[Dracus]

+++(flashback 9 days)+++

Amber turns from the video monitor to address her crew. "We have recieved our orders. Line them and lets go." The Sweepers take up the standard convoy type formation and head for the warp point. Amber takes one Last look at the warships of beta fleet and then gives the order.
Little Thunder enters the warp point, One by one the sweepers dis-appear from Sigma Draconis on a heading that just maybe then gates to hell.

********************Death all around*************

"How long have we been in the warp stream?" Amber asks. She has gone through a jump a hundred times and still she loses track of time.
"Seven hours. " is the reply; "we should be existing within the next hour."
"As Soon as We are out, bring all weapons Online and scan for those mines."

(20 minutes later)

"We are exiting the Warp point in 10.....9....8..." Reports the hems officer.

There is a quick flash and Little Thunder enters Z'trop. As soon as the ship enters normal space, an explosion rocks the port side causing the outer hull to cringe. Before anyone can respond, a second explosion hits the starboard hull causing it to buckle. Steam from the heat transfer pipes began to pour into the corridor. A crewman passing by is Hit full force from the steam as it burst from the pipe instantly killing him.

"Full stop!" Yells Amber, Were are those sweepers?"
"They are 5 minutes behind us and there are more mines moving toward the ship!"

Little thunder quick comes to a full stop, right in the middle of the mine field. The first two mines were in the direct path of the ship. Now that it has stopped, The mines are homming in on the metal hull. Little Thunder is a sitting duck. If they move forward, they will run into more mines, if they move back, they will slam into the emerging sweepers.

"How long before those other mines hit us?" Ask Amber.
"3 minutes and 4 mines will collide with our port side, 6 minutes and 10 more mines will blow us out of the sky!" Snaps the comm officer.
Amber could heard the fear in this man's voice; She too was scare.
"A--LL hands bbbbrace for Impact!" Amber says.

--------------------------------------------------

To be continued........

[ 07 December 2001: Message edited by: Dracus ]