Even though Jason was used to computers being in partial control on space missions, he still preferred the hands on approach. Of course, Ariel couldn’t really be classified as a computer. Her avatar was absolutely gorgeous, and she seemed almost human if you spent any time talking to her.
“Launch in one minute, Commander,” Ariel spoke calmly over the com system. “All systems read normal.”
“Thank you, Ariel,” replied Jason, taking a deep breath.
He wanted to fly the shuttle out himself, but he knew it was better to let Ariel handle it. Perhaps someday he would get the opportunity to fly the shuttle without computer control. In some ways, he truly missed his old days as a test pilot.
“Here we go,” spoke Greg, looking over at Jason with a nervous grin. “We’re going to go farther than anyone from our world has ever gone before. I just hope we make it back.”
Greg had spoken to his wife for quite some time the previous night. If everything went as they hoped, this mission wouldn’t last more than a few weeks and he would be safely back home with his family. He was already missing holding his son and being with his wife.
Jason heard the shuttle’s engines increase slightly in pitch and knew it was time. He watched the flight controls, ready to take over at a moments notice if there were any signs of trouble. His heartbeat quickened. He took a deep breath and then slowly let it out.
The shuttle rose above the deck in the flight bay and flew smoothly out the large double door. It made a slight popping noise as it passed through the atmospheric force field. Ariel sent the shuttle up at a gentle angle and slowly accelerated the small ship. For twenty minutes, the speed of the shuttle increased until it was moving at slightly over 1,000 miles per second. Ariel knew that, at this speed, they would rendezvous with Ceres in a little over 76 hours. The mission was on its way. Everything had gone smoothly with the launch, just as she had expected. She did a quick scan of the shuttle’s systems and saw that everything was functioning smoothly. Perhaps in a few more days, she would know if Clarissa had survived. She hoped so, it would be wonderful to have another AI to talk to.
“All systems are functioning normally, Commander,” Ariel reported. The shuttle had enough redundancy built into it that she wasn’t concerned about a minor system failure. “Shuttle is on the planned flight path.”
“Thank you, Ariel,” replied Jason, allowing himself to relax. “That was a very smooth launch.”
Jason looked over the controls on the console in front of him. There were several screens that showed the current status of the ship’s systems. All of these showed normal as Ariel had said. A slightly larger screen in the center of the console showed the shuttle’s planned course. To the right of the large screen was a smaller one that showed what the scanners were picking up in the shuttle’s immediate vicinity.
Behind Jason, Lieutenant Addison was watching his own screens, which showed everything within 100,000 miles of the shuttle. “All screens are clear,” he reported as he leaned forward and entered some information on the computer in front of him. At the speed they were traveling, if something did show up on the scanners or the long-range sensors they would only have 100 seconds to react to it.
Greg looked out the cockpit window, mesmerized by the sight. The Earth was visible, and the friendly blue-white globe was slowly shrinking as the shuttle sped away from it. He was leaving his wife and child behind and embarking on a journey the likes of which no one on the planet below had even thought possible. He also knew they were traveling faster than any human from Earth had ever traveled before. They were on their way to Ceres and, with luck, he would see sights that no one else ever had. This was why he had joined the private space program and embarked on the New Beginnings mission. Now he was in space again on a new mission of discovery.
“We’ll be back,” spoke Jason, looking over at Greg and seeing him looking at the planet below. “Your wife and son will be waiting.”
“I know,” Greg replied softly, finding the spot on the shrinking globe where his family was. “We had a good talk last night. She just worries when I’m gone.”
“You have a good wife,” Jason added with a smile. “I talked to Katherine last night also. She’s still not happy with my decision to take on this mission.”
“At least she’s still talking to you,” Greg commented. Even though he was going to miss his family, he was glad he had made the decision to come on this mission.
Jason nodded; he hated upsetting his sister. However, this was the career that he had chosen. It had started with him becoming a test pilot, then working for the private space company that had launched the New Beginnings mission, and now for the government flying this mission to Ceres.
Lisa poked her head into the cockpit and looked nervously around. “I guess we’re on our way.” She wasn’t used to space travel. Her only trip into space so far had been on the lunar lander that had landed on the Moon after Jason and Greg had crashed.
“Everything looks good here,” spoke Jason, nodding at Lisa with a reassuring smile. “Next stop should be Ceres.”
“Don’t worry, Lisa,” Ariel’s calm voice came over the com system. “This should be a smooth flight, and we’re going at a speed that will not put any stress on the shuttle’s systems.”
“How fast can this shuttle go?” Greg asked, curiously. In the simulator, they had flown the shuttle at speeds in excess of 2,000 miles per second.
“Maximum speed for the shuttle is 4,000 miles per second,” Ariel answered in a calm voice. “Normally the shuttle would use its sublight drive to travel out of a planet or moon’s gravity well and then perform a short micro-jump to its destination.”
“Any idea what we might be facing in the way of defenses once we arrive at Ceres?” Jason asked. He had requested that Lisa talk this over with Ariel to see if the shuttle could be in danger from any automatic defenses the Federation survivors might have installed years in the past.
