THE BRINK - OPERATION DEEP FLIGHT

by Marshall Huffman

  “How high is this thing off the ocean floor?”

  “165 feet to the bottom. It looks to be 300 foot or so in diameter,” Luke told Marcus.

  “Speculation?”

  “Beats the heck out of me. Anyone?”

  “A UFO?”

  “It could be. Anything is possible on this trip. Doctor Morgan, I’m going to thrust over to it. I want you to get on the mechanical arm and see if we can find out what that thing is.”

  They inched closer until they were right on top of it.

  “Give it a try. See if it is solid.”

  Paul extended the metal arm and touched the mound. The silt stirred up and quickly settled again. He shoved out at it again, harder this time and he felt a slight shudder. Morgan instinctively jumped back from the arm.

  “Shit.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing. It just startled me. I’m fine.”

  “Nudge it again,” Peter said looking out of the porthole.

  Paul thrust the arm out and they felt and heard a ‘thunk’ sound. It was solid, that much was certain. He tried to scrape some of the silt off but it was hard to do. After several tries they could see that it was a solid material of some type. It looked like a domed lid.

  “Man. What it that thing? Does anyone want to venture a guess?” No one had the faintest idea.

  “Want me to try to lift the edge up?

  “It’s worth a try. Let me maneuver a little closer to the floor. Okay, give it a try,” Marcus said as they settled within inches of the bottom.

  He tried to find the bottom edge but it appeared to be buried deeper in the silt than they had figured. He tried to go deeper but before long the silt was so stirred up that vision was obliterated. They tried several times but eventually it became clear they were not making progress.

  “Hold it Doctor. We have it on film and the position is logged. We might as well move on. Morgan retracted the arm and turned off the lights. They continued on down the trench.

  “You know, judging from the charts, the dome seems to be right in the middle of this first trench. Look here,” Luke said, pointing to the location on the map.

  “Sure looks like it.”

  “Do you think it was placed here by the aliens we are looking for?” Pierce asked.

  “Your guess is as good as mine but I sure wouldn’t rule it out,” Marcus said.

  They continued on until they came to the end of the first of the three trenches that make up the Mariana. They came up to 6,000 feet and within a few minutes were headed back down, this time into the center trench. It was the smallest of the three. Its bottom registered 29,853 feet. In the very center they came across a second domed circle.

  “This is strange to say the least. It seems to be about the same size as the first one and it's also right in the center,” Luke noted.

  “Could it have been the Russians?”

  “Who knows? I doubt it. I don’t think they have the technology to do this type of work. I think Price may have been correct. If I had to guess I would say it was done by some other force, not from earth,” Dr. Phillips offered.

  Again they continued on until they came to the end of the middle trench. They went up and over and immediately proceeded down into the last and largest trench. They were about one third of the way along the trench when they came to a gigantic cavern in the side of the wall. They investigated and according to the readings it went back at least 5,000 yards and had a depth of 33,887 feet.

  “What do you think?” Marcus asked Peter.

  “We’re here and it’s here. Let’s go in and see what we can find.”

  “I’m not so sure I agree,” Lieutenant Price said.

  “Why is that?” Marcus asked.

  “Are you sure you can maneuver this thing in such a close space. I mean what if we get in there and can’t get back out?”

  “Good question. I guess there is only one way to find out. Control. Two percent ahead,” he ordered.

  The Lt. Price started to say something then stopped.

  “Keep her dead center,” he said.

  “Aye.”

  They inched forward deeper and deeper into the cavern.

  “Lights on. Doctor, Please get on the arm. We may have to shove off a wall if we pick up a sudden current or up draft. One percent power.”

  “They were moving along just one foot at a time. The cavern would get bigger then narrow back down but there was no current.

  “Port stern thruster, three percent.”

  “Port stern. Three percent.”

  Marcus continued to give a nonstop stream of orders as they crept along. They had started down an incline along the way and had gone past the original depth reading. It was apparent that the cavern was much deeper into the wall than the reading indicated.

  “35,212 feet,” Luke said in a quiet voice.

  “It looks like it’s starting to level off,” Marcus said. “Keep her steady. We have to make a sharp right turn just up ahead. Easy. Easy. Starboard port thruster five percent now. Forward port thruster, five per cent. They pivoted around the tight corner, scraping the stern dive plane just a little in the process.

  “Wow. That was tight,” Marcus said.

  “Whoa!” Peter exclaimed, pointing to the depth reading.

  “46,880 feet. Man, the bottom dropped out. We appear to be in a large opening. That’s some sinkhole below us.”

  “Do you think we should go on?” Price asked. Sweat was running down his face and he was noticeably shaking.

  “No use in turning back now. Look, we’re fine. Our crush depth limit is 60,000 feet. Relax. We are just as safe here as out in the main trench,” Marcus assured him.

  “I don’t like it. I think we should just note the location and get the hell out of here,” Price insisted.

  “Sorry. I give the orders. Anyway this is a good time to see if they calculated our crush limit correctly,” he added just to torment the Lieutenant.

  “Control. Take her down to 40,000 feet and hold. Five degrees down, five percent power.”

