The Jumpgate

by Robert Stadnik

  “Captain Dewis!” Jacob said, not doing much to hide the disdain in his voice.

  The captain looked at the commander and smiled. “Ah, commander. You’ve come right on time. We’re approaching the planet where we picked up the anomaly.”

  “What anomaly?”

  “I sent the Onixin probe out to scan the local start systems. It picked up an unknown metallic compound emitting an energy signature from the second planet of this system. We’re going to investigate.”

  “Why wasn’t I notified?” Jacob demanded. The sternness in his voice didn’t go unnoticed. The command deck staff turned and looked at the commander.

  The captain was unphased by the commander’s stern voice. “Although the anomaly warranted investigating, I did not deem it necessary to inform you until we had something worth reporting.”

  The lift door opened, and the security chief and chief engineer emerged. It was perfect timing for Jacob. “Captain Dewis, as a seasoned TERRA officer, you’re aware that any change to the ship’s status requires notifying the executive officer. You didn’t do that.”

  “I also believe that the captain has leeway when it comes to adhering to non-critical protocols,” Dewis countered.

  That was it. The captain had crossed the line. Jacob didn’t care if he had to put a pulse gun to his head, he was intent on relieving Dewis of command. If need be, Jacob would fight the entire crew. Before he could do anything, the operations table beeped.

  “Captain, we’re nearing the second planet,” the night operations officer reported. “Sensors are detecting an object has been launched from the surface.”

  “Shit!” Jacob exclaimed as he rushed to the operations table. He was already assuming the worst. This was the last thing he wanted to happen. “Diego to all senior officers, report to command deck immediately.” He checked the sensor data. “We’ve got an object of unknown origin approaching us at high velocity. They’ll intercept us in six minutes.”

  Michelle wasted no time jumping into security mode. “Recommend we raise shields until we ascertain the object’s intent,” she said as she sat next to the captain.

  “Raise shields,” Dewis ordered. “Bring us to a complete stop. Launch Interceptor group Alpha S and have them set a perimeter defensive posture in front of the SOLARA.”

  “We should try hailing it,” Jacob recommended as Michelle contacted the hangar.

  “Do it,” Dewis replied. Jacob nodded to the communications officer.

  A minute later, the lift opened and out came Fotell, David, and Nalus. They all quickly assumed their stations, relieving their counterparts. It took a moment for them to get up to speed on the current situation.

  “Object is now three human minutes from intercept,” Fotell reported.

  “Sensors are fuzzy, but so far I’m not seeing any relationship to Screen technology,” Jonas added. He was assuming that whatever it was had to be related to the Screen.

  “No response to our hails,” David said.

  Michelle reviewed the tactical data on her console. “We should prime weapons as a backup for our Interceptors.”

  “No, not until we determine it’s hostile,” Dewis replied. “We have shields, which should protect us.”

  “What about our pilots?” Jacob asked. “We’re dealing with an unknown object. We may have shields to protect us, but they don’t.” SOLARA’s Interceptors weren’t scheduled to be fitted with shields until the ship’s next rotation back to the solar system.

  “We hold position and wait for contact,” Dewis reiterated. “Our pilots can take evasive action if need be.”

  Jacob wanted to stun the captain, toss him in his office, assume command, and get the SOLARA back to the jumpgate. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any time. They had to contend with this alien object. Hopefully, the encounter would be harmless.

  “Object is thirty seconds from us,” Nalus reported.

  “Any more idea of what it is?” Dewis asked.

  “Sensor resolution is improving as it gets closer,” Jonas replied. “Initial readings indicate we may be looking at a probe.”

  Fotell verified the chief engineer’s assumption. “I concur. I am not detecting a complex network of systems typical of a space-faring vessel.”

  The captain smiled. “At least we’re not looking at a weapon. Hold off on communications. Let’s see what it does.”

  “You’re so stupid,” Jacob muttered under his breath. A probe could be just as dangerous as a fighter or cruiser.