“Ariel, tell Commander Strong about the possible defenses that might surround this base we’re going to,” Lisa requested.
She had spent a lot of time going over this with Ariel and asking questions. Some of Ariel’s replies had been quite disturbing. This mission might be a lot more dangerous than they had originally thought.
For a moment, nothing came over the com system. Then finally, Ariel spoke. “Lisa has a data disk which describes in detail the possible defensive systems that might exist around and inside of Ceres.”
“What might we be facing if the base is indeed intact and fully operational?” Jason asked. From all the scans and observations that had been made there were no signs the base had ever been built. However, Jason was not willing to take any chances.
“Tell him, Ariel,” Lisa spoke, her eyes looking out the viewports at the stars. The view was breathtaking. “We can go over the disk and more details later. Just give the commander a general idea of what we may be facing.”
“Orbital missile platforms, railgun platforms, and even high intensity lasers will be the biggest threat,” Ariel replied in an even voice. “My guess would be that some weapon placements might be embedded in nearby asteroids to reduce their chance of discovery.”
“How do we get past those?” Greg asked, uneasily. It sounded as if they might be blown out of space before they even got near the asteroid.
“Once the shuttle gets within range of Ceres, I will begin transmitting the Avenger’s identification codes,” Ariel responded in a confident voice. “The codes should allow the shuttle to pass safely through any exterior defenses that might exist. The weapons will not fire on a Federation vessel. The defenses, if they exist, were designed to fire on a Hocklyn vessel.”
“What about once we reach the asteroid?” Jason asked, his forehead creasing in a frown. He knew there were bound to be some interior defenses as well. “Will there be defenses inside the asteroid also?”
“I don’t believe the interior defenses will fire upon a human,” Ariel replied in a more hesitant
voice. “They would have been designed to repel an invading Hocklyn force. Their version of our marines are called protectors.”
“But you’re not sure, are you?” asked Jason, noticing the AI’s hesitation.
“No,” Ariel admitted in a voice that sounded a lot less certain. “The interior defenses will be controlled by the base’s computer. It should recognize you as human. Once inside the base, you will be carrying a communication device, which will continue to broadcast the Avenger’s identification codes. Those codes should allow you to proceed deep into the base until you can make contact with the base’s computer.”
“That’s a lot of ifs,” Greg complained with a heavy frown. It sounded to him as if Ariel wasn’t that sure about what would happen once they got inside.
“If you can get inside the base, I can use the communication device to speak to the installation’s computer. Once I identify myself, there should not be any problems.”
“Let’s hope not,” Jason said. “We all want to come back home.”
He had spoken in great detail with Colonel Greene about this mission. Colonel Greene had made it extremely clear how important this mission was. In order for the Earth to be ready to face the Hocklyns in 268 years, they needed every advantage they could find. An intact Federation base would be a huge step in the right direction. It could save them years or even decades of research.
-
It had been 48 hours since the shuttle had left the Moon. Greg was gazing out the cockpit window at the stars, deep in thought. If their mission was a success and his son followed in his father’s footsteps, then someday he might get to travel to one of those unblinking specks of light. Around some of those stars would be planets waiting for people from Earth to plant colonies on and grow into powerful allies of Earth. Someday those colonies and Earth would face the Hocklyns. On that day, it would be decided whether humanity would be free or become part of the Slaver Empire. In some ways, Greg was glad that he wouldn’t be around to see what happened.
“Shuttle is still on course and all systems are functioning normally,” Ariel reported over the com system. She was tied into the shuttle’s computer and was constantly monitoring the shuttle as it flew through space toward Ceres.
“Ariel,” Greg began, still thinking about the Hocklyns. “What do you think the odds are of Earth being able to survive when the Hocklyns arrive?”
Ariel was silent for a moment. This wasn’t the first time she had been asked that question. “There are a number of possibilities. By the time the Hocklyns reach Earth, there is a very good possibility that Earth will have a powerful space fleet. At least comparable to what the Federation had. In the case of Earth, we know the Hocklyns are coming and what has to be done. We have 268 years to prepare. The Federation had less than a year.”
Greg leaned back and closed his eyes. He noticed that Ariel had used the term we. That was encouraging. If this base on Ceres was a bust, at least they still had Ariel and her knowledge. This was a war he would never see or take part in, but he knew it would occupy the rest of his life. He let out a deep breath and opened his eyes gazing out at the stars. It was difficult to imagine the danger they hid. For years, he had watched the distant stars and dreamed of flying to them. Now they hid a menace, which could wipe out the human race.
-
Jason was back in the passenger compartment talking to the rest of the team. He wanted everyone to be ready for whatever they might face once they reached the asteroid. He had already gone over in detail the possible defenses they might run into. Earlier he had covered the data disk that Lisa had. His face had gotten pale when he realized the extent of the defenses they might be facing. Lisa was currently briefing the others on what the base might be like.
“According to Ariel, this base could be immense,” explained Lisa, looking around the group. “If they were able to finish it, the base would be capable of supporting over 100,000 people and would have repair bays for all of their major warships. There would also be bays for the other ships that were with them. If they had enough time, the base was to be expanded to contain full construction bays capable of building any Federation warship.”
