Hey! So in this chapter we start with a profile of Commander Paul Travers and then jump straight into the action... I won't say any more than that for now :)
I've got plenty more chapters to come so please let me know if you enjoyed and would like to see more!

Subject: Commander Paul Stephen Travers, First Officer

Age: 42

Place of Birth: Portsmouth, England

Qualifications: [REDACTED]

Experience: [REDACTED]

Biography:

Commander Travers was born into a wealthy family with a rich history of military service. It was therefore only natural that he enlisted into the Royal Navy at an early age as a commissioned officer, going on to serve aboard the HMS Ark Royal II. At some point during this time, while engaged in manoeuvres in the middle east, he developed a strong interest in nuclear physics and completed a distance learning degree while still on active service – a remarkable achievement.

Returning home, Travers was promoted to the rank of Commander and spent several years as a key member of the Global Response Initiative – a small team dedicated to the rapid distribution of support and supplies to disaster areas. He also furthered his education, completing not only a master's degree in quantum mechanics but a PHD on the subject of nuclear propulsion systems.

Following the first contact event of 2044 (commonly known as the 'Christmas Star Incident'), Travers was among the first to arrive on scene as part of the international relief effort. He was instrumental in the evacuation of the surrounding area and eventually took the lead on security, working closely with his American colleagues. It was here that he and a civilian scientist named Benjamin Adler, on loan to the US government from the British Ministry of Defence, made several staggering breakthroughs in communicating with the alien pilot.

With the ecosystem of the Earth becoming increasingly unstable, Travers involved himself with the Resolute project, acting as a propulsion systems advisor. He then served as the ship's Head of Security on its maiden voyage to Alpha Centauri, recording four further uneventful trips before emigrating with his young family to the colony as part of the Sixth Wave – made up almost exclusively of military and construction personnel.

Upon his arrival, he took part in overseeing the construction of the UNSS Ganges orbital platform, helping to ensure its completion in record time. During this period, the star system suffered an incursion from a scout ship belonging to the race we know now as the Awakened – discovering its hostile intentions, Travers pursued the craft in a welding pod and managed to lure it into the path of the UNSS Ganges' prototype Gauss cannons, preventing its escape and ensuring the continued safety of the colony.

Following this action, Travers turned down promotion to Captain, instead preferring to retain his existing rank and take up the position of First Officer aboard the First Fleet's new flagship – the UNSS Huntsman.

Report by Commander Chin Liu, Head of Medical – UNSS Huntsman

*Hiss*

"Captain on deck!"

The crew of the UNSS Huntsman stood as Captain Julius strode onto the bridge.

"As you were," Julius said, heading to his chair in the centre of the room. Travers hastily vacated it and took up position at his own station.

"Number one," Julius began, "Any reason why we're currently at a standstill?"

"It appears we are experiencing difficulties with the jump drive, Captain," Travers explained, his English tones clipped and precise. "Some form of anomaly has dropped us out of FOL."

Julius frowned and pressed a button on the arm of his chair, opening a channel to the Huntsman's Chief Engineer. "Talk to me, Mr Clarke?"

"I dannae know what tae tell ye, Cap'n!" Clarke's unmistakable Scottish tones rang around the bridge. "I've never seen anything like this before!"

Julius' frown deepened, "How long until we are fully operational?"

Clarke paused for a second before replying, "The drive has gone into full shutdown, Cap'n. We're talking two hours, at least."

"Understood, Mr Clarke. Get to work, we need to continue our search as soon as possible."

"Aye, Cap'n!"

Julius closed the channel and addressed his crew, "Number one, get Rodriguez up here. Mr Romeo, make ready impulse engines, and Mr Friday, will you kindly find out where in God's name we are?"

"Aye, sir," The bridge became a hive of activity as the Captain's instructions were carried out. A few moments later, the door hissed open again and a massive, bald man with a bright red face entered.

"Commander Rodriguez on deck," Travers announced.

Rodriguez, the ship's Head of Security and resident enormous Spaniard, took one look at the navigation screen and exclaimed, "¡Santamaria! I do not like the look of this, Capitano!"

Julius cracked a smile, "Mr Rodriguez, all that's out there is empty space."

Rodriguez rounded on the Captain. "Exactly, Capitano. The worst threats are those you are yet to see!"

Julius' smile broadened into a grin, "Then I suggest you get to your station and prepare for them."

Rodriguez inclined his head graciously, "At once, Capitano."

Friday, the Navigation Officer, cleared his throat, "Skipper, looks like we've landed in Sector Lima, quadrant three."

