The ships readings were starting to wear on Eric McFarlaneâ€™s eyes. He had been staring at them for over three hours and there was nothing there.<span style="font-style: italic">The commanders losing his marbles</span>. Eric thought rubbing his blue and green peppered eyes fighting hard against the yawn that threatened to get reprimanded for the second time that week. A glance back told him the commander wasnâ€™t looking at him at that moment. Casually stretching he tapped the girl next to him and said, â€œDo you really think there is anything out there?â€<br/><br/>The beeping sounded as soon as the last word fell from his lips. Quickly he put his hands against the cold flat touch-screen and said, â€œThere are three ships heading in fast, I canâ€™t tell if they are friendly or not.â€ He frantically tapped on the glowing flat buttons trying to get anything out of them other than<span style="font-weight: bold">Warning ships approaching</span>. â€œI know you piece of junk.â€ He yelled at the machine kicking the bottom of it as hard as he could. The beeping stopped and a message began to play over and over again.<span style="font-weight: bold">The system malfunctioned please call tech for assistance</span>,<span style="font-weight: bold">the system malfunctioned please call tech for assistance</span>.<br/><br/>Eric winced as the commander whacked him hard in the back of the head and yelled, â€œWe are possibly under attack and what do you do, you kick the only piece of equipment that could tell us who they are.â€ The commander hit him again and called for the officers close by to remove him from the work station. Eric opened his mouth to say something but the commanderâ€™s look told him to keep his mouth shut.<span style="font-style: italic">So much for not getting reprimanded</span>. He though as he remained quite, next to the wall with a guard on each arm.