Version 2006 - Ch 33

Celtest

Ancient extinct Civilization

The Devastator had excellent recreational facilities but the most liked was the Village. It was a complete small down town area with shops, cafés, restaurants, Virtu-shows and amusement attractions. The sky seemed real with clouds and a sun. It would even rain occasionally. At the center was a park with grass, picnic areas and a large pond in the middle for swimming and paddling in on inflatable floats. Of course one could use any of the Virtu-Emerge booths to experience any surrounding but this was still very popular. We had settled down at one of the picnic areas next to a big tree. Elfi wore a golden bathing suit that seemed painted to her body. Wetmouth hat a pink bikini on, revealing a perfect body with large firm breasts and long lissome legs. Mao, Muhammad and I wore swimming trunks. Hans was standing at the BBQ grill, the smoke he produced smelled deliciously of seared meat. He had a blue shirt over his shorts that could have been used as a tent by the rest of us. Krabbel who only wore uniform when on duty was all his hairy self hung from the tree holding two ice cream cones. Elfi who just had returned from a swim was a sight to see as she took of the bathing cap and dried her legs with a fluffy towel and sensuous moves. Cirruit propped himself up and looked over the lake. "I think I would love to swim. It looks like a lot of fun." "Why don't you?" I asked. "Because I am too dense, I don't float, no matter how much I paddle. I usually walk along the bottom." Mao who had disappeared for a while came back with a colorful box and he hollered." They made it. It's done! Oh I love to see your face Krabbel!" Elfi looked interested." Krabbel does not have face just lots of eyes and fangs." "I do have a face and a very handsome one if I might add. I could win any modeling contest." "Really?" "Oh yes only last year a Terran company that makes some sort of Insect spray wanted me for their commercials!" We all laughed. Mao handed the box to Krabbel." Here you go and your mother says hello, she is very proud of you and expects you to call her." Krabbel took the package and I asked Mao." You know Krabbel's mother?" He nodded." Oh sure. I spend my second year break with Krabbel on Archa. I tell you those spider folks do not believe in ladders or stairs in their houses!" We laughed and Krabbel managed to tear the box open and held a strange orange plastic device with dark lenses into the sun. "What is that?" Elfi asked. Krabbel put it on his head and said with a happy tone." Well sun-gasses of course! These are the first aracno sunglasses in the universe, Mao and I going to manufacture them and become rich one day!" "Sun glasses?" Was all I could say. "Have you ever seen a Terran without sunglasses? " Mao asked. If you see sunglasses he or she is from the Sol system!" "Well Muhammad doesn't wear them all the time and he is from Earth!" "I do wear them but you never really seen me in civilian clothing. How is it on Archa?" Muhammad asked. Mao leaned back." Those are the most amazing cities you'll ever see. Talking about filigree! But no stairs I tell you, no ladders. They do have elevators on bigger buildings, but not for the faint of heart. Little platforms, no railings and the shoot outside their buildings up and down, some a mile high!" Krabbel raised his first leg pair." We have plenty of limbs to hold on, so we never invented railings I guess." Mao continued." The Archas are the friendliest folks you could ever meet. Very competitive lot, and quite aggressive in certain areas, they are predators or I should say evolved from predators. What they call their prey gardens and goes for family restaurants aren't for the squeamish either, but they started to have regular restaurants where they serve the food already killed or packaged." "We are getting civilized I tell you!" Krabbel added. "We recently even decided that killing of your sac siblings is perhaps a thing we should change." "You kill your own kind?" Elfi asked. "A healthy female can lay 2000 eggs and since we had our industrial revolution we don't have any natural enemies anymore so it would get kind of crowded and it is an instinctive process when you are only very little. So it was actually promoted to a point where only two or three sac siblings survived. Mothers often ate the rest that wasn't killed. It only sounds cruel but it is not really. Very recently we started with fertility control and females lay only 2-3 eggs and let them mature. It is not too long ago females killed their male partners at the height of sexual ecstasy and for a male that was the only way to go and the one thing he lived for. Accidents still happen as it is quite difficult to control sexual ecstasy. We look very much like spiders of Terra and other worlds and we have in some ways similar behavior patterns, but we are technically not spiders. See my four upper leg pairs developed claws and opposing claw...or fingers if you would, we can manipulate objects much like the human hand can, we developed acustic communication and our digestive tract has evolved for us to eat solid foods. Not just suck liquids." "I think I would like to see Archa one day!" I said. "Oh I would love to show you all around. My mom would be so happy to have you for company." Hans came over holding a huge tray piled with steaks, burgers and dogs." Go get it