“Now move it you nuggets!” the Sergeant bellowed with glee, “Thank you Tuck. I’m going to enjoy this.”
“Geez, where did this come from?” Hargrove complained.
Cass leaned over to the Lieutenant and whispered, “You’ve only seen the retired side, now he’s getting into military mode.”
“Ah, I see,” he whispered back, unbuckling his harness.
“You think he was crazy before? You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Cass winked.
* * *
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
Salvage-5
Day 11
Earth Date: Aug.21, 2064 0200hrs
The Salvage-5 crew had all returned to their assigned seats in the pilot control deck. The ships preflight check-out completed with no errors; they were ready to takeoff and begin their fifteen day journey to the Asteroid 15 Eunomia.
“Alright people, look alive,” Tuck announced, “Pilot, are you’re systems ready?”
“Yes, sir, All systems green. Ion turbine engines and thrusters online. Avionics green.”
“Navigation check,” Tuck asked.
“Navigational gyros engaged, prepared for orbital sequence. Course set and verified,” Cass reported.
“Pilot, you are green for takeoff, begin your ascent to five-thousand feet and hold…tower, this is Salvage-5, we are underway…lights out…and departing area.”
“This is tower control,” the radio squawked in their headsets, “You are cleared. Proceed to mission ready status.”
“Why are these missions always at this hour anyway,” Tuck asked, “Never mind, tower. See you in six weeks. Salvage-5 out.”
“Good luck Salvage-5.”
The ship gracefully lifted off the ground. Sam retracted the lower landing skids and raised the ship to the target altitude.
“Five-thousand feet and holding, Commander.”
“Okay, engage first target coordinates, take us into orbit, Captain.”
“Oh yeah…to orbit baby,” Sam said with a smile on her face. She punched the forward thrusters, sending everyone into their seats with five G’s of force.
“Yeah, good… she yelled. I’ve been waiting for this moment, Tuck, er, Commander.”
“Yeah, fine Sam,” Tucker said with wide eyes, “Just take it a little easier next time, shall we?”
“No problem commander.”
The ship quickly raced into a high orbit above Earth in less than ten minutes, “Standard obit, commander,” Sam reported.
“Radio base control and let them know we are proceeding to secondary coordinates.”
“Confirmed, sir. Clear to proceed to secondary target.”
“Navigation, engage secondary target.”
“Target locked, Mag-ring is in run up.”
“Pilot, engage secondary,” Tuck looked over at Sam, “What exactly is a Mag-ring?”
“Oh, that? See, you don’t know everything.”
“Sounds intriguing, though. I’d kind of like to know before we arrive…which is how long from now?”
“Ten minutes to the jump-ring.”
“The wha?”
“The Mag-ring creates a huge magnetic field within the ring, which is what we are going to be flying through.”
“That’s a big magnet.”
“What it does when we pass through, causes us to jump to our maximum flight speed sending us to our target in fifteen days, as opposed to six weeks.”
“I see. What if you miss?”
“I won’t miss. I’ve made the simulator every time I tried.”
“Simulator?”
“Relax Tuck,” Cass said from behind, “It’ll be fun, wait and see.”
“Yeah, I can hardly wait.”
“We’re coming up on the Mag-ring now, Commander.”
“Look at the size of that thing,” Tuck said.
“There are three of these little babies floating in obit.”
“Wow, you guys really do keep secrets…’cause I had no idea we had these things.”
“Two minutes to jump speeds, hold on everyone.” Sam counted.
“These are fairly new,” Cass said, “They’ve only been operational for the last few weeks.”
“How do you expect us to get back in only 15 days? I’m sure there ain’t one of these things on the other side now is there?”
“No, Commander,” Hargrove added, “Not where we’re going, but they are building them at the other mining colonies. We can reach the next one in five days, and then bounce back. Our return trip is only twelve for return.”
“Mag-ring fully charged and ready, Commander,” Cass reported.
“Here we go!” Sam announced.
The Salvage-5 ship approached the massive Mag-ring and began to elongate as the nose entered the field.
“In 3…2…1…prepare for spatial distortion…Mark!” Sam exclaimed as she flew through the ring. The ship was bolted out at its one tenth light speed in an instant.
“We are at flight speed, Commander,” Sam said, looking over at a white faced Tucker.
“Okay, that was weird,” Settling back in his seat he lit a fine cigar.
“You can’t have that in here, sir!”
“Watch me…the scrubbers will just have to work a little harder.”
“Commander!”
“Relax, we have fifteen days of more hard work ahead of us…Sergeant?”
“That’s right, you softies…now were going to run those same drills in zero gravity…and we’re going to keep doing them until we get them right…do I make myself clear?!”
Tucker, looked back at Samuel’s huge grin, sucked his cigar and puffed a cloud above his head, “…and from one of my favorite 1980’s TV shows, I love it when a plan comes together.”
* * *
Chapter 6
Salvage-5
Location:
Kirkwood Gap – Asteroid 15 Eunomia
Earth Date: Sept. 4th, 2064 1350hrs
Missions Objectives:
CSMO RECOVERY
INVESTIGATE ALIEN CRASH SITE
AQUIRE ALIEN TECH
FIND & RECOVER SURVIVORS
DESTROY ALIEN VESSEL
“Commander, we are ten minutes out,” Captain Rothschild reported.
