Project Columbus: Omnibus

by J. C. Rainier

  “Yeah, that’s great Hunter, but…”

  “I wasn’t finished. You’ve also made an impression on Colonel Dayton. He’s been asking about you, how you’ve been fitting in, and how you’ve been performing.”

  Cal blinked. “Why?”

  Hunter shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not my place to question him. But I can’t imagine it would be anything bad.” He floated out of his seat and headed for the pod door. “I’m hungry. You coming?”

  Cal was not particularly hungry, but he couldn’t deny himself company this time. “Yeah, right behind you.” He pulled his arms out of the straps and fell in behind Hunter and he exited the sleeper pod.

  It took a moment for Cal’s vision to adjust to the darker expanse of the gallery. Hunter was already moving ahead of him as he made way for a meal and conversation.

  “Can I have a moment of your time, Mr. McLaughlin?” The voice from the shadows behind him startled Cal, and he flailed like a cat in free fall.

  Cal turned and faced Colonel Dayton. He cocked his head sideways and put his hand over his heart. “Sorry, sir. You surprised me. What can I do for you?”

  Dayton’s beard hooked upward as he smiled. “Funny you should put it that way, Mr. McLaughlin. How has your training with Doctor Taylor been going?”

  Cal was puzzled. “I’m done training, sir. I’ve been helping her monitor the passengers for several days now.”

  “And you’re enjoying it?”

  “I’m quite happy to be helping, sir.”

  “Good. Would you like to continue helping for the next maintenance cycle?”

  Cal’s heart beat hard within his chest. His mouth twitched as he tried to stifle a smile. “You mean you want me to wake up with the crew next time?” Colonel Dayton nodded. “Yes, sir!”

  “Good.” He slapped Cal on the shoulder. “I look forward to it. I think you work well with Doctor Taylor. I was skeptical at first, but you’ve proven that you do truly want to work, and this is your reward for that. Now, go join your friends for supper.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Cal said excitedly.

  He pushed hard off of a cart, eager to tell Hunter and Dr. Taylor the news.

  1st Lt Haruka Kimura

  26 September 2019, 18:00

  Raphael

  The com system crackled to life. “Fox to Lieutenant Kimura.”

  Haruka chewed hastily and swallowed the bite of sandwich. She drifted to the workstation at the end of the sleeper row and pressed the com button. “Kimura here, yes Colonel?”

  “Took you long enough. Where the hell are you?”

  Really, Colonel? That was maybe ten seconds. “Sorry, I was eating. I am in the crew pod, ma’am,” she said, concealing her irritation.

  “Report to the bridge immediately.” The colonel’s voice was curt.

  Haruka opened her mouth to reply, but the com system had already shut off. Oh, she’s definitely not a happy camper today. She rolled up the rest of her half eaten sandwich inside her mostly untouched meal pouch, stowed it her sleeper unit, and bolted for the stairway up to the bridge.

  As she crested the stairway and found herself on the command platform, she realized that Colonel Fox was waiting for her. The command chair was facing Haruka already and Fox sat upon it, her back hunched as she leaned on an elbow, her expression twisted in an almost evil smile. She was flanked by Captain Bartrand and Lieutenant Singh.

  Haruka felt a lump rise in her throat and her palms began to sweat. Her nerves had not been on edge this much since Whiskey Zero Four’s flight. She did not hesitate as she approached the command chair, although a voice in her head screamed at her to run away, growing louder every inch closer to the colonel she came.

  “Lieutenant Kimura, reporting as requested, Colonel,” she said, trying to sound confident.

  “I will make this brief, Lieutenant. The bridge recorders are on. I will give you one last chance to confess to everything you have been involved in.” Fox’s smirk grew wider. Even her crow’s feet stretched in an almost arrogant manner. “I promise you that leniency will be shown at your court martial if you do this.”

  “I’m sorry, Colonel. I cannot confess to anything. I have done nothing but serve my country, and to serve you as my commanding officer,” she replied in a calm tone.

  In an instant, Fox’s expression turned sour. “Very well, Lieutenant. You had your chance, but now you leave me no choice.” She reached for the command panel on her chair and pressed two buttons. Her voice echoed through the ship’s speakers, taking on a tinny quality. “Attention, all crew report immediately to the bridge. Doctor Nelson, please come to the bridge.”

