by Kelly Curtis
“I beat you to it,” replied Christopher. “I explained that I grew up as your father’s next door neighbor and was a big fan of your father’s work and would have liked to see what someone on Mars One bought. Of course, they said they didn’t know which shipping container your father’s paintings were stored in and that they weren’t authorized to open them anyway.”
“Convenient,” commented Afia.
Alma looked at her officers, “Afia, I want you to go and have a look at the Alba even if it’s just to circle the outside and take some scans discreetly. Eito, I want you and Christopher to go to the bar,” there was only one bar on Mars One Station, “And talk to people, don’t be too obvious, but there are bound to be some people who know something. There’re always drunk talkers on stations like this. Buy people drinks, kiss women, kiss men, I don’t care, but find out how long the Alba has been here and what they’ve said to others about why they’re here. I think we can all agree, none of this adds up.”
“Are we paying for our drinks from our UCs or yours, Captain?” Christopher asked.
“It depends if you find out anything worthwhile. I don’t want to know about anything but the Alba, the Yomi or the Dante,” she replied to Christopher. “Let’s figure out if the crew of the Alba are just rich idiots running some cargo for an adventure or if there is something more sinister going on.”
Some hours later Afia came back and reported to Alma what she had managed to find out about the Alba.
“That ship is a real beauty,” Afia said to Alma, while showing her the readouts from the Alba and comparing them with what little information they had about the Yomi from the deleted Dante memory core. “I was lucky the Station Master had requested an inventory and they were working on it when I stopped by. I was able to talk to a young woman from the station who comes from a city not far from where my parents live, and because of that she was extra friendly.”
“Good work. What did you find out?”
“That for a human ship, it was the best streamlined hodgepodge of collective galactic technology she had ever encountered. She swore there were even some Unification components to it. But the most surprising thing was that the Alba had been built recently on Enceladus and all at one time,” Afia said. Almost all human ships were built up and replaced ongoingly. No one had the UCs to build such a ship from scratch, especially not on Enceladus.
“Does it have jump drive?” Alma asked thinking about the Explorer.
“No, but it definitely has Red torpedoes and Trappist fast drive. Once the Alba leaves Mars One, we probably wouldn’t be able to catch them, even if we wanted to.”
“And the crew? Did you meet any of them?”
“I didn’t have the opportunity, but the station worker told me that she thought they were just a bunch of ridiculous annoying people off on a silly adventure. She said that most of them had never left Earth before last year and that a lot of them were older.”
“What’s your feeling? Are they just bored people idealizing the adventure of space life?”
“I think,” Afia said thoughtfully, “They’re hiding something substantial. If they were just bored wealthy people on an adventure, they wouldn’t act so secretive or arrogant.”
Alma laughed, she actually knew quite a few bored rich people through her parents, “Oh I’ve heard quite a few stupid things come out of people’s mouths in my time, but usually they lack the energy to actually make any of their ‘wild and adventurous plans’ come true.” Alma looked at Afia’s scans, “And the scans?”
“As you can see, they are all normal, except I picked up the same radiation that Christopher found on the Dante.” Afia, pointed to a section of the schematic of the ship, “It was coming from here.”
“How low?”
“Low enough that it was only picked up by the new sensor you got me on my wrist,” she showed Alma.
“Could it be background radiation?” asked Alma.
“No. I triple checked and when I returned to the ship I compared against the readings from the Dante. It’s odd and it was definitely coming from the Alba. I even spoke to the station worker about it. She doubted my sensor, as hers picked up nothing. And it definitely wasn’t coming from anywhere else in the station, I checked that too.”
“What would give off radiation? Do you reckon the ship was built badly?”
“Humans were the last to use any power source that would give off radiation centuries ago. There would be no reason why they would incorporate any of that ancient human technology into such a modern ship. I’m going to recalibrate the sensor and then walk by again and see if I get the same readouts.”
“This is all so odd. I’m going to think about this. Let me know if you come across anything else. Hopefully, Christopher and Eito will find something out. But, I’m confident the Alba is definitely the Yomi and whatever the Dante was transporting is there now.”
July 7th, 2635 Mars One Station, Mars
“It’s early,” Eito complained as he sat down. All the officers of the Indy were assembled again in the conference room. It was seven in the morning. They were scheduled to depart in two hours and the Mars One Station Master wanted them gone as another supply ship was coming in.
“Christopher, Eito,” Alma slapped her palm on the table to get their attention as they were both hungover. Wake up. What did you find out last night?”
Christopher began, “I think we talked and drank with everyone on the station. These people, the crew of the Alba, are maniacs. They’ve no idea what they’re doing. They’ve talked about places they’ve never been and pirates they’ve never met.”
“Are they pirates?” Alma asked.
“No,” Eito replied. “They’re all from relatively good backgrounds from various guilds on Earth and only Earth, but it’s odd because their ship, the Alba, was built on Enceladus.”
“We know,” said Afia. “What did they say about that?”
