Discovery of the Saiph (The Saiph Series)

by PP Corcoran

  To Robert Lewis, the plan was good one. The only problem was that after the Tanto moved beyond the radio horizon of Planet V, he would have no contact with the recovery team until it broke the radio horizon on its return journey to TDF James Cook. Nevertheless, moving the James Cook behind the planet was the only way to get as close as possible to the platform without putting the ship within any possible detection zone of the platform. No plan was perfect, thought Robert. From his seat on the bridge, he watched as the Tanto moved away from TDF James Cook. Good luck and safe journey, Bruce.

  Bruce sat in the troop/cargo area of the shuttle, completely enclosed in his armoured spacesuit. Not as good as the Marine issue Wraith suits, but good enough for him to survive and fight in a hard vacuum environment. Bruce looked for the hundredth time at the display in front of him as the Tanto made its stealthy approach to the alien platform. “Still no change in the power output, Gunny?”

  Gy. Sgt. Hazon was the Marine EOD and he had constantly monitored the platform’s energy readings since the Tanto had started detecting them when it had broken the radio horizon of Planet V and begun its approach. Now only one hundred meters from the platform, the Tanto sat stationary while Hazon confirmed that there were no unexpected power spikes that might be a tell-tale signal that the Tanto had been detected. Hazon took one more look to confirm his readings. “Still looking good, Sir. I’m happy to say we have a go.”

  Bruce switched across to his private link. “Well, Karen?”

  “I’m with the Gunny, Bruce,” replied Karen over the link. “If he’s happy to deploy, it’s his call. He’s the one who has to approach the thing first, after all.”

  Bruce had not been happy with this part of the plan, but Karen insisted. The platform had to be checked for self-destruct mechanisms. Bruce knew that was the gunny’s job, but Karen had insisted that the remainder of the team stayed within the added protection of the Tanto’s hull until the gunny cleared the platform. It simply went against the grain with Bruce to send a man into potential danger while he sat in the relative safety of the Tanto. “Okay, Gunny. You have a go.”

  Hazon released his seat restraining ties with practiced ease and moved to the troop hatch on the side of the Tanto. He operated the hatch mechanism, stepping into the air lock and closing the internal hatch without even a backward glance.

  Over the team link, Karen called Hazon. “Gunny, no chances here. If anything looks even slightly wrong, back away and return to the shuttle. Communications by whisker laser only; let’s do this thing by the book.”

  “Understood, Major. Just a walk in the park.” And with that, Hazon activated his pusher pack and a small blast of gas moved him in the direction of the platform. Hazon stopped at ten meters from the platform, and then using the pusher pack he performed a complete three-sixty degree check of the platform. “Nothing obvious on an initial visual survey. I’m going to move closer”

  “Understood, Gunny. Still looking good from here: no signs of any unusual activity on the platform,” Bruce acknowledged.

  Hazon moved in closer and found what he was looking for “Okay, I have found what looks like an inspection panel. Are you getting a good visual?”

  “I see it, Gunny.” Bruce could see on his display a rectangular panel roughly a meter by half a meter with what looked like retaining lugs spaced equally around it, securing it to the main body of the platform.

  Hazon reached to his tool belt and lifted off a small handheld laser cutter, “I don’t have anything which will fit the lugs, so I’m just going to go for a straight cut and remove the lugs and then lift the panel free.” Hazon started cutting away at the lugs, knowing that any one of them could be attached to enough explosives to destroy the platform and spread him over this entire area of space.

  Karen noted a rise in his respiration. “Everything Okay over there, Gunny? Your respiration and heart rate are up.”

  Without pausing in his work, Hazon replied, “I think I have a cold coming on, Major.”

  Karen had to fight to control her laughter before activating the link again “That explains it, Gunny. Make sure you visit sickbay when we get back. I don’t need you to spread it to the rest of the detachment.”

