PERIL

by Holloway, Timothy

  The light begins to dissipate giving way to the image of a fetus. She can see, hear and feel its heartbeat. The thumping sound is intense and synchronous with hers. She knows that the fetus is her unborn child. Yet, it feels out of place. Not dead, but alive. She wants to reach out to it but she cannot. A sense of sadness, joy and confusion overwhelm her. She knows she terminated the pregnancy; however, in her deep state of meditation she feels her baby is still alive.

  “How can this be?” She says aloud.

  The Seeyer, monitoring the crew senses Vanessa’s anguish and confusion. However, it cannot see her vision. This is beyond its ability. It tries to infiltrate Vanessa’s cognitive state. Vanessa can feel The Seeyer’s attempt to gain access to her inner thoughts and blocks it. At that moment her mind is somehow linked to The Seeyer and for a brief moment she senses Todd’s presence.

  “Todd! Can you hear me? Are you at peace? What is it like there?” Vanessa rambles mentally to Todd’s soul. There is no response only silence.

  The Seeyer finds Vanessa’s mind to be an enigma. Vanessa’s unyielding curiosity and intellect is only matched by her will to survive and the survival of the human race. Can she solve the riddle awaiting mankind on MV5? The Seeyer decides to test this theory.

  The Seeyer opens the Crimson Expanse Wormhole and proceeds to send her subconscious through it. Vanessa’s mind is drawn to the mouth of the wormhole. It sucks her in. She rapidly flies through the elaborate glowing tunnel. Faster and faster she goes seeing star systems pass by her at faster than light speed. The wormhole is like a brilliantly lit rollercoaster ride taking her through several twists and turns.

  Vanessa is then ejected from the wormhole. Her mind immediately links to the probe sent to orbit MV5. It has crash-landed in a crater on the planet. Vanessa can mentally tap into its memory core. At first she sees the eerie planetoid from a distance, then three habitat stations and the planet’s primordial surface.

  Then she perceives a vague image of a biological non-human life form and a cave wall that seemed to resonate. Within seconds the image is gone. Her link to the probe is severed and it becomes a fading memory. She tries to retain it, but it is as if it were purged like wiped data from a computer chip. All that is left of her link with the probe are sketchy images and a fearful feeling of what is to come.

  Chapter Eight

  After the Enlightenment Ceremony in The Great Hall of Wisdom, some of the crewmembers prepare for their surgical procedures. Vanessa is taken to a medical lab to undergo an eye surgery that would fully restore her sight.

  She is lying on a leather reclining chair with an elaborate headrest. There is a mechanical arm attached to the headrest equipped with lasers, a scanning device and other paraphernalia. Dr. Pierce oversees the procedure.

  Lt. Leroy Reed escorted her there and they discuss their recent experience during the ceremony.

  “I don’t know, Lee. It was as if my baby was still alive.”

  “Vanessa these vision quests can seem real, but I find its better to look at the images as figurative, abstract, you know?”

  “It seemed so real. I know my baby can’t possibly be alive, but I felt it. It was as real as you standing here talking to me now.”

  “Perhaps the termination is still very fresh in your mind and you haven’t really had time to come to terms with everything. You and Tyler had planned on a family for a while.”

  “Maybe,” Vanessa reluctantly agrees with Reed’s perception.

  Oddly, Vanessa keeps the part about her sensing Todd’s presence in her vision to herself.

  Dr. Pierce enters the room and begins to prep Vanessa for the procedure. He didn’t have the best bedside manner and tended to take a cold approach to his work. He adjusts the equipment around Vanessa’s head with quick precision then callously tightens the head restraints.

  “Easy Doc, I don’t like being handled,” she says as he forcibly adjusted her head aligning it perfectly.

  “Apologies, Captain.”

  “So what’s the plan, Doc?” Vanessa asks trying to conceal her apprehension about the outcome of the procedure.

  She has come too far to let a little thing like blindness stop her from going to MV5.

  “Well, I’m going to first dilate your pupils. Then I’m going have to put you under. I think 75mg of a Propofol Eye Scan should do it,” Dr. Pierce says plainly without missing a beat in his preparation.

  It is all a matter of routine to him.

  “Excuse me, Commander Reed,” he says as he reaches for some tools to calibrate the targeting mechanism on the laser scalpel.

