Ensign Monica Samuels stood straight and tall as she watched the helm officer, Elle Williams, at her duties. Just six weeks out of the Warner Naval Academy, Samuels was still careful to stand as straight and tall as possible while the captain was on the bridge with her. Since she was the Officer of the Deck for Captain Brighton's third watch, this was a daily occurrence. She had seen him call many of the bridge crew to task for slight failures and omissions. She did not want to attract that kind of attention herself. This was a form of cowardice on her part, she knew, but she also knew herself well enough to know her strengths and her limitations. After four grueling years in the academy she had learned a number of those things about herself. She was most comfortable when she could work outside the spotlight.

That wasn't to say that she folded under pressure. No one could survive the academy, let alone finish second in her class, with that sort of flaw, but she preferred not to attract notice. Captain Brighton was a strict taskmaster and so she strived to avoid his notice.

Samuels glanced back at the captain again. They had been on watch for nearly forty minutes and he still had not stirred from the astrogator's console at the back of the bridge. He was already there when she had arrived for her watch and he had barely moved since, totally engrossed in the displays in front of him.

The tone of the bridge was much more relaxed than it had been two watches before, when they had transited the jump point into the Antoc system. The mood then had been festive. Pathfinder was the first Warner ship to enter the system since the initial exploration over sixteen years before. That wasn't the main reason for the celebration, however. Pathfinder was not a normal survey ship, and this was not a normal survey mission.

Revolutionary leaps in shipbuilding are not seen in every generation. Pathfinder was a true design revolution in many ways. Warner Gateways, Inc. had made its early fortunes from proving and developing the previously theoretical links between star systems. These linked "jump points" had made colonization and exploitation of the stars possible and very profitable. These jump points were foci of gravitational anomalies, at which gates could be created.

Gates could be opened by powerful energy field generators located at the jump points. These jump gate generators, when linked with other gates in the network, allowed ships to move instantaneously from any one jump point to another which shared a gate-link, though not all jump points were linked to every other.

Pathfinder was the next logical step in the progression from static to dynamic access to those jump points. It would tap into the jump gate system without needing to be physically present at one of the jump points. It could create its own link from wherever it happened to be. Or, at least, that was the theory. The ship would use its own hull to create a powerful bubble of energy and thus become a jump point in its own right, as well as serving as the gate generator.

That step, however, was for the future.

For today, Pathfinder's mission had been to create a jump gate from the known coordinates of the Betre JP and jump to the Antoc JP. From there, they would perform additional surveying of the Antoc system and then jump back to Betre from the same JP.

While the Betre system jump points were long established and much used, the Antoc system had no jump gate generators installed.

Although a ship could enter a system that did not contain the massive generators to power the jump, they could not jump back out without constructing such a gate generator. These structures were necessary to focus the energy and create the 'bubble' needed to twist space and propel the ship on to its destination. Each JP was linked to only a few exit JPs. The string frequency of the 'bubble' was adjusted to match your desired exit point. If anything went wrong with Pathfinder's tests, they would be forced to either re-energize and activate the old single-use gate that Courser had used to exit the system sixteen years ago, or else create a new gate generator from the prefabricated units in the storage hold.

This voyage would prove that a full-sized survey ship could routinely create a jump gate by using the new technology. Earlier testing had successfully proven the technology on smaller manned and unmanned ships, but Pathfinder was the culmination of the nine-year project.

They were currently performing the secondary objective of the mission, which was to survey the Antoc system. Pathfinder was designed from the core out as a survey and exploration vessel. The Antoc system had been discovered and partially explored by then-Captain Cosina's expedition sixteen years previous, but had never had a follow-on expedition to do a more thorough exploration.

Ensign Samuels looked around the bridge. As the captain was occupying the astrogation console, Tim O'Neill had moved around to the scan board on the port side of the bridge just aft of the Environmental station manned by Drew Le Vesconte. Everything was quiet. She turned and walked toward the unmanned cartography console on the other side of the bridge, but she never made it there. The bridge doors swung open and two crewmen jumped through holding pistols. Samuels knew that she should do something, but she stood frozen in place. She watched as Captain Brighton hit a button on his console and stood to face the threat. He stopped suddenly, as frozen as Samuels, when Lt. Commander Teach came through the hatch behind the crewmen.

