The VFC-Sefrat Voyage

Written by Matthew Grafstrom

CHAPTER ONE

The shipyard was a massive place, ships being constructed and repaired all around. People bustling here and there, some military and some civilians all from someplace in the Vokell Empire. David Jevelon was now a Lieutenant in the Vokell Imperial Navy, he had just been assigned to a new ship, a brand new prototype design, the VFC-Seferat.

David looked out upon the ship through a view port window in the observation room in the shipyard, below him was the Sefrat, an frigate class. He hadn't been aboard yet, none of the six new Sefrat crew had yet, none of them had even met each other either. David tore his gaze off the ship and turned to walk out the door, but he stopped when another man walked into the room, David turned back and looked out at the ship again.

"She's a beautiful ship isn't she son" the man said, the 'son' signified that he was higher ranking than David.

David turned around and faced him, he stood at attention with his clenched fist over his heart in the saluting manner. "Yes sir, she is a very nice ship indeed sir."

"At ease son, we'll keep this informal" he smiled at David while saying this and David caught a slight hint of humor in his voice.

"Thank you sir", David went back to starring at the ship.

"I take it your one of the ship's crew members"

"Yes sir, I am 1st Lt. David Jevelon, ships second commanding officer."

"Really, well than I should introduce myself, I am Major Shep Destra, commanding officer of the Sefrat" David once again stood at attention. "Remember what I said about this meeting son."

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

"In fact son, I don't really like that formal stuff from my officers so please try to remember that while on board."

"Yes sir" David still felt like it was formal, and so did Shep.

"Please son call me Shep or Destra, never sir, ok."

"Ok."

They both looked out the window a little while longer at the ship until Shep once again began talking. "So son, where you from, me I'm from the race Felsrat, we've never liked formality."

"Me, I'm a pure bred Vokell, born right on the homeworld twenty-five years ago in the capital city."

"Really, your an Imperial man than?"

"Not really Shep, I believe in democratic voting."

"Well you won't be getting much of that aboard the Sefrat, it relies heavily on a pre-programmed computer system."

"I haven't heard about that yet, all I was told was that it had a superior bridge model."

"Superior, this baby only needs two people to run the whole ship, you and me" Shep laughed almost mocking David with it.

"Two people, how is that possible?" David asked, and he was conscious that his forehead creased.

"Simple, the computer is uses a experimental telepathic concept, meaning we control the whole ship through our brains."

CHAPTER TWO

David and Shep left the observation room and made their way to the briefing room where the other crew members would be waiting. On the way Shep told David a lot about his life experiences and David did the same when asked, the two were becoming closer friends by the minute.

The two reached the briefing room and entered, inside the whole crew was already waiting for them, but all seemed content as they were all chatting amongst each other. The chatting soon ended when everyone saw who entered and everyone took their seats, David did the same but Shep walked to the front of the table and remained standing. After a short pause and a glance at each person Shep began to talk to his crew.

"Greetings one and all, I am Major Shep Destra your commanding officer aboard the VFC Sefrat. I hope you have all had the chance to meet each other as it will help you onboard the ship if everyone knows each other. The man who accompanied me here is your second commanding officer 1st Lt. David Jevelon, he or my self will be your commanding crewman."

David looked around at everyone, and everyone looked at him.

Shep continued to speak, "The VFC Sefrat 915175 is a experimental spacecraft and we are the crew to test it so I expect everyone's best performance while serving under me on this ship. The ship itself has a new bridge module, it only requires two people to operate the entire ship. The reason for this is because the ship uses a new telepathic hook up directly to the brain of the two people and all responses are almost sub-consciously delivered to the computer. What this means is that the computer actually takes the operators training and personal experiences to decide on what to do in the event of having to do something."

David looked around at everyone and saw through their facial expressions that most of them got the concept.

Shep's speech continued further, "Now for those of you who do not know everyone here, and I'm sure that's everyone, I will now pass out a ship roster P.A.D.D. to everyone and everyone can take a good look at it both here and anytime onboard the ship."

David received his P.A.D.D. and he took notice of all that were aboard and their particular races. He noticed that there was not one person that was of the same race as anyone else, he thought that it was probably just coincident.

"And now everyone we will all go to our ship and have a tour before departure" said Shep excitedly, and everyone else looked that too. The entire crew left the briefing room and made their way down a relatively empty hallway. David found it rather strange that there was no one to see them off, this being a experimental craft after all. They came to a closed metallic, and heavy looking door, marked 'Docking Port 10' and under that was a small built in computer screen saying 'VFC Sefrat 915175...Authorized Personal Only.'

"Just everyone stand a couple of feet away from the door please, it has to scan me to make sure that it's me going in." Everyone moved back as ordered. A blue line appeared above the door cast a small blue line floor.

There was a computerized voice heard, "Crew may now pass under the scan beam, anyone not registering with the ships computer will be incinerated."

'Oh great' thought David to himself.

"Now everyone stand in a straight line and pass under one by one" said Shep in a commanding voice once again. Again everyone did as they were told and everyone stepped into the ship without incident.