“Oh, good,” Cassie sarcastically said under her breath.
“What?”
“Oh nothing, Commander.”
“Okay then. Sam, get us on course to the asteroid. I want to do a close pass of the impact site.”
“Aye, Sir! I’ll have us under way in 10 minutes.”
“Buster, log back into the jump ring’s systems and get it oriented to 52 Europa. Set us up for a two hour ETA.”
“I’m on it, Commander.”
“...and don’t forget, our mass is less with the missing MECH, explosives, and payload on board.”
“Don’t worry, commander. I got this,” Buster smiled.
“Okay, wiz-kid. I’m countin’ on ya here...Cassie, set up to do a survey of the impact site. Collect as much data as we can on our pass over; we’re not stopping.”
“Understood, Tuck. I’ll have a location spotted for the CSMO to set down so it can resume mining on the ‘roid.”
“Good deal! Sarge, I want you to take inventory of our armament. When we find the CSMO, if we find Hargrove isn’t in command of the thing, we’ll take it over from, I presume, Kurtis. Fly it back to Mathilde and resume mining. Our mission will be completed and we can head home.”
“With Kurtis?”
“Oh yeah with Kurtis...in lock down.”
“Slavena, I want you to help the Sarge here with anything he needs.”
“Commander?”
“Yes, Lieutenant? Is something wrong with my request?”
“You zaid, help vith anything...”
“...anything regarding our current mission...Geez,” Tucker shrugged, “Where do they find these people, anyway...”
“Zorry, Commander...English zecond language.”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind...Sam! How you coming up there?”
“I’m ready to get us underway.”
“Okay! Give us maximum speed to the MECH impact site. I’m coming up in a few minutes to see for myself.”
“Roger that, Commander,” Sam replied, “Engaging turbines and thrusters to 52,000 KPH. ETA to impact site in 29 minutes.”
The roar of the turbines increased in tone as Sam pushed the thruster controls to maximum. Tucker looked out the side port window, noticing that the jump ring was already moving into position.
“Good job, Buster...give me an ETA on when the ring can be charged for entry.”
Tucker reached in one of the closed compartments in the galley and grabbed a pouch of yellow colored contents and tore the end open with his teeth.
“Commander, the ring will be at full charge in fifteen minutes.”
“Wow, that’s terrible!”
“Sorry, Commander, but those are the physics...”
“Sorry, kid. I was referring to this wonderful breakfast drink.”
Tucker heard a chuckle from the pilot house, “Very funny, Cass!”
“Hey, I warned you about those liquid egg pouch thingies.”
“Yeah, well. Those are the only ones left in there for breakfast, so...enjoy...what is this anyway?” he rhetorically asked, holding the pouch in front of his eyes and squinted.
He moved it at arm’s length and struggled to read it, “Geez, why do that make the print so damn small on these things?”
“Because they don’t want you to know what it is?” Cass snickered.
“Nice...yeah, well it’s made of artificial powered eggs that are reconstituted into ersatz egg whites. Says here that it also has sausage flavor, but I’ll be damned if I can taste sausage.”
“Well, what does it taste like?”
“You really don’t want me to tell you.”
“Come on, Tuck.”
“No, really... you should try it for yourself...I can’t find any words that fit.”
“No thank you, I’m trying to cut back.”
Tucker chuckled and shook his head as he finished his egg and sausage flavored protein drink. After sucking the rest of the nasty contents, he nearly choked on the last of it. Then he returned to his cabin and brushed his teeth with one of his dry brushes. He took his time so the mint flavored brush could replace whatever that flavor was inside the container.
Then he closed his cabin and pushed off to the pilot hatch. After floating to this seat, he buckled his harness and smiled at Sam, “No, really...you want one? I’ll go get ya one,” turning to Cass, “It’s no problem.”
“No thanks, Commander,” Sam said, shaking her head, “I already ate this morning.”
“Cass? Come on now; don’t let me be the only brave one here.”
“No thank you, I ate with Samantha.”
“Okay...you don’t know what you’re missing though.”
