Behind them the inky black emptiness of space stretched away, an infinite void punctured by the pinprick of distant, long dead stars. Except of course that it didn’t. It didn’t stretch away behind them, or in front of them or to the side. When something is everywhere and all at once, direction and distance become meaningless concepts. On board the ship there was no sense of movement, their serene passage through the limitless nothing impossible to detect in the soundless artificial atmosphere generated by the enormous bio-hub machine, or the heart as the engineers referred to it. Some saw the true beating heart of the ship as its vast engines, supplying the movement without which the crew, surprisingly small in number for such a huge and complex vessel, would be cast away, stranded for ever without hope of rescue, a speck so vanishingly tiny as to render the rustic hiding place of the fabled needle child’s play to uncover by comparison.
The apparently sublime transit of the ship belied the activity on board. It was true that things were relatively peaceful now. If you compared the situation with the chaos in which the crew had found themselves just the day before, the atmosphere was positively laid back. But only if you made that comparison. There was still damage to be assessed, repair droids to be directed and overseen and of course the human wounded to be patched up, knocked out or consoled. The commodore smiled to himself. When he considered the technological wizardry which made their precarious existence here even remotely possible , and when one added to that the trauma and extreme danger through which they had just passed, it was fairly amusing that a cup of tea and a warm smile were still the medicine most appreciated by those injured in the high tech melee in which they had so recently been engulfed.
He sent a tele-P message to Lieutenant Koscielny, requesting an entirely unnecessary status update. He knew the young man was perfectly capable of carrying out his duties. He had stepped in when the skipper had been taken out, and performed with a calm assuredness belying his youth and relative inexperience. In any event he had Flight Officers Mertesacker and Arteta alongside him on the holo-bridge and the commodore was supremely confident that they could guide almost anybody through any situation, even an ambush from the most notorious pirates this arm of the Galaxy had ever known. Things had changed so much since he’d first taken command of an Interplanetary Exploration Starliner. The fall of the old system and the rise of the pirates had altered the life of a space-farer for ever. Even a craft as well managed and run as the IES Ashburton Grove had suffered from the spate of defections and desertions which had decimated much of the fleet. The problem was that these anarchic buccaneer crews could earn such fortunes. Never mind that men who deserted to the rogue ships often found themselves arbitrarily confined to the brig, sometimes for months at a time or that former captains could be forced into airlocks and jettisoned into space after only one brief voyage, feeble greedy men were the same the universe over. The pirate fleets paid no heed to the lack of any moral or defensible basis for their entire rotten existence, still they found many weak willed and willing recruits.
The commodore had lost at least two captains and many lower ranks to them in the past few years, but this crew, carefully nurtured over the last couple of Earth years had shown a unity and strength of purpose, even during the attacks which had nearly ended their voyage on many occasions in these past few months. There were a few hot heads he’d needed to calm, some, daunted by their situation and the apparently overwhelming odds they often faced needed an arm around the shoulder and patient encouragement, but in the main this disparate group of individuals assembled and forged into a fighting unit by one of the most decorated and respected men in the star fleet had, when it mattered, shown they could fight not only for themselves but more importantly for each other together.
Lieutenant Koscielny received the message via his neural implant. Blinked rapidly four times to acknowledge receipt and ran through the familiar check list before transmitting his response. He turned to Per and, employing plain speech, said to the tall blond man apparently seated next to him on the holo bridge,
“Arsene. Checking up on us”
But he was smiling. Per had said to him not to be surprised if he was contacted directly. The commodore always knew how to instil confidence in his younger officers and the tele-P message was a simple and immediate way of letting the young man know he was there, thinking of him, available to help if he needed support. Of course they weren’t actually sat next to one another. Ever since the recent attack which had damaged the outer deflector shields and nearly penetrated the hull, the crew had all been in their cabins. These doubled as escape pods or ‘coffins’ as they were known throughout the fleet. The crew manned the virtual bridge via the hologram simgen hub which gave piloting the giant starliner a pleasing old fashioned feel. The ship was of course doing all the essential work of maintaining the engines, keeping the human crew in oxygen and ensuring they were on the appropriate trajectory, but mankind was a stubborn race and the illusion of being in control remained important.
