ISO- Beyond the solar system

by Travis Sande

  "General, Admiral, there has been an injunction placed on all things relating to the FYRA. The Triumvirate is currently negotiating the possibility of the Vryl temporarily joining the council." Kris relayed the information as quickly as she could.

  "That would give Firk a voting stalemate which would cause this whole situation to freeze indefinitely until a decision is reached." Melissa said. "We don't have time for this, every second we waste here is a second they don't have out there."

  "We will continue prep and be ready to launch as soon as possible. Let’s hope a decision is made swiftly." Lest shook his head at the general. “That little worm.”

  Melissa nodded at the way Lest described Firk. “Let me worry about him.” She said. "How long until we are ready to launch?"

  "We will be ready to launch before the end of the week. We have abandoned all non-essential infrastructure." Lest leaned over one of the panels near them in the communications hub and pulled up a schematic of the FYRA. “All major delays were related to ensuring the labs were prepared for launch. With those operations being cancelled we should be able to expedite the process significantly.”

  "When will the council meet to discuss the injunction?" Melissa turned and said to Kris.

  "There are three meetings scheduled so far, one is later today and two more later in the week." Kris closed her eyes and confirmed the contents of the message.

  "Gather the FYRA crew and have them meet me in the back, I refuse to allow bureaucracy to delay our rescue effort." Melissa started moving out of the room.

  "I have no intention of going against the wishes of the Triumvirate. The council meets today, and we can hope for a resolution. You have recused yourself from this, General. I would advise you to honour that." Lest called out to Melissa before she could exit the room.

  The general left the area immediately following the confrontation with admiral Lest. It was clear that she was allowing her own personal investment in the matter complicate the situation.

  "Inform the Triumvirate that we will continue prepping for the mission but remain on standby pending further notice." Lest told Kris before turning his attention back to the room.

  Concerned about the general, Kris followed in the direction she left. Once out of the room she could see her walking quickly down the hallway back to the orbital launch facility. Kris jogged to gain her side.

  "General." Kris called ahead.

  "Not now, I have to get back up there." Melissa said, clearly on a mission.

  "Melissa!" Kris yelled, forfeiting formality.

  "What?!" Melissa stopped in her tracks and faced Kris.

  "You can't do this, of all the people I would think you would understand the hierarchy of command." Kris forgot her place and found herself chastising a general in the middle of the hallway.

  "Like interrupting a general without addressing them as such?" Melissa said. “Odd approach.”

  "Everyone is on your side, we all want to find out what happened. You need to quit risking everything like this." Kris did her best to reason with the general, she had never seen Melissa act so irrationally. Everything was proceeding yet here she was, risking it all.

  “You don’t know what risk is.” Melissa said. Kris could see the pain in her eyes. It felt like she had already concluded that Lorn was lost.

  “Melissa, you have to get a hold of yourself. If we are going to get this done, we need you.” Kris felt her throat tighten as she looked into the general’s eyes. Hope had escaped her, she was lost, in pain. “Attempting to circumvent procedure will only lead to more delay.”

  Before Melissa could answer, Kris received a message from Lest. He was asking for a private meeting between the three of them.

  “Lest wishes to meet with us in his quarters.” Kris said, abruptly derailing their argument.

  “Tell him we will be there. I wonder what he wants after that exchange we just had.” Melissa said, shaking her head as she rerouted to Lest’s quarters.

  The two of them moved quickly through the halls. Both were eager to see what the admiral was interested in revealing to them. Everything felt hectic and rushed as Kris struggled to maintain composure. Between the constant barrage of messages and the chaotic pace of the situation, she could feel exhaustion creeping up on her. Nevertheless, they pushed on and toward Lest’s quarters.

  Once they reached his door, Lest opened it and let them in. “Come in, sit.” Lest motioned them in.

  Kris and the general both came in and sat down across from Lest at his desk. Melissa was clearly upset and impatient considering the situation. “Make this quick.” She said.

  “You need to calm down, Melissa. You are acting completely out of character. I understand what’s at stake for you and everyone else. I agree with you, we need to do something. We just can’t speak about it openly in the main communication room. There are cameras and mics everywhere in there. I had to reject you openly and chastise your efforts.” Lest’s brow was tight, clearly frustrated.

  Shocked by what she was hearing, Kris had to clarify. “You’re with us?”

  “Yes, we don’t have time to waste sitting around here or sending a vessel for five years to clean up the debris. The Vryl law is black and white, it doesn’t allow for any nuance whatsoever.” Lest went on. “We have an entire vessel potentially stranded in deep space, we need to get there as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, that’s what I was hoping to hear. Have you talked to anyone else about this?” Melissa asked, regaining a level of composure.

  “Everyone is onboard except the Vryl engineer, Torrin. I have no idea how to approach him with this without being immediately reported to his superiors. They don’t seem like the type to abandon duty.” Lest paused. “The moment this all blew up, I called a meeting and established a course of action. If I can speak freely, your outbursts are drawing a lot of unwanted attention. If you think I would let Firk dictate the future of the stellar fleet, you have less respect for me than I had hoped.”

