Expedition (Galactic Neighborhood Book 1)

by Alexander Elliott

  “You bring up an excellent point, Jet, and we must take it seriously. What we may be forgetting, however, is no matter what we do or where we decide to settle, there will always be potential for conflict with other species. We will take every sensible precaution available to us to safeguard our new home, but encounters with other beings will have to be handled one at a time.”

  “The alternative is to live in fear and paralysis, never putting down roots anywhere. Our mission is to find a world which can sustain us, and establish a thriving colony. There are inherent dangers in such a mission, and we must be prepared to face them. We now know we are not alone in the universe, but who is to say we were any safer on Earth?”

  Some were caught unprepared by the question, and the ensuing discussion reflected both the sobering and freeing nature of the answers to it. Mosis, having already come to his own conclusions, was asked to share his recommendations based on the information they possessed.

  “It is my belief the former occupants of this planet do not present a barrier to our colonization plans, and though the future is unknown, we may never find a more ideal world to settle. My recommendations are two-fold. First, I believe we should establish our colony here. Second, we must create stationary and mobile defenses to protect and defend our home and this star system. Once we have accomplished this, we may once more turn our attention to exploration and research.”

  Perry, unsurprised by Mosis’ succinct report, forestalled the inevitable debate by rising from his chair.

  “Our charter is clear. Decisions of this nature are ultimately decided by myself and Commander Tascio. I’m sure he would agree, however, that we welcome the input of our senior officers. We will remove ourselves from this meeting, and give you a chance to discuss our options. Please contact us in my ready room when you have reached a decision.”

  Perry and Jet left the room and entered the nearest transit tube, traveling in silence until they reached the Captain’s private office. They settled in two comfortable chairs, tucked away in a corner of the large suite. Jet, who was not normally a man of few words, broke the silence.

  “I take it you have a reason for handling things this way?”

  Perry allowed a small smile to grace his visage before he responded.

  “I thought it best to allow them to have their voices heard. The decisions we make here are of the highest significance and will dramatically influence our future. If we can proceed with everyone in agreement, it will have an extraordinary effect on every part of our life and work. You cannot convince me your thoughts are any different.”

  Jet laughed at the Captain’s teasing.

  “Yes, Chris, I agree with you! I suspect we are also in agreement in our response to Mosis’ recommendations. I not only endorse them, I would insist our defenses be in place before I even consider releasing the cradle. Security must be our number one priority if we are ever to feel safe enough to settle down. There’s just too much at stake.”

  Perry nodded in agreement.

  “We are of the same opinion, Jacob, and I am encouraged by it. I would be surprised if the others do not come to the same conclusion.”

  The two leaders continued their conversation around a cup of coffee, but did not have long to wait before their presence was requested in the meeting room.

  The mood of the senior staff appeared to be one of excitement, rather than conflict, and there were smiles all around the table as the men found their seats. Mosis, apparently elected as spokesman, began without delay.

  “It is our unanimous recommendation the colony be established on this planet, and immediately address the issue of our defenses, both here and in the surrounding system.”

  Perry stood and gestured Jet to his side before speaking.

  “We accept your recommendations with gratitude, and agree with them. Please note in the ships’ log - I now invoke Article One of the Expedition Charter. Jacob E. Tascio is formally acknowledged as the Chancellor of the future colony on this as yet unnamed planet. Decisions regarding said colony shall henceforth be decided by his office. My duties will focus on the security of our people wherever they may be found. An advisory board, consisting of the officer’s present, will work in conjunction with the established leadership, until a general election may be held.”

  Perry paused, momentarily overwhelmed by the enormity of their decision.

  “We have waited a long time for this moment, and I must admit I am eager to begin building our life here. Congratulations, my friends, and welcome home.”

  Chapter 9

  Establishing a colony from scratch was an enormous task, no matter the circumstances. Fortunately, the tools available to Jet made the job far easier, if not less daunting. Lynn Tuttle was persuaded to accept the position of colony Administrator, and the two of them made an impressive team. In addition, much of the planning was completed over the long journey from Earth, saving time and providing a general blueprint.

  Furthermore, the technological tools which only recently became available gave the colony team tremendous advantages, unforeseen when Expedition left Earth. The initial challenge was to decide on a location for the first settlement, which would also include a government complex, medical facility, and an R&D center to support the cradle. Considering their treaty agreement, it was also decided to construct an enclave specially designed for Vingah visitors and to house their embassy. Similar plans were being developed on Khrusallis for a Human occupied district.

  One of Jet’s first tasks was to assign names to everything, and he decided to lean heavily on old Earth mythology. The planet was named Pacifica, orbiting the star Helios, and located in the Vulcan system. Pacifica’s two moons were dubbed Castor and Pollux. Next came the search for the first settlement and center of government. The northern hemisphere, as it turned out, contained two areas of particular interest. The first was the site of the sea dweller city, which was declared a protected archeological site. A few miles distant, was a unique grouping of islands in the shape of a wagon wheel. This natural formation was chosen as the new capital, and in a nod to the recently discovered alien city, was named Atlantis.

