. It couldn’t have gotten anywhere without us knowing about it” Commander Williams replied.
“Sir, I’m detecting the signal. 74 degrees starboard” Lt. Fran Gaby said.
“Alright, all hands, prepare for first contact” Captain Dunswick announced over ships comms, “Lt., move to intercept.”
“Aye, sir. Moving to intercept” She replied.
“We’re being hailed, sir” Lt. commander George Halls said.
“On screen, Lt.”
“Aye, sir.”
As Lt. command Halls put the message on screen, the other ship powered up their weapons. “Nik dsi helon kld” the face on the view screen said to them.
“I’m sorry? I don’t understand” Captain Dunswick replied.
“Gin eks quid” The face said.
“My name is Captain Dunswick. What is your name?”
“Judns.”
“Judns? Alright then, Judns, we come in peace.”
“Captain,” Commander Williams said, “They’re accessing our computer.”
“Let them, do nothing.”
“I am Judns of Fosn’yu. You are from Earth?”
“Yes. Most of us call ourselves ‘Human,’ but some are from other races. Like Lt. Gaby, here is Qiens. Commander Williams is a Topwn. What do you call yourselves?”
“We call ourselves Giunsd. Do you have teleporter technology?”
“Yes, we have transporters.”
“Please transport aboard my ship, we have a common enemy.”
“First, power down your weapons.”
“Of course, my apologies.”
Once captain Dunswick, commander Williams and Lt. commander Halls were aboard, the discussion began. “Captain, there is a race known only to us as the Hadune. They are a violent race that will destroy everything in their wake.”
“And you want us to help you?”
“Correct.”
“I must talk to my superiors, but I believe they will decide to help you.”
“No time to talk to them, one of their ships is here.”
“Then it would seem we might have to help you.”
Once they got back to the Rebel, the Hadune ship started firing. As soon as they got to the bridge, they started giving orders. “Damage report!” Captain Dunswick yelled.
“Damage to all levels. Hall breach on deck 12” Ensign Talvel reported.
“Hail that ship. Let’s see if can get diplomacy to work.”
“On it, captain” Lt. commander Halls replied, “No response, captain.”
“Open a channel, Lt.”
“Open, sir.”
“This is Captain Allen Dunswick of the Union starship Rebel. Hold your fire and let us talk peacefully, we do not wish war but I will protect my ship by any means necessary. Respond or we will open fire” Captain Dunswick said, hoping for a response.
After a few moments, the Hadune ship stopped firing. “We’re being hailed, Captain” Lt. commander Halls said.
“On screen, Lt.” Dunswick ordered.
“This is captain Arthur Cochrane of the Space Force ship Warrior. Stand down and prepare to be boarded.”
“Space Force? That hasn’t been around for millennia. How did you get here?”
“There was some sort of subspace anomaly that came out of nowhere. We were sucked in and unable to escape its gravity. Next thing we knew, we were in the middle of firefight in the beta quadrant.”
“Were you near a big green gas cluster?” Judns asked.
“Yes, there was. Why?”
“We got reports of an unknown ship that appeared out of nowhere. That was about 3 years ago. At the same time we detected an anomaly near the Hareh gas cluster, it must have been because you appeared.”
“What is your version of Space Force, captain Dunswick?”
“We have the Union of Planets now. Your ship is outdated, but I believe they would be happy to welcome you back to Earth.”
“Captain Judns, perhaps you would like to join us.”
“Of course, we would love to meet your Union of Planets.”
Once they were on their way to Earth, they were wondering why captain Cochrane was at war with the Giunsd. “So why were you considered a threat to the Giunsd?” Commander Williams asked Commander Theso, first officer of the Warrior.
“We suppose it was because the Warrior was a warship, it was left over from the Helo war.”
“That probably had something to do with it.”
Meanwhile, Dunswick made his way to his quarters. “Captain, why is there a Space Force ship with us?” Ensign Pounder asked.
“Well, they came through a subspace anomaly and ended up in Giunsd space. We are taking back to UoP headquarters to have them recommissioned.”
Once he arrived at his quarters, he immediately sat on his bed. “I have to wonder, why didn’t they try to make first contact with the Giunsd” Dunswick said to his cat, Wolcott, “Unless their comms were down, but they never said they were.”
“Captain,” Lt. commander Halls said over ship intercom, “We have arrived at UoP headquarters.”
“Alright, I be right up.”
Once Dunswick got to the bridge, Commodore Brigs had already hailed them. “Captain, I see you finally got here. What two ships are with you?”
“The SF Warrior and a Giunsd ship I neglected to ask the name of, I shall ask when we come aboard the station.”
