»But it survived on the surface with nothing to breathe, without a protection suit, at temperatures near the absolute zero point and under … under virtual space conditions,« Major Davis interjected.
The doctor pondered for a moment.
»The Globuster may not have worn a suit, but it may have had some form of protection mechanism. Remember the energy field that sealed the entrance to the underground installation? Perhaps, its body was enveloped in such a field?«
Davis looked briefly at Caroline.
»I don’t know. At least that’d explain why I couldn’t hurt it with either my rifle or my knife.«
Caroline stepped closer to Davis.
»We’ll figure it out later. First let’s get you back to the base and let you recover.«
The doctor gave Davis an injection and soon he was lapsing into sleep. The last thing he perceived was the smell of Caroline’s perfume. Vanilla!
2 - Triton Base in danger
Written by Thomas Rabenstein
Clueless
The Solar Union developed from no single incident but was the product of a series of complex dynamic events which finally led to the unification of Humankind in purpose and direction. Humanity found it had no chance of survival except by working together, facing a shared future. Without cooperation, the world of self-centered individual nations faced certain self-destruction against a myriad of insurmountable problems.
Jasgar Mognumul, former UN General Secretary (2002 – 2085)
Somewhere in interplanetary space
Old science fiction stories! How many times have I read them? Either aliens attack or invade Earth, destroy our cities and rob our resources or they’re super friendly, teach us the last secrets of the universe, and bring us to the next step of evolution and paradise overnight … What a load of …
Maya Ivanova read the report for the third time and still couldn’t calm herself. Sure, she had dreamed of meeting intelligent alien beings even before she’d joined Space Fleet; she had just never expected to meet them on her watch.
And now – against all expectations – Humankind had actually encountered an alien right here in the solar system on the planetoid Quaoar!
Unbelievable!
According to the report, this alien named itself Globuster.
Globuster, Maya thought. Weird name.
The terrifying encounter, described in Major Davis’ report, couldn’t have been more bizarre and disillusioning.
This was certainly no noble, angelic, humanoid being. No overwhelming wisdom. No respect or compassion at all.
Just the concept of the existence of this type of being itself depressed her.
This Globuster seemed to personify brutality and aggression. A peaceful contact seemed impossible.
Maya Ivanova slumped forward, leaning her arms on the conference table. The Shenzhou commander frowned, her normally attractive features hardened.
»Before they could even think about any inter-species communication, the Globuster killed a member of the expedition. The survivors had defended themselves with everything they had but barely escaped. The creature seemed immune to all weapons.«
Immune isn’t the word for it, the commander thought.
»Projectiles appeared to ricochet off a defensive energy screen. Major Davis was able to penetrate that screen with a knife but failed to harm the creature,« the commander read aloud.
»It’s likely that a simple knife isn’t enough to pierce the creature’s hide, even without the screen,« replied the petite Chinese technician, who studied the report together with Maya.
Wan Mui, a specialist of onboard technologies development, showed, as always, no emotions. The technician from Hong Kong seemed reserved and distanced. Not even the description of the alien’s appearance impressed him.
»Even a skilled fighter couldn’t achieve much against such a lifeform. If the data is correct, then the Globuster is three meters tall, possesses extraordinary strength and is unbelievably fast. We would need a small army to control it. The only apparent handicap appears to be its eyesight restriction.«
Restricted, Maya thought. The Globuster’s sight seems to be limited to the infrared spectrum. Is that a restriction or an advantage?
»Davis reports that the alien seems to have an ability to project its thoughts and that this projection has unpleasant side effects on Humans. What do you think that means? Is the alien capable of forcing its thoughts on us? Is some kind of hypnosis or mental influence possible?«
»We don’t know what natural abilities the alien might possess.«
Maya Ivanova paced restlessly through the room.
»We’re wasting time speculating, Wan! There’s another point that worries me. I suspect we’re dealing with more than just one representative of this species. Although we have only encountered one of them so far.«
Wan Mui smiled enigmatically.
»I don’t believe for a second that we’ve encountered a loner,« she continued. »What could a single Globuster be doing in our solar system lightyears from wherever it calls home? The radio signals between Quaoar and Sedna tell us there may be more bases in our solar system. We just haven’t found them.«
»They must be out there in the Kuiper Belt. It looks to me like they’re hiding from us. We’ll find them, though – unmanned probes were deployed from the Uranus Sector as soon as the first signals were detected. When we knew the Globuster’s frequency, the probes were appropriately programmed. All larger bodies of the Kuiper Belt are now under close surveillance. However, none of this answers the central question that’s bugging me.«
Wan Mui looked at Maya Ivanova inquiringly.
»And what is that, Commander?«
Maya Ivanova smiled mockingly.
»Very simple, Wan. What do these creatures want here? What do they have in mind?«
»I’m as clueless as you are, Commander,« replied Wan, shrugging his shoulders. »But they seem to have been observing us for a while. We just weren’t aware of them. Hiding out in the Kuiper Belt seems ideal to me for somebody to remain unnoticed.«
Maya Ivanova sat down.
