Project Columbus: Omnibus

by J. C. Rainier

  “Was Shipp’s body gone, sir?”

  “Yes it was. I had Captain Maynard look through the systems logs as well. It showed the airlock cycled once, about thirty minutes after the doctor left Ellsworth alone.”

  Cycled once. You were just imagining things, Haruka. She pushed off of the table and moved toward Major Emberley. A nagging voice in her head told her that something still wasn’t right.

  “Major, can we check the airlock one more time?”

  His mouth twisted as he considered the request. “I suppose. Doctor Nelson tells me you need to stay awake for a while just in case, so we’ve got time to kill.” His head swiveled to look at Dr. Nelson. “Would you like to accompany us and make sure our patient doesn’t exert herself too much?”

  “Of course, Major,” replied Dr. Nelson. He retrieved a stethoscope from the drawer of the cart and stuffed it in the pocket of his flight suit.

  The trio silently made their way out of the medical pod, through the upper gallery, and into the belly of Raphael. Haruka tried to think of where Ellsworth might have gone after Nelson departed. If I can recreate his steps, maybe we can find out something about his disappearance.

  They arrived at the forward airlock. The massive door was slightly recessed into the floor of the gallery. Haruka pulled herself to the edge and crept her way around it.

  Emberley cleared his throat. “What are you looking for, Kimura?”

  I’m not sure. She paused for a moment to think. “Has anyone opened the airlock, sir?”

  Dr. Nelson and Major Emberley exchanged quick glances. “Only to make sure there wasn’t a body inside.”

  He would have had to go inside to put Shipp’s body inside. Haruka rubbed her chin as she thought. He shouldn’t have been able to cycle the airlock from inside, right? There shouldn’t even be a terminal in there. She floated to the terminal on the wall and commanded it to open the airlock door. It heaved open with a deep groan, exposing the dark maw. She punched in another set of codes and bright lights flickered to life within the hole.

  Haruka sidled to the edge of the airlock and pulled herself inside. She glanced at the walls just inside the door and saw a terminal. Of course, how could I be so dumb? They would have built one there to prevent crew from being trapped inside the airlock. She pulled her body over to it, hoping to see if there were any finger smudges on the touch panel. What she saw made her gasp loudly.

  “Doctor, come here,” she exclaimed as she touched a brownish red stain on the wall next to the terminal, just above block lettering that read “RAPHAEL”. It flaked off easily on her finger. Dr. Nelson drifted his way next to her. “Is that… blood?”

  He reached out, scratched his finger along the stain, and then examined the substance. “It is indeed, Lieutenant.” He looked at the wall and then the opening. “Shipp was long dead, and his autopsy already completed before he ever got here. This is someone else’s blood.”

  Emberley balled his hand into a fist and brought it to his mouth. After a moment, he moved to the terminal that Haruka had used to open the airlock, and turned on the ship broadcast com.

  “Morado and Maynard,” his voice echoed. “Please come to the forward dock, immediately.”

  “I’ll need to test this against what we have in the personnel files. Maybe I can confirm whose blood this is,” said Dr. Nelson.

  I already know whose it is. Ellsworth’s. Something happened to him. Haruka just nodded at the doctor.

  “We must assume this is a murder investigation, Lieutenant,” she heard Major Emberley from behind her. “I would like for you to help Doctor Nelson with anything he needs.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Come, Lieutenant. We need to get some supplies from the medical pod,” Nelson said as he hurried off. Haruka followed close behind. “Too many problems, Lieutenant. I’d like a couple quiet days on this ship for once.”

  “No arguments here, Doctor.”

  You probably don’t know the half of it.

  Calvin McLaughlin

  Date and time unknown

  Michael

  A set of vital signs glowed on the terminal screen in front of Cal.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Dr. Taylor admired the screen, her gray hair in an immaculate braid resting on her shoulder.

  Cal rubbed his eyes and scrutinized the data. “It looks normal to me.”

  “Exactly what we want. Serene. Tranquil.”

