by Gary Starta
Fields and Barker had often been under the scrutinizing eye of the captain for engaging in extraneous conversation during their shifts together. The two officers had minimal assignments to tend to during the voyage as their real work would begin on the planet.
Barker was chosen for the mission to employ his architectural expertise to design a base. Captain Bennett chose Fields to work alongside the young engineer as the pair were already friends from their stint at the academy. Before the emergency occurred, the two spent the majority of their time working on the technical drafts for the base.
The captain had ordered Fields to see if anything outside the ship could have caused contamination even though this was probably the least likely explanation for Parson’s sickness.
First officer Gibson, who had grown especially fidgety during the past hour, was asked by the captain to check the communication log to gain any further insight into the mysterious circumstances.
Bennett was also interested in keeping track of the time between his transmissions to the doctor. He had to call upon all of his mental discipline not to page the doctor for an update every five minutes.
“Captain, I show something unusual that occurred just within the last half hour,” Gibson reported. “There are two transmission records that have had their content erased—one is from engineering and one is from the medical bay.”
Bennett’s mind felt like it was going to spin out of his head as he slowly rose up from his chair and approached Gibson’s console. The captain took a deep breath before asking his first officer which of the transmissions was placed first.
“The first one came from the medical bay so I assume it was placed by the doctor—unless Parsons has made a miraculous recovery,” Gibson surmised.
“Not very likely,” Bennett said as his face displayed a grimace. “The most likely suspect in engineering would be Sanchez as I doubt Devaney knows how to delete a transmission record. But I don’t want any questioning of either parties at this time. Is that clear?” the captain concluded while scanning the nodding faces of his crew.
The captain took his seat and gazed at a navigational monitor to quell his urge to break quarantine and personally visit sick bay. The captain applauded his resolve as he diligently spent the next fifteen minutes reviewing the ship’s latest automated course adjustment.
However, the silence was soon broken as a painful cry emanated from the mouth of Don Gibson.
“Aahhhh…” “I am having trouble seeing my monitor,” Gibson complained. The other four bridge crew members instinctively jumped to attention fearing the worst. Officer Brown reached for a hypodermic needle as the captain acknowledged her with a nod. Fields and Barker flanked the woozy officer who had his face buried in his hands.
“This can’t be!” Gibson shouted. “Everybody back off from me. I am going to be all right.”
Gibson leaped from his chair to face his crewmates. He soon stumbled as his legs buckled underneath him. As Barker reached to catch him, Gibson swung at him and missed. However, the ill crewman was able to connect a punch into the stomach of security officer Brown. He then grabbed one of Amanda’s legs and knocked her off balance.
Gibson started to run around the perimeter of the bridge trying to reach an exit as the captain trained a weapon on him. The captain had programmed the weapon to disable Gibson with a wave emitter that interrupted the body’s electrolytes and rendered its target unconscious.
Bennett’s discharged his weapon but missed as the first officer slipped. As soon as Gibson regained his footing, Barker dove at him and grabbed his arms. Brown then raced in front of Gibson and injected his arm with a needle containing a sleeping agent. As Gibson slumped to the floor, everybody took a sigh of relief which soon gave way to the horror that they were facing an epidemic.
“Get me the doctor, Tanya,” the captain ordered. As the doctor began to verbally acknowledge his receipt of the transmission, Bennett angrily interrupted him.
“We no longer have to wait to see if this disease is contagious, Doctor. Gibson just contracted the disease in much the same way Parsons did. The quarantine is now official.”
The doctor paused a moment to regain some composure before responding.
“Well, doctor…?” the captain asked waiting for Bernhardt’s diagnosis.
The doctor then readied himself to theorize on the origin of the illness. “Captain, I believe this disease was intentionally given to us through genetic engineering. There is no way a biological disorder could have eluded our detection during our initiation physicals. I am also sure that it was not transmitted through the environment. I believe this disease lied dormant in the host’s cells until it was programmed to wake up, if you will,” the doctor explained.
“You mean somebody literally put a timer on this?” security officer Brown asked.
“Yes,” Bernhardt continued. “The disease came out of its incubation period conveniently when we were right in the middle of our journey. Someone cleverly masked the infected cells so Parsons was able to pass his physical. I believe it was W.A.A. scientists who sabotaged our mission to protest the colonization of . There had been much ethical debate in the medical division about whether Earth should be our final frontier. I believe colonization opponents would opt for this tact as the best way to let the W.A.A. know this was no accident.”
“What is the prognosis for a cure?” the captain asked.
“My recommendation is that we turn this ship around, refuel if necessary at the next space station, and return to Earth. I will probably need at least three months before I can come up with a cure.”
“If we can keep a portion of the crew healthy,” Bennett interjected, “I believe we should maintain our course. What better way is there to respond to terrorism?” the captain asked rhetorically.
The captain’s answer confirmed the worst fears of the doctor who contemplated drastic measures to stop the Tempest from reaching Ceres.
“I would suggest Mr. Gibson be put on the nearest elevator to sick bay although the odds are that we will all contract this contagion. As chief medical officer I do not recommend that we take a chance infecting the atmosphere with whatever this is. The saboteurs may have designed this virus to not only infect us but the planet as well—just in case we did end up reaching it,” the doctor warned.
