They stopped twice along the way to allow everyone a short break, but finally they came to the cave entrance, and after a brief inspection Captain Larson, Bishop Marley and Mark agreed that it would make an ideal base for the Communications Centre. Bishop Marley then busied himself taking various measurements that would allow them to set up the transmitter at the most ideal position. Bishop Marley had been an amateur astronomer back on Earth and had been busy the night before recording the exact position of the Sol solar system at any time as seen from New Caledonia.
While Bishop Marley was busy taking the measurements Mark climbed up the limestone cliff to the small ledge that he had seen in one of the photographs that Penny had taken, and here he set up the second relay station, it was way above the tree tops and would help them in their search for a new base. Satisfied that it was out of the weather he then connected it up to a small photovoltaic panel that would power it during the day. When he was finished he climbed back down and joined the others for lunch, and one hour later they all began the long march back to their camp. It was late in the afternoon when they finally got back to the camp, and with everyone feeling tired after the long day they took the remainder of the day off.
The next morning the Communications Centre was loaded onto the back of one of the larger tracked vehicles that the colonists had brought with them and a solar-powered photovoltaic panel was then loaded aboard the second of the larger tracked vehicles. Bishop Marley did not fancy sitting on the hard looking seat so he cried off, saying that he was still feeling tired after the exertions of the day before.
Mark therefore asked Robbie to accompany them on the trip to the cave, and he was happy to be away from the camp for a few hours; Richard and his team were their escorts and would also provide any muscle that was needed. The going through the forest and up into the hill company was easy enough aboard the tracked vehicles; however, they were forced to park the vehicles at the bottom of the steep incline that led up to the entrance of the cave. Mark gave everyone ten minutes to stretch their legs after the long journey, and he and Susan took the opportunity to take in the view from the mouth of the cave. Before them the ground dropped one hundred feet, so they were on level with the tops of many of the trees, this could easily have been considered a fantastic location for lovers or hikers.
“Mark, it is so beautiful here, if only the threat of the Aldebran task force was not hanging over us, it does rather spoil it.” Susan declared sadly.
“We will succeed Darling, and then we can return to this spot and pretend the Aldebrans never spoilt this paradise.” Mark replied as he looked down upon her upturned face and frowned when he saw her sad smile. “We will win through Darling, of that I am certain.”
“I know Darling but it is just so unfair.” Susan said with a little of her anger at the Aldebran threat coming to the surface. “Come on Mark, let`s install the radio and call home, then maybe we will be rid of this Aldebran serpent in this otherwise perfect garden.”
With the seven men and six women who made up the group, they easily managed to haul the Communications Centre up to the entrance of the cave, and then to move it to the rear of the cave. Once in place Robbie set the main body of the Communications Centre up, a task that he had been trained to do, the actual subspace transmitter they set up in the entrance to the cave. Its portability meant that they could easily move it back into the shelter of the cave if they came under attack from the spacecraft above them in space. Once it had been set up and the power unit installed and connected up to the solar-powered photovoltaic panel, which they had positioned at the foot of the slope, Robbie was almost ready to turn on the Communications Centre. First though he had to ensure that the transmitter was pointing in the general direction of Earth, Bishop Marley had told Robbie to position it right in the centre of the cave`s wide entrance and had given him precise instructions to ensure that it was pointing in the general direction of Earth at any particular time. Robbie checked everything a second time, including the position of the Aldebran spacecraft, which was to the west of the mouth of the cave, making it a perfect time to call Earth. With everything set, they only needed to wait until the centre was charged up sufficiently by the solar panel and then they could call Earth. The team took the time to have lunch and to rest their legs, but finally everything was ready. Mark and Robbie returned to the Communications Centre at the back of the cave, leaving everyone else at the mouth of the cave to enjoy the view, until Mark called to them.
“As soon as Robbie begins to transmit, that Aldebran starship might well fire down upon us, so you must either move back into the forest or come into this part of the cave.” Mark ordered.
Unfortunately, as he was busy with Robbie he did not realise that some of the colonists had lingered at the mouth of the cave to take in the view and Susan was one of them.
“Mark, Bishop Marley has written down the message he wants me to send to Earth, so let`s hope that the ship in space allows us the time to complete the call. Well here goes.” Robbie said brightly, and he now turned on the Communications Centre and when it too was ready he began to transmit the mayday message to Earth.
“This is the New Caledonian colony sending...” Robbie began.
**********
On board the special operations starship North Wind, Leander and Karin were thinking about a hot drink when their instruments detected the power build up in the colonists` Communications Centre, then they heard the colonists begin to send their message. Leander reacted faster than Karin, his hand shot forward to operate the vessel’s touch screen main computer, he had activated a powerful signal that was more than capable of jamming the colony`s SOS call. Meanwhile Karin had zeroed in on the position of the transmitter and sent the coordinates to the ship`s weapons program which was now charging up their Phaser.
“The Phaser is ready to fire on their position Captain, although we had better let Li-Ching know before we open fire.” Leander said looking across at Karin.
