Adam stepped around Jason and looked at a printout he was carrying. He moved over and checked a control panel next to one of the side consoles. Several screens on the panel were glowing dimly. “Battery power is at twelve percent; not enough to jump start the shuttle’s main power source. We were expecting that.”
“So we need to lug the other RTG power source down here and hook it up to this shuttle,” commented Greg, grimacing at the thought of dragging the unit down all those corridors and stairs.
“It won’t be that hard,” replied Jason, knowing what Greg was thinking. “It will just be tedious and something that has to be done.” Turning to Adam, he asked. “Do you see any problems with hooking our power source up to the shuttle?”
“No,” answered Adam, standing up from where he had been bending over the console. “With the information that Ariel has given us, it should be quite simple.”
“Let’s go back and get the RTG then,” Jason said. “The sooner we get the power up in this shuttle, the sooner we will have easier access to the rest of the ship.”
“I want to install the sensor relay before we leave,” Adam stated. “That will allow Ariel to monitor what we’re doing, and she can talk us through any problems we might run into.”
“Very well,” replied Jason, nodding his head in agreement. “Let’s get the relay installed and then we can go get the RTG.”
Chapter Six
Two days later, everyone waited expectantly to see what would happen when power was restored to the undamaged sections of the ship. Greg and Adam were down in the flight bay, and the rest were in the Command Center.
“Should be anytime now,” spoke Marcus, glancing down at his watch.
Without warning, the panels in the Command Center all lit up, and the overhead lights panels came on brilliantly. They all jumped when one of the panels exploded in a shower of sparks.
“Don’t panic,” Ariel spoke quickly. “It was just a power surge.”
She was busily adjusting the power coming from the shuttle, rapidly shutting down areas of the ship that were damaged or where power wasn’t needed. There were numerous areas where power leads were broken or completely nonexistent. It took her several minutes to seal off all the areas where she didn’t want power going. The only areas that needed power were the flight bay, the area around the Command Center, and the central section. Once she was satisfied everything was working properly, she issued some specific commands to the computer to allow it to monitor the power.
“What’s happening, Ariel?” Lisa asked concerned. Her eyes were frantically looking around the command center for any other problems. The exploding overhead light had shaken her up considerably.
“I’m scanning the ship to see what other resources may be available for power. The primary and secondary high-energy fusion reactors were destroyed or damaged in the initial explosion that took out the sublight and FTL systems. The resulting crash caused further damage.”
“Are there other power sources on the ship?” Colonel Greene asked. This was something Ariel hadn’t mentioned before.
“There is a small emergency reactor for the weapon systems which I am trying to access to determine its usability.”
“Is it safe to turn on after all these years?” Colonel Greene asked, nervously. He didn’t want to see the wrecked ship blow up in a massive explosion. If the human race was to have a chance against the Hocklyns, they had to preserve what was left of the Avenger.
“Quite safe,” Ariel replied with a gentle smile. “There are sufficient fail safes and redundancies built into the Avenger’s systems to prevent a core breach or a failure of any of the reactor’s primary systems.”
“That’s a relief,” spoke Greg, shaking his head. “I didn’t really want to glow in the dark.”
Ariel was quiet for a moment, and then a pleased smile appeared on her young face. “Reactor has been activated, and power is coming online. Standby for reactivation of artificial gravity field.”
“What?” Jason stammered as he suddenly felt his weight increase until it was normal. “How the hell did you do that?”
Ariel looked embarrassed as she gazed at Jason. “Oh, did I forget to mention that all Federation ships had an artificial gravity field? The field is also used to counter excessive acceleration and deceleration. The ship can maneuver at speeds of up to twelve gravities with no harmful effects to the crew. Or at least the Avenger used to be able to do that before it crashed.”
-
Two hours later, all six explorers were down in the center section. Power had been restored, and the environmental control systems were working. Ariel had directed them to a section where the ship’s officers had stayed. The quarters in this area were roomy and extremely comfortable.
“A real bed,” Greg spoke with a wide grin, looking into one of the spacious rooms. Some cleaning and organizing and the quarters would be livable.
“We need more people up here,” spoke Colonel Greene, glancing into the quarters he had chosen. “Ariel says the ship’s oxygen is recyclable and should last for several more years, even with a larger group of people on board.”
Lisa came out of the quarters she had chosen with a big smile on her face. “We actually have running water and toilets!”
“What about the bodies in the medical center?” Greg asked with concern.
“Ariel is keeping the temperature in those rooms at a low enough temperature to preserve them,” Colonel Greene responded. “That won’t be a problem.”
“What’s next?” Adam asked.
Having the environmental systems back up and running would allow them to check out more of the ship’s systems and the science behind them. Working in the cumbersome spacesuits was a pain. Now, in many areas, they might not have to.
“I want us all to meet in a couple of hours after we get our quarters organized,” Greene spoke with a thoughtful look on his face. “We need to go over everything we have learned so far and figure out our next steps. Having the power on is going to make a big difference in our explorations of this ship.”
“We have learned a lot the last few days,” added Jason, nodding his head in agreement. “This ship and Ariel have a lot to teach us.”