  Listening in, Bruce could not believe what he was hearing. She was berating the man for having a cold and not going to sickbay all the while he was cutting away at a potential bomb. He would never understand marines. Torrance failed to notice the slight shoulder movements of the Wraith suits of the remaining Marines as they laughed heartily, ensuring not to activate their own Comm links.

  With the last of the retaining lugs removed, Hazon lifted the panel clear and secured it to the side of the platform. He was able to get his first clear look inside. A complex-looking set of boards were joined by what looked like thick plastic strips to a central hexagonal-shaped object about the size of a soccer ball.

  “Hold there. Gunny. Zoom in on one of the connections to that object directly in front of you,” Bruce ordered. As the Gunny zoomed in, Torrance looked at the connection more closely. “Gunny, run your PAD over one of those connections for me. I want to check something.” Hazon did as instructed and fresh data appeared on Torrance’s display. “Okay, Gunny, that confirms it. There is an electric current emanating from that central object. I think it’s a safe bet that that is the platform’s power source. Unless there’s a backup, we should be able to deactivate the platform by removing that source.”

  “Just give me a minute here, sir.” Hazon removed his monomolecular blade from its scabbard at his shoulder. No marine went anywhere without a knife and the monomolecular blade was the ultimate knife. It could cut at the molecular level, carving through virtually any known material as easily as a hot knife through butter. Not something for the uninitiated to play with, but Hazon handled it with skill, giving not a second thought to the fact it could cut through his suit and expose him to vacuum. Hazon twisted his body to get into a better position and began slicing through the connections, careful not to touch the suspected power source itself, hopeful that Cmdr. Torrance was right about these connections and he was not about to be adjacent to a fatal, loud bang and expanding ball of gas. The last connection was severed. Hazon secured the blade in its scabbard and ran the PAD over the object again, no power readings. It looked like Torrance was right. “Are you getting this, Commander?”

  “I see it, Gunny. Okay standby. I’ll get the remaining team to you and we’ll get this thing in the hold and secured.” As Bruce turned to the rest of the team, he heard Karen over the link.

  “And don’t forget to report to sickbay when we get back, Gunny.”

  Keep me safe from marines, thought Bruce to himself. Does that woman never lighten up?

  #

  Robert and the rest of the crew of TDF James Cook let out a collective sigh of relief when the Tanto, carrying the recovery team, finally made contact to report that its mission had been successful. They had the alien surveillance platform on board and would shortly be docking with the James Cook. On-board techs could not wait to get their hands on the platform and, if he was honest with himself, it had taken a conscious decision not to get his own hands dirty in the lab with them. Sometimes you just have to take a step back and let the experts get on with it.

  The time had come to hear what they had discovered. Robert sat in the Briefing Room, with his command staff, all anxious to hear the results. “XO, if you please.”

  Bruce stood and regarded the waiting, expectant faces. “Captain, our initial premise for the purpose of the platform appears to have been correct. It transpires that the optics that we assumed to be a sort of telescope are in fact a high resolution thermal imaging system.”

  Robert was confused “A thermal imaging system, XO? To what purpose?”

  “If I could pass to Ensign Yamata, sir, she has a theory on that.”

  The diminutive ensign, like the rest of the crew, had only joined TDF James Cook at Charon Base. Where everyone else on the crew had at least one tour of du
ty under their belts before selection for Operation Minerva, Shizuko Yamata was fresh from the Naval Academy. Glowing progress reports had singled her out, and Adm. Vadis, who had free reign with Personnel, directed her posting to Charon Base. Robert read the same reports and slotted the freshly commissioned ensign into a lieutenant’s post; his faith in her had so far been fully justified. Bruce obviously felt the same way or he would not allow her to brief the command staff.

  “Captain, ladies and gentlemen. Prior to the wars that nearly destroyed Earth, some of our larger nations engaged in various ongoing programs, the aim of which was to detect planets orbiting stars. What was known as Direct Thermal Imaging had an advantage over Direct Observation. Detecting an exo-planet using visible light as the detection mechanisms in the near and mid-infrared are of utmost importance for characterizing the physical and chemical properties of any exo-planets and their atmospheres. I believe that this was the purpose of the alien surveillance platform. But with a twist.”