"Everyone sit back down," Teach ordered, just as the ship was shaken by several small explosions.

He stood there and looked at the captain. Indecision showed plainly on his face. He had not expected the explosions and appeared unsure.

"I said to sit down, Captain," he repeated finally, and waved his gun at the watch crew. Samuels took the last few steps to the cartography console and sat down slowly, never taking her eyes off the captain. He would know what to do. He just folded his arms across his chest and stared at the renegade officer.

"What was that noise?" Teach asked as he moved over to stand in front of the captain. The captain made no reply, but the fury in his expression was strong enough that she expected Teach to recoil.

Getting no answer from Captain Brighton, he turned to the bridge crew. "I am taking command of this ship. All officers and crew who wish to stay on the ship will be welcomed and receive the respect they deserve. I will no longer allow the kind of abuse and harassment that has been the norm under the previous command," he said.

Samuels sat back in her chair, stunned. She wasn't sure what she had expected with armed crew on the bridge, but her mind certainly had not followed out the chain to arrive at piracy. Teach stood there grinning at the captain as if he had scored critical points in some game. Samuels wanted to scream at him. She wanted to pound her head on the console, anything to make this nightmare end. Instead, she sat frozen in her chair trying to decide what to do.

Captain Brighton stepped forward quickly and slapped Teach hard enough to make him stagger back a step. The two crewmen raised their pistols but took no further action. The captain took one step back and said, "Take no immediate action. Do as you're instructed. Loyal members of the crew will no doubt be here soon to collect these misguided lunatics."

The watch standers relaxed as they received their instructions, but Teach seemed to swell with rage and his eyes flashed.

"You are no longer in a position to give any orders on my bridge, Willy," he said, before turning to face the helm.

"Ms. Williams, you will set a course to Antoc-A3," he said to the helmswoman. She never made any response.

"Did you hear the order, Ms. Williams?"

"I heard some noise come out of your mouth, but I haven't heard any orders. Orders come from the captain," she said, with venom.

Samuels watched with horror as the rage exploded across Teach's face and he swung his pistol around to fire at Williams. Captain Brighton lunged after his pistol but was grabbed from behind by the crewman there. Williams threw herself out of the chair as the flechette darts tore a hole in the seat back.

Teach didn't fire again, even though she lay on the deck beside her chair staring daggers at him.

He turned calmly to the crewman holding the captain and said, "Take them down to the shuttle bay. Put the captain on one of the lifeboats and don't let him talk to anyone."

"Aye-aye, sir."

The crewman nearest Samuels grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to her feet while motioning to Le Vesconte and O'Neill with his pistol. He held his weapon pushed into Samuels' head while the rest filed out of the hatch and then pushed her through to follow them.

Major Sheli Chowdhury had come to Pathfinder with Captain Brighton four months earlier with the purpose of finding a spy on board. Samuels had watched as she had found, confronted and nearly crippled the communications officer when he resisted his arrest. Samuels was scared of the lithe security officer, but she had been hoping to see her break onto the bridge to save them all from their situation.

The crew clearly shared her opinion of the physical danger that the security officer represented to them. As she exited the bridge, she watched as Chowdhury was marched out of the port corridor and down the central passageway in front of them. She had both hands manacled behind her back. Crewmen Trendle and Green were behind her with drawn pistols trained on her head. As she went by, Samuels could see that her uniform was covered in blood. Her only injury seemed to be a small cut on her forehead that was bleeding. As neither of her guards was marked in any way, it seemed obvious that they were not her original captors. She doubted that they were in better shape than Chowdhury.