“Alright, come aboard.”
Once Dunswick, Judns, and Cochrane were aboard, Commodore Brigs asked about the two previously unknown ships. “This is captain Judns of the Alron and captain Cochrane of the Warrior. We were exploring system 2463-7, when we detected an unknown ship, that being the Alron, which told us about the Warrior” Dunswick reported.
“And how does a thousand-year-old ship get here?”
“We were pulled into a subspace anomaly which spit us out in Giunsd space.”
“I see. In that case we will have to discuss your recommissioning and getting the technology on your ship up to date”
“Thank you, sir. I’m sure my crew will be glad to hear that.”
“Until then, we detected a froonium asteroid in sector 1174. You are being assigned to investigate. The Warrior may go if you would like, Captain Cochrane.”
“Alright then, let’s go.”
Shorty after leaving, they received a distress signal from an unknown ship. “This is Earth Command ships Rebel and Warrior,” Dunswick said, “How can we assist you?”
“Engines failed, life support failing. Evacuation required” a distorted voice replied.
“Sending shuttles now.”
After everyone was aboard the Rebel and the Warrior, they got back on their way to the asteroid and first contact started in the conference room of the Rebel. “Who are you and what happened to your ship?”
“I am Sub-commander G’rado. We were scanning a seemly disabled and abandoned spacecraft when it fired some sort of weapon at us which started shutting down systems.”
“Where did the ship go?” Cochrane asked.
“We don’t know, our sensers were down at the time. We do know it was a living ship, we’ve encountered it before.”
“Living? What else do you know about it?”
“It was a genic alteration of its kind, normally Ievalnahts don’t have weapons. He was captured by an insane military commander.”
“Should we try and capture it?”
“Perhaps. It would be dangerous through.”
“We should complete our mission first; it shouldn’t take long.”
Once they got to the asteroid, they started scanning it. “It shouldn’t take long to extract the froonium and put it in the cargo bay” Dunswick told G’rado.
“Afterward we should capture the Ievalnaht. Everyone will be safer that way.”
“Any idea how we capture him?”
“There’s another Ievalnaht nearby, it may be able to help.”
“Alright, once the scan is finished, well be on the way.”
After a few hours they found the Ievalnaht. “Open a channel. This is the E.C.S. Rebel, we were told you can help us capture a dangerous Ievalnaht” Dunswick said over comms.
“You mean Zelbinion? We’ve been trying to find him for months. We would love to help” A voice said.
“What’s your name?”
“Everyone just calls me ‘Pilot.’”
“Alright, Pilot, do you have any idea where he is?”
“No, but he couldn’t be far. Let’s go find him.”
While looking for Zelbinion, Pilot and Dunswick started talking. “What is this place?” Dunswick asked.
“This is Rohvu’s nerve center, it’s where Pilots are bonded with their Ievalnaht.”
“Is there anyone else on board?”
“A few. We were a prisoner transport until the prisoners took control.”
“Why do you follow them, then?”
“A Pilot and a Ievalnaht follow whoever is in command.”
“Dunswick,” Cochrane said over comms, “We’ve found him. You should get back to your ship.”
After Dunswick was back on his ship, Rohyu started trying to talk to Zelbinion. “It is working, Pilot?” Dunswick asked.
“I’m not sure. However, Rohyu seems to think it’s working” Pilot replied.
“What’s that power build up?”
“It seems Zelbinion is attempting to Starburst. We will have to try and find him again.”
“Until then we have another mission. You are welcome to join us if you like.”
“Alright, it will be a while until we find him, anyway.”
“There’s an anomaly about 4 motras away. We have been ordered to investigate.”
“Off we go then.”
After arriving, ships started to approach. “Identify yourselves! Why do you have one of those warships?” the captain of the lead ship said.
“Warships? You mean Rohyu? She is not a warship. Have you encountered a smaller version of her?” Pilot replied.
“Yes, it left this unknown matter behind.”
“Froonium? Why would he leave that behind?” Cochrane asked.
“Because,” Dunswick said, “it’s unstable. He was trying to destroy something, it doesn’t look like anything happened, though.”
“Well then, let’s pick it up and focus on finding Zelbinion.”
After several hours, they found Zelbinion.
“Pilot, is Rohyu talking to him?” Dunswick asked.
“She didn’t need to, he’s standing down. It would seem Zelbinion is on his own now.”
“What happened?”
“Unclear. I suppose we should head to your headquarters now that this is done.”
“Yes, off we go.”
After returning to Earth Command, they were assigned to investigate an anomaly in a different system, which, as usual, didn’t go according to plan, but that’s another story for another time.