»Right – but we’ll take care of these intruders. That I can promise you,« the commander said with grim enthusiasm.
Wan held back a smile. He knew his commander would follow through. She was one of those commanders who always completed the mission – and took care of the troops, too.
Maya’s face turned serious.
»Got a job for you, Wan. I need you to make something for me before the Shenzhou reaches Triton.”
Wan Mui looked up, surprised.
»Make something?«
Maya smiled mysteriously.
»Yes, a surprise for our alien friends. Listen, here’s what I want you to do …«
World News Reports, 2020, excerpts
Scientists and environmental experts report the Earth continues to suffer from global warming. A definite reduction of the polar ice caps has been measured, as well as a decrease in the salinity of the oceans. The sea level worldwide has risen by about thirty centimeters over 10 years.
The once moderate climate zones, known for warm summers and mild winters, are increasingly subject to heavy storm and rain seasons. While Europe suffers from annual catastrophic flooding unlike any previous level, the South American continent slowly begins to become a desert.
Texas, former state of today’s Solar Union Canton USA, is experiencing record drought conditions. Even coastal areas and counties which were usually subtropical are affected. With groundwater levels depleting rapidly, the population needs to be supplied with drinking water, imported from New Mexico, Oklahoma and as far as Utah using above ground pipeline systems. Large desalination plants at the Southern Texan coast near Brownsville and the Alabama coast at the Gulf of Mexico are trying to secure the much-needed drinking water supply for this important region.
Nations such as Bangladesh and Pakistan are suffering from heavy floods caused by the advancing ocean. Millions of h
omes were destroyed and people living in those affected areas must be relocated while food, medications and housing are in critical supply. The UN demands that responsibilities and costs be shared by all Union states. At the same time, the strength and numbers of tropical depressions, hurricanes and typhoons have increased dramatically with the rise in ocean surface water temperatures. Scientists continue to predict dire consequences, as the global climate becomes more and more destabilized.
Nightmare
Triton, present:
I’m the Commander. I’m in charge of over two thousand people: scientists, explorers, prospectors and members of the Fleet. All of them expect me to calmly make plans and decisions to solve the present catastrophe. Me? I’m about ready to quit, thought Donald Day.
He went over the simulation again and again. The IRS neuronal computer had simulated the imminent event in detail and displayed it on the screen. There was no alternative. Unless they could divert Quaoar from its current path, Triton Base was lost!
Day still had difficulty accepting that alien intelligences wielding advanced technology had appeared in the solar system. He refused to let his sentiments show in public, though. He had to at least appear to remain in control. The chain of command had to function flawlessly and his subordinates couldn’t be allowed to doubt his abilities. Otherwise, this outlying sector of the solar system could easily plummet into chaos.
The Globuster wants to destroy our station – why?
As much as Day wracked his brains, he couldn’t make any sense of the alien’s actions. The energy released by the collision of two large celestial bodies would be humongous. The simulation showed the result – only an expanding ring of debris from Triton and Quaoar. Neptune would become a ringed planet, similar to Saturn. Neptune’s remaining moons would be inaccessible to Humanity for the near future. These eight moons would be subjected to merciless bombardment by fragments of both bodies. Any further settlement by colonists, perhaps even any space travel in this sector, would be impossible for a very long time.
Bill Davis, Group Leader of the Triton Hawks, just released from sick bay, arrived in Donald Day’s private quarters.
Major Davis took a seat and thankfully reached for the offered crystal goblet of whiskey.
»Welcome to my nightmare!« Day said. »Ice?«
»Yes, please,« Davis replied. »This nightmare will soon be all too real to all of us. Don, don’t you want to transfer to the Ryan and co-ordinate the actions from there?«
Day shook his head sharply.
»Not an option! I’m staying on Triton, if necessary, to the last hour. I’m still banking on being able to avert the worst.«
Bill Davis sipped at his whiskey and watched the light refractions on the finely etched goblet. His thoughts seemed to have wandered off somewhere, then he looked up again.
»What’s left to try?« he asked gloomily. »How do you deflect a planetoid, or even destroy one? All our technology’s not up to doing that. When I think about the speed of that creature’s escape ship or the size of the propulsion system built right into the planetoid … I can’t imagine how much more advanced these aliens are than us, Don!«
Donald Day glanced at the holo that displayed the time remaining until impact in large bright digits. Each crew member was constantly aware of the seriousness of the threat. There were four days to go.
»Destruction isn’t the answer. And you’re right – we can’t do it anyway,« the station commander thought aloud.
»We need to begin this evacuation while there’s still time and the situation’s relatively stable,« Davis suggested.
»Stable?« Day asked abruptly. »You mean you expect panic?«
»I do,« the group leader confirmed. »I don’t think Triton’s inhabitants recognize the danger yet. I don’t think it will really sink in until Quaoar appears on the radar screens. It’s hard to believe what’s happening out there. I’m not sure I understand it myself, and I’ve been up close and personal with the Globuster!«
Davis took a gulp and handed the commander his empty glass.