Karin did not reply he simply called engineering. “Chief Engineer, is the Phaser weapon ready for use?” Karin asked.
“Yes, Captain, but it would be prudent to limit your demands, if you want something left in reserve, should it become necessary.” Yung advised grimly.
“Understood, bridge out.” Karin replied.
Through the powerful camera on the North Wind they could see where the transmitter was positioned although they could not see the actual unit. “It appears to be hidden behind that tall cliff to the east of us, Captain we need to move the ship to give us the optimum target.” Leander advised.
“No problem Commander.” Karin replied as he took the sleek craft across the sky until they were looking directly at the mouth of the cave, they could even see the transmitter.
“Target the entrance to the cave.” Karin ordered. “We should be able to take out their transmitter before they even know what is happening.” Karin cried out in joy.
**********
Down on the planet`s surface, Robbie swore loudly when his receiver sent out a loud blast of interference. “Damn, after hauling the thing through the forest we find that it is not even working.”
“It is working all right, but our alien spacemen must have been up there just waiting for us to begin broadcasting, they are jamming our signal.” Mark said angrily as he changed the strength of their signal in an attempt to punch a hole through the jamming, but to no avail. It was only now that Mark realised that some of his people had lingered at the mouth of the cave, including Susan!
“Susan, everybody, quickly get to the rear of the cave now, and bring the transmitter with you, the Aldebrans have probably located our exact position.” He called out desperately. “And if the Aldebran captain is any good then he will have moved his ship so that he can fire at the cave entrance, move now or you will be killed.” He called frantically as he rushed forward towards his wife, the low roof of the cave limiting his speed.
A powerful Phaser bolt exploded in the mouth of the cave where t
he transmitter had been standing only moments ago, followed immediately by another one, both bolts of energy sending a splatter of fast moving grit everywhere, including towards the backs of the three retreating colonists who had not chosen the forest to conceal themselves. One of the three colonists was Susan, and Mark had pushed her against the side of the cave, shielding her body with his own, he cried out in pain as his back was peppered with small pieces of rock.
“Mark, are you all right.” Susan cried out frantically.
“I will be Darling, when I can get my hands on some antiseptic ointment, we were bloody lucky.” Mark said. “How about you Darling, are you all right, why didn`t you leave the mouth of the cave when I called to you before we began to broadcast?” Mark asked. His relief mixed with a little anger at the thought of almost losing Susan.
“I am sorry Mark, it is just so beautiful here, I thought that it would be all right to linger a moment more. Sorry.” Susan replied contritely. “I am fine though, John was directly behind me when the first energy bolt exploded and you took the brunt of the second blast, I really am sorry Mark, it will not happen again.”
“Good, I would never be able to continue on if anything happened to you Darling.” Mark said, his anger subsiding a little as he looked at the contrition on her face. “Come on, we should see to John and Daphne.”
Thankfully, John and Daphne McIntire had also got through the attack without any real harm, all they needed was some TLC and antiseptic ointment, Mark prayed that none of the remaining colonists would ever need anything more than this, but he doubted it.
Mark had thought of berating John McIntire for not following orders; however as no one had been badly hurt, and as he had let Susan off lightly, he decided that to do so might be counterproductive. Instead he held his tongue and decide to have a quiet word with John later on. With this decided he contacted their base on their newly installed cellular phone system and updated Bishop Marley about the failed attempt to contact Earth, and about the attack on them by the spacecraft, Bishop Marley sounded a mixture of disappointment mixed with a lot of relief that no one was hurt when he replied.
“Thank god that the Communications Centre was inside the cave Mark, otherwise we would have lost even more of our people, never mind the Communications Centre itself, although what good it is I do not know.” Bishop Marley declared.
“Our time will come Bishop, and then the Communications Centre will be worth its weight in gold.” Mark replied grimly. “Bishop, we will return to base as soon as the sun sets, and in that way our friends in space will not get another chance to destroy the Communications Centre.
“Whatever you think best Mark.” Bishop Marley said despondently.
While everyone waited for the sun to set Robbie checked out the transmitter to ensure that it too had come through the attack unscathed, thankfully John McIntire had protected it with his body.
That night thirteen despondent colonists returned to camp, bringing the Communications Centre back with them, and when they reached their camp they were met with some very unhappy friends. This feeling of defeat continued on over the next day.
The next evening Bishop Marley broached a subject that had been troubling him. “Mark, I want to speak to you about our prisoners, when we move camp, as we surely will have to now, they are going to cause us a problem, they will almost certainly attempt to escape. I have thought over the matter and finally decided that we should leave them here, locked in the starship with food and water to last them until their people arrive.” Bishop Marley declared as he looked over at Mark waiting for his thoughts on the subject.
“Bishop, we either take the prisoners with us, or, we kill them before we set out, to allow them to go free would give the new commander important intelligence, and six more troopers who will be trying hard to kill us, eight when the two injured troopers recover.” Mark declared vehemently.
“I had not considered that their experiences with us could be used against us, but you are correct of course. But surely the men will be returned home, not used against us.” Bishop Marley replied thoughtfully.