  Melissa shook her head, taking in all the criticism. “You’re right, both of you. But you’re wrong about one thing. I would be reacting this way no matter who it was out there. I am not compromised by my proximity to this, I am emboldened by it.” Melissa paused, looking down for a moment and taking a deep breath. “Our focus should be on utilizing the appropriate avenues for FYRA launch. I appreciate the criticism, but the candid nature in which you both have been addressing me stops now. I earned my rank.”

  Both Kris and Admiral Lest acknowledged her request, nodding in agreement. “I will accept any reprimand you deem fit, it needed to be brought to your attention. It won’t happen again.” Kris admitted the fault of her earlier approach.

  Kris sat quietly at the desk for a moment before thinking of a way they could utilize standard operating procedure to get the FYRA underway. A thought suddenly jumped into her head, it would break the rules but might get them on their way. “We could agree to the standard launch procedure and let the team initiate the RIP once they are already up.” Kris blurted out.

  Lest turned to face Kris. “If we do that, the crew would all be held responsible for their actions. They would have to fully understand the consequences.”

  “That could also appear as a kidnapping of the Vryl engineer.” Melissa said. “It is possible that I could suggest a replacement instead of approving him for the mission.”

  “They have requested a presence onboard the FYRA. It will be difficult to accept your rejection of their member.” Lest had an objection for everything it seemed.

  “The Vryl have sent multiple recon teams from Setu. That will have to suffice. Niri is more than capable of rift maintenance and I will be refusing the addition based on redundancy.” Melissa sat forward in her chair, she looked confident in their new found solution.

  “The only other option would be to allow Niri herself to discuss the option with Torrin, they have become quite close.” Kris had seen Niri spending a lot of time with Torrin even off the clock. She hope
d that maybe Niri could utilize that closeness to persuade Torrin into joining their effort.

  “I think informing the Vryl at all is too big of a risk.” Melissa’s mistrust for the Vryl bled through her response.

  “I will approve the standard launch and get things underway. The crew is already informed of the general idea, but I will need to brief them on this new development. I am sure they will be willing to do it but it’s only fair to inform them.” Lest nodded as he looked around the room, contemplating the situation.

  “What about this injunction Kris told me about?” Melissa asked.

  “The injunction only applies to RIP implementation. If we approve standard propulsion, it will be accepted and cleared for launch.” Lest reviewed. “If the crew implements RIP under those circumstances, they will all be held responsible and receive a full court martial upon returning. It’s a lot to ask.”

  “Depending on the outcome of the mission, I will personally request that they all be pardoned. Failing that, I will ask to be held entirely responsible.” Melissa’s words held weight, Kris knew she was prepared to accept her fate under those circumstances.

  “Once in transit, are there any consequences the crew could suffer?” Kris asked.

  “They will have our full support once in transit. The stellar fleet does not believe in spite causing harm to our officers.” Lest said. “As I am sure the general agrees.”

  “If they go against our wishes we will support them until a safe return. They will face consequences at that point.” Melissa agreed. “Once they begin their journey we have no way to prevent them from continuing. A temporary cooperation would be reached to facilitate the success of their mission.”

  “Firk is going to know we are in on this, you know that.” Lest pointed out.

  “He won’t be able to prove anything, so he can know all he wants.” Melissa said. “Besides, after your little display out there I am sure he won’t consider you. If they want to come after me before the mission completes, I will accept full responsibility for the crew.”

  “Melissa, you know I support you in this, I just want to make sure you understand this. There is a very real possibility that the ISO was destroyed, or the rift has taken them upon closing. Doing this is going to destroy everything you have worked for and I am not sure what you want to get out of it. If they survived, they are safely moving to Setu. If they didn’t survive, you are destroying your career for nothing. Just seems like an unnecessary risk.” Lest laid out the scenario as plainly as he could. The situation definitely seemed dire.

  “There’s a possibility they are stranded, even if it’s unlikely I would rather risk everything and be wrong then find out in five years they slowly died out there, alone.” Melissa’s voice cracked slightly. “I won’t let that happen.”

  “Firk… his antics are the only reason we are having this conversation.” Lest continued. “I can understand the Vryl apprehension since it’s part of their culture and a law. Firk is simply looking for a chance to exert some form of power. It disgusts me when that smug bastard does this.”

  “I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of my hatred. I honestly don’t know if he prefers that over respect.” Melissa, like most, had always disliked Firk.

  “I suggest we wait until the council meeting this afternoon. If we get lucky they may get the injunction lifted and we can execute as normal. For now, I am going to approve the launch for the end of the week. Either way, we will be underway before long.” Lest closed down his panel, preparing to end the meeting.

  “Do we have an expectation of speed? I heard Niri discussing RIP speeds that far exceed what the ISO was utilizing.” Melissa had discussed the potential for RIP speed increases in front of Kris on several occasions. The idea was of great interest to many of the top officers and politicians within the stellar fleet.

  “I have heard speculation but nothing specific or concrete.” Lest cocked his head at the question. Discussion regarding RIP speeds were regarded as fringe science by some.