»One for the road, Don?«
»Of course.«
Donald Day filled the glass again and blinked at Davis.
»Don’t overdo it, Bill. I’m going to need you. We’re not giving up on Triton without a fight. Can I count on you?«
Davis rubbed his ribs. The wounds from his scars still itched, but he was fully combat ready. The electromagnetic waves had accelerated the tissue healing process, but he still felt ‘patched together’.
»You know it, Don; don’t you? No matter what it takes, we’re going to spoil the Globuster’s plan!«
World News Report, 2028, excerpts
For the first time in recorded history, Greenland shows vast ice-free regions. Glaciers are on the retreat worldwide and tankers can now navigate the Russian Nordic Sea without the assistance of icebreakers. Simultaneously the outbreaks of skin cancer cases in Australia have risen sharply. The hole in the ozone over Antarctica is expanding further than ever before, due to increased industrial emissions from China, India, and Africa. The entire Australian population south of Sydney has even been relocated to North Australia. The Canadian government, as a former member of the British Commonwealth, is ensuring the peaceful establishment of settlements for Australian immigrants in the Alberta and Ontario provinces.
The first oil wells in Middle Eastern regions have been depleted and no longer can be depended upon to help supply their portions of Humanity’s basic energy survival needs. The Western industrialized nations who have continued to remain dependent on oil from the Middle East are most drastically affected. For the first time in decades, there are rumors of war over energy commodities.
Only the most intensive and sustained UN efforts are being effective in averting global conflicts. The United Nations, after lengthy negotiations, is enforcing fair distribution of remaining resources. Research for viable alternative energy technologies is moving into the foreground.
Under the new high priority, groups of leading international scientists are continually focusing on finding solutions for renewable energies. The leading countries of the world finally have come together to recognize and attack the energy crisis as the actual threat that could doom mankind and its world.
Humanity is witnessing a level of international cooperation never seen before – and never needed as desperately.
Arrival
The Shenzhou arrived in the Neptune System after only 182 hours of flight time. Commander Maya Ivanova had pushed her ship to its limits.
Brightly flaring breaking jets signaled the space cruiser’s arrival only 300,000 kilometers from its assigned parking orbit. It was hailed by two Hawks, which escorted the ship to the inner security sector.
Immediately after receiving the alert from Quaoar, the Shenzhou had left the lunar orbital spaceport and set course for Neptune. Ivanova stopped in Neptune orbit just long enough to take aboard the Admiralty’s hastily assembled team of specialists.
This team was called Commando for Special Extraterrestrial Tasks. The team was called CSET, for short. None of the CSET had ever encountered an alien but, on this trip that was about to change. Their anticipation was spurred by the high-security level on the ship. Maya Ivanova had ordered Battle Stations while crossing the solar system. Battle Stations! In the year 2113, no one, except the commander, could imagine what that meant exactly.
Maya Ivanova, born in Siberia and a veteran of the Space Force, was determined to let no one down, especially herself.
The Shenzhou had barely arrived in orbit around Triton when the commander of Triton Base received Maya’s priority call.
Donald Day had spent the last seven days preparing the people on Triton for the worst possible situation. He immediately took Commander Ivanova’s call, with relief.
Maya Ivanova appeared on the com screen.
»Privet Maya! Kak ty pazheivajesh?« Donald Day greeted the commander in her mother tongue.
The Russian stoo
d, rigidly braced at ‘Attention’, in her tight, black uniform, meeting his gaze with fiery eyes. Don had known Maya for many years. She was an extraordinary woman and one hell of a commander. Ivanova had never had problems maintaining, and defending, her position, in a male-dominated military world. She never demanded more from her crew than she demanded from herself. She wasn’t afraid to accept unpleasant missions.
»Spassiba, harasho, Don – under the circumstances. My compliments on your Russian. How are you doing?«
Day gave no direct answer, just looked at her silently and slightly shook his head. Maya understood.
»I can’t blame you. Then it’s true? This creature …«
»The Globuster,« Day corrected.
»… this Globuster has actually managed to change this planetoid’s orbit and set it on a collision course with Triton? If anybody else told me that, I’d call it a bad joke.«
»Maya, I wish it were. The IRS neuronal computer confirms the trajectory. Quaoar will collide with Triton in four days. Both will be completely destroyed and Neptune will get his wedding ring! The Globuster has calculated the amount of force required and the angle of orbital insertion perfectly well – one-hundred percent probability of collision!«
Day watched as Maya was handed a data sheet with new information.
»Shenzhou's long-range radar just confirmed it. Four days and eight hours until impact, to be precise. What’s with this Globuster? Did it escape?«
Day stifled a laugh.
»I’d call its action a tactical withdrawal. I’d guess the Globuster was just surprised by our Hawks. It sure didn’t bug out because it feared our technology. Our scout ships couldn’t maintain pursuit speed even for a minute – had to call off the hunt.«
NEBULAR Collection 1 - The Triton Base: Episodes 1 - 5 Page 9