while their hot, there is more coming!" "Who you cooking for? The entire ship crew?" Har-Hi asked. He was the only one who wore full clothing and at least 4 knifes and perhaps a blaster. Mostly from me and Krabbel, Mao can eat a lot too…there won't be much left so you better get it first!" We ate and Krabbel said between two bites."I really like the idea of fried food. We only started to cook food and frying and roasting is completely new to us." Elfi nibbled at a burger." How is your home planet Mao?" "Well not very different from the planet we just went, climate wise. We have swamps, lots of jungle and rivers. But we have oceans and islands too. Several indigenous people from South America, Samoa and Australia among them my ancestors left Earth they wanted a world as close to their native home as possible and found it in New Samoa. Old traditions are very important and over the centuries mixed to our world's traditions but other than that we are very much like any other Terran Colony world. My family thought I was nuts going to the Navy but now they are all proud and happy. They really like Krabbel, especially the kids." Har-Hi used one of his razor sharp knifes to slice thins trips of his steak and he looked at Wetmouth." Don't answer if you don't want but I always wondered how a Sojonit ended up in the Navy." She sighed under her ever present mask." That is a long story, but I give you the short version. I don't know if you know about Sin 4. It is the most lawless hellhole in all the Galaxy, murder and rape are so common it barley raises an eyebrow. Criminal cartels and families control the world, but only as far as their own interests go. The lowest class the Skaakh lives in filth and horrible conditions you would not believe possible. I was found on the steps of the Sojonit temple. I always suspected my mother to be a Skaakh and unable to provide for me. She did the best she could!" "The best she could?" Gasped Elfi." Abandoning her child?" "You don't understand, Elfi. Sin 4 is not a nice place like your palace or any other place you've seen. Hunger, real hunger kills and kills many every day. Bad Mothers sell their kids for slaves and yes they sell them for meat. Everything and everyone is for sale on Sin 4." Even I could not help but looked shocked at her. She continued." Sin 4 is populated with beings from all over the Galaxy and human meat is a commodity on Sin 4 just like any other. So yes I think my mother did the best she could. It was a feat no less. The Sojonit temple is on an island and not easily accessible for Skaakh. Mother Superior raised me and I never had to suffer hunger or thirst. While I was trained like any other Sojonit, she saw my gift and made me wear the veil of abstinence early on and gave me all the help and time to study knowledge. But the temple and Sin 4 are limited in terms of education, they have more bordellos and whore houses, casinos and amusement of the worst kind than anywhere else in the Galaxy but there are no schools, no universities. Sojonites travel everywhere where males and females have an appetite for sex and customers also come to the temple. Mother Superior arranged for me to leave Sin 4 aboard a customer's ship and reach Union space. I had not much money; I was not a citizen and could not go back. I was adopted by a Terran and he helped me getting citizenship. I walked straight in the next recruiting office of that planet and then after they offered me Science academy, but I wanted to be aboard a real Navy Ship so I could not just learn but apply science and knowledge and come across really new things." Elfi hugged her and cried. "I am so sorry Wetmouth. I promise you have a home on Saran anytime as my sister! I am going to contact my mother to make it happen!" "Those burgers smell mighty good! " A Voice said and I turned to see. The Admiral was there carrying a big box, but he was out of uniform and wore the unmarked jumpsuit I had seen him first. I jumped up and wanted to say"Admiral on deck." But he said."Relax I am out of uniform and so are you. I came to keep my promise. I brought some ice cream!" Krabbel zipped to the ground and came over in his silent fast way. Stahl grinned." Why don't you trade me this ice cream for a steak?" Krabbel took the box." You got a deal!" Stahl sat down just as if was one of us and took a plate from Hans. Har Hi handed him a bottle of soda and Krabbel shrieked. "Oh by the sac of grandmother, that's the best kind there is! Chocolate dipped soft serve! How did you know, Sir?" "I am immortal my eight legged friend I am supposed to be wise beyond human understanding and know everything!" Stahl chuckled. "I am not very wise and I simply asked Mr. Mao." He dug into his steak and praised Hans cooking."Oh just right, there isn't much better than a flame broiled steak done right. This is my favorite food" "You should try the Cattle baron in Topeka on Wichita planet." I said." No place serves a better steak." He raised one eyebrow." Oh you been to Wichita? The planet with the mega bone mystery?" "Yes I actually talked to the Science Corps Officer about that." "You are right, Eric. There is no place that serves better steaks. I have been there. You seem well traveled." "Not really, Sir. I was on my way to the Academy when the space bus made a stop there with engine problems." He pointed his fork at my holster." I see you carry the old 45." "That old piece saved my life and I am glad I developed this habit." He made me tell the incident while he finished his steak. Har-Hi took cigars out of his leg pocket, but the Admiral preferred one of Muhammad's cigarettes. Then he leaned back and gave us all a long look. "It is not just steaks an ice cream that brought me here." He took a sip of his soda."I really enjoyed your company too. I feel things I haven't felt in quite a while looking at you princess and a legendary Sojonit in a bikini make me realize I am still just a man. It is a good realization!" He sighed." I also came to tell you that you are going to be leaving the ship tomorrow." Wetmouth covered her bare legs with a towel more instinctively than conscious and said." Sir we still have six month to go before we hopefully graduate. Would you be willing to inform us where we have erred or not met expectations?" "You did not do anything wrong and you exceeded expectations in every way. That is why I want you to go to Newport and compete with other Seniors for the Reagan trophy." He crushed his cigarette." I am sure Wetmouth knows what I am taking about but let me explain anyway. All over Union space we have Naval Academies. Eric and Elfiatra came from Arsenal II. Har-Hi and Muhammad from Annapolis Earth, Krabbel, Hans and Mao-Mao from Portsmouth on Briton and Cirruit was evaluated and accepted at Pak Nam. There is one Academy you might not have heard of; it is the Naval Academy College on Newport. It is an advanced school where the best of the best Midshipmen are sent to serve their third year." I rolled my eyes." I have heard of it alright! And met a few from there." "Yes you have. Commander Letsgo told me about your adventure." I had to tell the others in a few sentences about my Duel. Stahl listened too and asked a few details then he said." Anyway every four years there is a traditional challenge called the Reagan Trophy. Midshipmen teams from all over the Union compete against each other for that trophy. The award goes to the academy or ship the group comes from. In the last 30 years only Newport won the trophy. I don't like Newport and between you and me I don't like Admiral Dent who runs the College. Your friend Lt. Clusen was a graduate of Newport. I don't like this elite breeding. At least not this way. I didn't like it when I was a Cadet so long ago and I don't like it now. But they produce results and no one seems to be able to beat them. Captain Harris was kicked out of Newport and he has even a greater dislike than I am and wants you to go there, represent the Flagship and show them! Now I don't want you to think I respect you any less or would be angry if you do not win, but I expect you to do your very best." We stood almost simultaneously and I said." We will do just that, Sir!" He grinned broadly." The challenges are in every field you study and culminate in a final challenge that is different every year and this time Admiral Elligott and I will personally supervise the final event." He leaned forward. "What I say now is completely of the record and you must keep that for yourself. I have a feeling Admiral Dent will do things similar to Clusen and I hope you competing will draw him out and make a mistake. A mistake I can use to end it." Mao had forgotten to eat." Why don't you simply kick Dent out?" "I explained the same thing to Captain Harris not too long ago. Because of what I am, I cannot abuse my power and do things just because I can. That would make me as bad as Admiral Swybin or even worse. Like you I live by our rules and stick to them." Mao leaned forward." You know Admiral you're alright for an immortal." ---"""— NEWPORT We had packed our bags and where ready for departure. Lt. Merkus wished us luck and surpassingly the other Midshipmen cheered and one yelled:" Kick their butts!" Harris met us at the shuttle deck we were supposed to report. "Oh no, you are not going like this! Follow me!" Captain Harris led us on a slide way and said." This is personal. I know the Newport Midshipmen are good, very good, but so are you. The best I have seen in a long time and this is the Navy Flagship the pride of the Union. This is my ship and you are representing the Flag ship and me! I can't let you go like this." Harris didn't say much more but led us into a quiet almost deserted area of the 25th deck which was the largest deck area wise and housed most of the Devastators auxiliary ships, such as destroyers, gun boats and shuttles. He had to use his Captains code to open a thick door and a sign read" Restricted area. He pointed at an Auto dresser." Get in the dressers. I have them already dialed in and then go through that Airlock and meet me there." The Auto dresser changed our standard uniforms into sleek black belted combinations complete with TKU side-arms, black leather jacket sporting the Devastator flag ship logo on the right upper arm. Har-Hi and my jacket also had the Wolfcraft squadron patches. The boots where polished real leather all-terrains normally only allowed to be worn by officers of Full lieutenant or higher. I checked for the 45 and made sure it was where it belonged. Har Hi did the same with his knifes and sword. Wetmouth tugged on her wig and mask as she left the dresser and we all went through the air lock. There in a dim lit hangar stood Harris next to a brand new Barracuda Class destroyer. He checked us with an