Virtual

by S A Pavli

  “Orbit achieved,” said Alden. “We are thirty miles approximately from the other ship.”

  “Nice work Alden,” said Mark. Melanie rather thought that thirty miles was a long way but she was sure that there was a very good reason why they had not achieved orbit closer to the mysterious ship and decided not to reveal her ignorance by asking. “Calculate a vector to take us within eyeball distance. Standard orbital manoeuvring speed,” finished Mark.

  “Mark, excuse me, this is important,” said Alden suddenly. Melanie sat up quickly, her guts suddenly twisting queasily. “I am carrying out further scans,” continued the computer.

  “Alden, what is it? Do we have a problem with the ship?” asked Mark, his voice tense with concern.

  “No, nothing wrong with the ship,” replied Alden. Mark knew better than to rush Alden. The computer was doubtless carrying out thousands of operations in the few seconds that they waited for it to speak.

  “I have detected structures on the surface of the moon, directly beneath the orbiting ship. They are clearly artificial.”

  Chapter 9

  For a few moments Melanie felt nothing but bemusement. Artificial structures on the surface of the moon? What sort of structures? How did they get there? And then the thought hit home; As far as they knew, no human had ever visited this system before. Her next thought was pre-empted by Alden.

  “I am displaying them on the main screen.” The picture that appeared was fuzzy and indistinct, but showed what were clearly artificial structures. The main building was a huge circular dome, with a number of much smaller domes around it.. It was the Major who broke the stunned silence.

  “It looks just like Moon Base.” And then added, “It’s huge.”

  “Yes,” agreed Mark. “It must have taken years to build this. Someone has been keeping this a big secret. Perhaps that is why they are not answering our hails.” Melanie was startled by the Captain’s certainty that this was a human construction, and suddenly, her thoughts of aliens seemed childish. If there were aliens capable of building this she chided herself, surely we would have come across them by now.

  “Captain, I don’t believe that,” said Josephine. Mark looked at his chief engineer enquiringly. “Those buildings don’t look human.” Melanie’s heart jumped.

  “What makes you think that?” asked Mark, looking from Josephine back to the screen.

  “Too big,” said Jo tersely. “Look at the scale markings.” Along the sides of the screen was inscribed a scale. Melanie could not make sense of it because she did not understand the markings but Mark clearly did understand them because after a close examination he let out a loud exhalation of disbelief.

  “Damn. The main building is two hundred feet high.”

  “And half a mile in diameter,” added Jo.

  “Bloody hell,” exclaimed the Major. “Why would anyone build anything that big on an arid moon?”

  “Never mind why,” said Melanie. “The burning question is…who?” There was silence as they all digested the shocking news.

  “Alden are there any signs of life?” asked Melanie after a long thoughtful silence.

  “Can you be more specific Melanie?” asked Alden.

  “Well…vehicles moving around, people, lights. That sort of thing.”

  “A big sign saying this way to the sales,” added the Major helpfully.

  “There is no sign of anything moving, or any lights” said Alden. “But there could be stationary vehicles and other objects, including signs. It is too far to discriminate.”

  It took twenty minutes for the ship to make a rendezvous with the mysterious object in orbit. As they approached closer, Alden displayed pictures continuously of both the orbiting object and the moon base beneath it. As they became clearer, they counted five smaller domes around the larger one. The smaller buildings were substantial structures themselves, fully one hundred metres high and two to three hundred in diameter. It was Josephine’s keen engineer’s eyes that first detected the damage.

  “That dome,” she manoeuvred the screen pointer to one of the domes. “It has a hole.” And then she spotted another and pointed to that as well. “These buildings don’t look new Captain.” she said. “Look at the dust piled up around them. It’s fully ten metres high. And the ridges here. You can see the dust piled up on every flat surface.”

  “They may not be very house proud aliens,” muttered the Major, and was ignored.

  “Captain, I have some information on the orbital starship,” interrupted Alden.

  “Go on Alden,” said Mark.

  “It is the Centaur class Chameleon, out of Adelphi. The ID marks are now visible.”

  “Major is that known to you?” asked Mark. The Major kept his face straight as he answered.

  “Er…no Captain. I haven’t come across her.”

  “Do we know the owners Alden?” asked Melanie.

  “My database does not contain that information,” replied Alden.

  “Josephine, break out the EE robot. We’ll send it across for a closer look,” said Mark.

  “What can the robot see that we can’t Captain?” asked Melanie. “We are right on top of it.”

  “The EE robot is equipped with heat and contact sensors,” said Mark. “We can determine the internal temperature of the ship, whether its life support systems are functioning and whether there is anything moving inside.” Melanie nodded her understanding as Josephine stood to leave the Bridge.

  “Major, can you prepare yourself and Jimmy for a space walk. We may need you to break into the ship.”

  “Shall we suit up Captain?” asked the Major, standing to leave.

  “Not yet, just get your kit ready. Lets see what we learn from the EE robot.” As the Major left, Melanie turned to the Captain.

  “How can they break into the ship?” she asked.