They were followed by Young and Chandler carrying the unconscious form of Sergeant Burton, one of the other security Marines. Her right side was blackened from some sort of blaster fire, but Samuels could not tell if she was living or dead from the brief look she had. Beacham and Jenkins followed them with weapons drawn. Both were also covered in blood. These five continued across the main walkway toward sickbay.

Similar scenes were repeated as far as they could see along the corridor, as crew and officers were being herded down to the boat bay, already filling with tense, angry men and women.

The captain was pushed in first, followed by Morrison, who seemed have become his personal guard. As Samuels followed him through the hatch, the captain moved over to the extreme right near lifeboat nine in the aft section of the bay. The other guard pushed her to the starboard corner away from the captain. Morrison tried to undog the seal on the access hatch to lifeboat nine but found that it would not unseal. It was only then that he noticed the red light on the side panel indicating that the pod was no longer there.

The bay was noisy and all the rest of the crewmen and officers were moved to starboard, near the closed hatchway to lifeboat ten. They were being kept completely away from the captain. It seemed to be three separate groups arrayed for battle, one group at each point of a triangle. The captain stood in his corner, rebellious crew were close to the main corridor door blocking all three exits, and the rest of the crew in the opposite corner near the aft bulkhead that led to Engineering.

Elle Williams looked at the cluster of pirates and shook her head. She moved from her group toward the captain. There were murmurs among the pirates, but no one moved to block her way. Drew Le Vesconte followed her after a slight hesitation. Both moved to stand next to Captain Brighton and glared at their captors.

As the doors opened again to admit Teach, the room quieted slightly in anticipation. He surveyed the bay and singled out Dr. Ward. Ward looked disoriented and stunned as he moved hesitantly to stand near Teach. The XO said something to him that Samuels could hear. They stood and looked at each other and Ward clearly answered. Teach looked stunned, barked some orders to Simon Chin, and Ward was escorted out into the starboard corridor.

Once the assistant medical officer was accompanied out of the bay, Teach seemed to collect himself and turned to address the larger group. As he did so, more crewmen and officers were pushed into the bay to join the huddled group with Samuels, nearly doubling its size. She saw her friend Jherri Roberts at the front of the group but was too far away to dare trying to speak to her. Amber Sullivan was standing next to her with fear covering her thin features.

"Respect is a hard thing to earn," Teach said in a voice that brought the attention back to himself. "It is also impossible to live without. For the last nine months we have been working as slaves to the ambition of a heartless captain without any proper respect, recognition, or acknowledgement. That ends now!" He stood and surveyed the group as if waiting for applause. None arrived.

Samuels snuck a quick look at the captain to see how he was reacting to this slander, but he acted as if he could not hear what was being said.

"Soon you will be called upon to make one of the most important decisions of your lives. Brighton will be sent down to a nearby planet. He will have food and water enough to support life. Those who will not acknowledge me as rightful captain of the Pathfinder are welcome to join him there. You can stay here and be free of the tyrant or you are welcome to share his meager existence. You must choose now. Those of you foolish enough to reject my generosity, please join him now. If you wish to take part in this venture as free men, stay where you are."

Monica's mind raced as she considered what she had just heard. The venom in Teach's pronouncement left her wondering if he would really allow Brighton the chance at life that he had explained. It felt more reasonable to assume that he was setting up a fiction to cover the murder of the captain and all those who followed him. Samuels realized that to follow him would mean her death as well. This thought froze her in place just as the pistols had done on the bridge.

The group shifted uncomfortably on their feet but no one made a move toward the captain. Finally, the large bosun, Derrick Mackey, took two steps toward Teach and spat on the deck plates at his feet. He continued to stare at the traitor as he moved purposefully to join the captain's small group. He stood in front of him and snapped a parade ground salute. Nearly two thirds of the remaining people, led by Lt. Fyonna Johnson and Major Chowdhury, quickly followed him. Only Samuels and eight other people were left in front of Teach. Next to Monica, Sullivan started to cry and fell to the deck.

