by Charles Mead
“Mr Weaver, can you do anything to hack into this other ship?”
“Even though we know where it is, sir, I have no idea where to start with this.”
“I see. Ensign Dern, all stop.”
“All stop.”
“Sir, the other ship has slowed as well almost to a stop.”
“Mr Vokes, make a lot of noise, will you? Open all our launch bay doors and close them, do that as many times as you like.”
“Aye sir.”
“Come on, it’s got to be curious what we’re doing now. Mr Weaver, stay alert, if it scans us I want to know, and I want you to try to follow the transmission back to it.”
“Yes sir.”
The bridge crew waited and waited but nothing was changing.
“Ok, let’s see if this works. Captain to Dr Martinez.”
“Martinez here, Captain.”
“Dr Martinez, do you have any animals that are sufficiently healed that we could release them here?”
“Yes sir, we have a number of sea turtles that are ready to be released.”
“How many?”
“Ten.”
“Excellent, release all of them. Now, Dr Martinez.”
“Yes sir, they will be out in less than a minute as they are already in the nearest swim tube to our closest rear hatch.”
“Good. Mr Vokes, please open the hatch now.”
“Aye sir, hatch open … and turtles away, sir.”
Most staff on the bridge struggled to maintain their focus and smiled.
“Sir,” said Steve Kennedy , “we are being scanned by that ship.”
“Finally, Mr Weaver, you are up. Track that signal, and if you can piggyback onto it back to source, do so immediately.”
“Yes sir.”
“I want to know the moment that ship finishes its scan or starts to move again.”
“Yes sir.”
“Commander, you up for an exploration mission?”
“Do we really know enough, sir?”
“No we don’t, but come on, where is your adventurous spirit?”
“Not what I meant, sir. Will it let us dock with it? Turtles aren’t going to keep it occupied for long periods of time, and we have no more turtles to release.”
“Yes, that’s almost a shame. Hearing ‘turtles away’ on the bridge of Proteus has amused me, perhaps more than it should.”
“Sir, I have managed to hack into the communication going back to the ship from its scan.”
“Good work, Mr Kennedy. You have almost made up for almost breaking my nose.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Is it detecting us doing this?”
“We’re about to find out. The signal back had some spare space on it so I have slotted us into that so the spare space is less than it expects.”
“We need a way into its systems, Mr Kennedy. Can you sneak us around or am I going to have to smash the navy equivalent of a water polo ball into its face?”
“I don’t think so. I think we are in.”
“Be careful, Mr Kennedy. Ensign Dern, bring us back around and have us zigzag in the most random pattern you can think of towards Deus Station and this ship.”
“Yes sir.”
Ensign Dern worked diligently steering Proteus away from the ship and then turned back towards the rogue submarine.
“Keep us going diagonally towards it, Ensign, slow as you go now. Mr Vokes, switch our external lights on full and point them towards the seabed. We want it to appear like we are looking for something on the seabed,” said Captain Ben Roberts.
“Yes sir.”
“Captain, we are as close as we can get on this diagonal to the hidden ship,” said Ensign Dern.
“Good work, Ensign, all stop.”
“Aye sir,” said Dern.
“Mr Vokes, keep those lights pointing downwards and ready a launch immediately. Mr Weaver, I want you ready to go on a launch. Explore the seabed for now around the area we have lit up.”
“Aye sir,” replied both men and Will Waver left the bridge for a launch bay.
“Mr Kennedy, how are we doing?”
“Well, I am in, but I don’t really know what I am looking at here, sir. It’s not got a configuration that I have seen before.”
“Understood, can you get into its navigation or propulsion systems and just hang out there for a bit?”
“Err … yes, sir,”
“What you thinking of, Captain?” queried Commander Nichols.
“Fishing, Martin.”
“Sir?”
“We have this thing’s attention, let’s see if we can reel it in.”
“Captain, Will’s launch is now leaving launch bay.”
“Great, patch me through.”
“Yes sir.”
“Mr Weaver, continue along the seabed for a minute or so and then turn directly to heading zero four three and hold that course.”
“Yes sir, but that will lead me directly to this rogue ship.”
“That’s the idea, Lieutenant.”
“Sir, I err—”
“Standby Will,” said Commander Nichols as he muted the communication channel.
“You better have a good reason for doing that, Commander,” said Ben.
“Sir,” whispered Martin, “Will has very little battle experience, we cannot send him to attack the ship.”
“What do you take me for? I am not doing anything of the sort,” said a visibly irritated Ben as he pressed the button to reopen the channel.
“Mr Weaver, here’s how this is going to work. When you turn to head to the ship you are going to do so for as long as I say. When I tell you to break off, you do so immediately and head back to Proteus, understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Mr Kennedy, status report.”
“I appear to be in its propulsion systems, sir; it’s difficult to say as this technology is so advanced.”
“Well, let’s see if it will still behave like a fish. Do it now, Mr Weaver.”
“Aye sir,” responded Will as he turned the launch to directly head towards the rogue submarine.
“Mr Kennedy, monitor what you can.”
“Yes sir.”