  “Torrin talks about that constantly with Niri. He has been experiencing a lot of frustration within the Vryl society. They won’t let them test anything beyond the established speeds.” Kris spoke up.

  “They really get locked into tradition.” Melissa went on. “Not just with that, but everything. Their entire population seems to accept whatever gets handed down from their upper-class.”

  “We might be able to exploit that.” Lest raised an eyebrow, considering the situation. “If the Vryl are so steadfast in their ways, that must cause frustration in people like Torrin. We could be offering him his first real chance to test his theories unimpeded. If Niri approached the subject carefully, he may be willing to join the effort.”

  “I will talk to Niri, I don’t want to take that risk without her blessing.” Melissa started to stand. “I should get back to the main hub.”

  “Yes, we should wrap this up, I will be in touch via Kris and keep you posted on everything.” Lest closed his interface on the desk and stood.

  “I will go speak with Niri and based on her input, decide if I am approving Torrin or not.” Melissa said. “Let’s go, Kris.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Kris got to her feet and prepared to exit with the general.

  “General, one last thing.” Lest said as Melissa and Kris stood from their seats. “May I speak freely?”

  “Go ahead.” Melissa turned to face him.

  “You are acting out of character, I have never seen you like this. I understand Geoff is out there; he’s one of my closest friends. We need a general. We need the stoic command you’ve represented for years. Do not allow Firk to destabilize your composure.” Lest’s gaze remained securely on the general’s face.

  Kris could see the realization on Melissa’s face as she nodded to the admiral. Turning to the door, Kris followed the general out into the hallway.

  It seemed as if they finally had a plan. The general’s posture was noticeably different after hearing the admiral’s position. Her recusal had forfeit authority over the rescue effort, something she seemed to regret. It was reassuring to hear they had support from the admiral.

  “Ma’am, I would like to apologize for the way I approached you earlier.” Kris said. She was reliving that earlier confrontation in the hall. It was unlike her to abandon formality with the general.

  “Don’t worry, you were right, I needed that wake-up call. The admiral echoed your sentiment. I allowed emotion to twist my discretion.” Melissa didn’t let her apology linger before continuing. “That being said, I won’t tolerate insubordination like that again.”

  "I guess I got a little too comfortable with our informal relationship and lost sight. I won't let it happen again." Kris regretted the confrontation and vowed to herself not to lose sight of rank.

  "Don't dwell on it, let's get Niri." Melissa pushed on through the corridors of the facility.

  Working as the general’s personal communication conduit had afforded Kris the opportunity to become very close to Melissa. It was rare that any situation held significance like this and retreating from that comfortability was a foreign sensation. Kris had begun seeing the general as a peer instead of an authority figure. A moment of introspection as they continued their course allowed Kris to once again distance herself from the general. Her presence was indeed stoic as Lest had described. The chain of command within the stellar fleet would provide some much-needed organization amidst the chaos.

  Kris stared over at the shoulder of Melissa, her profile cutting through the corridor walls her as they moved. Kris saw her friend, arguably her closest friend. The general’s determined gaze affixed directly ahead at their course reminded Kris of her determination and capability. In that moment, Kris’ close friend faded and gave way to something new, a leader. Kris resigned herself to her position as a subordinate instead of a peer.

  The two of them moved quickly through the base and into the main observation room. Niri was still with Torrin working on the data they ha
d received from the commander of the ISO. The room was buzzing considering how little information that had to work with. Kris was eager to join the discussion.

  "Do we have any updates?" Melissa asked as she entered the room.

  "We have been cross referencing all of the data we received with past Vryl experiences. It looks like it’s a very specific pattern that always occurs before a disappearance.” Niri pressed on, explaining what they had discovered. “Torrin was telling me that they have no solid theories as to why this occurs. They can’t even replicate uniform fluctuations in a lab setting.” Niri was shaking her head as she relayed the information. The lack of any conclusion seemed to be weighing heavily on her. She took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair before continuing. “Even if the rift destabilizes, it would leave some trace of debris. The fact that no debris has ever been left behind leaves this phenomenon a complete mystery, even on Setu. They have speculation that they parade around as fact, Torrin tells me.”

  “Yes, the representatives tell the Vryl population that a uniform frequency rift collapse absorbs and destroys the vessel upon closure. There have been outspoken opponents to that theory, but they are relegated to underground conspiracy circles. The government has made its official position on the matter quite clear.” Torrin was seated nearby, hearing the conversation, he added to Niri’s point.

  “The Vryl have taken an official position about a subject they don’t understand? That seems out of character from what I have come to know of your species.” Melissa said. “What are some of these conspiracy theories?”

  “The largest one is a group that believes the rift takes certain vessels by choice. This theory assumes the rift itself contains a certain level of intelligence and has access to another dimension.” Torrin moved closer to the group.

  “That seems unlikely.” Niri interjected.

  Planting himself down in front of Kris, Torrin addressed Niri’s thought. “I agree, I said it was the largest, not the most educated.”