The psyche injury suffered by Captain Tommy V hadn’t been serious but the position he held was sufficiently high profile that the Commodore couldn’t take any chances. They’d taken a few hits from smaller pirate vessels earlier in the voyage and the leadership the crew needed to keep them strong through the difficult part of their voyage simply hadn’t been there. The commodore knew his captain was still a very capable officer and felt sure that his time on the recuperation deck would see him come back stronger than ever. Flight Officer Vassiriki Skullcrusher Diaby who had famously killed one of the galaxy’s most notorious and evil pirate captains in hand to hand combat (or rather foot to head combat) was recovering from wounds he’d received on a previous flight and the two were discussing their hopes for the next stage of the voyage.
“It’s strange to think that my injury would once have been seen and treated so differently from yours” the Captain was saying
Skullcrusher shook his elegant, shaven head, rueful as he contemplated the folly of their antecedents “I know, it’s crazy. A tiny bone in your foot snapped when someone dropped something on it and everyone agreed you had an injury, a wound which deserved sympathy and care. However, a tiny part of your self confidence or motivation snaps under pressure of life and work and you were weak and no good, washed up. Thank the stars we live in more enlightened times.”
Tommy V laughed out loud at this. Of course it was true that back in the dark ages psyche injuries were not accepted as a perfectly normal medical phenomena, but Skullcrusher’s ironic and quasi religious call to thank balls of gas floating in space for their deliverance from such barbarism amused him. He drew a lot of strength from the taller man. His injuries had been horrific and yet he maintained his dignity and optimism and a strong belief that one day he would return to the fray. A natural warrior he would be in the midst of any fight should they be attacked again. Tommy shuddered as he remembered the time when a particularly nasty group of renegade star troopers known as the Barcodes for their unusual mode of dress had telelocated aboard in an audacious attempt to take over the ship. Vassiriki Skullcrusher had lifted the most violent and odious of the pirates from the deck by his neck and literally torn him in two flinging the black and white striped body parts to the deck with an exaggerated disdain which had terrified even his fellow crew members. Only the furious determination of the corrupt ex government official Fatman Dowd who protected the retreating barcodes until they escaped the bridge back to the telelocation deck had prevented a massacre.
“Skullcrusher”
“Hmm”
“Do you think it’s true what some people say?”
“What’s that Skipper?”
“Well I heard this theory that there are infinite universes parallel to our own where all possible lives are lived in similar and yet subtly different ways.”
“Sounds like sci-fi bullshit to me Skip”
“Yes but, imagine if it were true. Imagine if somewhere out there in another time, another place there could be another you another me, heck maybe even another Ashburton Grove with all of us in it just living somehow subtly different lives. I don’t know maybe you are the skipper there and I have the blood wounds, or maybe we aren’t starliner crewmen at all maybe we’re a different kind of team all together. Wouldn’t that be cool? ”
“Keep taking the tablets Skipper” Skullcrusher laughed, “you and your crazy ideas. ”
Alone in the dark the giant ship slid inexorably onwards, leaving behind no ripples in the emptiness it’s crew confident in themselves and their leader, their mission seemed unending, yet their faith in the ultimate reward was never in doubt.
Positively Arsenal 
Morning STEWW. how goes it??
I shall reread your post it was so interesting. Hope you are having a splendid summer..
LikeLike
Really enjoyed that!. You’re actually getting better Steww, which is a scary thought for those of us who harbour any delusions that we could ever “write”.
Sounds like sycophancy, but we should have the grace to acknowledge when we are in the presence of greatness (like I always do with Mel).
Although no passing mention of Higuain, Rooney, Cesc, Fellaini etc etc etc etc..
Won’t do your “hits” graph any good y’know. Thank God.
LikeLike
Hi gk – summer is wet. Very wet.
Harry – you are too kind. I don’t know who or what a Higuain is, never talk about Man U players, Cesc is gone I’m over him and other than his hair I know nothing about Fellaini. Sorry.
