Myers shook his head. “I’m not hungry or thirsty.”
Julie took a seat on the other end. “I saw you leave the captain’s office.”
“So you know?”
Julie sighed heavily. “Yeah, I know. I talked to him after you left. He wanted to remove you as chief medical officer, but I talked him out of it.”
“He blames me for what Oliver did,” said Myers.
“He’s angry right now,” said Julie. “There’s nothing anyone can say to ease his pain. But I think with some time, he’ll reconsider.”
“Do you think I should have said something?”
“I think you should have told us when we joined up,” said Julie. “But I understand why you didn’t. You were trying to protect your friend and this ship the admiral spent his whole life building.”
“I hope the captain can forgive me someday,” said Myers.
“He will. John’s tough, but he has a good heart.”
“Would you have reconsidered joining the ship if you knew about the admiral’s dementia?” asked Myers.
“That’s a hard one,” admitted Julie. “I don’t know. I think John would have joined up no matter what. Maybe I would have tried making a go of my career on Earth, despite TERRA’s plans for me. It’s hard to say and I just don’t know.”
“I thought I was closer to the admiral than anyone,” said Myers. “It scares the hell out of me realizing I didn’t know who he was.”
“John’s sister, the hidden nuclear bomb,” said Julie. “What else did he do during the project that we haven’t discovered yet?”
“I don’t even want to think about it,” said Myers. “But if I could ask for one favor, don’t tell the crew what Admiral Johnson did.”
“The captain and I already talked about that,” said Julie. “We agreed to keep it from the crew. Only the three of us know the truth, and it should stay that way.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“I hate chess.”
“Come on, lieutenant,” said Kevin. “You’re getting better at it.”
“Lieutenant Jacobson is correct,” said Thresha. “Your game play is improving.”
“Well, I don’t see it,” said Alex’sis. “You’re going to have me in checkmate in about three moves.”
“You two going to move that board so I can put this down?” asked Mario, holding three plates of food.
“Yeah, we’re done,” said Alex’sis, flipping off the holographic imager of the chess board. Kevin’s eyes grew big as she put the board away. “I forfeit. Happy?”
“Very,” replied Kevin grinning.
“I hear we’re heading to a planet populated with aliens,” said Mario as he put the lunch dishes on the table.
“All we know is we pick up a communications beacon from a nearby system,” said Kevin. “We’re not close enough yet to determine if there are any life-sustaining planets.”
“I gotta stop listening to the rumors that fly around this ship,” said Mario as he left them to their lunch. “Thousands of professionals and they still gossip like little kids.”
“I find the human phenomena of gossip intriguing,” said Thresha.
“Aldarians don’t do rumors?” asked Alex’sis.
“We only make statements that we feel are purposeful and accurate.”
“Same with humans,” said Kevin. “We think rumors are accurate, which is why they’re so enticing.”
“Speaking of rumors, I heard a couple of Aldarians are working in Beverly’s shop,” said Alex’sis.
“She’s teaching Jesura and Belva the art of fashion designing,” said Thresha. “In exchange for her instruction they are working in her shop a few hours a week.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Kevin.
“Aldarians do not initiate jokes,” said Thresha.
“No, I mean over there.” Kevin pointed down the street. There they saw Bret walking hand-in-hand with a blonde woman.
“Isn’t that Valerie?” asked Alex’sis.
“Sure is,” said Kevin. “That little liar said he wasn’t seeing her.”
“They did go on one of your dates with Commander Olson and Professor Nimix,” said Thresha.
“And Bret said it went nowhere,” said Kevin. “Oh, when I get the chance…”
“Oh no, allow me,” said Alex’sis, getting up and heading over to the communications officer. As soon as Bret spotted her, he and Valerie quickly turned around and began walking the other direction.
“Private, can I have a word with you,” Alex’sis called out as she chased them down the street.
Up on the command deck, Drix and John were playing Ping-Pong on the operations table. The captain explained the history of the old Earth game, and the Cresorian was fascinated how such a simple game could provide so much entertainment. Unfortunately for John, Drix quickly became adept at it and was beating the captain one game after another.
“I can only imagine what a TERRA admiral would say if they saw what you were doing,” said Julie as she joined the pair at the station.
“I’d tell them this is how I run a computer diagnostic,” said John. “Damn it!” as Drix won another round. “There is such a thing as showing off too much.”
“This is a most entertaining game,” said Drix.
“That’s because you keep winning,” said John. He looked at Julie. “How far out are we?”
She pulled up the navigational display. “Another fifteen minutes to exit the jump.”
“You’re not going to tell her, are you?” Bret asked Alex’sis as they stepped off the lift onto the command deck.
“I don’t have to,” replied Alex’sis. “Enough people saw you and Valerie in Central. By noon everyone will know.”
“I knew we should have stayed in her quarters,” muttered Bret.
“What do you care if people know?” asked Alex’sis.
“It’s embarrassing,” said Bret.
“What is?” said John, hearing them as they entered the pit.
“Nothing,” said Bret as he hurried to his station.