  Reed was standing in the way and it slightly annoyed Dr. Pierce.

  “Computer, administer Propofol Eye Scan, seventy-five milligrams. Are you going to remain for the entire procedure?” Dr. Pierce asks Reed.

  The mechanical arm attached to the headrest leans in above Bains and sweeps a neon blue light across her eyes.

  “Uh Well…” Reed begins to answer but is cut of by Vanessa.

  “Oh, I wish you would,” Vanessa says as she reaches for Reed’s hand.

  “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right over here the whole time,” Reed says as he takes a place in a corner of the room.

  Dr. Pierce frowns and continues his consultation with Vanessa, “The computer will perform the laser procedure. I’ll be here supervising. It’s a risky procedure, I won’t lie, but I’m hopeful. Now relax and count backwards from one hundred.”

  “I’d rather hear about your vision during the meditation, Doctor,” Vanessa pries.

  Her speech is slurred a bit as she succumbs to the anesthesia.

  “Maybe another time, Captain. Now start counting.”

  “One-hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven, ninety, Um, uh…” Vanessa looses count and goes under the effect of the drug.

  Dr. Pierce places his hands in a gelatinous solution and removes them immediately. Instantly the solution dries and latex like gloves form over his well manicured hands.

  “Computer, commence the procedure and play audio file A3,” Dr. Pierce commands.

  He pulls his facemask over his mouth and nose. He then places two small ocular restraints over her eyelids. They resemble coins. Seconds after being placed they transform with a fluid like motion hollowing and pulling Bain’s lids open.

  The mechanical arm rotates its cylindrical plate and brings forward two laser scalpels. Narrow laser beams begin to simultaneously sear into Vanessa’s corneas making microscopic incisions. Johann Strauss Junior’s, The Blue Danube begins to play over the office speakers.

  “Very good. Nice clean incisions,” Dr. Pierce says proudly.

  He watches the procedure on a mini-view screen stationed next to him. Reed is hesitant to look on, but his surrogate daughter, his prodigy, is lying in the chair. He would will this procedure to success if only by standing there.

  Dr. Pierce places a container on a tray next to the chair. The mechanical arm moves over it extracting its contents. It then moves back over Bains’ eyes and releases tiny nano-probes into the incisions. The diminutive spider-like mechanisms swarm Bains’ irises pushing through the microscopic slits locating and healing the damaged tissue.

  “Beautiful. Perfect even! I calibrated this chair and programmed these little buggers myself ya know?” Dr. Pierce remarks back at Reed.

  Reed is unimpressed.

  “Dr. Pierce, your wife is on line two,” a female computerized voice says over the music.

  “What the hell does she want? I asked not to be disturbed during the procedure,” Dr. Pierce gripes.

  “Yes, but she was insistent.”

  Dr. Pierce moves away from Bains, pulls down his mask and walks over towards Reed.

  “Nagging cow. I’d leave her, but she’d probably ask The Seeyer for the house, transport vehicle and my left nut,” Dr. Pierce says jokingly as he slaps Reed on the shoulder.

  “Excuse me. I have to take this,” Pierce says.

  “Wait, what about Bains?
You can’t just leave her,” Reed objects.

  “No, no it’s fine. We’re wrapping up here anyway. Uh, Computer close-up the incisions and commence conclusion protocols,” Pierce instructs the chair as he snatches off his rubber gloves and puts on an earpiece attached to a pair of holo-eyeglasses.

  The holo-eyeglasses project a live video stream of his wife and the call is connected. He hated the very sight of his wife and preferred to answer the call on audio only, but he found that placating her avoided unnecessary arguments.

  “Honey, what’s up? You’re looking ravishing as ever,” Dr. Pierce says to his wife as he throws up his arms gesturing his malcontent for the woman. Knowing she could not see him he proceeded to put his hands on his hips and mimicked her through his body language as she talked.

  Reed could hear some inaudible squawking coming from the earpiece. He walks over towards Bains. Without disrupting his call, Dr. Pierce snaps his finger twice at Reed. He then wags his finger at Reed and motions him to step away from Bains.

  “Let the chair complete its work please. Ah yes, honey, I’m listening to every word. Your mother’s hip surgery went well. That’s nice, dear,” Pierce says in a condescending tone.

