Rigel Rising

Stage 9- Stargazing

"Navigation buoys four hundred kilometers north-northwest offline suddenly. I detected a massive wave of radar interference before it shut down," Mariana reported from her station that made Cailee and Candice looked at each other worriedly while standing next to my chair and staring at the space map at the screen before me.

"Looks like they finally sent the clean-up party, sis," the younger of the two said.

But the elder just raised an eyebrow, "More like a horde of angry scrap collectors judging by the massive interference Mariana reported, and believe me, they are not here to party."

"What's the plan, captain? I know the Rigel has superb stealth capabilities, but with enough flies buzzing around blindly, we are bound to be caught redhanded," Drew asked as he and Trey began the final launch checks of our ship to make sure everything are all in the green.

I quietly looked at the map and stare at the planet Gearth and the other remaining space installations of the kingdom.

"The nearest is the Argonaut Base just outside the range of the Regina Colony. Only then is there a chance that it hasn't fallen yet," I said thoughtfully, but Cailee shook her head.

"That's impossible, captain. If the empire wants Regina to fall quickly, it would've made sure that all outlying bases are secured and dismantled," she then pointed at the Gearth instead, "How about we make a planetfall and head straight to Regeinland?"

I winced when Candice slapped her sister so hard, her hand left a bright red mark on Cailee's face, "Idiotic b***h! How are we supposed to do that alive! Yes, the ship can theoretically be autopiloted to complete the journey, but our supplies are dwindling! It will take at least two weeks to make the descent, and by that time, we are all dead from hunger!"

I massaged my temple when I heard her reasoning. Another problem that I have to deal with.

Supplies.

The Rigel is only equipped for its trip towards its refitting, not for indefinite battle. It is not supplied with rations that can support a campaign on its own.

You see, in this modern age of space travel, nations have already developed a way to process any food from a single plant cell.

A vegan wants her salad? The onboard food fabricator will process vegetables, condiments, even spices right out from that single plant cell in less than two minutes.

Meat?

No problem!

The fabricator can grow lab meat indistinguishable from those of real animal's in two minutes as well. It can even manufacture carbonated and alcoholic drinks, though the latter is obviously banned in spacefaring commercial and military ships.

As long as the fabricator has a supply of plant cells or an onboard greenhouse to grow plants for cell extractions, a ship can feed its crew members indefinitely.

The problem with Rigel is we don't have a supply of plant cells nor seeds for the greenhouse. As mentioned earlier, it is supposed to launch only in transit mode, and the complete rationing will be transferred by the military port upon our arrival.

Regina doesn't have the capabilities to really outfit a ship for full combat readiness.

It can only send it off.

"Captain? I think this is a perfect time to flee..."

I looked up and saw Trey pointing at the countless engine lights we are seeing ahead of us that are unmistakably from the survey warships the empire has sent to check on the fleet that we have decimated.

"No need to tell me twice!" I said as I buckled up and nodded dismissively at the sisters beside me, "You two, to your stations. Activate the anti-air and anti-ship armaments only. Our main objective is to get out of the combat zone. I will make my decision later. What's more important is that we are alive to even make one."

The two nodded and quickly return to their seats as I barked my orders to Drew.

"For now, let's head for the direction of the Argonaut Base. We will scout ahead if it's still intact and then decide what to do next after ascertaining its condition. Drew, drop the camouflage. They will notice our main engines anyways. Full cruising speed, and don't lower it a bit!"

He nodded quickly and followed my orders, "Full cruising speed, aye-aye captain."

"Mariana, begin sending a distress signal towards the Argonaut Base. Keep on doing it until we get an answer. Even with this interference, if we keep on throwing everything in the air, someone from there will notice, hopefully."

The communications officer quickly nodded and began sending hails towards the base we are heading as our ship veered away from the incoming armada as fast as we can.

-0-

It was almost two hours of painful silence before we finally dared to breathe a sigh.

Miraculously, we managed to outrun the empire's forces.

Though that won't be really hardly surprising, given the basic military facts.

Veralians favor power and numbers, while Regeinlanders focuses on speed and defense. Rigel, a prototype it may be, is still a ship made by the kingdom, and it really lives up to its dogma.

"No enemy in sight and on the radar within combat range," Mariana reported from her seat, but she furrowed her brows, "Though there are faint heat signatures from the nearby asteroid fields true west of our current position."

Drew looked over his shoulder and glanced at Mariana's monitor, "Oh, that would be the automated mines of the kingdom. You know, the one they deployed many years ago. Still working, I see."

Meanwhile, Candice and Cailee are staring awkwardly at Trey, who is now making figures at the stars outside our bridge window and throwing a hissy fit for no apparent reason.

"Wait, what?! That shouldn't be right! It's supposed to be the constellation of the bull! Why aren't the lines crossing correctly!" he roared suddenly that made our inferior communications officer jump out of her seat in surprise as she is very focused on sending distress signals nonstop.

The two sisters quickly left their seats and calmed down the hyperventilating poor girl as I decided what to do with my still angry maintenance officer, who is still pointing angrily at the stars outside.

Drew nodded at me meaningfully to say that I should reprimand Trey, but how can I?

Captain, I may be. It is in an unofficial capacity.

Technically speaking, I have no authority to even command them since they are all here voluntarily.

But looking at Mariana, I really should at least instill some sense of control and command in the bridge. As my deceased friends have said, you can't just let your emotions run wild while on active duty, especially in the command room.

"Trey, can you please tone down your voice? You gave Mariana here a fright. We cannot afford to lose even one of you here while we are on the run. Please keep in mind that you are sitting right next to us the next time you plan your outburst."

He looked at me ignorantly and then to his seatmate, who is now fanned by the sisters, before realizing what I meant.

Trey quickly rushed towards Mariana's side and apologized profusely for a minute before Candice have enough.

"Why are you idiotically and childishly pointing at the stars outside anyways? Why not just check the star charts instead in your panel?!"

Cailee quickly nodded angrily, "True, sis! Instead of flailing your arms and pointing your fingers randomly, just look down on your screen and be done with it!"

"I did that already!" Trey retorted incredulously as Mariana returned to her post, visibly shaken but smiling and ready to work after the sincere apology, but she stopped from hailing when her seatmate's screen caught her eyes, "But it's not making any sense!"

Cailee ignored him and called Mariana carefully, "Mariana dear? Is there something wrong?"

"Huh?! No. I mean, yes. I mean, I'm fine, but there is something weird at the star chart," she answered as she looked up and down to compare what she sees on the screen and outside the bridge window, "It doesn't really match."

Trey quickly returned to his seat and nodded, "I know, right?! I pulled the star chart up so I can triangulate a perfect place for the tungsten automated repair machines to have better light, but I noticed the discrepancy."

"Move away, you two," Candice orders, and Mariana and Trey quickly make way for her and her sister as they see for themselves the screen.

The elder of the siblings began tracing her fingers at the central part of the star chart, following a rather odd shape that can't be a constellation of any sort.

"Wait, why does it look like a shape of a ship?"

We all looked at Cailee, who seemingly said that nonchalantly and she was surprised by the horror on our face.