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"Side Tracked"
[Previous Post Dawn's "Romulan Jitters"]
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Setting: YUDARA SECTOR, Inside the Asteroid Field
Stardate: 63073.1950

The three small crafts referred to as VIPERs snaked their way through the shifting asteroid field as they searched for the missing USS PARADOX; the cause of the temporal problems which threatened the entire sector, quadrant and possibly even the galaxy as a whole. The unmarked one-man fighters remained in formation as best as they could while they performed a systematic search of the area, relying far more on their eyes than their troubled instruments.

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Setting: VIPER 3, Cockpit
Stardate: 63073.1950

"Elan might have insulated the VIPER's internal systems from those temporal anomalies, but that is unfortunately not helping our sensors," the former CO of the USS LANCELOT sighed to himself. As much as his training and experience led him to want to share his discovery, Morningstar kept his thoughts to himself. Communications between the three vessels had been restricted to emergencies or drastic course changes as per Commander Enaii's explicit instructions. "Great, according to these readings now, we are flying through an ocean of Tarkelian amoebas. That or Andorian organic ale, and I'm not sure which one it is or which of those is actually *less* desirable."

=/\= New course; 0-3-1 mark 3-4-2, =/\= the cold, commanding voice of the ILO onboard VIPER 1 came over the comm channel without warning as did her change of course which left the Native American to wonder if the Intel Operative had noticed something off their low starboard side.

Erik scanned the area as best he could with his eyes, seeing nothing more than he had since their entrance into the YUDARA SECTOR. All that there seemed to be in this region of space had been floating rocks, some as small as a tricorder while others were as large as a starship.

From the corner of his eye Morningstar saw what he believed to be a small alien ship of a configuration that he had never before seen. What truly caught the Native American's attention though had been the speed at which the ship, if indeed it had been one, traveled through the asteroid field. Despite its speed, the three VIPERs managed to gain on it due to the most part on some impressive manoeuvres from the lead ship piloted by the ILO.

Just as the trio rounded the latest group of asteroids, a small black shuttle came into view. The slick craft displayed no markings, not that Morningstar had actually expected to see any given the rather questionable reputation of those who called this sector of space home. What truly proved to be strange though was the way Commander Enaii had reacted.

The VIPERs were brought to a complete stop less than a kilometre from the unknown craft, a tactic that hinted the ILO knew either the ship or its pilot despite the strange configuration and lack of identifying marks.

=/\= VIPER 3, you have lead, =/\= the ILO announced to the Native American's absolute shock. =/\= Return to previous location and resume search pattern. =/\=

Erik opened the comm channel but remained silent as he figured that any attempt to get an explanation from the ILO would have been at the very best utterly futile. Having accepted that there had been only one possible course of action, based on that he had given his word to obey any and all instructions from the ILO, the former CO motioned to the other VIPER pilot to follow. Silence reigned as VIPER 2 and VIPER 3 backtracked and returned to their previous location and resume their search for the PARADOX.
 
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Francois Charette {f_charette@hotmail.com}
 
Lieutenant Elan Talak Fairborn
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS
 
And
 
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA