2:00 AM - Alpha/Night Shift of ISS Spiker SSV-65647
Supplementary First Officer Commander Spikelya in Command

Cmdr. Spikelya, the Spiker's supplementary first officer sat in the captain's chair of the bridge, ready to doze off. Directly to his rear right was the tactical/security officer at another console, whereas to his rear left was the operations officer. The night had had some lifting turn of events, like the raid by the heavily armed pirate cruisers, which had left the Spiker in bad condition. Spikelya pushed those thoughts away and was just about to call for another bridge status report, the 125th report in twenty minutes already, when a bell rang.

At the security station, the duty officer, Lieutenant (provisional) Spikerer, listened to an audio transmission from a security patrol on Deck 15. "... found lying in Sector 13 Beta... nothing we could do... no signs of life... a tragic loss... no witnesses... will report more later..."

Spikelya turned to Spikerer and queried, "What is it?" Spikerer ignored him for a minute, checking a monitor behind him first, before answering the first officer.

"Ensign Spikewey was found dead in a corridor just now, with his head practically ripped off," replied Spikerer.

"What was the cause?" asked Spikelya.

"Uncertain yet, although it appears to be an unprovoked homicide..."

"Are you sure it's not a suicide?"

"SIR... unless Spikewey ran into the wall at warp 5, headfirst, I doubt he killed himself!"

Spikelya grinned from ear to ear, and ordered...

Will be continued in Alpha Shift Part II.