"Brace for impact." The clipped tone rang over the intercom. Keile Koare dropped to the deck and pulled up the brace stubs. He pushed his legs into the given slots and waited. Stephen Shera, the chief engineer, dropped next to him, performing the same routine. "Goddam! Sure the ship was built to withstand it, but this-" Shera was cut off by an immense crash and jarring impact as their ship plunged through another. "But this is getting ridiculous!" "Nothing, dammit!" He glanced around. "Knowles, get your ass up to the bridge and tell the captain to get us the hell outta here, or we're screwed!"