Wesley Richter

[Zapp]

Flight control on Battleship Karlsruhe, stationed in Stuttgart, was having an ordinary day as far as directing traffic, scanning for contraband smugglers, and repulsing the occasional LWB attack was concerned. The brisk movement of a well-oiled machine that knew what to do and how to do it filled the bridge, as well as the low babble of speech that was present in most gatherings of people.

A small *blip* went off on the radar display, which brought the officer responsible for watching it to attention. Something wasn't right about that ship. Moments later, the communications officer looked up from his station across the bridge, and spoke directly to the Admiral who had landed the command.

"Sir, we're receiving a transmission from an incoming Military patrol. He says his name is Wesley Richter, and that he has taken heavy damage."

"Where's that boy been?" was all the Admiral said, gruff voice in a face that had seen it all.

"He wouldn't say, sir. All he said was that his hull was buckling, and that he could give his report only to an Admiral or the Kanzler himself.

The Admiral nodded to himself slowly. He had seen it all, after all. "Clearance to dock approve. If his ship is beat up that bad, have med-teams standing by. And a company of marines -- let's not take any chances."