Mosar (Bright Horizons Book 3)

by Wilson Harp

  “Yeah.”

  “Did I get mentioned for taking the Fitzgerald in?”

  “Uhm. No. But if someone wanted to look it up, they would see your name. See?”

  Greenaway put a screen up on one of Williams’ monitors.

  “Faced with a deadly new weapon, Earth Force General Martin undertook a dangerous clandestine mission with highly decorated Marine Gunnery Sergeant Alex Ramirez and an engineer to lure the Iltia’cor’s gravitational weapon into a trap. The ship they were flying, the Fitzgerald, limped back to port heavily damaged, but successful in its mission. This action has been referred to as the Midway battle of the Iltia’cor war. There were no successful Iltia’cor actions after this point.”

  Alex laughed after Williams finished reading.

  “Wait!” said Greenaway. “If you click on the word engineer, it will take you to the First Contact information page, and that is where your name is listed.”

  Williams clenched his jaw and went back to his work.

  “Oh come on, Williams. Out of the Corps for a few years and you go soft?”

  “Sorry, just really stressed. I just don’t like the thought of another ten weeks heading back home in this box.”

  “Hey,” said Greenaway. “I feel the same way about being stuck in this chair for, oh I don’t know, the rest of my life!”

  Williams and Alex looked at each other.

  “I think he wins,” said Alex.

  “True. I guess I will get to see another alien planet and get to see Jii’s lab. That will be something at least.”

  “Hold on,” said Alex. “You aren’t on the team.”

  “Yes I am, Ramirez. Jii wants me there.”

  Alex closed his mouth. “I told Jii if I was going to be the head of his security operations, then I would make the final decisions on security.”

  “You really want to try to keep me from seeing the lab?”

  “You’re an engineer, Williams.”

  “And a 24 year Marine Veteran with 2 silver stars for valor. I can hold my own.”

  “I’ll think about it,” Alex said.

  “Take your time.”

  Greenaway laughed. “You two bicker more than anyone on this ship.”

  Alex started to say something, but was cut short by the comm.

  “Williams. Ramirez. Report to the command room,” said Cowboy.

  “Guess we are ready to plead our case,” Williams said.

  The ship dropped out of warp as they made their way toward the command room.

  “I wonder how they will receive us,” Alex said. “Do you think they know we’re coming?”

  “It would’ve been unwise to warn them.”

  “Oh yeah, the whole mosar-knowing-everything problem.”

  Jii waited for them outside the door. “Hurry, I don’t want to appear until after you’ve started.”

  “Negotiation strategy?” Williams asked.

  “No. A good entrance is a thing of beauty. Now get in there.”

  Alex and Williams entered the room and sat on either side of Cowboy.

  “Okay, Greenaway. We’re ready. Go ahead and hail the Inado vessel.”

  The three men looked at the screen in front of them. It never changed.

  “Greenaway?”

  “I’ve hailed them, Captain. I’ve confirmed they’ve received our transmission.”

  “Hail them again.”

  “What’s happening?” Jii asked from the hallway.

  “We’ve hailed them but they aren’t responding.”

  “Why not?”

  “How am I supposed to know? Is there something we should say or something—“

  The screen lit up.

  “Why do you want to speak with us?” A very menacing looking alien was on the screen.

  Alex thought if a lobster and an octopus had a baby, it would still be prettier than what the Inado looked like.

  “I am Captain Howard Jackson of the Earth Ship Enigma. I wish to speak to your commander.”

  “So you are the Earthlings? Come to make another visit to us?”

  Alex looked at Cowboy and Williams but they looked as confused as he felt.

  “We... we haven’t been here before,” Cowboy said.

  “No, not you. Not this ship. And what an odd ship it is,” the alien said. “The first ship which was sent to us never returned, as we warned you about.”

  “There was another Earth ship here?”

  “No, not here. At Mo’ti’sat. Where it was destroyed. As you will be if you enter the Oracos system.”

  “We’ve been traveling for a few months. We don’t know of any mission which would take an Earth ship into a mosar controlled system.”

  “Perhaps,” said the Inado. “You contacted us and are keeping your distance from the system. Unlike those others who insulted the Inado and refused to heed the warnings. They referenced an enemy as well.”

  “An enemy?” Jii asked as he entered the room. “What did they say?”

  The Inado dropped his head in a deep bow. “Master Jii. I apologize for not welcoming you properly. We did not sense you aboard.”

  “Yes, I wanted to see how good this ship was at masking mosar. I’m satisfied with the results. Our mission can proceed.”

  “What mission, Master Jii? Surely you do not intend to travel into the system.”

  “That is precisely what we will do. I will strike at the heart of mosar. I will conquer it and start the process of destroying it in our galaxy.”

  The Inado looked away from the screen. Alex could hear others speak to whom he assumed to be the captain of the Inado ship.

  “We cannot express how sad this makes us, Master Jii. To lose such knowledge on a day like this. It is a day of mourning.”

  “Could you detect us? I don’t mean with your surface sensors. I mean could you detect mosar coming from the ship?”

  “No, we could not.”

  “How did you feel when the humans sent a transmission to you?”

