Harvest End

by Max Dane

  He tried to think of something to say, any way at all to reason with her. But Micha’s insistence that he hurry left no time for such things. He pulled her close and hugged her fiercely. “You’re a good friend, Dr. Nash.”

  “Be careful, Julian.”

  Nodding, he turned and grabbed the biggest data drive he owned. Running to the records storage hall, he thought, ‘I hope you’re right, Shea. I surely hope you are.’

  Near the jump point a small support craft left formation and inched its way out, moving well in front of the Ajax. Being this close to the jump point meant you had to take extra care not to make mistakes.

  The pilot watched the coordinates and very carefully took up position.

  He would hate to have to explain to the Commander why he accidentally took a ride through the jump. Looking ahead, he couldn’t see it yet, but his scanner said there was a shuttle on approach from the science ship. Minutes passed and slowly the shuttle flew into position just ahead.

  “Commander, I read the shuttle closing to position.”

  “Very good, Mr. Blair, get ready to bring him in.”

  As he watched the shuttle bay door opened and a tiny figure was propelled out and away. Quickly, he closed within firing range and launched a tack-cable with a magnetic grapple. The shot was true, and within seconds he was pulling the man inside.

  “I’ve got him, Commander; we’re moving out of the way now.”

  The support craft veered up and behind the Ajax, returning to the formation by the jump.

  Shivering in the airlock, Julian said, “It’s a little cold out here; can I come inside now?”

  “Not yet sir, you might want to cover your eyes.”

  On the deck of the Ajax, Commander Alwin ordered the main batteries to fire. Pulsing lasers covered the distance instantly, silently destroying the shuttle and sending the contaminated debris back away from the Ajax.

  “Mission complete, Mr. Blair. Purge the suit and transmit his data to us as quickly as you can.”

  “Yes, Commander. Blair out.” He got out of the cockpit and walked back to the airlock. “You need to remove your environmental suit and place it in the plastic container next to you. I have a jumpsuit for you inside.”

  “Yes, of course. Was that my shuttle that just exploded?” Julian began to take his helmet off; it was cramped in there, but he could just make it.

  “Yes sir, I believe it was.”

  ‘Dr. Layton is going to be pretty hot about this when he finds out.’

  From the bridge of the Ajax, the exploding shuttle was greeted with a sigh of relief. Finn had Julian and the data from the investigation; now, there was only one more thing to do before they left.

  “Commander, how did the diagnostics come out on the kites?”

  “Every one is green, Sir. They appear to be clean.”

  “Excellent; finally, some good news.”

  “Lieutenant Banton, please try to get Dr. Layton on the screen for me.” He waved to Micha, “I’m going to give him one last chance to come with us. In the meantime begin sending the kites through. Once on the far side, have them take up formation a safe distance from the jump. For the time being, we will continue to treat them as clean, and the Ajax as dirty. I want them with us, far enough away to remain safe.”

  “How far is ‘safe’, Captain?”

  “That’s the problem isn’t it; we don’t know,” he winced, “take your best guess, Micha.”

  Suddenly, the main screen erupted in static.

  “Lieutenant?”

  “It’s not us, Captain. It’s the science ship.”

  After a moment, the picture cleared revealing Dr. Layton glaring back at them.

  He looked angry, very angry.

  “-aptain Holt, I am going to –ring –ou up on charges the second we –eturn.”

  “Dr. Layton, you’re breaking up; we can barely understand you. I want to request once more that you return with us. There may still be time to rescue you and your crew. Come doctor, you must see reason.”

  “I will not be –ntimidated by you or your –ig ship. We have –ot –inished our investi –ation, and we –re –ot –eaving.”

  Micha looked up from her station and quickly said, “Captain, I show oxygen venting from their port side. It can only mean-”

  The screen returned to static, and then quickly back to the outside view. For a second Dr. Layton’s ship looked fine, but then explosive decompression ripped an ugly gash along the hull, pushing it onto its side and sending it drifting towards the planet.

  “Commander, I don’t want to be here when that thing explodes. Get us into position.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Finn sat back in his chair. He had tried; there was nothing left to do here. Any judgment of his actions would be based on the ship’s log. Short of commandeering the science vessel there was no way of bringing it back. His heart went out to their crew.

  “Commander, take us through.”

  Chapter 5

  “It is madness to attempt to hold. In the first place the troops cannot do it and in the second place if they do not retreat they will be destroyed. I repeat that this order be rescinded or that you find someone else.”

  - Gerd von Rundstedt

  After a short range scan of the nearby space, Commander Alwin announced, “Captain, the Ajax is in the Sabik system, and the kites are holding position twenty kilometers off our port side.”

  Relieved to be free of the nightmare unraveling at Madras, Finn said, “Mr. Keating, hold position, and begin a long range scan for all activity in this system.”

  “Commander, Get Dr. Stiles up here.” If Alex was right, this colony would be in the same condition as Madras. Finn desperately wanted to prove him wrong.

