by Isaac Hooke
He smirked. Elizabeth wanted to slap the arrogance out of him.
“As Nomad’s first officer, it’s my job to offer my advice to the Captain. Is it not?”
“Not the way you just did it. And you know it.”
“It’s a dangerous move, and I think—”
“I don’t give a shit what you think. You’ve been pushing me from day one and I’ve had it. Report to your quarters. You’re under house arrest. You will not leave your quarters for any reason unless ordered to do so by me. You want to act like a midshipman, fine, I’ll treat you like one. Now get out of my sight.”
Elizabeth clutched her hands tightly as he glared at her. Then he turned on his heels and left.
Taking her seat she keyed her comm. “Chief engineer, captain.”
“O’Toole.”
“Andy, we’re slowing for the transition to N space. I need to borrow Bouchet, if you can spare her?”
“Not a problem, Captain,” Andy said. “I’ll send her up.”
“Very well. Captain out.”
“Helm, how are we doing?”
“Captain, we should be ready to re-enter normal space in about eight minutes.”
“Very well.”
Elizabeth returned to the bridge and took her seat. She breathed deeply, trying to get her blood pressure down. What was she to do with her troublesome First Officer? She knew what she wanted to do to him, but keelhauling was against regs.
A minute later the bridge hatch opened and Bouchet stood to attention.
“Lieutenant Commander Bouchet, reporting as ordered, Captain.”
“Relax, Abella, you’ve not been summoned to the principal’s office.”
She smiled and sat at the offered seat. The First Officer’s station.
The entire crew had done multitasking training, augmenting their normal duties. Abella had topped her class in systems administration and shipboard management.
“I need to pinch you from Engineering for a while. You up for it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good,” Elizabeth said, and gestured to the panel.
Abella immediately did a systems diagnostic.
Time passed.
“Captain,” the helmsman said, “speed is now showing dead slow. Ready to transition to normal space on your command.”
“What’s your take on it?”
“I’ve been plotting our course and I believe it’s clear space. But that’s dead reckoning, ma’am.”
“Make it so.”
Transition to N space went smoothly.
“Clear space all around us, Captain,” the helm said. “Nearest system is too far away to get a plot.”
“Very well. Tactical Officer, see what you can find. I’m curious to see how far we’ve come in the last three weeks.”
“I’ll see what I can find, skipper,” Lieutenant Anna Volkov said.
“Abella, I’m going to check in with Commander O’Toole. The bridge is yours.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Minutes later she exited the lift on deck five and strode into the engineering section. Andy O’Toole and his team were examining the displacement drive. Leaving his techs with the task he reported to his captain.
“Harmonics got a little wobbly for a bit, skipper, but I think she just needs a rest.”
Their displacement drive was around twenty percent the size of the one on the alien sphere ship, so simulations suggested something like this might arise.
“So, is there anything you can do to prevent this, or at least slow it down?”
“Yes, skip,” he said with a smile forming. “Slow down. Respectfully, you’ve been pushing her at flank speed. My suggestion would be to save that for emergencies. Full ahead will get us where we’re going and should lengthen the time between transitions.”
She nodded. “Very well.”
Elizabeth left engineering and headed for the mess. She generally ate in her quarters, but once a week she opted to take her meal in the mess. It made some of the junior officers a little jumpy, but the more she did it, the better they would be. The hatch to the mess opened, she looked inside and her eyes widened. Stepping back into the corridor she breathed deeply to calm her rage. She keyed her comm.
“Chief Schmitt, captain.”
“Schmitt.” His voice was as deep and coldly efficient as ever.
Elizabeth told the senior NCO aboard Nomad what she wanted and signed off. She stepped up to the table where Albacore sat talking with some of her officers.
“Commander Albacore, may I have a word in private.” For the sake of morale she made her manner appealing, her tone friendly.
“I haven’t finished my meal.”
“Come along, Commander, this won’t take long.”
He followed her outside and continued to follow her to the lift.
“Where’re we going?”
Elizabeth took a huge breath. All she wanted to do was strangle the Yank until he shut up. Then keep squeezing.
With a degree of wary anticipation he followed her until she stopped outside the brig.
“I ordered you to house arrest, did I not?”
“Yes, but I—”
“You disobeyed a direct order. That is gross insubordination and will cost you time in the hole. I don’t want any excuses or any more of your attitude or general bullshit.”
“How long ... Captain.”
Too little, too late, you arsehole.
“That’s up to you.”
Schmitt turned up with the keys and opened the hatch.
“This isn’t right. I’m first officer, for chrissake.”
“Start acting like it and I’ll consider letting you out. Now get inside.”
He stepped over the coaming, his shoulders stooped. Schmitt locked him in.
“Instructions, skipper?”
“First, he doesn’t get out without my express approval. Second,” she couldn’t contain a slight smile, “basic rations only. Third, minimum toiletries. Only the absolute essentials.”
“So bread and water, skip?’
