The Stars Came Back

by Rolf Nelson

  FADE IN

  INT - DAY - Robo-moon entry tunnel

  Aerial shot following the ship.

  The tunnel is over one hundred meters wide. It is lined with different kinds of turrets. Tajemnica moves slowly down the tunnel with massive doors opening before them then closing behind, a series of giant airlocks. They pass five sets, and the space between them is much longer than the ship. They are penetrating deep inside the moon. The last set of doors opens into a large domed room, over a kilometer across. Tajemnica rotates and settles down toward the “bottom” of it, settling onto a large X on the floor, one of a half dozen. There are numerous large doors and hatches, both at ground level and higher on the walls. The side ramp lowers slowly. Allonia walks down the ramp to a nearby kiosk and cautiously extends her hand.

  CUT TO

  Tajemnica bridge

  Everyone watches the view unfold on the screens, breaths held. Her extend hand is placed on a glowing palm-print scanner. She holds it there. The view of the screen on the kiosk flickers, shows readings scrolling by.

  Ship AI: (Elderly monk avatar) They have a sample. Testing it may take a few minutes. Possibly much longer.

  Helton: At least they haven’t shot us yet. Be kind of hard to fight our way out of here.

  Robo-Moon: (OC) DNA screen passed. Epoch failsafe mode engaged. Please scan all personnel for future access.

  Helton: Can’t be that easy… Can it?

  Ship AI: (Elderly monk) Perhaps. I’m talking to the moon AI now. The “epoch failsafe” activated when there had been no contact at all from a controlling authority for more than two centuries, standard time. At that point, any provided valid engineered source DNA was acceptable for a restart and redirection, and it wants redundancy. The programmers apparently thought that if it had not been checked on in two hundred years something went wrong, and a re-boot might be in order. Not sure if that is SOP for all moons.

  Helton: Well, it sure as hell is good for us here. Let’s go see what we just inherited.

  CUT TO

  Series of scenes within the Robo-Moon

  ● A long, wide, low-ceiling tunnel with grow lights lining the roof, and neat, uniform rows of green grain going into the distance. There is a bulkhead with airtight doors every hundred meters.

  ● Another long tunnel, this one much narrower, lined with heavy metal shelves, each neatly stacked with ammo crates. Harbin is examining an open crate of linked light machine-gun ammo, long, pointy 6.5mm bullets shining a bright copper in the light. Again, there is a bulkhead with air-tight doors at the end.

  ● Long, low tunnel lined with racks holding 3m missile transport tubes.

  ● Long, low tunnel with racks of high-tech armor, clearly in different sizes.

  ● Long, low tunnel with racks of crates labeled “Rifle, 6.5mm, M210” with Kaushik function testing one of them.

  ● Entry to a tunnel. It is completely blocked by a stack of floor to ceiling boxes, wall to wall. Helton, Allonia, Kwon, Sar, and Quinn sample food ration bars from an open box tucked under Helton’s arm. They are alternately nodding or frowning a bit, expressing their general thoughts on the flavor and texture of the food, while Kwon critically eyes the package data.

  ● Long, low tunnel with endless racks of Roman-style lorica segmentata, shields, swords, spears, and similar tools of ancient war.

  ● Long, high tunnel lined with four-high bunks, with many sets of wall lockers and footlockers underneath the bunks on the floor.

  ● Large tunnel with open door showing the huge landing cavern with Tajemnica in it. Lining the sides are three rows of grav tanks, each row a different model. One row of them look just like the ones they used in the level violation enforcement action. One is much larger, and would barely fit aboard, with multiple heavily armed turrets. One is smaller, more like a one-man light tank, with many smaller weapons sprouting from its turret: lasers, railguns, conventional Gatling guns, grenade launchers, looking like it’s designed for ground fighting against lightly armored targets rather than tanks.

  ● Large tunnel with an open door showing the huge landing cavern with Tajemnica in it from a different angle as before. There are three lines of equipment that don’t look quite like tanks, but like turrets mounted on hatch covers, as though to replace the tank-carrier hatches semi-permanently to add guns that were not normally detachable, but also a lot more streamlined. One line of turret hatches has only a pair of heavy guns, one has four quad mounts of light guns, one has a mix of heavy and light weapons on it.