“How could they build such a large base?” Professor Stern asked with doubt in his voice. He found it incomprehensible that the humans in the refugee fleet could have built the base Lisa was describing. An undertaking such as that would have taken years, possibly decades. “Surely they all died out from the flu before much work could be done or we would have heard from them. It’s more likely that all we will find is a partially built base and perhaps some of their ships with their dead still inside.”
“They had a work robot that resembled a large spider,” responded Lisa, shaking her head at Professor Stern. She opened a folder and handed Karl a picture that she had downloaded from Ariel. “They were about six feet long and could be programmed to do almost any type of construction job, including building warships.”
“Mean looking suckers,” mumbled Professor Stern, looking at the picture and then passing it on. “They do resemble giant spiders. But I still don’t believe they could have built this base.”
“And they had these in the evacuation fleet?” asked Marvin Tennyson, looking over at Lisa. Marvin was an astrophysicist and extremely knowledgeable about the geography of the Solar System and the asteroids.
“The colony ships had them,” Lisa answered with a nod. “They would have been used to do the majority of the work setting up a new colony. They could also have been used to help build the base.” She looked over at Professor Stern, whose expression still showed the faintest hint of skepticism.
“If the base is there, it’s possible we might encounter some of these construction robots,” Jason informed the group, looking around at each one. “If all the humans died out due to the flu, the robots might have been tasked with finishing the base and then maintaining it. At least that’s what we’re hoping. It might also explain why we haven’t heard anything from the base.”
“How dangerous is it going to be to approach Ceres?” asked Adam, folding his arms across his chest. “Won’t we be in danger of hitting other asteroids as we get closer to our destination?”
“Even in the area of space where Ceres is located, asteroids are few and far between,” Tennyson answered. “The asteroids are the remains of a planet that never formed in our Solar System. They exist in a ring between Mars and Jupiter but never coalesced into a planet. Ceres is the largest and, according to some of my colleagues, is considered to be a dwarf planet.”
The meeting lasted for another hour, and then everyone retired to get some rest. The interior of the shuttle had been remodeled and large, comfortable acceleration couches had been installed that could be reclined to allow the crew to sleep in relative comfort. Food and water were contained in storage bins in one wall, and there were several microwaves to heat their food. The shuttle had enough food and water to last the mission for several weeks if it became necessary.
-
It was a little over 26 hours later and everyone was feeling nervous. The shuttle was nearing Ceres, and Ariel had already started broadcasting the Avenger’s identification codes toward the asteroid. Lieutenant Addison was watching his scanner and sensor screens, which now showed the asteroid as well as numerous other small asteroids in close proximity to Ceres.
“Why are there so many small asteroids around Ceres?” asked Addison, feeling perplexed. He hadn’t expected to find so many. After speaking to Marvin Tennyson, he had expected Ceres to be the only asteroid on his screens.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Tennyson replied as he gazed in confusion at the scanner screen. It showed over 50 small asteroids within 200 miles of Ceres. Most ranged from 100 to 300 feet in diameter. “Ceres own small gravity field should have cleared these out years ago. From watching the scans, it seems as if these asteroids are in orbit around Ceres. That’s impossible.”
“Not if they’re disguised weapons platforms,” Ariel commented over the com sy
stem. The small orbiting asteroids had been a surprise to her also.
“Weapons platforms!” Greg spoke with alarm in his voice. He had hoped there wouldn’t be any. “Could they still be functional after all of these years?”
“Possibly,” replied Ariel, sounding a little tense. “The Avenger’s identification codes I’m broadcasting should stop them from firing on the shuttle. These small asteroids may be proof that the base was indeed built.”
“If they do fire, can we avoid the incoming ordinance?” asked Jason, eyeing the controls in front of him. The shuttle wasn’t a fighter jet or one of the high performance space fighters that used to be in the Avenger’s flight bay.
“No,” Ariel replied in an even voice. “As long as we continue broadcasting and do not show any aggressive moves, the shuttle should be fine.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” commented Greg, shaking his head dubiously. “You’re safe on the Avenger.”
Jason glanced at the scanner screen on the main flight console in front of him. It was now covered with blips indicating the numerous asteroids they were nearing. He watched as Ariel adjusted and plotted a new course which should take them safely through. Tension crept into his shoulders as they continued to approach what might be Federation weapons platforms.
“New course plotted,” Ariel reported after a moment. “I’m putting the shuttle on a course that will stay as far away from the possible weapons platforms as possible.”
“I want everyone to get into their acceleration couches and be prepared for some violent maneuvers if we’re fired upon,” Jason ordered.
Ariel remained silent. She knew if the platforms fired, the shuttle would be destroyed. The interceptor missiles from the Federation were quite accurate and fast. The shuttle would never be able to get away in time.
“Ariel, have you detected any type of response at all from the base?” asked Jason, his eyes focused intently on the scanner screen. He had hoped once they began broadcasting the Avenger’s codes that there would be some type of reaction.
Slaver Wars 1: Moon Wreck Page 13