by Gary Weston
Willis asked, 'Who would steal it?'
'I've asked myself that many times. It was on a disc taken from my office by person or persons unknown. It could only have been somebody connected with the mission. Quite possibly somebody who worked here or at least with access at sometime to the Base.
Staples said, 'Let me get my head around this. You are setting us up against the commander general on nothing more than some partially deleted message between that same general and some unknown man, which was allegedly stolen possibly by somebody who just might be working with another somebody on the Goliath?'
'Well,' said Gunther. 'As you put it like that, yes.'
Staples looked at Willis and shrugged. 'Ok. Fair enough. Does Bridget go back alone?'
'I need you here, Lieutenant.' said Gunther. 'You two turning up at headquarters would open up too many questions. Bridget. Your mother knows what if anything is on Spero and for some reason as yet unknown, is hiding it. We need to find out why and if those on the mission are in danger.'
'In that case,' said Bridget, 'I'll refuel and slip away at nightfall. In the meantime, a shower and a feed will give me time to think about meeting my mother.'
Chapter 27
Jacobs had said nothing on the journey back and Lee had given up trying to coax anything out of him, concentrating instead on avoiding dangers as she drove the terraformer through dense fog. The electrical activity had diminished to weaker, spasmodic lightning flashes. Powerful lights from the terraformer lit up the shuttle in a surreal way through the yellow haze.
'I don't see Sam,' said Lee. She drove the vehicle closer to the shuttle for a better look. 'No sign of him and the cover's back on. He's done the repair. 'Come on, Jay Jay.' The captain made no attempt to move.
'Jay Jay. I can't move you by myself. I'll find Sam to help me. Now don't you go wandering off, ok?'
Lee expected no reply and didn't get one. She opened the airlock and jumped down, the dust so thick it covered her boots. Banging on the side of the shuttle, she could see the vague shape of Sam through the small windows. 'Sam. I need help with the captain,' she yelled. Clifton didn't hear her at first, then saw Lee's frantic waving at him. He waved back then clicked his helmet in place. The hatch opened up less than one minute later.
'That's a fine looking vehicle, Anne.'
'Never mind that, Sam. I need help with the captain.'
'He's been injured?'
Lee explained. 'He fell, somehow. Tripped over something in the fog probably half- buried in the dust.'
Clifton checked his air and pressure and left the shuttle, following Lee into the terraformer. 'Jay Jay. Are you ok?' Jacobs turned to face Clifton, his expression blank. 'The fall must have shook him up. We need to get him back to the Goliath.'
'Can we do that?' asked Lee. 'Is the shuttle ready to go?'
'Everything checked out ok,' Clifton assured her. 'The storm seems to have died down a little, so we need to take off as soon as we can. Let's get Jay Jay on board.'
Jacobs did cooperate with them as they helped him out of the terraformer and into a bunk in the shuttle.
'The terraformer?' said Clifton.
'It seems to be functional. I just have to program it to continue what it was doing. But we have to find the others and replace their power-packs and program those, too. From here we can now locate all the others.'
'There are nine of them altogether, if I remember correctly?'
'Correct. They're all over the main two land masses. They would have already melted enough of the ice-caps to fill the oceans, but with the cloud cover caused by the volcanic eruption they could still be partially frozen.'
'We'll get around the planet a lot faster in the shuttle and it will give us the opportunity to see how she's behaving. You let this terraformer loose and we'll find the others from the shuttle.'
'Agreed. We'll need all the power-packs charged up in the shuttle to have all the terraformers started and functional. As the air clears, they'll be charged up by the solar panels and should continue working independently.'
'Sounds good to me, Anne. If you get back there to program that one, I'll put the spent power-pack to charge up. This is going to take a couple of days at least. Joe Friar will be biting at the bit to come and get us.'
Lee asked, 'Can the Goliath be reached by radio yet?'
'One way to find out. Clifton calling Goliath. Clifton calling the Goliath. Are you receiving me, over?'
'Nothing but static,' said Lee. 'The conditions still won't let us call them.'
