The TSMDV X-2 came out of the wormhole after the explosion and focused it's comm antenna on Space-Battleship 1 to no effect. On the bridge of the ailing ship, the synthetic gravity cycled up to about half a normal gravity. The lights flickered and came up from the frightening darkness to a twilight. Captain Tkarro shouted, "DAMAGE CONTROL REPORT!" Commander Rose said from the aft engineering console, "Hull-breach in aft circuit bay adjacent to auxiliary communications where Kael Oran, Neblae and Chief Engineer Narchi Moderaan were. Internal and external communications are out. Relative Inertial Frame is off-line, Shields are down. The TSMD cannons are off-line, but particle and lasers weapons are operational." Captain Tkarro asked, "Can anyone tell me if we've been attacked?" Lt Commander Zeelob Stood up and said in a low voice, "Captain! I know that circuit bay. There is nothing that CAN blow up in there, but something breached the hull there! We've been sabotaged! There are no other explanations that makes any sense." Dokka felt ill at the thought of losing people that he had been through life and death with. His comm-unit went off in intercom mode. He said, "Who is it?" Kael said in a thin voice,"This is Kael. Neblae is with me. Narchi tried to cut the detonator cord. We didn't have time to tell you because we found it while we were coming out of Hyperspace. Neblae is unconscious doing something..." "I don't know about Narchi. The blast door closed behind us. I think he's dead." Kael trailed off as he chocked up. Dokka noticed that everyone looked dismayed as he felt. He took a deep breath and took command. "Kael! You said 'tried to cut the cord'? There was an explosion. What do you mean?" Kael said, "There were more. Metal hydrogen explosives in light bulbs in the tertiary alert lights! They need to be disarmed! Enough to blow the ship up!" Dokka shouted, "Reisen! You have demolition experience! Get down there and help out! MOVE!" Reisen sprang out of the forward gunner seat and raced off with a, "YESSIR!" He turned to Commander Malbess who looked a bit overwhelmed and said, "Malbess! Interface with the ship, if you can, and find out if anything else might be amiss. Get repair parties organized, ASAP!" She snaped out a "Yessir!" She sat down in the interface chair and lost herself into the mind of the ship's computer core. He turned to Rose, who said, "The other Cyclops are moving to co-ordination positions throughout the ship to bypass the downed comm-system with our Consensus. Snowflake is running to Neblae's loction to lend aid where possible. Medic teams and fire-control teams are in Engineering, putting out fires and tending to the wounded." "We'll have the blast doors open to the damaged section in moments. The Cyclops on the X-2 has been notified and the X-2 will be docking in two minutes." She blinked and asked, "Is there anything else, Captain?" He smiled and said, "Thank you,Rose." Leiutenant Floona from the pilot's chair said, "Captain? I need to turn the fusion engines OFF! We're venting hydrogen into the engine anti-rad shields and it's CAUSING radiation." Dokka said, "Engines off. If the Asuran Battle-ship comes back to life, we're dead as the RIF generator and the shields! Zeelob! Get below and get those RIF systems back on-line ASAP!" Zeelob slapped a salute and ran off the bridge. Dokka said, "We need to notify Balaam what just happened." Rose said, "Laser systems are on-line. We can modulate them with an info feed and shoot it at the orbital ring and Adamesh. We are only two light minutes away. We DO have friends in high places." "Make it so. I have a message for the people of Balaam." Dokka looked grim, and he knew the next words he spoke could cost him his command, but he didn't want to be rational just then. Not if saboteurs in high ranks killed his friend, Narchi. --To be Continued!--