by GARY DARBY
“Once we reach the fleet, I will make arrangements for your transportation to one of the assembly areas, and I assure you that your decision will not be considered prejudicial in any way.”
He let his eyes rove around the group, but not a single scout moved. All stood steadfast in the formation, letting their silent statement speak volumes of how they felt about the extreme situation.
Shar nodded in satisfaction. “Very well,” he said and gave the group a lop-sided grin. “Hopefully, we’ll all have excellent barracks lawyers at our court martial.”
He went on in a more serious tone. “We’re leaving the Zephyrs with you, and the Mongan cruiser, too.”
Nodding toward Jadar he grumped. “Against my better judgment, Colonel Marrel has convinced me that that he will use it well, so ensure that he does.”
Straightening, he said, “Good hunting to you all. Scouts Out.”
With that, he saluted the whole company and with Busly trailing behind, left the room.
Jadar turned to the scouts and with rapid orders made ship assignments. He finished by saying, “Once we’re all uploaded, we’ll boost out of the Argos to a distance of ten kilometers and wait.
“We’re going to let the Argos go to n-space first before we begin our own transit. That way, the Argos crew, and Colonel Tuul can truthfully answer that they don’t know our course or speed.
“After that, Lieutenant Renn and I will fill you in on our plan.”
An hour later, after the Navy ship had jumped to hyperlight speed for its run to the Epsilon system, three of the four Zephyrs floated near the Mongan cruiser. The fourth Zephyr lay in the Mongan ship’s hangar bay.
“Brant,” Jadar said over the comms, “we’re ready here. Your status?”
“We’re green across the board, sir,” Brant returned.
“Then, good luck on your mission,” Jadar replied.
He then said, “Dason, are you there?”
“Yes, sir,” Dason responded.
“Good hunting to you as well and I’ll see you soon.”
Dason swallowed hard as he replied, “And to you, sir.”
“Lieutenant Renn, take charge of your team,” Jadar ordered. “Scouts Out!”
With that, the great Mongan cruiser began accelerating toward the Helix Nebula. As Dason and Brant watched it sail away, Brant spoke over the communicator, “All Z-ships, stand by to go to hyperspeed.”
He turned to Dason. “Coordinates set?”
Dason nodded in return. “Locked in, plot is green.”
“Very well, engage the drive. Let’s go see if we can find Tor’al’s trail and see where it leads us. Hopefully, to him.
“If not,” Brant said with eyes staring straight ahead and a grim expression on his face, “then I fear the Imperium may have to fight an interstellar war on several fronts and we scouts will be caught squarely in the middle.”
Chapter Fourteen
Star date: 2443.097
Alpha Pegasi Three
Flipping his snoopers down over his eyes for added protection from the stinging beach sand that peppered his face, Dason scanned the terrain directly in front of him. He held his L-gun out in front, ready for the first hint of danger.
On each side of him, strung out below a line of scrawny and leathery bushes were Shanon, Sami, TJ, Nase, and Alena. Each hunkered down against the biting sea wind, their L-guns drawn and ready, too.
Somewhere off to his left, making their way down the narrow sand channels that led up from the seashore was the rest of the Star Scout team.
Far in the distance were the slim, sand-colored pinnacle towers of Kardis City, the only settlement of any note on Pegasi Three.
Dason ran his tongue over dry lips and tasted the sea salt the air carried from the briny and bitter ocean that lay to their backs. He glanced over at a nearby bay of gray, leaden water where the whitecaps from the whipping wind looked more like soapsuds than actual surf.
Their initial high-orbit planetary scan of the planet had been inconclusive except that they had spotted a small building complex at some distance from the city.
At first, it didn’t raise any suspicions until Dason pointed out how similar the layout and buildings were to the compound on Marsten’s World.
Brant decided it was as good as place as any to start their search, though they all agreed that finding the proverbial needle in a haystack would be far easier than the task they had to tackle.