“Frank, are you saying this virus is fatal?” Bennett asked.
“I do not have a conclusive answer to that as I need more time to analyze the blood sample taken from Parsons. However, since the virus causes side effects such as fever and hallucinations, the likelihood of an infected officer hurting himself or someone else is imminent. The confined setting of this ship makes it an ideal place for a worst case scenario, Captain.”
“Doctor, please get back to your analysis and have an update for me in an hour,” Bennett ordered.
As soon as the transmission ended, Bennett ordered Brown, Fields and Barker to undertake whatever steps were necessary to ensure that the ship reached Ceres in the event he was no longer able to act as captain.
“The doctor’s theories on sabotage have given me cause to consider that he could be part of the conspiracy. He never did show much enthusiasm for this mission,” the Captain told his bridge crew. “We will also have to keep an eye on engineering as we know the doctor deleted a conversation with either Sanchez or Devaney. Amanda, the time may come when I will have to order you to secure engineering by force. Any action to alter the course of this ship will be dealt with severely,” the captain concluded.
“Captain, how will be able to complete the mission’s objectives with possibly only a handful of the crew fit for duty?” Brown questioned.
“The main objective of this mission is to stake a claim to before some other race can,”the captain responded. “That objective is paramount to all other concerns including our return to Earth. We all knew a maiden voyage to a new galaxy could very well mean a one-way trip. However, I am projecting the worst case scenario, people.”
&nb
sp; The next hour passed slowly as the captain awaited an update from Bernhardt. Eventually, a chime went off signaling a call from the doctor and Bennett braced himself for more bad news as the doctor began his report.
“I have no doubt now that this virus was genetically engineered. I believe it was purposely manufactured to be non-fatal as its swelling effect on the brain causes greater havoc than a simple death. You have witnessed the havoc I speak of, captain. The paranoia that results from the virus is a perfect vehicle to create an atmosphere of hostility and mistrust among the crew. I would again request that we abort this mission and return to Earth.”
“We didn’t travel this far to turn tail and run, doctor,” the captain responded. “My decision to continue to Ceres stands.” As the captain spoke, officer Brown started to feel sweat perspire on her forehead.
“I would then request that we send an emergency transmission to Earth and await a decision from the association’s central command,” Bernhardt pleaded.
“A response from central command could and will take months, doctor,” the captain answered. “We may even be placing ourselves under a greater risk by contacting officers who could be a part of the conspiracy.”
“I then have no choice but to relieve you of duty,” Bernhardt stated. “You are jeopardizing the crew’s welfare unnecessarily.”
“Your request can be heard by a judicial committee once we return to Earth, doctor. Anyway, how do you intend to enforce this command change when I will not step down voluntarily?”
“Security officer Brown, please see that Mr. Bennett stands down from his post,” the doctor ordered.
As the doctor and captain waited for the cat and mouse game to play itself out, Brown began to remove a pistol from her holster. However, the bridge crew’s faces were riddled with dismay as the security officer did not give an order for Bennett to stand down. Instead, Brown shot her weapon erratically missing everybody save the captain’s command console.
As a flicker of flames and smoke erupted from the damaged panel, Barker lowered his head and ran towards Brown in attempt to knock the six-foot-three woman off balance. “I’m going to kill you!” “I’m going to kill you, all!” Brown screamed.
The security officer grabbed Barker’s arm at the instant he approached her. Brown twisted Barker’s body so he faced away from her. Using her left arm like a lasso she managed to imprison Barker in a headlock while maintaining a grip on her gun in her right hand. She then bit down on his neck and blood splayed on Barker’s crimson uniform. Barker managed to kick Brown’s right leg out from under her as they both toppled to the floor.
The captain approached the two fallen officers with his pistol trained on both of them. “Get up with your hands over your heads!” Bennett shouted as he turned to face Fields. “Tanya prepare two hypodermic needles.”
“Captain,” Barker pleaded, “I was just trying to stop her.”
“I know that Kevin, but the odds are very good that you will soon become infected with that open wound you’re sporting. I’m sorry but I can’t take any chances.”
The captain then grabbed Brown around the neck while keeping his pistol aimed at Barker. “Tanya, get those needles over here now!” Bennett yelled as he struggled to maintain his grip on Amanda.
Fields approached warily with the needles and appeared to be fighting a battle in her mind whether to inject Brown or the captain with the needle.
“Kevin should not be sedated until his actions warrant it,” Fields argued.
“Follow my orders!” Bennett commanded. “I am not going to spend all of my time on this bridge looking over my shoulder waiting for the inevitable.”
Tanya reluctantly handed over the needle to Bennett who injected Brown first. Fields approached Barker with the other needle as her conscious filled with remorse. “Sorry about this, Kevin,” she said as she plunged the needle into his arm. “It’s all right,” Kevin said as his body’s muscles instantly started to relax. In the next minute, both Brown and Barker were unconscious from the sedative.