“I’m glad to see you found my ping-pong game,” said Alex’sis.
“Now I know why you spend so much time at the ops table,” said John.
“Ha! Ha! Very funny,” said Alex’sis. “Are you two done?”
John switched the game off. Alex’sis tended to get possessive when she worked at the ops table. “All yours, lieutenant.”
A few minutes later, PHOENIX exited its jump outside their destination star system. Once Kevin verified it was safe to proceed, the massive ship entered the system towards the inner sphere.
“Captain,” said Bret. “I’ve located the source of the transmission. It’s some sort of beacon orbiting the second planet.”
Julie checked the sensors. “The planet has a dense gaseous atmosphere. I can’t get a topographic reading of the surface. We’ll need to get closer.”
“Kevin, steer us towards the second planet,” ordered John. As soon as the ship altered course, Bret spoke up.
“Captain, we’re getting a communication request coming from the beacon,” said Bret. “Audio and visual.”
“Put it up,” said John. An image of a humanoid figure, composed of digital grid lines, appeared. But the figure was very short and round with a featureless face.
“Welcome to the Senfo Consortium. Please state the nature of your intentions.”
John assumed the figure was some sort of interactive program and replied to it. “I’m Captain John Roberts of the human starship PHOENIX. Are you a computer?”
“I am an interactive software entity capable of conversing and answering your queries,” replied the image. “My database has no record of your vessel or the three sentient species inhabiting it which may limit the scope of my interactive capability.”
Alex’sis checked the sensors but found no evidence PHOENIX had been scanned by either the beacon or a facility on the planet. She wanted to raise that concern to the captain, but elected to
remain quiet to see how his conversation with the program played out.
“We’re new to this part of space,” explained John. “We’re explorers looking to learn more about other races and conduct trade.”
“The Senfo welcomes contact with other races,” said the program. “However, a calamity has befallen the homeworld and we request your vessel does not approach the second planet. All planetary defenses are active and have been programmed to fire on any vessel attempting to orbit the planet.”
“What? Are the Senfo dead?” asked John.
“That information is restricted.”
Suddenly, the holographic displayed disappeared.
“What happened?” asked a confused John.
“There’s some power fluctuations in the beacon,” reported Alex’sis. “My guess is that it’s malfunctioning.”
“It is interesting that the program said the status of the Senfo was restricted,” said Drix.
“He’s right,” said Julie. “What would be the purpose of concealing the death of an entire race?”
“Well, if they aren’t dead, where are they?” said Alex’sis.
“I’m assuming they’re on the planet,” said John. “Why have active defenses on an abandoned world?”
“Maybe they’re trying to protect their technology from being stolen,” Julie theorized.
“What’s the status of the planetary defenses?” asked John.
“I am picking up numerous artificial structures,” said Alex’sis. “But power levels appear to be very low.”
“The defenses may only power up when the computer systems detects a ship getting too close,” said Julie.
“We need to test that theory,” said John.
“PHOENIX is too big to dodge an attack,” said Bret.
“We could send a couple of Interceptors,” said Alex’sis. “They’re nimble enough.” Julie liked that idea and nodded in agreement.
“What about sending probes?” offered Kevin.
“The computer systems are probably designed to recognize objects of threat,” said Drix. “A probe would most likely not trigger an attack.”
“Looks like we’re going with our fighters. Roberts to Everold.”
“Go ahead.”
“Prepare your squad for deployment for a reconnaissance mission. We’ll transmit the mission specifics to your fighters.”
“Acknowledged. Everold out.”
A few minutes later, Virgo Squadron deployed from the PHOENIX and headed straight for the planet. Everyone waited in anticipation for any reaction from the planet’s defense systems.
“Not picking up any power fluctuations,” reported Alex’sis.
“Everold to PHOENIX. We’re making our run now.”
“The first shot fired at you, I want you heading back to PHOENIX,” said John.
“Acknowledged.”
“Virgo Squadron making their run now,” said Julie.
“You didn’t mention any knowledge you have of the race here,” John said to Drix.
“I have passed by this system several times,” said Drix. “I never saw a need to investigate. However, there were rumors of an alien race that mysteriously disappeared without a trace many cycles ago. So much time has passed that their name was forgotten.”
“Everold to PHOENIX. We’re in orbit of planet and making our reconnaissance sweep.”
“Still no signs of weapons powering up,” reported Alex’sis.
So far, so good. John was hopeful that the planet’s defenses would remain inert. “PHOENIX to Virgo Squadron. We’re not picking up any indication of their defenses reacting to you.”
“Our sensors show no activity either,” reported Everold.
“Engineering to command deck,” came the voice of Donavin.
“Go ahead, professor,” said John.
“Captain, I’ve run some simulations and have determined that an Interceptor could transverse the planet’s atmosphere.”
“I copy that,” said Everold. “If there’s no danger, I’d like to volunteer to go down.”
“Standby, Virgo Squadron,” said John. “Professor, how confident are you in your assessment?”
“Captain, are you now questioning my competence?” John could pick up the subtle humor in the professor’s words.