“Right, let’s see if it will take our bait,” said Ben.
The launch continued to head towards the rogue submarine for over a minute, closing the gap with each passing moment.
“Err … Captain, I am getting closer and closer,” said a clearly nervous Will.
“It’s fine, Will, maintain your current course for now. I assure you I will ensure the world continues to benefit from your boyband good looks for a while to come.”
“What’s a boyband?” asked Will.
“Never mind, get ready to return, sailor, just a little more…”
“Sir, the rogue submarine is powering up its propulsion systems, it’s getting ready to move.”
“Of course it is, Mr Weaver. Disengage now and return to Proteus.”
Will did not need to be told twice and turned his launch around to head towards Proteus. The rogue submarine started to follow the launch.
“Sir, the rogue submarine is in pursuit of the launch,” said Daniel Vokes.
“I am going to increase speed,” said Will.
“Absolutely not, sailor, maintain current speed.”
“Sir?” said a panicked Will.
“If we do that we reveal we know it is there. Maintain your current course, you are almost back.”
“Sir, should we power up weapons and raise our shields?” asked the commander.
“Absolutely not, for the reasons I just mentioned. However, Mr Vokes, ready another launch and send it out in the other direction along the seabed.”
“Yes sir.”
“Sir, the rogue submarine is now slowing down.”
“I knew it, it can’t get too close as we will be able to physically see it.”
“Mr Vokes, open launch bay doors and guide Mr Weaver in.”
“Aye, sir, and the r
ogue submarine is at an all-stop now.”
“Clever, clever.”
“Sir, now we have distracted it away from Deus, would it be a good time to start evacuations of the colony?” asked Commander Nichols.
“I agree it would be, but let’s hold off for a while. If this sub is as clever as we suspect, it may be monitoring communications, and I am pretty sure a colony with a pretentious sounding name like Deus probably has no ability to handle secure communications. Everyone is allowed in type hippy nonsense.”
“What should we do then, sir? Deus colony is a sitting duck.”
“It would be a lot easier to manage this if it was a duck, Commander!”
“Sir, if I may, I have a suggestion,” said Kennedy.
“Go ahead.”
“The systems in this rogue sub appear very advanced, but the propulsion systems, having had a bit more time to examine them, are very similar to ours…”
“Your point?”
“I think I can tell them to go offline.”
“Is Mr Weaver back inside?”
“Yes sir.”
“Then proceed, Mr Kennedy,”
“Commander Nichols, your thoughts?”
“You’re asking me now?”
“Yes I am, speak your mind,” said Ben.
“I think we are in a precarious position, we have no idea what you are dealing with, sir.”
“I agree.”
“Sir,” said Kennedy, “I appear to have shut down the rogue ship’s propulsion systems, it’s just maintaining position now.”
“Good work, Mr Kennedy,” said Ben. “Commander, you want to know what we are dealing with, and so do I. Take Mr Kennedy and get in a launch and head over to it. I want to know as much as possible, as quickly as possible, and as safely as you can get it.”
“Yes sir,” said Commander Nichols and he left the bridge with Steve Kennedy.
“Ensign Dern, whilst they are getting ready let’s test Mr Kennedy’s assumption before we send our people over there. I want you to move Proteus closer to this rogue submarine as close to inch by inch as you can go.”
“Do you still want me to zigzag across to it, sir?”
“Your discretion, Ensign, just make it look like we are testing our propulsion systems or about to release more turtles.”
“That I can do, sir,” said Dern with a smile.
Dern decided to use her console to start to blow several of the mini-ballasts all over Proteus’ bio-skin in a random sequence to slowly move Proteus forwards and towards the rogue ship.
“Mr Weaver, welcome back,” said Ben as he walked back onto the bridge and took his station. “I need to know what that rogue ship’s propulsion is doing, or perhaps, more accurately, thinking of doing.”
“Aye sir,” replied Will as he started tapping away at his console. “Nothing observed so far, sir.”
“Good, continuously monitor, Mr Weaver, and speak up the second it changes as we are continually moving toward it.”
“Aye sir.”
“Ensign Dern, how close are we now?”
“Five hundred metres, sir.”
“Good work, hold position.”
“Aye sir.”
“Computer, patch me through to Commander Nichols.”
“Err … excuse me, sir, but our AI is not that intelligent yet. You need to say, ‘Bridge to Commander Nichols.’”
“I am going to have words with the admiral about this one. Bridge to Commander Nichols.”
“Aye sir.”
“Status report.”
“About to launch from launch bay four, sir,”
“Excellent Commander. Proceed and maintain an open comm from now on.”
“Aye sir.”
“Mr Vokes, anything you can do to scramble our secure communication channel?”
“What are you thinking, sir?”
“We still have no radar contact. This ship is ridiculously advanced. I don’t want to take a chance that this ship could be observing any of our communications.”
“Understood sir. What I could do is modulate the frequency within the secure band every few seconds by having a program just randomly modulate.”
“Do it now.”
“Yes sir, ready in two minutes.”
“Great, now we have to wait to see what the commander and Will find out.”
