Chapter 24: The Wreck

"There it is again," Himani said, as she addressed Deanna, and called attention to the faint signal she detected while establishing contact with Eros for their daily report. Himani was one of the new crewmembers and assigned to the bridge.

Deanna leaned over Himani's workstation and asked her to put the sound on speaker so she could hear it. Once Himani had done this and Deanna had heard the signal, too she asked Himani to try and get a fix on the signals location.

"Yes Ma'am. I will notify you as soon as I have its location fixed," Himani said hunching over to better focus on her assigned task. Later on her shift, she called Deanna over again and notified her that she had located the signals origin. Himani brought a star chart up on her screen and overlaid it with plotting lines that led from Seeker to the location of the signal.

Himani, beaming proudly said, "There, Ma'am that is where the signal is coming from. It is intermittent so it took a while to isolate."

"Excellent work Himani, please make a copy of this and give it to me. I will set up a meeting with the captain and the XO and we will discuss this find of yours." Deanna said, squeezing Himani's shoulder affectionately, and returning the smile.

The next day Deanna met with Remi and Stan. "One of my techs came across this signal while we were contacting home and she ran a fix on its location. I thought I would present it to you and see if you want to investigate it more thoroughly."

Remi and Stan studied the picture and then Remi asked, "So what type of signal was this Deanna and how far away is its source?"

"I don't know the exact type other than it was a FTL (faster than light) signal and the source is about thirty-six parsecs away," Dianna answered.

Remi did some quick calculations, "So about two weeks travel time ... hmmm, Well, I for one think we should investigate, after all that is the main mission of the Seeker. What do the two of you think?" She asked.

Both of them nodded in agreement. "I think we should gather all the officers and present this and then make a decision," said Stan.

The meeting held in the officer's lounge area that night, found all in agreement that the signal source merited further investigation. The following day Sonya announced the Seeker would be leaving on a mission the next day.

Remi contacted Taleah and informed her of their pending departure. "We will return soon but I can't say exactly when," Remi told her.

"Best of luck and I hope my people do me proud," Taleah returned.

"I have not doubt they will do fine Taleah. Your people, as you call them, are part of our family now and almost all of them have formed smaller family units that consist of both Zaflan and Serome. We have integrated and become one family up here," Remi said with a smile in her voice.

"I am so glad to hear that. Our peoples have become one. Have a safe journey my sister," Taleah finished.

The next day Seeker left orbit and headed toward the signals source. Remi stood before the large screen that displayed the rapidly shifting starscape in front of them. In one sense, it was nice to be on their exploration mission again but at the same time, she missed Verona, and the Serome people.

For two weeks, the Seeker sped through space on its destination. The signal was intermittent but at last, the Seeker entered the solar system of its origin. The ship slowed and established orbit above an Eros like planet. The planet below was fourth out from the systems sun and had land and water masses that looked promising for sustaining life. The signals source was located and one of their new probes sent down to investigate. The pictures and information it sent back were discouraging. The signals source appeared submerged in one-hundred feet of water. Although their shuttles were airtight they were not designed to travel beneath the surface in a liquid. Analysis of sample liquid brought back by the probe confirmed initial speculation that the liquid was indeed normal ocean water. Air samples also proved that the planet below had breathable atmosphere.

A shuttle launched, set down on the water surface, and released a small probe, modified to allow it to function beneath the water's surface. The pictures it sent back spurred rapid almost frantic activity. There was spaceship about the same size as their large shuttles on the ocean floor. The spaceship had major damage as evidenced by the scrapped and crumpled outer body. From the design of the ship, it was evidently not designed for subsurface exploration. It also appeared to be partially flooded but only partially, which gave the rescue workers hope that there were survivors. This also created added importance for the need to get the craft to the surface and quickly.

Remi asked, "How are we going to get the submerged craft to the surface so that we can attempt to open it and rescue those inside if possible?"

"I don't know but I think time is critical," Stan added.

"The shuttles don't have sufficient lifting power to pull the craft to the surface and drag it to land," Cecil informed them.

It was Danika's suggestion that pointed the way toward a solution. Working with Kylee, Eliana, Shane, and a score of robots her plan began. Danika had suggested a modification of the dome structures her people made. This dome would take on the form of a bubble created around the craft and forcing the water away from it. Once the craft was enclosed within, the bubble could be pumped full of air. This would make it buoyant in the surrounding water and it would float to the surface. Once on the surface, cables could be attached and the bubble towed to nearby land by a shuttle. With the craft safely on land, the bubble around it could be dismantled.

They built a modified Crantor, this one designed to work underwater, and to construct a bubble rather than a dome. Standing in the shuttles entrance doorway Danika and Kylee gently lowered the Crantor into the hands of Eliana and Shane in the waters below. Once the two Teserain had the Crantor supported between them, they dove beneath the surface with it. Elaine and Shane reached the sunken craft and set the Crantor up on its hull. Shane activated the large suction cups that would hold it in place while Elaine held it in position. When they were finished positioning the device they swam a safe distance away and Shane went to the surface to inform Danika of their success.

Danika pressed a button on the remote control she held and below Eliana watched as the eight saucer-shaped parts began to spin ever so slowly at first, on the central shaft that pierced the top-center of the Crantor. Shane returned moments later and handed Eliana an underwater transmitter to wear so they could monitor progress of the Crantor and remain in communication with Danika.

The two of them watched in fascination as a bubble began to form at the top of the Crantor. The bubble increased in size and soon encompassed the Crantor inside it. The saucers spun ever faster now that they did not have to fight the resistance of the water. The bubble expanded more rapidly as the spinning saucers became a blur of motion. Danika above dialed in the frequencies that would keep the water outside the expanding bubble and yet allow it to encompass the craft inside it. Shane and Eliana swimming around the circumference at a safe distance kept Danika informed.