Chapter 6

I was quite used to the rush I felt when we made the transition into faster-than-light speed, but this was something else. The familiar rainbows of photons speeding past the viewports seemed to be somewhat different, and even the vibrations in the deck plates felt strange.

I felt the ship vibrate as we accelerated to maximum speed, then suddenly, everything leveled off, and the vibrations died down. I checked my console and saw all the indicators were green.

“Engineering, status,” I called.

“All systems nominal, Captain,” the duty engineer reported. “We are now at maximum warp.” I almost expected another answer.

“Is it just me, or did that seem just a bit ... off, Number One?” I asked Jim.

“It seemed a bit strange to me, sir,” Jim answered.

“I’d better go to Engineering, see how things are down there. You have the conn, Jim.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” Jim said.

“Helm, steady as she goes. Ops, expand your sensors to maximum, report anything that seems off.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” both officers responded. My wrist communicator beeped as I left the bridge for Engineering. I answered the call and saw the face of our new ship’s medical officer, Dr. Hampton.

“Yes, Doctor, what is it?” I asked.

“Is everything all right up there, Captain? That transition seemed a bit rough,” the grizzled doctor said.

“I’m investigating that now, doc. Have you gotten any reports of casualties?”

“No, sir. Not yet, anyway,” the doctor replied.

“Good. Let’s hope it stays that way.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll get outta your hair, Captain,” the doctor said before signing off. I got to Engineering and was met by Lt. Commander Chet Samuels, the Chief Engineer.

“You felt that, did you, Captain?” he asked.

“Yes, what happened?” I asked.

“The calibration on one of the Heisenberg compensators was off by by about a hundredth of a percent,” he explained. I wasn’t an engineer, but I knew enough. The compensators were designed to keep the engines balanced. Otherwise, the ship could fly apart upon entering light speed.

Samuels continued his explanation. “That would have been well within the normal operating parameters for the old engines, but not these new power plants. Fortunately, the system worked and adjusted the compensator. We’re doing a level three diagnostics on all the rest just in case.”

“Is there anything you need from me?”

“No sir, we’ve got it under control,” Samuels said.

“Alright, Chet. I’ll leave you to it,” I told him. I did a walk-through of the ship and found that everyone had ridden through the glitch without a problem. Marco met me as I entered the area set aside for the Marine detachment. A large black man stood next to him.

“Everything alright, Lieutenant?” I asked.

“We’re fine, Captain,” he said. “That ... transition seemed a bit rough, though.”

“Yes, one of the devices that maintains balance between the engines was slightly out of calibration, but it’s been fixed. I just wanted to make sure everyone is okay.”

“We’re okay, Captain, thank you for asking.”

“Good to hear it,” I told him.

“By the way, this is Gunnery Sergeant Sanders,” Marco said. “Gunny, this is Captain Jones.”

“Pleasure to meet you, sir,” Gunny Sanders said as he extended a hand.

“And you, Gunny,” I responded as we shook hands.

“Lieutenant tell me you’re gonna show us some Grav Tac, sir.”

“Yes, that’s the plan,” I responded.

“I’m looking forward to that, sir. And I know the others are as well. You ever had a chance to put it to use ... for real?”

“It’s actually saved my life, twice,” I told him. I didn’t tell them the circumstances, as I didn’t want to open old wounds. I figured if the chance came later, I might let them in on it.

“Really?”

“Yes. Listen, why don’t you get me a copy of your training schedule and we’ll work in a couple hours a week.”

“That sounds good, Captain,” Marco said. “We’ll get that to you either today or tomorrow.”

“Perfect. Carry on, gentlemen,” I told them before leaving. As promised, I got the schedule later that day, and carved two hours out of my schedule each week for their training. The first session was a simple demonstration of Grav Tac which included Kyra.

It took the Marines a bit to get used to the lower gravity in the gym, but they finally got accustomed to it. They watched closely as Kyra and I performed the kata we developed together over five years ago. When we ended the routine, I adjusted the gravity and we all settled back to the gym floor.

“That almost looks like you two were dancing. I thought for a second you were gonna do something else...” Gunny Sanders remarked, wisely leaving the rest unsaid.

“That’s what it should look like,” I told him. “But that routine can also be deadly when used properly. You see, the most important thing about Grav Tac is knowing how things react in low-gravity and using that knowledge to your advantage.

“Now, I’m going to show you some exercises. These are designed to help give you flexibility and agility in a low-gravity environment. Practice these exercises at least one hour a day, and we’ll start our next session with some basic moves.” I dismissed the Marines after that and headed for the shower.

Life aboard Enterprise settled down to a somewhat steady roar as we plowed toward our destination. Per my instructions, the communications section monitored the frequency Alan said was used for the strange transmissions. We intercepted several short bursts from the “zone” over a ten-week period, but the comm team was never able to decipher any of it.

I finally managed to finish reading Grandma Lizzie’s journal and found it quite interesting, especially the parts written after Elijah was killed at the battle of Brown’s Mill outside Atlanta in 1864.

I know that technically, Elijah and his wife Elizabeth, or “Lizzie,” as she was called, are technically my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents, but it’s easier for me to think of them as my “great-grandparents.” And simpler to say...

Lizzie wrote several entries recalling how she had seen Eli’s lit cigars in the ashtray that sat in their parlor. I found that quite interesting and tried to find a logical explanation. But my great-grandmother was clear that no one had been in that room when the incidents took place. And she claimed several times that she could “sense” his presence near her. I could understand that, given how much in love with each other they appeared to be.

One of the stranger entries, however, was after their son, Obadiah, returned to Indianapolis from Lone Pine, Texas. According to her, Obadiah, or “Obie,” as they liked to call him, claimed Elijah had saved him from a ruthless cattle baron and a crooked sheriff.

The only problem was that this happened in 1896, 32 years AFTER Elijah had been shot dead. And according to the account relayed by Obadiah, Elijah was with the Texas Rangers, under the command of Captain William Jesse “Bill” McDonald. I was able to find information about McDonald, but there was no mention of anyone named Elijah Jones.

Confused, I tried searching for Lone Pine, but found nothing. I did a deeper search, this time looking at old census records. What I found startled me. The 1890 census showed just over 2,000 people lived in and around the small town, including my great-uncle Obadiah. But the 1900 census didn’t even list Lone Pine at all. It was almost as if the place simply ceased to exist.

“I can’t understand why my father never mentioned any of this to me,” I told Kyra one evening over dinner.

“I have an idea about that,” Kyra responded.

“Oh?”

“Yes. Your father is an engineer. Like you, he deals in facts – things that can be measured and verified. I suspect he took a dim view of what your great-grandmother had to say about Obadiah’s story and the other ... unexplained ... events,” my wife explained.

“You may be right about that,” I told her. “I remember Dad saying that scientists dream shit up while engineers make shit real. He never was one to buy into any of that paranormal stuff. I remember he about had a cow one time when Mom and I watched one of those ‘ghost-buster’ type shows. Said there wasn’t a single thing in that program that couldn’t be explained through logic or science.”

“Maybe the next time we’re home, you can ask him about it,” Kyra said.

“I think that’s a darn good idea. I can’t get over how much I look like my great-grandfather.”

“I have to admit, the resemblance is uncanny,” Kyra said. “Maybe that’s why your father gave you that book.”

“And this,” I added, showing her the crucifix with “EJ” engraved on the back.

The ship plowed on to its destination and life on board settled into a routine of sorts. We were only three days from our objective when I heard the door chime. It was early in the morning, and Kyra and I were both sound asleep. We got up, donned our robes, and went to see who was there. I saw Jim standing in the corridor, looking as if he had just woke up from a bad dream, so I opened the hatch and invited him inside.

“Come on in, Jim. Is everything alright?” I asked, concerned.

“I’m sorry to bother you with this, Bill. I just had a really strange dream, and felt the need to see you and Kyra,” Jim said.

“Of course,” I said. “Kyra, would you mind making us some hot chocolate?”

“Not at all,” my wife said, heading for the kitchenette. I invited Jim to have a seat, and Kyra returned a few minutes later with three cups of hot chocolate.

“Thank you,” Jim said, taking the cup. Kyra sat down next to me and we turned our attention to my first officer.

“Would you care to tell us about this dream?” Kyra asked.

“It started shortly after we left Starbase One,” Jim began. “I would have it about once every few days, but it’s become a nightly thing. And it’s gotten a lot more vivid. Almost realistic. You remember that image you got out of my head – that blonde woman?”

“Yes, I remember that,” Kyra said. “You’ve been dreaming about her?”

“Something like that. In my dream, I see her, just as she is in the image. Naked. She beckons to me. Every night. Tells me to, and I quote, ‘come to me.’ She keeps repeating the same message, over and over. At first, she was kinda blurry, but these past few days, it’s like she’s actually there, in my quarters, just as real as you two are right now,” Jim said.

“And you say this has been happening every single night?” Kyra asked.

“Yes, every night,” Jim confirmed, nodding his head. “It’s gotten so that I see her image every time I close my eyes.”

“Does she say or do anything else, Jim?” Kyra asked.

“Well, just now, I dreamed that she was in my bed with me. Doing ... things. I don’t want to get into that if you don’t mind,” he nervously said.