  The center island, to be known as Alpha, was dominated at one end by an inactive cone volcano, but was still large enough to house the cradle and supporting R&D center. Moving the cradle from the safety of the ship to the planet’s surface would take place only after the security of the entire system was ensured. Meanwhile, construction began on the complex needed to house it. Five other islands of varying sizes and shapes made up the outside of the wheel, and plans called for ‘spokes’ of interconnecting bridges, linking all the islands together.

  Moving clockwise around Alpha at the one o’clock position was Beta, the location of the government complex. At the four o’clock spot was the smallest island, named Delta, which was reserved for foreign embassies. At six o’clock, Zeta was essentially one huge business park. The island at nine o’clock, Epsilon, was planned residential, including homes, apartments, and mixed small businesses. The eleven o’clock site, Gamma, would be home to the capital’s primary medical facility.

  One of the Sentinels was temporarily reprogrammed for construction purposes, as it could create foundations in a matter of minutes, move massive amounts of soil and rock, and could work around the clock if necessary. The nanite technology used to create the crystal forest aboard the Vingah vessel was adapted to erect the structures needed on all the islands. They would be sturdy, spacious, practical, and share a similar look - but it would only take weeks to complete the buildings, and getting the colony established took precedence over design or esthetics. With a dynamic leadership team, creative use of technology, and a motivated work force, the colony infrastructure was off to a good start and would be completed in far less time than anyone could have dreamed.

  ####

  With the planet side construction underway, the recently promoted Admiral Perry took on the task of building the defenses needed to protect their new home. Theresa Arlington, now
Captain Arlington, assumed command of Expedition and was charged with training or retraining personnel to man the vessels Perry needed to secure the Vulcan System. Mosis, of course, was kept busy as Coordinator and was the vital link for communications, personnel, training, construction, and the day to day running of the ship.

  Perry and his team, using the shuttle and a Sentinel, traveled to Khrusallis several times to consult with Councilor Threen and his colleagues. With their combined ideas and expertise, plans were developed to secure both the Pacifica and Khrusallis systems using any means at their disposal. The Vingah opted to use only unmanned craft, as they had no love of space flight or the desire to explore.

  Defending their system, however, would require similar weapons, surveillance, and communications hardware as those needed by their human friends. With the same goals in mind, it made sense to pool their resources and work together. The Vingah graciously used their new orbital smelter to duplicate itself as a gift to their human partners. Now both systems were busy with the extraction of raw materials needed to bring their careful plans to life.

  Given the fact there were currently only three hundred humans available, most of their ships, weapons, and surveillance platforms would be run by non-sentient AI’s. Even after the cradle began creating more colonists, it would still be many years before they were mature enough to man the space fleet. For now, Perry concentrated on producing a limited number of manned vessels, designed with fold space drives, living quarters, stealth shielding and powerful weapons.

  These ships would perform all the tasks the Sentinels were never designed to do, while leaving the extremely powerful pillars at home where they were needed. There would always be tasks for fleet, flexible craft requiring a live crew, and Perry expected them to be busy indeed. Always thinking ahead, part of his plan was to use the ships to train future officers and pilots. By the time the population expanded and matured, they would have a solid core of experienced men and women to serve as instructors in the future space academy.

  While the hardware was being designed and built, it became apparent they needed a better, faster way to travel back and forth between Pacifica and Khrusallis. It was impractical, and potentially dangerous, to draft a Sentinel into service every time a science team, ambassador, or individual needed to pay a visit. The current process was also time consuming and required space flight on both ends just to go from planet surface to surface. In addition, if a call for military aid ever became necessary, it would take too long to respond, creating a potentially dangerous gap before help could arrive.

  With the fold space process as a starting point, and some creative adaptation of the technology, the two related problems were solved using a simple point-to-point transport system. To move from Pacifica to Khrusallis (and vice versa), without the need for spacecraft, dedicated travel terminals were established on each planet. Special carriages were designed for the quick, comfortable movement of individuals from one planet surface to the other, and were not space flight capable.

  The carriages were outfitted with changeable internal gravity, atmosphere, and temperature controls, based on the conditions at the destination. Several carriages would be kept ready for use at each end, and a simple signal would open the space fold and make the transfer instantly. It was decided to locate the first terminals near the seat of government on both worlds, since most of the need at this point revolved around official business.

  To facilitate faster travel for space-based craft, simpler versions of the Sentinels were created and designated as Gatekeepers. Two of them would be assigned a permanent parking orbit for each world, and be powerful enough to send through a single ship or multiple ships at a time. With activation of an encrypted communications signal, the traveling vessels would be able to approach the Gate and slip right on through without pause to their destination. Once the terminals and Gates were created and installed, the pace of the work increased immensely. It became easy to exchange ideas, personnel, hardware, or raw materials, and many forgot Pacifica and Khrusallis were thousands of light years apart in very different regions of the galaxy.

