| Chapter Six |
| The Great Escape |
| Starbase 01 11:19 SET 2195 The Stealthlon was ready to launch. Jim Brungess waited for the flag officer in the VTOL shuttle that had just landed in the Stealthlon�s docking bay. Straightening out his uniform, he put on his best smile as Blackbird climbed out. �Captain. It�s good to see you again.� Brungess extended his hand to Blackbird. �Captain Brungess! A pleasure as usual. Now what is so important that you have to send a secure message for a secret meeting?� �To my quarters, please.� Once they were in Brungess�s quarters, Captain Blackbird was surprised to see Captain Mansel resting in one of Jim�s lounge chairs. �Mansel! You were invited to this clandestine as well?� Captain Mansel shook his head. �No, Captain, it�s my idea. From his pocket, Mansel produced a picture of the Explorer-B. �Ever seen this ship before?� Captain Blackbird arched an eyebrow. �If I didn�t know any better,� he said, �I�d say it�s the Explorer-B. But it�s not. It�s slightly different.� �It is and it isn�t the Explorer,� Mansel explained. He gestured to a chair near him. �Have a seat, Captain.� Both Captain Blackbird and General Brungess sat down. �Now what�s all this about? Blackbird asked, puzzled and intrigued. �You see, Captain, we�re not from this dimension,� Jim Brungess started. �We�re from another universe almost exactly the same as this one, but due to an unfortunate accident, we ended up here, instead of our intended destination.� �What was your intended destination?� Blackbird asked. General Brungess shot a questioning look at Mansel, who merely shrugged. �I can�t even remember, to tell you the truth. Right now, I�m slightly more concerned with getting home.� �Of course.� Blackbird leaned back in his chair, all business. �Let�s say you�re telling the truth. What happened to make you end up here?� Mansel gave Blackbird a quick run down of what had happened and what needed to happen for them to get back home. �Why not use the Force-A?� Blackbird asked. �That packs more firepower.� �Some things require discretion,� Mansel said. �This is one of those times. Besides,� he continued, �after we steal a starship, we�re going to need to be able to hide. They�ll undoubtedly be looking for us, if not a small fleet. This is an important ship.� �And the Force-A is more important,� Brungess pointed out. �If you and your ship came up mission, off on some clandestine assignment, they�d have the whole fleet after us.� �All this is true,� noted Blackbird. �Why don�t you just go to the UNSF for help?� �Our LOAC would prevent us from making initial contact with any species from another dimension, or time period,� Mansel answered. He glanced at his chrono. �Almost time to get underway.� �One more thing,� interrupted Blackbird, �if you guys have convinced a skeleton crew to work with me here on the Stealthlon, where�s the real crew?� �Mansel�s cook, Molaram, served them a few drinks prior to them shuttling over here,� General Brungess responded, standing up. It felt strange for him to have a UNSF uniform instead of an EDF suit, but Mansel continually assured him that he suited it well. �Molaram slipped in a sleep-induced drug. They passed out shortly after arriving, which was bloody good timing. Our hand chosen crew took their places.� �How did you choose who you wanted?� Blackbird asked as they walked to the nearest turbolift. He led the way in, followed by Brungess, and then Mansel. �You command the Stealthlon in our universe,� Mansel explained. �These people make up your bridge crew.� �How ironic.� �Quite.� The lift doors parted, and the three stepped onto the bridge of the brand new Stealthlon-B |
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