“All hands! Ready stations for ten minute reverse burn.”
“All gear stowed sir,” Hargrove reported.
“Nav coordinates confirmed,” Cass reported, “We will be 5,000 Kilometers from target CSMO.”
“Pilot, engage full reverse for ten…slow to 5,000 kph at 5,000 Kilometers. Cass, Cal, get your systems online. I have no idea how much time we have before we’re grabbed…and this will be helmets on, so prep now...engage.”
Samantha pressed her console commands, first by shutting down all drives. Then she reversed all thrusters and reengaging full power, setting the computer to slow to the ordered speed for approach.
“Lieutenant Savage,” Tucker asked.
“Sir.”
“Is your recon SAT ready for launch?”
“Yes, sir,” Savage responded confidently, “Ready to deploy at 5,000 kph. Wireless connection and recording from all head cams will commence.”
“Excellent, Lieutenant.”
“Thank you sir.”
“I don’t have to remind any of you, this may very well be a hostile environment. From this moment on, there will be no more kidding around. There is a time and a place…and you’ll be the first to know…”
Tucker, reached in his pocket and lit one of his famous cigars, but this time after a long taste, he blew the smoke into a fan receptacle. He took one more long drag before snuffing it out and returning it to his flight suit pocket. Then he blew the smoke out once more, smiled and thanked Hargrove for installing the scrubber by his seat.
“You don’t have to thank me Commander, heh, I was more than happy to.”
“We all were, Commander,” Cass added.
“Hey…Come on now…no in
subordination,” Tucker smiled, looking behind at Cass.
“Okay, folks!” the Sergeant ordered, “Helmets on and live.”
The crew fastened their helmets to their flight suit locking ring, each making a click and then one by one, reported in.
“Thirty seconds…” Sam counted.
“Cass, Calvin, are you both ready?”
“Ready as we’ll ever be, Tuck,” Calvin said.
“Coming from my computer expert, great.”
“Reverse burn termination in 3…2…1…MARK.”
“Position report.”
“5,000 kilometers from target CSMO.”
“Holding 5,000 kph.” Sam reported.
“Maintain course and speed until we are at 1000 meters.”
“Sat launched,” Savage reported, “Wireless link established…feeds are recording, Commander.”
“Twelve minutes to target CSMO.”
“Captain, at the ten minute mark, reduce speed to 900 kph. at 150 kilometers, that’ll buy us ten more minutes.”
“Ten more minutes we might need, Tuck,” Cass said, “We are having trouble interpolating the tone sequence.”
“Aside from that little issue,” Cal added, “I’ve been able to capture the signal.”
“So, the transmissions to Earth?”
“Have terminated, Tuck.”
“Great.”
“Well, maybe, maybe not.”
“Define maybe.”
“We’ve directed the main signal to the Salvage-5, but now we have to answer with the passcode, which is what we are trying to decipher correctly.”
“I could have sworn that the both of you had this all worked out back on Earth?”
“It’s a tad more complex than simple tones, Tuck,” Cass explained, “The required frequency needs are constantly changing as we approach. We knew this would be the case, but our algorithms need a little fine tuning.”
“How much time do you need?”
“You have ten more minutes,” Sam reported, “Reducing speed to 900 kph.”
“I don’t know Tuck,” Cass said with a worried look.
“That’s it, full stop. Let’s get this worked out before we get any closer.”
“Uh, Tuck,” Sam said with panic.
Tucker looked over at the Captain, “Tell me it ain’t so.”
“Sorry, Commander. We’ve been captured, and we are being brought in. We can’t slow down. In fact, we’re increasing speed…”
“Didn’t I say not to tell me that?”
“Crap!” Cass shouted, “The changing speed is altering the programming. Try and hold her steady.”
“I can’t…Tuck, grab the controls…mine are unresponsive. We need to break away…now at 1200 kph.”
Tucker tried to assist the pilot, but his controls were unresponsive as well, sending the crew of Salvage-5 flying closer to the asteroid.
“1400 kph. Just a little over four minutes until contact.”
“What’s our maximum speed for break away?” Tuck shouted.
“1750 kph is maximum.”
“1500 kph and holding…8000 meters, just over 3 minutes before contact.”
“Do you see the CSMO?”
“Coming up on it in two minutes, 4500 meters to target.”
“Cass, that CSMO. It’s riding at 1000 meters, right?”
“Yes.”
“Hargrove, target all mooring harpoons at the CSMO and fire on my Mark.”
“You got it commander, target acquired and standing by!”
“I think that CSMO is being held by their tech down there.”
“Brilliant, Tuck!” Sam smiled, “One minute to target, we pass the CSMO in 20.”
“Get this right the first time, huh Hargrove. On my mark now…”
“It’s going to be quite a jolt, that’s for sure!” Cass shouted.”
“In 3…2…1…” Sam shouted with adrenaline.
“Hold on everyone!” Tuck shouted. “MARK!”
