Major Ascott leads Shadow through the barracks, into a turbolift heading directly down through the entire ship, past engineering and R&D, through the holds and finally to the ship's belly.
Once the lift reaches its destination Ascott enters a six-digit code to exit, using a retinal scanner to open the next door. Kray immediately notices the small sprinklers along the ceiling. They are marked poisonous.

The enforced steel door opens, revealing a dark hangar bay. Due to the lack of light Kray cannot discern exactly what the bay holds. Its a single ship, that much is sure.

"Lieutenant Shadow. What I am about to show you is top secret. If you ever speak to anyone about this without correct clearance you can and will be executed on the spot. I am against informing you but the Captain ordered me to let you in on our little group of insiders. Are we clear on that? Do you realise the implications here?"

  Shadow nodded  while  looking at The Major,..Aye to that Major? That's one of the aspects  of the 'survival' training.

 he  waits   eagerly , one step to the side and behind the Major,..Kinda  funny? hundreds of years away from earth... an' my biggest question is waht is inside me own home?

"Marco, lights please."

As the lights come on Kray finally gets a good view of the hangar bay. It's about the size of the others, with walls cluttered with tools. His gaze is not drawn by those however. Its the ship in the middle of the hangar.

Its unlike anything he has ever seen. Sleek, rounded, nearly circular in its shape, it most closely reminds him of a flying saucer, the central cockpit enforcing that image. It has no discernable engines, no clear front or back, and as far as Kray can tell no place to climb on top of it.
At the size of a hercules it dwarfs any fighter, yet it eludes an air of speed and power.

"Lieutenant Shadow, may I present to you, the XT-One pure space fighter."

  he  walks into the hanger, taking  a quick left and right look, but 90% of his attention is on the  vehicle in the middle.

 ..Bloody 9 'ells...it was bloody true? All them talks about alien aircraft...that earth blokes  been workin' on?

 Turning to look at The Major,..right?..I mean..no bloody way folks came up with this on their bleein' own..if they 'ad, they'd been flyin' these thing  all about!


 'ow close of a look can i get?

"As close as you want. You are one of it's pilots once its activated." Ascott grins. "Only the outside though, cockpit is not to be opened yet. I think its impossible even, she's biometrically tied to her crew. So at this moment only the Captain, Timochev and Kong-We can open the cockpit. You and the other crewmembers we selected for her have yet to be linked. She still needs some work before we can put her into service."
Seeing the twinkle in Krays eyes he adds,
"Don't get your hopes up though... She's not an alien craft. All of her is made on earth, by Canada and China. She's advanced yes, very advanced, but its still all human technology. Far as I know we have no proof of alien life, so it would be rather impossible to have an alien ship here, wouldn't it?"

   There is a Bit of   Chuckle  as his  cap is  taken off, slapped against his  right leg and Put  back on.

  ..Haveta take your   word on that Mate? You read them them sites and toss out the ones that are clear fakes? well, they make as much sense ..more even.. that all that other stuff people claim went on...

  walking around the   fighter , he  runs a hand over the 'skin',..Betcha  she  could spin like a top , in a tight turn, Divin' would be hellish fast...Climbin'? I guess depends on the power plant? Did  each of the Colony Ships  'ave one?.... If we knew were they were... and they were  screwed over like Us... we could salvage alot  of things would could use..

 when he  come  backround to where the Major stands, he nods  with a bigger half smile then normal,..Thank Ya  for this  Major. Not only seein' what was  'ere...but  puts me bloody mind at ease...

  A serious looks   catches up to him as he says,...Guess ya know  one of the Rhino's is Missing.... a COM ed LT Maxwell about the empty space... told Hanschel  , for the enginners  not to touch the spot Until she checks it  out....There's  2 things we know fer  sure, is they stole from us..and they are most like dead..of old age if nothin' else...the only reason to investigate now is ta find out why?

 Looking back at the XT  with his hands on his hips,...when ya look back on earth?.. only one reason fer folks ta do this... Zealots... who didn't want Mankind ta continue on?... Be i think fer MArco ta check? see if any of them missing  folks  belonged ta any of those groups....Be even better, fer MArco to see if he can contact any of the other ships?

 Then, snapping back to his Old self,..So..Major?  what's next?

Ascott listened to Kray's enthousiasm. He couldn't help but feel the same way, it was contagious.
"She's one of a kind far as I know. At least she was when we left earth. Concerning her specs, I have no idea. Ask me anything about the SA-80x rifle, or how to build a fire from nothing, but don't talk jets to me... Its like a foreign language. What I do know is she carries her own Schweizer drive, so she's fast as light. It's powered by a miniaturised fusion plant much the same as the Polo, so I gather she has ample power. Its also what powers her guns. Some weird projectile stuff. I heard Kong-We call it a disruptor cannon or something like that. I bet she knows exactly how the thing works."
He falls silent, his gaze suddenly distant.
"Her fiance was supposed to fly this thing you know. Government of China demanded it. He was their test pilot too. When he died they agreed on a russian pilot. Timochev was the logical choice. He decided he wanted you in too. Damn shame Yueng died. He had a promising career ahead of him."

    Shadow  frowned at  Kong-We's loss,..I was told  about her  loss..... As I said to Mr.Vandernnek.... gonna  feel like there ain't too many of us Blokes on this ship that hasn't lost somethin'

 he  shrugs,..In a way, she was lukcy..it wasn't a chocie fer her, nor him...an' they would have been together out here? Don't have ta feel guilt  fer leavin' folks behind?... Me..and a Bet a  few 100 others, Left folks behind, knowin' we weren't gonna see them again...

  Looking at the  aircraft  once  more, one arm cross his waist, the other arm  rests on  it  as that hand cups  his chin.... then he points to the  aircraft....so?  yer tellin' me.. Canada and   China  worked on this...and Canada didn't have a bloody say in droppin' one of thier blokes in the seat? There is a snort of a chuckle,..gotta  admit? I'm a bit confused  as why  Timochev wanted me here...we  would talk shop, now and again, but he  never Let folks foregt who he was...me? I Figure, if folks ferget me?.. I musta not sparkled too bright..ya?

 Then hen he  laughs  as he think  back on what the Major  said,..now? that rifle thing? Don't know much about that...but  i'll match you in the bush...or the alleys  fer that matter..course..if  you have that rifle,  i'll have to make sure i'd get nice  and  close...

 Shaking his head ,all that trainin' sneaking up of  folks.. slippin through doors...and we don't even have a planet to use them on...

"Canada had their say in things," Ascott spoke, "They chose not to send a pilot though. Yueng was perfect to them too. Most of the XT-One engineers are Canadian though."

"Tell you what. Go see if there's anything you can help with on the hangar deck, and get an early night. I hear there's a physical training planned for most at 0600 tomorrow. Lets see how you do there flyboy."

  There is a big Grin,I'm pretty well rounded Major..hadda be or I just be yer ordinary fighter jock! he Salutes and easy  salute as  they ehad to the  exit.

 Don't know if Marco has any way to  pull them up... but ya get a  chace , look at some replays of  Aussie  Rule  Football..I played  for the Geelong Cats  for a year an' a 'alf.....#19 on the field...#1 in your  heart!

 the door opens  ..he heads on his way...

>>>>>>>>>>>  Shadow  HAngers.