Dason squinted over at Alena, who lay next to him, her shoulders scrunched up against her neck to ward off the salty wind. She caught him looking at her and leaned closer. “What?”
He answered in a low voice, “Are you sure about this? Being under my command, I mean. You outrank me, you know.”
She frowned at him. “That’s a matter of interpretation and for a court martial to decide. Besides, this is your team, not mine. I’m just glad that Brant didn’t make me stay behind and nursemaid the ships.”
Dason didn’t say it out loud, but he agreed that Alena’s standing as a Star Scout officer was in serious doubt. But Colonel Tuul had not made any mention of a possible trial against her.
To Dason, Tuul’s lack of official notice left the impression that he had concluded that they needed every able-bodied scout available, and that Alena’s moment in court would be put off until later.
Besides, Alena had changed; she was not the angry and conflicted person Dason had met on the AP planet. Dason trusted her, the team trusted her, and that was all that mattered at this stage.
Dason squeezed Alena’s arm, and slid over to come shoulder to shoulder against Sami. He directed Sami’s view at the pale orange-colored light that was just beginning to peek over the distant horizon.
“Brant wanted us to hit the complex right at daybreak. Judging by that, I’d say that’s not too far off.”
“Yeah,” Sami replied, “but if he doesn’t hurry we’re not going to be the squeaky bird that gets the worm.”
Dason shook his head, giving Sami a rueful smile. “Sami, I think you mean—”
Just then, Brant’s voice came through the t-comm, “Dason, is your team in position?”
“Roger,” Dason replied.
“Understood. We’re ready here. Hit your target.”
Dason slapped at Sami and snapped out, “Let’s go!”
The six scouts pushed through the line of bushes and with heads and bodies low, sprinted toward the building complex.
They charged up a small beach dune, rushed over the sandy crest and half-slid down the backside. Hitting the harder packed sand at the base, Dason led them to the structure’s entrance.
He nodded to Sami, who placed his L-gun on its highest setting and tightest beam and then placed the muzzle against the locking mechanism.
“You know,” Sami said, giving Dason a sideways glance, “if this belongs to some innocent civilian, we’re gonna be in a lot of trouble.”
Standing next to Sami with her back against the wall, TJ said, “What do you mean, ‘we,’ Sami? Dason’s in charge here, we’re just following orders, remember?”
Sami’s grin split his light brown face. “Say, that’s right.” With that, he blasted out the door’s lock.
Dason and Sami slid the door aside, and the six crept into the darkened interior. Dason motioned to the left and right, and the team split to each side, their backs tight against the wall.
Holding the team in place for a moment, Dason sized up the situation. The building was not only dark but felt empty, lifeless. There were no telltale sounds of machinery or even the sometimes creaking sounds that buildings make.
Motioning to the team to follow, he led them slowly down the hallway. Dason felt the entry corridor open up and stopped. He turned on a vest light and sprayed it around a large open bay.
Odd-looking pieces of equipment and machinery lined the room’s sides, with several large pressure containers in the middle.
He gestured for Alena, Shanon, and Nase to search to the left while he, Sam
i, and TJ would go to the right. As a precaution, he made a sweep of the area with his LifeSensor, but the display remained dark and empty, indicating that the immediate vicinity held no life of any kind.
For several minutes, the two teams searched the large room but found it void of any human activity. Nase whispered to Dason, “Judging by the dust on this machinery, I don’t think anyone’s been here for some time.”
“I think you’re right,” Dason whispered in answer. “Let’s head back.”
Moments later, they met up with the others and Dason asked, “Anything?”
“Nothing that we can see,” Alena replied. “It’s empty.”
Dason spoke into his comms, “Brant, we’ve got a dry hole here, we’re headed to the next building.”
“Roger,” Brant replied, “same here.”
Motioning with one hand for the others to follow, Dason led the team back outside. Several minutes later, they had forced their way into an adjacent structure.