“That’s alright, Jim. We understand,” Kyra said. “You don’t need to tell us anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“She did tell me that we were destined to be mates,” Jim said.

“When we first retrieved that image, you said you had never seen her before. Are you absolutely certain of that?” Kyra asked.

“Absolutely. I’ve never seen her in my life.” I had a strange idea and decided to run it by Kyra.

“Do you think it’s possible he might be receiving a message from where we’re going? We’ve detected a couple of transmissions from that area, but comm hasn’t been able to decode it.”

“It’s not outside the realm of possibility,” Kyra said. “In fact, there’s been a great deal of study around the idea of dreams being transmitted to the brain during REM sleep. It’s thought that such a technique could help children with learning issues.”

“Interesting. What about recording his dreams? Can we do that?” I asked.

“Oh, that’s been done for years. Mental health professionals have used dream capture and analysis for decades, although it’s not something we do on a regular basis as an outpatient procedure. Privacy issues, you know. But we do have the tools here on board if that’s something you want to pursue, Jim. We can also use those tools to help guide your dreams in a different direction. Do you feel threatened by these dreams?”

“No, not at all. It’s just ... it’s hard to explain. There’s a part of me that likes them. She is a beautiful woman, and she excites me to no end. But another part of me says I should run. I don’t know what to think. Am I going crazy here?”

“No, Jim. I don’t believe that for a minute,” Kyra said. “This is obviously bothering you, and I want to help.”

“Do you feel these dreams are interfering with your job performance, Jim?” I asked. The last thing I wanted – or needed – was a first officer unable to do his job because he couldn’t focus. There are too many lives at stake for that.

“No, I’d just like some answers,” Jim stated emphatically. I could understand that.

“Alright, why don’t I give you a brainwave generator to help you sleep tonight. Tomorrow, come to my office and I’ll set you up with a dream capture device,” Kyra said.

“You don’t need to wire me up or anything?”

“No, it’s just a head band with a small memory device attached,” Kyra said, chuckling. “You won’t even know it’s there.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that, right after our briefing,” Jim said, taking the small generator. “But first, I’m gonna finish this hot chocolate. It’s too delicious to waste.” Kyra and I both chuckled at that.

“That’s what he really came over for, you know,” I said, causing both Jim and Kyra to laugh. Jim finished his drink and set the cup on the coffee table.

“I’d better get back, see if I can get a couple hours of sleep. Thank you for listening without laughing at me.”

“It’s my pleasure, Jim,” I told him. “Let me know if there’s anything you need.”

“Thanks, Bill,” he said before leaving. I joined Kyra on the couch and sipped my chocolate.

“What are you thinking?” I asked, seeing her pensive look.

“That I might have made a mistake showing him that image to begin with,” she said.

“He had a right to know what you found,” I said, hoping to reassure her. “You’re not starting to second-guess yourself, are you?”

“Yes, he did. And no, I’m not. What’s going on, Bill? Really? You’ve not been yourself since this mission began. In fact, this whole mission just seems ... off ... to me. I mean, we have armed Marines on board.” I had been holding back, but considering my first officer’s mental condition, I decided to lay it on the line.

“I was planning to hold off on briefing the crew, but I’ll give you a head’s up, if you think it’ll help Jim. This mission is ... different ... from the last two,” I told her.

“Different? How?”

“There have been a number of anomalies and transmissions reported from the sector of space where we’re headed. Admiral Simmons has tasked Enterprise with getting to the bottom of it,” I said.

“And the Marines?”

“A precaution,” I told her. “Admiral Simmons wants us to be fully prepared for whatever we encounter. Personally, I think it’s overkill, but I can see his position.”

“That’s why you asked if Jim’s dream could have been transmitted to him,” Kyra said quietly.

“Yes,” I responded. “We have detected several transmissions from the sector of space where we’re headed, but no one has been able to decode them.”

“Oh, my,” Kyra said quietly as she took in the implications of what I said. “Do you think there may be an alien intelligence behind all of this?”

“I don’t know. That’s what we’re here to find out. We will be at our destination in three days. I need a fully-functioning crew, so it’s imperative you get to the bottom of Jim’s ... issues ... before then.”

“I understand, sweetheart,” Kyra said. “I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will,” I told her.

“Does anyone else know about all this?”

“You, me, and Jim. That’s it. I had planned on briefing the senior staff before the rest of the crew. That’s why I need you to make Jim’s ... dreams ... a priority.”

“Consider it done, sweetheart,” Kyra said.

“Thank you. Now, why don’t we get back to bed and make a few memories?”

“I like the sound of that,” Kyra said as she dropped her robe. We got back in bed and made love to each other one more time. When we finished, Kyra turned to me.

