by Dennis Young
“Still,” said Haversen gently, “many people died, not of fear, but panic.”
Ndashimye stood straighter. “There is little difference, sir. And yes, it brought to light continuing struggles with the planet’s governing bodies and… politics.”
“Yet you persevered and found a way not only to solve the problem, but do so without destruction of the rogue.”
James Reid from Nav had stood near his console as he listened. “Sir, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Haversen grinned as questioning glances were passed around. “I’m thinking ahead, if that’s what you mean, Lieutenant. We may have need of that solution if this planet is headed for Jen’riss space.”
Reid nodded. “Yes, sir. That’s what I was thinking, too.”
Haversen looked at the expectant faces and drew a breath. “Alright, I need as much information as possible about this planet in the next full duty cycle, especially concerning any inhabitants. Lieutenant Shaw, if their neighborhood radio communications are sparse, see if there is anything intelligible you can track down and get me a summary. Commander Somura, I need a full analysis on the planet; composition, atmosphere breathability, level of technology, the works.” He glanced to Vikihrov. “And a threat estimate as well, Karina. I don’t want to approach until we know it’s safe and we’re welcome. The XO will lead the analysis team and report to me every four hours on progress. Questions?”
“Sir.” Simmons cleared his throat. “Does this mean no phase coil change-out?”
Haversen nodded. “Sorry, Stony, but we’ve got more pressing matters now. And I want Engineering’s assessment on going to 100c however you can get it. Give me your best and worst-case scenario. Use whatever personnel and computer resources you need. If this planet is going to hit the I-Zone in thirty days, our only hope of perhaps saving it from the Jen’riss is to get there first.”
* * *
Haversen’s intercom in his quarters buzzed, twelve hours after discovery of the rogue. “Yes, XO, what can I do for you?”
“Sir, I request a private consultation at your earliest convenience.”
“Alright. Ready Room in ten minutes?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
Haversen made his way to the Bridge and into the Ready Room, a niche between Sciences and the Comm station. He was pouring tea, when the chimer buzzed.
“Enter.” Ndashimye moved smoothly through the doorway. “Have a seat, Commander. Tea?”
“Yes, thank you, sir.”
Haversen set a small tea service on the table and motioned to it. Ndashimye stirred hers and they drank quietly for a few minutes.
“You asked for a private meeting. Problems?” Haversen set his half-empty cup aside.
Ndashimye folded her hands in her lap. “Regarding our discovery, none at this time. My concern is your comments about the Epsilon Eiridani solution to the rogue planet.”
“Do you feel my comments were incorrect?”
“No sir, not at all. Your summary of the situation was only a bit… unnecessary.”
Haversen nodded. “You mean regarding the deaths and their causes.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It’s public record, you know. At least, the declassified part. Not all the details are even available to Earthfleet personnel.”
“Yes, sir, but the situation caused other issues. Stress-related issues that many of the scientists… many of us involved experienced.”
“Including you?”
Ndashimye nodded after a moment.
“I assume, from your file, you received counseling and whatever else was necessary at the time.” Haversen mused. “Very well. My apologies for any discomfort. I won’t mention it again. Anything else?”
“No, sir. Thank you for your understanding.” She began to rise from her chair.
“A moment if you have it, Commander.” Ndashimye sat again.
“First, I appreciate your candor, and always expect my officers to be truthful with me, as I will be with you. And as I said before, you don’t have to impress me. I don’t expect my senior officers to stand full duty-cycle watches unless we’re at Battle Stations or during other emergencies. Currently, our discovery does not constitute an emergency.”
“Sir?”
Haversen chuckled. “What I’m saying, is, while I put you in charge of the investigation, that doesn’t mean you have to oversee it personally every moment. There are capable department heads and seconds on this ship. Give your orders and let your people do their jobs, just as you’re doing yours.”
“Very well, sir. I understand.”