LikeLike
Stew, you are to writing what Arsene is to managing Arsenal…. some will be puzzled by your style, some will perhaps want you to stop…… but I think the majority of us know we are lucky to have such a gifted individual in our midst. Brilliant read! #StewKnows 🙂
LikeLike
Hahaha. Excellent. Next campaign? THE FINAL FRONTIER…
Have a great weekend…
LikeLike
Hah. Sorry you are getting to much rain mate. Here in socal we are one step away from sacraficeing a virgin ( or something) to get a little bit of that wetness. Problem is we can’t find one.
Hay HARRY.
LikeLike
S’true Steww.
No need to apologise. After all, It’s why we congregate here.
I don’t read any blogs, other than this (and t’other one). Don’t watch Sky Sports, never read the inkies, would rather commit hara-kiri than tune into TalkShite (much the same thing. Probably) and I’m not even on twitter. Ignorance, in this instance, really is bliss.
Have a smashing weekend folks.
LikeLike
Ah Stew, I’m not a Trekkie and I don’t know what a bio-hub is but that’s glorious. I’m hoping Skipper Tom does stay with us and return to his firmer (sorry, my auto-correct has made a Freudian slip) former glory and isn’t teleported to FCB Romulus (?). Happy to have you aboard Science Officer Stew.
LikeLike
Really rather brilliant Steww but who else tested out the blinking four times to acknowledge receipt of message thing?
Just me then.
*blinks x4*
LikeLike
Damn you Andrew – I just did it too!
LikeLike
Taking genre requests for my next one btw. Western? Crime noir? PG Wodehouse? Farce? Horror? roll up roll up give us your suggestions.
LikeLike
Wodehouse!
LikeLike
Anything Shakespearian would work for me, if you have a spare 20 minutes (30 allowing for tea-break). Try not to cut too many corners.
LikeLike
Bloody brilliant Stew.
LikeLike
Jets vs sharks
West side story. We dance our way to the title….
LikeLike
OK, so Jane wants Mills and Boon with TV4 as the doctor and her as the nurse, Bertie W for Harry and Andrew wants me to learn the plot of a few Shakespeare plays. Hmm.
LikeLike
How about about a bit of Pratchett for your next one. I bet you could have a good time with a name like Rincewind
LikeLike
Musicals GK, bloody hell, that’ll be a tough one to pull off on a blog.
LikeLike
The good ,the bad and the very ugly fat Dowd….
LikeLike
dupps that’s a nice idea actually, especially as TP specialised in parodying other works of fiction…
LikeLike
Hahaha. If anyone can do it its you mate. Imagine romance, politics, xenophobia and knife fights. Perfect to killoff that Barton character….
LikeLike
GK – I just had hip torn in half what more do you want!!
LikeLike
Some names I bet you could slip in.
The Crew
Foul Ole Ron, Coffin Henry, Altogether Andrews (hmmm, seems to ring a bell), The Duck Man, Arnold Sideways
LikeLike
Feed him to the dogs mate. We want more.. No more slimbag.
LikeLike
Not too sure about this ‘Altogether Andrews’, Dups.
LikeLike
Marvellous again Steww.
dups… I’m with you re the crew… or any discworld variation type scenario tbh.
LikeLike
Oh fantastic piece of writing again stew, in these days of dreary hum drum emptiness its nice to be taken into your minds eye and drift away to our fantasy , thanks once again for taking us there
LikeLike
So Isaac Asimov is alive and well and an Arsenal fan none the less. Amazing.
Nice read Stew, Thankyou.
LikeLike
Great stuff number 10,so good I read it twice. Nice to see Flowers back as well,I was getting worried-speaking of which I do hope Franks all right…..
LikeLike
Great fun, steww. And blessed relief from omnipresent transfeculation.
@ Calamity Jane June 22, 2013 at 9:57 am
ha ha
@ dups
v funny names there.
LikeLike
ooh I like that. omniwotsit transthingy
LikeLike
You have a way of bringing imagination to life steww.