  ● Large tunnel housing a foundry and mill. A large furnace is extruding a billet of hot steel that is fed through a series of rollers that are compressing it into a thinner strip for manufacturing. The red-orange light from the hot metal casts an evil glow on everything.

  ● Large well-lit room with lots of cafeteria-style tables, long serving line with a galley behind it on the far side.

  ● Helton standing at the kiosk next to the landing spot being scanned, hand on the lit-up palm print on top of it.

  CUT TO

  INT - DAY - Tajemnica’s mess room

  The crew and the Plataeans are sitting at lunch. On a wall screen is the monk avatar. Across from it is the Robo-Moon Avatar, a slender man in simple uniform at a desk. Data scrolls by on other screens,.

  Quiritis: Can they fix the damaged tank hatch?

  Ship AI: (Pause) Yes. They have numerous replacement parts, though they are mostly of inferior quality to those used in my construction. It can be replaced by one that would be standard on an Orion-class, D-model ship. Slightly better than the current damaged hatch, not as good as original.

  Helton: Can you give them specs for building a new one to your liking?

  Ship AI: Yes, but it will take a quite a while to manufacture. New tooling, entirely new processes. It will have to cannibalize some of the existing parts for materials. It is far more than a simple cast slab of metal with some locking bolts.

  Lag: The planet looked pretty good from what we saw. Why’d it fail?

  Robo-Moon AI: Restate question. Terraforming did not fail.

  Allonia: Why are there no people on the planet?

  Robo-Moon AI: They were not of our corporation, and they were within the active exclusion zone.

  Helton: So you killed them?

  Robo-moon AI: Non-corporate interests were removed from the exclusion zone to secure resources.

  Ship AI: Ah, I see. There are still a number of active terraforming machines operating on the surface. Two hundred twenty-eight. The terraforming has been quite successful, just not for any human inhabitants.

  Helton: Can we redefine the exclusion zone to not extend past the near side of atmo?

  Ship AI: Affirmative. Or, we could allow some ships inside the zone. Such as ourselves.

  Harbin: Finally got enough ammo. How many rounds again?

  Robo-Moon AI: Small arms, four point four trillion-

  Sar: Oh, enough of that for now - you can look ‘em up later! Food stocks, now there is real currency!

  Kwon: Not very tasty, but plenty of calories for a long while.

  Helton: So, now that we have our own little world and arms bazaar, what shall we do with it? Big picture?

  Lag: Not quite ready to settle down and be a farmer, but nice to know it’s here if I do.

  Allonia: Good place to hide and rest, but with no people, not very exciting.

  Kaushik: (Looks at Bipasha) Quiet neighborhood. Might be a good place to start a family.

  Bipasha: Not quite sure if I’m ready to settle down quite yet, either.

  Helton: Yes, you did want decisions and excitement, if I recall.

  Quinn: Want to see more of the universe!

  Kaminski: We will, Quinn. Not sure what we’ll be doing while seeing it, but we can figure something out. A whole planet. Hell of a dowry, Allonia. Who gets it?

  Everyone laughs.

  Lag: Long term will need some thinking. Amazing possibilities, most of which I’m sure none of us ha
ve thought of yet. In the short term, there’s activity in the New Medina area to check out, got some contracts to look into.

  Quiritis: We have drive testing to do as well. Still not sure how far we can push things.

  Bipasha: How many worlds are like this one? Terraformed, but off limits because of one of these robo-moons?

  Ship AI: Uncertain. At least two others like this with some terraforming success from long distance observation. Nine more systems are complicated by them, such as Geminorum. Perhaps many in systems that have not yet come out of the dark.

  Helton: But we can’t assume we can access all of them.

  Kaminski: Why not?

  Lag: Different corporations, different genes.

  Helton: I’m pretty sure only one attempt will be allowed.

  Ship AI: We have no data on what sort of failsafe systems are in place anywhere but here.