  The surgical chair holding Vanessa Bains completes the operation. The nano-probes finish regenerating the damaged tissue and evacuate Bains’ eyes. A brace slowly emerges from the headrest. It lifts Bains’ head slightly, allowing the tiny probes to produce a bandage around her head covering her eyes.

  An hour later Bains is revived. Commander Reed is standing by her side as she regains consciousness. Dr. Pierce is seated next to her. He leans in carefully scrutinizing her bandages and the data produced by the chair.

  “How do you feel, Captain?” He asks.

  “Like I just went ten rounds with Chenkio,” Bains responds referring to the current heavyweight-boxing champion.

  Dr. Pierce smiles at Reed surprised that Bains followed the sport.

  “Yeah well that’s to be expected. You’ll probably experience discomfort for the next forty-eight hours,” Dr. Pierce says.

  “Wonderful,” Vanessa says sarcastically.

  “But the good news is your sight should be fully restored by then.”

  “That’s great news indeed,” Reed chimes in.

  Bains tries to sit up and they assist her.

  “We have a bio-bed here in the lab for you while you recover,” Dr. Pierce adds.

  “I have to get down to Med Lab 3 for the crew’s procedure,” Reed says.

  “I’m going with you,” Bains informs Reed.

  “Absolutely not. You need to recover right, doc?” Reed insists.

  “Are you kidding me? As Captain I need to show my support. Besides, my eyes will mend just as easy there as they will here lying on a bio-bed. I’m not taking no for an answer,” Bains states as she reaches out for Reed’s hand.

  Reed knew it was pointless to argue with her. Besides, he knew how she felt; he too wanted to be there for the crew.

  Chapter Nine

  Reed and Bains enter the Surgical Bay where Lieutenants Cruise, Pendersen, Neil and Nickolette’s surgeries have already begun. They are lying in several stasis units that are attached to a large mechanical pedestal called the Ares Surgical Unit Trinity Series. The apparatus resembles an upside down giant metal and glass tulip. It has multiple mechanical arms protruding from its center. Each arm is simultaneously operating on the crewmen sleeping below in the glass cases. At times the arms rotate and masterfully continue where the other left off.

  “My God!” Reed utters in amazement.

  “Reed, tell me what you see,” Bain requests eagerly.

  “I’ve heard about these new surgical units, but this…this is something else,” Reed says.

  Reed explains in great detail everything he can articulate. Vanessa is fascinated by what she’s hearing.

  Several Mystagogues are busy at work overseeing the procedures. Dr. Shalus is among them. She walks over to greet Reed and Bains.

  “Captain, I see you’re up and about so soon after your eye surgery,” Dr. Shalus says.

  “Yes. How is the crew doing?” Bains replies.

  “Everything is going as expected. Your Engineering Officer, Cruise is over here.”

  Reed leads Bains as he follows Dr. Shalus. They circle the unit arriving at Lt. Cruise’s unit. The surgical unit appears to pause for a second and takes notice of the interlopers then continues its work. Cruise’s body appeared lifeless within the case and one of the pedestal’s arms hovers above it. It lowers touching the glass top and slowly drags a metallic tool across it stopping above Cruise’s torso. Suddenly, a light is beamed through the case injecting nano-probes into him. Cruise’s body begins to morph taking on a muscular more toned shape.

  “Here the administered nano-probes are recomposing the patient’s cells generating additional muscle mass. The hyper-steroid injections will do the rest,” Dr. Shalus explains.

  “His breathing appears labored,” Reed says noticing the rapid rise and fall of Cruise’s chest.

  “All a part of the process, Commander,” Dr. Shalus responds confidently.

  They walk around to the glass chambers housing Pendersen and Nickolette. They look unrecognizable. Their faces seem distorted. Two mechanical arms lower and direct energy beams into their bodies through the glass tops. The beams appear to fillet the skin from their bones. Immediately, two other arms connect tubes into small holes on the side of the glass cases and they flood them with a transparent gas. Pendersen and Nickolette’s bodies start to regenerate skin cells. Reed looks on somewhat repulsed at the sight and Doctor Shalus notices.

  “Admittedly, The Twin Gene Re-sequencing process can appear a bit aggressive, however it is benign I can assure you,” Dr. Shalus remarks.

