Ivan Kal - Sanctuary

Sahib turned to Mira. “I guess this is it, huh.”

Mira turned and looked at him. “Yeah.” She said.

Sanctuary system – Leviathan

The air pumps turned on and started pumping air back into the landing bay, in mere seconds the area was filled with the air and artificial gravity was again turned on. Then the great blast doors were raised and people started entering the landing area of the Hangar. The 4 shuttles that had just landed opened their doors and soldiers started getting out. They were the last group meant for the Leviathan, the last two platoons. Leviathan was assigned 1 company, 168 men and women. The entire fleet was assigned 3 companies in total, with the other two spread out over the fleet. There had been multiple shuttle trips, as the transport ships couldn’t dock with the Leviathan. Adrian looked down on the men and women now arriving on the Leviathan, their arrival meant that soon they would leave for the alien system. He was standing on a raised level, where chief’s offices were and looked through down through the window in the office. He didn’t have anything better to do, all the preparations were finished, and the research department was confident that they could send the entire fleet through something they called translane. The fleet had already arrived at the coordinates of the so called trans-station, the place from where they can enter the lane. Adrian didn’t understand the science behind the trans travel, save that something called trans field, along with a trans station was necessary. He knew that his ships wouldn’t be able to come back the same way, but would need to use hyperspace. The only ship fitted with the trans field generator was the Insight, a research vessel. As Adrian understood it, Insight would project the trans field inside the station where the fleet would be, opening the lane, and sending all ships inside the station through. Insight itself would remain behind, as it won’t be in the area affected.

Adrian saw that there was no more people getting off the shuttles, and that the shuttles started closing their doors getting ready to leave. The soldiers were met by Adrian’s chief of security, Marie Thorne then sent them to the area assigned to the soldiers. Seeing the last of them disappearing through the doorway, Adrian turned and went to the elevator taking it up to the command deck. He entered the Command Center and went to his place in the command chair. Paul and the rest of the Command crew were already there. He checked the fleet readiness on his board, then seeing that all ships reported ready, he turned to Paul.

“Contact Insight, tell them that we are ready.” Adrian said.

“Yes sir.” Paul said. Then he opened a link to the Science vessel Insight. “Leviathan reports First Fleet is ready for transfer.” Paul said.

“Acknowledged Leviathan, beginning transfer in two minutes.” Said a voice over the speakers.

Paul asked for a countdown clock to be put on the holo and a few moments later one appeared in the middle of the room on the holo-table. When the countdown reached one minute, Adrian turned to the Sensor Handler.

“Turn on the viewer.” He said.

“Right away Fleet Commander.” She said.

An instant later the walls of the CC turned bright white, and then they were in space, sitting atop the Leviathan. All around them they could see the other ships in the fleet. The external lighting coupled with the light from the sun, made the fleet an awe inspiring sight. All ships stood there in the light of the nebula, half obscured in shallow shadows. They looked menacing. The clock was entering the last ten seconds, and then it hit zero.

For a second or two nothing happened and then all ships were bathed in a violet wave of light. And the next moment they were away. The surrounding changed, and it looked as if they were traveling through a tunnel of violet and white light. All around Leviathan, violet arcs bounced of his and the other ships in the fleet. Adrian turned to Paul. “Did all ships report in?” He asked. Inside the translane it was impossible to communicate via FTL comms. The only thing that worked were radio signals. Paul nodded as his hand worked on his holographic display.

“Yes, all ships have reported in, there are no complications.” Paul said.

Adrian nodded and stood up. “You have the first watch.” Adrian said, there was no need to stay in the CC, the trip through the translane was two days long. He went to his quarters and settled in to get a bit of rest. He would spend enough time sitting in the CC when they arrive to their destination.

Three hours later Adrian woke, only to find himself under a deadly attack. He felt pressure on his index finger, and another on his foot. He stood up in his bed only to have the attack on his foot intensify immediately. He moved his hand in an attempt to save his fingers, only to have his attacker change objective, and turn his focus on his other foot.

“Stop that, you little monsters.” Adrian said, grinning. Which of course had no effect. The little devils kept attacking his feet until he got out of the bed. Only when he put both feet on the ground did they stop. Both of them sat down on their hind legs in front of him. Adrian knew that they wanted to play, looking at the clock in the corner of his vision he saw that it was the time that he usually played with them. Looking at the two little wolions Adrian couldn’t help but worry about them, the ship was going into battle, and they could die. He planned on leaving them on Sanctuary, but every time he tried he would suddenly feel unable to do so. And then the fleet was ready to leave and he realized that they were still on board. Again he wanted to leave them, to send them to Laura on a shuttle, but was unable to separate himself from them. It wasn’t the first time that had happened, before, when he found their mother dying he felt something similar. An unexplainable urge to protect the little cubs. And then again when he took them to be checked out. He planned on leaving them with the vet, but was unable to do so. Though, the vet’s plans for the them did help his decision as well. But nevertheless it had happened too many times for it to be a coincidence. It probably had something to do with the wolions themselves, but Adrian couldn’t figure it out. He even had Iris use sensors in his quarters, but she found nothing. Sighing, Adrian got up and went to the bathroom. After waking himself completely, he put on clothes and looked at Akash and Sora. Usually when he played with them, they would try to attack him while he fought them off. But looking at them and seeing how much they had grown he had another idea. They were now the size of a small house cat, and their teeth and claws had already started to make them look like predators they were. Adrian wasn’t worried about them hurting him or anyone else, never had they used their claws or teeth on him. Even during playing, they were careful not to hurt each other or him, and Adrian felt that they would never harm. Each day they showed Adrian that they were much more intelligent than people on Sanctuary thought. Sometimes when he talked to them, he could swear they understood him completely.

“I think that today we are going to do something different.” Adrian said, looking down at them. The little wolions just angled their head at the exact same moment, and blinked their four eyes at him, again in perfect sync. He noticed them doing that, and also doing other strange things. For example, one time Adrian was about to feed Akash, when before he even placed the food on the plate the doors opened – the doors had motion sensors – and Sora arrived from the other room. And he knew that there was no way for her to hear, see or smell the food, also there was the fact that she was sleeping soundly. And other strange instances, that made him believe that there was a connection between the two.