“You do not know the Aldebran military, Bishop, I have read some of the reports that our people have amassed, the planet is ruled with an iron fist by an emperor who thinks only of his own comforts, and freedom for the masses is in very short supply. To their minds the Aldebrans that we have taken prisoner are no more than the walking dead, having failed in their mission. No, they will not be returned home, instead they will be used as cannon fodder in the coming battles, either that or sent back to Aldebra to live in a gulag for the rest of their lives.” Mark explained grimly. “It would be better for them to stay with us, for they will be much better off as our prisoners.”
Bishop Marley had much to think about, so after thanking Mark for his thoughts on the matter he sought out his wife, to speak to her on the subject, and to his surprise he found out that she too had read about the Aldebrans, and that she agreed with all that Mark had said, so he decided to do so as well.
The next morning things began to improve, not long after they had sent up their drone it spotted a large herd of buffalo type animals moving slowly across the vast prairie. Their immediate food source was now taken care of, and for some time to come, in fact they would soon find themselves wishing for a change from buffalo meat, as they decided to name it. This was just one such small herd, other herds were also moving north now that the winter was over and with the spring rains the new grass was springing up everywhere, Mark decided there and then that these herds would not be decimated like the ones that lived in the USA. Even so he sent all of the teams out to hunt this herd of the great beasts, until their farms were up and running the large herds would help feed the colonists.
Time past peacefully for the colonists, however because of the Aldebran threat the colonists could not begin to turn New Caledonia into their new home, because of this tempers began to get a little frayed, for at the back of everyone`s mind was the knowledge that the Aldebran starships would soon be arriving to wage war upon them.
One thing did provide a modicum of comfort, one of the teams finally found an ideal spot that they thought could be used as their new base camp. Richard Rider had made use of the two small tracked vehicles to lead his team on a trek deep within the vast forest that covered much of the northern temperate zone of New Caledonia; Mark had given this team just one task, to find a suitable site for their new base, for time was beginning to run out. They found an ideal site forty miles away from their base, and they had been stunned both by its beauty and on how ideal it was for them as a new base.
They had been following yet another of the many animal tracks that provided a useful network of trails throughout the forest. Up ahead of them the way opened up and led down to a small fast flowing river. Richard decided to rest up there, by the river. A light lunch of survival rations followed by a cold drink of water from the river, using their Lifestraws to clean the water, a clever Danish invention that allowed hikers to drink clean water almost wherever they found a water source. From ahead of them they heard the sound of splashing water, and on inspection they found a small waterfall that cascaded down into a small wooded hollow, here a large pool of water had been formed by the river before it raced along the gorge and disappeared amidst the trees that filled the far end of the gorge.
“This looks interesting Richard, maybe we should investigate it after we have rested a while and eaten our lunch, it could be just what we are looking for, a hidden dell where we can hide away from the ogres of Aldebra.” Penny Rider said on seeing the waterfall.
Many fairy tales sprang into her mind at the sight of it, if only one of them could be true she thought. After eating their lunch they did investigate, on foot, following a narrow trail that led them down into the hollow. Within the hollow they found the large pool, and they could see a long stretch of river bank before the river was finally hidden by the many trees that filled the far end of the gorge. Later, the colonists would clear away some of
the vegetation and smaller trees to extend their new camp, and in this way they were able to follow the river until it finally disappeared into a large cavern where it continued to flow underground.
For the moment though the team were making other discoveries. “Richard, the river is full of fish, they might well be trout from the look of them, it is a pity that my fishing gear is back at the base or we could all be having a fish supper.” Johnny Malins called out in delight.
Johnny and his wife were from Canada, and had both been Park Rangers back in their old lives, they were hoping to start a new life here on New Caledonia, one that included children. First though they would have to slay the serpents who were threatening their lives.
The hollow had opened out, and from between the trees they saw a glimpse of a large stone figure set high above the fast flowing river, and then another, and another. They soon discovered that both sides of the gorge had stone figures cut into the upper walls of the gorge, and on closer inspection they found that the mouths of the figures were in fact the entrances of large caves carved out of the hard rock.
“This is fantastic, we will camp here overnight and then return to base, this is exactly what Mark was thinking of when he first told us that we had to move away from our base by the Ark.” Richard declared avidly. “Penny we must take as many photographs as we can of this gorge, and the caves, so that Mark and Bishop Marley can make an informed decision about moving here.”
Penny looked across at her husband with a puzzled expression upon her face. “Richard, these stone figures, they must have been carved by someone, I thought that New Caledonia was uninhabited?” Penny said quizzically.
“We certainly have not seen any sign of intelligent life, until now that is, I suppose they could be nomadic, let`s look inside some of the caves to see if they have left any signs of their occupation.” Richard replied and walked into the nearest of the caves, his rifle at the ready just in case one of the planet`s carnivores was using it as its den.
Luckily no one was home in this or any of the other caves they searched, in fact the caves were quite bare, they did not even find any animal bones which led to another question, why not, was there something that kept the wildlife away?
A New Colony amongst the Stars Page 10