  “Lieutenant Banton, hail the port authority in New Dublin. Let’s find out what’s going on here.” Moments passed, and Finn’s heart began to sink as hail after hail went unanswered. Alex arrived on the bridge, nodded to the captain and stood quietly to the side. Like the rest of the bridge crew, he was hoping to hear that single voice that would respond, dispelling the notion of a colony-wide disaster. But it didn’t come.

  Restless and anxious, Finn snapped, “Let me try.”

  Lieutenant Banton nodded, touched the control panel, and pointed at Finn.

  “Attention, New Dublin, my name is Finn Holt, Captain of the Earth Fleet destroyer, the Ajax. We want to speak with anyone from New Dublin. If anyone can hear this transmission, anyone on the planet or in the system, please respond.”

  There was no sound on the bridge; everything stopped as they waited and hoped.

  But only silence answered him.

  “I’m sorry, Captain, no one is responding,” said Banton. “There don’t seem to be any electronic communications from within New Dublin. There’s no noise at all; it’s completely silent.”

  Finn turned to the pilot, “Mr. Keating, how about that long range scan, have you found any traffic around the planet?”

  “No, sir, not around the planet and not in the system. We’re alone.”

  “Commander, what was the last census of New Dublin?”

  Alex stepped forward and carefully recited the number, “Three hundred and twelve thousand, seven hundred and sixty-two.”

  Finn slumped in his chair.

  In a somber voice Alex added, “I looked it up in the medical bay before we got here. I’m sorry, Captain.”

  The magnitude of the disaster was becoming clear. First twenty thousand at Madras and now very likely fifteen times that at New Dublin. “Alex, you believe that this disaster, this ‘scourge’, has equally affected every colony from here to the Lester colony at Deneb. Is that right?”

  Alex stepped forward to stand next to the captain’s station. Making silent eye-contact with Finn, he nodded.

  Finn swiveled around to address the crew, “If we proceed along Orion’s arm to test Alex’s story, we run the risk of further exposing the Ajax to the nanotech organisms.”

 
; Micha added, “Captain, it seems likely the ship has already been exposed and is deteriorating around us right now. We could find ourselves at Deneb unable to make the jumps back.”

  “I agree, Commander; instead, I’m taking us back into the inner systems where we will exercise caution and take extreme care to not spread the nanotech organisms any further. Our top priority now is to alert the League of Worlds to what happened here. But before we leave, I want a complete scan of New Dublin. I want proof that the disaster at Madras is spreading; I have a feeling we’re going to need it, when we get back home.”

  Alex said, “Finn, I reviewed Julian’s data. He was able to prove the organisms had formed a cloud around the planet and were drifting off into space. It would be dangerous to send the ship in too close to that cloud.”

  “Mr. Keating, how close would the Ajax have to be to perform the scan?”

  Keating answered, “If we use the Ajax, we’ll need to get to a low orbit position and hold it for almost ten minutes.”

  Micha said, “How about sending one kite? We can conduct the scan from here using the kite’s sensors to transmit the data back to us. Afterwards, the pilot can bail and we ditch the ship here.”

  Finn nodded at her, “Very good, Micha, contact the kites and ask for a volunteer.”

  Micha moved to the communications officer and prepared a message to send to the kites.

  Finn leaned close to Alex, and using a low voice said, “Alex, compare the Ajax to the Juliet. How much time to you think we have before we lose control of the major systems?”

  “The Juliet was saturated with the scourge when it set down on Madras. Even so, it took about two weeks for it to reach the tipping point.”

  “The tipping point?”

  “I believe the organisms will multiply exponentially as long as there is appropriate matter present. Because of this, the fact that your ship is bigger will not impact this process. Their combined effect will eventually reach an event horizon, or a tipping point when the major systems will unilaterally fail. After that point, everything dies. Your diagnostics revealed minor system failures ship-wide, indicative of a growing number of organisms. I estimate you have maybe one week before the Ajax is lost. Use your time well, Captain.”

  Finn leaned back, “You know, Alex, you haven’t had anything good to say since I met you.”

  Alex smiled, “Give me time, Captain Holt, I’ll think of something.”

  “Captain,” said Micha, “Julian is still on the kite that rescued him. He says that he can configure the scanners on his kite to see the nanotech cloud. He wants to help.”

  “Put him on the comm.”

  Banton quickly adjusted her controls and said, “Captain, he can hear you now.”

  “Julian, this is Captain Holt. The Commander says that you can adjust the sensors on your kite to ‘see’ the cloud. Is that right?”

  “Yes, sir; with some adjustments, I believe we can safely maneuver close enough to conduct the scan of New Dublin.”

  “Can you modify the sensors on the Ajax?”

  “Yes, sir, probably, but not from here. I would need to be on board.”

  “The problem, Julian, is that the Ajax may be compromised, and I don’t want to risk contaminating the kites. They must not return to the Ajax.”

  “Yes, sir, I understand.”

  He looked from Micha to Alex and shrugged. “Very well, Julian, please proceed.”

  “Okay, I need about an hour to complete the adjustments, and we should be good to go.”

  Finn leaned back in the big command chair and let out a long sigh, “If anyone has anything they need to do, apparently we have some time.” He turned to Alex, “Well doctor, someone seems to have good news.”

