by David Byrd
Nix Station
“So the creature is two centimeters long and from what I see of the structures it appears to undulate for movement,” Julia said. “The bio scanners have quantified all of the elements in the tissue sample and the supposition that it’s of alien origin is confirmed. The Paxton scanners identified this marker from a sample returned from the first contact mission to the Telvari system.”
“So if it’s from the Telvari system how could it possibly be here on RanClor IV?” Silvan asked. “There has been no further contact with that species after what happened to the two first contact ships. It’s lucky one made it back at all.”
“Yes I agree it’s a puzzle, but this organism is not native to any Human inhabited world, colony or outpost.” She said. “Alright, let’s suit up and get this thing out of stasis and see how it functions.”
Over the next several hours, Julia and Silvan released the creature from stasis in a maximum security energy field about the size of large desk. The energy field sparkled occasionally with a blue hue but was otherwise clear. They used various tests and a series of organic and inorganic materials placed inside the field to see which ones the creature reacted to. To their surprise the creature exhibited no movement or reaction to any stimulus presented. Julia fed in the human simulacrum cube. Animal testing had been replaced with a simulacrum they called Synthflesh that had all the characteristics of human tissue and blood at normal human temperature. Seconds after the test material was introduced the creature undulated forward directly for the material. Its ringed cartilage allowed it to move somewhat like a snake and it crawled right up the side of the cube and stopped. Imaging of the cube revealed a tiny syringe like appendage striking the material.
“This makes no sense at all,” Julia said. “This creature is alien in origin but it’s definitely attracted to human tissue.”
“Dr. Silvan could you please run that cube through the bio scanners? I think I need to make a report back to Paxton and see if there are any ideas from my colleagues.”
“Of course,” he said. “Why don’t you get some sleep after…we’ve been at it for hours and I’m good for several more until the sample is analyzed? I promise to send the data directly to your display.”
Julia completed all of the decontamination protocols and then retired to her quarters. Inside she keyed her display to Paxton. After a few seconds the display responded that off world communication was temporarily unavailable. Tired from the long day she sent a message to Nash to see if he would meet her tomorrow at the StarSeeker and then she went to bed.
“Anyone home,” Julia yelled from the cargo bay.
“In here Julia,” Nash yelled from deep inside.
As Julia walked further into the bay Nash realized he had missed her over the last few days.
Nash looked up to see Julia in one of Zara’s tailored black ship suits and flat footwear. Her hair was now down and loose and seemed to be more of a blond brown natural color.
“Well Dr. Danforth,” Nash said. “I thought you would be holed up in the lab of yours.”
“It’s Julia remember…and that’s one reason I needed to talk to someone I trust,” she said with a worried look. Nash could see that she was anxious but covering.
“Well I owe you an apology for the other day anyway so what do you say we go to the galley and I’ll buy you a cup of coffee?” He asked.
“Why Captain Nash, are you always so friendly with visitors?”
“Well not all visitors but I’ll make an exception for a talented doctor.” He said.
Nash poured two cups of coffee and they sat at a small table in the empty galley.
Sipping the mug Julia savored the smooth taste of the beverage. Shipboard coffee was usually artificial but this was the real thing and very good quality.
“Mmmm, I may need another cup,” She said. “Where did you get this?”
“Well one thing a crew needs is to be alert and awake at awkward moments and sometimes the comforts of home are needed when you are away for so long.” Nash said.
“So I take it that you don’t visit Earth often. Jevin and Zara told me about your supply missions. Was that because of the war?” She asked.
The lines around Nash’s eyes tightened a bit and she could read the tension in his face but after a moment he relaxed.
“Yes that’s part of it,” he said. “The war took a toll on everyone and we try to give back something for being a part of that. We know it’s not much but it’s the right thing to do.”
Julia stared at Nash and could see the passion in his brown eyes for the mission and found herself getting lost for a moment. She had never met anyone quite like Nash or for that matter Jevin and Zara. They all radiated this quiet sureness and confidence. She had no doubt that they would lay down their lives for one another. The men she usually dated on Earth were usually after one of a few things. Power, social climbing or sexual conquest. Nash on the other hand was confident, self-assured and she found him ruggedly handsom. The small scars made him more attractive she thought.
“Jevin said you were hit with a piece of machinery,” she said. “What about the scar on your chin? Was that from playing a sport or from the war also?”
Nash sighed and stared deep into Julia’s artificially blue eyes trying to decide how much of his guard to let down. He could see that she was asking honestly and without motive.
“You know that we were in a military unit,” he started. “I was the squad leader of an elite unit to infiltrate forward positions. Jevin was my electronics warfare expert and Zara, well you’ve seen how she moves. She is an expert in martial arts and deadly at hand to hand combat. We were reinforced with a new commander straight out of officer training. He was rich, spoiled and out to make a name for himself doing a little combat role and then going into politics. Well the operation we were on we encountered a group of civilian hostages. The enemy was dug in and they were cutting us down when we discovered the hostages. Men, women and children all wired with remote explosives. So I reported to my new commanding officer and recommended a negotiator for the hostages. He refused. He actually relieved me of command and ordered my unit to attack. Half the group died in the first five minutes.