approving nod." I want them to know that you came from the flag ship and you won't arrive in a lame D12 shuttle. Rank has its privileges and I want you to take that Barracuda. It's the newest and fastest of its kind. It shows them that I trust my Seniors with a ship all on their own." He gestured to the boarding ramp." Mr. Olafson at least temporary this is your first command. Bring her back in one piece if you can." I felt elated; the prospect of my own ship even for a brief time was like a rush to me. "Bring her back in one piece, Aye Sir!" "She is fully coded to you all. The stores are packed with munitions and the tanks are full. You have a Navigator find your way to Newport and be there in 15 days. So you do have a little time to get there." The Barracuda was an elongated flattened cylinder with four powerful ISAH pods at one end and tapered to a flat chisel bow. It was 155 meters long and 25 meters thick. Had crew accommodations for 10 and was heavily armed and shielded. A prime example of Terran Mil-tech. The small bridge had all the usual duty stations but much closer together. "Muhammad would you mind to take her out?" "I thought you never ask." "Krabbel plot us a course to Newport!" "Plotted and on the board." "Mr. Cirruit. Engine status?" "My engines are primed on full standby and ready!" And he made clear everyone heard the My Engine part. "Elfi request launch permission." "We are cleared for launch. Hangar evacuated and hangar doors are opening!" Muhammad flew a tight loop around the Devastators pole axis and accelerated almost redlining the thrusters and we slipped into quasi space and went superluminal." Muhammad lifted the large Virtu helmet and he smiled elated." This fish is fast!" I got up and said." Har Hi you got the Conn." He slipped into the Command chair while I went to the door. "Where are you going?" asked Wetmouth. I couldn't help it but grinned from ear to ear." I am going to check out the Captain's Cabin and make my first official log book entry!" She too smiled behind her mask." Aye Captain!" The Barracuda was tinny compared to the Devastator but it was still a full sized Destroyer, normally with a Crew compliment of 40 and 5 Marines. It had a Galley, Crew and Officers Mess, Sick bay, Even a small lab and science department, and an array of weapons. A Destroyers role in modern space warfare was to engage enemy carriers and gun boats, attack space fortifications and support capital ships with protection against fighters, bombers and enemy Destroyers. Captain's quarters where small and everything was sterile and factory new. On a small book shelf behind the captain's desk where the five books that where standard in any captain's room: The Bible (or other religious book), Trafalgar, Captain Uhru's Memories, Moby Dick and the Adventures of Herron (one of the greatest Captains ever) On the desk large leather bound paper book and a holder with a writing pen. It was tradition on all Terran ships to keep a handwritten log. The computronic would record every word spoken on the bridge and all sensor data, every Department head was keeping a technical log, but the handwritten log bog was tradition and the log books every ship that ever went to the stars was kept in a special archive on Earth and a testimony to man's conquest of space. Above the table was a small visual sensor that would record my writing and add it to the main log. In case of a catastrophic event the log book record would be launched in a small capsule and travel to Earth. I opened the book and turned to the first page and wrote my first log entry it was a very solemn and special moment for me. Just as I finished my first entry and Har Hi's voice came over the intercom. "Captain to the bridge " The Captain's quarters where on the same deck as the Bridge and it took me only a few moments to reach it. Har Hi got up from the seat." Captain, we are receiving a weak distress beacon signal from the USS Paracelsus. We are the closest Union ship." I sat down." What is the nature of the distress call?" Elfi turned." Automated beacon, Sir" "Try to hail them." After a few moments she said." No response. The transponder signal just died." "How far? "3.5 light years, Captain. Mao responded. "Wetmouth coordinate with Mao and give me a sensor report. Elfi contact Fleet Command." Wetmouth sat next to Mao and dedicated her side of the Console to science. She then reported." Captain we got a mass reading close to the Paracelsus. Sensor data is inconclusive but it appears to be a Wanderer." "Define a Wanderer for me please." "A celestial object not bound to a star system but wandering in intergalactic space, there are many known dark planets, asteroids, dust clouds, moons, large ice chunks that have been catapulted out of their original system by a collision or similar event. The object we believe is near the Paracelsus is some sort of rock formation, a large asteroid or moon most likely." Elfi said." I got Fleet Command on, Sir." She opened the connection and I said." This is Midshipman Olafson currently in command of the Devastator Auxiliary Ship 45-12, Barracuda Class Destroyer. We are en route to the Dover System when we received an automated distress beacon from the USS Paracelsus 3.5 Light years from our current position. Our sensors picking up a Wanderer in the vicinity, I am requesting permission to investigate." On the screen a white haired man