Index
Chapter 3 - Intruder
Columbia has been holding station 3.5 light years from Epsilon Eridani for 4 hours while the crew works to determine just how they covered that distance in under 5 minutes. Senior staff is meeting in the General’s Conference Room to discuss their findings.
Jeff opened the meeting. “Javier, what have you determined so far?”
“As you know the Gravity Bubble and especially the Grav Focus does warp space just like Einstein theorized. An extension of this theory supposes the creation of an Einstein-Rosen bridge or wormhole. When we engaged the Grav Focus we created a wormhole and didn’t know it. When Colonel Callaghan adjusted the Grav Frequency she tuned Columbia to the wormhole frequency and allowed us to enter. By the time we could shut down the Grav Drives we were halfway to our destination.” Javier explained.
“But we were not able to detect the wormhole?” Jeff asked.
“No Sir, not at that time. We conferred with the Collective and they reported they felt a ripple in space directly ahead of Columbia. We went back through the sensor logs looking for any anomalies and sure enough we found the ripple. In fact, we went back through the logs from all previous FTL engagements and that ‘ripple’ shows up every time. We looked for the gravity frequencies of the anomalies and they are close but not quite consistent. Our Grav Drives are and we have come very close before to matching frequencies and entering a wormhole just like we did here. I believe that now that we know what to look for we can avoid or enter these wormholes as we please.” Javier concluded.
Jeff looked around the room and asked “So any theories as to what would happen if we rode the wormhole to the other side?”
Glory answered “I’ve queried all the studies and theories I could find on the subject as well as all the expertise on Columbia and then the Collective listened on wormholes intently and basic agreement would seem to indicate a wormhole will not form close to a singularity. So in essence if we entered the wormhole we would exit just outside the solar system we focused on. So a free ride at about a light year per minute. We’re preparing a data dump on our findings for CentCom and working up our own simulations to make sure we can avoid or enter a wormhole at will and also that it should in fact terminate short of the target system.”
Jeff considered the information for a moment, “Ok, then let’s keep on the simulations and also keep CentCom up to date. We’ll hold station until we have direction from Earth. Unless there is any other input?” Jeff asked while appraising the room. “Then dismissed.”
Jeff, Glory and Saoi have been called to medical by security about a couple that were apparently assaulted by a member of the Collective. Dr. Evans along with Captain Gerard were waiting in the ICU at the beds of two of the Columbia crew.
As they approached Jeff acknowledged Rhonda Evans and then turned to the Marine Commander, Captain Gerard “Adam please bring us up to speed on what happened.”
“Yes Sir, this is Joan and David Johanson. In the conference room down the hall we have two of the Collective who apparently saved the lives of the Johansons from the attack of another of the Collective.” Adam reported. “The best we can determine is that the two Collective were passing by the Johanson’s quarters and heard them screaming for help. They could not physically gain entry and so they disembodied and entered. They found another of the Collective over their bed assaulting them. Their presence scared off the attacker and then they administered to the Johansons because they were badly injured.”
“General I can attest to the severity of the injuries. They were beaten badly and had the Collective not administered to them we could not have saved them.” Rhonda interjected.
Jeff looked over at Joan and David, even with the accelerated healing that Rhonda’s team have administered, the bruising on head, face and arms spoke to the severity of the attack. “I take it that they are unconscious now? Prognosis then?” Jeff asked.
“We’ve got the internal bleeding stopped and broken bones have been set. We’re working on Cerebral Edema in both of them but feel we have that under control. They’ll be in medically induced coma for another day or two and won’t know for sure if there is any long term brain injury that we’ll have to deal with until we bring them out.” Rhonda reported.
“Thank you Rhonda. Adam I would like to interview the Collective that saved them then. Please lead the way.” Jeff waved his arm in the direction of the conference room and then Jeff, Glory and Saoi followed the Marine Captain.
After leaving ICU they entered a small conference room capable of seating ten. At the table were two of the Collective. All of the Collective still wore the simple thigh length shirt as their garment of choice and also all had the same amber color waist length hair. At least it was amber on Eden with the Epsilon Eridani star having a red shift to the light. On Columbia with the light temperature more like Earth’s Sol their hair had a green tint to it. Had, as in past tense. Glory just noticed that now their hair was the same amber tone as it was on Eden. Glory looked to Saoi and before she could form the question he answered, “The greenish tint was a bit unsettling and we have adjusted so that our hair looks correct under your whiter light.”
Glory suppressed a snicker considering the circumstances and thought back, “I’ll have to pay closer attention to see what else you might decide to change.”
Jeff and the others took seats around the table and then Jeff asked them to review what happened from their perspective.
They looked at each other and at Saoi and then one spoke for both of them. “We were walking to the mess hall near our quarters and passing through the crew quarters. As we were passing the quarters for these two we heard them very loudly. We understood these noises to be the private times we are supposed to avoid and so we did our best to leave them alone and proceed on to our destination.”
He paused for a moment and then Jeff motioned for them to proceed.