“We have to learn and learn quickly,” continued Colonel Greene, agreeing with Jason. “Every moment lost is one moment closer to the Hocklyns finding us. We must begin preparing for that day as soon as possible. The future of the human race may rest with what we learn from this ship.”
-
All six of the explorers were sitting in a small conference room next to the Command Center. Jason wondered what kind of meetings might have been held in this room in years past. He could imagine the commander standing at the front of the table and explaining to his officers the latest developments in the war. Jason could scarcely imagine how it had affected them when their worlds had been destroyed and they found themselves powerless to stop it.
“Okay, let’s get this meeting started,” spoke Colonel Greene, setting down a pile of reports and photographs on the table in front of him. “Lisa, if you will begin, please tell us what you have found out about the AI and the worlds this ship came from.”
Lisa nodded and brushed a strand of wayward blonde hair out of her eyes. “First, let’s start with the AI. Ariel is not a true AI.”
“What?” Greg stammered in confusion. “She sure seems real enough to me.”
“She is a highly sophisticated computer with some very advanced programming,” Lisa explained. “This programming allows her to act and to respond as if she is a real person. The programming I have examined so far allows her a limited amount of freedom to make some decisions on her own. Even so, these programs do control her actions, and she can’t violate them.”
“Interesting,” commented Colonel Greene, leaning back in his chair. “What about the human worlds this ship came from?”
“I did manage to get that information from Ariel,” continued Lisa, nodding her head. She turned her deep blue ey
es toward the colonel. “The Human Federation of Worlds comprised five inhabited solar systems and a number of scientific and mining outposts in approximately twenty others.”
“Sounds impressive,” spoke Jason, wondering how long it would take for Earth to grow that large. He leaned forward. “Do you know what their population was?”
“From the information I have gathered, it was slightly over fourteen billion at the time of the first Hocklyn attack.”
“Fourteen billion,” mumbled Adam, shaking his head sadly. “So many people.”
“All wiped out by the Hocklyns,” Colonel Greene reminded everyone. “And those same Hocklyns are coming for us in another 268 years.”
“Do we have any idea what the Hocklyns look like?” Greg asked, curiously. Surely, the humans on this ship had known what their enemy looked like.
“Yes, we do,” replied Colonel Greene, reaching forward and retrieving several photographs. He passed these around the table.
Greg took one and his eyes widened at what he was seeing. The Hocklyns looked like a lizard that walked on two feet with arms and hands. They were a pale green in color with a small crest on the top of their head. Looking closer, he noticed that the fingers on the hands were unusually long and double-jointed. Not only that, instead of five digits, there were six.
“The Hocklyns obviously come from a reptilian ancestry,” Colonel Greene spoke his eyes looking around the small group. “Their skin is reported to be covered with very fine scales, and their body temperature is below what humans would call normal. Their blood chemistry is also markedly different. The Hocklyns are a very harsh and cruel race. They live to improve and grow their empire. Nothing else matters.”
“And they are coming for us sometime in the future,” Greg said, still gazing at the picture. These aliens could never be allowed to conquer Earth!
“Yes, they are,” responded Colonel Greene. “They are an unstoppable force, and we are in their path.”
The meeting lasted for nearly an hour, with each member of the team reporting on the progress of his or her studies and the exploration of the ship. They now had a pretty good feel for the layout of the Avenger. Toward the end of the meeting, Colonel Greene had some assignments for the explorers.
“Tomorrow Jason, Greg, and Adam will be going to the Environmental section,” spoke Greene, looking at the assignments for the following day. “We want to see how well the systems are working and whether it is feasible to bring more people up here. There are two corridors which are still airtight and should allow you easy access.”
“What has Earth said about all of this?” Jason asked, curiously. He could well imagine the impact their discoveries were having on the politicians.
“I have sent Mission Control complete reports of everything we have discovered so far,” Greene replied in a serious tone. “Tom Hays told me that the President was calling an emergency meeting with several other heads of state to discuss the situation.”
“The fire’s about to start burning,” commented Greg, meeting the colonel’s eyes.
He had talked briefly to his wife that morning, and she had inquired about what was going on. She had said there were all sorts of rumors flying around. Particularly since it had been revealed that a second lander had been sent to the Moon. Greg had tried to reassure her that everything was fine. But he could sense the doubt and worry in her voice. He really needed to get home to his family.
-
Jason was standing in the Command Center, shaking his head. He could scarcely believe what he had just heard. “I don’t understand. Are you saying that both of the shuttles are still flyable?”
“That’s correct,” replied Ariel, nodding her head. “I have run a full diagnostic check on both of them and they are flyable.”
“How safe are they to fly?” asked Colonel Greene, sitting down at a console and staring at the front viewscreen. “What would be the risk in sending one of the shuttles back to Earth to pick up more personnel and to return here?”
“Minimal,” Ariel replied, confidently. “Even in the shuttles there are enough redundant systems to ensure a safe trip.”
Colonel Greene was quiet for a moment as he weighed his options. Then he turned to face Jason. “If I were to send you and Greg back to Earth immediately, how would you feel about that?”
