Chapter 11

I made myself something fruity and a bit too alcoholic for lunch, before starting up a good western.

Nothing beat a mindless shoot-em uppers after a stressful interview.

Jeff’s was the only call that came through the Comm that day, he texted me a ‘wow-face’ smiley.

The President of the UF, not the first politician to step on the podium after my finger pointing and not the last, stated for the record, not that anyone believed him, or the rest who came after, that the earmarked money for Mars, via the UN, was waiting for the UN to get their act together and blah blah blah.

The problem was that the UF didn’t have the one billion set aside. Some countries couldn’t even afford the twenty million promised or even ten cents.

For countries such as Kenya, Norge, Sweden, and a select few others their government covered the twenty million or more promised.

My pointing out that they fully contributed to the Program gave everyone in their region who didn’t, and across the world, a very black eye.

But the private donations started pouring in. The celebs were the loudest, with large ‘look at how great I am’ signs.

They did help so I wasn’t allowed, by Sydney, to heckle them for only participating in order to get their face in the Inquirer or the SUN once again.

Hell, if it helped, who was I to scuttle it.

The funniest thing was that UF senate demanded my presence for a congressional hearing.

“The Legacy isn’t atmospheric capable, Senator Bloom. How do you expect me to attend? Crash it somewhere?” I said to him.

“You were seen in Hawaii nine days ago, use the same method as last time,” he ordered.

“You mean ask to borrow Lady Strife’s personal shuttle? No thanks. How about you call her up and ask in my stead?” I teased. There was no way in hell that that guy enough balls to do so.

“Captain Volkstag, we know you have means of transportation, if you do not attend the hearing on November 14^th then you will be held in contempt of Congress.”

“I don’t have personal transportation, Senator. There are no shuttles aboard the Legacy. The rear cargo hold is filled with boxcars of supplies and the main cargo hold is loaded with goods for Hope Station.

“If you don’t believe me, ask any of the Astronauts on the ISS. Remember, I gave them a full tour just a few weeks ago.

“Honestly, Senator, the only way I can get down to Earth right now is the same way that the ISS astronauts can. Or convince either Mrs. Larkin or Lady Strife to personally come get me. Senator, you can also just interview me here. Until my bosses order me back to Hope Station, I have to remain in orbit.”

“For how long will that be?”

“They are the ones to decide that, Senator. Not me.”

Dissatisfied but at least with a concrete direction the sixty-four year old power-hungry Congress Critter sought out Sydney.

The fool.

There was an assassination attempt on Lady Strife the next day. All twenty-four of the unidentified men were eliminated in seconds by her, until now, unseen security.

She was photographed minutes later, waving at the cameras before rolling over to continue working on her tan, said the info site I was reading.

‘She wasn’t available for comment.’

In a seemingly un-related story, the Kenyan government was awarded a hundred-million-dollar contract by Strife International along with the construction of a new manufacturing facility. One originally earmarked for Brazil.

‘The Kenyan President was reported to be quite pleased,’ Reported SI Communications Afrikian Times reporter Ule Yostic.

SI’s President Weathers had this to say, ‘We have been working hard to accomplish this cooperation, both for the Kenyan People and Strife International... ‘

I laughed, “One kick to the pocketbook it is,” I commented aloud while eating kettle corn with extra butter and light salt.

Two days later, witnesses reported seeing Lady Strife abruptly stand, stretch and deliberately point to a location on the Monte Carlo beach. Two minutes later, a cherry red flying sportscar appeared, which the renowned Lady then entered and after the nearby spectators witnessed it ascend to the clouds.

Sydney said it was time to return to Hope. Moria was returning to the Legacy today.

All was ready for her when she stepped inside my ship, wearing her sleek Armor, with Rose and Boris at her side. I had even placed a mint on the Lady’s pillow.

“You be careful out there,” Rose said to me.

“You be careful down there,” I said to her.

“Don’t be an ass,” she said, suddenly hugging me.

“Keep Boris with you. Earth is heating up and my interview didn’t help any.”

“No shit.” Rose elevated to her tip toes and kissed me; I returned most of it, still unwilling to press suit on a teenager. Regardless of how intelligent she was.

“Soon.” She placed her hand on my chest and then she and Boris left the bridge and climbed into her new Car.

“All ready, Captain?” Lady Strife asked.

“We are, Ma’am.”