  The control man looked over at the Captain first then said, “Aye, five degrees down, five percent power. Hold at 40,000 feet.”

  No DSV with a human cargo had ever gone this deep before. The control man called out the numbers as they continued their descent. The Chameleon creaked and groaned several times and everyone looked at each other. Lieutenant Price was pale and his shirt was soaked with sweat. Only Marcus seemed unaffected.

  “38,000.....38,500.....39,000.....39,500.....

  40,000 feet, sir.”

  “Hold it here. Can you see that structure below us? It looks like another dome only a heck of a lot bigger. It looks to be around 3,000 feet in diameter.”

  “If this reading is correct it is almost another 4,000 feet to the bottom of the dome.”

  “I think we have found our aliens,” Susan said.

  “Okay you have proven you point. Now let’s get the hell out of here,” Price said.

  “We haven’t proven anything yet,” Peter said.

  “He is right, Price. We have no idea what that thing is. We came out here to see what we could find and to make contact if at all possible. I don’t have any idea what your orders are but mine are clear. Find them and try to talk to them. That’s our mission and that’s what we are going to do.”

  Marcus placed the VGA glasses back on and said, “Keep the video rolling boys and girls. I think this is going to get very exciting.”

  He was a little nervous as well but determined not to let it show. He looked over at Peter and found that he was looking right back at him. Peter rolled his eyes quickly and looked away. I don’t blame you friend, he thought.

  “Pull the camera in tight.”

  “It’s in. I am enhancing now,” Susan said.

  Her voice was tight as well. She appeared outwardly calm but inside she was asking herself what in the world was she doing down here with all these crazy men?

  “It looks smooth. It�
�s hard to tell with all the silt on top of it. Let’s drop down another 500 feet and see what we can find.”

  “Going to 40,500 feet.”

  A few seconds later the control man reported, “four zero five zero-zero feet skipper.”

  “Anything?”

  “Nothing much. I still can’t make out any features,” Peter said.

  “Down another 500 feet.”

  “Aye skipper.”

  “41,000 feet and level.”

  “Why don’t we launch one of the ROV’s?” Peter suggested.

  “All right. I guess we are close enough now. Okeefer get ROV-1 ready.”

  “Suzy Cream Cheese? Yes sir.”

  “What?” Susan asked.

  “That’s what we call her. Suzy Cream Cheese.”

  “Who came up with a name like that?”

  “Actually it’s sort of in honor of you. One of the machinist mates gave it that name after seeing you around here. It comes from an old Mothers of Invention song. You know, Frank Zappa?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about but I’m flattered anyway. By all means, launch Suzy Cream Cheese,” she said laughing for the first time in a long while.

  Okeefer went forward to the weapons room and they rigged the ROV to go out through the port torpedo tube.

  “Ready to launch.”

  “Let her go,” Marcus said. Okeefer flooded the tube and opened the outer door. He manned the controls and started the ROV out of the tube.

  “I have the picture on the screen,” Marcus reported as Suzy Cream Cheese headed toward the dome. Okeefer sent it down to hover a few feet above the top and then continued on down one side. The depth readings were displayed on the screen. By the time she reached the ocean floor the reading was 44,110 feet. He started back up the side when a long tentacle-like arm appeared out of the side. He froze the ROV.

  “Do you see that?” he asked.

  “We sure do. It just popped out of the dome. Did anyone see where from?”

  Just then, what looked to be a head opened up, resembling a cobra ready to strike.

  “Holy cow,” Peter said.

  “Hold it steady, it seems to be interested in Suzy.”

  “Holding steady,” he whispered into the headset.

  The arm continued to check out the intruder, checking it out from top to bottom. It suddenly started toward the Chameleon.

  “Can it see us?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t see how. I have the camouflage activated,” Dr. Morgan said.

  Price let out a low moan. The tentacle was searching the area but it was soon clear that it did not see the Chameleon. It moved back to the ROV. The head pulled back in and a clamp shot out and grabbed onto Suzy Cream Cheese. It immediately pulled it toward the dome to an opening on the far side. The ROV disappeared and the screen went blank.

  “Whoa. What was that all about?” Marcus said.

  “Can we get the hell out of here now?” Price said but no one even bothered to answer.

  “Lieutenant, you have the con. I want to have a little talk with Drs. Hall, Ferris, Long, Morgan, and Phillips. Price you are welcome to come along if you like. Let’s go back to the mess area shall we?”

  “Well here we are. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed?”

  “What about using the second ROV?” Morgan suggested.

  “I think the results would be the same,” Marcus said.

  “How about the mechanical arm? Kind of knock on the dome. We’re here, anyone home?” Phillips offered.

  “That could work.”

  “Other suggestions?”

  “Put a torpedo into them,” Price said.

  “You’re kidding right? The percussion shock would be focused on us as well in this cavern. We would be crushed like a tin can.”

  “What about a ping from the sonar. That should get their attention,” Peter said.

  “Good idea. I think that should get some sort of reaction. If that doesn’t work we can try the arm. Dr. Morgan I want to be darn sure you have the camouflage unit working before we try this.”

