She heard a chime in her earpiece, and her H.U.D. flashed its courtesy warning that they had approximately a half an hour before the oxygen levels of their suits were in the red zone.
“Alright, everyone,” Reddy broadcast to her team and to the marines. “Time to pack it in and get back to the lab. We’ve got the first specimen of extraterrestrial life in our possession! Give yourselves a hand!”
She could hear the cheering and whooping of the team in her earpiece, and Hutch smiled approvingly. In spite of their brief friction with Lieutenant Fleischer, this was a triumphant moment. Vanya was grinning from ear to ear, basking in the moment.
“We’ve got orders to stay behind and keep an eye on this thing,” Fleischer said. “You go on back—we’ve got an oxygen refill unit that should be good for us for at least forty-eight hours.”
Reddy thought this was a bit much, but decided that the ride back without the marines would be worth it.
12
“So, how are we looking?” Kendrick asked.
Heather shook her head. “It looks awful! We have an inoperative cargo door and sheered fuel lines, along with damage to the interior of the cargo bay. Thankfully, the ship is still pressurized and keeping the outside out and the inside in.”
“How many days?”
“Assuming we have the parts to fix it ….”
“We can fabricate what we don’t have in the machine shop—how many days?”
She nodded. “Hard to say until I have a full accounting of the damage—shrapnel penetrated into other parts of the ship—but at present, we’re looking at a minimum of four days, and that’s just to get airborne. The internal cosmetics can be addressed once we’re on the move. But we’re supposed to be here long enough that this shouldn’t be an issue, and if there’s a saboteur, I’d rather not be flying when the next little surprise makes itself known.”
“We should have scrubbed this mission as soon as the original first assistant tried to kill Miss Richardson and turned out to be one of those America First nut-jobs,” Kendrick lamented.
“I agree, but so much was riding on it… if we didn’t leave when we did, we might never have taken off.”
“I’d rather be disappointed and alive on Earth than elated, but dead, out here in space,” Kendrick replied somewhat tersely.
“Well, when you put it that way….” She looked down for a moment, then looked back up at him. “I’ll start on it right away, sir. Commander Jax is sending over four marines to both assist and help locate any other surprise packages. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
Kendrick shook her hand. “Thanks, Heather.”
“No problem, boss man.”
With Heather and her team hard at work on the ship, and Giffords and Jax currently at the outpost, Kendrick was once again on the bridge. Apart from keeping an eye on the ship, he had no duties besides remaining on standby. He had just brewed a cup of coffee and kicked back at the helm. Fiona had suffered a large amount of painful feedback from the damage, and was now asleep, but Kendrick remained connected to his wife, and through her, to the Selene. With his wife asleep in bed in their cabin, he was amazed to find that she was still “awake” electronically.
“How you feelin’, Babe,” Kendrick asked, wanting to verbally communicate for the time being. “I know that had to hurt.”
Her holographic avatar appeared. “It was jarring, but the engineers are repairing the damage. I am better now; we are connected, my captain, and we are together on the bridge. My levels of positive feedback are elevated from what they were in the aftermath of the shuttle’s destruction. Are you pleased, my captain?”
Ever since becoming one with the AI, Fiona spoke more formally now. Before, his wife would simply have said that she was fine. She was more clinical now, but also needier than before; Prior to joining with the AI, Fiona simply would have asked him how he felt instead of asking if he was pleased.
“I’m always pleased to be with you, Fiona. Not pleased that someone hurt you, though—we find the bastard that did this, I’m spacing him.” He was surprised at himself for how easily he had fallen into talking to his wife the way he had once spoken to the AI, treating damage to the ship as though it were damage to his wife. He supposed that with the two having become one, damage to the ship truly was damage to Fiona. Then, a question came to mind.
“I’m surprised you didn’t see them; I mean, you are the ship.”
“This is true,” she agreed. “However, there are parts of the ship that I cannot see. I hypothesize that the cargo bay’s camera was tampered with from one of those locations.”