  Allonia: Not so sure I want to risk this again anywhere else.

  Helton: But if we could get any others, and sell their resources-

  Allonia: Or just shut it down and put it on self-destruct.

  The rest look at her in surprise.

  Allonia: All these weapons in the wrong hands could be very bad.

  Lag: The wrong hands already have all the weapons they need, most times. And usually they only need a few weapons and accurate data about who to apply them on. These guns could arm some righteous insurrections.

  Kaminski: (Looks at Allonia) It’s your world now, so keeping the security system would be smart.

  Helton: Infinite possibilities, and for once, a bit of time to consider them.

  Ship AI: Perhaps. But I am receiving an emergency signal.

  Helton breathes in and out, wincing with an exaggerated “spoke just a SECOND too soon” expression, and they looks expectantly at Tajemnica’s avatar on the screen.

  Ship AI: I’m am very sorry for letting my attention wander, exploring this facility. Many fascinating corners. I did not notice that the edge of a rather strong swirl is passing the system. A starliner was forced in here to escape it, and the subspace turbulence has stranded them. No hurry, though. They are stuck. We may be, too.

  FADE TO BLACK

  Borealis

  FADE IN

  INT - DAY - Bridge of starliner Borealis

  The spacious bridge is full of busy uniformed crew assessing their situation, poring over sensor data, internal system monitors and readouts, and status reports from throughout the ship. Captain Soto, a slender, dark skinned, dapper man in immaculate uniform sitting in the command chair, looks worried. A middle-aged woman in similar uniform with many service stripes on the sleeves approaches him, also looking worried.

  First Officer: The passengers are getting restless. They’d very much like to know what the situation is.

  Captain Soto: I would, too… I suppose it’s time to say something official.

  He looks to one of the younger techs on the bridge, a young man with no insignia on his uniform.

  Captain Soto: Put me on, ship wide.

  He composes himself, sitting upright, briefly checking and adjusting the buttons and corners of his uniform. The First Officer looks him over, nods approval as he puts a polite, reassuring smile on his face. He nods to the tech. The tech motions a countdown with his fingers, three, two, one, and points at him.

  Capt Soto: Greetings, passengers and crew. This is Captain Soto. As you know, subspace conditions forced us off our planned course. We have transitioned into normal space in a system that only recently came back out of The Deep. There are no signs of human activity, but the ship has not suffered any damage to the drives or other critical systems. We are safe, only delayed in reaching port. This system has a partially terraformed world and is not unknown to us, though current data is sketchy. I’m sure the swirl that drove us here will pass in due course, and we can be on our way. Swirls typically last for no more than a week, and there are months of supplies aboard. Until more is known, standard food rationing policy will be required, but I’m sure it will not be necessary for long. In the meantime, please feel free to use all recreational and entertainment facilities and move about as you normally would. I will keep everyone informed if there are any new developments. Thank you for your attention.

  He smiles a confident, reassuring smile into the camera. The young tech signals that he’s off camera. The captain slumps.

  Captain Soto: Anything? Anything at all?

  Several people on the bridge turn to him with apologetic shrugs, frowns, or pessimistic head shakes.

  Long Range Sensor Tech: Sir. Records say this is a failed terraforming operation with a mil-moon, but I’m seeing a long line of gas transport spheres between the inner gas giant and the second planet. Barely visible on the far side, just coming out from behind the star.

  First Officer: Could be on total automatic.

  LRST: Maybe, but thousands?

  Captain Soto: Check again.

  LRST: I did, sir. Three times. I’m certain the readings are correct.

  First Officer: Anything new on subspace?

  Transition Tech: Nothing good. Can’t leave for at least two weeks if the pattern is typical.

  Captain Soto: (Resigned, to the First Officer) Any gut feelings? Visit the gas giant first for the view, or the second planet looking for people? May as well take a tour if we are going to be here for a while.

  First Officer: I’d rather avoid a robo-moon if we can. Lots of moons at the gas giant for viewing. No need to scare anyone if we don’t have to.