“They should both be out for a 24-hour period,” Bennett stated in an obvious attempt to restore calm between himself and Fields. “Tanya, you did the right thing,” he added reassuringly.
A few hours passed in silence as Bennett and Fields fought to regain their composure. The captain recommended they rest while Brown and Barker were subdued from the sedative. The pair both spent the next hour fighting to keep one eye open as sleep finally overtook their bodies. As the captain went into REM, his hand relaxed on his pistol that he preset for lethal fire.
In engineering, Sanchez paced the floor nervously while Devaney stared blankly at his monitor. “You know this could very well be our last mission,” Darlene spoke to break the silence.
“If my gut instincts are correct, we are in for one dismal ending,” she continued. “You know, Sean, it doesn’t have to be that way.”
“What do you mean?” he asked attempting to mask the annoyance in his voice.
“What I mean is that we could be facing a life threatening situation at any moment. We can choose to spend our last minutes scared out of our wits—and don’t use your academy training to pretend you’re not— we could spend it in the throes of pleasure,” Darlene propositioned.
She then swung Devaney’s chair around and pulled him out of it. While planting her lips on his, she reached to open his trousers. Sean quickly gave in to the comfort and started to run his hands up and down her body. As the kisses became longer and longer, Darlene freed herself from her clothing and climbed on top of the young crewman.
In sick bay, the doctor’s mind raced as to what his next course of action should be as he stared at the unconscious bodies of Parsons and Gibson. The utilization of escape pods would probably prolong lives but offer no solution to reaching a destination as far away as Ceres or Earth. The risk of having Sanchez force a course change could end in disaster as long as the captain was conscious. The was equipped with one shuttle craft,however, it probably would not have enough fuel to reach Earth. There was an unmanned space station located at the beginning of the Andromeda galaxy, however, it was only designed to dock star ships for refueling.
As the doctor narrowed the list of options, only one idea seemed plausible. Just then a communication chime rang causing the doctor to jump from his chair.
The doctor opened an audio channel on his console and heard a female voice speaking in a hushed tone. He could not make out the words and interrupted the speaker. “Sanchez, is that you?” he asked.
“No, this is Tanya,” Engineer Fields corrected him.
“I don’t have much time to speak. There’s been a mutiny on the bridge. However, it’s the captain I am most concerned about,.” Fields detailed how the captain ordered Barker to be sedated without just cause. She also reported how the captain knew about the doctor’s deleted transmission records.
“I suspected as much,” the doctor said, as if speaking to himself. “He is adamant about us laying claim to Ceres, even though I know of no other race being in competition with us. In fact, I would happily send out a distress signal but there are no federation ships out here nor any alien races that I know of.”
“Tanya, please try to remain calm.” “I am working on a plan,” the doctor concluded.
As Tanya spoke into the console she could not see that the captain had started to stir from his slumber. The captain shouted, “Who are you speaking to?” He then fired his weapon without further warning.
The doctor heard the commotion and yelled out, “Tanya…Tanya, are you all right?” The transmission then ended abruptly with Bernhardt fearing the worst.
He now knew he must employ the plan he was dreading. Bernhardt quickly created a visual file that explained the fate of the crew. The file would then be downloaded into a probe which would be launched from the ship and sent to Earth.
As Captain Bennett stood over the body of Fields, he punched his communication pad to contact officer Fortier who had remained confin
ed to the ship’s kitchen.
Bennett rattled off his orders to Jacques without stopping to hear if the crewman understood him. “I want you to ready the shuttle craft for launch. Transfer some fuel of the Tempest into it if you have to. We must have another option ready to reach Ceres and you may be our best chance, ensign. If you encounter any opposition from Sanchez, Devaney or the doctor, I want you to use deadly force. Program the shuttle to auto launch with or without me in half an hour. Captain, out.” “Fortier stood in disbelief for a moment as the transmission ended. He then willed himself to begin his task.
Back in sick bay, the doctor finalized his message to Earth with a personal recording to his wife and daughter. “Please know I love you will all my heart,” the doctor said as he finally let emotion overtake him. A flood of tears filled his eyes as he sobbed openly. Bernhardt pressed the button to launch the probe that would reach Earth in approximately two months.
As the doctor turned away from his computer, he noticed crewman Parsons was missing. His first reaction was to go in search of him, but he reasoned that action would be pointless since his next task would end all life on the ship anyway…
As Fortier raced to reach the shuttle craft in the ship’s launch bay on deck one, he remembered he had left his weapon in the mess hall on deck five. He decided not to turn back to get it, as he could not picture any of the crew taking hostile action against him. Besides, Fortier had already programmed the shuttle to auto launch from a remote panel on deck four and the anxious crewman did not want to waste another precious minute.
Rounding a corner on deck three, Fortier fell hard to the floor as crewman Parsons jumped out in front of him. With a crazy look in his eye, Parsons leaped on top of Fortier and began strangling the ensign.
In the medical bay, Doctor Bernhardt placed his hand on the computer screen so the system could recognize him. He commanded the computer to commence the auto destruction sequence in ten minutes.
The doctor knew that the captain would be aware that the destruction sequence was initiated, so he readied an anesthetic gas to flood the bridge.