They had no sooner entered the building when Dason held up his hand to stop the group and whispered, “This feels different. I think there’s someone in this one.”
The team fanned out and with cautious steps slipped down the hall. This time, the corridor didn’t open into a hangarlike room, but instead continued for several meters until it came to a crossing hallway.
Sami reached out to tap Dason on the shoulder and pointed down.
Boot tracks!
The dust carried numerous sets of prints that seemed to indicate travel both ways. Dason shone his light down the darkened corridor, but the light faded into nothingness and showed only blank walls.
“Fifty-fifty chance on which way to go,” Shanon whispered. “Or we split up.”
Dason shook his head. “Not this time, we stay together. Alena, TJ, cover our six.”
He slipped around the corner to the right and crept down the corridor. The passageway bent to the left and Dason found himself staring at a hatch-style door that was somewhat ajar.
Keeping his weapon trained on the door, he reached out, pulled the door toward him, and peeked inside. He stepped back and glanced sideways at Sami. “Open door and stairs going down,” he muttered. “I think we’re being invited inside.”
“I much prefer crashing the party to these open invitations,” Sami mumbled.
Nase leaned closer to Dason. “I suggest we let Brant know what we’ve found. We might lose communications if we go too far underground.”
Dason nodded in agreement and backed away from the hatch to stand in the foyer. “Brant,” he whispered.
“Go ahead,” Brant responded.
“We’re in the next building over. We found boot prints and a doorway that opens to stairs going underground. No lights, but I’m pretty sure this building is occupied.”
“Stay there,” Brant directed. “We’ll come to you.”
“Roger,” Dason replied.
He returned to the team and ordered in a whisper, “Sami, Nase, Shanon, fall back and cover the opening from here. Alena, TJ, go back to the intersection and wait for Brant’s team.”
Dason turned his vest light off and leaned against the wall. The total darkness was almost smothering in its totality. So well trained were he and his teammates at being silent that though Shanon was less than a hand’s length away, he couldn’t even hear her breathing.
The minutes seemed to stretch out, and Dason was beginning to wonder if something had happened to Brant and his team when the faint sounds of muffled steps came echoing down the hallway.
Stepping out into the passage for a better look, he let out a little breath in relief when he sighted the spectral heat signatures of Brant and his team through his snoopers.
As Brant and the other scouts made their way down the hall, Alena and TJ stepped out to meet them and together, hustled to where Dason stood.
When Brant reached him, Dason turned and guided him to the doorway. “IR off,” Brant whispered to those standing nearby, waited a few seconds and then turned a vest light to its lowest setting.
After inspecting the opening, he whispered to Dason, “Either they’re inviting us in, or someone’s pretty sloppy and not expecting company.”
“That’s what we figured too,” Dason murmured.
“I’ll guess we’ll find out which, won’t we?” Brant replied and turned to order, “We’re going in, Granger, Shelby, cover this opening and the hallway until we’re in, you’re our six.”
Sami leaned over to ask, “Path Finder? Remember, I’m your—”
“Not this time, Sami,” Brant whispered. “Definitely not this time.”
He gave Dason a light rap on the arm. “Follow me, and see if you can get that inner radar of yours working at full power.”
With his LifeSensor outstretched, Brant eased around the door and tiptoed down the stairs, with Dason close behind.
The staircase went down a half flight, elbowed to the left and then connected to the floor. Brant and Dason eased off the rungs and with careful steps crept forward.
One by one, the team followed and fanned out behind Dason and Brant. The hallway remained dark and quiet, but Dason had no doubt that there was at least one person, perhaps more, hiding and waiting in the shadows.
A few meters farther, a side corridor branched off to the left. In the dim light, they could make out a second hallway that branched off the main foyer. Brant stopped and motioned to the right. “Dason, take your team and search this passage.”
He motioned to the remaining scouts. “Follow me.”