“Relax a bit, Commander. Do some more painting. Let your concerns be lessened by meditation and dabbling in art.” He nodded to the cup before her. “Drink some tea and write more poetry. You know you have a pretty good reputation as a poet and story-teller.”
“Sir?”
“You have colleagues on this ship who would like to know you more personally if you’ll let them. Cultivate a bit of social activity when time permits. As a senior officer, you’ll need to be careful with your associations, but I happen to know Doctor Blakeney is a poetry aficionado.”
“Are you saying I’ve become a bit of a recluse?” Ndashimye actually showed a bit of a smile.
Haversen grinned. “I guess I am. What do you think?”
Ndashimye looked away for just an instant. “I’m not naturally gregarious. Sir.”
“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable on Bellerophon. You’re second in command and my right hand. More than anything I want you able to do your duty and your job at any given moment. But to do that, you have to learn balance.”
“I believe I’ve heard these things before. From my own mother and father.”
“Then I hope you’ll think about it.”
Ndashimye nodded slightly, looking into her cup. Her face rose after a moment. “Very well, sir. And to begin this exercise, may I have more tea?”
Haversen’s grin widened.
* * *
“The planet is marginally habitable, gravity about one point one standard, so it’s a bit less dense than Earth. Atmosphere is oxygen-rich, and I would recommend breathing apparatus if we send a landing party, else we could experience oxygen toxicity symptoms. Temperature is a bit cool, but acceptable with warm clothing. Average temperature in the habitable zones is twelve degrees Celsius.”
Somura gave the report in the briefing room, crowded once again with department heads, senior officers, and the captain. Haversen nodded her to continue.
“Technology level is high in some ways, more primitive in others. The planet is warmed by massive conduits directly tapping into the mantle and converting its heat for distribution. It’s ingenious and very efficient. It keeps the typical temperate zones habitable, but beyond about the forty-five-degree longitude mark, both north and south, it’s pretty bitter.”
Haversen looked to his first officer. “Any sign they’re continuing to expand that system, XO?”
Ndashimye replied. “Unknown, Captain, as we have focused on general information to give an overall summary as requested. I do have a theory, if you would care to hear it, however.”
Haversen nodded. “By all means. What we have here is a pretty good mystery unfolding.”
She rose and paced slowly to the wall screen. “Our tactical scanners indicate softer echoes in many places. This may indicate invasion by vegetation and possibly other forms of life. The level of invasiveness indicates a very long period of time during which this happened. How or why this has occurred is unknown. But I surmise as much as one hundred thousand years ago, perhaps more.”
“Much more, Commander.” Doctor Blakeney, sitting at the end of the table, was nodding. “An idea I formulated when I saw these images some hours ago.”
“Doctor?” Haversen looked to Blakeney as Somura and Ndashimye stood silent together.
“Captain, whoever built these cities and the heating system is likely gone. What I can tell you is, we’re looki
ng at a world that has become a tomb for its inhabitants.”
* * *
“I think I stole Ndashimye’s thunder.” Blakeney sat in the Ready Room with Haversen. They chuckled together.
“Don’t worry about the XO, Doctor. But Somura might not speak to you for the next couple of days.” Haversen grinned.
They were quiet for a moment as ship’s sounds lay in the background. At last Haversen broke the silence. “I wasn’t aware you studied anthropology. Hobby?”
Blakeney nodded. “Actually, yes. I became fascinated with it about ten years ago after a field trip on Narada III and a tour in a very primitive society there. I began to wonder what would happen if the dominant Race of a planet was suddenly removed. Would the primitives of that world evolve to the intelligence level necessary to fill the niche? Would other creatures eventually become dominant? It makes you wonder, Captain, about the workings of the universe; life, intelligence, the soul, if you will. We can only look back on our own history, a relative breath of time in existence, and marvel.”