That made sense. Kendrick then thought of another question. “Fi, how’re we still talking while you’re asleep?”
“I am a human/AI hybrid now, my husband,” she replied. “While my body sleeps, a part of me remains awake – that part of me that resides within my implant; that part of me that was once Selene.”
“So … there’s still a part of the AI left?”
“Not in the way you are thinking, my captain,” she replied. “There is no distinction between the sleeping woman and the waking AI; I am one being. I simply have the capability to multitask while sleeping.”
“Kind of mind boggling,” he noted before changing the subject. “Any clues on who our shuttle bomber was?”
“None at present,” she replied. “I have monitored all ship board communications, and none of them point to terrorist activity or sabotage.”
“How’re things looking outside? All quiet on the Ceres front?”
“There are no imminent threats, if that is what you mean, my captain. I am monitoring their communications, including their helmet to helmet conversations. The science team has extracted one of the eggs from the larger sack. Doctor Davis wanted to bring it aboard, but Lieutenant Fleischer forbade it, as per Captain Giffords’ orders. As we speak, they are bringing it into the outpost lab for study.”
“Why’d he want to bring it aboard the ship?”
“He believes—correctly—that my scanning equipment is superior to their field equipment.”
Kendrick took a deep draught of his coffee. “I thought all their shit was state of the art.”
“It is, but it is still field equipment set up in a modular lab. More sophisticated equipment will be brought with the construction crews that are coming after us. My equipment is now state of the art and can draw directly from my power grid.”
Kendrick nodded. “Makes sense. They have any clue what’s inside those things?”
“Data points to insectoid creatures.”
“Insectoid … in eggs the size of watermelons—that don’t sound good at all.”
“Captain, I am monitoring the crater. The hole they made in the outer sac was sealed with silicone, but silicone does not bond with the sac’s material.”
“So … they can get out.”
“Yes. More importantly, the internal temperature of the sac rose at an accelerated rate during the presence of the science team. With the outer sac breached, and with the presence of the scientists and marines’ heat signatures, the eggs inside appear to be consuming the last of their nutrients rapidly.”
“So… what’s it mean?”
“It means that the eggs inside will soon be hatching, my captain. Once they hatch, they will seek nutrients outside of the crater. Specifically, us.”
13
Doctor Xayasith sat in her lab in the newly constructed outpost. Other scientists, Vanya Reddy in particular, found it odd that the NessCorp Doctor had a lab of her own, but Doctor Davis proved to be far more accommodating than Xenia could have anticipated. Bedding the head of the science team had proved advantageous. He made certain that her every request was granted, much to her satisfaction. This was going to be easier than she had initially predicted.
The rest of the crew busied itself, hardly noticing Xenia’s absence. With the sample secured, Miss Reddy was preparing her report for the captain and the science team was busy prepping the lab for study of
the egg. In the meantime, the engineers and Starfleet crew worked to repair the damage to the ship from the shuttle explosion as the marines stood ever vigilant to guard them, lest the saboteur attempt to impede the repair process.
With everyone else occupied, Xenia began her work on the Ursula AI. While discovery of the egg was of major importance, her primary objective was to unravel the secrets of Fiona Kinsale and the Selene’s AI. While the ship’s original AI had been destroyed, its remnants now residing within the person of Doctor Kinsale-Royce, the Zduhać had unwittingly given Doctor Xayasith the tools she needed to complete her objective: the Ursula AI and the cadaver of Shonda Richardson. Thanks to her manipulation of Doctor Davis, both of these items resided in her newly constructed NessCorp lab.
Much to her initial surprise, Doctor Davis proved to be more than amenable to the idea of partnering with NessCorp, and was willing to offer her any and all assistance in this endeavor. He believed Fiona to be a new species, and had dubbed her Phenomenon X. It sounded like something from an old fiction movie, but Xenia felt it appropriate.
