Professor Stark nodded, looking at Andrew. “That’s where you come in. We’ve made the necessary arrangements to get you on the Endeavor, as well as the new sensor and communications array. This will be our first actual attempt to find any traces of Sanctuary. If you fail, we will launch other missions to different regions of the Solar System to search.”
Andrew stood, looking at the two Imperials. “Let’s hope I don’t fail. I greatly fear the Druins won’t give us much more time. Not only that but it’s just a matter of time before the Humans of Earth develop their own faster-than-light drive. Once they do, the Druins will come for us.”
-
Shortly after that meeting, the Endeavor had launched, and now it was up to Andrew to find Sanctuary. The fate of the Humans in this star system depended on Sanctuary still existing.
Chapter Six
The days passed by uneventfully as the Endeavor continued its journey through the Solar System. In two more days the spacecraft would make its nearest approach to the planet Neptune.
“We set a new record yesterday for traveling the farthest of any manned mission,” announced Captain Greer. Everyone was in the Command Center, except Lieutenant Commander Meadows and Lieutenant Suarez, who were in the common area.
“Only a couple billion more miles to go,” quipped Lieutenant Thomas, causing everyone to laugh. “Then we can take our readings, see if we can hear any aliens, and then go back home.”
“Are we slowing down for Neptune?” asked Professor Crayton with narrowed eyes. “We could take more detailed readings if we reduce our speed and increase the amount of time we’ll be near the planet. It’s hard telling when another manned mission will be out this far.”
Captain Greer turned her attention to the professor. “We are slowing down some. However, once we’re past Neptune, we’ll be accelerating at two gravities to make up for the time lost.”
“Two gravities?” said Linda Snow, the ship’s nurse as well as biologist. “Will we have to stay in our acceleration seats the entire time?”
“Don’t worry. Our artificial gravity field will counteract the increased acceleration. As long as it functions properly, you won’t notice the increase.”
Linda looked relieved. “This is my first long-distance space mission, and I was concerned about the acceleration. I’m glad to hear it won’t be a problem.”
“What about your fancy array?” asked Professor Alan Tower, looking at Andrew. “What if we get to where we’re going and hear nothing? Will that prove once and for all there is no other intelligent life besides what’s on Earth?”
Andrew allowed himself to grin. “I think we’ll detect something. The universe is too vast for us to be the only intelligent life.”
Professor Tower shook his head. “I’ve spent years in the large orbital arrays above Earth, scanning the stars for signs of intelligent life. Not once have we detected a signal. I no longer believe anything’s out there. We’re alone in this universe.”
“Perhaps,” replied Andrew guardedly. “We’ll know in a few more weeks, once we turn the array toward the stars.”
“I’ll be there, watching,” replied Tower. He looked around the Command Center and then continued. “Mark my words, we will hear nothing but silence.”
Professor Marcus cleared her throat and then spoke, ignoring Professor Tower. “What if we need to go out farther into the Oort Cloud?”
Captain Greer folded her arms across her chest and then answered. “We have sufficient supplies to allow us to extend our mission by several months, if necessary. However, before we even attempt to venture into the Oort Cloud, I would want to hear everyone’s opinion. We’re going out about fifty AUs from Earth to make our initial search for extraterrestrial signals. The Oort Cloud extends out to over two hundred thousand AUs. It would require us operating the ion drive at three gravities for us to reach it and to extend our mission to the maximum.”
“We can’t do that!” objected Professor Tower. “Going out farther will make no difference. Nothing’s out there!”
“Then why did you come on this mission?” demanded Professor Crayton. “Why didn’t you stay on Earth?”
Tower was silent for a moment and then answered. “I want to be there when you all fail. For years I have claimed there were no other intelligent races in the universe, and we on Earth were created by an accident of nature. An accident that has not been repeated anywhere else.”
“How can you be so shortsighted?” asked Kala, shaking her head in disbelief. “The universe is just too big for there to be only us. Other civilizations must be out there.”
“Then where are they?” Professor Tower’s face took on a look of anger. “We spent billions building this spacecraft and then sent it on a useless mission. It could have been used for far better purposes.”
Captain Greer realized the discussion was getting out of hand. “This mission has been assigned to us. When we get to our destination, we’ll see who’s right. Until then, there’s no point arguing about it.”
“I agree with the captain,” said Professor Marcus. “We should be focusing on the Neptune flyby. It may be years before another expedition comes out this far, so we need to take advantage of this opportunity to study the planet.”
Professor Tower stood and headed toward his quarters, without saying another word.
Rachael watched as the professor vanished down the corridor. “What if he’s right? Is there any possibility we’re wrong, and we’re alone in the universe?”
Andrew reached out and took Rachael’s hand, squeezing it. “He’s not right. My communications array will prove that to everyone’s satisfaction.”
“You seem so certain,” said Kala, looking intently at Andrew. “How do you know?”
Andrew grinned. “Well, me and my colleagues wouldn’t have built the array if we felt it would serve no purpose, now would we?”
Rachael laughed. “You people from Cal Tech have some of the strangest ideas.”