  You’re about to do what I think you are, aren’t you? The corner of Haruka’s mouth tightened, but she did not speak. She knew she would have to choose her words carefully with the recorders operating. Haruka stared at Colonel Fox, unflinching. She was a ball of emotions on the inside, but she would be damned if she would let Fox see that. She was barely aware of time passing as she thought of every accusation she might have thrown at her, every defense to whatever phantom schemes that Fox had concocted in her twisted mind.

  Haruka was shaken from her concentration when Mancini came up from behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and then surveyed the bridge; nearly all of the crew had assembled. Nova was making her way onto the bridge right on the heels of Captain Maynard. Haruka did not see Major Emberley, nor did she spot Doctor Nelson or Airman Ellsworth.

  Where is he? Despair began to brew in her mind, and her heart pounded so hard that she feared that Fox could hear it from the command chair. Haruka gulped as Fox opened her mouth. The colonel stopped and looked past the throng of crew that had gathered at the back of the bridge. She tapped impatiently at her terminal.

  “Doctor Nelson, we’re waiting on you. Please report to the bridge. Now,” her voice rang over the address system once more.

  “Sorry, I’m here now Colonel,” panted Dr. Nelson as he pulled his way past Haruka and to the railing beside the command chair.

  “Very well, it’s time to begin.” Fox shifted forward and upright in her seat, making her look rigid as a board. Her smirk returned and she took a deep breath. “I have assembled the crew so that we may all hear the results of the investigation.” Her gaze burned deep into Haruka. “If any party should be responsible, I intend to try them immediately.”

  Haruka could hear whispers amongst the crew behind her. She tried to pay no mind to them. All she could do was to continue her staring match with Raphael’s commander.

  “Doctor Nelson, have you completed your autopsy on Lieutenant William Shipp?”

  “Yes, Colonel,” he puffed, still out of breath. “Lieutenant Shipp died of pulmonary edema. I believe the cause of this was sulfide poisoning. Given that he was in biostasis at the time, the most likely source would be from the sleeper unit.”

  “Thank you, Doctor. That will be all.” Colonel Fox tented her fingers and drew her hands toward her face. “Captain Maynard, have you completed the diagnostics on Lieutenant Shipp’s sleeper berth?”

  Maynard ran his right hand through his close-trimmed brown hair. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And what did you find?”

  “I couldn’t find anything wrong with the unit at first, Colonel. It was actually Airman Weyler who found the problem.”

  I’m going to get blamed for this somehow, Haruka thought.

  The grin on Fox’s face dissipated. “Very well then. Airman, can you please tell us what you found?”

  Nova snapped to attention. “Yes, Colonel. I found that the GDS sensor inside the berth had failed. This caused dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide to build up inside the unit.”

  “I don’t speak engineer, Airman,” the Colonel snapped back. “Explain it to me in English, please.”

  Nova stumbled for words for a moment before regaining composure. “The GDS, or Gas Distribution System sensor, monitors the composition of the air inside each berth. It’s
there because hydrogen sulfide is used in low concentrations to help with maintaining biostasis, but it’s also a toxic gas. The system needs to regulate…”

  Fox’s hand shot up in the air. “Fine, fine.” Again the twisted, evil smirk returned to the Colonel’s face. “And you found evidence of sabotage?”

  Nova and Maynard looked at each other. Haruka could see a look of shock on Nova’s face. More whispers came from the crew.

  Maynard stuttered, “N-no ma’am. The sensor appeared undamaged, it just failed.”

  Fox rose from her seat and pointed a weathered finger at Haruka. “And there’s your saboteur, Captain. Bartrand, Singh, seize her.”

  Silence engulfed the bridge. Haruka could not even hear any breathing, as if all air had suddenly been sucked from the room. Not a soul moved.

  “But Colonel,” Maynard’s voice shattered the silence. “There was no sabotage. There would be no way to sabotage the unit while closed and locked.”

  “Don’t try to defend her, Captain, or you’ll suffer the same fate.”

  Haruka’s heart sank. What fate? Where are you, Major?

