Crucible of a Species (43 page)

Li was a cautious, detail-driven engineer so she took time to review the order. As communications officer, the ensign had easy access to most of the ship’s systems and was a central coordinator for all departments. According to the order just delivered, the captain would be on the bridge. Lieutenant Anderson and Drake would be in engineering down in the first drive-interface layer. The placement of these key people was as much as the group could have hoped for and it would greatly simplify their task. They had waiting operatives in all departments but success hinged on their being able to capture and secure these key individuals and this announcement had guaranteed their success.

It was time to notify the group and begin the sequence that would take them all home.

*~~*~~*~~*

“Captain on the bridge,”
a formal call heard by generations of naval men and women rang across the room. The crew snapped to attention as Captain Lee entered the command center, moving with familiar ease to his chair.

There were some new faces on the bridge, not surprising considering the losses they had taken. Even the extra men and women standing at critical stations were as expected. They had been selected for cross-training and were there as observers to learn their new jobs on the bridge.

“Communications, confirm readiness of all departments. Ask them to activate the external recorders.

“Navigation, set in a course for low Earth orbit using standard liftoff parameters. We’ll go easy on this first test loading of the command and control mesh.

“Begin the simulation’s countdown.”

They cycled the engines and interface through their paces for the next two hours. Preliminary results indicated drives and controls responded well to the tuning matrix and eventually were performing within static flight parameters. The captain was reviewing the last set of burst data results when his system shut down.

Lighting on the bridge dropped to backup levels and a collective sigh of disappointment ran through the complement.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I remind you that we are still under formal operations. Please continue to follow station protocol.” The captain’s voice carried through the darkened bridge. “Ensign Li, have you identified the problem?”

“No identification yet, Captain.”

Lee was amazed to see three of the new bridge crew step back from their stations without authorization. They placed their backs to the bulkhead and brandished pistols. Communications systems specialist, Sean Carst calmly addressed the officers in the room, “Everyone stay seated. Those of you standing, please sit on the deck.”

“You realize we’re being monitored,” Lee calmly reminded them.

“Captain. Stay calm and quiet. We don’t want anyone getting hurt.

“Mary, check our status.”

“We’re on schedule. Passageways are ours. Security is on the way to move Drake and his people down into the cafeteria.” Ensign Li replied.

“Everyone, stand up and move to the back of the bridge. That’s it, thank you for your cooperation.” Carst signaled and Li opened the heavy doors at the back of the room.

The outside corridor contained eight guards standing on either side of the passageway. They wore full battle dress with face shields and stood with stunners drawn. The mutineers already on the bridge holstered their pistols as the guards entered. Carst boldly swaggered over and sat down in the captain’s chair, “Now, we sit and wait until the others report in. Always wanted to see what this chair felt like.”

“You may have to wait quite a while to get a good feel for it.” The specialist almost fell from his seat as he heard the colonel’s voice. A second mutineer standing against the bulkhead was faster. His weapon was in his hand, his arm moving up as he fired in one smooth, practiced motion.

There was no response from the pistol. He stared wide-eyed at the eight, still helmeted guards and froze. Without even glancing at the weapon, the mutineer turned the muzzle down and set it gently to the floor. A weak smile crossed his face, “Guess you were expecting us, Sir.”

“Smart boy,” Drake replied. “What a shame.

“Corporal, have your men move them down to the brig with the others. Take our little ex-ensign along.”

“Sgt Martel will be here in a few moments with additional security,” Colonel Drake moved over to the communications console and ran his fingers over the screen, deftly bringing up his aide. “Lieutenant Thrumbold, I believe you’re waiting for the code, ‘Argos Rising’. Let’s round ‘em all up into one easily controlled group of villains.

“Lieutenant Dalmas should be waiting in the cafeteria. Give him my compliments and inform him that we have control of the bridge. Coordinate with him to shut down and lock all ship’s systems until we can secure. Make sure they don’t forget anyone who might be lurking outside. I want the entire nest of vipers identified and in custody.

“Captain Li and I will be having a little talk with Dr. Nolen. One last thing, Doc Thompson’s sure to hear about our little get together. Go easy on him but make sure he understands he is not invited to this meeting. I’ll speak with him after things settle down a bit. Carry on.”

*~~*~~*~~*

A clearing
bordered by thick jungle lay under the pale scrutiny of a full moon. Crisp trilling calls of night birds and the small dinosaurs that lived their brief lives gliding from tree-to-tree filled the evening punctuated only by the occasional echoing, deep rumble of mighty predators guided by the bright rays of this hunter’s moon as they stalked the savage land.

Bonfires surrounded a portion of the open field, illuminating it with a medieval glow within which dark shadows danced a surreal pattern about each human figure standing at its center. Smoke from burning, sputtering gingko and dry hardwoods drifted across the glade adding their fragrance to the normally aromatic, warm evening air.

Upon this small patch of grass waited the entire expedition of the Argos. So strongly did emotions burn this night that, in spite of their fear of the darkened jungle, Colonel Daniel Drake refused to hold this assembly inside the comfort of the ship. He knew that what must be done could not wait for the bright sun of day. Some tasks are best addressed while feelings flow strongly.

Marine guards, watched over by sergeants and chiefs of the ship, maintained the bonfires but also stood with stunners and Pulsars held ready. The excuse was native life continued in abundance upon this primeval plateau but the humans within knew the truth of it.