Andrew didn’t reply. He wondered what everyone would think when his array didn’t just pick up one or two signals but tens of thousands. Of course the problem with the Druins still remained. If this solar system was quarantined, as the Imperials on Earth suspected, was there a defensive system as well to prevent a ship from leaving? Those questions wouldn’t be answered until the ship reached the Kuiper Belt.
-
Time passed, and the Endeavor neared Neptune. Andrew was in the Command Center, using his array to scan the gas giant. Andrew knew the planet’s atmosphere was composed primarily of hydrogen, helium, and methane gas. The methane gas absorbed the red light from the sun, making the planet look blue in color. A magnified view of the planet was currently on the main viewscreen.
However, what interested Andrew were the fourteen moons, which orbited the planet, including Triton, one of the largest moons in the Solar System. While the others were busy with their scientific scans of the planet and its moons, Andrew continued his search for any signs of Sanctuary. He was scanning for any communication signals, as well as signs of advanced technology.
For over two hours he sat at his console, scanning each individual moon with the same disheartening result. He found nothing to indicate an Imperial base had ever been in the Neptunian System.
“Detecting any radio signals?” asked Kala, who had just finished her observations. “You have a very intent look on your face.” She came over and placed her hands possessively on Andrew’s shoulders. “You also seem very tense.”
Andrew shook his head. “No, nothing. I wasn’t expecting to detect anything until we’re farther out. However, I like to check, just in case I’m wrong. We don’t want to miss anything.”
“You’re very thorough,” said Kala, smiling approvingly. “I can definitely tell you’ve had scientific training.”
Andrew didn’t explain to Kala how that, with his Imperial training, he had the knowledge of at least six Earth degrees in various fields of study. He was still considering how he w
ould explain all the signals the array would soon be picking up, without giving away too many of his secrets. The array was designed to penetrate any energy field the Druins might be using to block incoming signals to the Solar System. All Andrew knew for certain was that, when the signals started coming in, a lot of questions would be raised.
-
The Endeavor was past Neptune and on its way to the Kuiper Belt just outside the orbit of Neptune. The main part of the belt was composed of millions of small icy objects but also hundreds of thousands that were larger than one hundred kilometers. In addition to rocks and water ice, the objects in the belt contained other frozen compounds, like methane and ammonia. The destination of the ship was the edge of the main belt region, which was about fifty AUs from the Sun.
-
Andrew was in the common area, speaking to Lieutenant Thomas, when Kala came and sat down next to him.
“You’re a very mysterious person,” she said, blinking her eyes. “You don’t speak much about your life before Cal Tech.”
Andrew was surprised and looked at Kala. She sat so close to him that their legs touched. He wondered if she had done that on purpose. “Not much to talk about. I lived a pretty boring life.”
Kala stared into Andrew’s eyes. “I don’t believe it could be that boring. Where were you raised?”
“I was born in Michigan and attended school in Grand Rapids.”
“Have you ever been out of the country?”
Andrew wondered where this questioning was leading. “I’ve been to Europe.”
“What about Cyprus?”
Now Andrew grew concerned. Cyprus was the island the Imperials had originally been marooned on. Why would Kala be asking about that? “Once my parents took me there right after I graduated from high school for our vacation. Why do you ask?”
Kala looked thoughtful. “My father is an archeologist and is working at a site on Cyprus. He claims he’s working on a discovery that will change what we know of Human history.”
Andrew felt a cold chill run over him. The Imperials had taken great pains to ensure no visible traces of them remained on the island. However, a cache of old books and artifacts were hidden deep inside a cave. The cave’s entrance had been sealed up and hadn’t been opened in years. Andrew wondered if there was any chance this could be what Kala’s father was looking for. “Did he say what it is he’s hoping to find?”
Kala shook her head. “No, just that it’s so fantastic that no one will believe him until he’s done with the excavation. My father’s always been very secretive about his research.”
Andrew wondered if he should send a message to Brett about Kala’s father. After a moment he decided not to risk it, as Brett should already be aware if someone was digging around any of the ancient Imperial sites on Cyprus.
“Maybe he’ll dig up a skeleton of a giant,” suggested Thomas, the chief engineer, grinning widely. “Some say that back in our past a race of Humans stood over ten feet tall.”
Kala frowned. “That’s rubbish. All those stories have been disproved as hoaxes.”
“Still it would be interesting to find something like that,” continued Thomas unabashed. “Can you imagine what a race that tall would be like?”
“Clumsy and short-lived,” said Kala, trying not to bite her lower lip.
“Just because someone’s tall doesn’t make them clumsy,” protested Thomas.
“That’s not what I meant,” replied Kala. “In the distant past, being tall like that would make it more difficult to hide from predators.”
“Like a saber-toothed tiger!” said Thomas, his eyes lighting up. “I wish we still had those.”
Andrew was glad Thomas had changed the conversation. “Animals go extinct for a number of different reasons. Who knows what might have existed in the past. There are things about Earth we will probably never know.”
Thomas looked thoughtful. “If we succeed in receiving messages from other civilizations, what do you think those worlds will be like? How different from us will aliens be? I mean, they won’t be Human.”