  Alex smiled.

  An hour later, the Kite was closing on New Dublin.

  “Captain, we have the sensor information from Julian’s Kite on screen.”

  Finn could see a transparent, blue mass emanating from the planet and undulating like smoke out into space, forming a long trail out to some distant point.

  Alex, taking position next to Finn again said, “Can Julian hear us?”

  Lieutenant Banton nodded. “Yes, I can hear you.”

  “Julian, my name is Dr. Alex Stiles, the former science advisor of the Juliet. I wanted to ask you what it is we’re seeing exactly.”

  “It’s good to meet you, Dr. Stiles; I’ve modified the kite’s sensors to search for trace amounts of rare elements and display them based on spatial displacement. I believe the nanotech organisms are stealing heavy metals and other rare elements. Instead of looking for the organisms, I’m looking for the atoms they’ve stolen.”

  Alex smiled he was impressed, “Well done, Dr. Yates, very well done.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Stiles, I believe we have reached a safe orbital position to begin the colony scan. Prepare to start receiving the scan data.”

  Within seconds the screen became flooded with data moving rapidly down in several columns. Finn said, “Alex, the cloud appeared to be moving away from the planet; does that make sense?”

  “Julian believes the organisms are stealing atoms from rare elements. Perhaps what we’re witnessing is them taking the atoms to someplace outside the system.”

  “Or someone,” said Finn. Maybe this was a weapon after all, some dissident scientist stealing resources without any care for the welfare of League colonies.

  Finally the numbers stopped scrolling, and Julian said, “Okay, Captain, we’re done here. I think the scan is complete.”

  “Thank you, Julian, well done.”

  “Captain, if you don’t mind, I should very much like to begin work deriving a model based on Julian’s data.”

  “Thank you, Alex, please proceed; Commander Alwin can show you to a workstation.”

  Walking to the door, Micha said, “Right this way, Dr. Stiles.”

  Turning back to navigation, Finn said, “Mr. Eton, chart us a course to the jump point to New Brazil, in the Canis Major system, and please stay far away from New Dublin. Mr. Keating, get us out of here.”

  The hum of the main drive revved up audibly as the Ajax picked up speed. Within moments they were racing across the system to the next jump. Help was waiting for them on the other side, and Finn still had hope that the shipyards in the inner systems might be able to sterilize the Ajax and save his ship.

  But they had to hurry.

  The trek through the Sabik system gave the crew time to rest, and Finn was glad for it. They had been in a non-stop, battle-ready state during their entire stay at Madras, and even the best crews needed to relax. Alone now in the glass encased bubble high at the top of the Ajax, he reclined his chair as far as it would go and watched the stars passing overhead.

  “Computer, please dim the lights to twenty percent.”

  It wasn’t long before the peace was broken; footsteps were approaching from down the hall. His respite passed too quickly, and he was left to wonder what new crisis Micah was going to bring him. From behind his chair, the steps stopped at the door, waiting.

  “Yes, Micha, what’s up?”

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Finn. I couldn’t sleep, and I thought you might be the same.” Finn jumped, surprised when the voice that answered was decidedly not hers.

  “I wasn’t expecting you, Doctor, please come in; have a seat if you like.”

  Physically, Alex was still recovering from his ordeal on the maintenance vessel, and with shaky steps he carefully made his way around Finn to a chair next to him.

  “This is beautiful, Finn.”

  “Yes, it is, Doctor. In the old days, this would have been the wheelhouse of the ship. The pilot would have steered from here. But now, with everything integrated into the bridge these don’t really have a purpose any longer. When I first took command of the Ajax, I didn’t even know it was here.” He sighed and closed his eyes, “I come here when I can, but it seems less frequent these days. ”

  “You’re right, Doctor, I can’t sleep
. This mission has gone terribly awry. Janos Layton is dead, along with his ship and crew, and the Ajax, my ship, is contaminated with something that is eating it alive. When we get back, there’ll be an inquiry, questions about my decisions, and scrutiny of my actions. When the dust settles, I imagine I’ll be lucky to still have my rank. Oh yes, and apparently there is a plague of some sort destroying whole worlds out there.” His frustration peaking, Finn raised up and turned to Alex, “Am I leaving anything out?”

  When Alex didn’t answer, Finn fell back against the chair. “I’m sorry, Alex, this escort mission turned out to be more than I expected.”

  “The ship’s log and first-hand accounts should paint a pretty clear picture, Finn. Janos Layton was a self-important egotist, more interested in making scientific history than safeguarding the lives under his command. He killed his ship and crew, not you.”

  “I think you underestimate the politics back home, Alex. My father was a captain as well; I grew up aware of the competing interests always at play around him. I could very well lose my command as a result of the struggle between the Science Council and Fleet Headquarters.”

  “They’ll need you, Finn. Despite what they might want to do, they’ll need the Captain that made it back with the data and the knowledge of what’s happening out here.”

  “I hope you’re right, Doctor.”

  Finn began to relax again, watching the stars overhead. “And what’s your plan, Alex? What are you going to do when we get back?”