“Time to go home.”

“Home it is, Ma’am. I hope you had an excellent and restful vacation.”

I notified Houston Command and vectored the Legacy to swing around the moon once for extra momentum before heading to Hope.

And to see the sights.

...

The weapons addon, refit, general maintenance, and eventual life pod addition were scheduled to take seventy days. Knowing Lady Strife, I was confident she would be on schedule as long as the life pod arrived in time. Something she didn’t seem to worry about in the least.

The UF congressional hearing was postponed until I was on Earth again. Or in close proximity. It seemed that Congressman Bloom wasn’t willing to wait the hour plus between asking a question and waiting for my response to arrive.

They did submit a list of questions, which I forwarded to Sydney to play with. From the responses I read, she gave the Congress Critters a whole lot of nothing. The few breadcrumbs that she did pass along were all carefully tailored to leave them eager for more.

Yet those ‘pastries and bread loaves’ they drooled over were behind a high-end boutique glassed in sales counter. Each item priced well beyond what they were willing to spend. Which wasn’t even a penny.

...

The two ladies in XHSA received the latest and greatest PopBot to follow them around and share the joy of their news with the rest of the station.

There was talk of erecting a statue in my honor when I donated ten tons of coffee beans to the station stores. The thirty-one hundred families all were guaranteed six pounds to use or barter on my dime with the store keepers allowed to keep the extra for general sales.

Coffee weren’t the only goods I contributed, but seemingly the most welcome.

As for the fish, I made an arrangement with the sole pet store on Hope station. She had three varieties of angel fish and one eel, I had blue and yellow guppies. For her help in getting my aquariums all set and running correctly, she ended up with two male and six female guppies of each color.

No, Rose, I didn’t accept her marriage proposal.

Once the fish were sorted, I found my way back to my desk and returned to my studies. Embedded Ship Weapons Care and Maintenance 101.

Lady Strife’s good mood had carried on throughout the journey home to Hope and spilled over to the title of the manual she had sent me.

But not its contents, those were straight forward and comprehensive. I’d need more than a few months to digest all of the information provided.

...

When the Legacy’s refit was done and dusted, I hardly noticed the change from the outside. On the inside, especially in the engine compartments, which were much more cramped, I definitely did.

My bridge station, along with the interface, was also reconfigured and expanded.

...

Three days before I left for the System Gate in Alpha Centauri system, the fate of Maya had been leaked and Lady Strife was in a terrible mood from that. I hoped, or maybe not, that whomever leaked the information that Maya was struck by two mammoth sized rocks was hiding very well.

“It was bound to happen. Are you sure that you want me to say this right before I transition to ID?” I asked, looking over the script she handed me minutes ago in disbelief.

“Is that a problem, Captain?”

“Yes, Lady Strife, it IS a problem if I ever want to return to Earth and have a moment of peace.”

“We trust you to handle your end. Trust us to handle ours.” She was serious. I too had to consider her demand seriously.

“Let me reword it so it doesn’t sound like it’s coming from Sydney.”

“Do what you have to.”

“Thanks.” I think.

...

“This is Captain Geoffrey Volkstag of the Legacy addressing the people of Sol System.

“Most of you are wondering why I am returning to Alpha Centauri when there are dozens of star systems nearby that I haven’t been to yet and why I am going alone. You see, during the first unmanned voyage to Alpha Centauri, we discovered a System Gate. A System Gate similar to one from the TV shows but much larger. Nine kilometers large in fact.

“Ordinarily, we may have waited longer before attempting a cross over, but we know for a fact that we were followed back from Alpha Centauri.

“We haven’t seen or met them, and they haven’t communicated with us. Their ship most likely was a remote drone with stealth capabilities greater than our detection abilities. We were lucky that we even caught a tiny glimpse of them before they hid themselves immediately after. We don’t know who or what they are and won’t know until they decide to step up.

“But, they DO know that we know they are here. Delaying would accomplish nothing. My mission is to make friends or allies.

“A great many of you wanted to know why was I chosen for this mission. I ask you, name one other person who volunteered. Name one leader or country who stepped up and said, we’ll help you.

“Because those answers and more come to a null, I have the privilege to step across the gate, a trip where the best oddsmaker who ever lived,” I learned the hard way, “states that I have a 34.12% chance of not returning from.