Lieutenant Hargrove fired all three of Salvage-5’s harpoon mooring anchors at the CSMO. Three separate thrusters sent each harpoon hurling toward the CSMO from the rear of the ship.
“Twenty seconds to target…Colonel!” Sam urged.
The harpoons continued on their course to the CSMO.
“Ten seconds, 600 meters!” Cass shouted in panic.
The harpoons hit the side of the CSMO and imbedded into the hull, spreading their sleek body into grappling hooks, firmly locking to the hull. The cable ran to their stops, yanking the ship to an abrupt halt. The crew began to pass out with the forces, in spite of their vacuum suits and zero gravity.
The Salvage-5, held stationary by their mooring cables, sat at nearly 2,000 feet above the surface of the asteroid.
* * *
Salvage-5
Location:
Kirkwood Gap – Asteroid 15 Eunomia
Earth Date: Sept. 4th, 2064 1423hrs
Tucker’s ears were still ringing when he came to. He looked around, still dazed and not fully alert. He groaned with pain from his torso being bruised by the forces he had experienced.
He shook his head, reached up and removed his helmet and floated it next to him, “Geez…remind me never to do that again…is everyone alright? How long were we out?”
Cass slowly regained consciousness and removed her helmet, “Tuck…that has to be one of the top five most intense moments I’ve ever experienced while under your command. My clock says three minutes.”
“Top five, huh?” Tuck smirked, “I was kind of thinking that was at least in the top two.”
The rest of the crew regained consciousness, but were still dazed.
Sam read her instruments and gave her report, “Commander, you did it. We’re stationary. 600 meters from the surface, 400 meters from the CSMO. Good thing our cables held.”
“Good, 1300 feet from the CSMO, not bad. I think that force normally would have ripped this ship in half, Tuck,” Cass said, checking her instruments. “But I think that this beam, force, or whatever has captured us, prevented us from tearing apart.”
“Come again?”
“However, it’s still holding us and pulling at our ship…”
“The cables are beginning to stress, Commander. They can’t hold much longer at these forces,” Hargrove reported.
“Now that we’re stationary, my algorithm is working...just as few more seconds…”
“Cass,” Cal asked, “You almost have it? I think we’re running out of time.”
“Why do you say that?”
“There is an iris opening right below. I’m detecting a weapons ordnance down there, and it’s taking aim.”
“Transmitting tones now!”
“Weapon arming…”
“There!” Cass shouted, “Look!”
“Yes!! The weapon is powering down and is retracting,” Cal smiled. “I never doubted you Cass.”
“Yeah…right. Glad you think so,” she answered, shaking her head, “If it wasn’t for Tucker’s quick thinking, we’d be all be dead. Stopping us is what we needed, or I might have never been able to get it right.”
“The field has released us, Commander,” Sam reported, “I have regained ship control. All systems reporting normal.”
“That’s odd.”
“What’s that Cass?” Tucker asked.
“The iris has opened large enough for our ship to enter. There seems to be a landing pad down there,” Cass said.
“Um, Tuck,” Calvin began, “They are transmitting a message…it’s in English.”
“Put it up.”
“It sounds a bit robotic in nature, but it’s in our language.”
Calvin began the playback through their headsets, “You’re transponder has been approved…Proceed to land…You’re transponder has been approved…Proceed to land…”
Calvin, cut the playback, “That’s it…just repeats over and over.”
“I’m also picking up our missing Salvage mission ships transponders. In
cluding Salvage-4’s emergency beacon.”
“Doctor, are you reading any life signs down there?”
“Colonel, I can’t be sure. But there does seem to be signs of human life. I’m picking up various heart rhythms, heat signatures, and with this this little gem of an instrument, I’m reading alpha and gamma waves consistent with human brains.”
“How many?” Tuck said, sounding surprised.
“Can’t tell for sure until we get inside, but I’d say roughly about three or four dozen.”
“That’s consistent with the head count on all those salvage ships and crew on the CSMO.”
“Send a message to HQ that we have discovered life signs. After we investigate the CSMO, we will proceed with our next objective.”
“Message recorded and sent,” Savage reported, “They’ll receive in twenty-five minutes.”
“Lieutenant, make sure we begin following regular contact protocols. Send an update every hour for as long as we can.”
“Aye, Commander.”
“Sam, reverse course and dock with the CSMO. We’ll enter the same way the Salvage-4 crew did. Hargrove, Take up the cable slack. When we dock, you’re task will be getting those harpoons out.”
“Roger that, Commander.”
“Sergeant?”
“Commander?”
“How’s about you and I taking a little stroll with some power packs. See what we can find out what happened to the CSMO crew.”
“Thought you’d never ask, Commander,” the Sarge grinned.
The two unbuckled their harnesses and floated their way though he aft airlock to the open cargo bay.
Tucker poked his head through once more before clicking his helmet back in place, “What’s your ETA to skids down?”
“I’m in position now, Commander. Setting down in ten seconds,” Captain Rothschild reported, “Be careful over there, Tuck, Sarge.”
“Don’t worry about us, just keep us in position.”
Salvage-5 (First Contact) Page 6