  “I don’t get it, Doc. What am I missing?”

  He heard a tapping noise to his side. Cal glanced to his left and watched Captain Hartley inspect something just inside his open stasis chamber.

  “Almost done here, Mr. McLaughlin,” he said.

  Cal turned his attention back to the terminal. He traced lines in the air in front of him to mimic the pulse and respiratory lines. This exercise proved futile, as he still could not figure out what she was talking about.

  “It’s a pulse. So?”

  “It’s life. Not just any life either,” she said. “It’s Michael.”

  That doesn’t make any sense.

  “All ready,” said Hartley. “Time for you to get in.”

  Cal took three steps toward the berth. That’s not right. He glanced back at Dr. Taylor and realized her hair was not floating. Gravity. I’m dreaming again. He walked to the sleeper and climbed in. If I’m already asleep, what’s this going to do to me, anyway? He laid back and closed the hatch.

  Time passed, what felt like a few minutes to Cal. He felt his equilibrium change, and he realized that he was now standing vertical instead of laying down. There was a dim glow, and he could taste humidity in the air around him.

  Cal turned around. Light reflected off of the swirling mist that danced in front of him. The shimmer reminded him somewhat of the surface of a lake on a lazy autumn day. Complete silence met his ears, and despite the motion of the mist, the world felt still.

  He stepped forward with trepidation. His footfall made no sound, and the ground felt smooth and flat. Cal noticed darkness surround him as he went deeper inside; the growing fog seemed to filter out the light.

  Alone again, he thought.

  He couldn’t help but wonder what the significance of this was. The words of Dr. Taylor came back to him and gave him pause. He had been hanging out with Hunter quite a bit lately. Hunter treated Cal very differently from his old friends on Earth; Hunter never once disrespected Cal for anything he had said or done.

  Cal continued despite his obscured vision. He stopped in his tracks as he heard a noise drift into his ears. He strained to hear, but just as quickly as it had come, the sound was gone. Cal turned to where he thought it had come from and plodded forth. Again he heard the sound and turned, but it eluded him.

  Am I facing ghosts now?

  He trudged on. The ground beneath his feet began to crunch, and the texture changed; there were bumps now. Cal knelt down and felt the ground. It was moist, and he could feel leaves and sticks, obscured by the mist. He grabbed a fist full and brought it to his nose. A hint of wet earth wafted from the soft debris in his hand. He rose to his feet and dropped the muck, which was devoured by the swirling mist. Cal could hear a whispering ahead of him. It did not abate this time, and he sprung ahead to find the source. The fog thinned somewhat, and he could see gaps moving around. He saw a dark shape ahead and pressed onward.

  Before him he saw Alexis, sitting on the ground with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She seemed to be crying. Cal moved in front of her and dropped down. He placed his hands on hers and found her touch as cold as the walls of Michael.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. She gave no response; she did not even look at him. He repeated his question, but she did not react. “I know you’re upset with me, but I want to help you.”

  She continued to sob and gave Cal no regard. He took his hand and brushed her cheek. It too was as cold as the metal which caged them.

  “Alexis, why are you shutting me out?” He squeezed her frozen hands.
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  “I can’t do it, Cal,” she croaked feebly.

  “Can’t do what?”

  “Why do you keep hurting me?”

  “It was only that once,” he protested.

  “You don’t get it, do you?”

  “I guess I don’t. But please, I want to hear it.”

  Her hands rose to her head and tangled in her long hair. She wailed and tears streaked down her face. Cal moved behind her and held her. The iciness of her body next to his made him gasp for air and his hands felt like they were burning, but he did not dare let go of her. He tried to soothe her as he embraced her, but she just screamed louder when he did so. Anxiety welled within him. His throat tightened as he fought back tears.

  “Let me in, Alexis. Please.”

  “No, I can’t.”

  “Why not? What are you so afraid of?”

  “Go away, you monster,” she screamed and pushed her arms outward on his.

  It was becoming much harder for Cal to hold back his feelings. “Don’t say that, please,” he choked as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “Please.”