'Not much we can do about it. In the meantime, we need to do what we have to do. We might get lucky with the radio later.'
'Ok,' said Lee. 'I'll do the reprogramming, if you can locate the next nearest terraformer. Keep an eye on the captain.'
Lee returned to her work on the terraformer and Clifton checked up on Captain Jacobs.
'Hey. You're awake.'
'Sam. What's happened?'
'No idea. Anne said you must have tripped over something and fell over. You've been dazed ever since.'
'Dazed? Can I remove my helmet?'
'Of course. I have. I left yours on while we built up air and pressure back on the shuttle. Here. Let me help you.'
'Thanks, but I can manage. There. Hmm. No damage. I don't see how a simple fall in thick dust would do this to me.'
Clifton asked, 'Jay Jay. Do you have any medical conditions I'm not aware of? Something which could have caused you to pass out?'
'No. Blood pressure slightly high, but nothing significant. What's our situation?'
'Promising,' said Clifton. 'Anne is reprogramming that first terraformer. It's right outside. The shuttle is working fine and we'll use it to fly around the planet to the other terraformers and get those working. We need to make sure the shuttle is functioning properly before risking another trip through the atmosphere. The storm has lessened a little but I still can't reach the Goliath on the radio. That brings you up to speed.'
Jacobs said, 'I see. You realise Joe Friar will be heading our way by now? He'll be considering bringing his shuttle to land.'
'I know. I intend to keep trying to reach him and make him stay in orbit. No point risking him and his shuttle with an unnecessary landing.'
'I agree. Sam. I feel absolutely fine, now. Anything I can do to help?'
Clifton said, 'Anne and I have it all under control, but if if you want to make yourself useful, you can be in charge of refreshments. Anne will be famished by now.'
Jacobs got up and said, 'That's the least I can do.'
Chapter 28
Under cover of darkness, Bridget Loretti, Lieutenant Staples and Sergeant Willis refuelled one of the stingers and strapped spare fuel containers to the rear seat.
'Plenty here to get you to headquarters,' said Staples.
'What will you tell them happened to us two?' Willis asked.
'You've been sent back to the front,' said Loretti. 'It might prove useful if they think you aren't here.'
Staples said, 'Then we'll keep a low profile. If things get sticky give us a yell and we'll do what we can.'
'I'll bear that in mind.'
'Do you really buy this conspiracy theory of your father's?' Willis asked.
Loretti said, 'Only because I can't see what he'd have to gain from it. He's a stranger to me, don't forget. You two probably know him much better than I do.'
'Well, I trust the man,' said Staples. 'I've served under him here for several years and he's always been on the level with all of us.'
'Apart from sabotaging his own communication equipment,' Willis reminded them.
Loretti said, 'If he is telling the truth, he was working in the best interests of the mission and the human race. It's all academic anyway. You've both seen the mess we've made of Earth. Carry on that way, we guarantee our self-destruction. My father's way at least gives us a glimmer of hope.'
'Then we have to do all we can to help him,' said Staples. 'Good luck.'
'You too.'
/>
Loretti started the stinger and she flew away just feet above the arid ground.
'My kind of woman,' said Willis.
'Of course she is. She's female. Let's go.'
They mounted the two refuelled stingers and flew them back to the Base, letting themselves in through the small door.
Chapter 29
One by one the terraformers were located and reprogrammed. They were soon all working to turn Spero into a habitable home for the last hope of the human race. Joe Friar was in orbit around the planet, trying to contact those on the surface.
'Ok. I don't know what's going on down there or if you've picked up any of my signals. I'm in orbit around Spero. I'll give you guys one more hour then I'm coming to get you.'
'No need,' said Clifton. 'We're on our way up.'
'Finally.'
'We've been trying to contact you. Looks like the storm is picking up again, so I don't...(static) off in ten minutes. I will shut down all...(static) what's necessary. Over.'
'I'll watch out for you. Good luck. Over.'