“My employers have done their best to see that I have the best chance of survival. Don’t blame them if I fail. They have done all they could.

“I don’t blame them and won’t blame them if everything falls apart, but thank them for the opportunity. An opportunity to serve humanity and to explore the furthest reaches of space.

“Say a prayer tonight while you look up at the stars and wish my mission the best of luck. One for me too if you have time after your first one,” I joked.

“God Bless all of Earth’s creatures. Activating Dimensional Boring in five, four, three, two, one.”

SHUDDER.

...

Using 80% power, a 60% increase over my previous trips, I arrived in Alpha Centauri System in eight days. Transitioning into our Dimension, I sought out the satellites that were left from the previous missions and took pictures to send to Lady Strife back on Hope.

She gave the all clear and I plotted a course around the Alpha Centauri A to the coordinates to the System Gate.

When I asked how Earth took my message, Lady Strife replied with a dark laugh.

“That good?”

“Three hundred Congressmen and seventy Senators entered recall status in the UF alone. They are too busy trying to save themselves to even try to impeach the President as a diversion.

“L&S’s headquarters was partially breached,” she chuckled darkly once again. “Yet were stopped before actually entering the building itself. All the cars in the lots there received significant damage.”

“How did SI fare?”

“One-point-nine-million protesters and well-wishers have arrived in Central City in the last week. Except for a few people trapped inside, the building is shut down and empty.” I heard a change from dark to amused grin, “Darrin,” the President of SI, “sits on the sun deck outside his office, egging them on. Not that they can see or hear him fifty-one stories up.

“The UN demanded answers, Catherine walked in to an open session three days ago and placed a bill of one trillion dollars on the speaker’s desk. She said that once that is paid, they will be entitled to any answer they want. ‘Until then, Shut it!’ She said.”

Lady Strife started laughing again at the memory, “The fools even tried to prevent Catherine from leaving. The Bitch pulled out that fucking Light Sword of hers and,” Strife made a whooshing sound, “sliced the Franco ambassador’s arm off, kicked him in the side too while the pedophile was screaming on the ground.” Strife laughed even harder.

“Those two go way back,” Lady strife explained. “That ass was lucky she left him alive.”

“There’s rioting all across continental Europe. But not Portugal. The expats have that country well in hand. That was a very unexpected bloodless coup that no one saw coming,” even her, from the sound of it.

“Asia?”

She sighed, something I have never heard her do. “Blood. Lots of blood and it’s getting worse. Japan and Jakarta are the only sane spots in the region. North Korea invaded South and Vietnam exploded into another civil war. We can only hope it stays this bloodless,” she added.

“Thinking that no one was looking, Pakistan launched a few nukes at India which were intercepted and destroyed.

“Since Xhina is busy dealing with a full revolt, Patel,” the PM of India, “pulled off the armored divisions off their eastern front and sent them to their hated enemy. Some Pakistani are already fleeing into the desert towards the middle east.

“Oil prices jumped twenty percent for the second time today in the last five days.

“Mexico is too stupid to understand what the fuss is about and Kanada secured their borders against the UF.”

“Africa?”

“North Africa and most of the Middle East is doing its best to stay quiet. The lines to attend the mosques circle the region.

“Central Africa is mostly the same, a few countries are having State sponsored week-long parties.

“And that fucking Warlord annexed three countries in three days. We saw it coming but couldn’t do a thing about it. Not that he is any more or less corrupt than they were, but at least he will add some stability before he starts a new war in a few years.”

“Who?” I had no clue who she was talking about.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Okay... “Your family?”

“All good.”

“How long will this last?” I meant the world covering chaos.

“No more than three weeks for most regions. Those in power still have the guns.”

“I still don’t understand why you had me announce my mission before I left.”

“Civil unrest is not war. We can handle some rioting and new governments. As long as the guns are pointing in not out, the destabilization will sort itself out this month, next at the latest.

“We were all ready for Pakistan to make its move. As much as Sydney tried, she couldn’t prevent India from their retaliation, only limit their actions against the military and the standing government.” Lady Strife paused, probably for some coffee, “Even Catherine felt that this was the best time to announce our watcher’s presence. They are out there; we just don’t know where the fuckers are.

“Their stealth tech is too good. Give me a Comm when you arrive at the Gate. Talk Later.” She signed off.

...

