Fiction

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Aboard the deep space station Living Hope, Captain Sheridan Welsh assembled Rescue Team Fourteen in her ready room. The members were the best in their fields: Lead Medic Ryan Brentford had graduated head of his class and had fithteen years of experience. Matthew Henderson was the best navigator the Guard had ever produced. Dale Burke was the lead engineer. Nadine Cutter, Amanda Flanders, and Nick Sandavol were absolutely the finest medical-technicians in the quadrant.

The Captain began, “Crew, we have an assignment. The exploration ship Guardian Quest was damaged and the crew exposed to radiation when they were pulled through a worm-hole. They need a newly developed radiation medicine, but the only way to get it to them in time is to take an experimental jump-craft through a worm-hole. An attempt was made to send an unmanned ship through with the mediation, but it failed. Are all of you up to the challenge?”

In once voice the shouted, “Ma’am, Yes Ma’am.”

The Captain smiled, “Let’s go.” The crew left and took the turbo-lift to the emergency bay. The Ex-Rescue Fourteen was a cross between an escape pod and a shuttle. It boasted a new communications system, a hyper-drive, and a full compliment of medical equipment. Its ultra-plastic-and-metal hull and interior made it a jump-ship.

The crew members bid their families farewell via cammera-phones and text messages. “I am glad you got into the engineering program you wanted, Greg. I love you, son. We’ll talk again later.” Captain Welsh deactivated her comm-phone. The hum in the air faded and resumed when the crew stopped talking with their families and began talking among themselves.

Just before launch, the Crew joined hands just. “Lord, bless the mission; let it be an example of your mercy.” The uneventful journey to the worm-whole took four days. Seeing the worm-hole up close was amazing; the colors were spectacular rainbows of lights.

After admiring the sight for a minute, the crew prepared to go through. They sealed the medicine in a container made out of the same flexible metal-and-plastic mixture. Most of the crew members when to the small chamber in the middle of the ship and strapped on their seat belts.

Only Captain Welsh and Henderson, the navigator, were in the small control room. The worm-hole was straight ahead. “Mr. Henderson, take us through.”

The ship began its entrance slowly; the hull was withstanding the stress well. About a quarter of the way through the Ex-Recuse Fourteen’s outer-hull could no longer stand the stress, so the inner walls began to bend to compensate. One of the walls jutted out and butted Welsh in her stomach.

Winded she grabbed Henderson, threw him under his chair, and ducked under hers. The ship’s interior twisted and contorted in every direction.

Finally the ship emerged on the other side!

Welsh reached for the communications console, “This is Captain Welsh of the Ex-Rescue Fourteen. We got your radiation medicine. Please respond.”

“Commander Chin Lee responding. You are angels sent from heaven. Ready to receive your crew and cargo!”

“Roger Guardian Quest!”

The Medical Technicians passed through a connection tunnel and went to work. The crews talked and soon it was time to go.

The journey home took a week to avoid having to go through the worm-hole again. Sheridan’s husband greeted her in the emergency bay.

“Heard about your mission, congratulation.”

“Thanks,” they hugged, “I thought I might not see you again.”

Brandon chuckled, “Well, the robot's new shielding lets it pass through worm-holes; we got it working an hour ago. you won't have to do that again” They both laughed.

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