“Philosophy, biology, neuroscience, even religion.” Haversen ruminated for moments. “It’s all interrelated, isn’t it? Where do we come from, where are we going, how do we protect ourselves from what we don’t know.”
“Questions I’ve asked myself many times over these years, Captain.”
“Thinking of a career change, Doctor?” Haversen smiled.
Blakeney chucked. “Not yet. Besides, this may be something I could write a paper on. Captain, I was serious. This is truly a chance to observe evolution and the possible rise of a Race on a planet previously ruled by a species that has vanished for whatever reason. It’s seriously important.”
Haversen nodded. “But for now, we should consider how to find a way to save this planet from whatever the Jen’riss might do.” He held a hand as Blakeney began to protest. “I promise, my report will recommend you be assigned to lead the team if we get a chance to investigate what really happened. First Contact regulations forbid direct contact with primitive peoples, but if Earthfleet decides to set up a research station in orbit, I’ll see you have an opportunity. Would that suffice?”
Blakeney looked aside and nodded slowly. “Yes, very much so. Thank you.”
“Good.” Haversen rose, then Blakeney stood as well. “Back to work, Doctor, and you might say something to Somura just in case. But watch out, I understand she practices kendo, and wields a mean katana.” They laughed as they exited the Ready Room.
Three
Findings
“Duty Log, Captain William Haversen, 160728.6. Bellerophon is twenty-four hours away from the rogue planet at current speed. To minimize stresses on the phase coils and related subsystems, we’ve approached the planet at 40c. Not as fast as our Science Section wanted, but it’s gotten us this close with several days to spare before the planet enters the Interdiction Zone.
In the meantime, the Science team has continued its analysis of the planet, while Communications has been monitoring the Jen’riss to see what their intentions are.
We’ll establish orbit about the planet on arrival, then see what we can do about raising the Jen’riss. Strict orders prevent us from entering the Interdiction Zone, but I can’t in good conscience allow harm to befall a planet that can’t defend itself against aggression. I’ve sent messages to Fleet Base Eight and they, of course, are waiting for orders from Sol Prime. So it’s all a waiting game at this point, and I can only hope there is enough time to resolve this without getting shot at.”
* * *
Haversen entered the Bridge, seeing the free-floater on the main viewscreen. He sat, scanned the stations for a quiet moment, then looked at the conn.
“Helm, secure the ship from hyperlight mode. Park us gently, Mr. Richards, then establish orbit at ten thousand kilometers. Commander Vikihrov, are you certain there is no threat to Bellerophon from the planet?”
Karina swiveled in her seat. “No threat from the planet, correct sir. There are only two Jen’riss ships now in detection range, the third having dropped away several hours ago. Both are at the edge of the I-Zone watching. Their probes barely register on our sensor system.”
Haversen nodded, examining the image on the screen. The false-color image of the planet showed swirls of red, brown, and blue, shrouded in dark and foreboding clouds. “Have the Jen’riss charged their weapons? Any sign of tactical maneuvers?”
“No, sir, not at this time.”
“No reason for them to, Captain,” said Ndashimye from the Sensornet station. “They will simply attempt to break into our scans and copy data directly from our computers.”
“Lieutenant Shaw, can you block them?” Haversen looked to Communications, then back to Vikihrov at Tactical.
“Sir, the best we can do is scan on a directional beam, very secure but also very limited. It would take us weeks to scan the entire planet that way.”
“But secure, you said?”
Shaw rose and crossed to the Science station where she conferred with Somura and Ndashimye for moments. She turned to Haversen. “Yes, sir. If they interfere with the scan, it would break, and they’d get nothing.”
“Nor would we,” added Somura. “But it would certainly tell us our data stream had been compromised.”
Haversen considered as he looked to the viewscreen again, and the planet slowly rotating below. “Proceed on that tact, at least for now. Tactical, keep your eyes on the Jen’riss and advise any changes.” He hit the intercom button. “Bridge to Engineering. Mr. Simmons, status?”
