The Jumpgate

by Robert Stadnik

  Jonas checked the sensors to see if anything was near the ship. “I’m picking up the Onixin probe a few hundred kilometers from us. It’s intact. All its systems appear normal. I’m also picking up a jumpgate structure. The vortex is being maintained by it.”

  Jacob quickly scanned the gate. “It appears identical to the gate in the Milky Way galaxy.”

  Michelle was more concerned with how well the ship weathered going through the gate. “What about the SOLARA?”

  Jonas checked the engineering status displays. “SOLARA’s systems are all within normal operating parameters. I’m not picking up any fractures or breaches in the hull.”

  Michelle reclined in her seat, breathing a sigh of relief. It was a sentiment echoed by the crew.

  “We did it. We actually did it,” Dewis remarked in an unusual excited tone.

  “So, what now?” Michelle asked.

  Now that they had gone through the gate, Jacob hoped Captain Dewis would be inclined to take things slow. “I recommend we hold position for at least a day and send the probe out to conduct scans of the local area,” Jacob suggested.

  Dewis found the recommendation acceptable. “Very well. What’s the status of the wormhole?”

  Fotell checked the Triangulum jumpgate. “The wormhole is still open.”

  “Can we keep it open?” the captain asked.

  “The energy necessary to keep it open is minimal,” Fotell replied.

  “Let our alliance friends know to keep the gate open,” Dewis ordered. He got up and approached Jacob. “Commander, have the probe conduct detailed scans of the area and supplement it with scans from the ship’s sensors. We’ll reconvene in the morning to discuss the findings and decide where to head to. The priority will be to locate any life-sustaining planets or artificial installations or ships.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jacob replied as the captain left the command deck.

  Fotell could see the commander was not happy. She had never witnessed such friction between humans before. She leaned over towards him, making sure not to fall off her chair. “Are you alright?”

  Jacob lied, not wanting to get into what had happened with Dewis. “I’m fine. Let’s get the sensor sweep done. We don’t have a lot of time.” He was concerned that if the probe didn’t pick up anything dangerous, Captain Dewis would take SOLARA on an exploration mission through the local space. They were safe by the gate, and the commander wanted to remain near it. He hoped that they wouldn’t find anything that might capture the captain’s interest.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  One of the things Jacob missed about being on PHOENIX was having a place to escape and be alone with his thoughts. He used to go to the botanical gardens that comprised an entire deck. It was so large, it was easy to believe he was in a park on Earth. SOLARA had no such amenities. There was a recreation room that had a variety of games. It was always full of people, and the atmosphere didn’t give the commander the solitude he was seeking. The closest he could find was a storage area on deck six. Here, no one would bother him. It didn’t have the luscious scenery of plants and trees or windows to look out into space, but it would do.

  After sending the probe out to explore the surrounding area and reconfiguring the ship’s sensors to wide band, there was nothing to do but wait. It would give the commander time to himself uninterrupted. This feeling of being trapped didn’t sit well with him. The captain’s decision to travel through the gate was a rushed and foolhardy decision. As pompous and arrogant as TERRA officers were, they still had some common sense…most of the time.

  Why did Jacob agree to take this assignment? He was just as miserable here as he was at the engineering bureau. Why did he think things would get any better coming to a capital ship? He would have been better off resigning from TERRA and taking a job in the private sector. He could have left all this craziness behind and enjoyed a nice comfortable life back home. Then again, he’d be forced to face another part of his life, one the commander had tried to reconnect with but failed.

  “You look lost in thought.” Jacob looked up to see Chief Gimron. “The computer told me you were down here. Not exactly the most beautiful scenery here,” she said as she looked around at all the storage containers. “Unless you’re looking for contraband, in which case I should remind you that’s my job.”

  “The closest thing to a garden I could find,” Jacob muttered.

  Michelle found that an odd statement. “OOkkkaayyyy…” She took a seat next to him on a cargo container. “You lit out of the command deck pretty fast.”

  “I wanted to be alone.”

  “What went down with you and the captain…”

  Jacob interrupted her. “You can save the speech about how the captain knows what he’s doing. You all admire and respect him. I get it. I can’t compete with someone you’ve all served with for years. So, if there isn’t anything else you want to add, I’m sure you have better things to do.”

  Michelle shook her head in disagreement. “You got it all wrong, commander. I’ve served under Captain Dewis all these years because he’s been a great ship commander and someone the crew could look up to. But my devotion to him isn’t blind. First and foremost, I’m the security chief. I can spot a problem with a command decision, especially with someone I’ve served with for so long. His decision was brash and hurried, which is totally unlike him. I’m just as surprised as you are about what he’s doing.”

  Jacob was speechless hearing this from a long-term officer of the SOLARA. He never expected someone here to have his same concerns about the captain. “I’m…I’m sorry. I just assumed…”

  Michelle smiled. “Apology accepted. I know you haven’t been welcomed here with open arms, but we’re not all mindless robots. Some of us can think for ourselves.”

  Jacob couldn’t help but smile at her comment. “It’s amazing how different officers were on PHOENIX compared to the rest of the fleet.” Then again, Jacob knew that was due to PHOENIX’s officers embarking on the Screen mission because they believed it was in the best interest of humanity and not to further their careers.