“Oh yes I do,” Cass returned a smile.
“Now...what’s our EAT er, ETA?”
Sam chuckled, “You’re in a good mood...and we’re 1,750 kilometers, ETA 2 minutes.”
“At 650 kilometers slow us to 25,000 KPH for a 30 second approach, then decrease speed to 300 KPH as we pass over the site.”
“Aye, Tuck.”
“Cass, can you tell me how large the impact site is?”
“Diameter is 800 meters wide. It’s 15 meters deep.”
“That’s a half a mile!”
“...and 50 feet deep!” Buster added.
“Slowing to 300 KPH...ETA to impact site is 30 seconds.”
Sam lowered the nose of the ship so they could see the site as they got closer.
“We’ll be flying over top at 150 meters,” Sam reported.
“Wow, will you look at that!” Tucker exclaimed.
“That’s quite a crater we just made, Tuck,” Sam said as she flew over the impact site.
“There’s nothin’ left!” Cassie said, peering out her right port window. “Every piece of equipment that was left on the surface, 10 kilometers from the blast zone is destroyed!”
“Keep taking pictures, and gathering readings,” Tucker ordered.
“We’ve got 10 seconds left on our flyby, Commander.”
“Buster, how’s our jump ring status, wiz-kid?”
“The jump ring’s in position and is at full power. The focal point has been programmed to provide us with the two hour flight time, Commander.”
“Excellent! Sam...take us back to the jump ring, and increase speed to 45,000.”
“You got it, Commander. Changing course to jump ring, increasing speed to 45,000 KPH...ETA: 29 minutes.”
“Cass, set NAV to 52 Europa, and align with jump ring.”
“Course is plotted, Commander. I’m loading it to the NAV computer now.”
“Samuels, you two need to wrap up and find your seats in the next fifteen.”
“We’re all done back here, Commander.”
“Well, come on forward then...”
Samuels tapped on Tucker’s shoulder, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin, “Geez, Sarge! Why not warn a guy next time.”
Samuels chuckled, “Sorry, Commander. I couldn’t resist.”
“Just get strapped in behind. Slavena, you take center rear seat next to Samuels... Hargrove will take the left rear when we get him on board.”
“If we find him, you mean,” Samuels added, strapping his harness.
“Vat do you mean, if you find him? Are you zaying you’re not zure if he vent to thiz azteroid?”
“Relax Slavena. We’re pretty sure they went to 52 Europa,” Tucker said with the utmost confidence, and then he turned to Buster, “Right Lieutenant? Pretty curtain?”
“Yes, Commander...that is the only other location they could have made it to in three days.”
“See? We’re pretty sure alright.”
“I don’ like it...I don’ like it at all.”
“Well, you could have stayed on the Falcon.”
“Do not go there, Colonel,” Slavena said, lowering her voice and turning her head.
“Sorry...guess I hit a nerve...anyway,” Tucker said, trying to gracefully change the subject, “You said the Falcon was tracing
another signal. Can you elaborate on that?”
“Da. Ve vere on way to 15 Eunomia. Ve tracked zignal from Earth, but apparently, you got there firzt and blow up alien complex.”
“Yes, yes we did...but trust me when I tell you that you really wouldn’t have had any fun down there. The trip was a real bummer...nearly killed us all.”
“I zee...”
“What about this other signal? No one has said much about that.”
“That’s right, Lieutenant,” Cass added, “I only heard that there was another signal in a brief. It was more like the Russians...you...were still out here looking.”
“Vell, Ve vere zearching for another zignal. It iz close, but ve never could get firm pozition.”
“You’re certain that there’s another alien complex out here?”
“No, I never zaid it vas alien complex. Ve think United Territories of Land and Zpace are hiding zecret base. That you took zignal tranzponderz and now tezt at zecret baze...that iz what we zearch for...ve no nothing elze.”
“Well, I can assure you. I’m not privy to any such base out here.”
“We’re coming up on the jump ring,” Sam announced, “Two minutes.”
“Mag-Ring fully charged and ready,” Buster reported.
“All systems are green for go!” Sam shouted.