  “Probe’s in range,” Michelle reported.

  “I’m picking up an increased energy emission from the object,” Jonas added. “It’s emitting a focused beam towards us and the Interceptors. It looks like we’re all being scanned.”

  Fotell spoke up. “Captain, with the object this close to us, I can do a detailed scan of it. I can verify it is a probe.”

  “I want detailed scans of every millimeter of it,” Dewis ordered. “Are its scans hampering our systems?”

  “It doesn’t appear so, captain,” Jonas replied. “All systems are still reporting as normal.”

  “Is it Screen in origin?” Dewis asked.

  Jacob reviewed the data scans. “It doesn’t appear so. Metallurgic and energy emissions don’t conform to Screen technology.” Jacob pulled a visual of the probe up on his console. Screen ships and installations were triangular and always green. This probe was black and had multiple appendages sticking out of it, like a spider. He quickly ran an analysis to see if this probe had anything in common with Screen technology. He came up with inconclusive results.

  “I am picking up a new emission type from the probe,” Fotell reported. “It is being directed to the stationary object on the planetary surface.”

  “It could be sending data its collected on us back to the planet,” Michelle speculated.

  Dewis looked over to David. “Send a friendship greeting to the planetary installation.”

  “Yes, captain.”

  While David was doing that, Jacob was busy trying to ascertain if the probe had any weapons, but it was difficult. This was new technology they were dealing with, and almost anything on it could constitute a weapon. That was one of the lessons he learned during his time on the PHOENIX. Encountering new technology was a crapshoot.

  “The probe’s stopped scanning us,” Jonas announced. “It’s still sending a data stream back to the planetary installation.”

  “It’s got all it could about us,” Jacob concluded. “Any replies from the planet?” he asked David.

  “Nothing yet, commander. I’ve confirmed our transmissions are reaching the planet.”

  “Data transmission to the planet has ceased,” Jonas reported.

  A lump developed in Jacob’s throat. What would the probe do next? He double-checked to ensure shields were at full strength, just in case.

  Suddenly, SOLARA shook violently. “Report!” an alarmed Dewis yelled out.

  Everyone checked their readings. “Probe is sending a concentrated energy beam at us,” Fotell said. “It is different from the scan it performed on us.”

  Suddenly, the command deck terminals were flickering on and off. “The beam is disrupting our systems,” Jonas reported.

  “Engineering to command deck. Ship engine is overloading. We’re going to have to shut it down.”

  Dewis refused to be disabled by a mere probe. “Open fire on the probe.”

  “Weapons are offline,” Michelle replied. She even checked the starburst, which would be perfect to use right now, but it was also down.

  “Get them back online!” Dewis shouted. “Order Interceptors to take it out!”

  “Done,” Michelle replied as she relayed the orders to the fighters.

  The Interceptors went into action. They separated and began their assault on the probe, firing their plasma beams as they circled it. Despite the onslaught of the five fighters, the probe remained unscathed. It didn’t redirect its attention on any of the fighters. It continued to fire its ene
rgy beam on the SOLARA.

  “Lead One to SOLARA,” came the voice of the head Interceptor pilot over the command deck speakers. “Our attack is having no impact on the probe.”

  Jacob was busy running through alternatives in his mind. If the Interceptors couldn’t take it out, then SOLARA’s weapons might be equally useless. He quickly analyzed the probe’s energy emission for a weakness and found something. “Fotell, if we reroute n’quadrin through the auxiliary network and saturate the ship, it might deflect the probe’s beam.”

  The Senfo wasn’t about to question him. She quickly opened the auxiliary vents and flowed n’quadrin through to cover the ship. “N’quadrin has coated the hull.”

  Jonas’s station exploded. He had to jump back to avoid the barrage of shrapnel flying everywhere. Two more stations exploded.

  Michelle got up and moved away from her station. “We’re getting a critical overflow of n’quadrin hitting the command deck power network.”