“Private, bring that tractor over here.” Drake called and then proceeded to jump up on the bed of the trailer. Nearly the entire contingent of two hundred and fifty two survivors of the Argos assembled in the clearing. They stood divided into two groups, the smaller one consisted of the known participants of the recent takeover attempt and many were surprised to see Dr. Phillip Nolen standing at the center of this group.

Drake called out to quiet the voices in the field. A few catcalls and replies flew from those not in the military before others quieted them. He lifted his arm, pointing directly at the smaller group, “In this group are your coworkers who actively participated in mutiny.”

A murmur of indignation filled the field.

“I hear your comments and surprise at the harshness of that term but their actions constitute mutiny. In our history, many have been executed for less.”

The colonel again paused to let his words sink in and the cries to subside.

“This expedition is not a democracy. However, it also is not a purely military undertaking else we would not all be standing here.”

He again raised his arm to sweep the area occupied by the mutineers, addressing them directly, “At the very least you should all be sitting in a brig. Unfortunately, ours isn’t large enough.

“I gave serious thought to sticking a big red mutineer’s ‘M’ on your backs and chains on your ankles. Letting you work off your sins under the heat of the sun. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough work worthy of that punishment and besides, I can’t afford to babysit your asses.

“There are those who would have you banished along with the others already exiled. This is a simple solution, one that would be very attractive to me if it weren’t for the fact that if we ever hope to leave this place, we have too much God damned work ahead of us that requires technical skills. God help us but we need you.

“I had decided upon a solution but my soft-hearted aid, Lieutenant Thrumbold, thinks it is too harsh. I probably will regret giving in but he can be persuasive and so I will try his suggestion.”

The colonel turned towards the larger group, “I’m going to ask for suggestions but think before you open your mouths, I don’t want any glib, smartass replies. I need a solution we can all live with.

“What do you believe should be done with these shipmates who have brought mutiny to our expedition?”

A voice shouted from within the group, “You can’t exile them. They …”

“Enough!” Drake’s bellow echoed from the cliffs, “That is your problem, you don’t listen. You haven’t heard my words.”

Drake threw a baleful glare at his lieutenant but then turned and took a deep, calming breath before addressing them, “Let’s try this again. No firing squads, no exile and I don’t want to hear what I can’t do. The only thing I can’t do right now is turn back the hands of time and prevent the black deed just perpetrated by these people.

“You are all professionals but you are making decisions using your emotions. We aren’t playing a game. We can still make it but if we continue to break into factions like this then we’re all going to die.

“Yeah, we’ve had a rough time of it but couldn’t you see that things were coming around? You let rumors and dark ideas sap your spirit while critical work stands waiting.

“Leaving with the Argos in the shape she is in right now is out of the question. So I’m gonna ask you again; last time. Thrumbold still believes in you. Tell me how I can get back the close-knit team that put together this expedition. How do we move forward from here?”

Drake feared the group wasn’t responding. He could feel the growing tension and was about to speak when a petite figure in a midshipman’s uniform emerged from the crowd and turned.

She raised her arms and waited until the discussions died, “Whether it’s going back to our own Earth and time or pushing onward to Tau Ceti, it really doesn’t matter, we have no idea what we’re going to encounter.

“Right now, the Argos is not a fully supplied and healthy ship so she is not ready to leave in spite of what some may have told us. No matter which path we choose, we need more time and if we haven’t bollixed up the timeline after being here this long then we sure as hell won’t foul it up by extending our stay for a bit longer to complete the repairs and restock supplies.

“This is an opportunity. More time will allow us to openly discuss and think about our destination. Minds can change over time.” Brittany stopped and dramatically turned towards the officers, “Colonel, we heard what you said. This is not a democracy. However, when we finally have the ship ready to leave then will you let us again raise the question of our destination?”

The colonel gave a quick glance at his lieutenant, a knowing smile on his lips.

Without waiting for an answer, the midshipman walked over before the smaller group, addressing them directly, “If we can all agree to this extension and work toward a common goal, I propose the colonel offer them amnesty and a restoration of rank.” The midshipman turned back towards Drake, “I hope you don’t think this presumptuous of me, sir but we need these people. You said we couldn’t afford to lose them.”

Thrumbold reached up to touch the colonel’s leg, “You did say we needed them. We need a unified force.”

The assembly could see that Drake wasn’t happy as he stood. He turned and stared off into the darkness across the valley for a few moments before returning his reply, “Perhaps the tensions have been a bit hard on all of us. If we agree to work together then I will revisit the question of our destination but only when we have completed repairs and the stocking of the ship.

“Those who find they cannot live with this have a choice of either spending their time in the brig on reduced rations or joining the exiles. I’m not gonna waste time on you.

“Rank will not be restored until we lift from this planet. At that time, those reductions will return to their past grade and receive a full amnesty. Hell, we’ll forget about the whole affair and purge it from the ship’s records. However, if a reoccurrence of tonight is attempted by even a few, if anyone even begins to mouth the idea then I will take the lot of you and you will work the last days in leg irons.”

Only the cries of the jungle and the sharp crackle of the fires filled the glade. Then a few quiet but heated discussions broke out. They stopped when a voice lifted from the smaller group of mutineers, “How long, Colonel? Give us a deadline, how long must we wait?”

Drake turned and spoke briefly with Captain Lee and the engineering officer. Then he turned to the assembly with a small glimmer of hope, “Five. We can do it in five months. Give us this much time and we will leave.”

Another voice rose from within the group, “Are we to ignore the Earth First people? We can’t abandon them like this. It’s inhumane.”

Shouts tinged with anger replied, “Stop sticking up for them. They deserve what they got.”