Launch seven left the launch bay and proceeded directly to the rogue ship. Commander Nichols worked out where there was an entrance hatch and guided the launch to dock with it.
“Captain, we have docked with the rogue submarine.”
“Nice Commander, be careful, no silly risk taking or heroics.”
“Aye sir.”
“Mr Weaver, what are the other ship’s propulsion systems doing or thinking of doing?”
“Nothing sir, I will continue to monitor.”
“Good, over to you, Commander. Tell us what is going on over there.”
“Aye sir.” The commander opened the docking door into the submarine.
***
Commander Nichols and Steve Kennedy entered the rogue submarine. Nichols led the way with his laser weapon drawn, but all was quiet as they walked down one of the main corridors. All surfaces were a reflective black colour with lights and display screens behind them. Will noticed one of the display screens appeared to give a map of the submarine.
“Commander, this screen is suggesting the bridge is up one level from where we are. It’s also suggesting there is a handy lift up to that level about fifty metres around this corner coming up,” whispered Steve.
“Understood, Mr Kennedy,” Nichols said as he proceeded to cautiously move forward.
“Commander, any time you don’t like the look of what is going over there, I want you back to Proteus, immediately,” said Captain Ben.
“Understood, we are almost up to the lift, sir.”
The commander and Steve entered the lift and Will pressed the clearly labelled screen for the bridge.
“I am amazed this ship has absolutely nobody on board, I expected some resistance,” said the commander to nobody in particular.
“Why on earth are things so clearly labelled? Whoever built this thing, were they so arrogant to think nobody would ever get on board?”
“Perhaps. I am taking no chances. Perhaps we are being watched right now.”
“Now I am even more worried, Commander,” said Steve as he reached for his holstered laser gun.
“If the bridge is empty, as I think it will be, we can just base ourselves there and try to work out what is going on. See if we can disable its weapon systems.”
“Aye sir,” said Will.
The lift stopped and paused for several seconds. It felt like hours for Steve. Martin had his laser gun pointed firmly at the lift doors, waiting for them to open.
More seconds passed. The lift then dropped a few inches, bounced up and down a few inches.
“Well, their lift engineering is appalling,” said Steve.
The lift doors opened.
Commander Nichols quickly scanned the bridge. Empty except for multiple screens on one wall with control panels beneath them.
“Clear,” said Martin.
“Understood,” said Ben. “I am giving you ten minutes to find out what you need and get back here.”
“Aye sir,” said Commander Nichols.
Steve checked out the panels and the screens.
“Commander, this confirms propulsion systems are still offline. Weapon systems are all online, this ship could fire within a second’s notice if it wanted to.”
“Captain, I recommend you raise your shields as a precaution.”
“Noted, Commander, but we will stay as we are for now. I assume it is still monitoring us?”
“Yes sir,” answered Steve, “it just appears to be watching, it seems more curious about you.”
“Thank you, Mr Kennedy. Are you able to send any tactical data through to Mr Vokes via the same link you have hacked into it on?”
“Yes sir.”
“Then proceed. Tactical analysis as soon as you have the data, Mr Vokes.”
“Aye sir.”
Steve initiated the sending of data back to Proteus and carried on looking at the screens for more information.
“That’s odd… Commander, this system appears to have some U.E.S. techn—”
The communication back to Proteus cut at that point.
***
“Commander, we lost your communication, come in,” said Ben. “Mr Vokes, take us to red alert and battle stations.”
“Aye sir.” Daniel Vokes hit the button turning the bridge a crimson colour.
“Sir, if I may, nothing else has happened yet. That ship doesn’t know we are there,” said Will Weaver.
“It’s about to, Mr Weaver.”
The rogue submarine’s engines powered up.
“Sir,” said Will, almost in disbelief, “the rogue sub’s engines are powering up.”
“Thank you, Mr Weaver. See if you can disable its propulsion systems once more. I suspect it won’t work, but keep trying until I tell you otherwise.”
“Aye sir.”
The rogue submarine moved itself away from Proteus and then turned to directly face it. It then cut its engines.
“Mr Vokes, target its engines and prepare torpedoes with ten percent charge.”
“Yes sir.” Daniel hit his display screen quickly. “Ready sir.”
“Fire,” said Ben.
The torpedoes left Proteus heading to their target with their blue exhaust lighting up the sea behind them.
“Torpedoes away,” said Daniel.
The rogue submarine fired lasers at the incoming torpedoes and precisely cut them all in half.
“Clever, very clever,” said Ben.
The rogue submarine then turned and engaged its core drive, leaving Proteus alone.
“Sir,” said Daniel Vokes.
“Yes I know, Mr Weaver, you haven’t spoken up so I assume you believe we still have a connection to this sub.”
“Yes sir,”
“And we can still track it via the salt concentration difference?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good. Ensign Dern, full speed ahead in the direction that sub went.”
“Aye sir.”
“Sir, the rogue sub is rapidly changing direction.”
“Keep monitoring, Ensign Dern, engage a pursuit course at your discretion. Just keep zigzagging to make it look like we cannot see it anymore.”