  Alexis tore out of his grasp and scrambled to her feet. She bolted into the mist as soon as her feet gained purchase. Cal stumbled to his feet to give chase, but something held him back. He looked down at his feet and found them sunk in mud.

  “Alexis, wait!” He tried yanking his feet free but they would not budge. “Come back!” He started to cry. He whimpered for her to return, but only his own voice echoed back through the swirling mist. He knelt back down and sobbed. His hand ached. Cal looked at it and saw his hand bandaged and taped together, where as only moments before it had been whole. His hand dropped limp at his side and he bowed his head.

  What does it matter? She hates me. She’s right, I am a monster. Who else in their right mind would revive someone only to put them back in hibernation right after?

  “Doctor David Benedict would,” said a vaguely familiar voice from his right. Startled, Cal looked and saw a tall, hard-faced man with a tight gray crew cut walking toward him in dress blues. “The only difference was that David only asked people to do so voluntarily.”

  “G-grandpa?” he stuttered.

  “You weren’t ready for this,” continued the apparition. “Neither was she. Do you remember how you reacted when you woke up?”

  Cal paused and thought for a second. “I hurled.”

  “Besides the physiological aspect, how did you react?”

  “I… I was scared. I didn’t see anyone. I didn’t hear anything. For a moment, I thought I was dead.”

  His grandfather stopped at arm’s reach from him. “And how did she react when she woke up? Besides vomiting.”

  Again Cal took a moment to recall. “She asked me questions. And she was fascinated by the stars.”

  “You had to come to grips with your mortality; all she had to do was some stargazing. Do you think that might have had any impact on her preparedness?”

  Cal knew the answer. He hung his head again. He closed his eyes and played the scenario from the ESAARC pod out again. He could almost taste her lips when he remembered her kiss.

  “It was reckless, she said. And romantic,” Cal said.

  The voice that responded was more familiar and harsher. “You’ve been too reckless lately. How many times do I have to save you before you understand? Actions have consequences.” Cal looked up and saw his father’s stern face. His eyes flashed angrily at Cal.

  “Look, I’m trying, Dad. It’s just that…”

  “Forget about her, son,” General McLaughlin interrupted. “You’ve caused enough damage already. You need something new to do, maybe learn a new skill.”

  “Damn it, Dad.” Cal could feel his temper flaring. “Can’t you see I’ve been doing that too? I’ve been working with Doctor Taylor, I’ve been studying books, what more do you want of me?”

  The visage of his tormentor changed once more. Rob’s face was dominated by his arrogant grin. “I think he wants you to be a man. Like that will ever happen, loser.”

  “What the fuck, Rob?” Cal seethed with anger, and his hand curled into a fist.

  “That’s right, you want to make something of it?” Rob thumped his chest and flung his arms outward and sneered. “We know you won’t.”

  “And how do you know that?”

  Rob just laughed, “Because Brittany said you were too much of a pussy to go after her. She got tired of waiting for you. And hey, that worked out for me, didn’t it?”

  Cal let out a primal scream and lunged at Rob as he tore his feet free of the mud. He landed on top of Rob and pummeled his face with a haymaker. His fist protested with sharp stabbing pains, but Cal pushed through. He wanted to punch every tooth out of his so-called friend’s head, the costs be damned. Blow after blow rained down on his opponent. Blood ran from his knuckles as well as the mouth of his target, but Cal did not relent. Tears blurred his vision and rage fueled him.

  “Stop it, Cal, you’re hurting me,” shrieked a voice. He ignored the plea and threw another punch. “Oh God, please no. Stop it.” He landed another blow. “What did I do? I promise I’ll stop! Just stop hurting me!”

  Oh God… Cal stumbled backward as he realized that he was punching Alexis instead. He rolled off of her and landed on the soft mud with his hip. No.. I didn’t mean to!

  She curled her knees to her chest and hugged them, and blood dripped from her nose. Her cries of pain and fear stabbed Cal in his heart. Cal scrambled to his knees and reached for her, but she recoiled as he approached.