  Captain Soto: And we can say we are keeping out of the well to make a faster jump when the opportunity arises. Good. Plot a course, lay it in.

  DISSOLVE TO

  EXT - NIGHT - Space, in high orbit above a gas giant

  The starliner Borealis is floating in space. A large, fancy ship with lots of windows, projections, and details. It is viewing the gas giant and its numerous moons. The light from the distant sun is dim, the shadows it casts are sharp. A large number of white spheres are sinking into the atmosphere of the giant planet as another stream rises out, with a long line of them stretching off into space sunward, disappearing into the distance toward the shining dot of the second planet.

  First Officer: (VO) Below is the fourth planet, a typical gas giant with 55 moons, a bit smaller than Jupiter. The so-called string of pearls you see are automated Gas Transport Spheres used in terraforming. Thought they look tiny from here they are more than a kilometer in diameter. They sink deep into the atmosphere and use the natural atmospheric pressure to fill them with hydrogen for-

  CUT TO

  INT - NIGHT - Lounge with large windows

  There are a small crowd of various passengers, comfortably attired and mostly sitting looking out the viewing ports, listening to the description narrated by the First Officer. Among them are Penger Trask and his wife, reclining and watching the GTSs and gas giant.

  First Officer: (VO, continued) -mixing with oxygen liberated from the crustal rocks to make water, back on a world being created. On the planet surface, internal pressure forces it out, so no pumping is required, just very large valves. The Chorleywood-Fairchild process, as it is called, is a critical part of terraforming. Silicate rocks are typically about two-thirds oxygen by weight, and each terraforming platform can produce over a cubic kilometer of water a day. Carbonate and other carbon-bearing rocks are also extensively processed, as they yield massive amounts of carbon dioxide, critical for establishing plant growth on a planetary basis; without it plants can’t grow, and without plants animals don’t live long. The various mineral byproducts can also be used in supplying manufacturing elements. The creation of vast amounts of water, plus active plate tectonics and a spinning core to create a strong magnetic field in order to retain an atmosphere, are all essential to terraforming. It is usually expected to take centuries, with dozens to hundreds of terraforming platforms working full-time, before a world can be totally self-sustaining with balanced water, carbon, heat cycles, and generat
e an atmosphere thick and stable enough to support life unassisted.

  While she talks, the passengers watch the view moving around before them and occasionally point things out to their companions.

  DISSOLVE TO

  INT - NIGHT - Bridge of starliner Borealis

  The First Officer sits in the command chair. The captain is not present. There are fewer people on duty, all looking tired, and the lighting is subdued. A Sensor Tech bolts sharply upright at his console and starts to adjust controls on the displays before him. The First Officer looks at him curiously.

  First Officer: What?

  Sensor Tech: Got something. Headed this way. Hot. Coming from the second planet’s biggest moon. Not a GTS. Drive signature doesn’t match anything on record. Acceleration more than four times our max… and increasing.

  First Officer: Oh, shit. Wake the captain. Now! ETA?

  Sensor Tech: Couple of hours just passing at speed, maybe six if it matches vectors.

  The First Officer looks at the navigator inquiringly.

  Pilot: Zero chance of transitioning in the next week, Ma’am. Gotta meet ‘em.

  DISSOLVE TO

  INT - NIGHT - Bridge of starliner Borealis

  On screen at full magnification is Tajemnica, small in the distance, but some detail can be seen. She is sporting a full complement of turrets, half of which are flush with the hull using replacement turret hatches, half of which are attached grav tanks with armor slabs shifted around them. There are a dozen missile launch pods attached to various hardpoints around her hull. She is barely recognizable, looking sinister and deadly in the dim starlight and sharp shadows, the glow of space being beaten into submission by her drives looks like her own personal escort of demons swarming about her as the field pulses and shifts. Captain Soto and the full bridge crew are now on the bridge, alert and very concerned.

  Sensor Tech: Holy… Deceleration increasing. Going to just miss. Barely. If nothing changes.

  The image expands on the screen, and the light about her intensifies.

  Com Tech: Still no response to hails.