Ode of Remembrance

Prologue

The USS Serenity had escaped from Running Deep but had taken severe damage from the attempt. She was adrift running on minimal power its crew fighting to keep her from falling apart. Trying to keep the power running before it died and their ship would become their frozen tome.

The emergency beacon screamed for all the hear reaching deep into space trying to catch anyone’s attention to come and find them.

It was answered.

A Helping Hand

The vessel dropped heavily out of warp and began its intensive scan of the system. Scanning every inch to find where the emergency signal had come from. With the signal found it turned towards it and hauled its self closer. It sent hails but to no reply which caused curiosity to people inside the vessel. The vessel closed to the emergency signal and docked with it. The vessels full tractor beams and docking clamps held it tight to its hull.

The people in the vessel sent people to the access hatches which opened and they accessed the vessel that was sending the emergency signal. The hatch opened leading the people into the damaged vessel. They were met by a crewman who escorted them to the bridge.

Safe and Sound

Jay turned as the bridge door opened they had been working hard to get the Serenity moving but they would need a dry dock to sort all the mass of problems. It appeared that the vessel who was now docked against the Serenity’s hull was the Mobile Repair Dock MRD Lily Sloane assigned to the Albatross Organisation who had been in transit to Starbase Geneva. It had heard the emergency signal and come to offer aid. The Serenity was now attached to the Lily Sloane as it began to connect power cables and docking tubes.

The two people that had entered the bridge was Commander Alice Turner and Andrew Williams. They were friends of Jay who she had both met at the academy and Williams had been her room mate. He was the Assistant Chief Medical Officer on Starbase Geneva and was getting a lift to Geneva with Commander Alice Turner was the Crew Commanding Officer and the First Officer of the Lily Sloane.

Turner worked with McDonald to get a proper assessment of the damage to the Serenity as the Lily Sloane’s engineering crew began to work on repairs as the Lily Sloane transported them back to Starbase Geneva. Williams, Moss, M'Epak along with the unwounded members of the Trauma Response Team worked with the Lily Sloane’s sickbay to treat the wounded and heal the broken bodies of the Serenity’s crew. Williams also looked after his sister who had been knocked unconscious by the explosion and was put into stasis until her mental joining with the Serenity could be better understood and monitored at Starbase Geneva.

Battle Damage

The Lily Sloane was cruising through the warp carrying the Serenity safe in its grasp. Its vacuum suited engineers and work bees were slowly repairing the damaged caused by the explosion. Parts of the outer hull had been rebuilt with new hull plating and would soon be re-pressurised. Inside fractures bulkheads and deck plating were being replaced with new. The Serenity would not be totally repaired by the time the Lily Sloane arrived at the Phoenix docks but she would be able to move on her own power

New From Home

Captain Jaclyn Fairly found Williams, Jay and Turner in ten forward one of many on the Lily Sloane. She told then quietly that she was sorry to inform them that Senior Squadron Commander Isaac Shilling had been killed. Captain Fairly also informed Jay that if she was happy then the memorial service for her crew would be the next day before they arrived at Star base Geneva which Jay accepted be fore she left them to their mourning. Shilling had been their friend since the academy. He had qualified as a fighter pilot and had the ego and swagger that became a person of that profession but he also caring and enjoyable side when they were all together. He had been posted to one of the 52nd fleet carriers and had worked his way up from junior pilot to Senior Squadron Commander. He had never lost his love for hurtling through space at unsafe velocities. He had been training a group of rookie pilots about combat manoeuvring through asteroids when one of the rookie pilot’s Mako Fighter lost power on a high speed turn and ended heading towards an asteroid. Shilling had immediately dived in nudging the rookie pilot out the way but was unable to recover his Mako before it slammed into the asteroid killing him instantly. The only comfort that they could get out of the situation was that Shilling was doing what he loved and had been taking care of his own with a care for his own safety. They ordered drinks and began to reminisce about their time at the academy.

Memorial

The crew of the Serenity stood in silent rows along one of the massive observation decks that looked over the Serenity secured below. They stood to attention in their immaculately dressed white uniforms with Jay flanked by Grayjoy. Williams and Turner stood a few paces away with the representatives of the Lily Sloane. Captain Fairly said a few words and then motioned for Jay to speak. She spoke about the crew who had died, about how their deaths were not in vain, how they should be proud of what they have achieved and to work hard to make deaths not count for nothing. The assembled officer came to attention and Jay spoke the Ode to Remembrance and then read the names of the dead. The last of all was Isaac Shilling. There was silence for a few moments as each person took time to remember who they had lost. The Jay dismissed the memorial party and they all slowly left the observation deck just leaving. Fairly, Jay, Williams and Turner. Fairly took her leave and headed to the bridge leaving the three friends to their thoughts of the crew and their friend.

Safe and Sound at Home Again

The Lily Sloane arrived in her allotted position beside the phoenix docks as she was too big to fit in to any of the berths. The Serenity limped slowly into the safe embrace of at repair dock to continue her repairs. The crews of both vessels said their good byes as the Lily Sloane was already tasked for a new mission. Before Williams, Turner and Jay said their good byes they stood at the aft observation deck staring into deep space thinking about Shilling blazing a trail across the stars. They then said their good byes and headed off the their different assignments.