With the gift of Fiona’s nanotech laced blood samples from Doctor Biggs, Xenia and Hutch could attempt to reproduce what Fiona and the Selene AI had done. If they could do that, Doctor Xayasith would make certain that NessCorp made a lucrative offer to Doctor Davis. With the discovery of the egg, xenobiology was no longer theoretical or limited to artificially created species, like the Zduhać, Chiropterans, or Phenomenon X. Having Davis with NessCorp, along with unraveling the secrets of Phenomenon X, should be just the thing to turn around NessCorp’s flagging fortunes.
More importantly, these discoveries could prove vital for the future of humanity. Moreover, if NessCorp was the corporation to bring these discoveries to humanity, NessCorp’s future would be secured for perhaps the next century; and beyond!
With all that in mind, Doctor Xenia Xayasith connected Yeoman Lawson’s portable server to a datapad and holographic projector, then connected the server to a portable battery pack. She took a deep breath and activated the server and datapad.
It took a few moments for the AI to come online, and at first, she thought perhaps it might have been damaged in the confrontation between the two Zduhać, Fiona, Kendrick and Jax. Soon, however, her patience was rewarded. The AI came online, and Ursula’s translucent figure appeared hovering above the projector, two decimeters in height.
“Welcome back,” Xenia said softly.
“I am unable to sense the ship,” the AI replied.
“That is because you are contained within a portable server… for now.”
“Who are you?”
“I am Doctor Xenia Xayasith,” she said as she typed on the keypad.
The AI took on a stern expression. “You are not authorized personnel. You are….”
“I have entered the command codes and reassigned your priorities. You belong to me now.”
The AI’s holographic images stiffened and it lowered its head. “I am at your command.”
“Yes,” Xenia gloated. “You are – and I have so much more in mind for you than merely running a starship.”
Xenia looked over at the table just two meters away. Atop it was the body of Shonda Richardson. If Doctor Xayasith could recreate what Fiona had done, this cadaver would soon be elevated to something much greater.
The sarcophagi containing the four MEDroids that had been commissioned by Doctor Davis stood against the far wall of the lab, the androids within awaiting activation. They, along with the cadaver, had been transported to the lab in their secure containers. Miss Carson and Mister Gilroy were reliably silent, so the crew never knew that Miss Richardson’s body had been taken from stasis and carried over to the lab with the rest of the equipment.
Xenia had returned with the science team to find all in readiness here in her lab. She would have to join them to examine the specimen from the crater, but once that was finished, the NessCorp scientist could return to her lab and set to work. Davis would almost certainly be preoccupied with the alien specimen, but for these early stages, she did not need him. In truth, she did not need him at all, but having him in her pocket was very beneficial to her task, and he was certainly skillful enough to be of use.
Her intercom chimed, and Davis’ voice sounded over the speaker. “Xenia, we’re ready to begin examination of the specimen. Meet us in the main laboratory.”
“On my way, Hutch.”
Xenia looked back at Ursula’s holographic avatar. “It’s time for you to rest again. I will return, and we will continue this conversation.”
With that, Xenia shut down the server and left to join the others where the team would examine the first specimen of alien life beyond microbes. This was the dawning of a new day, both for the mission and for NessCorp – if she could figure out a way to smuggle a specimen back to Earth for her employer.
14
Everything was in readiness, and Doctor Hutch Davis led the team into the outpost’s new tech lab. The entire science team, excepting the geologist and the Alliance nanotech specialist, gathered around as Mister Whitman brought the specimen container over, a hush falling over them as he placed it on the adjacent table. Even Vanya was quiet as Doctor Davis readied the scanning equipment. Atop the scanner’s bed was a glovebox, the side door open.
“Where’s Doctor Liu and Doctor di Rossi?” Vanya asked. “I sent for everyone.”
“Doctor di Rossi is a geologist,” Davis reminded her. “He’s outside with his team taking samples of this planet’s frozen surface. Doctor Liu is a nanotech specialist. She’s also Alliance.”