  “A twist, Ensign?” asked Robert.

  “Yes, sir.” Shizuko paused, gathering herself to extol a theory, the reception for which she was unsure. “When employed by the larger nations, the system was used to detect exo-planets in orbit around distant stars. In this case, the system is within the same star system as the planet it is observing.” Yamata took a breath. “Sir, I would hypothesis that the system was being employed as a tripwire. If I could explain, sir?”

  Robert nodded. “Please do, Ensign. Although I don’t think I’m going to like it.”

  “Sir, as a civilization progresses, it expands its industrial base and population. As we observed on our arrival, Planet Four has detectable levels of the greenhouse gases in its atmosphere, all of which generate heat. If I could draw your attention to the Holo Cube…” Shizuko indicated two circular images that appeared side by side in the Holo Cube. “As you can see, the image on the left is significantly dimmer than the one on the right. The one on the left is a thermal image of Planet Four, which we took on arrival in the system and we used to make our initial analysis of its atmosphere; the one on the right is an image of Earth.”

  There was a moment of silence in the room; the significance of what the young ensign was showing them sank in. A gradual realization dawned.

  “Sir,” Shizuko continued, “if I was looking to identify an up-and-coming civilization, identify when it was becoming a potential threat, then place a surveillance platform in system with the ability to detect when it reached the equivalent of our industrial revolution – then this is how I would do it.”

  I knew I did not like where this was going, thought Robert. “Thank you, Ensign and good work.” Shizuko bowed slightly and retook her seat.

  “Unfortunately, your hypothesis may be correct.” Robert came to a decision. “XO, let’s get us moving back to Charon Base. We need to make the Admiralty aware of our findings as soon as possible.” He paused, then continued, “Dismissed, people. Once again, good work.”

  Bruce stood, as did the rest of the staff, and left Robert alone in the Briefing Room. Robert contemplated the images of Planet IV and Earth side by side in the Holo Cube. Shizuko’s hypothesis that the platform was in fact a tripwire placed by an alien race to alert them of a key advancement in a civilization’s industrial progress was indeed worrying. What would their reaction be when the wire was tripped? Would they just come and observe the planet’s progress? Or would there be a more sinister purpose for their visit? The images of the nuclear-scarred surface of Rubicon, where the Saiph database was discovered, arrived unbidden into Robert’s mind.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Letters Unwritten

  Charon Base - Orbit of Pluto - Sol System

  Adm. Aleksandr Vadis sat in his office on Charon Base. He contemplated the old style paper in front of him. If he were aware of time passing, he would have realized that he had been staring at the paper for ten minutes. Sitting perfectly still, the pen in his right hand having only touched the paper once in those ten minutes: ‘Dear Mr and Mrs Yamata’.

  TDF Vasco De Gama was now two weeks overdue, courier drones sent to the Gama Leporis had returned without any successful contact with the ship. Lt. Cmdr. Elizabeth Wilson had urged him to delay informing the crew’s family of the probable loss of their loved ones, but the time had come. It was not the first time that Vadis had sent young men and women into danger; he knew it would not be the last. No matter how many times he had to write to the families of those who had died or simply disappeared, presumed killed in service, it still took a little more out of his soul. Get on with it, Aleksandr! Vadis urged himself. The demanding tone of his Comm stayed his pen on the paper. Vadis pushed the accept symbol. The face of a smiling Elizabeth Wilson appeared above his desk.

  “Admiral, I have the pleasure to report that TDF Vasco De Gama has arrived in system, and Capt. Witsell reports all hands safe. And apologises for her tardiness.”

  Vadis felt his own face break into a smile. “Inform Captain Witsell that her apology is accepted and be sure to inform her that she is responsible for adding years to an already old man!” With that, he cut the link. Vadis let his eyes fall to the letter in front of him; he reached down and ripped it in half before depositing it in the waste.