During his slow orbits of the planet, Friar had been watching the storm fade then start to pick up again. Being unsuccessful in contacting them until now, he had decided he would risk his landing before the storm once again raged at full intensity. He had been relieved to hear Sam Clifton telling him that was unnecessary. On the screen, lightning was already lighting up the dense yellow atmosphere. The shuttle on the ground was about to fly through dangerous conditions with an unpredictable chance of succeeding.
Those in the shuttle on the surface knew they were gambling with their lives, but staying any longer was not an option. With their limited supplies they had one opportunity only to get into space and return to the safety of the Goliath. They were fully suited and had braced themselves for the flight.
'Here we go,' said Clifton.
The small craft had performed well as it had hopped around the planet locating the terraformers, but the atmospheric conditions had worsened considerably during that time. The take off and landing thrusters lifted the shuttle off the ground, and Clifton took it slowly skimming the ground, having mapped out the route to avoid mountain ranges. On the screen he watched for any possible breaks in the storm as a way through.
'There's as good as any place,' he finally decided. 'I'm about to cut the power to anything we don't need, so we'll be flying blind until we are out of atmosphere. Hold on tight.'
The screen went blank and all but emergency lighting went out. Beneath them the plasma drives hummed sweetly as their speed increased, their trajectory aiming for stars they still couldn't see. For the first four and a half minutes things went smoothly, then there came a roar and a crashing sound.
'We've been hit by lightning,' yelled Clifton above the noise. 'Drives are still functioning but at reduced power.'
The shuttle hammered its way through the sulphur laden atmosphere, exceeding its design capabilities, the craft never intended to attempt taking off in such atrocious conditions. The tough marsillium coating was the most superior exterior protection any vessel could have, but the electrics could only survive limited power surges, not the constant ravaging the storm subjected it to. The suits meant they were spared the smell of the circuitry being compromised, but one panel finally burst into flames. Jacobs unbuckled himself, grabbed a dry-powder extinguisher and blasted the fire out. He had to drop the spent extinguisher as the shuttle began to shake alarmingly. He pulled himself along using anything he could grab hold of and made his way along the floor to his seat and tried to haul himself into it, but such was the force of the shaking, all he could do was to grab the harnesses and wrap them around his wrists to hang on for dear life.
Onwards they went, the lights going on and off, the noises horrendous and terrifying as they made their way through the atmosphere in a seemingly interminable flight. Then as they blasted free of the planet, everything went dark and the drives died completely.
Chapter 30
'You are to report directly to the Commander General.'
'Nice to see you too, Mosaca,' said Loretti dismounting her parked stinger. 'What sort of mood is she in?'
Quartermaster Sergeant Major Caesar Mosaca was seventy five and had served on many campaigns and had an eye-patch and false leg to show for it. He had the look of a pirate about him and kept a parrot in his room which completed his image. He was also famous for only calling generals sir.
As Mosaca gave the dust covered stinger the once over he said, 'She only has one mood. Bad.'
'Something I've said annoyed her?'
'Not yet,' warned Mosaca, shaking his head at new scratches on the stinger. 'Don't keep her waiting.'
Loretti took the elevator to the penultimate floor, General Loretti's command centre and living quarters.
'About time,' said the voice from the speaker even before the door pinged open.
'Sorry, General.'
'Come in, come in.'
Bridget entered and saluted. 'Captain Loretti reporting, sir.'
'Sit, Captain,' said General Loretti, with a gesture to a chair. 'Report?'
'Capture of Salamandra alive was successful. I expect he's being interrogated here?'
'Sergeant Naylor is encouraging him to talk, yes. Nothing we don't already know as yet. But you found it necessary to leave your ship on your way here?'
'Two of our soldiers proved helpful in the capture of Salamandra. They are not part of my unit. One extracted information from the prisoner which we thought warranted further verification.'
'And did it?'
'No, sir. It turned out to be just Salamandra being a pain in the ass.'
Loretti said, 'You went with those soldiers. What are their names and where are they?'
