Proximity

WHOOP, WHOOP, WHOOP.

The alarm sounded throughout the transport ship, accompanied by the red flashing lights and the fear that they brought. Mothers clutched their children, girlish giggles went silent, men turned pale. Out here, in the deep black, that noise could only mean one thing.

Reavers.

In the cockpit they knew it. Captain Neal Starkey knew it. Pilot Angie Jamieson knew it. First Mate Frederick Trehan knew it. And they were terrified, utterly and completely terrified. The only one of the three who had encountered a Reaver ship before was Angie and she had only escaped because the Reavers weren’t hungry.

It was not looking so good this time. As if jolting out of a trance they had been in since the Reaver ship’s appearance, the captain reached forward and turned off all the lights, stilling the alarm and turning the red flashes to imprints on the back of the retina. Leaning slowly forwards, he flicked the intercom open on all channels.

“We have another vessel approaching. This may be Reavers. There is no hope of outrunning them. Everyone stay calm, stay quiet. In case we are bordered, which is a very real possibility, I would like everyone willing to fire a weapon to proceed to the cargo-bay airlock as quickly and as quietly as possible. Everyone else I urge you to retreat to the living quarters.”

The engines of the other ship flared and it jetted ever faster towards them. The containment was obviously long gone and they could all see the orange flare that meant something was deeply wrong with the engines. Which left it as to no doubt as to the inhabitants of the ship. The three crew members stared at it, transfixed with fear. Then Neal shook himself and took a deep breath.

“Freddie, you come with me. Angie, tell me if they do anything. On the radio.” He patted his pocket, “We don’t want to get this people any more worried than they already are.”

The pilot nodded wordlessly.

The captain turned to leave. Freddie made no move. Neal turned back, snapping his fingers in the face of his