  “We were concerned. We had heard their system was devoid of mosar, but we never expected them so far from their system.”

  “And that is why our mission will succeed. This ship cannot be detected by mosar. We will travel to Oracos, enter my laboratory, make the correct adjustments, and I will purge mosar from my body.”

  “What will you do then?”

  “We will deliver the information to you, and to Earth, and the war will finally turn in our favor.”

  The alien remained silent. “Let me consider what you say.”

  “I would expect nothing less. Now, tell me about the other humans. You said they referenced an enemy. Who? And where were they? Leave nothing out.”

  “One of our vessels near Mo’ti’sat detected a ship heading toward the system. They hailed the vessel several times before they received a response. It was a small Earth vessel. We advised the crew of the ship they were entering a quarantine zone and they would not be allowed to leave or transmit data once they entered, but they informed us they were under the authority of the Earth government alone and they were on a diplomatic mission.”

  “Who were they going to negotiate with? Did they just end up in the wrong place?” Alex asked.

  “No,’ said Jii. “They were heading into the system on purpose.”

  “Correct,” said the Inado. “They claimed they were there to negotiate face to face with mosar.”

  “Did you ask where they discovered the location of the system? Who gave them the coordinates? Was it Heban?”

  “Yes, Master Jii.”

  “When was this?” Jii asked.

  “Eight weeks ago.”

  Jii turned to look at the humans. “It was a few days before the ambush at the asteroids. That’s how mosar knew where to find us. They extracted the information from those humans.”

  “But who would send them? Not Martin,” Cowboy said.

  “No,” said Williams. “It was Wu. They told the Inado they were under the authority of the Earth governmen
t.”

  “Makes sense,” said Alex. “And he’s stupid enough to think he could negotiate directly with the enemy.”

  “How long did the ship last?” Jii asked.

  “They were destroyed less than four hours after we spoke.”

  “How? Did mosar manifest itself and strike them? Is that possible?” Alex asked.

  “No, although in the past we have seen mosar do so, this time we did not observe that,” the Inado said.

  “Then how was the ship destroyed?”

  “The crew destroyed the ship. Either by overcharging the engines, or setting off an explosive device. Whichever was easiest to destroy the ship.” Jii said.

  “Mosar commanded them,” said Williams. “Mosar drained them of their knowledge and when they were no longer needed, they were told to destroy their ship.”

  Jii nodded. “This is why the quarantine zones are in place.”

  “I don’t get it,” said Alex. “Why didn’t mosar just take them over and send them back out to the galaxy. Wu would have taken them back to hear what they said, and then they would have helped infect Earth with mosar.”

  “Our enemy knows we stand vigilant,” the Inado said. “It does not try to send ships out anymore.”

  “You stand vigilant. This was what Drosphi warned us about,” said Cowboy. “If we go in, you won’t allow us back out. I would never have agreed to put the ship in jeopardy if I had known before we left.”

  “That is why I didn’t tell you,” Jii said. “And why I knew we had to speak to the Inado before we went in.”

  Jii turned to the screen. “When we succeed in our mission, we will need to leave the system and transmit data freely.”

  The alien shook his head. “No. This cannot be, Master Jii. We cannot allow this. Even mosar knows this. It’s why any ship which is foolish enough to enter one of the forbidden systems is summarily destroyed.”

  “May I address you…” Alex started.

  “His name is Lutamir kol Tran’dris. He is the Commander of the blockade around Oracos,” Jii said.

  Alex nodded at Jii and looked back at the screen.

  “May I say something, Commander?”

  “Yes, although it will not change my mind.”

  “You have mosar in your body, is that correct?”

  “Of course.”

  “Is it at a higher stage of development than the mosar in my body?”

  “No. The Inado do not have the lifespan necessary to allow mosar to develop beyond the basic form in our bodies.”

  “Interesting. Jii told us a little about your people and the burden you have put upon yourself. I understand mosar has somehow taken your home from you. I feel bad for you and would spare my world the same fate, if I can.”

  “Then you see why I cannot allow your ship to leave the quarantine zone once you enter.”

  “Oh, I get that,” said Alex. “And yet, I can’t help but wonder if that isn’t the goal of mosar all along.”

  The room went silent. Alex stared at the alien on the screen.

  “What do you mean?” the Inado commander asked.

  “I know I only have the lowest form of mosar in me, and yet Jii can use the mosar in him to influence and manipulate what I want to do. I understand this is one of the ways mosar expands its presence. I also assume it is the way it defends itself.”

  “The Inado who encountered mosar were infected by it more fully. We thought we could treat them on Inos, but we were wrong. It is too much of a risk.”

  “Life is full of risks, Commander.”

  “We lost our homeworld, to mosar, Earthman.”

  “I can’t imagine what that is like,” said Alex. “But having lost so much, I understand wanting to hold on to what you have left.”

  “You understand nothing. You suggest we are like frightened children who are afraid of being hurt. We stand on the front lines of the battle. Ready and willing to do whatever it takes to win this war.”

  “What have you done? Blown up a few ships? Centuries ago? From what you just told me, you don’t even have to do that anymore. You let mosar do your dirty work for you. And for what? So you can sit here like sentinels while the rest of the galaxy dissolves around you?”

