"Hey, Lowell; good luck out there today." My father said as I was getting ready to depart. "I want first pick for Captain on that ship once her shakedown completes tomorrow."

"You know I can't make that call dad." I chuckled at his not-so-veiled prideful remark. "If all goes well, I'll be first officer on that boat by this time tomorrow."

"Well good luck anyway, son. I'm proud of ya." And with those words, Dad hung up on me.

I walked out of my quarters on Orbital 4 and headed toward the dry docks, where four carrier class starships were under construction. I was scheduled to take the first one out today. Our first stop would be the shipyard where her fighters and bombers had been built. Once her carrier complement is onboard, we then have to stop by the munitions depot and receive her ammunition for delivery. Then it's to the neutral point, to do some public testing.

Everything is expected to go smoothly as this is the first time I've tested a ship with live ammunition, a full complement of drones, as well as manned fighters and bombers.

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19 hours into zero flight

We have just arrived to our designated testing point.

"All turrets are now loaded with blanks, test firing 100% firing solution. Core power shut down, and distress beacon deployment expected." I announce to the crew on the bridge.

The thud, and creaking of metal resounded throughout the bridge, the noises and vibrations of the massive machines reloading the turrets onboard ran for a few seconds when the main core did shut down. The distress beacon successfully deployed.

I sat down in the Captain's seat, and got ready for the power core to reboot itself. Then I heard what no shakedown pilot ever wants to hear. Crying from the intercoms; we have a stowaway, and they are probably hurt. I grab the mic and call out to the crew.

"Find the stowaway, and take them directly to the sickbay." What happened next sent shivers down my spine.

"Hello." A girl's tear-filled voice called out. "I thought I was alone. Who are you?"

"My crew and I have been on this ship for the last 19 hours miss. And I'm the acting Captain. Commander Lowell Bradford." I looked toward the communications officer and he shook his head.

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It's been dark for a long time. It's felt like I was moving for a while, but I can't see anything in here. Something made a terrible noise. I look around quickly, hoping I would find something. Then I saw a picture of the metal structure that surrounds my room. I set off the distress beacon. And I begin to cry. My first trip, and I've already failed. Then a man named Lowell called out looking for a stowaway.