“Nothing. I asked,” Christopher answered. “I asked why they would do that as it’s so much more expensive and they answered so proudly that UCs weren’t an issue for them. Then they explained to me, as if I didn’t know anything about starships, that it made more sense to build on Enceladus. It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard.”
“And,” Eito added, “Some of them were using ICs.”
“But none of them were from the Mars Military Guild or Government Guild?”
Christopher shook his head, “When I questioned a few of them about it, saying that I could arrest them for it. They gave me the line, that they were on the space station so they were allowed to use ICs. I reminded them that Mars One was not Titan and then, if you can believe this, they told me to try and arrest them for using ICs.”
“Did you try?” Alma asked.
“No, of course not, I just slapped the kid that said it. I’m not wasting my time on that kind of paperwork and it wouldn’t keep them here anyway.”
“They’re very sure of themselves and of their assumed protection from us, the JC, and have a lot of confidence in whatever they are doing.”
“Did they say when they were leaving Mars One Station?”
“No, they were very vague. They knew we were leaving this morning though.”
“Did you ask how they knew that?” Alma asked, as it was strange you would check when other ships were coming in and out unless you had a specific reason for the information.
“Oh again, they were vague, heard it from someone.”
“What’s your overall feeling?”
Christopher and Eito looked at each other and then Eito replied, “I think, there’s something holding these people together on their little adventure that we are missing. None of them come from the same guild, the same continent or have anything in common except that now they are all a part of the Alba’s crew. And they are all so green, they don’t even realize how odd that is.”
“And they have so much UCs and confidence for people with such little experience,” Christopher added.
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“No clue to their cargo?”
“They still insist it’s art. I pushed them on it but they made up some story, none of it checked out,” Eito confirmed.
Alma nodded, “Afia looked at the ship twice and found traces of radiation coming from the Alba. We’ve been trying to figure out what they could possibly have onboard that would leak radiation.”
Everyone looked as confused as Afia and Alma were over it.
“Rups, any ideas?”
Rupert shook his head, “Nothing. No modern transportation or weaponry would leak radiation. But, it’s odd. Someone should go onboard just to check it out.”
“I’ve already flagged up the Alba to Station Master Xavier and he refuses to hear anything about us wanting to hold them or search them without substantial proof. And unlike on Titan, it’s in his right to tell us ‘no.’” Alma strongly felt there was something not right about this and wanted someone to board the Alba, “We need to figure out a way to legitimately detain the Alba or at the very least, board their ship to see for ourselves what their suspicious cargo is?” Alma said. “Is there any way you could sneak onboard?”
“Who are you talking to?” asked Rupert.
“Any of you,” admitted Alma looking at her officers.
Rupert stood up and said casually, “Afia, I’m taking your scanner with the x-ray. Point to where you picked up the radiation?”
Afia brought up the specs of the Alba and pointed to a section of the ship.
“I’ll be right back,” Rupert said and walked out of the small conference room.
Everyone watched him go with some bewilderment and amusement and then looked back at Alma, she shrugged, “They probably aren’t even guarding the ship if they’re so confident and stupid. It’s worth a try and who better to have a look around than our engineer?”
Three hours later, Alma walked into the Mars One security holding cells and said to one of the guards, “I’m Captain Johnson here to collect my engineer.”
The security officer nodded, “You need to sign over here.”
Alma went over and picked up the pen. She didn’t look at Rupert in the cell.
“Here is a tip, if you want to stay in command, Captain, I suggest you keep a better eye on your crew. I heard the Station Master is letting you get away with this, this time, only because you’re young and inexperienced. And it is obvious, this old man is a bit of a thorn in your side,” said the security guard rudely.
“Sure,” said Alma. “I’ll do my best to keep this old dog under control.”
The forcefield from the pink cell was released and Rupert walked by the guard and asked, “I can show you how strong an old man still hits, if you would like a demonstration you pathetic little guppy?”
“Rups,” Alma said his name firmly as she kept walking, “Not now.”
The security guard said loudly to Alma after them, as they walked down the corridor, “Good luck Captain, some old dogs are only meant to be put down.”
Once they were alone, Alma asked, “Who did that to your face the crew of the Alba or the security guards on Mars One?”
Rupert laughed, “The security guards, of course. The crew of the Alba were so shocked to see me I thought some of them were going to piss themselves. They aren’t prepared for any kind of physical fights. They simply locked me in the cargo bay and called security. But I would say with the way security treated me, the Alba is well-connected here.”
“Did you have a look at their engineering? Is that where the radiation was coming from?”
“No, I didn’t get to engineering. I’ll tell you everything when we get back to the Indy.”
Once back onboard, Alma called a small meeting in the conference room, Christopher, Afia, Galen and Rupert. Once everyone was seated, Alma nodded to Rupert.
Rupert brought up his findings on the 3D computer in the center of the table.
“I don’t understand, what is it?” asked Christopher.
“It’s a crude and ancient, but very destructive, human weapon,” answered Afia. “Do you think they know how to detonate it?”
“I would assume if they got this far, they do. The older members of their crew are all probably physicists who built the thing.”