appeared Commodore rank. "This is Commodore King. Fleet Command Center 4, we received your transmission and the accompanied data of the distress call. You are the closest ship, proceed with your investigation. The USS Paracelsus is a non armed Hospital ship under command of Captain Perma. The Paracelsus is on its way to Colony Planet Gregory to assist in an epidemic disease disaster. Proceed with caution and record all actions. Keep us informed. We send additional units to assist." I acknowledged and said: "Red Alert, Battle Stations. Har-Hi take OPS. Mao full shields. Krabbel set a course. Muhammad get us there but approach slowly and drop out of Quasi at least 30 light minutes away. Mao and Wetmouth you keep your eyes on those sensors. Hans stand by for Damage control." The Paracelsus hung dead in space. It was a new Uni design ship, wedge shaped all in white. The Wanderer turned out to be a rock chunk of 2000 kilometers diameter. "Energy or life form readings?" "I am reading 85 faint life form readings aboard the Paracelsus, emergency battery power only. The antimatter cores are gone. They ejected their containment coil and all the AM." "Any damage?" I asked. "We're still too far out for the visual sensor to pick out details. But I am not showing any debris." I didn't like the situation one bit. There was something that stopped a state of the art starship, twenty times bigger than the Barracuda Destroyer. True the Hospital ship had no offensive weaponry, but its shields where equal to an Ultra battle ship. As far as I knew there was nothing so deep in Union space that could attack and overwhelm such a ship. Of course it could have been an accident of sorts but I somehow suspected external reasons. Hospital ships where designed with extra strong shields and bigger engines so they could survive an attack and flee. I was looking with one eye over the technical readout on that ship. "Hold our position, Muhammad. Wetmouth launch a probe and scan that rock and ship closer. Mao activate all weapons and load the sniper cannon with 5k loads." "Probe launched." Wetmouth said. "Weapons active, Sniper cannon loaded." I was on the edge of my seat watching the telemetry of the probe. A sudden flash from the Asteroid surface and the probe telemetry went blank. Wetmouth reported with calm voice:" There is an Energy source on the surface of the Wanderer. Energy signature is clearly alien and strong. "Mao target that source and fire!" The Barracuda had two Translocator sniper cannons. Small load Translocator cannons designed for long range precision shots. Our long range visuals where at maximum and we saw the bright energy bubble expanding where the 5 kilo Antimatter bomb exploded. "Captain I am now detecting a small vessel detaching from the surface. Mass and size calculation makes it no bigger than a Wolfcraft, but the energy signature is 100 times that of a Wolfcraft. Energy signatures are transdim in character and alien. Object is shielded and shields are similar to our Transdim shields. Translocator bombs cannot penetrate those shields!" Whatever it is, it is on an intercept course." The Barracuda shuddered and I was almost lifted out of my seat, but the emergency restraints activated and pulled me back. Har Hi's said:" Direct hit of unknown Energy weapon. Primary shields at 50% one more hit and we are down to secondary shields." "Alright, whoever this is wants' to play rough. Let's show them what a Barracuda can do!" "Muhammad go into Virtu Helm, evasive action. Elfi report our findings to Fleet Command. Mao switch to Graviton bombs and place dual loads to each side, as soon as you sense shield weakening fire Translocator bombs at their drive section! Simultaneous launch Loki torpedoes Giga load warheads, proximity fuse." The Barracuda shuddered again. Lights flickered, but kept going. Circuit's voice came on." Primary shield projectors damaged. Secondary Shields holding." Har Hi reported:" Alien ship intercepted Loki Torpedoes with counter measures of sort, they vanished!" We were hit again, this time the lights didn't come back on, but the consoles still worked. "Secondary shields at 35%" "Muhammad, micro jump behind that alien ship, overwrite micro jump safety. Mao stand by on FTL projectors and Loki Torpedoes as soon as we come out of Quasi I want you to fire point blank. Circuit, put all energy you got in our forward shields as soon as Mao fires!" The Barracuda was designed to take a pounding and all systems where at least triple redundant, my damage board showed me that this was the reason we were still alive. Muhammad proved he was one hell of a helmsman. He executed a micro jump with computronic precision, Mao fired as we saw our attacker for the first time close up. It was a small ship, disc shaped, almost looking like a miniature version of the Devastator. The similarities where so great that one could think they came from the same designer. Our FTL projectors fired, at the same time Mao laid two Grav bombs on each side of the vessel and two Loki torpedoes launched and connected! Muhammad executed the second part of the micro jump but still our shields collapsed from the energy overload of two Gigaloads. We reentered Planck space and witnessed the alien ship emerging from the energy cloud, but its shields flickering. "Mao now! Micro loads into their drive section FIRE!!" Mao fired manually as the fire control automatics