  “Ah, it’s just an expression,” he said, turning to her with a smile. Nice grey eyes, she mused, and a cute dimple on his right cheek when he smiles. “All ships are equipped with one airlock which can be opened manually from the outside. We don’t have to use an axe or anything like that.” She cleared her throat and smiled back.

  “Oh. That sounds sensible.”

  “We’ve got a while before Jo sends the EE robot on its way. Fancy a coffee?” asked Mark.

  “Mmm, sounds good,” said Melanie standing. They faced each other awkwardly in the narrow space of the Bridge, and Mark waved her towards the door.

  “Ladies first,” he smiled.

  “It’s not good form on Adelphi,” said Melanie as she turned to leave. He looked enquiringly at her. “To say ladies first,” she explained. We don’t want any favours from men.”

  “Ah well, I am not a man. I am the Captain. Old fashioned chivalry is expected,” he explained.

  “Expected by whom?” she asked mockingly, but with a smile. He chuckled in response.

  “By my first class passengers of course. All these rich old ladies love to be buttered up.”

  “Ah yes of course. The rich old ladies. I’d forgotten the rich old ladies,” she responded. “Yes, I can see you as the Captain of a passenger liner. The Captain’s table, cocktail parties, widows throwing themselves at you.”

  “You paint an enticing picture,” he responded. “Can’t wait.” Their banter seemed to have gone too far because both of them suddenly dried up and an awkward silence descended as they made their way to the lounge.

  “To….er, change the subject Melanie,” began Mark, waving her to a seat and preparing two coffee cups. “Tell me about yourself. You didn’t want to go into the family business?”

  “Business leaves me cold,” she said. “Big disappointment for dad, but I always wanted to be a scientist.”

  “Pretty impressive individual, your dad. If it’s not a painful subject, what happened to mum?” asked Mark, as he brought the coffees to the table.

  “Oh she’s around, doing her own thing,” said Melanie. “Their orbits intersect occasionally. Their inter
ests are different. Mum is an actress. Her friends are artists, musicians….not really dad’s scene.”

  “Do you look like your mother?” he asked. She looked at him quizzically.

  “Why do you ask?” Her gaze was direct and disconcerting. He tried to look casually unconcerned.

  “You are…er, very…well, you have the looks to be an actress…” She gave him a doubtful look.

  “I am not sure what that means,” she said.

  “You shouldn’t try to interpret everything literally,” he chided. “It was a complement.”

  “Sorry, it’s the scientist in me,” she said.

  “No, it’s not the scientist in you,” he said with a slightly mocking smile. “You’re just bloody minded.” She gave a snort of laughter.

  “A complement with one hand, and an insult with the other,” she murmured. “I really don’t know what to think Captain.”

  “I think you always know what to think miss Carstairs,” he replied.

  “So, you have me fully sized up then? I am a bloody minded and opinionated little rich girl?”

  “You forgot intelligent, beautiful and fascinating,” he retorted, attempting a gallant bow.

  “You have the damnest way of giving a girl a complement Captain Alexander,” she said, dark eyes twinkling and a tiny smile creasing the corners of her full lips.

  “Well, it is a tricky business, giving a modern woman a complement,” he said.

  “Mmm, so you balance it with an insult? Perhaps if the complement was honest…?” she left the sentence unfinished, giving him an inquiring look.

  “Absolutely honest. I am the captain of a starship. You can trust me…” he said, with an exaggerated look of deep sincerity. There was a comfortable silence between them for a few moments as they drank their coffee. Melanie felt a warmth spreading over her cheeks and a sense of mortification struggled with something else inside her. God I’m blushing she thought. What a schoolgirl Mark meanwhile was cultivating an air of casual detachment and looking everywhere but at her.

  “Um…this is quite something we’ve stumbled into,” he said, eventually.

  “God yes, real aliens. It’s incredible.”

  “Looks that way,” he agreed. “Can’t see those buildings being human. But no aliens; the buildings look old and abandoned. No activity anywhere.”

  “What could have happened to them?” asked Melanie.

  “Only a huge civilization could build something like that. They must be from this planet.”

  “Yes, almost certainly,” said Mark. “But there are no signs of civilization…” He paused for a few moments and the obvious occurred to both of them at the same time.

  “How old…?” began Melanie.

  “Yes,” agreed Mark. “How long would it take to eradicate all signs of an advanced civilisation from a planet?” Melanie looked animated.

  “Do you know, I think we can work that out,” she exclaimed. “We need to do some survey work though.”

  “Land on the planet you mean?” he asked.

  “Yes. Take core samples that sort of thing. Walters is the man, we should talk to him.”

  “I can see how you love science,” he grinned. “The excitement has given quite a flush to your cheeks.” She looked confused for a moment, then with a last swig of her coffee she stood to leave.

  “I’ll go and find Walters now,” she said. She turned back to him briefly and favoured him with a dimpled smile before bustling out.

  Mark finished his coffee slowly, not wanting to lose the moment, and the memory of that last smile.