“Yes, that would explain a lot,” Christopher said running his hands through his hair. “Is this…” he was searching for the words.
“A nuclear weapon,” Rupert supplied. “Yes, that’s why I took the x-rays, to be sure.”
“And the one thing connecting the eclectic crew of the Alba,” Alma suggested, “Terra Nova. It makes sense. All from different guilds and none of them have a clue as to what they are doing out here, but definitely secretive and now this.”
“Captain” Selma’s voice over internal communication interrupted them. “We’re being asked to depart by Mars One as they have another ship coming in.”
“Fine. Eito, take us into orbit but no further,” Alma said.
“Aye, Captain,” Eito said over the voice communicator.
“We can’t just leave,” Christopher exclaimed.
“We’re not,” Alma explained, “but the Station Master obviously has a hand in this too. We can’t do anything on Mars One.”
“Their ship is better than ours. We cannot outrun them,” Afia pointed out.
“Or outgun them,” said Rupert.
“What if we are wrong?” asked Galen. “No offense Rups, but you’ve never seen a nuclear weapon before. None of us have. What if this is all just a misunderstanding?”
“Doctor,” Rupert replied, “I’m no fool. I know what I saw and with the sensor readouts and the x-ray it’s no mistake. The only question is, can they detonate it? But I would say, given all the other technology they have bought, they’ve also bought the best team of physicists they could recruit to make sure the mission is a success.”
“Then the only question remains, will they use it?” Alma asked.
Everyone was quiet so Alma dismissed them after a moment. She needed to be alone to think all of this through. She sat down alone at the table and put her head in her hands. Come on think Johnson. Put everything together. The Dante carrying unknown cargo to the Yomi and now the Alba is here. They all helped Terra Nova. And now the Station Master and how many others I don’t know about yet? Am I responsible for this? Does the Alba think I won’t destroy them because I didn’t destroy the Dante?
Alma opened a communication channel to Shana but couldn’t get through. “Selma,” Alma said through internal communications, “Is something wrong with our communications?”
Selma replied, “Checking.”
“No, there shouldn’t be, everything is checking out from my end.”
“I can’t get through to JC command. Can you try to get through to Admiral Jackson?”
“Aye, Captain.”
After five minutes, “Captain, our communication is being jammed from, as far as I can make out, Mars One.”
Alma got up and went out to the bridge then, “Are you sure?”
Selma nodded, “Yes.”
“Can you get Station Master Xavier for me?”
“No, we can’t communicate with anyone until we leave orbit.”
“How far do you reckon?” Alma asked.
“Far,” Afia confirmed. “Far enough away to give the Alba a chance to escape.”
Alma looked at her screens, “Eito, remain in orbit. Selma, keep trying to get through to Admiral Jackson.”
“Captain, Station Master Xavier wants to speak to you.”
“By all means put him through and you have your orders now too,” Alma said and Selma nodded.
“Station Master Xavier,” Alma said kindly, as she looked at him on her small screen next to her captain’s chair.
“Captain, is there some problem?”
“No,” said Alma innocently. “Why do you ask?”
“You’re still in orbit.”
“I am.”
He huffed with impatience, “What are you doing?”
&n
bsp; “Waiting.”
“Waiting for what?”
“To make a decision about the Alba. It’s clear you wanted us gone and no ship has taken our vacant place. Something is not right about the Alba and it’s strange the way you are protecting them.”
“Nothing is strange except you are an inexperienced captain who doesn’t know what she is doing wasting everyone’s time still in orbit. Don’t you need to get onto your next mission?”
“I need to get in contact with Earth first. So I’ll leave orbit when you stop jamming our communication.”
“We aren’t jamming your communication. You really are so young and naïve.”
Alma smiled, “Oh unquestionably.” Alma looked over at Selma and she nodded, indicating they were still being jammed from long distance communication.
“I expect you to leave within the hour or I will report you for violating station safety protocols.”
“Are you threatening a JC ship, Station Master?”
He laughed, “No, I’m helping you by pushing you on to your next mission, Captain. You’re wasting my time and yours by staying in orbit. Xavier out.”
Alma frowned looking at her now blank screen and then asked Selma, “Have you got me Admiral Jackson?”
“No,” Selma replied confused, “We are still being jammed from any communication that isn’t with Mars One.”
“Keep trying,” Alma said while giving Christopher a worried look.
Alma instructed Christopher to follow her into the conference room. Once the door was closed, she said, “They know. They all know and they sent us here to do what?”
“Who knows what?”
“Command knows that this is Terra Nova and they have weapons enroute to Earth, but I don’t think they realize they are nuclear. It makes sense. If Afia hadn’t had the readouts and Rups hadn’t seen them with his own eyes, even we wouldn’t know. They are rudimentary, but still volatile. With those weapons they can stage a coup, and if the JC doesn’t surrender?”
“You don’t think they would actually detonate a nuclear weapon? Everyone knows what that would do to the people and environment. I just can’t see that happening.”
