Salvage-5 (First Contact)
Page 15
“Yes, sir…I’m on it.”
“Then, I want you to report to Rhodes for a complete physical work up. The more we can find out about these chips in our heads, the better I’ll be able to sleep nights again.”
“Aye, Commander, er Tucker. My eyes are still brown…and now that the main alien computer interface is destroyed, that’s not likely to change,” she smiled.
* * *
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
General McKenzie’s Home
Earth Date: Sept. 5th 2064 0030hrs
General McKenzie’s data pad woke him by flashing a bright light into his dark bedroom. The buzz of the device on his bedside nearly caused him to knock it to the ground as he reached for the thing.
“Ye…yes…” he grumbled, “This is McKenzie, this better be good.”
“Major Griffin, sir.”
“Yes, go on…man, spill it!”
“You said for me to notify you if there was any news.”
“Did you hear from our boys?” the general asked, sitting up in bed.
“No sir. But we have a visual on the Asteroid 15 Eunomia…it’s in three sections…fractured right down the middle and off to one end.”
“But nothing from the crew…”
“No sir.”
“Humph…that’s really too bad then…proceed with the termination of the child.”
“But, sir, they have another 18 hours.”
“Don’t but sir, me!”
“Let me remind you of your promise…”
“…damn it anyway…go ahead and wait…but let it never be said that I’m not a compassionate man…but I’m not a patient one…no later than 1800 hours, you hear me? If you don’t I will go down there and unplug him my damn self!”
“Yes, sir. Thank you sir,” Then Griffin terminated the data link.
“Damn fool,” McKenzie muttered before rolling over and going back to sleep.
* * *
Salvage-5
Mission: RETURN TECH TO EARTH
Location: Kirkwood Gap
Earth Date: Sept. 5th, 2064 1200hrs
Tucker’s headset squawked, “Rhodes here, Commander. I need you in the galley below.”
“What about Savage’s check out? What’d ya find?”
“So far, it’s the same chip implanted that Gus has. I just need to compare yours with theirs.”
“I’m on my way, Doc.” Tucker unbuckled his harness and floated out of his seat and began to make his way below. “Sam, keep us on course…and if you can bump up our speed, you know…red line it if you have to.”
“Tuck, I am going as fast as we can. It’s not as easy as flying from point ‘A’ to ‘B’, our target is moving away from us. The computer has to calculate our movement in comparison to the asteroids. Then it has to plot our projected course. If it was six months ago, it would be traveling toward us and we could be there in two days, easy.”
“Geez, I wasn’t asking for a lesson in celestial physics…I’m not a rocket scientist…oh yeah, I am a rocket scientist.”
“Very funny, Commander, you old coot.”
“I’m not that fusty, yet.”
“You are…so is that word…fusty? How about just plain antiquated…geez, where’d you find these people?” Cass smiled, pointing with her thumb.
Turing to Calvin before sealing the hatch behind him, “See if you can boost our gain on getting our signal through this static.”
“On it, Tuck.”
Tucker closed and sealed the cabin and floated over to the doctor where Samuels stood guard, sidearm strapped to his thigh.
“Sergeant, yer a rootin’ tootin’… shoot em up, bang, bang, kinda guy ain’t ya…” Tuck said, firing his fingers at him, “…what is this? You expecting a gun fight? We’re all friendlies here, remember?”
“Security detail, Commander.”
“Okay, doc. Here I are. Examine away.”
Rhodes inspected Tuckers chip implant for several silent minutes.
“Well?”
“Well, what?” Rhodes answered, irritated.
“Am I gonna make it?”
“Tuck, this is serious.”
“Sure it is…serious as a crutch,” Tucker said with his best Groucho Marks impersonation and taking out one of his prized cigars.
“We have no clue as to what adverse effects this chip will have on a person.”
“I feel great, best I’ve felt in years,” Tuck nodded.
“Too bad you can’t give any credit to the ol’ chip here…it was never activated.”
“Oh, right…in that case, chalk it up to more placebo research,” Turning to Samuels, “I do feel great by the way.”
“Your chip is the same as the others, with that one exception.”
“What about his little black box we kyped from our alien friends?”
“And now it’s time for something completely different.”
“How so?”
“It’s way beyond my understanding. Maybe Calvin should have a go at it.”
“Cal, get yer butt on down here.”
Samuels drew his weapons and cocked the trigger, “The little black box stays with me, Tuck.”
“Oh, now hold on a minute, there, partner.”
“Sorry, Commander,” Samuels said, pointing his weapon at Tucker’s chest, “I’m under direct orders to secure this alien tech.”
“Well, son, you can secure this box here, after Calvin and Cassandra look it over.”
“Tuck, don’t make this any harder…”
“No, you wait just a moment, now…Sergeant Samuels, and let me remind you of the rank difference…Look, Savage has one of these chips in her head…Gus has one of these chips in his head, and I have one of these chips in my head…be that it is deactivated…still, it’s in my head…we have a right to find out what the hell this is…and as long as I’m the commander, because the ladies say so, you will follow my direct orders…got it? Good!”
“Tuck…”
“You get to secure this precious cargo way before we reach the CSMO target…deal?”