“Before we could pass by though we heard another’s thoughts saying ‘Be quiet’ and ‘Leave me alone’ and then we could hear the humans screaming. We were not sure what to do at first as we have been taught to leave humans alone in their privacy during these times but then the screaming persisted. We thought that something was wrong and so tried to gain entry at their door but it was locked. The screaming continued so we entered the room in spirit form. Then we saw what seemed to be one of the Collective but not one we know and somehow different in its thoughts. This one was angry and beating them yelling to be quiet. We moved to stop the attack and when the attacker saw us it fled. We saw how badly injured the couple were and so stayed to help them instead of pursuing.” He completed his statement and then looked at General Fitsimmons.
Jeff looked to Saoi but before Jeff could speak Saoi added “General, we have shared this communication and experience within the Collective and those like the Colonel here who can join with us and we can confirm that this is not one of the Collective. This intruder is in many ways very similar to us but the anger and attack is unknown in our culture. While it wants quiet and left alone we that accompany you on the mission enjoy your human company and seek you out. We are now aware of this presence and have begun to search the ship to find this intruder.”
Jeff nodded in agreement “Yes I would agree this is completely out of character with any interaction I had or heard of with the Collective. So if not one of you then what are we dealing with and where might it have come from?”
“We do not know so we must find this intruder and then we will know.” Saoi responded.
“Very well. Glo, you and Saoi coordinate a search for our intruder and the Collective can think on a solution to handle it once we locate it.” Jeff gave them their orders, thanked the two members of the Collective for helping the Johanson’s and then dismissed the meeting.
Every Collective and every sensitive human on the Columbia joined in a search for the intruder. Was it still on the ship or would it have left? Several times the searchers spotted the intruder only to hear
the same “Be quiet!! Leave me alone!!” and then it slipped away. Finally, a group managed to find it and surround it in an unused cargo bay. Since this is a maiden flight to prepare to seed the colonies most of the huge ship was unused. Eventually the Columbia would carry up to 500,000 colonists per trip to new homes instead of the current 18,500.
Saoi, Glory, and most of the Collective were alerted and arrived at the shuttle bay out of body to attempt to secure the intruder. When they arrived the other Collective surrounded the intruder like a ball of light. It was still demanding to be left alone but could not escape. Saoi thought to Glory to stay back in safety and observe. She complied and he moved closer. They both merged into the Collective and as one they asked “Why are you here? Who are you?”
This startled the intruder. It paused and listened. As the Collective continued with the questions something familiar about this intruder crept into the Collective. Was this one of their own? How would that be possible?
Then the intruder seemed to calm and reach out … and … merged with the Collective. Suddenly there was recognition. This was one that left in the recent past. This one left about two years ago. Yes, they recognized him! How could one survive that long without the body to nourish?
The thoughts and experience of the last two years flowed into the Collective. They all experienced what he experienced. The awesome majesty of interstellar space. The peace and solitude. In spirit form as an energy being he found abundant energy that could be consumed and sustain him, but the cost was sanity. Now in merged thought with the Collective he found his sanity again and realized the wrong he had committed. As the Collective listened they became one on a solution. While he had survived without a body this long it was not a possibility to continue without a body. This one could take over one of the Collective bodies of the two that had died while defending against the Basel Confederation. “We are one on this!”
Slowly the intruder and the Collective moved towards the Med Bays where the two orphaned Collective bodies were cared for. When they arrived the intruder joined with one of the bodies and let out a deep breath and sat up.
Saoi rejoined Glory “We should rejoin our bodies and brief General Fitsimmons.”
Glory thought back “You read my mind.” And at that gave a mental nudge to her ever present companion.
“Ok Ok I’m going. Sheesh pushy much!” he replied.
After returning to her body Glory sent a message to Jeff that the ‘intruder’ situation was resolved and they were on their way to him to report.
Jeff was in his ready room when they entered C&C and joined him there.
As Glory and Saoi took their places at his conference table Jeff asked “So the problem is ‘resolved’? How is that possible?”
Glory began to explain “Well Jeff as you know every sensitive on this ship was searching for our intruder and spotted it several times. The Collective finally surrounded it in cargo bay F10. We humans stayed out of the actual capture for safety but joined in the Collective to question and listen until we were one on a solution. We now bring that solution to you for approval.” Glory interjected the last part as she saw that Jeff was not pleased with a solution being decided outside the chain of command.
Saoi explained then “General it turns out that this was one of the Collective but one that had left us about two years ago. We did not think it possible to survive anything more than a couple of weeks and certainly not more than a month separate from our body but this one found a way to draw energy for nourishment from interstellar space. While he survived he was not sane. When we suddenly appeared in close proximity it angered him that we brought all our noise to disrupt his solitude. Unfortunately, he chose to confront the noise and the result was the Johansons being injured. We were able to draw him into the Collective and help him find a way back to logic. He has joined one of the bodies from the Collective that died in the battle with the Invincible and is no longer of an angry mind. He is quite remorseful for the pain he has caused. He is once again a part of the Collective and no longer an intruder or threat.”
