Green sundown

[Sturmwind]

A few hours have passed.

The Hansa's communications officer, young Feldwebel Schroedinger was unpacking clothes from his locker in the Marines' quarters. The Hansa has been designed to house such space troopers aswell, although they were rarely needed on deck, as the corvette was hardly used for storming installations. The two rooms reserved for the assault personnel were cheifly used by the Hansa's main crew, who used them as storages of things that had no designated place. Thus did Feldwebel Schroedinger's clothes locker get thrown between two unused bunk beds.

The comms officer was getting ready to change his green, Rheinwehr uniform to a civilian outfit of some sort, since the Hansa and her crew were about to go into drydock for the night. The vessel and her crew were done with their daily shift, only a few more minutes were left until they would go off-duty.

Schroedinger however, couldn't even start changing, as he was interrupted by the beeping of his portable comms device, which warned him if the ship has incoming comms to receive. He made the warnings stop with the press of a button, then rushed out of the room, into the ship's green-lit main corridor. He ran through the Habitat section, then took a quick elevator to the Bridge, which was located right below Major Meyer's command section.

The Feldwebel saluted as he entered the Bridge, where first officer Koehler, navigation officer Krieger, weapons officer Landa, and radar officer Gruenwald were waiting for him.

"Schroedinger, where have you been?" asked Koehler.

"Entschuldigung, mein Herr. I was getting changed," he replied.

"You really should stop doing so before the shift ends, Schroedinger," Koehler roared back at him, "such a level of lazyness and neglection of duties will make you find yourself outside the airlock."

Schroedinger was nervous, he never realised Koehler was simply teasing him. He nervously sat down to his place, in front of one of the many consoles to be found in the Bridge section, pressing a few keys, then taking a pair of headphones onto his head.

He paused for a moment as soon as he heard what seemed to be a transmission. He couldn't identify a word but faint mumbling covered in heavy static. He could however, identify the source and the tone of the sender, which sounded like he was in trouble.

"Oberleutnant Koehler, we have a faint transmission incoming from sector D4. I can't make out a single word, but they sound like they are in trouble."

"Inform the Major and patch me through to Fulda."

"Jawohl."

The ship's interior went busy again. Koehler shouted orders to the crew, they all sat to their assigned posts, while Major Meyer came down from the above deck to assume direct control of the ship. The crew saluted, then he took charge and re-issued orders. In about two minutes, the Hansa was ready to go. Fulda Border Station sent out a wing consisting of two heavy fighters, Grau Einz and Zwei and ordered the Hansa to investigate the source of the signal.

So did the corvette's huge main engine light up, burning up immeasurable amounts of H-Fuel on its way to the trade lane. Krieger engaged the lane sequence and off the Hansa went.