“Oh my god,” Julia said. “What did you do?”
“The only thing I could,” he said. “I…um…broke his jaw and in the fight his pulse rifle clipped my chin. I ordered a full retreat and pulled what was left of my unit out of there. Jevin and Zara were two of the five left alive. I was arrested and would have faced court martial and possible firing squad if not for video clips of the hostages wired for detonation that somehow made it to the Earth info net. I’m sure I have Jevin to thank for that but it’s not something we’ve ever spoken about. Also due to the publicity, the service had no choice but to discharge us with merit and hope to white wash as much of the situation as possible.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Julia said. “I’ve never been in war but I have been in life and death situations and I’ve lost people too. I can’t imagine what it was like for you though. So whatever happened to that commander?”
“Well he succeeded in getting more troops killed and some non-combatants also. He was busted out of the service and his political career was ruined.”
Nash and Julia talked on for a long time on varying subjects losing track of time.
“Oh my…the reason I wanted to see you...well one of the reasons is that I can’t send any communications back to the company,” Julia said. “From the bio lab, the computers are telling me that they can’t connect. So I thought with your help maybe I could send a message from your ship.”
Nash mulled the situation over thoughtfully for a few seconds. First the ambush at Midway Station, and then the warning and attempt to shoot them down in space. Now the station’s main comm is unable to send a message.
“Sure…but let’s have Jev see what he can find out about the station array first,” Nash said. “There’s been too many coincidences lately and I don�
��t like the way things are shaping up. Jev and Zara will be back in a few hours, I’ll ping your personal terminal after he takes a look.”
“Then I’d better be getting back to work,” she said rising from the table. “And I enjoyed our conversation and the coffee very much Captain Nash.”
“Just…Nash remember,” he said smiling. “And I’d like you to come back for another mug whenever you have the time of course. I know your job is urgent.”
“I’d very much like that…Nash,” Julia said smiling as she strode away from the galley and headed out of the ship she could feel her cheeks warming and she was already anxious to see Nash again.
Not long after Julia left the ship, Zara and Jevin returned with necessary supplies, electronic replacement parts and a few special provisions. They found Nash still sitting in the galley with a fresh mug of coffee.
“Ummmm…is that Azure Mountain I smell?” Zara asked. “What’s the occasion?”
“No occasion, can’t a man enjoy a good mug now and then,” Nash said casually.
“Well Cap, do you always have your rare special coffee with two mugs?” Julia asked intentionally pushing his buttons.
“Alright look…Julia was here and…” Nash started.
“Oh…I see now…Julia was here,” Zara said with mock seriousness. “And I suppose you two were discussing cell membrane permeability in biological organism’s right?”
Jevin began laughing in fits and Zara couldn’t hold out any longer and broke character.
Nash shook his head smiling. “You got me, guilty. So the good doctor is having trouble with outbound comms traffic from her bio lab. I’m not sure if the problem is with the station or…”
“Or…interference from our friends from Midway station.” Jevin said. “Well I was able to insert a couple of Trojan hacks using a contractor terminal so I’ll see what it has to say about the station’s systems.”
Chapter 10
Havelock Research Center – Telvari Space
The Havelock Research Center named after the first explorer to find the planetoid it was on, Thomas Havelock, was for all intents and purposes a deep space research base. That at least was the outward persona should anyone be unlucky enough to stumble upon it. Great expense had ensured that the installation was not on any chart, navigation array or for that matter known to anyone outside the base and a few individuals on Earth. In reality the multi-dome complex inside the shell of the planetoid carried out top secret military and civilian contractor experiments. In essence a “black operation” off the books. The planetoid was once a very tiny planet orbiting a larger inhospitable one but had been bombarded sometime in the past by large meteors gouging out large deep holes in the surface. These areas were large enough to fly into and build a facility sheltered from electronic spillover by the surrounding rock and hidden from visual surveillance.
Doctor Brielle Gorman, Director of Havelock Center read the latest reports from Nix Station regarding the research Dr. Julia Danforth had begun. Regular data bursts were sent from operatives who had infiltrated all of the Nix systems.
Impressive work she thought. Not only had Julia mapped out the morphology of the parasitic creature, but she had already begun tests to determine reactions against various organic compounds. Brielle activated her terminal and gave several instructions to the person on the other end of the link to slow Julia’s progress by any means necessary. Confirmation was returned that plans had already been activated and they should see results soon. Satisfied for the moment, Dr. Gorman relaxed in her chair and looked around the room of the bio lab she was currently in. Arranged in small containment cubes around the room were thirty or so of the parasites in various stages of production.
Nix Station
“What do you have Jev?” Nash asked coming onto the bridge in a couple of strides.
“You’re not going to like it,” Jev said.
“I already didn’t like it before we got here…so let’s see how bad it is.” He said.