  ####

  The previous weeks and months passed on both worlds in a frenzy of creative activity, all with the sole purpose of securing their homes and the surrounding space. Any sacrifices made at this juncture were for the good of their respective peoples, and formed the very foundation upon which everything else was based. The collective strain reared its ugly head from time to time, but the completion of their tasks made the resulting celebrations even sweeter.

  Both planets were now enclosed by an interconnected surveillance system named the Dandelion. Thousands of independent drones formed a spherical shell around each world which resembled the white puff of a dandelion surrounding its seed. Linked by whisker lasers, they remained ever vigilant to provide early warning of anything entering the system which may be a source of danger. Even the new weapons platforms, which remained in full stealth mode, couldn’t get past them without being challenged.

  These AI monitored platforms contained highly sophisticated weapons, independent power plants, stealth capability, full shielding, and fold space drives, making them a formidable first line of defense. Each world also boasted stationary orbital weapons which could be fired from space or the surface. And leaving nothing to chance, Castor and Pollux were fitted out with their own well-hidden defense blisters.

  For more mobile defenses, several of the smaller four-man ships (nicknamed quads) were tasked with round-the-clock monitoring and maintenance of all the system defenses. The last piece of the plan called for the creation of a combined space station and shipyard to build and service the future fleet and house its personnel. This project was temporarily placed on hold while the populace of both planets celebrated their achievements.

  ####

  The journey to Khrusallis was both brief and uneventful. No sooner did the carriage occupants make themselves comfortable, then it was time to disembark. The lighter gravity, warmer temperatures, and peach-pink sky were startling at first, but the nine invited humans were intent on enjoying their unfamiliar surroundings. Perry, Mosis, and the Advisory board, along with Jet and Lynn were all present for the celebration. With their systems protected, it wasn’t as nerve wracking to leave home and let their hair down.

  The travel terminal on Khrusallis was located adjacent to their main government building, which also housed the Governor’s office and Council chambers. The building itself was an architectural marvel of design and beauty, made in the likeness of an open Shoosta blossom. Only one of the petals bent low enough to reach the ground, and this served as the main entrance off the park-like plaza shared by all the neighboring buildings. It was here Thriss and the Council members waited for their human guests, who hurried to meet their hosts for the day.

  We thank you for coming to celebrate with us, dear friends. Our peoples have worked hard to achieve what you see here. We are eager to hear of your progress on Pacifica and look forward to joining you there soon. We have much we wish to show you, along with some entertainment and refreshments. If you would follow me, please, I would like to begin with your new Embassy.

  The Vingah delegation turned and re-entered the building, leading their guests across the large airy foyer to another exit on the opposite side. Gasps of delight were the first indication the humans were pleased with what they saw. Standing before them was an enormous re-creation of the Parthenon of ancient Greece. Thriss knew of Jet’s fondness for the mythological tales from that era of human history, and thought it was an appropriate way to create a distinctly human style for their embassy. The exterior spared no detail or embellishment, and the grounds were impeccably groomed to highlight the building’s features.

  Inside, they found clean, comfortable, modern spaces, specifically tailored to human needs. Efficient offices, comfortable living quarters, meeting rooms, a common kitchen and dining room, and even a small gymnasium and individual VR booths. Gravity plates were installed throughout and
could be adjusted at will, along with temperature and atmospheric settings. The embassy grounds also boasted its own shield in the case of bombardment from space. Every convenience and comfort was incorporated into the complex to create a true home away from home. The human delegation was floored. Secretly, Jet was looking forward to showing the Vingah their embassy, which he knew was equally impressive.

  From there, they all enjoyed a light meal, followed by a choreographed aerial display which was unlike anything ever before seen. Costumed Vingah flitted and swooped through the air, pulling brightly colored streamers and releasing fragrant Shoosta blossoms over the heads of the audience below. Thriss herself narrated the story, which turned out to be a creation account from their own mythology. Thoroughly enchanted, the humans were then taken on a tour of the capital, an inspection of their security systems, and finally to visit what the humans would have called a museum.

  Part of the grounds were dedicated to large pieces of art, many with historical significance. These were part of the contents of the underground caverns on old Khrusos, which the crews painstakingly transferred to the new ship. Now they could be once again enjoyed by the Vingah people and any visitors fortunate enough to take the time to look. Inside the building were various displays of artifacts and artwork, most of which were extremely old, fragile, and priceless. The tour finally stopped before a lovely display of wing-shaped panels, secured to a central crystal spire in a circular pattern which spread out as it rose from the floor. The colors and patterns were breathtaking, and it was clear the Vingah held this piece in special esteem. Thriss finally spoke.