  #

  Vadis, accompanied as always by Elizabeth Wilson, once again sat in the main Briefing Room of Charon Base surrounded by the captains of the four survey ships and their Marine majors.

  Only a scant seven months had passed since they had first arrived here at Charon Base and learned of their impending mission to take their Vanguard class ships to distant stars and look for evidence of the Saiph. What they had brought back! It caused the hairs on the back of Vadis’ neck to stand up.

  TDF Henry Hudson and Capt. Radford had found a life-bearing planet in 70 Ophiuchi. No sign of an intelligent species there yet, but analysis showed indications of Saiph meddling. Then there was the appearance of those Alcubierre-driven ships identified by the Saiph database as having belonged to ‘The Others’. Not forgetting what appeared to be the establishment of some form of base on Planet II; the beginnings of a colony or perhaps a military base. The arrival of a second ship had caused Radford to make the prudent decision that he had possibly pushed his luck too far and it was time to come home. Vadis would have done the same thing in his position.

  TDF Jacques Cartier and Capt. Papadomas discovered the remains of a freshly extinct civilization on Planet III in Delta Pavonis. The DNA extracts that the Jacques Cartier had returned with had proved positive for Saiph intervention. From what the crew had found, it would have put the now destroyed inhabitants of Planet II at around the technology level of pre-World War 3 Earth, only to be destroyed by an asteroid that decimated the planet.

  Capt. Lewis and TDF James Cook had returned with not only the news that there was a living, breathing world around 31 Aquilae but that the inhabitants of Planet IV had reached the level of pre-industrial revolution by Earth standards. The finding of the surveillance platform had brought all further observation of Planet IV to a grinding halt. It proved beyond any doubt that Man was not the only one exploring amongst the stars, looking for new life. The worrying thing was that the hypothesis that Ensign Yamata had put forward was being backed up by Vadis’ own experts here on Charon Base. The surveillance platform would only trigger a message to its makers when the atmosphere of 31 Aquilae showed signs of large-scale industrialization on the planet. The question then was what would the reaction of the makers of the platform be? His technicians had taken the platform apart and found symbols all over the insides. The linguists determined that it was a language dissimilar to that found in the Saiph database. It led them to believe that neither the Saiph nor ‘The Others’ built it. So who had constructed it?

  Finally, TDF Vasco De Gama and Capt. Witsell. They may have missed their objective by a few thousand light years but what they had found was remarkable. A spacefaring civilization in Messier 54 that had begun to colonise a neighbouring planet within it
s own star system. Vadis was unsure the politicians back home would permit the nickname the crew of the Vasco De Gama had devised to describe the indigenous race, ‘The Baldies’, to stand. Vadis also gathered that Dr Jeff Moore was screaming for the return of George Lee, the Chief Engineer of TDF Vasco De Gama. Moore demanded his help to improve the current Gravity Drive, after Lee’s modifications without a doubt had returned Capt. Witsell and her crew home safely after a 50,000 light year detour.

  Overall, thought Vadis, they had achieved the aim of the Vanguards mission. The Saiph had indeed interfered with the natural progression of life, within the star systems that the Vanguards had visited. Unfortunately, they had to weigh the fact that the Vanguards had also encountered ‘The Others’ against the successful mission. God only knew what the implications of that would be.

  “Ladies and gentlemen! If I could have your attention please!” The gathered captains and Marines simultaneously ceased their small talk, turning their full attention to the Admiral. “The information that you have returned is remarkable and I thank you and your crews for your efforts. Saying that, it also brings troubling news. ‘The Others’ are still out there. For the time being, I am halting all further survey missions. Until the threat is properly assessed by the Admiralty and the government back on Earth.” Vadis could see by the assembled faces that this news did not go down well. As each Vanguard returned to Charon Base there had been a mad scramble to turn the ships around, ready to head out to their next destination amongst the stars.