where down. The aft section of the alien ship was ripped apart and it drifted in space!" "Captain, sensors indicate the alien ship is without shields and maneuver power and one life form! I also detect repair activity!" What did it take to defeat that thing? It was clearly more advanced than anything the Union had, and it was only Wolfcraft sized! What if there was something much bigger? "Muhammad get us close enough for Main Translocator. Mao Place a full load in that drive section!" Mao's shot exploded a micro second before the shields of the alien came back on. This time the aft section was completely vaporized. But the bow section was still intact. Anything I knew of would have been completely destroyed" Micro loads into secondary energy sources!" Four more explosions crippled the alien ship and reduced it to a burning wreck. "Captain I am still reading the life form!" "Mao, Tech stop and Paralysator full intensity." Wetmouth didn't take the eyes of her scanners." Captain this is incredible. The ship over there is destroyed and disabled to over 80 percent and I can detect molecular manipulation and energy to matter replication. The ship is repairing itself! Whatever this is Captain it is at least Tec level 11." "Can you localize the energy sources?" "Yes Captain! There are 200 of them." "Mao fire till that thing is destroyed completely and utterly destroyed!" The Cockpit section of the Alien ship detached itself as Mao kept firing., but Mao was on the ball and he send a gravi bomb into the path of the cockpit. It was shielded as we could see now but unable to evade and the Gravitation bomb pulled it into its Grav center Mao masterfully reacted and placed a second one obliterating the alien shields. I felt as if I was fighting a mythical dragon that kept regrowing heads, a smaller object emerged from the cockpit. It was a humanoid shape in a space suit. and it approached our ship! I didn't want to fire on a being in a space suit, but from what I saw whatever it was could perhaps regrow an entire ship." Mao target that being and fire!" The Alien ship was gone; Mao's gravitation and anti matter bombs had reduced it to atomic dust and dissipating energy. We were hit by a powerful weapon beam from the suit being before Mao could place a Translocator bomb close enough. The suit beings weapon had penetrated our shields and hit the portside, doing considerable damage to the molecular compacted Ultronit armor. Muhammad's evasive flying prevented it from penetrating and causing more damage. "Alien Suit is damaged, shields down. I can read humanoid life signs." Wetmouth reported. "Hit it with Paralysator and Techstop! Maybe we can capture that alien and see what they are and find out if there are any more of them!" "Hans and Har-Hi. I hate to ask you but get into Quasimodos. Cut it out of it's' suit and place it in Stasis." "Aye Captain!" "Wetmouth launch another probe and see if there are any more surprises around that Asteroid." "I am on it!" "Cirruit, Damage report please." "We lost two shield generators. 76 percent of our portside armor. Third Shield generator strained to 90%. I am replacing SG2 now. Engines sustained no damage. "Elfi go help Cirruit please!" "Of course, I am on my way!" Wetmouth's detailed scan of the asteroid revealed no other energy signatures. Cirruit was busy fixing our shield projectors. The Barracuda was still space worthy but we were depleted of much of our ammunition. Several systems where damaged but Cirruit was confident he could repair it within a day. Har Hi and Hans had recovered the Alien. We had to destroy its suit completely as it too began to self repair itself. The Alien was to our surprise a human female and Wetmouth was in sickbay examining her. I ordered Muhammad closer to the Paracelsus and now we saw that the ship did sustain damage, the entire Engineering section was ripped open and the energy producing antimatter reactors where completely gone. I made my way to Sickbay to inspect the Alien. Hans had activated two Cerberus robots to stand guard, just in case. Our sickbay was small but state of the art and Wetmouth, even though she wasn't a designated Medic, held a MD degree and was a Xeno biology expert stood next to a diagnostic unit on which a restrained naked woman was lying. She looked human, had short black hair appeared to be in physical peak condition. Wetmouth said. "We almost took a Trojan Horse aboard." "A Trojan Horse?" "An ancient legend of Earth, where the Greek, a Terran native tribe overcame another Terran tribe, the Trojans by giving them as a present a wooden Horse. Inside the Horse where soldiers and the Trojans pulled the trophy inside their city unaware of its hidden cargo, the Soldiers inside opened the gates of the City and thus caused the doom of that city." She pointed at the Alien." She was loaded with very advanced nanites ready to spread out throughout our ship and transform it into whatever she needs." I felt suddenly sick and swallowed." Where are those Nanites?" "Thanks to Cirruit, he saw the nanites and we contained and destroyed them." "Any chance there is more inside her?" "Cirruit says no. She is full of Medic Nanites of ours now, trying to repair her cells and save her life." "She doesn't appear to be sick or wounded." I said. Wetmouth looked at me." Eric, that woman is human, while her DNA isn't Terran, Saran or Pan Saran. It is similar to