"Strange," Julius mused, "Why here? Anything on scanners, Mr Carlsen?"

Carlsen, the Weapons Officer, shook his head. "Nothing at all, sir."

"When was the last visit to Sector Lima?" Julius asked.

Travers consulted his screen, "Never, Captain. It would appear we are boldly going where no man has gone before," He chuckled at his own reference.

"Funny, number one," Julius said, more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Mr Friday, what's out there?"

"Basic star system, skipper. Charts show five planets, orbiting a single star."

"Then we may as well take a closer look," Julius decided, addressing the Helmsman, "Mr Romeo, impulse engines; all ahead, full."

"Aye aye, sir. All ahead, full," Romeo's hands settled on the twin joysticks in front of him. There was a dull rumbling sound and barely perceptible tremor as the ship's huge thrusters began to propel it forward.

A moment later, there was a call from Willems, the Communications Officer, "Captain, I'm picking up a signal… It's coming from the planet closest to us and using a distress frequency – very weak."

"On speaker, Mr Willems," Julius instructed. Willems played signal over the bridge's speakers.

*Fzzzzz* *Chhhhh* "Mayday…" *Bzzzz* "May…" *Chhhhh* "Mayday…" *Fzzzz*

The signal faded away into static and Willems switched it off. Julius exchanged a glance with Travers, "So much for boldly going, number one."

Travers nodded, "Mr Willems, I take it the source of that signal is, indeed… Human?"

"Aye, sir," Willems replied, "Human and not a loop, either. We heard that message in real time."

"Then our course of action is clear," Julius sat bolt upright in his chair, "Mr Carlsen, go to yellow alert. Sound action stations."

Carlsen did something on his console, sounding a ship-wide klaxon.

*Whoop* *Whoop* *Whoop*

"Mr Romeo," Julius continued, "Alter course to enter a high geocentric orbit around that planet. Mr Rodriguez, prepare a landing party. Take the shuttle."

"Aye aye, sir," Romeo acknowledged, bringing the ship around.

"Of course, Capitano," Rodriguez stomped off happily.

"Time to orbit, Mr Romeo?" Travers left his station to stand next to the Helmsman.

"Two minutes, sir," Came the reply. The planet swiftly growing on the ship's navigation screen in front of them was red and rocky, its lower atmosphere dotted with a patchwork of fluffy white clouds.

"Contact!" Carlsen yelled suddenly.

"On screen," Julius instructed, "Asteroid?"

"Negative, sir," Carlsen replied, "It's… It's some form of artificial structure, in orbit around the planet."

The image on the screen changed to display a huge, grey shape, silhouetted against the planet.

"Captain, I'm picking up another signal," Willems cut in, "It's the transponder signature of an Ark-class colony vessel."

A murmur of disbelief ran around the bridge.

"But that's impossible," Travers breathed.

"It's the Resolute, sir," Willems said.

"Are you certain?" Julius asked.

"Of course I'm cert…" Willems bristled, then remembered who he was addressing, "I mean… There's no mistaking it, Captain. It's her."

"Scanners support that," Carlsen called out, "The structure is metallic, likely of Human origin and roughly the same size as the Resolute."

"What are the odds…" Julius growled, "We spend months looking for that ship, then end up right on top of her by chance."

"There's no such thing as chance, Captain," Travers said cynically.

"Thanks for that, number one," Julius replied with equal sarcasm.

"Rodriguez to bridge," A heavily accented voice crackled over the speakers. "Landing party is ready to depart, Capitano."

Romeo turned to face the Captain, "HGO achieved and stable, sir."

Julius glanced at Travers, his question unspoken. Travers paused a moment before speaking, "If something happened to the Resolute, there could be survivors down there. At the very least, someone on that planet is in danger."

Julius nodded his agreement and opened a channel to the shuttle, "Affirmative, Mr Rodriguez. Your orders are to investigate the distress signal. Mr Travers will send you a fix now."

"Understood, Capitano!" Rodriguez shouted happily. Travers couldn't help but wonder if the man needed a radio at all.

"Mr Willems, hail the Resolute. See if you can raise them," Julius instructed his Communications Officer, who busied himself with his equipment.

Will was scared.

It hadn't been so bad when he'd had something to focus on. He'd yelled down the radio until he could yell no more, desperate to hear another human voice, any reassurance that everything was going to be okay. After what had felt like forever, he'd managed to raise an answer from Victor's Jupiter. The good news was he and the last few colonists hadn't yet left the planet.

The bad news was it would take him at least forty-five minutes to reach Will.