“Not at all, professor. But I do have a pilot’s life to consider.”
“I wouldn’t have brought it up if I wasn’t confident the risk was minimal.”
“Good enough for me. Thank you, professor.” John looked to Julie.
“Why not?” said the executive officer. “If there’s no apparent danger and Lieutenant Everold is willing…”
“PHOENIX to Virgo Squadron,” said John. “You have permission to proceed to the planet’s surface, but the decision is up to you.”
“Understood, PHOENIX,” said Everold. “Team, continue on course around the planet. I’ll descend alone into the atmosphere.”
“Be careful, Martin,” said John.
“Will do, captain.”
They watched on the sensors as Martin’s fighter entered the atmosphere.
“I’m getting some interference,” said Alex’sis. “But his signal beacon is still coming through.”
“PHOENIX, I’m activating external video feed,” said Martin, as he flew through the purplish haze. He couldn’t see anything and had to rely on his fighter’s sensors to tell him his flight path was clear.
As his Interceptor got lower, the haze dissipated enough for him to be able to see. “PHOENIX, are you seeing this?”
“Yes,” replied John, looking at the holographic display. Martin was flying over a city. Buildings, large and small, dotted the landscape. They could even make out what looked like ground vehicles parked along the various roads that intertwined the city.
“None of the buildings appear to have any damage,” said Julie. “There’s nothing to indicate any sort of calamity down there.”
“I’m getting some interesting readings here,” said Alex’sis, who had patched through Martin’s Interceptor to use the fighter’s sensor pallet. “I’m picking up low level energy signatures throughout the city. Power distribution nodes, complex energy networks, all intact.”
Drix was conducting his own survey of the planet. “There’s a data transmission feed emanating from one of the buildings to the beacon in orbit of the planet.”
“They’re communicating?” asked John.
“No,” said Drix. “But I do recognize the setup. The AI entity that communicated to us is located in a computer inside the building. It uses the beacon to pick up approaching ships and communicate via the satellite. Captain, I believe I could access the planet’s computer and reprogram the entity to disclose all information regarding what happened there.”
“Captain,” said Alex’sis. “I’m not sure, but I think I’m picking up faint life-form readings from the planet.”
“How many?” asked John.
“Millions.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Two days. It took two days for Drix and the computer and AI departments to study the alien planetary computer and figure out how to hack into it. As they did, John ordered probes launched to survey the planet. They found numerous cities and rural towns throughout the planet’s surface and none showed any signs of damage, no indication that they were ever attacked. They verified the life forms they initially detected, but what was interesting was the life signs seemed to be in concentrated groups in all the major cities.
Once the computer teams got the AI program modified, John and the senior staff assembled in the board room. Waiting for them was the AI entity, displayed on the wall monitor.
“Hello,” said John to the computer as he took his seat. They all noticed that the program’s humanoid grid appearance had been changed to match human proportions. It was something the computer techs elected to do.
“Salutations, John Roberts of the human starship PHOENIX,” said the entity.
“I provided some basic in
formation about us and our mission,” explained Drix.
“Yes,” replied the entity. “Your engineers have communicated your non-hostile intentions through PHOENIX’s data files they uploaded to my system.”
“Good,” said John. “So do you have a name?”
“You may address me as Vish.”
“Vish, Can you tell us what happened to the people on this planet?” asked John, getting right to the point.
“The Senfo are the inhabitants of this world,” said Vish. “Many of your time measured years ago, the planetary atmosphere was sabotaged, rendering it unable to support Senfo life.”
“Who sabotaged the atmosphere?” asked Julie.
“The race you designate as Screen.” Everyone looked at each other nervously. It was disconcerting to hear that the Screen was capable of committing an act on such a massive scale.
“And you know that for a fact?” asked Alex’sis.
“Yes,” replied Vish. “The Screen attempted to negotiate for Senfo gene technology, which was more advanced than the Screen. The Senfo Commonality refused the trade request, and eventually the Screen cut off all ties with the Senfo. Several months later, a single cruiser entered the system and detonated within the planet’s atmosphere. The explosion dispersed a dense particulate that interacted with the electromagnetic charges common to the planet, which created a cascade reaction that modified the atmosphere to a toxic composition.
“The Senfo only had weeks to act. During that period the Screen reemerged and attacked our ships. Although we could repel them, their assaults prevented the Senfo from evacuating the planet. As a fallback, individuals were placed in suspension pods.”
“The millions of life signs we detect on the planet,” said Kevin.
“Yes,” said Vish. “However, those who are in stasis represent only 21.6% of the population that could be saved,” said Vish. “They could not build enough pods to accommodate the entire population.”
John could only imagine such a large loss of life. “How..? How did they choose who went in the pods?”
“The commonality and any individual with vital skills to help rebuild the planet were automatically selected,” said Vish. “The leftover pods were then assigned based on a lottery system.” Everyone imagined the fear that must have gone through the population as they waited to see if they were picked for a pod.
Phoenix In Chaos (Exodus) Page 16