Brant’s team slid around the sharp corner and Dason led his scouts in the opposite direction. Several meters farther on, Dason came to a hatchlike door. He gave Sami a nod, indicating that he was to cover him as Dason eased the door open.
With a wary eye, he poked his head inside and surveyed the room. Along one wall stood numerous unfamiliar pieces of equipment attached to compu consoles.
However, it was the various devices in the compartment’s center that captured his attention. With a wave, he led his team inside and asked, “Anyone have an idea what these things are?”
“I think I do,” Nase replied. “And if I’m right, I think the lieutenant should see this.”
Dason gestured toward TJ, “See if you can raise Brant and let him know that we’ve got something here that he needs to see.”
TJ gave a quick nod and stepped out into the hallway. While the team waited, they milled around the room, inspecting the various devices.
After a few minutes, Brant and the rest of the scouts team entered the room. Dason motioned toward the equipment. “Nase thought that these were important enough for you to see.”
After a few seconds of quick examination, Brant let out a little puff of air while saying, “And he was right. These are used in the first imprints to make nanofilament.”
He rotated around and gestured toward the far end, where a solid wall of plex-glass sealed it off from the rest of the area.
“And that’s a clean room for making positronic pathways and central neural processors.”
He nodded toward Nase. “Good job. I suspect that if we look further we’ll find that this is an assembly room for making positronic brains along with the neural pathways and circuitry to implant into SimLife creations.”
Dason swept his arm around the room. “But there’s no one here, and they just left all of this lying around. Doesn’t make sense.”
“Maybe,” Sami offered, “they made whatever it was they were making and left town in one big hurry after making whatever it was they were making.”
Brant eyed for Sami for a second, shaking his head before saying, “Very possible. Though this is very expensive equipment just to leave behind. It does suggest that they didn’t want anyone to know they were down here or what they were doing.”
“Uh huh,” Alena replied, “which means that we aren’t dealing with a legitimate business either.”
“Whew,” Sami remarked. “That’s good. I’ve been worrying
about that ever since we broke into this place.”
Seeing the look on Brant’s face, Sami said hastily, “Uh, what I meant was ever since we began to investigate, not that we actually broke—”
Brant waved a hand to stop him. “Zip it, Sami, we need to move on.”
“Speaking of investigating,” Lia offered, “it's a shame we didn’t get more of a chance to find any nanoplasam molds on Marsten’s. Would’ve given us a better idea of what they were cooking up.”
To the younger scout’s questioning expressions, Brant explained. “Using a 3-D laser-etch printer, the SimLife engineer crafts each body component in the form of a mold.
“They pour the gel into the shell, a thin layer at a time, and the positronic team lays in the filament circuits, the nanotubing and so forth and then seal it with another covering of gel.
“After the last coating, a professional artist sculpts the rough piece into a finished product. In the case of our Torther Ape, of course, the artist had to add a few things to make it more lifelike.”
“Yeah,” Sami muttered darkly, “like fangs and venom.”
“So,” Brant went on, ignoring Sami’s remark, “if we had uncovered the molds on Marsten’s, we might have been able to put them together to form some idea of what they were making.”
He looked around again at the various devices and machinery. “I doubt seriously, though, that they were making prostheses or anything similar, but without the patterns we have no way of knowing exactly what.”
“So they manufactured the positronics here and shipped them to Marsten’s World?” TJ asked.
“Looks that way,” Brant answered. “It’s curious that they would have the facilities separated, though, instead of all in one place.”
“Didn’t want to put all their ducks in one basket,” Sami answered.
“Wrong idiom, right analysis,” Brant replied. “Most likely, someone didn’t want the left hand to know what the right hand was doing.”
He turned to Dason. “Find anything in here that gives us any clues for finding Tor’al?”
“Not that I can see,” Dason returned. In a troubled voice he asked, “Sir, is it possible that the Faction has the expertise to create a SimLife in the form of a Sha’anay?”