  “Evacuate the command deck,” Dewis ordered as SOLARA continued to rock violently. “We can reestablish operations in engineering.”

  “The probe beam is dissipating off the hull,” Fotell informed Jacob.

  “We can’t wait here to see the results.” Jacob lifted the Senfo off her seat and carried her to the lift. He looked over at Nalus. “Plot a course to the gas giant we passed by earlier and go to full speed.”

  “What about the Interceptors?” Nalus asked.

  “Hopefully, they’ll know to follow us,” Jacob replied. Nalus nodded and quickly entered the navigation sequence as more stations exploded around the command deck.

  “Let’s go!” Dewis ordered. The command deck staff ran and crammed into the lift. The captain made sure the deck was clear of all personnel before heading to the lift. Before he got to it, SOLARA rocked violently again, knocking the captain back. The lift door closed, leaving him behind.

  “We need to get the captain,” Jacob said as the lift began its descent down to engineering.

  Jonas fiddled with the lift controls. “Safety protocols are engaged. I can’t get us back to the command deck.”

  “Override them,” Jacob ordered.

  “I can’t. Life support’s offline. I won’t be able to override the safety locks until we get to engineering.”

  “There should be enough oxygen for the captain to survive until we retrieve him,” Michelle said.

  Jacob noticed the ship wasn’t rocking anymore. “Diego to engineering, what’s our status?”

  “The probe’s been disabled. Its energy beam was bouncing off the hull, and some of it struck back onto it. SOLARA’s moving at half speed towards the gas giant at the outer portion of the system.”

  “Private, I need you to override safety controls to the command deck,” Jonas chimed in.

  “I’m sorry, sir. The command deck’s sealed off. We’ve got multiple hull fractures from the probe’s beam bouncing around the ship. The command deck’s venting atmosphere and is currently in a vacuum.”

  Everyone realized what that meant. There was no need to try and get back to the command deck. Captain Dewis was dead.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  There wasn’t much room to maneuver in engineering with the entire command deck staff now operating from there. The area consisted of a main operations table in the center of one room adjacent to the hyperdrive core. The senior staff wasted no time ascertaining their situation. Jonas was consulting with his engineering team on the ship’s damage as Jacob worked with Fotell to review the data gathered from the time they left the command deck. The commander gave everyone fifteen minutes to compile their information before assembling around the operations table to give an update.

  “The good news is we’re out of danger from the probe,” Jacob reported. “It’s floating out there emitting minimal energy output. It seems to be disabled.”

  Nalus wasn’t comfortable that they were safe. “For now. SOLARA’s on course for the gas giant. But we’re only going at half-speed. Our Interceptors are keeping up with us. Should we recall them?”

  “We should keep them out there to provide us defensive support in case that probe comes back online,” Michelle suggested. Even though the fighters proved ineffective against the probe, they still had operable weapons, unlike the SOLARA whose weapons were offline. It was better than nothing.

  Jacob agreed with his security chief. “Keep the Interceptors out there. We’ll recall them just before SOLARA enters the gas giant’s orbit.”

  “What about the engines?” David asked.

  “Engines are fine,” Jonas replied. He brought up a diagram of the ship on the table to reference. “We can only go half-speed because of all the hull fractures, and that’s with shields up providing additional support,” he said as the ship image highlighted the hull fractures in red.

  Jacob studied the image. “How long to repair them?”

  That was the bad news Jonas wasn’t happy to share. “We can’t. The deep and extensive levels of the fractures require repairs that only a drydock facility can provide. It’d take months to patch this ship up, and that’s if we had the materials, which we don’t. It’d take me weeks to do enough repairs to jump without coming apart in a million pieces.”

  That was news Jacob didn’t want to hear. Without the ability to jump, the gate was out of reach. SOLARA would run out of supplies long before it got back to it.

  “What about food and water?” Doctor Morrell asked.