Jevin activated a 3D display of the Nix Station that hung in the air forward of the two main consoles. A small scale representation of Nix Station complete with real-time rotation.
“So here is the station and here, these blue lines leading to the station are incoming transmissions of all types…requests, report updates, personal communication and the like.”
The display was awash in blue lines obscuring the station.
“Now I’ll remove those…and here in green are outgoing comms…same as before,” Jevin said. “Now I’ve scanned those so I’ll filter those out and we have these twenty or so lines of red. Those are maintenance workers or robotic updates outside the station. Either repair bots or purely automated systems. So removing those we have these two orange lines. Notice that they are not routed to the central Nix comm array.”
“So what are they?” Nash asked.
“Damned if I know yet,” Jevin said. “So far I’ve only determined that they originate in section B33. But the kicker is that the outbound signal is pointing directly towards Telvari space.”
“This is getting worse by the minute,” Nash said.
“Oh you haven’t seen anything yet,” Jevin said. “Hold on to your knickers.” Jevin made one more adjustment bringing up the comm line in an analysis program of his own design. The header information displayed and was decoded using very advanced algorithms.
“Dammit! Remind me next time to take the low paying job,” Nash said. “Fill in Zara and then let’s plan to see what’s in B33 at 2330 hours tonight…full gear. Let’s get some rest, I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”
Nash followed by Jevin left the bridge. The 3D display was still showing a frequency they all knew quite well. It was the same black ops coded frequency they used for missions when they were in the service.
Nash slept for a few hours and then used the refresher before getting dressed in BDU’s. The BDU’s on the StarSeeker looked like the same black uniforms they wore on ship, but were highly customized with the latest energy deflection and projectile dampening materials. The best battle suits money could buy rivaling current military standards. As Nash stepped out of the refresher, he noticed a drop red on the floor of the unit. Checking his limbs automatically from years of combat he found a small spot above his ankle with a tiny drop of blood. He wiped off the dot and continued getting ready. Leaving his quarters he heard a very slight crunching sound but couldn’t easily find the cause.
Nash, Jevin and Zara headed out into Nix station after midnight. Very few souls were about at that time. Only late shift workers and no one paid any attention to the three walking and casually talking as they moved about. To an untrained eye they appeared to be just three friends out for a walk which is exactly what they wanted. Section B33 was a deck above the Bio Labs. Down a seemingly unused small hallway there was a standard station numerical plaque on the right side of the door at eye level.
Jevin stepped up to the door which failed to open. Zara headed down the hall one way and Nash the other to keep watch while Jevin hacked the door controls. He brought out a small module about four centimeters in diameter which stuck to the door frame. From another pocket of his BDU’s he pulled out a hand held display unit which showed him the circuit pathways of this section. The device on the door frame sent the modulation frequency of this lock to his device and he fed that sequence to the door controls which opened silently.
Nash and Zara joined him and they entered the room. The lights like all station lights came on automatically and they could immediately see that the room was a small supply closet which made sense for a covert transmission.
“Alright…spread out and see what you can find but don’t touch anything,” Nash said.
“Roger that,” Zara replied.
The three split up and quartered the room which was not very large. Zara found a cache of dock workers clothes and a small box that failed to open.
“Over here,” Jevin said moving his scanners back and forth over an
atmospheric console for the section. “There’s a tap in this console. It’s a feed off the main power unit and a transmitter. This is where the transmissions are taking place.”
“So what now…All we have are some clothes and we know where the operative is communicating from.” Zara said.
“Jevin is there a way that we can be alerted when the operative is using the equipment?” Nash asked.
Jevin thought for a moment and then nodded. “Sure I can add a tracking module to the console itself. Whenever the power is shunted to the comm unit, it will send us an alert on the StarSeeker. It’ll just take a minute.” Affixing another small module he fished out of another BDU pocket, Jevin placed the device on the back edge of the console out of sight.
“Anything else you find fishing in there?” Zara said sarcastically pointing to Jevin’s pants.
“Ah my love, you know my heart belongs to you but my body belongs to the universe,” he said with a wicked grin. Ding…Ding sounded on his hand display. “Uh oh…we’ve got trouble. Initial scans were clear but something in here just powered up and it registered on my scanner.”
“Trap of some kind?” Nash asked.
“Yep…has to be but it was in stealth mode.” Jevin replied.
The threesome slowly retraced their steps toward the door when a burst of energy lashed out and hit Zara full force directly in the chest knocking her back a meter and down. Jevin and Nash immediately dropped to the floor and rolled.
“Don’t move I’ve got it!” Jevin yelled as he pulled out the scanner and deftly typed in several commands. “That’s it…go!”
Nash jumped to Zara lying stunned but coming around. The deflection grid in the BDU she wore bled away the energy before it could penetrate the layers but the effect was still like having a brick fired at you with force.
Zara coughed a bit and groaned then came fully awake.
“Dammit that’s going to leave a mark,” she said as they helped her back to her feet.