“NAV target locked and confirmed!” Cass reported, “Gyros online and activated.”
“Approaching Mag-Ring now... in 3...2...1 prepare for spatial distortion!”
The Salvage-5 elongated as they approached the final seconds upon entry, then snapped with a crack and disappeared at their programmed speed.
“Everyone alright?” Tucker said, shaking his head slightly.
“We’re on course...ETA 2 hours until reverse burn,” Sam said, in a little slower tone, “These jumps...they’re always such fun, aren’t’ they?”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that ring threshold,” Tucker said, sticking his pinky in one of his ears.
“I am fine, Colonel...but I did not like the jump effect,” Slavena added.
“You’ll get used to it.”
“Colonel, it does not sound as if you are used to it either.”
“Well, truth be told, it’s really only my third time...”
“Fourth, Commander!”
“Thank you kid.”
“No problem, Commander. I said I would keep track for you.”
“Swell...now, Sergeant Samuels here has some wonderful exercises for you...I, on the other hand, will be getting some z’s...Sarge? They’re all yours!”
“That’s right you softies! The Commander here feels that we should do some drills while we fly to 52 Europa, and I am in complete agreement! Now, let’s MOVE IT!! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!!”
* * *
CSMO 10 Hygiea
Location:
Kuiper Belt - Asteroid 52 Europa
Earth Date: 04/16/2065 10:00
Captain Hodges, Kenneth O’Reilly, and Lieutenant Hargrove bunkered up in one of the holding bays. They managed to seal themselves inside one of the ore containers that were left onboard the CSMO. The container and the magnetic properties of the rocks shielded them from any scanners. These rocks were what was the left over from extracting the air, water, and fuel for the CSMO, and contained mostly nickel ore; the payload that the company made the most money from.
“Shhh,” O’Reilly urged.
“How many are there this time?” Captain Hodges asked.
“Hard to say,” Hargrove answered.
They heard clanking rustling noises as part of this bay was being searched.
“I think there’s at least three or four?” Hargrove added.
“Yeah, I think you’re right.”
“Do you think we can take em’?” Hodges asked.
“No! Don’t be foolish, Cap’n. This is their third pass, and they haven’t found us yet. Just lay low and stay quiet already!” O’Reilly said.
The three remained still, barely breathing as they listened to the others rummaging through the cargo bay.
Then the noises diminished, only the occasional clanking of pipes telling that the search party was moving to another part of the CSMO.
“They’re gone again...”
“Yes, but we must stay put until we know they’ve given up the search.”
“Maybe we should move to another part of the ship, one they’ve scoured,” Hodges said, “They may not come back there again.”
“We can’t risk being out in the open just yet,” Hargrove ordered, “I know you’re a Captain, but you’re only a civi Captain...I’ll give the orders on this tug. That’s what Colonel Petersen intended when he assigned me here, that’s what I intend to do.”
“Very well, Lieutenant,” Hodges reluctantly agreed, “But if I see an opportunity...”
“You’ll not act on it without my authority, you got that Hodges?!”
The Captain nodded, “Loud and clear, Lieutenant.”
* * *
Chapter 15
CSMO 10 Hygiea
Location:
Kuiper Belt - Asteroid 52 Europa
Earth Date: 04/16/2065 10:30
Kurtis slowly fluttered his eyes, struggling to open them. It was even harder to open his mouth and vocalize, “Where am I?!”
He fought to move his arms and legs, but felt something holding him down. The dimness of the room, made it difficult to focus on his surroundings.
“Where am I!?” Kurtis again begged to know.
Off in the distance, he could hear faint screaming. He tried to lift his head, to see who or where, but he was being held down by some type of harness. Noises could be heard as others moved about the room. Unfortunately for Kurtis, they were just out of his visual range.
“You can’t do this to me! Let me go!”
The others in the room paid no attention to his demands, and continued about their own tasks.
“I demand to know what you’re doing?!”
He struggled on the table, yanking on his restraints, to no avail, “Let me UP!”
Someone stepped over to his head. He tried to look above his brow to see who it was, but it was useless; the straps held him securely in place.