  “Benign? They were just skinned alive,” Reed recounts sarcastically.

  “Perhaps you’d prefer to come back after the procedures.”

  “No, we’re not leaving,” Bains interjects.

  Reed gives Dr. Shalus a nod to continue the tour.

  “Lastly, Lt. Neil,” Dr. Shalus says proudly.

  “He’s ready, Dr. Shalus,” one of the Mystagogues reports.

  “Begin the process,” Dr. Shalus orders.

  The Mystagogue enters the command on a portable control pad and Neil’s stasis chamber is elevated in a perfectly horizontal position. Three of the pedestal’s arms move in on it. The glass top on the case vanishes. One of the arm’s lasers begins to dissect Lt. Neil separating his head and spinal chord from the rest of his body. Another arm lifts his head and spine from the excess flesh and bones.

  Several Mystagogues including Dr. Shalus begin to shriek in a high–pitched manner resembling an ancient tribal cry. It was another ritual that escaped Bains’ analytical understanding. The ritual in fact, served two purposes. First, it signified a mourning period for the life that is surrendered. Secondly, it expressed extreme joy for the new life that is dedicated to the pursuit of infinite knowledge.

  Bains covers her ears in discomfort. Reed seems unaffected by the display. Neil’s disembodiment represents a freeing of his former physical state and becoming closer with a divine presence, which he considers a great substitute for becoming a Cleric in the order.

  Whatever it was, Bains’ was glad she couldn’t actually see the process being performed. The Mystagogues roll out a bio-bed with a mechanical torso and limbs on it. They make hand gestures at it blessing it repeatedly.

  Neil’s stasis unit is then disconnected from the pedestal’s systems by one of the mechanical arms. Neil’s head and spinal chord is held suspended above the case holding the rest of his body. A transparent energy field is projected around the head and spine, which keeps the exposed tissue in a sterile environment.

  The glass case is slowly ejected from the pedestal and the Mystagogues wheel the bio-bed with the mechanical suit in its place. Once in place what’s left of Neil is lowered into an awaiting opening in the suit. It fits perfectl
y and the energy field dissipates.

  “What’s happening now, Reed?” Bains asks eagerly.

  Reed pauses before answering her.

  “I can’t find the words to accurately describe it. But suffice it to say, Neil, is now a cyborg,” Reed explains.

  After the surgical procedures, Reed and Bains retire for the evening leaving the crew to recover.

  Forty-eight hours later Bains wakes up early and meets Dr. Pierce, Reed and Nyna on the landing bay of the Pyramid. The tip of the Pyramid has been raised from its underwater domain once again. The three of them stand near the edge of the precipice of the landing bay. Bains can feel the breeze blowing off the waves below and hear them crashing up against the Pyramid’s hydraulic supports that separate it from its base. She is anxious to remove her bandages, but waits per Reed’s request.

  “Ok, so I’m here, Reed. Couldn’t this wait until my bandages were removed?

  “Yes, but I thought you’d want your first sight to be one worth remembering,” Reed says stoically.

  Dr. Pierce gently removes the bandages from her eyes. He carefully unwinds the wrapping. She squints from the increasing bright sunlight as it seeps through the gauze with each lifted layer. Bains breaths heavily excited with anticipation.

  “I guess this is it,” she whispers.

  “The moment of truth,” Dr. Pierce adds lifting the last layer of cloth from around her eyes.

  Bains opens her eyes wide allowing herself to view the world around her. At first, she sees blurry bright images. The faint image of a bird flies across her view. Slowly clarity emerges. She is in awe. Before her stands an enormous elevated launch pad surrounded by technicians and flying transport vehicles. The technicians have been busy raising and preparing the launch pad since the crew’s arrival. Dead center in Bains’ view is a humongous vessel with huge letters across it spelling out the ship’s name, “DECIMA.” Underneath the name in smaller lettering is a quote by the ship’s engineers,“We go for the sake of mankind, we’ll return with infinite knowledge.”

  The Decima is an old mining vessel reminiscent of man’s industrial age. It spans three hundred and sixty yards across and about four hundred and fifty yards high. Most of its mass is empty cargo space to house the stockpiles of ore the crew will excavate and fuel tanks. Only a fraction of the ship’s space will accommodate the crew.