all. Like all Humanoid species we encountered so far, she shares many similarities. If my analysis and diagnostics are correct, that lady is over 1 million years old and her Cells are failing. My guess is she was in some sort of stasis or suspended animation but way longer than anticipated. The reanimation process was either interrupted or unable to restore her." Just then the woman blinked and opened her eyes. She tried to move but the physical restraints and the contour force field made that impossible. Then she said something and it sounded angry and demanding, but whatever she said was in a language I did not understand. The Computronic beeped and said: Language not on file. Translation sequence started." The Computronic spoke directly to the Alien in single phrases and the Alien woman responded. After about eight minutes, Wetmouth spoke in the same alien language to the Woman and listened to her response while adjusting the Translation program with flying fingers. The Computronic beeped again and said:" Translation process completed. Verbal communication filters in place." "I am Commander Cateria. I carry important information for the Empress. You are inferior life forms and you are herby ordered to release me at once and supply me with all I need. Otherwise I will destroy you!" "Hold it right there, Commander!" I said." You attacked an unarmed Hospital ship and caused casualties and damage. You are inside Union space and you are in no position to make any demands!" She closed her eyes and opened them with an even angrier look." It matters not if you destroyed my ship or my suit. My Nanites have infiltrated your systems as we speak and you will be at my mercy in mere moments." "Sorry to burst your hopes, Commander but we detected your Nanites and destroyed them. On the other hand our Nanites are in you repairing your cell structure. I have a good mind and order my medical officer to cease all restoration procedures and simply recover your brain and do a memory dump. We don't really need your entire body." She blinked again and tried to swallow. I said." I don't know who you are, but trust me I will show you how uncivilized I can be if you don't tell me what you have done to the Hospital ship. Are there Nanites of yours?" She didn't answer my question. Cirruit came in and held a little metal cube shaped device." I have never seen anything like that. This Alien Nanite technology is light years ahead of the best X101 technology. Only because her Nanite control unit was damaged, was I able to counter hers. Luckily however her nanites where work units only. My Battle nanites where able to infiltrate it and shut it down. I removed it from her brain and isolated it." She starred at Cirruit with hate in her eyes but then sudden despair replaced her anger:" Is it not better to be under our rule than face utter destruction from the Dark Ones? Aide me to reach the Throne World and I will make sure your species will be rewarded." She stared at me and I felt as if something was pushing into my very mind. For some reason I saw Narth in a dreamlike vision and instinctively I pushed back. I saw Wetmouth slumping over and Hans holding his head with both hands, I knew she attacked us psionically and even Wetmouth wig that shielded her from such attacks was not effective. Just as I had seen Narths vision I somehow knew what to do and pushed back even more. The Alien woman screamed and blood ran out of her nose. Whatever affected me was gone. Hans slowly lowered his hands and then pulled his blaster aiming it at the alien woman." That Witch has Psionic powers too!" "Hold your fire!" I said. Wetmouth pulled herself up and took a deep breath." I am alright." She went to her console and scanned the now unconscious woman." She is alive, and she had a bio tech device attached to her medulla oblongata. It is completely destroyed and crushed!" I wiped my mouth and realized I was bleeding too. I had bitten my tongue and only now I noticed the pain." Keep her sedated and scan and examine her cell for cell I am almost certain she has other surprises hidden." Hans snorted." She is too dangerous to be left alive, Eric! She almost killed us twice now. Her technology is far beyond ours." "I tend to agree with you Hans, but we must take the risk. We need to know where she came from and if there are more like her. Can you imagine what a fleet of those little ships could do? We are not in unknown space but deep in our own space we deem safe. There are hundreds of worlds in this sector. It is our duty to find out as much s we can until help arrives!" He grunted." You're right! I just hate being attacked that way. It makes me feel so helpless." Wetmouth looked at me." How did you defend yourself against that anyway? Even the Psi Shield in my wig failed." "I am not sure, Wetmouth. But I carried the Huhgavh of a Narth once and it appears it affected me more than I realized." "A Narth? You know a Narth?" "Yes he is my best friend." "I don't know what a Huhgavh is." She said." But that could explain why the Psi Snake couldn't control you. Whatever the Narth did it raised your Psionic abilities." "I like Narth like a brother but I am like Hans, I don't like Psionics one bit." --""— I assembled my little crew in the small conference room behind the bridge. Elfi started the meeting by saying:" I send all our findings and your report to Fleet Command and they