  “S-stay away from me, you monster!” Alexis bolted once more into the mist.

  “No,” he yelled after her. “Come back. This isn’t me! God, Alexis please…”

  Monster. Her voice echoed within his mind as he sat alone and cold in the vapors.

  1st Lt Darius Owens

  22 September 2024, 05:50

  Gabriel

  Darius felt his way along the sleeper hall to a storage locker, unwilling to open his eyes more than the barest squint. He knew the light was not particularly bright, but the dark coffin of the sleeper berth made it almost painful by comparison. He groped along the smooth metal surface until he came to an indent in the metal. He knew this was the handle, so he twisted and the locker popped open. The door gave some protection from the lighting, and Darius slowly opened his eyes and adjusted to the light.

  He reached inside and retrieved two meal pouches from the top shelf and then closed the locker. The bang of the metal door sent a stabbing pain through his already sensitive head. Darius grunted and grabbed his temples with his free hand.

  Darius had heard of other crew members getting sick and throwing up when they came out of stasis. He had never experienced that for himself, but the migraine headache he had at the beginning of the last cycle almost made him prefer the alternative. This one was not much better. He took a minute to compose himself before he exited the crew pod and made his way down the deserted gallery to sleeper pod four. As he approached he could hear the gentle chirps of a terminal being used within.

  Figures he’d be awake already.

  Darius found his way to where Dr. Kimura was working. It seemed to Darius that the doctor had again aged while in stasis, although he knew that was false.

  “Excuse me, Doctor,” he said in a voice barely louder than a whisper. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I brought you breakfast.”

  Dr. Kimura glanced over at Darius, blinked his eyes, and yawned. “Thank you, Darius,” he smiled. “Sometimes I think I might starve if not for you.”

  Darius passed a meal to him and tore into his own. The sound of the bag ripping open caused another throb of pain in his head, and he winced.

  “Is there something wrong, Darius?”

  “Ah, my head just feels like someone stuck it in a vise grip, that’s all.”

  “I am sorry to hear that. Would you like me to get you something for it?”

  Darius grimaced as another wave of pain came over him. �
��That’s okay. I know which pods contain medical supplies, I can get something myself.”

  “Very well.”

  Darius took a bite of his scrambled eggs. “Colonel Eriksen is going to want an update on you. Is there anything to report?”

  Dr. Kimura shook his head. “Everything seems normal so far. I have completed an initial check on fifty eight percent of the passengers so far.”

  You’ve been awake a while, haven’t you Doctor?

  Darius and Dr. Kimura consumed their meals in silence. Darius could barely concentrate on getting his food down, but he was aware of the doctor’s heavy gaze upon him. He wondered at what Kimura could be thinking. The scientist’s problems must be far more significant that those of Darius, so it seemed odd that the elder man looked at him with such concern.

  When they finished eating, Darius disposed of the waste and pocketed a half consumed pouch of coffee. Dr. Kimura went back to work, but Darius noticed him glancing over periodically as if to check on him.

  “Is there something wrong, Doctor?” he asked.

  “You do not seem yourself today, Darius.”

  He looked down and waved his hand. “It’s just the headache, I swear.” Darius locked his eyes on Dr. Kimura once more. “You know, I don’t get something about you.”

  Dr. Kimura stopped his work and turned toward Darius. His eyebrows seemed to shoot straight at the ceiling. “What is that?”

  “Well, a bunch of things, I guess. First, how you get up before everyone else and do your work. Second, despite how I haven’t exactly been friendly to you as of late you still seem to care about me. Finally, how the hell can you even work at all given what has happened to you.”

  The elder man simply smiled at Darius. “The second point is the easiest to answer. You are my friend, Darius. Your orders, my treason, do not change this. I will always have a place in my heart for you, no matter what.”

  Darius felt an odd peace. This had not crossed his mind, but it made sense. Darius himself felt affection towards Dr. Kimura that had not been seriously dampened by the accusations leveled against him.