Erik was stunned as he watched vast red lasers suddenly lathe across the Earth below. He stared as he watched his home being blasted, and watched tiny specks of light swarm. He traced back along the beam and his confusion turned to a pure terror. An enormous bone-like craft had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and was firing on the Earth. Erik watched mesmerized by the devastation. He supposed that was why they called them the Devastators.

He was snapped out of his bleak revelry by the computer system. "Dr. Karlson, you're needed urgently on the bridge."

"I'm what?" he snapped in English, "What do they need me for, they have more important things to be attending to!" he yelled, gesturing out the window.

"I'm sorry sir, but the Admiral has expressly requested your presence. He believes you can be of some assistance." NO4H replied.

Erik frowned and turned for the door, grabbing a notebook from the table, which read only 'Base Studies.' He grumbled "There's only one reason they could need me on the bridge, and it isn't going to be good for any of us." He looked at the light on the wall that signified the computer's presence. He realized it had paused because it was adjusting to his speaking German.

"Excellent sir, you've been given temporary express clearance to use any and all transport to the bridge. There's a bus at the end of the hallway." The computer said, also in German.

Erik simply nodded and rushed out of the room. He pushed past several people as the shipwide announcement sending everyone back to their rooms flooded them towards him. He was the only one going towards the end of the hall, rather than away, and he was forced to push and shove, shouting that he needed to get through. Just as he was sure he would never make it, a blue light shone down onto him, and the crowd, frightened, moved out of his way.

He broke into a sprint, and slid to a stop at the end of the hall. He jumped onto the bus, and slid his card through the reader. The doors slammed shut, and bus shot off towards the bridge. Erik panted, exhausted by his run. Moving that quickly at 54 was something to be proud of. He sat for a few minutes, worrying about what he was about to have to do. Finally, the bus dinged to let him know he had arrived.

He pushed out of the bus before the doors opened all the way, and rushed onto the bridge. He stopped and looked around, before he spotted the Communications officer partway across the room. He pushed some crew members out of the way "Move, [i]Kinder[/i]." He rushed down the aisle and pulled up along side the Officer. "Doctor Erik Karlson, er, reporting, sir. If I might ask, what in [i]Hellige Helvede[/i] is going on?"