  Michelle had already reviewed their supplies. “We have enough stock on board to survive several weeks.”

  “We can send a signal to the BEUSMIC and VFLEP to rescue us,” Fotell recommended.

  “The communications dish was destroyed,” David revealed. “We can’t reach them.”

  All this bad news deflated everyone. No one was sure what to say. Even Jacob was silent. He worried things could go wrong, but this turn of events was something he didn’t expect. He wanted to take it out on Captain Dewis, but he was dead. In some ways, the commander felt the captain took the easy way out by getting killed. He didn’t have to sit here and deal with the fallout of his actions. Jacob’s only consolation was that the captain wouldn’t be around to celebrate his grand accomplishment of exploring another galaxy, since it seemed SOLARA would never get back home.

  Jacob couldn’t get mired in depression. Despite the odds, they had to try to get back to the gate. “Lieutenant Walters, have all maintenance bots begin repairs on the fractures. Pull in anyone with engineering skills to supplement the bots in getting the fractures fixed. Fotell, you and David work on building a new communications dish. Pull a team together to help you.”

  “Shouldn’t we just head to the gate?” Nalus asked.

  Jacob quickly shot down that idea. “The probe may repair itself and decide to come after us. We’ll continue the plan of hiding in the gas giant. Hopefully, the atmosphere will conceal us. Once we can safely jump, we’ll make a run for the gate.”

  “Again, it may take us weeks to repair SOLARA enough to jump,” Jonas reminded the commander.

  “We have no choice,” Jacob replied. “We have to make the attempt.”

  Jonas checked his DAT and realized they still had one ace up their sleeve. “We should try to repair the starburst in case the probe activates again. From everything I’ve read, it’s been pretty effective every time PHOENIX used it.”

  Jacob agreed with the chief engineer. “Good idea. I’ll work on that as I have extensive familiarity with the weapon.”

  Michelle spoke up. “Not to bring up an unpleasant subject, but with Captain Dewis dead, you’re now in command of the SOLARA.”

  Jacob slowly nodded. “I’m aware of that lieutenant. I’ll make a note in the ship’s log that I’ve assumed command. As for Captain Dewis, we’ll have to mourn for him later.” That was something he didn’t want to say. In reality, he wanted to jettison the captain’s body and forget about him. It was Dewis that placed them in this predicament and Jacob was feeling no grie
f for him. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, people. I’ll expect status reports by the end of the day on our efforts. Lieutenant Nalus, let me know when we’ve reached the gas giant.”

  “Yes, commander.”

  Jacob looked at the chief medical officer. “Doctor Morrell, I’ll need to get a casualty report.”

  “Except for Captain Dewis, no one else was killed. Just some minor injuries.”

  That was good news. They couldn’t afford to lose any more crew members. Jacob needed every able-bodied person working on getting SOLARA repaired. “Okay then, let’s get to it.” Everyone disbanded to get repairs underway. As Jacob started checking on the status of the starburst, a finger tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see it was Lieutenant Nalus.

  “Commander, may I have a word with you?”

  Jacob was surprised by the request. She made it clear she didn’t like him and only tolerated his presence as XO. He wanted to dismiss her, tell her they didn’t have time for idle chitchat. Instead, he nodded his head. She motioned him to follow her.

  Jacob followed the navigation officer around the corner into the hallway where they were alone. “May I speak freely, sir?”

  “Go ahead.” Jacob assumed she’d be blaming him for their current predicament. The commander planned to let her vent and walk away without saying a word. She, like the rest of the crew, were infants when dealing with space exploration. He had no interest in coddling her.

  Sure enough, Nalus started with trying to pin the disaster on the commander. “How could you let this happen? We shouldn’t be in this situation.”

  Jacob wasn’t surprised by her question. “Me? Do I need to remind you that it was your dear Captain Dewis who decided to take us through the gate against my advice? And I was asleep when he made the order to take us to this system, but what do I know? I only have a few years of space exploration experience under my belt.”