Kala looked at Andrew, waiting to hear his answer. She had a curious look on her face.
“It’s hard to say,” replied Andrew. How could he tell Thomas that over one thousand worlds in the galaxy were inhabited by Humans? There were also numerous races similar to Humans, while others were so alien that communication was nearly impossible. “We won’t know until we get to meet them someday.”
“So you think interstellar travel is possible?” asked Kala, raising her eyebrows.
Andrew leaned back. He had to be careful what he said. Kala was too sharp, and he didn’t want to get her suspicious. “I’m sure if any civilizations are out there that some have surely solved the problem of traveling between the stars. As to what method they use, who knows? Perhaps, if we can communicate with them, we can find out.”
“How would we communicate with them?” asked Kala, her eyes narrowing. “It would take years or possibly centuries for a message from us to reach them.”
Andrew knew he had nearly slipped up. His own communications array on the Endeavor had a hyperlight receiver as well as a transmitter. Pausing, Andrew thought of his answer. “It might be far easier to build a hyperlight transmitter then a hyperlight space drive.”
“Maybe,” replied Kala doubtfully. “I still think breaking the speed of light will be a problem.”
“Not if you go around it,” answered Andrew. “Just like the Alcubierre Drive is supposed to.”
Kala was silent as she thought that over. “I’ll have to see the Alcubierre Drive work first before I believe in faster-than-light communications.”
This didn’t surprise Andrew. While technology on Earth had developed considerably in the last 150 years, they were still far behind what the technology in the Empire was or had been. He wondered what Kala would say if she knew an actual hyperlight transmitter and receiver were on the Endeavor. Of course Andrew would make sure that never happened.
-
On Earth, Professor Charles Wright worked on an excavation on the island of Cyprus on the side of a small mountain. The work was hot and tiring, but he felt he was very close to reaching his goal. In the valley below he had found signs of a very advanced civilization. The stonework and foundations of buildings uncovered were too far advanced for the time period they were built in. He found several clues in the valley excavation site that had led him to this mountainside, searching for a cave that supposedly led deep into the mountain.
“We’ve detected a possible cavity behind that rock wall where we’re digging,” reported Alan Foster, who was in charge of the small excavation team. “The only way we’ll get inside is either to drill or to blast.”
“How thick is the rock?” Professor Wright asked.
“Nearly four meters,” replied Foster, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Charles stood gazing at the rock wall that separated him from proving his theory of what had once existed in this valley. “We have a permit to do some minor blasting to remove obstacles. Let’s see if we can blast a hole through that wall of rock.”
Foster nodded. “It will save us days of drilling, considering how difficult it would be to get the drilling equipment up here. Let me get Jose. He’s responsible for setting demolition charges.”
Charles watched as Foster went back down the mountain to get Jose Gutierrez, who had worked in the military as a demolitions expert and was very good at handling explosives.
While he waited, Charles reviewed some of the discoveries he had recently made. He had long suspected there had to be a reason for the sudden advances made in the Renaissance Period as well as in more recent Human history. Some of the advances seemed to have come out of the blue, with no sound reason for their discoveries. It was as if someone had stepped up to certain people and had helped them solve some of the dilemmas in their research or had helped them navigate through some of the more difficult parts. If a person knew what he was looking for, it was very
evident that someone or some group for the last seven or eight hundred years had been guiding the Human race toward a technologically advanced civilization.
All the clues pointed to an advanced civilization of Humans living on Cyprus in the distant past. Where those Humans had gone to, Charles had no idea, though he strongly suspected some of them were still around, working in the background of many of the world’s major universities and research centers. He had voiced his opinion to several colleagues to only be laughed at and then told how ridiculous he sounded. He had lost his teaching job at the university because of it. It had taken him nearly two years to raise the money to allow him to fly to Cyprus to see if his theories were correct. Now his vindication waited just beyond the stone wall in what he firmly believed was a cave. The artifacts he assumed were in that cave were what he was interested in.
Taking a drink of water, he waited for Foster and Jose to arrive. Looking upward, he wondered what his daughter was doing on the Endeavor. Since arriving at Cyprus, he had been out of touch with her, and he was becoming anxious to hear from her again.
-
After a few minutes Foster and Jose arrived with Jose carrying a small backpack. “Where’s this wall I’m supposed to blast open?”
Charles pointed at the rock wall, where a few workers with picks and shovels stood. They had cleared a small area around the wall of rocks and other debris.
Jose walked up to the wall and spent a few moments examining it. “Are you sure it’s only four meters thick?” He hit the wall a few times with a small rock hammer, knocking a chip off. He took a moment to examine the rock chip, determining what type of stone it was.
Foster nodded. “We took some readings to make sure. A large void space is behind it.”
Jose ran his hands over the wall and then turned toward Charles. “It will take several sets of charges to knock a hole in this wall. The material is very strong. I’ll blast out a hole in the center to begin with and then set the main directional charge inside the hole. That should allow the explosive to crack open the rock wall.”
The Forgotten Empire: Banishment: Book One Page 8