  “We prevent mosar from leaving the quarantines in higher forms. We are slowing the spread,” the Inado said.

  Alex knew he was upset. The Inado defended his race against the accusations.

  “You have as much chance of stopping mosar in this manner as… an Esurak sunrise. We are the only ones here with a plan which will fight mosar and stop it from destroying the galaxy.

  The Inado commander jerked back as if Alex had physically struck him.

  “You… I should destroy your ship now,” he said. “But you are correct. We cannot win by merely slowing down the spread. Mosar will only be stopped when a way to reduce its presence can be discovered.”

  “It’s been discovered,” said Jii. “The planet of Earth has a moon which is unique. It is made of a material which inhibits the growth of mosar at its beginning stages. I believe I have found a way to replicate its properties so it will affect mosar in its more advanced stages.”

  “We developed the first mosar based weapons centuries ago, Master Jii. What type of weapon are you suggesting?”

  “Not a weapon, Tran’dris. A way of cleansing a life form of mosar without damaging the being.”

  “That is a dream and nothing more. Mosar is too infused in the molecular structure to be removed.”

  “The humans have been successful in removing mosar from their lightly infected people.”

  “I don’t believe it. If they were able to rid themselves of mosar… it would be beyond any technology we have heard of.”

  “It’s true. And I know why it works. Their bodies are not completely infused with it. The links are weak. Their moon creates the effect.”

  “What of these, then? They have no mosar in their bodies?”

  “No, they do, Tran’dris,” Jii said. “They have progressed far enough so it cannot be purged by the technology used.”

  “You speak as if they are more advanced than us. And yet, their ship is not overly impressive.”

  “I designed the ship,” Jii said. “But you are right, it is not impressive. I designed it for another purpose. To pass through the system undetected. I am hoping mosar does not see us and we can approach Oracos as if we were an asteroid.”

  “I am still not convinced.”

  “Have you ever seen a ship like this? Your scanners, which are designed to detect even the slightest traces of mosar, do not see us, do they?”

  “Of course not. The technology is new to us.”

  “And feared by mosar,” Alex said. “We have been ambushed on the way here. Twice. The second time, we had to be rescued by King Drosphi. If mosar knew what we were doing, and also knew you would destroy us if we tried to leave the system, don’t you think mosar would just get us into the system as quickly as possible?”

  “Listen to the Earthman,” Jii said. “The young often have wisdom their elders have overlooked.”

  Alex saw the doubt in the eyes of the Inado.

  “We risk our lives going into this place. Should we succeed, would you throw our triumph away?” Alex asked.

  “I am compelled to deny you,” the commander said. “And yet, your bold statements make me hopeful. We are fighting a losing war. Our strategy has been to lose as little as possible. A slower defeat, yes. But a defeat.”

  “I won’t promise you victory,” Alex said. “But I know we will face this challenge anyway.”

  “If I deny you, what will you do?”

  “We will turn back,” said Jii.

  “No!” said Williams and Cowboy together. They looked at each other and smiled.

  “We will not turn back,” said Cowboy. “We will still go forward and attempt to win a victory over our enemy.”

  “Then you have this promise. Come back to this location when you wish to leave the system. Contact
me and I will determine your fate. I can make no promises, but you are willing to face death to fight the enemy. I will aid you in this fight if I can.”

  “Thank you, Commander,” Cowboy said. “We will return as soon as we are able.”

  “I doubt that, Captain. But I hope you do. Your sacrifice will be remembered, Warlord Jii. May you find peace.”

  The screen cut off.

  “Well, that went much better than I had hoped,” Jii said.

  “You didn’t think he would allow us to return?” Williams asked.

  “No, and I still don’t think he will let us go freely when we do return. But I was hoping he would at least let us transmit the data we record so the work could continue.”

  Chapter 18

  Alex hovered over Greenaway’s station as the thrusters cut off.

  “Thrusters cold,” Williams said on the command channel.

  “We are on course and will be within radio detection in twenty hours,” said Cowboy.

  “What does our energy signal look like?” Alex asked Greenaway.

  “Tiny. Like an asteroid which slipped loose and is being pulled in by the sun.”

  “They can’t sense us?”

  “No. Not unless they were right on top of us and looking.”

  “Relax,” Williams said. “We are just as invisible as we were in the asteroid field.”

  Alex paced around the large room. Aside from the common room, the engineering lab was the largest area on the ship. Alex felt like it was the closest thing to outside on the ship. For weeks he had chided other members of the crew for their complaints and general grumpiness because of the enclosed environment, but in the last few days the ship began to press in on him.

  “Stop pacing,” Williams said.

  “Sorry, just nervous I guess.”

  “You’ve never been stressed about a mission before.”

  “Not the mission. Well, not all the mission. I just keep thinking even if the Inado let us return home…”

  Greenaway and Williams waited for him to finish.

  “Even if they let us return home?” Greenaway prompted.

  “Even if we get to go home,” said Alex. “We will still have to spend another two months minimum on this ship.”

  “Out!” said Williams. “Now. Get out. I didn’t need to hear that, Alex.”