  Mancini chimed in, his voice clearly concerned, “But Colonel, if Captain Maynard said there was no sabotage, then why are you…”

  “That’s it,” she interrupted. “Seize Mancini as well, Captain Bartrand.” Bartrand and Singh exchanged confused glances. “Now, Captain!”

  “Belay that order, Captain,” rang a deep, smooth voice from behind Haruka. She turned around. Major Emberley drifted his way through an opening in the crowd, flanked on either side by a pair of lieutenants that she did not recognize. All three had holsters on their hips, and a small black grip protruded from each.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” shrieked Fox.

  “I should ask the same of you, Colonel,” he said.

  Anger burned within her eyes as she locked on to Emberley’s face. “I am conducting a trial here. Who authorized you to be out of stasis, Major?”

  He dismissed her question. “I am conducting an investigation, and I have come across some rather disturbing information.”

  Fox scoffed, “So let me finish my trial here and you can investigate whatever little thing is it that’s caused you to wake up.”

  “I’m afraid that I have to stop your so-called trial here, ma’am, because my investigation is very pertinent to what is happening on this bridge.” He cleared his throat. “Doctor Nelson?”

  “Ah, yes sir,” he replied in a soft tone.

  “Has Colonel Fox exhibited any irrational or unbecoming behavior lately?”

  “How dare you,” she screamed, spittle flying from her lips. “Major, I will not have you question my authority here. Bartrand!”

  “Stay where you are, Captain,” Emberley ordered as his fingers shot up in Bartrand’s direction. “Doctor, please answer the question.”

  “Y-yes, sir,” he stammered, his voice shaky. “There have been several incidents recently where she has treated crew members in an unusually… ah… harsh manner. Also, it’s almost like she is ignoring evidence that she has asked for while she is conducting this… trial, I guess it is?”

  “How would you know how to run a ship, Doctor?” she roared.

  Major Emberley calmly continued. “No, I already know that last part, Doctor. I could hear quite well for myself. Tell me, do you know of a condition that Doctor Tadashi Kimura warned all command staff and ships’ doctors about during the briefings on the stasis units?”

  Fox fumed, “That information is classified, Major.”

  Doctor Nelson seemed to be gaining in confidence the longer Major Emberley questioned him. “Yes, sir. Hibernation Psychosis. It’s an uncommon side effect of biostasis, but it was demonstrated in at least two test subjects back on Earth.”

  “What are the symptoms, Doctor?”

  Fox narrowed her eyes at Emberley. “You piece of shit, you’re going back to sleep now. Bartrand, seize him!”

  “Ignore her, Captain,” he repeated. Bartrand flinched but settled back to where he was. “Doctor, what are the symptoms?”

  “They vary. However, the two most common physical effects were fever and loss of appetite, and the two most common psychological effects were delusions and paranoia. The effects last only a few days with proper treatment, and are believed to be temporary even without treatment.” The doctor squinted as he recalled.

  Haruka felt a lump rise in her throat. Wait, so this could happen again with any crewmember who has been in stasis? Or any passenger? She watched Colonel Fox sputter, unable to respond to what was happening around her. The whispers of the crew were now no longer whispers, but mutters.

  Major Emberley tugged at his flight suit. “In your opinion, Doctor, has Colonel Fox exhibited symptoms of hibernation psychosis?”

  “Yes, Major.”

  “Lies,” she hissed.

  “Very well. Colonel Marissa Fox, you are hereby relieved of duty on the grounds that you are not mentally fit for duty. You will be placed in stasis until we reach Demeter, at which time you will be treated for your illness,” he said, his gaze firmly locked on her.

  Fox’s eyes widened like a cornered beast. “Mutiny! I’ll have your heads for this. Bartrand, Singh, arrest them all!”

  Bartrand hesitated as he looked at the colonel. He moved forward slightly. Major Emberley reached to his hip and drew his weapon. The fat, contrasting black and yellow tip told Haruka that he was brandishing a Taser.

  “Belay that order, Captain, unless you also want to be relieved,” Emberley warned.

