Chapter 30: Discovery

Cynthia, Tiger and I formed the initial crew to go reconnoiter and develop a detailed map of the asteroid. We left the ADS Enterprise and headed our Soyuz to the asteroid. We were mirrored by Mary/Fran, Squeaker, and Bob M. in a second Soyuz. The remainder of the squadron, on the Enterprise, was working on the sensor data they had. They were working out the optimum locations for the diversion rockets.

We had made about six orbits of the asteroid when Tiger spotted something with his infrared vision. It was deep in one of the canyons. Normally it would not be visible. Tiger spotted the heat where there should not be heat. The asteroid was cold. We reported the anomaly to Mary/Fran, Squeaker and Bob M., Fritz and Reagan. Squeaker confirmed Tiger's sighting.

They had us approach for a closer look. Fritz was sending two more Soyuz tugs. Fritz did not want us to loose communication. We hooked with Tiger. His night vision and infrared vision were something. There was definitely something not rock in that canyon.

We barely fit the canyon. We descended slowly. Then Cynthia and I saw it too. It was pushed in a corner of the canyon. It was some sort of ship. We could see lights coming out of view ports. I had Cynthia kill all of our lights. There was no movement inside the ship.

We landed softly 200 feet back in the canyon. I got our EVA suits out. Cynthia and I would go and check it out. We stayed connected.

We were about to leave when Mary/Fran called. She was sensing a telepathic life form. She wanted us to stay put until she got there. I knew Mary/Fran had a reason. She wanted to improve our fire wall. She reminded us of Sofia. Bob M. and Mary/Fran landed their Soyuz right behind us. We used our docking ports as air locks.

Mary/Fran brought us some secret weapons the Russians had been working on before connection. They were hand-held high-powered lasers.

Mary/Fran also gave Tiger, Cynthia and me a new firewall. We were now effectively controllers like mom, dad, Nancy and Jane. She also handed us an aerosol can. I recognized it immediately as one of the WE infestation aerosols.

Then we all knew that the WE had suspected another life form had sent the asteroids at the Earth. Mary/Fran brought the aerosol so we might try to infect that life form. The WE wanted the ship. If possible they wanted the life form on the ship.

The ship was tiny. It was no larger than the Space Ship One lifter. There were six circular portholes. There was some sort of docking port. We might be able to force access.

Tiger suggested that it might be better if he and I went over to the ship. He would see things in the low light that I might miss.

We walked carefully to the alien ship. There was only 0.1 gravity on the asteroid. The docking port had a port hole. I could see a second door. We were in luck. All I had to do was to figure out the controls. There was a handle that operated the locking pawls. Beside the door was a single button.

I looked at Tiger and said, "Let's ring the door bell." Tiger pushed the button. We saw air escaping. It stopped. I tried the lever and the door opened. I could not believe it. We were going to walk in.

The docking port just held Tiger and me. I was glad that Cynthia stayed behind. Inside was a second button like the one outside. We closed the door and I pressed the button. I could feel the chamber filling with air. Boy, were we lucky.

Then I realized that we had blown it big time. We did not know what the air in the alien ship was composed of. Tiger read my mind and popped his face mask and took a breath. We looked at each other. I started to tear up. Then Tiger smiled. He said he did not know the composition of the atmosphere but it had oxygen in it and enough to breathe. It was also loaded with water vapor. Since he was breathing normally it must contain carbon dioxide.