The young ensign looked at the captain, trying to get him to understand why she could not join him on his lifeboat. She did not move. He looked back at her with the first compassion that she had ever seen him show. He knew. He knew that she was a coward and he acted as if he had known all along that she would not join them. He looked into her eyes and nodded his agreement with her decision. It was more than she could take. She hung her head and began to cry along with Sullivan. Suddenly she threw her head back and decided. I know what is right. Nothing will stop me from doing it, she thought. She reached down and grabbed the hand of her friend and whispered, "I can't protect you if you stay." Sullivan came to her feet and they both walked over to join the captain.

The seven who remained behind were Ensign Omundson, CWO2 Brooke Fields, WO Hilary Calvi, Asst. Quartermaster Timothy Crowson, Electronics Technician Mark Goodwin, and Crewmen Sheila Semrad and Nick McGough.

Teach sent those seven to their quarters, under guard. He then approached the remaining group. "Each of you crewmen will be allowed to return to your quarters to grab clothing and whatever personal items that you cannot live without. You will be guarded at all times. If you come to regret your rash decision, simply inform your guards that you wish to stay and you will be allowed to remain in your quarters. All officers, security and bridge crew will remain in the boat bay."

The nine loyal technicians and crewmen departed, guarded by Trendle and Green.

When everyone had returned to the boat bay, Teach began the unlock sequence on the nearest lifeboat. The hatch stayed closed, and the indicator stayed red. The lifeboat was gone. Not believing the evidence of his eyes, he had his toadies check each of the other lifeboats. All of the lifeboats in the bay were gone. Samuels knew that this had been the small explosions she had felt just after the pirates had entered the bridge. She remembered that she had seen Captain Brighton activate a switch as soon as he saw the two crewmen. He had planned for this, she realized. We may survive after all.

Teach's reaction was very surprising. He stood there and ranted and raved at his crew, at the group of exiles, and at Captain Brighton, specifically. At one point, he had to be physically restrained by the crewmen standing next to him. The chief engineer, Katherine Leung had a haunted look on her face as she pocketed the pistol that her engineering crewmen had taken away from him. Samuels could not feel sorry for her. She was stuck on a ship with an unstable commander by her own choice, but the small group of exiles were about to die, either by the hand of that same madman or consigned to a slow starving death later on, through no choice of their own.

Teach finally seemed to regain some control and sent crewmen to the remaining lifeboats fore and aft to check their status. Surely he knew what they would find.

"Bezates, Danis," he called. "Get into Vanguard and disable the long range transmitter. Jettison the communication pods and pull enough batteries to disable the jump engines."

Teach then began mumbling to himself and pacing back and forth near the doorway. No one let the fact that he had been disarmed lead them to a false sense of security. He was still just as dangerous to us as he was before. A single word from him could still send them out the airlock to their deaths.

The crewmen assigned to disable Vanguard returned quickly. They did not carry any batteries or equipment, so doubtless they had simply sent it all out the launch's starboard airlock. Dr. Ward returned to the boat bay with medical boxes and carrysacks loading him down. He was added to Brighton's crew and they were all marched at gunpoint to the deck hatch and down the ladder that led to Vanguard's port airlock. The gunmen soon returned for the officers and they were all secured behind the inner airlock door. Major Chowdhury spoke a few words to Aichele who was standing behind her and the handcuff came loose on one wrist.

Teach stepped forward and offered one last time for anyone else to save themselves from the fate that awaited us.

"I need you to stay aboard. I'll be back for you," Brighton said quietly to Samuels. She was stunned. It was like a reprieve at the foot of the gallows. She could stay and live and still be doing what was the right thing. She had been ordered to stay. She stood quickly and pulled Sullivan back out of the hatch without ever acknowledging the captain's remark or looking back at her abandoned fellows. Aichele stood from his seat next to Chowdhury, and moved out of the hatch with his head down, as if in shame. They didn't look at each other as they made their way back into the boat bay and under guard back into the main living section of the ship. Samuels was separated from Sullivan and pushed through the open door to her quarters.

Why did the captain do that? she wondered as the hatch slid shut with a solid click that indicated it was locked from the outside.