If he comes at all, Will couldn't help but contemplate. He knew Victor. The man wouldn't hesitate to put the lives of the many before the lives of the few. In other words, the lives of the remaining colonists before that of the youngest Robinson, hopelessly alone, afraid and surrounded by countless alien robots.

He'll come, Will repeated in his head for the hundredth time, hugging his knees closer to his chest to gain what little security he could. He has to come.

Will had remained in the cockpit for a while, occupying himself by releasing the door lock and keeping an eye on the activities of the robots through the windshield. Initially, they had seemed merely curious of the Jupiter, but as soon as one had spotted him peering through the plexiglass they had made it their mission to get inside.

*BANG*

Will shuddered as something impacted the hull, rocking the entire ship. He had retreated into the central room of the Jupiter when a robot fired at him, scorching the cockpit windshield and causing a disturbing number of cracks. This had put paid to any plans he may have had involving communicating with them.

*BANG*

Even with the lockdown protocol activated, Will was all too aware the room wouldn't hold out forever. He pressed his body harder against the couch, trying hard to keep his breathing even.

He doesn't want to think about Ben.

All he can think about is how scared he is.

Of how long the robots will take to get in.

Of what they'll do to him.

*BANG*

How long has it been? Will checked the communicator on his wrist. Only eighteen minutes?!

He rapped it with his knuckles, as if somehow the digital numbers had got caught up and stopped. Of course, they hadn't. He ran through some quick mental calculations; the effects that the weather, fuel, cargo and number of passengers could have on Victor's arrival time. Of course, this was completely futile. He had no idea what any of these factors were.

That's if he's coming at all.

He wished Robot was there. Robot would know what to do. Robot would protect him. But instead, Robot was far away, locked away and being tortured on the Resolute. All because of him.

*BANG*

Will shook his head to banish the unwanted thoughts. He couldn't allow himself to spiral, not now. What would Don say? Don was always upbeat, sometimes irritatingly so – he always saw the bright side, even when he was incarcerated. Will was glad he was on the Resolute, helping keep his Mom and Dad and sisters safe. Together, they'd be fine.

What was I thinking, coming here?

That reminded Will of Ben and Scarecrow, and he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from losing it all together.

Deep breaths. Just breathe, honey. He remembered his Mom's words, how she'd brushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead as he waited in that cold white room for the stress test. It seemed a lifetime ago. In fact, Will considered, it probably was.

A lifetime that would end on this strange planet, alone and so terribly afraid at the claws of an alien robot.

"Pre-flight checks complete," Schwartz reached for the bank of switches situated above the pilot's seat, "Commencing engine start sequence."

"Gauges green, turbines spooling," Seated next to him, Eustace read aloud from his display. He swivelled in his seat to face the third member of the landing party, "Bet you're glad to be getting away from Clarke for a few 'ours, Frosty. Dunno about you, but 'e does my bloody nut in."

Frost smiled back at the rough-and-ready Londoner occupying the co-pilot's seat. Still in his teens and fresh from the colony on Alpha Centauri, this was to be Frost's first time on an unexplored planet.

"He's not so bad," Frost replied, unconvincing.

Eustace snorted, "Not so bad? He put one of the lads on a fizzer for forgetting 'e takes two sugars. Bloke's mental."

"Trust you to take offense over tea," Schwartz said dryly, finishing with the engines.

"That's just it, it wasn't even tea!" Eustace was in full flow, "It was bloody coffee! I know they say all geniuses are mad, but that's taking the biscuit…"

"Was it a custard cream?" Schwartz asked.

Eustace realised Schwartz was winding him up and bashed him over the helmet with his clipboard, "Shut up, you dick."

Rodriguez chose that moment to enter from the cargo area behind them. "Time to go," He said simply.

Schwartz spoke into his microphone, "Cormorant to control, open hanger doors."

The huge jaws at the rear of the hangar slowly swung open, exposing its interior to the vacuum of space. Frost jumped a little when a plume of gas abruptly vented from a pipe on the ceiling and was thankful when nobody noticed.

"Take us out, Lieutenant," Rodriguez instructed.

"Aye aye, sir," Schwartz slid the throttle handles slowly forward and pressed a button on his joystick. A computerised voice sounded in the cockpit.

"Launch programme activated. Five, four, three, two, one, launch."

*WOOSH*

The acceleration pinned the four occupants back against their seats as the shuttle was fired clear of the Huntsman's hangar.

"Going to maximum thrust," Schwartz dipped the nose towards the planet below.