Jason hesitated for a moment. “I know Greg really wants to get home to his family. My own family has been asking a lot of questions. I would like to go back too, but I would like the option of returning to help study this ship at a later date. There is so much to learn here, and I want to be part of it.”
“I think that can be arranged,” replied Greene, nodding his head as he reached a decision. “The people on the ground need to hear firsthand what we have learned up here. You can only put so much in a report.”
“How soon do we leave?” asked Jason, suddenly realizing they were going home.
He knew his brother and sister would be thrilled to see him. He hadn’t realized until this moment just how much he had missed them. The thought of going home had brought those feelings to the surface.
“As soon as it can be arranged,” replied Greene, leaning back and watching Jason. “We have to figure out a safe place to land and hide the shuttle. It may be necessary to keep your return a secret for a few months. It would be hard to explain how the two of you managed to suddenly reappear down on Earth.”
“What about our families?” Jason asked. It would be terrible to return home and still not be able to see their families.
“I think something can be arranged,” Greene said, confidently. “According to Ariel, we can have the other shuttle fully prepped and ready to fly the day after tomorrow. We will also have to make some special arrangements with Mission Control. We’re sending them a spacecraft that’s at least a hundred years more advanced than anything they have ever flown.”
“We’re going to open some eyes down on Earth,” said Jason, smiling. He could just imagine the impression the shuttle would make with the engineers and technicians down on Earth. “This shuttle will make them realize just what it is we have discovered here on the Moon.”
“It will also help to emphasize the danger our world is in,” Greene replied, determinedly. “We have to make them understand the seriousness of the danger the Hocklyns represent. Just seeing this shuttle and realizing that the people that built it were soundly defeated should make them realize just what the future generations of our world will be up against. Now, why don’t you go tell Greg he’s going home.”
“That’s one thing I definitely will enjoy doing,” replied Jason, smiling. He knew that Greg would be thrilled at the news.
-
Two days later, Jason and Greg were in the second shuttle. Jason was in the pilot’s seat, and Greg was sitting next to him in the copilot’s seat.
“This is sure strange,” spoke Greg, looking out the large cockpit window toward the hangar doors, which were still shut. “I never expected to be returning to Earth in something like this.”
“Just imagine the impact our landing will make,” replied Jason with a grin.
“White Sands, New Mexico,” responded Greg, shaking his head. “That’s a long ways from where we took off.”
“But it’s secure and controlled by the military,” continued Jason, recalling all the discussion about finding a secure and safe landing site. “They have a special hangar ready for us. We’re landing at night, and the sky is overcast above White Sands. Hopefully no one will spot us.”
“They wouldn’t be able to anyway,” Ariel spoke over the com system. “The shuttle’s stealth systems will be activated as soon as you leave the Moon.”
“Are you sure this is safe?” Greg asked Ariel for the tenth time since he had found out they were returning to Earth. Tom Hays had assured him that his wife would be waiting when they landed at White Sands. He didn’t want to crash.
“Perfectly safe, Greg,” Ariel replied evenly. “This type of shuttle has an extremely
good safety record.”
“Yeah, but this one has been setting around unused for nearly 100 years,” Greg added, worriedly.
“Launch in five minutes, Commander Strong,” Ariel reported. “Flight bay is being depressurized.”
Jason looked out the cockpit window at the large hangar doors. The next hurdle would be to get the doors open. Ariel was pretty confident they would open, but they hadn’t been tested.
“Opening hangar doors,” Ariel reported.
One of the doors slid open easily; the second didn’t budge.
“One of the doors didn’t open,” Jason informed Ariel over the radio. She had explained to him how to operate the shuttle’s communication equipment.
“I’m working on it,” Ariel replied. “The door seems to be bent. I don’t think it’s going to open.”
“Crap,” Greg replied disappointed. He felt sick at his stomach knowing they might not be able to launch the shuttle. He had really been looking forward to seeing his wife and baby.
“No problem,” Ariel responded after a moment. “We can launch the shuttle through the open door. There will be two feet of clearance on both sides.”
“Two feet!” moaned Greg turning pale. “Is that safe?”
“Perfectly safe,” Ariel replied as she sent the commands to the shuttle to begin powering up its sublight engine.
Jason felt the shuttle rise above the deck in the flight bay. It hovered for a moment, then slowly moved toward the open door. He felt tense, and he could feel his heart beating faster. The shuttle approached the open door and then passed through it. Looking out the cockpit window, he saw the shuttle’s wing barely clear the door. Once outside, the shuttle tilted upward and began to accelerate rapidly. In moments, they were in space above the Moon.
“This is amazing,” spoke Greg in awe, gazing out the cockpit window on his side as the Moon began to drop rapidly away.
“Two hours to Earth,” responded Jason, recalling the flight plan. “Who would have ever thought something like this could be possible?”
He leaned back in his seat, trying to relax. His sister and brother would be waiting for him at White Sands. They were still discussing at Mission Control just what Greg and he could tell their families about what had happened on the Moon. They would have to be told something, how else could they explain their sudden appearance down on Earth?
Slaver Wars 1: Moon Wreck Page 9
