Redlance is a long-time role-player and writer who enjoys sharing stories with the communities she is part of.

"Red alert!  Red alert!  All hands to battle stations!"

Red and white lights flashed in repetition as the blaring of the emergency sirens echoed down the hallways of the Excelsior.  The urgent thunder of boots tromping up and down the corridors provided an odd sort of rhythm to it all as the men and women of the crew threw themselves into their respective positions.  Orders continued to issue forth from the ship's PA system as each division proclaimed its readiness for the upcoming confrontation.

Inquisitor Katja Lightfaith pressed the call button for the medical bay, yelling at the top of her voice to be heard over the alarms.  "Medical teams on standby, Sir!"

"All hands, brace for impact!" 

Even with the warning, Lightfaith was not ready for the jolt that rocked the ship.  It sent her sprawling into one of the beds of the medical bay.  She clung to the mattress and looked around at the other medics and healers to ensure they were all right.  Like her, they clung to whatever they happened to be near, eyes staring apprehensively at the ceiling as they tried to prepare themselves for what was to come.

"I need a medical team to Decks 24 and 25!" came the inevitable call.

"Veracus, Immortis... take Teams Two and Three.  I'll stay here in case anyone makes it this far."  Lightfaith ordered.

The two other Inquisitors snapped to attention, giving her brief salutes as they rounded up their teams.  Within moments, they were out the door, joining the press of bodies as people scrambled between stations.  Lightfaith watched them go, a twinge of concern twisting at her heart as she worried at what they would find.

"All hands, brace for--"

Her fingers had only begun to tighten on the mattress in expectation of the coming shudder, but even that was not preparation enough.  The wall across from her exploded inward in a riot of sparks, twisted metal, and shrapnel.  There was no time to react, no time to even scream as she felt her body thrown from the bed and into the nearby wall.  The bare skin of her face and hands burned as hundreds of tiny shards tore at her flesh.  Her body thudded against the wall and slumped down into a graceless heap on the floor.

Across from her, in the gaping fissure that the explosion had formed, she could see the silhouette of League soldiers:  an Elf with its delicately fluttering wings, a pack of the small, dog-like creatures known as Gibberlings, and lastly in armor decorated with the emblems of the League, a hated Kanian.

Lightfaith clung to the wall, pulling herself to her feet by sheer force of will.  The room reeled around her, but she managed to stumble over to the intercom.  She pressed the button.

"Hull breach in the Medical Bay.  Enemy boarders sighted!"  She cried urgently.

Her single action drew the attention of the invading League and their eyes turned to her.  The Kanian scowled and drew the sword sheathed at his hip.  The Gibberlings at his knee chuckled and yammered at each other, seeming to egg on their leader.  She watched as the Kanian closed the distance in three swift steps, the arm with the sword rearing back as he prepared to strike.

She closed her eyes and sent a swift, silent prayer to Uar.

"Your prayers will not help you, Xadagnian filth!" The man rumbled.

Lightning came at Lightfaith's call and she struck the Kanian down in a single blow.  He fell back, stunned by the sudden attack, but that only seemed to fuel the hatred of his comrades and spur them to action.  She could see the Elf preparing a spell and the Gibberling loaded a bow.  Despite the haze that still hemmed her thoughts, Lightfaith reacted with battle-trained instincts and threw herself out the door of the medical bay and into the hallway.  Just as she made it past the door frame  both spell and arrow shot by her to shatter against the wall beyond.  

"After her!" She heard the Kanian roar.

"It's too late, she's already raised the alarm!" The higher voice of what she presumed was the Elf replied.  "Their ship is already lost.  Leave her to die with her comrades."

Lightfaith stood in the hallway, poised to fight the League as they came out, but they never came.  She noted that Imperial reinforcements never came either.  Something was wrong.  She stumbled her way back into the medical bay and its intercom.

"This is Inquisitor Katja Lightfaith.  Captain Alucard, please respond."

Silence.

"Is anyone alive?" She asked in desperation.  "Please respond."

No response, just more silence.

She steeled herself against the rising terror in the pit of her stomach.  She pressed the intercom again, her voice pitched with what little remaining strength she could muster.

"This is Inquisitor Lightfaith.  All remaining hands, if you an hear this, evacuate the ship immediately."

Her duty done, the Inquisitor stumbled out into the hallway, but before she could reach any of the escape pods, she fell to her knees and blackness claimed her.