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 When your biological and adoptive fathers were two of the greatest heroes the world has ever known, it's a lot to measure up to. There was especially a lot riding on Sebastian Sloan's shoulders as he decided to join the hero community and throw himself into the fight. But you know what? He prevailed.
Twenty years later and Captain Sebastian Sloan of the Alliance -- representing Sloan Enterprises -- now the most famous man on Earth and its several fledgling interstellar colonies, glanced up briefly as the voice of the SSV Patriot's helmsman came over the shipboard intercom. A second later he felt the unmistakable deceleration surge as the vessel’s propulsion field generators wound down and the Patriot dropped from faster-than-light travel into speeds more acceptable to an Einsteinian universe.
The ghostly illumination of the familiar red-shifted universe spilled in through the cabin’s tiny viewport, gradually cooling to more normal hues as they decelerated. The Patriot was almost at its destination; it was time for him to leave the peace and solitude of the private cabin. He transferred the personnel files from the data terminal to a tiny optical storage disk, which he left on the floating desk. Then he logged off, pushing himself away from his chair and stiffly standing up.
His quarters were larger than the others, and the data station he’d been working at was found to be pretty comfortable. Space on Alliance vessels was limited, private cabins were typically reserved exclusively for the commanding officer of the ship. On most missions even VIPs were expected to use the common mess or the communal sleeping pods. But Sebastian was a living legend, and for him exceptions could be made. Weary and tired from his proactive run for supplies on the planet Ludon in the Archimedes star system, he'd decide to rest up before reaching the New Britain space station.
The Patriot wouldn't reach its destination on schedule this time. He rolled out of his bunk at the first sound of the alarm. His body moved instinctively, conditioned by years of active service aboard Systems Alliance Space Vessels. By the time his feet hit the floor he was already awake and alert, his mind evaluating the situation.
The alarm rang again, echoing off the hull to rebound throughout the ship. Two short blasts, repeating over and over. A general call to stations. At least they weren’t under immediate attack. A general call to stations probably meant they’d spotted an unauthorized vessel in Alliance territory. Either that or they were responding to a distress call. Sebastian hoped it was the former. In less than a minute he had his uniform on, his boots secured, and was moving quickly through the narrow corridors toward the bridge.
Space was the most precious resource on any military vessel, and Sebastian was constantly reminded of this as he encountered other crewmen heading in the opposite direction as they rushed to their assigned posts. Invariably, they would press themselves against the corridor walls in an effort to let Sebastian by, snapping off awkward salutes to their superior as he squeezed past them. He responded in kind, barely aware that he was doing so. In the twenty years since he had become a hero of the human race, he’d developed an instinctive ability to acknowledge the gestures of respect and admiration without any conscious awareness. But despite the cramped conditions, the entire process was carried out with an efficiency and crisp precision that was the hallmark of every crew in the Alliance fleet.
His hands gripped hard on the rail of the bridge as he watched the vast emptyness of space through the large window ahead of him. Wasn't long before he could've seen a massive fleet of Shaxni ships headed towards the Patriot, intending on destroying the lone ship before making they're way towards the Skyllian Verge and enslaving humanity in the Verge's scattered colonies. Sebastian wasn't about to let that happen.
``[COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER], patch me into the team.`` He asked of his Communications Officer. ``[C.A.D], man the Fox's immediately, Shi, take the Rhino crew out, we need every attack ship mobile NOW!`` He shouted out the command through the earpiece he was wearing, it was a thing of much convenience. Usually he'd jump right into the action, believing it was a cowardly act to hide on the inside while others put themselves on the frontline. ``[SPECIALIST], charge the particle canon, wide blast in five!`` ``Aye, aye, captain!`` ``Ames, I need you to get the rest of the crew in gear yesterday and work those diplomacy skills of yours to get our allies to cover our hides -- Amelia, I love you to death sweetheart, but if we die, we are SO over.`` He quipped at his wife-tuned-Executive Officer of the Patriot, refocusing back on the battle at hand.
A large ray of light shot towards the Patriot, rocking the crew off balance. If it hadn't been for his hold on the bridge, he too would've fallen. ``Fuck! We're hit! [CHIEF ENGINEER], assess the damage. [PILOT], fire up the FTL drive core, we're sittin' ducks if we stick around here, send us behind their fleet.`` Fingers raised and he tapped on the earpiece. ``CHASE!`` He yelled at his own superior -- Chase Deveraux, Grand Admiral of the entire Alliance. ``ETA on any Alliance vessels in the area, the Skyllian Verge is under attack.`` ``Estimated time of arrival is three minutes, Sebastian.``
Three minutes later and a dozen large Alliance battle ships were at his disposal. These were the heavy artillery ships used to defend the colonies. ``Unit one, flank left. Unit two, right. Patriot on the rear. Ready? Fire!`` Six went to the left of the metaphoric battle field, six went right as per his command. Fights like this always made him a bit nervous. Four of him and Amelia's children were waiting back on Earth. Then there were the others. He'd often think about them on the six month intervals he traveled away. But he'd return home to them soon, pick up his salary from his boss, Elizabeth Sharpe-Sloan, and try to re-assimilate back into a civilian lifestyle.
But now it wasn't the time to think. It was the time to react. Unfortunately the Alliance fleet wasn't faring so well against the added forces the Shaxni called in. ``Alright, men. I'm going in. Let's not forget what we're fighting for -- the land of the free, home of the brave.``
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