  “I’m not blind to the ways things have changed because of that ship. I didn’t like it at first, but I’m willing to change. There are other officers out there willing to change too. Don’t dismiss all of us. TERRA does have some good people.”

  “Point taken, chief.” Jacob realized Michelle was right. He couldn’t let a bunch of officers stuck in the past make him disregard everyone else. Although he was despised by the crew here, he did find two people who accepted him. It was the same at the engineering bureau. There were a few officers there who did come to accept him.

  Michelle decided to change the subject. “You’re not the only one who found it strange that the command council would contact the captain during a mission. Any idea what it might be about?”

  Jacob shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I did talk to Admiral Vargas yesterday. He pretty much said we were on our own with this mission.”

  Michelle was surprised to hear this. “I don’t recall seeing any communication record between us and Luna beyond that one message from Vespia.”

  Jacob cracked a slight grin. “I figured it was best to be discreet.”

  “Talking to an admiral behind a captain’s back? You live dangerously, commander.” By her tone, Jacob knew she wouldn’t report him. “Whatever you and Vargas talked about, I assume he clued the council in on it. That makes their contact with the captain even more intriguing.”

  “I suspect whatever they told him was the reason we hurried through the gate,” Jacob speculated.

  “Maybe they didn’t want us proceeding with the mission,” Michelle wondered. “I checked the transmission data in the communications log with Admiral Vespia. Unfortunately, it’s for captain’s eyes only and heavily encrypted. If only there was a way to decrypt it.”

  Jacob smiled at her. “Hacking a captain’s comm logs? You also live dangerously.”

  Michelle grinned. “Well, I gu
ess that puts us in the same boat. I’d volunteer to do it, but unscrambling decryption is beyond my skills. I’ve never had to do it in my stint in security.”

  An idea popped in Jacob’s head. “Don’t worry. I know someone who can help us.”

  ********

  David was in his quarters. He had received a letter from his mother in the last batch of crew member letters sent to SOLARA. He waited a day before opening the file, afraid of what it might say. His family squarely blamed their misfortunes on him. Nothing he said seemed to dissuade them from their animosity towards him. His father used to be a high-level admiral in TERRA. When it was revealed David and his friend Billy Pedia were responsible for relaying messages from PHOENIX to the media during the Screen mission, the senior Block was arrested. Subsequently, he was expelled from TERRA along with the other loyalists to former command council leader Admiral Donalds.

  David finally had the nerve to open the file and read the letter. He wanted to be optimistic. It didn’t take long for his heart to sink.

  David,

  It’s taken me a while to reply to you as I wasn’t sure how to say what I want to tell you. Your father and I talked about it, and we’re both in agreement. We don’t think it’s a good idea for you to visit us on your next duty break. It took me a while to realize you’re no longer a child. That’s something no mother wants to face. You’re an adult, one who made decisions that adversely affected this family.

  Despite his years of loyalty and experience, your father hasn’t been able to find work in the private sector. His name has been tainted. No one is willing to give him a chance. Your brother and sister are bullied at their schools. Even I’ve been ostracized from the community. Whatever involvement you had in the PHOENIX Movement has gone unnoticed. No one believes you were a part of it. Even I have my doubts that you helped your friend organize it. You never had that sort of initiative. I’m more willing to believe you were conned into helping him.

  With no money coming in, we’re looking at selling the estate in Virginia. We can’t afford the cost of its upkeep. It’s put a strain on all of us, so much so that your dad and I are no longer sleeping in the same bedroom. He’s frustrated and doesn’t know how to handle his anger.

  This is what your choices have done to this family. You were always meek and eager to please. I’ll never understand what possessed you to get involved with your friend. I’d wish I could say time will heal the wounds, but I honestly don’t believe that. I wouldn’t bother with any further correspondence with us. Any transmissions you send going forward will remain unread. Goodbye David…I hope it was worth it.

  Judith Block

  David was numb after reading the letter. A letter…his mom wasn’t willing to send a video, just words. His parents made it clear how upset they were with him. Now they wanted nothing to do with him. But for his mom to say she’s completely cutting him off, that was tough. First Billy abandons him, then John, now his parents. David was truly alone. He tried to do what he thought was right. Now he was suffering for it. As for his career, this was the best he could do—senior communications officer on a capital ship. There would be no more promotions for him.

  The door chime rang. The way he was feeling, he wasn’t up for any company. But he needed a distraction from reading that letter. He got up and opened the door, finding Commander Diego and Chief Gimron standing there.

  “Do you have a few minutes?” Jacob asked David.

  They were the distraction he sorely needed. David allowed them in as he took a seat behind his small desk. “What’s going on?”

  “I need you…”

  “We both need you,” Michelle clarified. She wasn’t about to let Jacob take the fall alone if they got caught. “To hack into the captain’s communication logs.”

  “We need to see the communication he received from the command council,” Jacob said.

  David activated his terminal. “Sure, should only take me a few moments. I take it you want the hack concealed?”

  Jacob and Michelle were both surprised how willing the communications officer was to fulfill their request.

