Solomon stood with his key in the L.R.W. His thumb ready to press the button, a trickle of blood made its way down Solomon's smooth face, The Evergreen's structure began to settle down when E.V. broke the silence. "Lieutenant Gordon, Captain Sinderman has requested your presence on the Bridge." Solomon swore softly to himself with great relief, thanked a god that he had no belief in, patted the armoured plating of the L.R.W. And smiled.
Solomon made his way as fast as his tiring legs could carry him. Bursting through the Bridge door. The smell of burning electrics polluted the air, a clearing fog drifted through the room as Solomon took in the surprising minimal damage to the bridge. "Kyril. We good?" asked Solomon, clearing his throat as he inhaled some of the electrical smoke. Kyril nodded, allowing himself a relieved sigh, rubbing the back of his greying head, "Reports to my chair in ten minutes, try hail The Pride Of Lions, Helm, take us to an intercept course and help them out."
The Evergreen glided through the void, her new wounds black and dented, but secure.
"Pride Of Lions, please respond, we will be docking on the port side, please respond." said Geoff into his head set dialling into the comms of The Pride Of Lions. As The Evergreen sailed within one hundred meters off The Pride Of Lions wrecked vessel, Geoff looked up in hope through his thick glasses, when his ear set crackled with static and the breakings of a voice.
"Evergr....officer.... com...nd bri....ne....Battle Bri...ge....eal..."
"Captain Sinderman, Sir!"
"Yes, Geoff"
"I have a broken connection to The Pride, she's in a bad way, shall we prepare the boarding parties?"
"Make it so."
The Evergreen pulled along side the charred hull of The Pride Of Lions, the past battle fresh in the minds of the crew as they observed the battered and beaten hull of their fallen sister ship.
Geoff straightened his glasses and pressed his mic close to his mouth. "Pride of Lions, please release your Docking clamps on entrance nineteen, we are ready to commence." said Geoff but was met by only static. Kyril had moved behind him silently placing his hand of the head of Geoff's chair, frowning as he thought about his orders. After five minutes of silence, Kyril rubbed his eyes with the palms of his ageing hands. "Dock anyway, send over a team of engineers to open the door. Send all available medical staff, along with the first, and second companies." said Kyril in a monotone sigh, "Solomon. Somebody knew where that ship was during warp travel. Only the Captains and the Lieutenant Commander on the ships new the locations and routes. Keep an eye out." Solomon left the bridge quickly, making his way down to the armoury. Even Solomon didn't have knowledge of the specifics of the Warp Travel route, only where they jumped, and where they landed.
The First Company, in full midnight blue armour lined up outside entrance nineteen, with a team of engineers dressed in yellow armour, one hundred soldiers packed into a single corridor, leaving barely enough room to gasp for breath before the signalling siren blipped and turned green. "Docking bridge secure and airtight." said one of the engineers as he slung a scorch gun over his shoulder and carried a cannister of fuel. "You two, come with me, the company will stay here, until we return. Last thing we need, is a rupture to take a whole company." he said over his shoulder signalling to the two youngest engineers who exchanged nervous glances as they sheepishly followed. The team of engineers opened the door and entered the docking bridge. The engineer with the scorch gun looked over his shoulder once the team was clear of the door, "Come on, Erick, close the damn door!" spat Engineer Barnett as he set down the heavy fuel canister, "Yes sir, Sorry Chief" stammered the scrawny boy at the rear, his armour too wide for his tiny frame, the yellow, airtight material baggy over his arms and legs. Between the two, was a more bulkier boy, his armour still too large for him, the two junior engineers, only seventeen had recently graduated from their apprenticeships before joining the engineering crews of The Evergreen. The Engineering team approached the Battered door of Entrance nineteen and began working. Barnett fired up the scorch gun as the two boys fed the fuel, and kept the canister line straight.
Solomon walked towards the sealed door of The Evergreen, waiting for the light to turn green again, his company packed into a small corridor with extra medical teams mixed into their numbers, The full void armour was bulky, full face helmets sealed their faces from sight. Solomon glanced over the deep blue armoured heads of the one hundred soldiers, easily spotting the thirty white helmets of the medical staff, casting his eye to the end door, he noticed a medical staff member removing their helmet as they were speaking to a blonde woman who's back was to Solomon, the blonde woman was not in armour and in breach of regulation, as it was a simple operation Solomon knew it was not a big deal, however it still irritated him. His squad usually toyed with him about the stick up his arse. Solomon let out a loud whistle and shouted over the heads of the crowd. "All non-armours, leave the corridor, boarding will commence shortly!" the woman quickly turned her head, it was Sandra, who returned a worried look at the soldiers now looking at her with slight grins across their faces, hidden behind their helmets, her eyes still puffy and bloodshot. The medical person had fully removed her helmet and let a flow of auburn hair loose, Solomon now understood why Sandra was there, trying to tag along with Lyra. "Medic without the helmet! Report to Me now!" shouted Solomon. Sandra quickly left, clearly saddened by the loss of chance for excitement, Lyra made her way through the hulking masses of the armoured soldiers towards Solomon. "Please keep your helmet on. You're now part of my team, I have a spot, just for you. Should be fun. Perhaps Sandra could come along another time, eh?" said Solomon hopefully to Lyra who returned a confused look at Solomon that immediately caught his attention. Solomon returned the look to Lyra before asking. Lyra informed Solomon of Sandra's panic and anxiety attack during the battle. "She's going to be okay, she'll just be out of it for a couple of hours with the medication, she was just asking if she could see me tonight." Solomon's irritation soon turned into sympathy for Sandra and annoyance at himself.