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point.
    “No
ships within immediate range, one ship transponder detected twenty light-minutes
starboard, near the edge of Beta Field.  The transponder signal is green and identifies
herself as Renard Ore Extractor Thirteen.  The mining station’s lighthouse
shows green as well but I get no response from the Narvi navigation buoy to our
ping, Captain,” Ensign Jack Truesworth informed and set about to reattempt
contact with the buoy.
    Heskan
sat back into his captain’s chair and muttered, “Things sure seem to break a
lot in Durmont’s corner of the universe.”  Indeed, the navigation beacon inside
the Narvi system positioned by the Skathi tunnel point had also been nonfunctional
when they dove into t-space toward Skathi.  Right before the dive, Heskan sent
a burst communication back toward Hulda for Lieutenant Durmont, informing him
that Heskan was keeping his two fleet buoys stored in Anelace’s hanger
in case he needed them in Skathi and that another corvette would have to travel
out to replace the failed one at the Skathi tunnel point.  He had not waited
for a reply since it would not have come for several hours, as comm messages
traveled across space at “only” the speed of light.
    Glad
I didn’t wait since Durmont would have undoubtedly told me to replace the buoy
in Narvi.  Using that one there and now this one here would mean I’d be
completely out before my mission even started.
    “Jack,
once we detach from RT Seventeen, we’ll have to get a buoy up and functioning
near the tunnel point,” Heskan told his sensor officer.  Turning toward the ship’s
navigator, Heskan ordered, “Ensign Selvaggio, please start calculating a course
through the Beta Field to the RALF.”
    “Aye,
sir,” Diane Selvaggio answered softly, her olive complexion and brown eyes
revealing familial ties to the New Roma star system.
    Heskan
had toured the ship and met the entire crew during the four-day tunnel dive to
Skathi.  He had made special effort to be introduced to his six officers and he
had been impressed with each of them.  As a whole, the crew was certainly young
but each seemed to be interested in their respective jobs and happy to serve,
if even on a “lowly” corvette.  Heskan had taken every opportunity to make
clear that being on a smaller ship meant more opportunities to shine and that
the increased duties meant a much more rounded experience than serving on the
larger ships.  “You bloom where you’re planted,” Heskan had preached.  The old
expression had survived from the days of purely terrestrial militaries.
    “RT
Seventeen is hailing us.  She says her speed is now zero light.  I confirm,
sir, we are at relative rest in space.” Truesworth’s voice snapped Heskan’s
attention back to the present.
    “Very
well.  Send my regards to the mining station manager and patch me through to
Captain Darmer, please.”
    A
nod from Truesworth and Heskan spoke, “Captain Darmer, we’re prepared to be
detached.  Please inform us when your crew is finished and thanks for the
ride.”
    RT-17
confirmed and several hours later, the corvette was free from her bonds.  After
more pleasantries, the lumbering tug came about and dove back into the tunnel
point, headed once again toward Narvi.  Anelace floated alone at the
tunnel point that was now inaccessible to her.
    “Jack,
who’s deploying the buoy?” questioned Heskan.
    “Petty
Officer Davis and Spaceman Ford.”
    “Okay,
can you locate the dead buoy and send those coordinates down to Davis?”  Heskan
rose from his command chair and moved toward the bridge door.  “I’m going to
observe, it will give me a chance to tour the shuttle bay again.  Lieutenant
Vernay, you have the bridge.”
    The petite
blonde responded, “Aye, sir, WEPS has the bridge.”
    Lieutenant,
junior grade, Stacy Vernay was proof that good things came in small packages. 
Graduating from the Brevic Naval Academy near the top of her class, she had demonstrated
near