An E-tech responded. “Captain, Chief Simmons is off duty. We’re running diagnostics now, but for the moment, everything is nominal.”
“If we need hyperlight at a moment’s notice, can we get it?”
“Yes, sir. The Chief had us confirm the phase coils can give us sustained 100c no less than four hours, then 80c as needed.”
Haversen nodded. “Very well. When the Commander is back on duty, have him call me.” He snapped the switch and looked questioningly at the E-tech manning the console.
“Chief stood three watches, sir. He was dead tired.”
Haversen nodded and glanced at Ndashimye. “Recall our conversation, XO?”
She raised her face. “Yes, sir. I understand your point now.”
Haversen turned to the con. “Helm, Nav, keep us nice and tight on this orbit. Tactical, prepare to launch a couple of comsats. I don’t want to be on the other side of the planet without eyes on the I-Zone when the Jen’riss decide to make a move.”
A chorus of ‘aye, sir’s’ followed, and Haversen settled back in the command seat. “Alright, let’s see what this place is really like. Give me an update in two hours, or as needed if you find any surprises.”
* * *
The ruins of the rogue planet rolled across the main viewing screen of Bellerophon’s Bridge. A small crowd had gathered around the command seat, watching in silence. Building after building, city after city, on every continent scanned, and even on islands where the oceans weren’t frozen over, they saw nothing but ruin. Most were only sand or vegetation-covered forms, but Science’s scanners penetrated those easily enough. Skeletal remains of buildings showed like ribs protruding from the ground, mute testimony to a technology great as any in the Earth Alliance.
“So the frameworks that survived are carbon fullerene construction, Commander?” Haversen shook his head slowly at the images from the planet.
Somura replied, “Yes, sir, and that’s about all we find intact. This world has been abandoned for a long, long time.”
“Estimate?”
Somura drew a breath. “A million years, sir, plus or minus a hundred thousand.”
Reid whistled at the Nav Station. “A million years? And these things are still whole?”
“Carbon fullerene nanotubes are extremely strong, nearly indestructible, and virtually chemically inert,” said Ndashimye, rising from the Sensornet station. “As can be seen, nothing else remains other than vague shapes i
ndicating constructs of various sizes and designs. From data bases in our computer regarding vegetation growth, and estimates of material aging and break down due to environments similar to this planet, we arrive at a conclusion.”
“The condition of the planet’s cities does not appear to be due to war,” continued Somura. “We find no signs of bombardment, no radiation other than what leaks through the atmosphere from space or natural decay, nothing that would indicate hostilities of any sort.” She paused. “We’re puzzled, and don’t know enough to even offer a theory.”
Haversen grinned slightly, watching the interplay between his crew members. He knew Reid was a natural skeptic, but under Ndashimye’s and Somura’s cool gazes, he only nodded and turned his eyes to the screen once more.
“No bodies, no remains of any sort, then,” said Dr. Blakeney from behind the command seat. “But possibly fossils, if conditions were right.”
“Assuming the population died, Doctor,” said Ndashimye. “There is no evidence of such an occurrence. Based on our scans, it’s possible, though not probable, the entire population disappeared in a very short time. Again, no signs of violence, bombardment, or radiation. There are still power levels emanating from below ground, self-operating and self-maintaining machinery running the system keeping this world from freezing. It may sound impossible, but we have to consider everyone left this planet by some means almost overnight.”
Haversen was quiet for a few moments, then looked to Somura again. “What about the current inhabitants, XO?”
Ndashimye nodded to Somura, who called up a holo on the main viewer. “This is the best view we’ve gotten of them so far.”
A fuzzy image appeared. Bipedal and humanoid in shape, that was where the similarities to humans ended. The creature was furred, the eyes huge and round, the ears large and erect. It had a long snout, a lengthy tail, and gave the impression more of being an animal than a member of a species that had built the cities laying in ruins across the planet.