“No, it goes in the box now.”
“You see?” Tucker said, turning to Savage, “This is what I’m talking about…insubordination all the way…you know? I tried to be nice about it…we get to play with the box first then the Sergeant can have it…but no, he wants to take the ball and go home before we’ve had a chance to have a looksee. Lieutenant, can you help me make the Sergeant understand?”
Savage darted her eyes between Tucker and Samuels, “Can you define, make?”
“Convince him that we’re going to play with the ball first,” Tucker said, never taking his eyes off of Samuels.
Savage closed her eyes and concentrated. It only took seven seconds before she stretched her hand toward the Sergeant.
The two continued to stare each other down, while Savage shot a slow wave of energy from her hand, forcing Samuels to disarm and holster his weapon. Then she rested her hand and opened her eyes, fixing a glare at the Sergeant.
“How’d she do that?” Samuels exclaimed, “I thought with that alien mainframe destroyed she wouldn’t be able to perform these acts?”
“Well,” Savage said, amazed at her own ability, but not showing it, “apparently I can…and next time you pull your weapon on the Colonel, or any of us for that matter, I won’t play so nice...”
Samuels reluctantly agreed, knowing that he was outmatched by this strange alien tech inside of Savage; he quivered with fear knowing what she could be capable of doing.
“Thank you Lieutenant,” Tuck smiled.
“You’re most welcome, Commander.”
“Now…isn’t this much more pleasant doing this our way?”
“Fine…just get on with it…the sooner you turn it over, the sooner I can lock it way…and you agreed it will be locked away before we reach the CSMO.”
“You have my word…Cal, Cass, where are you?”
Cass reac
hed out and tapped Tucker on the shoulder from behind, making him jump, “Geez, how about warning a guy next time, will ya?”
“No problem, Commander,” Cass said, giving Samuels a look of dismay, “You can come with us if it will make you feel any better…just so you can have it in your sight the entire time.”
* * *
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
Military Hospital
Earth Date: Sept. 5th 2064 1759hrs.
Major Griffith stood over Beverly, who sobbed as she grieved for her son’s life when his data pad went off, “General?”
“Call it, Major. There’s no time left.”
“General, if their last transmission had just been sent, it’d take 23 minutes to be received…give us that.”
“Major, your grasping…no more time. I told you not past 1800, it’s now comin’ on 1801…the bill is now on the mother and her family, Ben’s no longer the government’s responsibility.”
“Sir.”
“Don’t make me come over there and pull the damn plug myself.”
“Okay, very well sir…I understand,” Griffin said, lowering his head before terminating the wireless call.
He looked down at Beverly, “I’m sorry, Bev. I… ahem,” Griffin choked, “I…I have to order him to be taken off of life support now.”
Beverly, drained of willpower and numb, stood to walk out of the room. She kissed her son’s cheek, then turned and began to leave, tears pouring down her cheeks as she couldn’t bear to watch.
Griffin looked at the head nurse and nodded for her to proceed.
The nurse, giving a sigh, turned to her panel and began the shutdown procedure to terminate Bennie’s life.
The major’s data pad vibrated displaying the General’s picture, then he accepted the call, “Sir, I just gave the order…”
“Stop! We just received a transmission! They made it…that son of a bitch made it!”
Griffin covered the ear piece and shouted with a lift in his voice, “Stop the termination! You’re certain of this?”
“Do you really think I would call to prank you over a matter like this?”
“No sir, most likely not…thank you sir.”
“Make sure the patient is prepped for surgery in 16 days.”
“We’re going to do an implant…right?”
“Yes, they have the tech. Bennie can be healed and we get to advance our governments capability,” McKenzie smiled, rubbing his hands slowly together.
Beverly ran up to Griffin and squeezed him hard, “Thank you…thank you for supporting me as long as you did.”
“Bev, if it was anyone else…”
“I know, I know…that doesn’t change the fact that I am truly grateful.”
* * *
Salvage-5
Mission: RETURN TO EARTH WITH TECH
Location:
12 hours from CSMO 253 Mathilde
Earth Date: Sept. 8th, 2064 0430hrs
“So, Cal. Have you got anywhere on this box?” Tuck asked, peeking his head in his own cabin.
Cal, Cass, and Gus were busy looking over the box. Samuels was still floating guard.
“I’ve figured out quite a little bit about this box, Tuck,” Cal said, not looking away from his work.
“And how is it Gus and Cal both get my bunk and I get to bunk in the cargo bay?”
Cass glanced up at Tuck and smiled, “Because us women don’t bunk together…remember?”
“Yes…Cass…I remember…but…”
“Landing on that deck really put my back out again, Tuck,” Cal snickered, rubbing his back.
“And I never asked you to come back for me…so I get your bunk,” Gus added.
“I should have known better.”
“About what?” Gus asked with raised eyebrows.
“About rescuing your sorry ass, that’s what.”
“You’re a real comedian,” Gus mused.
“Yeah, Tuck,” Cass agreed, “Don’t give up your day job.”
“Can we get back to this box?”
“Yes, let’s get back to this box so I can lock it up. We’re less than 12 hours from the mag-ring,” Samuels sighed.