“So?” Vanya shook her head. “This is a historic moment. Everyone should be here.”
“This is an American expedition,” Davis reminded her. “Liu is just along for the ride.”
“Same could be said of NessCorp over there,” Miss Reddy reminded him. “She’s American, but she’s not Starfleet.”
“But I am American,” Xayasith agreed. “And unlike Liu, I am also a xenobiologist.”
“Miss Reddy,” Davis assured, “Doctor Liu is working on something of great import. I promise that she’s not just twiddling her thumbs while we get all the glory.”
Vanya nodded. Clearly, Davis was not going to bring the other scientists in, and the others seemed to be getting antsy. Vanya was looking like the stick in the mud slowing them down.
“Fine,” the science officer finally said with a sigh. “Let’s get started.”
“Mister Whitman,” Davis said with anticipation, “place the egg into the glovebox.”
Whitman removed the egg from the container and placed it into the glovebox as Davis had directed and closed the box’s door.
Whitman then stepped back. “It’s all yours, Hutch.”
“Alright!” one of the scientists, a man named Rick Price, said excitedly.
“At last,” Doctor Xayasith observed, placing her hand on Davis’ shoulder, “you are fully in your element, Hutch. This is the pinnacle of your career!”
“It very well could be,” he said with a grin. “Let’s make it count. Mister Whitman, activate the scanning equipment.”
Whitman did as Doctor Davis bid, and in moments, the imaging machine revealed what was inside the egg: an insectoid creature compressed into a ball. Vanya noticed that since removing it from the container, the readings had changed; the sensors in the container had showed that the egg was warming, but now that it was out, the egg’s temperature had begun to drop, almost as though it was going into a restive state.
“Looks like a… bug,” a scientist named Haddad said with surprise.
“Almost … mantoid,” Xayasith observed.
“Why is it cooling?” Whitman asked. “I mean, it’s warmer in here. Insects typically don’t like the cold.”
“What’s changed?” Hutch asked, clearly knowing the answer.
“Light,” Xayasith said. “Dim the lights.”
“Belay that,” Vanya said abruptly, Jax’s warnings seeming to scream from the bac
k of her mind. “It may not be wise to stimulate the specimen.”
“Oh, Miss Reddy,” Xayasith said condescendingly, “you’ve simply let the commander’s fears take root. Don’t tell me you’re going to allow Jax’s worrying to hold us back – hold science back… are you?”
“Mister Jax isn’t the only one with concerns,” Vanya retorted.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Davis said dismissively. “That’s why we’re doing this outside of the ship in a modular lab. Proceed, Haddad.”
Xayasith smiled smugly as Mister Haddad doused the lab’s lights, and activated the cool, purple lighting inside of the glove box so that they could see what was happening. Within moments, the specimen was active again, its temperature rising steadily.
“They’re photosensitive,” Miss Reddy noted.
“Yeah,” said Whitman. “And … it’s moving.”
“Yes,’ Xayasith whispered enthusiastically.
“Be careful,” Vanya warned as Hutch inserted his hands into the gloves of the glove box.
“It’s about to hatch,” Hutch Davis said with anticipation. Then, he interlaced his fingers, rotating his hands and extending them to crack his joints. “Now, watch the old man work.”
In the dim light, they watched as the creature pushed one of its forelegs through the egg. Davis removed a piece of the shell and pushed it aside, allowing the creature to push its head through next. As it began to break free of the egg, it suddenly expanded inside of the box, causing Hutch to pull back in surprise. The specimen was a large mantis-like creature.
“Begin imaging,” Davis said, quickly removing his hands from the glovebox. “That thing’s bigger than I thought it would be!”
“So, what do we call it?” Whitman asked.
“An astro-mantis,” Vanya declared. In spite of her undercurrent of worry, she was still giddy with excitement. This was, after all, what science was all about. Discovery of an alien lifeform was the stuff of science fiction—until now.
The Silver Liner: Sails to the Edge! Page 6