  “Uh, you do know what the consequences would be for doing this, right?” Michelle asked.

  “I’ve got nothing to lose.” David’s tone was very matter-of-fact and emotionless.

  Jacob realized something was bothering David. “Lieutenant, if there’s something you want to get off your chest?”

  “It’s nothing.” David inputted a few commands in his terminal. When he was done, he turned it around. “You can view the entire comm message.”

  “That was quick.” Michelle knew David was good, but not this good.

  “You’d think TERRA would have updated their communications security protocols after what Billy and I did,” David remarked. “But it’s still pretty much the same.”

  “Lucky for us,” Michelle said as she watched Jacob read the communication’s contents. She looked at the commander. “What does it say?”

  Jacob didn’t reply. He was taken aback by what it contained. He needed to talk to the captain and convince him to change their course of action. There was enough here to remove Dewis from command and bring him up on court-martial charges, but that only worked in theory. The reality was Jacob did not have the backing of the crew. If he made a move against the captain, even a legitimate one, the commander was certain the crew would rally against him and he would be the one removed from command. They were simply too loyal to Dewis. Even this piece of evidence wouldn’t persuade them.

  Jacob quickly entered a command code sequence on David’s terminal, transferring the comm message to his personal folder and encrypting it. “I’m not going to share what the message says.” Michelle started to protest but Jacob held his hand up. “I need you two to have plausible deniability here. I’ll talk to the captain tomorrow. If things don’t go as I expect, I’m going to need someone to back me up. It’s asking a lot not knowing what the message says. I need you to trust me.”

  “I haven’t known you very long,” Michelle replied. “What I’ve seen is someone who has the well-being of the crew in mind. I’ve known Captain Dewis for a long time and respect him, but I’m the chief security officer. The welfare of the crew goes above my loyalty to the captain. You’ve got my support.”

  Jacob smiled at Michelle, grateful that he had at least one person on his side. He looked at David. “And you?”

  “I told you, I’ve got nothing to lose. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

  It wasn’t the rousing endorsement the commander was hoping for, but he’d take it. “I’ll talk to the captain in the morning. I don’t want to act hastily.”

  Michelle agreed it wasn’t wise to rush into anything. “Good idea, but if you need backup, let me know.”

  “I don’t want to jeopardize your position,” Jacob said.

  Michelle smiled. “A little drama could be fun. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. If things get dicey with the captain, you reach out to me. I mean it.”

  Jacob was grateful for her willingness to put herself on the line for him. “Okay, but hopefully it won’t come to that.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Even though he had a lot on his mind, Jacob found he was able to fall asleep with little effort. It was going to be a big day, exploring a new galaxy. The ship would be bustling with the constant activity of officers attending to the mission. The first thing the commander was going to do was confront Captain Dewis about his conversation with the command council. It was the only hope he had to put a stop to this mission. The captain was a seasoned TERRA officer, and he was jeopardizing his reputation by defying the council. Jacob needed to remind him about his loyalties to TERRA.

  0600 hours came, and the computer alerted Diego to get up. He took his time as he showered in the small stall in his quarters. As he dried off, he looked out the tiny window. Space was certainly a vast place. So many possibilities lay out there, waiting to be uncovered. He realized his viewpoint on space
exploration had been influenced by his time on the PHOENIX. For so long humanity had been oppressed by the Screen, contained in the solar system and unable to venture out to interstellar space. Even though they were now free from them, a lot of people still had trepidations about exploring the stars.

  Although things had not worked out for Jacob on PHOENIX, he understood the importance of humans exploring space. Yet the commander was now fearful about what they might encounter here in the Triangulum Galaxy. Was he truly afraid of the Screen’s oppressors, or was it how things ended for him on PHOENIX that was the source of his worries? Space exploration was not for the faint of heart, and Jacob knew only too well how things could go horribly wrong. His thoughts wandered to the day they fought the Screen armada at the Ni system. He’d tried his best that day, but it wasn’t enough. Could he have done more? And was it worth what he gave up back on Earth?

  Now wasn’t the time to reflect on the past. There wasn’t anything he could do about it. Jacob started getting dressed. He had a busy day ahead of him. As got ready, he noticed a faint glimmer coming from the left corner of the window. That was where one of the engine ports were located. He’d only be seeing that if the engine was active…if they were moving.

  “Computer, are we moving?”

  “Affirmative.”

  Jacob checked the console on his desk. Sure enough, they were moving. He checked the logs and found the SOLARA was nowhere near the gate. Navigation logs showed the ship had jumped away from the gate nearly two hours before. The ship was now in a star system, traveling through it at sub-light speeds.

  “Why the hell wasn’t I notified?” Jacob muttered as he quickly got his uniform on and raced out of his quarters. He suspected he knew the answer to that question. It was Captain Dewis. Now it seemed he was making decisions without the involvement of his XO.

  ********

  It only took a few minutes for Commander Diego to arrive on the command deck. While en route, he notified Chief Gimron and Lieutenant Walters about the ship’s location. When he got to the command deck, he found Captain Dewis in his command chair reviewing some information on a DAT. None of the senior staff were present, and the night crew were still working at their stations.