“Tuck, what this box appears to be is some type of amplifier.”
Cass spoke up, “It sends out a pulse signal through a cable that’s attached to the back of the chip interface...”
“…gamma waves,” Cal finished. “It floods the chip full of gamma wave pulses.”
“Gamma waves.”
“Yes, Rhodes has confirmed that gamma waves are critical for brain wave enhancement.”
“Does it still work?”
“To a limited degree, the chip runs out of juice, so to speak, in a few hours,” Cal said.
“Then you’ll need to be plugged in and amped in order for the chip to work again,” Gus added.
“Something like a rechargeable battery. It runs down and you need to plug it in again,” Cass said.
“Do you think this chip can be removed and implanted in my son?”
“Yes,” Rhodes said, hanging outside of Tucker’s cabin, “Even though it appears that your chip implant has grown into your cerebral cortex, and needs to be, amped, if you will; I can remove it surgically.”
“Will it regrow into Ben?”
“I think the small bio-organic material that’s imbedded inside this chip will reactivate and grow into its new host just fine.”
“If this chip was never activated, how did it grow inside me?”
“That’s easy, Commander,” Savage said, “From what I understand, the basic programming in the chip must be present. That’s what starts the growth process. Then they send the gamma wave signal through the connecting cable which then rewrites the programming and begins to grow the traces and wires within the body…fortunately, I never made it to that stage in the process.”
“Yes,” Tucker nodded, “Fortunately for all of us.”
“Commander,” Sam announced, “We just received a communication from HQ.”
“Can you play it over the wireless?”
“One moment, sir,” Sam said, pressing buttons on her command console.
“Salvage-5 crew…this is General McKenzie congratulating you on a job well done…we understand you are on your way to CSMO 253 Mathilde’s mag-ring to jump back to Earth…however, they have sent us a distress signal…they’re oxygen extractor has failed, and the parts they have in stock don’t fit the new updated model that was installed before they left several months ago…we know you have the necessary parts in your cargo bay…you will be required to make a quick stop at 253 Mathilde and make repairs…they only have enough air to circulate for another 36 hours…it is critical that you drop off the parts and assist with the repair…they know you are on the way now…respond to this message as your acknowledgement…General McKenzie out.”
“Sam, please send the General our acknowledgement…and tell them Hargrove and Samuels will be staying with them to carry out the repairs, they can rotate out on the next transport tug.”
“Sir?” Hargrove said.
“You have a problem with following orders, son?”
“No sir…I was just commenting on how privileged I am to serve.”
“Uh huh, right…Samuels, you have any comments?”
“I know the General won’t be too happy with your choice, but I understand why.”
“Because you’re the only qualified tech, along with Hargrove to affect this repair, and that is the ONLY reason.”
* * *
Chapter 15
Salvage-5
Mission: RETURN TECH TO EARTH
Location: Kuiper belt - CSMO 253 Mathilde
Earth Date: Sept. 8th, 2064 1530hrs
“Commander,” Sam reported, “I have the CSMO Foreman on the wireless. Our status is 5,000 kilometers from Ops at 10,000 KPH, we’re 30 minutes out.”
“What’s his name, Captain?”
“Kurtis…Kurtis Daniels.�
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“Put him through.”
“Ready sir,” Sam acknowledged.
“Kurt, my man…how the hell are ya?” Tuck asked.”
“Ahem, er, I’m fine…and you are?”
“Colonel Tucker Petersen…I’m the one dispatched to save your sorry asses down there…can’t bring the right part with them all the way out here,” he muttered to himself, “Can you believe the nerve of some of these people?” Then turned his attention back to the stunned foreman over the wireless, “So, tell me, what happened down there?”
“I’ll leave that to my first hand to explain when you arrive. I’m much too busy right now to meet with you, Commander.”
“Kurt, or Kurtis, or whatever it is you prefer to be called…”
“Boss…”
“No, you’re not getting that title outta me, so anyway, where was I, oh yes…you had better be on deck when our ship docks to explain this to me in person.”
“Sorry, Colonel,” Kurt answered, “this is a civilian ship…maybe I need to spell that out,…we don’t take orders from the Military…no sir…not now, not ever.”
“Okay, very well then…nice talking with ya…you take care now. We’ll be on our way to the mag-ring. Hope you don’t run out of air before another ship can bring you some parts…”
“No, you don’t understand…you see I’m the gate keeper for the mag-ring. I turn it on and off at my command, so Colonel Tucker Petersen, I hope you have enough fuel to make it the six weeks it’ll take you to get to Earth, without my help.”
“Check and mate,” Cass whispered, “He knows we can’t make it without the jump ring, we know he can’t make it without our parts…so Tucker…”
“It’s not checkmate…more like a stalemate,” Tucker winked.
“Okay, Kurtis, have it your way…for now…prepare your docking bay for our arrival…Salvage-5 out…Sam, cut this bozo off.”
“Yes, sir, but I’m sure he heard that.”
“Good, I hope he did…geez, where do they find these people anyway?”
“Tuck, it’s time to hand it over,” Samuels said, giving him a stern look.
“Will you take a chill pill already?”