Two days later, I slowed and approached the System Gate with an open channel to both Catherine Larkin and Lady Strife. I left one channel open for conversations and the other two I sent the visual data along with the ship’s readings.

“It’s not a perfect circle,” I noted. “Yet I see no deformation or anything else that hints that it wasn’t meant to be this way all along. But you two are better than me for figuring out why.”

...

“My readings show 9.103333 kilometers at the north-south axis and 8.433333 at east-west. The Gate is locked in position with the east-west axis extending through the Alpha’s core. I don’t have the calculations, but does anyone want to wager that they are good to the seventh decimal?” I read off the numbers from the ship’s sensors and thought hard.

They weren’t willing to.

“There are 1727 symbols,” Catherine stated. “Seven which are lit in ultraviolet and soft X-ray. The one boxed at the top has to be either the start or the end location.”

“Increase magnification, Geoffrey, see if you can give us a clean shot of each.”

“Yes, Lady.”

While I spent the next hour maneuvering the ship for better and a closer look, they discussed the possibilities. I had originally approached the gold hoop from behind and there were no markings whatsoever on it. Only this spinward side had them.

And there was no guide nor distinguishing marks along the two-hundred- and ninety-four-meters thick Gate.

A day later, I suddenly froze and swore.

A spherical ship five times the length of mine appeared above me and, without seemingly trying to contact me, it individually shot an IR laser at all seven lit Keys, Runes, or whatever we wanted to call them.

Once the seventh Rune was struck, a rainbow-colored film ebbed and flowed from the Gate, as if it was a soap bubble reacting with the solar wind. Then the ship entered the gate and vanished, popping the bubble once it was through.

“Ladies, did you get that?” I asked, trying not to panic.

“Hold, Captain,” Lady Strife ordered. Not that I needed that order.

“What are you waiting for? We have only that one address. Either go in or give it up and don’t,” I heard Jeff’s voice across the Comm link. I hadn’t even known he was there.

“Look, Aunt Cat, Geoff has four satellites, have him drop two, you can study the Gate to your hearts’ content later. We aren’t going to find anything out while on this side.

“I asked EVE, she couldn’t translate anything. She needs a larger sample size. Besides, Captain Geoff is human, how long can he stare at that and not go in?”

Thanks, Jeff...

They didn’t agree or disagree, at least on a connection that I could hear, but they did authorize me to release the first two satellites and have me pull back.

And wait.

And scan.

And wait.

Two days later, Syd stepped up to the Comm, I had suspected that she had been listening all along but there were only so many receivers that worked both ways.

“Geoff. Godspeed. We will be waiting for you to return to us. Helen has a gift for you for when she sees you next.”

“Do I even want to know?”

“You’ll like this gift, I guarantee it, but you have to return in order to find out what it is.”

“Thanks, Sydney. Thanks, everyone. See you all soon.”

I approached the Gate, slowing to a crawl at two kilometers, programmed #4 beam and fired in the same clockwise pattern as the alien ship had from the other day.

Thankfully, the same rainbow hued soap bubble appeared hugging to the ring. I accelerated, sat back and crossed my fingers.

I shrunk.

Everything shrunk. Or that was what it felt like. I didn’t feel heavier, the bridge wasn’t larger, but I still felt like everything, from my monitor on, was further away.

I stretched out my right arm and my hand looked to be further away, but it wasn’t, if that made any sense.

The readings from the ship were all null. Nothing whatsoever was outside the ship. No light, no gravity, no magnetism.

Nothing.

Two hours later, according to both my watch and the monitor before me, I unshrunk and alarms went off.

Scary alarms, stating that we were close to large explosions. Thousands of explosions in the system I was in were near-simultaneously detonating.

Cutting the power to the engines, I unlocked six cameras. If there were that many explosions taking place, I didn’t think I needed more to see what was happening around me.

Range: 1,000,000 km. Size: 5 km Class: unknown Main Battle or Transport Vessel. Damage: 9 major hull breaches Affiliation: unknown Green-Orange-Blue-Yellow flag.

Situation: seven Size:300 m Class: unknown -possible secondary battle Vessel attacking. Damage...

Holy shit, I stumbled into a war, I breathed out slowly. First, I redirected my vector to get the hell out of there. That was the closest battle but by far not the only one.

From the readings I was getting, and the AI confirmed supposition, the attackers were smaller in size but greatly outnumbered the defenders.