LikeLike
I loved this article.
It deserves better than this little backwater site.
LikeLike
Great read but i was all at sea for a while. Very enterprising nevertheless. Enjoyed it. 🙂
LikeLike
Steww, if you do do a Pratchett take on something, I’m looking forward to see who you make TALK LIKE THIS.
LikeLike
Wouldnt do it for anyone but you George
LikeLike
Backwater site???
Master George, why you TALK THIS WAY??
LikeLike
Every Saturday now I wake up and think “I hope Stew has written something fun today”. It’s almost as good as waking up to Arsenal football. George, I like to think we’re not a backwater site, but I agree with your point. This deserves a wider audience. See, Harry, this is where twitter can help. If you have thousands of followers, as I’m sure you would, you can RT stuff like this instead of the crap that usually gets passed around.
I don’t know much about literary genres, but in solidarity with my BFF, do something else with TV5 for Jane. I also think you should do farce at some point. I’ve a feeling you’d be good at it, and sometimes the Arsenalverse really needs to get a sense of humor!
This was my favorite line today: “However, a tiny part of your self confidence or motivation snaps under pressure of life and work and you were weak and no good, washed up. Thank the stars we live in more enlightened times.” If only we did… Come on TV5, stay and fight!
LikeLike
that should be ,why you TALK LIKE THIS??
LikeLike
The closest I’ve ever come to standing up and applauding a blog. My word, Stew, that is exceptional. Bravo!
LikeLike
Steww is proof positive we don’t need a marquee….writer. We make them at PA, not buy them. (LOL at my own joke. ) I am no sci-fi buff but I could relate to every line. Excellent work.
LikeLike
Hay SHOTTA. Watching any confederation cup matches??
LikeLike
“See, Harry, this is where twitter can help. If you have thousands of followers, as I’m sure you would,”
Alas, I don’t think I could afford to pay that many people Alabama (insert banned smiley thingimajig)…
LikeLike
It’s Alabama, Harry. We work cheap.
LikeLike
“I loved this article.
It deserves better than this little backwater site.”
“Cast not your pearls before swine” George!
Stew’s writing is of such quality it is for ‘the few’ who get it, rather than ‘the many’ who won’t. It makes it kind of special, like a gift for the believers!
Excellent stuff Stew. I am a bit of a sci-fi geek, so mix that with Arsenal and it’s a winning combo. Thanks for making me smile today.
LikeLike
“In Alabama”, I meant. (Nothing like looking at your comment an hour later and realizing you screwed it up)
What a good point, Passenal. It is a bit like a reward, isn’t it?
LikeLike
I hope Mexico / japon offers a bit more entertainment than this shower of s•••t that is Italy / brazil. 0-1 now
LikeLike
has any other team ever reached top 4 of the league while having only 33 points in dec/jan? hmmm another record…..with panic buys and three new ones- two of which didnt even speak the language…..and them children from the university..academy…
but what about the domestic cups…HEY?
sorry mister…we dont do cups we do leagues and champions leagues ..thats what we train for…if along the way a cup arrives..jolly good..but dont think for one instance that we will jeopardise the money and exposure and prestige made by top places in league and europe so that a few peasants have a nice sunny day at wembley…the manager has taken the team to semis and finals sop underperfomance cant be attached to him…only to players who forgot their balls in the dressing room…and if by underperfomance on wenger you mean that he prioritised europe and league positioning over a game with burnsly or huddersfield then you will have to shut up and accept he was right. he got europe in the end. he got the TEAM in the positions that mattered for the CLUB for the most. and in this trying period what has mattered the most is getting the champiosn league jackpot since the money coming through sposnoprs in the early deal of emirates was too low to allow for anything else.
lets drink and party ..arsene has set us up for life…. father leader BOSS
LikeLike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGd-IlkQfjg
LikeLike
Hi Goonerkam @ 5:00 pm
Sorry I missed your post. Catching the Confeds Cup when I can. Weekends only TBH. Today I watched Ita v Brazil. Interesting but not top, top quality.
LikeLike