'Lieutenant Staples and Sergeant Willis. Once we realised we were on a wild goose chase, they left for the front to rejoin their unit.'
'And that unit is?'
'I didn't ask. I think one of the special ops units, but I'm not sure.'
Loretti got up from behind her desk and paced her office. 'Drink?'
'Sir?'
'You enjoy an occasional whiskey as I recall. Ice?'
'As it comes.'
As Loretti poured the drinks, she said, 'Staples and Willis? I've heard there names before. I'm not sure why or from where. Here.'
'Thank you, sir. I must admit I'd never met those soldiers before.'
'Interesting. And yet they turn up at just the right moment to snare Salamandra. How convenient.'
Bridget shrugged. 'Right place, right time I guess. Can I ask you something. Do you work out? I mean you are twice my age and you look...hot. Black leather is so kick ass on you.'
'Don't change the subject.' Loretti sipped her drink and stared at Bridget. 'You have an unfortunate look about you. A shame really. You could have been quite attractive otherwise.'
'You mean I remind you of my father.'
Loretti shuddered. 'After conceiving you I never got that drunk again. Be sure not to make such a mistake.'
'A mistake? Is that what I was?'
'Yes,' said Loretti, frankly. 'But I rose above it. Hopefully you have my strength of character and nothing of your father's weaknesses.' They were interrupted by the intercom. 'Naylor.'
'General. Salamandra still resists.'
'Of course he does, fool. See what I have to put up with, Captain Loretti? I can't rely on anyone. Still. If a job is worth doing and all that crap. Come with me.'
Bridget followed Loretti into the elevator and the general pressed a button at the end. It was below G for ground and B for basement.
'H?'
Loretti smiled unpleasantly. 'Those ending up there call it hell. Rather quaint, don't you think?'
'Strange. I always thought I would end up there one day.'
The elevator stopped and the door pinged open and Loretti stepped out.
'Welcome to my world.'
Chapter 31
Friar tried again. 'Captain. Sam. Can you hear me? Anne?'<
br />
Nothing was coming from the stricken shuttle. Friar had seen the tiny craft burst from Spero's outer atmosphere into deep space. It was spinning like a top, and the normal blue exhausts had gone. With the momentum from its flight through the atmosphere carrying it forward, it was destined to float through space for an eternity. Friar had followed it, calling them repeatedly. 'Sam. I'm catching you up. Can you hear me?'
'Joe. Yes. We've lost all drive power. Life support is failing. We only have the suits to keep us alive.'
'Damn! Anyone hurt?'
'Wait...I...Jay Jay. Ok. It's ok, Jay Jay. Anne?'
Lee said, 'Nothing broken. Jay Jay. Talk to me.'
'Who the hell beat the crap out of me?'
Lee said, 'You bounced around like a ping-pong ball. Any bones broken?'
'I don't think so. Sam. Did you say all the air we have is in the suits?'
'Yes. A little in the shuttle, but that won't last long. We have...less than two hours. Joe?'
'I'm thinking. Right. You will have to come over to my shuttle. I should rendezvous with you in...ninety seven minutes.'
Jay Jay gasped, 'You want us to leave this shuttle?'
Friar said, 'Probably a good idea unless you're keen to die.'
'But I've never space-walked before.'
'A first time for everything. I'll get as close to you as I can and a simple leap across with a safety-line into my airlock and I'll get us all back to the Goliath.'
'You can do this, Jay Jay,' said Sam. 'Joe. We have about twenty minutes in which to get the three of us across. Perhaps a couple of minutes to spare. That's cutting it fine, Joe.'
Friar said, 'If you all keep calm, that's plenty of time. Don't go exerting yourselves and preserve what air you have.'
'We'll be ready for you, Joe,' said Lee.
It took just ninety eight minutes to catch up with the floating shuttle, leaving eighteen minutes to get everyone over to Friar's shuttle alive. Friar had made a good job of matching the floating speed and it was fifty-five yards between airlocks. Jacobs, Clifton and Lee were ready and waiting in the airlock, each tethered to a safety-line.