  “Oh you can count on it. I’ll check it out from head to toe first.”

  “Well then. Let’s give it a try.”

  They made their way back to the control room and the skipper quickly briefed the rest on the plan.

  “Everyone ready? Dr. Morgan?”

  “Double checked. Have at it.”

  “Good. Sonar. Give me one ping on the dome. Just the one. Understood?”

  “One shot. Coming up.”

  They immediately heard the sonar project out and strike the dome. It was louder than they had expected. PING, came the echo through the hull. Instantly several tentacle-like arms appeared. They were looking in all directions. Peter counted twenty arms. They all had the head-like appendages extended.

  “That sure got the desired effect,” Peter whispered. He didn’t know why he had resorted to whispering. Nerves, he supposed.

  “One is coming right at us,” Luke said.

  “I see it.”

  The tentacle stopped a few feet from the Chameleon and looked right in their direction. Susan involuntarily shivered. Soon a second arm, then a third was directly in front of the DSV.

  “I think it has us,” Susan said.

  A fourth arm joined the other three and they all stayed in front of the sub for some time. Then, suddenly they all withdrew.

  “I was sure they saw us,” Marcus said.

  “Me too,” Peter replied.

  “Hey, hey, hey,” Susan said pointing to the screen. A dark oblong opening was starting to appear on the side of the dome.

  “This doesn’t look good,” Peter said.

  “Doesn’t look good to me either,” Marcus agreed.

  “Can we go now?” Price said in a pleading voice.

  “I don’t want to move. Let’s just ride it out and see what happens.”

  The ship shuddered and lunged forward for a moment. It caught everyone off balance. Another shudder ran through the sub. Once again they were pulled forward.

  “I think they are pulling us in,” Peter said.

  “So it would seem,” Marcus confirmed.

  “Back full,” Price suddenly yelled out.

  “Belay that,” Marcus said to the control man.

  We came here to make contact and I would say we have just done that. We’re in too deep now,” he said with a quick chuckle.

  “I get it. Too deep now,” Susan said.

  “Oh great, a comedian skipper. Just what we need,” Peter said.

  The Chameleon was being pulled steadily toward the opening.

  “Fifty feet. Twenty feet. Ten.”

  They were at the opening. One more surge and in they went. Everything on the screen went blank.

  “Hit the lights. No use being conservative now,” Peter suggested.

  The powerful lights came on but they could see absolutely no features. One thing for sure, they were definitely inside the dome.

  “Is this for real?” Marcus asked.

  “At this point, I don’t even know what real is any longer,” Peter answered.

  THE BRINK

  PART II

  INSIDE THE DOME

  By MW HUFFMAN

  THE BRINK – Book II INSIDE THE DONE

  2012© Marshall Huffman

  All Rights Reserved

  WaJe Production

  ACKNOWLEDGMENT

  Thanks to my wife, Susan, who sits up at night reading my novels and making countless corrections. It is indeed fortuitous that I married an English Teacher.

  Wherever you turn, there is always something wrong with the politicians. They have everything they need to save the world, and they don't save it.

  - Nana Mouskouri -

  SYNOPSIS OF

  BOOK I

  – DEEP FLIGHT -

  Since the 60s, ships, submarines, and airplanes have been vanishing. Many nations have experienced the same mysterious disappearances. All of the vesse
ls have had one thing in common; all carried nuclear weapons.

  The 'how and why’ have remained unknown even as the world has grown increasingly sophisticated and advanced in technology. Dr. Susan Long was the first to stumble onto to a possible answer for the enigma. As a consultant at the VLA, Very Large Array, she happened to discover that burst transmissions were being sent to earth from a relatively nearby source.

  She was determined to find the origin but it remained elusive until one night when a longer than usual transmission allowed her team to trace back the source of the communication. They were staggered to discover that it was coming from our own solar system. Further investigation revealed that the signals were either being sent from Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, or that it was being used as a relay station.

  Saturn has sixty-three known moons but Titan is the largest. The mystery surrounding the transmissions being directed at the Earth remained. Why did ships and planes begin disappearing in the 60s? Was there any correlation? Dr. Long gathered her information and was finally able to find the right person to listen to her theory. Chad Beland, President of the United States, was persuaded to hear Dr. Long’s hypothesis and evidence.

  Bringing her discovery to the White House, she was met with skepticism as could be expected. The military leaders were especially skeptical. The idea that someone or something could be sending transmissions to Earth was unnerving at the very least.

  To verify her hypothesis, she was allowed to work with the military, using their equipment which was more suited for closer findings. The VLA was primarily a deep space listening device.

  After months of work, she was finally able to verify her theory and it was determined that transmissions were indeed coming from Titan.

  While Dr. Long was working on this issue, in another part of the country, a very different adventure was being played out. Two friends, Dr. Peter Ferris and Dr. Luke Hall were working on sending a probe to Saturn and Titan. They had no inkling of what was taking place in Washington. They didn’t even know that Dr. Long existed. They were excited to be a part of NASA’s launch. Dr. Hall was actually working for the company that produced the probe. Peter Farris was acting as a consultant.