Stillness Under Fire

Posted on 29 Mar 2026 @ 6:31pm by Captain Sabrina Corbin & Commander Suzanna Batenburg

682 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Arawyn’s Itchy Trigger Finger
Location: Bridge

// Bridge :: USS Arawyn //

Corbin looked up as Commander Batenburg took the XO seat, her attention immediately catching on the sling. Her expression did not change, but the pause was enough to register it.

“You reported minor injuries, Commander.”

The words were even, carrying quiet precision, then softened just slightly as she leaned back into her chair.

“How bad was it in Science,” she asked, lower now, meant for Batenburg alone. “Sorvak. The rest of them.”

"Sorvak has some major injuries, we both were buried under heavy equipment, my arm is broken, but sickbay has better things to worry about." Suzanna stated quietly. "Sorvak fractured his spine among others, he was transported to sickbay, once they were up. I left Lieutenant Remington in charge of science now. What happened?" She asked.

Corbin listened without interruption, her expression steady as Batenburg spoke. A fractured spine. Buried under equipment. Not minor, not by any measure that mattered. It aligned too closely with what she was already seeing come through in the reports.

Harlan.

Her eyes shifted briefly to the display at her chair, then back to Batenburg.

“I have Harlan listed as critical,” she said quietly, the weight of it controlled but present. “Engineering took a direct hit.”

She let that settle only a moment before continuing, tone returning to command.

“We are still working to identify what engaged us. No pursuit, no follow-up fire.” Her gaze lifted toward the viewscreen, indicating the massive asteroid they had tucked against for cover. “We are holding position here. I have a probe out to see what it brings back.”

A brief pause, thoughtful.

“Feels defensive,” she added, measured. “If they intended to destroy us, they had the opportunity.”

Harlan critical, that was not good. That was even worse than Sorvak. The Arawyn did not have a lot of luck with their senior officers. Suzanna watched the viewscreen and the information displayed and what Corbin stated. "Fascinating, perhaps the asteroid field was not as uninhabited as we thought. Did we scan it before we did our target practice?"

Corbin did not answer immediately, her gaze fixed on the asteroid ahead as fragmented sensor data continued to scroll across the displays. The field was thick with interference, particulate debris and mineral density distorting readings, leaving gaps where clarity should have been.

“It was surveyed,” she said at last, measured. “Baseline scans before we began. Nothing that warranted concern.”

A slight pause, her tone sharpening with quiet consideration.

“But the interference out here is significant. The debris is playing havoc with our sensors. If something was dormant, buried, or masked within the field, it could have been easy to miss.”

Her eyes shifted back to Batenburg.

“Or it was not active when we arrived,” she added. “And chose to respond only after we fired.”

A brief glance returned to the viewscreen.

“That still leans defensive. Old, automated, or deliberately quiet.”

Suzanna nodded in concurrence, she could not imagine that it hadn't been scanned prior. "I agree with the defensive posture. Since it doesn't seem to have followed us, logic dictates it is more likely to be old and automated, or their sensors have more limited range. Do we have any information from the probe yet?"

Corbin gave a small shake of her head, her attention still partly on the data stream as it struggled to resolve into anything useful.

“Not yet,” she said. “It is having the same trouble we are. The interference is degrading its returns.”

There was no frustration in it, only patience, deliberate and controlled.

“I do not mind the delay,” she added after a moment. “It gives the ship a chance to breathe.”

The Captain's gaze shifted then, settling once more on Batenburg’s arm. The assessment was brief, but firm.

“Let’s have a medic come up and take a look at that,” she said, tone leaving little room for argument.

"Aye Captain, I don't want to overburden a full sickbay, but a medic here would work."

Cmdr Suzanna Batenburg
XO USS Arawyn
Everything fits, otherwise we'll make it fit!

Capt Sabrina Corbin
Commanding Officer

 

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