On The Edge Chapter 5
Emporer Brannon Woodruff's POV
I'm sitting in my private dining room, eating lunch with with my wife when one of my bodyguards comes up to me and tells me that my attention is needed in the Command Center, and that it's urgent.
"OK. Let them know that I am on my way and not to do anything until I get there." I tell him.
"Brannon, what's happening?" asks Marie, my wife.
"Well, John was telling me that our long range sensors have detected an unknown object sitting on the neutral zone, and that there has been reports of a traitor on Admiral West's ship the U.S.S Burdge. I have to head over to the Command Center and try and make contact with this thing and to seek out the truth about this unknown object. I will see you at home tonight. I love you." He stands up and kisses his wife goodbye. "I love you too Brannon. Be careful!"
It's quick ride down the turboshaft and into the parking lot, and it's another 10 minute flight with my personal shuttle. As we are about to land on the roof of the High Command Center, I see a small group of people waiting on my arrival to upate me on the situation. My personal aides area apart of the group. Among the group is Fleet Admiral Josh Harken. I notice that he has his phone in front of him, having a video conference with the station that's fairly close to the object, no doubt trying to get an update ready for me. Next to him is his aide, a 20 something recent graduate from the Acadamy. And he's also on video conference, with what looks like with someone from the U.S.S Burdge, getting an update. And the rest are just body guards and my aides.
No sooner had the shuttle landed and I was barely out of it, I was bombarded with all of their information that they have been gathering. I hold up my hands to gesture to them to be silent and to wait until I am completely out of the shuttle. I gesture to one of my aides to step forward to give me a list of events of the day before I hear from the other two people in front of me.
"Mr. Woodruff, I was instructed to cancel your schedule for today and tomorrow due to the threat of the unknown object. Incase of an attack or an invasion, we have set up a safe place for all the senior staff and your family off world. We have the Secret Police standing by at your children's schools waiting to safely take them away and they are with your wife as well. Our number one priorty right now is you and your family. The senior staff and their advisors have all been made aware of the pending situation and will continually will be updated as needed."
"Very well, David. Thank you. Mr. Harken, what's the latest on the object? Has it moved or anything?" I ask as we step off the turboshaft into the Command Center.
"Emporer, from what the commanding officer on Solveig Station was telling me, they think it's more than just an object. From all of their scans, they believe that it is a ship made to look like an object. Their scans don't penetrate whatever the hull is made of. They are only detecting faint engine signatures coming from it, but they haven't made any movement since they first appeared on our radar."
"Mr. Combe, what's the latest on the traitor reports from the U.S.S Burdge?"
"Well, from what I understand from the head of security, they think they know who it is. They have been dectecting covert messages being sent out, but they aren't sure who is receiving them."
Mr. Harken's phone goes off. It's Solveig Station. "Emporer, the station is reporting that the object has changed course and is on an intercept course with the U.S.S. Burdge.
"Ensign, signal Admiral West and tell them to set an intercept course with the object and they have permission to use what force is necessary. And let them know to equip their transphaesic torpedoes as well. And also tell him..." Fleet Admiral Harken comes up to me and tells me that they know who the traitor onboard the Burdge is. "Ensign, inform Admiral West that he is to take Captain Gaeda into custody for high treason against the High Command of the Planet Earth, and he is to strip him of rank and security clearances. Send him the coordinates of where the object was last reported as well. It is of the utmost urgnecy that this mission remains classified. Also inform him that he is authorized to use the new engines that were installed when the ship was in drydock."
"Yes, sir."
"Mr Harken. We are getting a report from the Solveig Station that the Burdge is under attack."
"I want a damage report as soon as possible!"
"Aye sir!"
"I want the rest of the fleet there now! Tell them to try and contain that thing! And get my family and I to the safe house!" I tell them.
Marie Woodruff's POV
I can't get my mind off of what was so urgent that required my husbands attetion so quickly. Well, whatever it is, he'll talk to me about it tonight over dinner. I need to get some work done to get my mind off of it.
A couple hours pass and I'm sitting at the computer terminal, looking at the daily reports of everything that has happened the past few days when the Secret Police come in through the door with my protesting secretary.
"Madam Woodruff. I'm Inspector Johnathon Moore. We're here on orders from Emporer Woodruff to keep you safe. You need to come with us. We have your children at the spaceport waiting to be taken off world to a safe place."
"Inspector Moore, may I ask what's going on?"
"I'm under orders not to tell. It's classified. I just know that you and you're family may be in danger. And I have to keep you guys safe unti I get the word that everything is good you'll have to get used to my appearance."
The Inspector raises his hand to his ear to listen to what he was being told. He looks up at me with a worried look on his face.
"Madam Woodruff, we've been instructed to take you and your family to the spaceport. We are taking you and your family to the safe house until further notice." He tells me while grabbing my coat and bags off the peg hooks by the door. "We need to hurry along. This is of the utmost urgency. You're staff has all been told to go home and get their families to safety where they won't be found, until otherwise instructed."
I start to protest, but he just stops and me tells me that each family will have someone from the Secret Police with them to help keep them safe.
"What about my husband? Is he going to be coming with us too?" I worriedly ask.
"Yes ma'am. He and his staff, along with your children, have all been trasnported safely to the ship the "Yonkai" and are awaiting your arrival. Your secretary is coming with us all well. His family has been safely hidden away. We are taking all the necessary precautions in the matter. We don't want whoever that is out there to get to the royal family." He talks into his hand and points back at me and says, "Ok. Let's go. We're moving out now."
I can't believe how crazy this day has turned out to be. First my husband had to rush off early during lunch, and now this? What could possibly happen next?