He heard buttons being pressed and then the table he was strapped to, began to rotate until he was facing the floor. A few more taps of the keypad, and he heard another mechanical arm lower behind his head. He could feel how close it was to his neck as if it was breathing on him, causing the hair to stand on end, “What are you doing?! I demand that you tell me...NOW!”
Again, not paying any heed to Kurtis’s demands, as if his requests fell on deaf ears, they depressed more commands, and then he felt a slight pin prick on the back of his neck. He didn’t even hear the sound of the thing, but the searing pain began to overwhelm him, “Ow! HEY! What’s the meaning of this?”
Before Kurtis could protest further, he was interrupted by intense pain. It felt like a red-hot poker was searing him to the bone. It sucked his breath away. He fought to remain conscious, but whatever they had done to him was more powerful. Soon, the pain pounded him into unconsciousness.
* * *
Salvage-5
Location:
Kuiper Belt - Asteroid 52 Europa
Earth Date: 04/16/2065 10:50
Mission Objectives:
FIND CSMO & REFUEL
Completed Objectives:
CORRECT ASTEROID 253 MATHILDE
ENLIST RUSSIANS TO ASSIST W/REPAIR
NEUTRALIZE RUSSIAN THREAT
DELIVER PARTS & SUPPLIES
FACILITATE REPAIR
TEST JUMP-GATE
“Commander,” Sam reported, “We’re ten minutes out.”
“All hands! Ready stations for 10 minute reverse burn,” Tucker ordered.
“We’re all set back here, Commander,” Samuels added.
“NAV coordinates confirmed,” Cass reported, “We’ll be 5,000 kilometers from asteroid 52 Europa.”
“Full rev
erse burn for 10 on my mark,” Tucker ordered, “Mark!”
“Full reverse thrusters for 10,” Sam acknowledged, “slowing to 5,000 KPH for 60 minute approach.”
“Cass, begin your scanning as soon as we’re down to normal speed.”
“All ready, Commander.”
“Reverse burn termination in...3...2...1...Mark,” Sam announced, pulling back on the throttle, “5,000 KPH at 5,000 kilometers...there’s she is, Sir,” Sam turned the nose of the ship and aimed right at the asteroid. “Beauty, eh?”
“She’s a gorgeous...big...The CSMO’s gotta be down there somewhere,” Tucker thought out loud, “Cass, you getting anything yet?”
“No Sir...no radio signals of any kind...not even as much as a power signature.”
“CSMO 253 Mathilde, Salvage-5...come in...CSMO 253 Mathilde, Salvage-5, do you read?” Sam called through her wireless transmitter.
“Nothing...” Cass reported.
“They changed the CSMO signature to 10 Hygiea,” Samuels said, “Try that one.”
Sam changed to a secondary channel and depressed the transmit button once more, “CSMO 10 Hygiea, Salvage-5...do you read us? ... ... ...Repeat, CSMO 10 Hygiea, Salvage-5, come in!”
“I’ll set up for a spectral analysis and laser to surface ping tracing,” Buster offered.
“You do whatever it is you do, wiz-kid...that’d be great.”
Several minutes passed in an eerie quiet as they continued searching for the lost CSMO.
“Found it, Commander,” Buster exclaimed with glee, “Sending the coordinates now.”
“Got it,” Sam smiled, “Not bad, kid.”
“Sam, take us over to the CSMO, increase speed to 20,000 KPH.”
“Roger that! Increasing speed to 20,000 KPH, calculating new ETA...13 minutes.”
“Bring us in standard approach vectors and hold us over the shuttle bay door.”
“Aye, Commander, adjusting course...will come in low, slow and from the rear.”
“Just the way it should be.”
“Tucker!” Sam snapped.
“No, no, no! Geez, Sam...whattya take me for? I meant it’s a text book flight pattern.”
“Oh, sorry,” Sam snickered, “My bad...”
“Hey!” Cass protested, “You wanna focus on our mission here?”
Salvage-5: The Next Mission (First Contact) Page 15