“Worse. Field rations.”
Schmitt winced. “Mein Gott, remind me never to get on your bad side.”
Feeling better than she had in many months, Captain Elizabeth Millard returned to the mess and enjoyed a fine meal with her crew.
CHAPTER 4
Elizabeth keyed her comm. “Chief Engineer, Captain.”
“O’Toole,” the chief engineer said.
“It’s been three weeks, Andy, how’s it looking?”
“The drive’s running perfectly. No problems with harmonics.”
“Thanks to your suggestion,” Elizabeth said. “I’ll maintain full ahead and no more. Captain out.”
“Abella,” she said to her first officer, “I have something to take care of. The bridge is yours.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Elizabeth took the lift to deck six.
“Good morning, Chief.”
“Mornin’, skip,” Schmitt said.
“Very well,” Elizabeth said, “open it up.”
Schmitt cracked the brig hatch and Elizabeth stepped inside. The overpowering stench of foul body odor struck out like fangs. Cutting off the brig’s water supply meant no showers.
Albacore had lost considerable weight and sported a full beard. He pushed himself to a standing position and stared at her from sunken eyes. The Commander tried to maintain his stance, but his legs wobbled.
“At ease, Commander. Sit.”
He slumped onto his bunk.
Elizabeth fought the urge to vomit. Have I gone too far?
“You asked to see me,” Elizabeth said.
“Yes, Captain.” His voice was low, strained.
Three weeks with nothing to do but count the long, long hours, had knocked the arrogance out of him. She hoped.
“Go ahead.”
“You win, Captain. I’ll do whatever you say, and not argue with any of your orders. I will give you no cause for concern. C
aptain.”
Elizabeth sighed while rubbing her forehead.
“Steven, I think you’ve missed the point of this exercise.” She stared into his pained eyes. “This isn’t about you being my lapdog. Part of your duty is to avail me of your best advice, but to do so without conflict. I need that in a first officer. It’s never been about you not doing your duty. It’s about your attitude.”
He bit his lip. “Tell me what you want and I will do it.”
“No, you tell me.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Really? Then perhaps another three weeks will—”
“Please, Captain.”
“Tell me what I need to hear, or I’m out of here.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Very well, I’ll give you time to think about it.”
She walked to the hatch.
“I’m an asshole,” he screamed. “I’m a good officer, but when they replaced me on the Columbia mission, with the son of an influential politician, it did something to me. I know I’m lucky to be aboard Nomad and my behavior has been appalling. Let me out and I’ll show you I can change. I’ll be the man I used to be.”
Elizabeth turned and saw tears in his eyes.
“You get one chance, Commander,” she said. “One. Don’t disappoint me.”
“I won’t, Captain. I give you my word.”
“Very well. Can you make it to your quarters?”
“I think so, Captain.”
“Schmitt, in here. Escort the Commander to his quarters.”
“Steven, take a shower, a long shower please, report to the infirmary and let the doc look you over, then have yourself a good meal. Recover and when you’re feeling up to it, report for duty.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Look after him, Chief.”
“Aye, Captain.”
CHAPTER 5
Having finished a light breakfast, Elizabeth stepped onto the bridge. Commander Steven Albacore had returned to duty on the day of his release. Although pale-faced and unsteady on his feet, he stuck it out until the end of his shift. As good as his word, he had served with distinction and the attitude problem had vanished. Now he was the first officer she had wanted. In the last seven months he had been first onto the bridge every day and had the ship running to its maximum efficiency. Elizabeth marvelled at the transformation and, after a few nervous months, his far more relaxed manner.
“Good morning, Captain.”
“Good morning, Fish.”
He smiled briefly. Steven had gotten the nickname while at the academy and enjoyed the informality that came with its use.
“How’s everything looking?”
“All green across the board, skipper.” He looked up from his readouts. “I must admit to being quite excited about today.”
She leaned in closer to him. “Me too,” she whispered. They exchanged a light chuckle. “Eight and a half months to get here and we’re only half way there.”
“I’m really looking forward to contacting Columbia and telling them who I am.”
Elizabeth laughed.
“And I’ll thank them for sending you my way.”
“Thanks. Excuse me, ma’am, it’s getting close.” Elizabeth nodded. She couldn’t imagine him doing such a professional job, seven months ago. The Captain captained, the first officer effectively ran the ship.
“Helm,” he said, “position report.”
“It’s dead reckoning, but I’m pretty sure we should begin breaking in about two minutes, sir.”
“Your dead reckoning has gotten pretty good during our journey,” Steven said, “so I’ll take your word for it.”
Lieutenant Adam Hong’s broad smile lit up the bridge.
Over the next hour they powered down the drive and returned to normal space. Adam had put them a little close to the G 2 primary, but not close enough to damage either the ship or the fragile humans aboard.
“Captain,” Steven said, “readings confirm we are in the 51 Pegasi solar system, Pegasus Constellation. We should find Columbia in orbit of the sixth planet out from the primary.”
