ATC Exeter chapter 2

Bridge

"Admiral, 2 minutes to jump completion. " A voice rang out across the bridge . Thorpe acknowledged the information . 

"All squadrons prepare for launch on jump completion " 

The bridge was tense for those last couple of minutes, the crew all watching the countdown ready to start their jobs as soon as the ships left jump space.  Thorpe felt a swell of pride as he surveyed the sailors. They were proud and second to none even though the ATC higher ups looked down on his older  battle carrier compared to the newer battle carriers. 

Lasten 4

The emptiness of space was broken up with pinpricks of light forming like tiny stars almost bubbling and then a fleet of ships appeared in a flash.  As the Exeter and her escorts jumped into the system, the destroyers spread out to form a circle around the Exeter. Smaller craft started launching from Exeter's 2 launch rails. Each fighter or bomber being magnetically accelerated before being spat out into space. To an untrained eye it would look like chaos but everyone knew what they were doing when it's why they trained. 

Typhoon strike fighters, elegant almost dart like shaped machines formed into their wings, Eagle bombers slower than the typhoons due to their payloads also formed into squadrons. The Typhoon wings assigned to bomber escort moved into position with their charges and a mass of small craft headed for the colossal red moon orbiting the only planet on the system. 

Bridge

"All squadrons away and proceeding as ordered" one of the bridge crew reported.  Thorpe looked at his XO

" How did they do XO?" Thorpe enquired

Jackson tapped a few times on his data tablet,

"The fastest yet sir. Fastest wing was the Black Jacks ." 

Thorpe smiled "Well done. Pass on my congratulations to everyone in the squadron. Proceed on a pre planned course if you will commander Jackson. The usual sensor sweeps as we go please "

Engine Room 1

Simmons  walked through the engine room carrying out his normal post jump visual inspection. A couple of engineers had their faces buried in tablets or various work stations . So engrossed they didn't even notice him walk past. He reached a particularly dark area of the room . Something flashed in the dark that caught his eye. He stopped and waited . There! It flashed again and looked like someone had a torch . That was odd, Simmons thought. There are lights you can turn on. An access hatch was slightly ajar. Simmons struggled to remember what or was for.. ah part of the electrical systems ran through there but why not just turn the light on? He walked over and opened the hatch fully. A lone figure was crouched by a panel muttering to himself , the figure was dressed as a worker from the mess hall. That's odd Simmons thought, 

"Errr Can I help you ?" He asked. The figure spun around dropping a pair of wire clippers. The figure turned out to be a man, pale in colour but his eyes were red and they had an unnatural look. He snarled, a guttural feral sound from deep in his throat and  then he leaped at Simmons arms outstretched.  

Luckily one of Simmons hobbies when not on duty was boxing in fact he was the ships champion a fact he was very proud of. His fighting reaction kicked in and he slammed a hard right hook into the man. It was made easier as the man wasn't even trying to dodge any blows. 

The figure crumpled like a bag of trash hitting the floor. The figures' sound had attracted attention now and a crowd formed in the hatchway. Simmons turned to them  "Someone call the marines"