  Chapter 10

  Josephine clicked a button to enlarge the image she was receiving from the EE robot. The Chameleon filled the screen. The robot was approaching the ship from the top, and Josephine zoomed in to one of the windows into the Bridge. Next to her, Mark and Andy were focusing intently on the image from the robot. In the ‘science room’, the same image was being displayed on the large wall screen, and every member of the expedition was present. The robot approached the window and the image filled the screen. There was no sign of movement inside the ship. The EE robot stopped centimetres from the hull, and Jo adjusted the camera lens. The Bridge of the Chameleon was clearly visible, and clearly empty.

  “Can we see any of the Bridge displays?” asked Andy.

  “Some of the engineering displays at the back may be visible,” said Jo. She continued adjusting the controls and gradually, the scene focused on a bank of instruments. Lights were clearly on and one of the screens was visible. Jo zoomed in and adjusted the focus until the screen in question was clearly displayed.

  “Engineering information,” she said. “It’s the main status screen…” She squinted at the figures, trying to enlarge them and steady the focus.

  “Power and Life support is on and nominal,” she said triumphantly.

  “Well done Jo,” said Mark. Her words were being transmitted to the science room, and there was a rustle of comments.

  “That’s the good news,” she said. “The bad news…ship’s AI is off line.”

  “Take the EE robot round the ship and let’s have a look through the other windows,” said Mark. Jo nodded.

  In the science room, Leslie turned to the Major.

  “What can cause an AI to go off line?” she asked. The Major shook his head.

  “It’s very unusual,” he said. “I’ve never come across it before. All power supplies to the AI are triplicated as are the environmental controls.”

  “Could the brain itself develop a problem?” she asked. He again looked doubtful.

  “Of course. But there are backups and secondary processors that take over.”

  They watched the pictures from the EE robot with increasing tension, as window after window was peered through without result.

  “I feel like a peeping tom,” said Leslie.

  “Yes, very voyeur-ish,” agreed Walters.

  “I’m getting excited already,” said Jimmy Petrov.

  “Steady on lad,” growled the Major, to relieved chuckles. There was a crackle from the intercom and the Captain’s voice came through.

  “Major, get your team suited up for an EVA. I think we’ve found out all we are going to from the EE robot.”

  “Yes Captain. On our way,” said the Major. “Come on Jimmy, we’re going on a little trip.”

  As they made their way out of the cabin, the Major was trying hard to suppress the feelings of guilt that had been harassing him since the discovery of the defunct Chameleon. He kept telling himself that the condition of the ship and its crew were not his fault, but an inner voice reminded him that without his duplicity, the Chameleon would not be here. Perhaps there is a simple explanation he assured himself as they began to suit up.

  “Hey Major, what the hell do you think is going on over there?” asked Jimmy as he struggled with his suit. Spacesuits were not the bulky clumsy monstrosities of the past, but, although comfortable and flexible once you were in, they were still a struggle to get into. The Major helped Jimmy to put on a recalcitrant boot before answering.

  “A starship can kill you in a hundred different ways Jimmy. Whatever happened, it seems to have killed or disabled the whole crew and the ship’s AI. Let’s take this…very carefully.” The Major gave Jimmy a sober look. Jimmy nodded.

  “Gotcha. Uh…Major?” Jimmy paused while doing up a zipper. “Should we take arms?” It was not a question that the Major had considered and he paused for a few seconds. Jimmy continued talking.

  “I mean….say one of the crew went mad and killed the others then sabotaged the AI?”

  “Kee-rist jimmy, you’ve got an imagination,” exclaimed the Major, but he frowned thoughtfully. “An electric stun gun may not be a bad idea,” he added.

  “Should we ask the Captain?” asked Jimmy.

  “Mmm…no, it’s our hide, we will make the decision,” said the Major. “Anyway, I don’t think anyone knows we have them.” They proceeded with their suiting up, concentrating on
checking out their equipment carefully. Final checkout complete the Major went over to their equipment locker and retrieved the two electric stun guns. They were not dissimilar to old fashioned ‘tazers’ but with sophisticated electronics to monitor the victims reaction to the electric stun and to adjust it accordingly. The Major had included them just in case they happened upon a planet with life. Not only did they provide a defence against large predators who may fancy an exotic alien lunch, but they allowed the explorers to capture animals for examination. He gave one to Jimmy, who secreted it in his equipment pouch and the Major did the same, after checking the charge. Preparations complete they made there way to the airlock housing the transit vehicle. They had checked this out earlier and were familiar with its operation, although it would actually be under Alden’s control.

  “Captain, we are ready to go,” announced the Major on the ship’s com, which was patched through to his suit’s com.

  “I see you Major.” The Captain’s voice came back strongly through their intercom. “Turn on your helmet cameras for a check.” The Major nodded to Jimmy and gave him the thumbs up. He returned the traditional gesture of good luck and they both put on their helmets.

  “Helmet on, all suit functions nominal,” reported the Major.

  “Ditto on that Captain,” said Jimmy.

  “Check, we have your video,” said the Captain. “We’ve come up with nothing more from the EE robot. The ship is powered up. Artificial gravity and Life support is working throughout. But keep yourselves fully helmeted until we know what’s happened in there. Give us a continuous running commentary and any sign of trouble, get out.”