The Force of Temptation - Chapter One, Page Three

“Everything going well, I assume?”

Alex was one of the few people that felt as though he could have real conversations with Malcolm, and sitting next to him, he just had to be sarcastic in response, “No, we’ve found out that our engines were never turned on, and we aren’t actually moving. We’ve been sitting still for six months.”

Lieutenant Tara King snickered lightly at the bravado the Commander had shown. Malcolm only raised a single eye brow and slightly grinned before replying, “good, then it won’t take me long to send you back to Earth, and off my ship.”

This type of witty banter was the norm and probably something that helped them both keep their sanity under such a stressful, but boring situation.

Alex looked over at Tara and gave her a wink. The two of them had become close during this mission, and some were saying that they had become intimate. Not something the Captain really wanted, but it was understandable. They were both single, fairly close to the same age, and trapped aboard a vessel that was less than three quarters of a mile long.

The Commander repeated the morning briefing that had remained the same for most of the last few months with little to no change. Everything was working smoothly on the ship, nothing had changed, and sensors weren’t picking up any planets or large asteroids of interest.

“Well Commander, I think I am going to get some exercise in if I am not needed here. I’ve been getting a little out of shape due to all of the great food this ship has to offer.”

“Can I put William in charge and join you?” The Commander asked, only half joking.

Malcolm got out of his chair, leaving his tablet behind. It would be returned to his quarters once the duty shift rotated, and so he didn’t need to carry it about. “While I have every confidence in Lieutenant Commander Jones, I’d rather go by myself,” the Captain paused before entering the transportation tube, “at least this time.”

The doors closed and Malcolm sighed. Sparring with the Commander in the recreation area was not something the Captain wanted to do until he had practiced once again. He was a little rusty, and didn’t need to be knocked flat on his back by any of the officers under his command.

It didn’t take long to drop down through the decks to arrive at the lowest level, where there was a small area provisioned for recreation. There were three rooms, each around ten feet by ten feet and a floor that was a multi-directional treadmill. Malcolm typed in a few commands into terminal attached to the wall near the exit and suited up in a force feedback suit. Donning his glasses, he saw a flash of light, and then as his eyes adjusted, he realized he was in a mountain environment with his sidearm, and a dagger. He had a few ropes around his feet, and was wearing tactical assault gear.

It was one of his favourite simulations. His goal was to storm a small encampment two hundred feet overhead. It meant a rigorous climb and then an intense battle. He had never figured out a foolproof strategy that worked every time, a testament to the computer controlling the scenario.

Leaving the ropes behind, as he had found them to be extra weight, he quickly made his ascent. Unseen to him, the walls of the simulator room changed shapes to become hand holds and the whole wall shifted downwards at nearly the same speed that the Captain moved upwards. To him, the experience was nearly without flaw, and it was a great exercise regime.