  Haruka heard a voice inside that was egging on Bartrand. A part of her wanted to see him back in stasis for not owning up to his failures. She bit her lip and forced her feelings aside, remaining a stone wall on her exterior. Bartrand did not take the bait. He gripped the railing and steadied himself.

  “Cormack, Morado,” Emberley signaled to his lieutenants. “Take Colonel Fox into custody and put her in stasis. Bartrand and Singh, too, if they intervene.”

  The two looked like misfits as they moved towards Fox. One was very tall and muscular, Haruka estimated him to be well over six feet tall. The other was a slender Hispanic man, probably close to Haruka’s height. They grabbed the arms of Colonel Fox and pulled her toward the rear of the bridge, spitting and screaming the entire way.

  “All of you are going to pay. Mutineers! Worthless swine,” she cursed as she looked into the eyes of every man and woman on the bridge. As she neared, she spat directly in Haruka’s face. Haruka flinched and closed her eyes, but did nothing in response.

  She waited a few seconds until she could hear the colonel behind her before she wiped the spit from her face with her sleeve. She opened her eyes and felt Mancini’s hand on her shoulder again. “You did it,” he whispered in her ear.

  She dropped her head toward the floor and shook it. “No, my father’s biostasis research did this. All of it. If she is suffering psychosis, it’s because of that.”

  A commotion broke out at the top of the staircase, and the two spun to face it. They turned just in time to see Fox throw her elbow into Cormack’s throat and reach for his holster with her hand. As she pulled the Taser free, Morado trained his own on her and pulled the trigger.

  Chaos ensued. Fox screamed in pain as her muscles seized up. Cormack tumbled slowly head over heels as he gasped for air. Haruka felt herself being shoved to the ground by Mancini’s hand.

  Mancini yelled, “Look out, Major!”

  Haruka’s fingers scrabbled at the cold deck plate and she rolled onto her back. She saw Bartrand and Emberley fighting over the major’s weapon for a split second before Mancini smashed headlong into Bartrand, sending both of them hurtling over the railing and into the canopy beyond. She saw Emberley struggle to regain control of his motion.

  There was a dark blue blur. Haruka turned her head and realized that something was coming at her. She tried to throw her hands up to protect her face, but it smashed into her and her world went black.

  Ca
lvin McLaughlin

  26 September 2019, 19:40

  Michael

  Cal’s gaze drifted down the bank of sleepers across from him. He could not pick out any specific detail on them; his mind was occupied with an endless replay of his encounter with Alexis. He felt his pulse quicken when he remembered her face as she gazed at the star field for the first time. Lingering warmth tickled his lips when he recalled her kiss. And it all turned to despair when she pulled away from him and enclosed herself within her aluminum prison.

  I had to fuck it up. It’s what I always do. I lost her just like I lost Brittany.

  He conjured an image of the tough blonde girl he had known back on Earth. Cal realized he would never see her again. He had only aged a few days, according to Dr. Taylor, while five years had actually passed.

  Five years of war, no doubt. He sighed. She may not even be alive. No, I didn’t lose her. She was taken from me. Twice.

  “You know, you just got some damn good news. Why do you look like someone punched your grandma?”

  Cal blinked and turned to face Hunter. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Seriously, Calvin. What gives? I thought you’d be happy to hear that Dayton wants you to help out next cycle.”

  “My mind’s just not in it right now, Hunter.” Cal shifted his weight and winced as he pushed his injured hand against the deck plate.

  “Easy there,” soothed Dr. Taylor. “Don’t hurt yourself again. Remember what you promised me?”

  “Yeah, Doc. Sorry.”

  Hunter pawed at his sandy hair. “So where is your mind?”

  If only I could tell you.

  “Just… having memories of someone.”

  There was a brief pause, and then Hunter asked, “Someone who got left behind?”

  Cal nodded half-heartedly. He hoped that Hunter wouldn’t probe any further. Dr. Taylor put her hand on his arm, and Cal began to feel more at ease.

  “We’ve all had to leave friends and loved ones behind, Calvin. I know it’s not easy at all,” she said. “But at the same time, I can’t fathom how hard this must be on you.” Cal nodded again and sniffed. “Remember, though. You aren’t alone, despite what you may feel. Lieutenant Ceretti and I are here for you, no matter what.”