“What if it turns out there really is an alien intelligence behind all of this?” she asked quietly.

“Then everything we’ve come to know or assume about our universe changes,” I said.

“That sounds a bit scary, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe. It could mean an interstellar war if we screw it up. Or it could be the beginning of a whole new exciting chapter for humanity. I guess it depends on how we deal with it,” I mused.

“No pressure there, right?” Kyra joked. I chuckled at that and held her closer to me.

“Nope. None,” I quipped sarcastically. We kissed, then drifted off to sleep.

After the morning briefing the following day, Jim reported to Kyra and collected the dream capture device. I addressed him when he returned.

“We’re less than 48 hours from our destination, and I need to brief the senior staff. Call a meeting of all section heads, Number One, if you would. We’ll use Conference Room Three – that’s the largest room available that’s secure. Make sure you include Lt. Ruiz and Commander Jones.”

“When do you want to schedule this?” Jim asked.

“Immediately, Number One.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll get right on it,” Jim said.

“Make the call and meet me there, Number One,” I said. Jim nodded and went to his station where he sent the announcement. I knew the short notice would irritate some of the section heads, but they would just have to deal with it, I thought. My next order went to Elizabeth.

“Commander Travers, you have the conn,” I said. She looked at me, stunned, but for just a few moments. Then she realized that with both Jim and me gone from the bridge, she would be next in command.

“Yes, sir,” she said, transferring her console output to the center chair.

“Ping me if you spot anything,” I told her.

“Will do, Captain,” she replied. I gathered my tablet and headed for the conference room, noticing that Jim had already left the bridge.

“Attention on deck!” Lt. Ruiz announced when I walked into the conference room, prompting the others to snap to attention, including Jim.

“As you were,” I said as I walked to the head table. “Please, have a seat.” I sat down and Jim sat next to me. The others took their seats, looking at each other while wondering what I was about to announce.

“I apologize for the short notice and the cloak and dagger routine over the last three months. Hopefully you’ll understand better once I brief you on the nature of our mission,” I said. I laid out everything Alan had shared with me so far, and saw the stunned reactions from the other officers in the room. Lt. Commander Robyn Wilson, the officer in charge of the astrophysics department, was the first to ask a question.

“Is there anything at our destination?”

“Nothing natural. Just a standard resupply point and communications array,” I said. “That was sent out about two months before our departure. We’ll begin the search from that point.” I put an image on the overhead monitor of the sector overlaid with our search pattern.

“That’s a mighty big area of space,” Lt. Commander Chet Samuels, the Chief Engineer, remarked.

“Yes, it is,” I acknowledged.

“Do you honestly think we’ll encounter an extraterrestrial species out there?” Chet asked in a follow-up.

“I don’t know,” I answered. “It’s possible. But for all we know, this could just be a natural phenomenon unique to this area of space. Until we know for certain, Star Fleet has designated this sector a no-fly zone.”

Lt. Commander Arlen Hastings, head of the Science Division, spoke up. “And that’s why we have a detachment of Marines on board?” He looked at Lt. Ruiz, accompanied by Gunny Sanders. “No offense, Lieutenant,” he added.

“None taken, Commander,” Marco replied in a neutral tone that did little to hide his irritation.

“Yes, it is,” I told Arlen. “Admiral Simmons wants to make sure we’re prepared for any contingency. And that includes the possibility of a hostile extraterrestrial species.” I looked around the room, ready for additional questions, but none came, so I wrapped up the meeting.

“I intend to brief the crew when we arrive at our destination. No doubt, they will have questions. I’m counting on you to help deal with that. Of course, my door is always open. However, each of you have been given a mission packet so you know as much about this as I do. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any additional concerns. Any questions?”

I looked around as the other officers glanced through their packets. Seeing no indication that anyone had a question for me, I stood to end the meeting.

“Very well, then. Carry on,” I said, dismissing the others. They stood and walked out of the conference room, somewhat surprised and more than a bit stunned. Marco and the Gunny remained behind and approached me after everyone left. By then, Kyra had joined us.

“Excuse me, sir,” Marco said. “May I have a moment of your time?”

“Of course, Lieutenant,” I said, sensing that he wanted to speak to me privately. “You can speak freely in front of of Commander Decker and Commander Jones. What can I do for you?”

“Sir, I get the impression your officers aren’t comfortable with me and my men being on board,” Marco said. I had sensed that as well. Marines generally didn’t serve on space-going vessels, and to my knowledge, this was the first time any had ever been aboard a starship.

“They just don’t know you as well as I do,” I told him. Marco and Gunny Sanders chuckled at that. The fact is, I had spent considerable time with Marco and his Marines in the gym and I had developed a rapport with them. We had also built a mutual respect for each other.