“Very well,” Elizabeth said. “Helm, lock course onto the sixth planet. All thrust engines ahead full.”
While Adam acknowledged, Fish rubbed his hands together and winked at her.
Yes, I’ll give you this one. You’ve earned it.
Even with the enormously powerful bank of thrust engines operating at peak efficiency it still took the better part of a week to cover the distance.
“And there she is, Captain,” Fish said around a smile. “Sitting in geosynchronous orbit above the major land mass on the planet. They are in comms range, ma’am.”
“Hail them, number one.”
“With pleasure, Captain. Columbia, this is Nomad, please respond to my signal.”
The silence was deafening. For two hours their hails remained unanswered. Nomad matched orbit with the silent First Contact vessel.
“Tactical,” Steven said, “what are you getting?”
Lieutenant Anna Volkov shook her head. “I’m getting zero power emission from Columbia, Sir. And I detect no life aboard her. I am getting the same readings from the planet. It’s supposed to be inhabited.”
“Captain, requesting permission to board her,” Steven said.
“Granted,” Elizabeth said. “See if Professor Fuentes has someone to join your boarding party. Suit up and adopt full quarantine procedures. We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.”
“Aye, Captain,” he said. “I’d like to include Commander Bouchet. Her engineering experience might come in handy.”
“It’s your boarding party, Commander, so do what you need to. And get me some answers. Something smells.”
“I smell it too.” He stood and turned to the hatch.
“Fish, be careful.”
“Shall do, skipper.”
***
It took Steven Albacore an hour to assemble his team. Professor Juan Fuentes, head of the science teams, disappointed all of his experts by volunteering his services. Chief Petty Officer Schmitt, armed to the teeth, jumped into the security role. With Abella Bouchet and her two techs, the boarding party comprised six people.
Steven wished to keep the numbers as small as possible in case they ran into something unexpected, so he piloted the shuttle himself. Exiting Nomad’s boat bay, he took only minutes to cover the distance to Columbia and dock with her midships airlock. After everyone sealed their helmets, he cracked the hatch and stepped aboard the American First Contact ship. His scanner confirmed what Anna Volkov had reported. Zero energy readings.
Making their way to deck four, they forced the hatch to the engineering section. There they found their first body. Others followed and in the reactor room he found the Chief Engineer, Commander Harvey Steadman. None of the bodies had a mark on them, and Steven could find no cause for their deaths.
The reactor was dead. It appeared that some force had drained it dry. Columbia would never fly again. He sent a detailed report to the Captain and was told to stand by.
***
Captain Elizabeth Millard contacted the ship’s doctor and asked the obvious question.
Doctor Sigrid Isaksen paused before answering, her tone wary.
“We don’t know what we are dealing with,” she said. “If we bring a body aboard, I can’t guarantee the complete safety of this crew. There are simply too many imponderables.”
“Could you perform an autopsy aboard Columbia?”
“I could, but without power it would be extremely difficult.”
“Very well, Sigrid, we’ll take care of that with one of our mobile generators. Suit up and report to the stern starboard airlock.”
“Very well, Captain.”
***
Steven acknowledged the Captain’s orders and signed off.
“Abella, I’m going to pick up Doc Isaksen. While I’m gone I want you to force your way into the infirmary and prepare to hook up a ge
nny.”
“Yes, Commander,” she said.
An hour later, with power hooked up to the infirmary the doctor got about her grisly business.
She emerged from her task two hours later. Steven was waiting.
“Sigrid,” Steven said, “do you know what killed him?”
“Someone, or something, drained the very life force from his entire body.”
“Could the same force that drained the ship’s power do that to a human?” Steven asked.
“It’s beyond any science I know of, but it seems to fit.”
“Jesus.”
***
“Captain,” the tactical officer said, “I’m getting some strange readings.”
“Strange? How so?”
“51 Pegasi is supposed to have one G 2 sun, but I just ran an active scan and I’m showing two suns. I think we have a big problem, ma’am.”
“For chrissake.” She keyed her comm. “Commander Albacore, come in.”
“Here, Captain.”
“We’ve got company, get everyone back to the ship, immediately.”
“On our way.”
“Tactical, anything else going on with that second sun?”
“It’s growing in size, Captain. I think it’s heading directly for us. And its speed is phenomenal.”
Elizabeth forced her voice to remain calm. “Get me an ETA, Anna.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Keep away from the sun. They were the first words spoken to her and the other astronauts training for this mission. Elizabeth’s blood ran cold.
“Chief Engineer,” she said into her mike.
“O’Toole.”
“Andy, we have to get out of here fast.”
“Give the word and my engines will have us going at flank speed.”
“I need the displacement drive.”
“You know we can’t engage it until we’re at least up to point one five of light speed.”
“What will happen if we do?”
“No one’s tried that in many years. Last time the reactor got away from the crew and nearly exploded.”
