**Action**

**Action**
JMC Blue Dwarf
Stardate 16/11/2100
En route to Vega 22 Space Core combat station
 
*****Drive room*****
 
Captain Cannon paced the room with a large pair of tweesers stuck up his nose. Every so often he would pull them out in a rather painfull way and dropp a few black hairs on the floor.
Not surprisingly, a few of the normal Drive-room staff had chosen this time to go for a rather long coffee break.
This made no difference to Whitewolf the giant hamster however, who seemed happy enough to take care of almost every station by scuttling between them all very quickly.
 
"Are we nearly there yet?" moaned the Captain to the Navigation officer Nik Florentyn, who was standing in for Kieran Loes who had gone mysteriously missing ever since the party the other night.
"Almost sir" said Nik.
 
*****Crew quarters 11/B, Deck 19*****
 
Kieran looked at the handcuffs chaining him to the bed once more, with more urgency in his eyes this time.
Thoughts rushed through his head, like where was he? How had he got there? Who else was there in the room with him?
 
The other, rather larger figure in the room walked closer to him.
"Hold still sweety.." said a rather low feminine voice.
Then it took its clothes off.
 
Kieran screamed and struggled to get out of the handcuffs.
 
*****Outside view of the Blue Dwarf*****
 
The huge mining ship stood out amongst the crimson streaks of background space-clouds that lined this region of space. But they were not alone, a military-grey ship about half their size pulled up alond side them.
 
An array of smaller, fighter craft that had been previously escorting the other ship surrounded the Blue Dwarf in a diamond formation.
 
*****Drive-room*****
 
Communication officer James Johnson suddenly jumped up.
"Incoming message sir!"
 
"Put it on speakers" said Cannon. It took a few seconds for Johnson to change the speakers back from 'Kareoke' to normal.
 
"...your designation and purpose" started the communication. "..I repeat, this is the S.C. Mirimar, you are entering United Space Core territory, please state your designation and purpose."
 
Johnson quickly took his headset off and passed them to Cannon, who put it on and spoke into the microphone slowly.
 
"Erm...hello?" he said tapping the mic to test it. "This is the JMC Blue Dwarf. We were instructed by Space Core command to come to this outpost to recieve supplies."
 
"Affirmative, Starship Blue Dwarf," came back the formal and authorative tone of the military commander. "Keep your course and we will escort you to the Vega 22 base."
 
"thank you ever so much...." said Cannon politely, but the Commander had already ceased the communication.
He was probably already barking orders at his crew and brandishing his many medals, mused Cannon.
 
As Whitewolf scurried from computer to computer, he turned to Captain Cannon and asked him "So why didn't you join the Space Core and captain one of those mighty military vessels?" he nodded his furry head towards the window where the 'S.C. Mirimar' could be seen cruising through space next to them. It's huge gun turrets were poised and clean, the whole ship was sharp and sleek. And it was clear to any passer by that the speed it was currently going was a lot slower than its usual brisk pace, but it had to slow down for the slower mining ship to catch up. Bringing itself down to their level, so to speak.
 
In answer to Whitewolf's question, Cannon what it would be like on a military ship. All clean and tidy, with walls that are military grey- rather than the rust-brown of the Blue Dwarf.
Officers doing everything you tell them to, not just saying "yes sir" and maybe doing it later if they have the time.
And all the excitement, the away-missions into unknown hostile territory, the ACTION, and the WORK.
 
Captain Cannon thought for a while. "Too much hard work." he said at last.
 
********Outside shot********
 
The Blue Dwarf and escorts reached the Vega 22 Space Core combat station. The escorts parted and became lost in the busy cloud of starships surrounding the station. The area of space was buzzing with activity, space patrols, fighter escorts, training exercises and starship upgrades and repairs were only a few of the activities which surrounded the space station.
 
The Station seemed to have one central hub and many smaller docking arms extending from the station's 'stem' or secondary hull.
(If they were named by engineers, parts of a space station would just be called "that bit that joins the other bits", but as this is a military station, it can afford to have posh names)
The Blue Dwarf slowly docked at one of the docking arms of the station as another warship departed to make room.
 
Usually a ship as large as a Dwarfstar-class mining vessel would stick out amongst other ships due to its enormous size, but here amongst other large ships it seemed at home. Albeit an ugly duckling amongst heavily-armed swans.
 
The Vega 22 station was in orbit around a small planetoid. This entire planet had been claimed by the military and was used as a training ground for troops and also a testing ground for new weapons. The planet had a variety of different terrains on each continent, so it made it very easy to train marines in every type of terrain they would encounter. Troop transports to and from the planet were frequent, this added to the already bustling traffic of the station.
 
****Onboard the Vega 22 station*****
 
When the Blue Dwarf had docked, Captain Cannon told everyone they had a shore leave.
When Niples tried to call everyone back because they still had a lot of work to do, the response was a lot of middle fingers and a few beckonings of "kiss my ass". Well, Niples hoped it was a beckoning, because if it was an insult it would be in violation of code 22/9 paragraph.....
 
After a long trip through the Starbase customs, the Blue Dwarf crew who went aboard the space station realised they couldn't go wherever they wanted to.
They were all gathered together and shown into a huge auditorium where they were first shown a promotional video for the Space Core on a massive video screen.
 
Then they were shown where to go and where not to go on the Station, and were all given "Visitor passes" to get into some areas of the station. But unfortunately they couldn't go in anywhere that needed Military security clearance, not even the Blue Dwarf security team.
 
The stiff Space Core Admiral that was lecturing everyone on the rules and regulations of the military station also noted that there may be free military-training later. That just perked everyone right up.
"Doing twenty mile jogs through the jungle in the pouring rain?" groaned half of the crew. "not likely!"
 
After the briefing, the crew separated and went to make use of the Station's facilities.
 
Smegg and Kayn heard about the huge arcade and went off in search of it.
Dr. Keto went to find the medical staff to see if he could scrounge some more ointment and dragged Nurse Coffey along with him.
 
Harris' security staff headed straight for the bar to pick fights with as many Marines as possible.
 
Nik Florentyn couldn't find Kieran Loes so went off to find the replacement Starbugs on his own.
 
Steev headed to the engineering department to see if he could buy/scavenge/pinch anything useful for his Dimensional Jump Drive thingy.
 
Commander Niples went off to find the new "Space Eagle class" fighter he had been promised.
 
Everyone else went and did whatever they wanted
==================================Lt. David "Onion" BallAssistant Helm officer/ Pilot  USS Endeavour-ACommander Seymour Niples  JMC Blue DwarfWWW.Home.JMCBlueDwarf.comAre you being paid for being online? I am! http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=IJU209==================================