Jeff leaned back in his chair and thought about the new information and how best to proceed. Finally, he leaned forward and looked at both of them. “Once again it seems I am the last to know something.” Jeff gave a wink at Glory and continued “Although there really wasn’t any other way to handle it or to inform me any faster. My concern is the appearance to the non-sensitive crew members that might have a hard time understanding how we can just proclaim someone cured and be let off without any punishment.”
“General, we are willing to accommodate whatever action you suggest. The feeling amongst the Collective is a tremendous amount of remorse.” Saoi responded.
“Jeff, what if the Collective kept him separate from the crew for two weeks, a month or longer and that way we have time to observe and make sure he is truly back with the Collective once and for all? That would appear to the crew as punishment while assuring he is observed and truly rehabilitated.” Glory suggested.
After a few seconds Jeff replied “Yes I think that might work. I think the separation would be prudent and safe. Let’s go with that for now and then we can assess how much time is needed. So if that is settled then you two and the rest of the ships complement need to get back on our wormhole dilemma.”
Index
Chapter 4 - Jump
“Columbia, it is the consensus opinion of the best minds here at CentCom that we are in agreement with your findings; that it is safe to enter the wormhole your Gravity Drives generate and that exit will be short of your grav focus target. All static tests and models we can run have the same outcome. You are cleared to engage Gravity Drive focus on Tau Ceti and enter the wormhole. I wish we could test this on an unmanned vessel but you are the only test we have. Good luck and report in from the other side. Emerson out.”
“Well you have General Emerson’s word on the subject.” Jeff said as he turned from the screen to his senior staff at the conference table. “However, his life is not on the line and ours is. I’m not going to order this without your ascent. We have perfectly safe 10 C travel for the next 4 months to get to Tau Ceti. If this works, then we’re there in about 5 minutes. So let’s have your input. Engineering?”
“Yes Sir” Javier Rodrigues began. “We know that we entered the wormhole and traveled 3.5 light years safely and that we exited the wormhole without damage once we shut down the Gravity Drives. The question is what happens when we get to Tau Ceti? Where will the wormhole exit? The physics suggest the wormhole cannot survive in close proximity of the singularity and so we would exit outside of the Heliosphere of Tau Ceti. The one test we have not been able to run to prove this is to try to engage Gravity Focus within the gravity well of a star. That being said, my feelings are that we are safe to finish the trip to Tau Ceti by entering the wormhole. Our systems were able to track our position in real time and so we can set a failsafe to have Gravity Drives shut down short of the solar system in case the wormhole does extend into the gravity well further than we theorize.”
“Noted. Medical?” Jeff asked and turned to Rhonda Evans.
“I see no medical issues so long as the darn thing does spit us out in interstellar space and not Tau Ceti’s corona” Rhonda continued after a few chuckles “but I didn’t come out here because I like to play it safe. I’m ready to be at Tau Ceti now. I vote for the wormhole.”
“I concur on not liking to end up in the corona as well. Dr. Gossling?” Jeff turned to Columbia’s Chief of Psychiatry.
“General I’m not a big physics expert so I’ll defer to those more knowledgeable on the subject. Speaking for the crew morale though, what I’ve been hearing and seeing is the crew is ready to make the jump. So am I.”
“Thank you Emma.” Now turning to Glory “So Colonel what is your opinion?”
“General when we first left Sol system we had never actually engaged Gravity Drive Focus and were not positive that the acceleration was not going to just make all of us a big sta
in on the bulkheads. To me the science of this wormhole ‘jump’ as Emma called it” giving Dr. Gossling a wink “seems as solid as the science we relied on with that first 2 C acceleration. With what we know now I vote to jump.”
“Ok, it appears we now have a name for the maneuver. I like it by the way Emma.” Jeff then turned to Saoi. “The Collective are not aggressive risk takers by nature although that risk taking is part of the selection profile that made us part of the crew. The Collective are part of the crew now so what are your thoughts?”
“Thank you General. We have not been risk takers but wanting to experience new things is why we are with you. We have listened on this science and believe it not to be a risk. Even if it were we would still vote to ‘jump’.” Saoi replied.
“With over 5,000 minds listening as 1 on this subject that is a reassuring vote of confidence.” Jeff then turned to the Marine Commander. “Captain Gerard?”
“Marines are a go Sir.”
With a slight chuckle Jeff responded, “Direct, no nonsense response. I would expect nothing else. So far we all seem to be in agreement. Is there any other opinions?” He paused to survey the room and seeing all were in agreement he concluded, “All right then, we ‘Jump’ to Tau Ceti in 12 hours. Colonel please coordinate preparations and if you please one last run through simulations to make sure we have not forgotten any variable.”
“Yes Sir. We’ll be sure to check our calculations thoroughly.” Glory replied.
Jeff then addresses the room “Let’s be about it then.”
The 12-hour time frame that Jeff had set was purposely much more time than was needed in order to allow for a full simulation run and a thorough review of the results just to be as sure as they could be that they were not going to enter the wormhole only to exit inside the Tau Ceti sun. In fact, two more runs were completed and analyzed with the results consistent with both theory and previous simulations. Every review confirmed their expectations and only left actually entering the wormhole to prove the science. Finally, the time for the Jump was at hand.
On to Tau Ceti Page 3