say the Devi is on her way and will arrive within the next sixteen hours. The situation on Planet Gregory is getting worse by the moment. They need the medical supplies aboard the Paracelsus badly." I nodded and gave Wetmouth a sign to speak." Our guest is in Zero Stasis. I established an original DNA pattern of hers and removed fourteen artificial enhancements most of them I have no idea what they do. She should be harmless now, and we repaired her enough so she will not deteriorate for the moment, but she needs new organs the ones she has are failing. Our sickbay is not equipped with the necessary equipment to help her. Each of the removed items is also in stasis." "But I bet the Paracelsus has equipment to do that, right?" I asked. Wetmouth nodded." Yes." Cirruit was next:" As I said before, her technology is so far advanced to ours; she is at least Tech 11. Her Nanites are able to manipulate matter on the atomic level and reproduce quickly. Unlike ours, hers are more intelligent and adaptive. I am sure one single Nanite of hers could reproduce enough units to rebuild her ship within the hour from scratch." "Cirruit, can you detect her nanites?" "Yes, that was and is my original design. I was born to be a Nanite engineer and can see them and my nanites can find hers if they are not in the open." "Can you launch some and see if they infested the Paracelsus?" "Yes I get right on it!" "We need to secure the Paracelsus. See who needs medical help and repair her enough so we can get her Gregory as fast as possible." Har Hi said:" I think we could tow the Paracelsus if we have to. Once we get her moving and overcome the mass we should be able to go superluminal, not very fast but possible." Cirruit nodded." That is our best option. The entire Engineering section of the Para is heavily damaged and the reactors and pods are missing. There isn't much I can repair." "Well I hope the Devi is here by then. Let's check her out first and make sure there aren't any more surprises hidden on the ship or the rock. Send a Cerberus first if you think the Paracelsus is Nanite free." Mao prepare a deep penetrator in case we need to destroy that rock. --""— I was back in Sick bay and said to Wetmouth. "How is she?" "As long as she is in stasis she is alright, but as I said she needs new organs soon." "Get her out of Stasis. I want to talk to her." I waited till Wetmouth pulled her out of the Stasis tube and deactivated the zero time field. "Commander Cateria. I don't know who you are but let me give you some facts. Our instruments say that you have been in stasis or suspended animation for a very long time. Longer perhaps than intended. Maybe the reanimation process was interrupted or the machinery damaged, but your cell structure is failing. We need to make you new organs if you want to live. The big ship you attacked is a Hospital ship. An unarmed ship but with our most advanced medical technology, able to save your life, so I am asking you and I am asking you only once, do you have any of your Nanite technology on that ship?" She listened to me and Wetmouth activated a field screen over her head so she could see the scans of her own body." I am not sure how well you are trained in medical terms but on the right hand side you see a simulation of a healthy cell and on the left you see an actual picture of yours." The alien woman stared at the screen, pressed her lips together and then said:" I was attacked and my ship was damaged by the Dark Ones. I managed to land on a moon of this planetary system and engage the repair nanites. My body was also damaged so I placed myself in deep stasis for regeneration. Can your screen show me the system we are in?" "We are in no system. The moon you say is a wanderer. A celestial object without system!" Wetmouth said. Wetmouth fingers flew over the input screen." I am calculating the course of the wanderer, its speed and see from where it came from. The screen over the Alien woman's head changed and showed the asteroid then moved out to show the entire sector. A dotted line appeared and traced across the screen to a place well known to me, the Vanderstraat Nebula. Wetmouth explained:" It appears your moon came from the Vanderstraat Nebula, which was a sun that exploded approximately 1 Million Years ago. That also confirms my carbon dating of your cells. You have been in suspended animation for about that time span!" Cateria's chin quivered as she stared at the screen." This was my home system." I said." We know of a force or species called the Dark Ones only from legends. Two of our oldest member species, the Saresii and the Narth remember that time and in their stories and legends the Dark Ones fought a Galaxy spanning culture we call the Celtest, as their true name is lost in time." A tear pearled across the alien woman's cheek." I know of the Narth and the Saresii. I also know you speak the truth. I am a Seenian, or what you call a Celtest." She still stared at the screen." Can you enhance that lower sector?" Wetmouth did and said:" This region of the Galaxy is called the Downward Sector and unexplored by us." Cateria tried to raise her hand but the field restrained her." Can you zoom in on the left side and highlight all sequence sender stars?" I wondered what she meant but Wetmouth nodded." I am sure she means Quasars" The Alien woman said:" The Ancient ones that seeded human life in our Galaxy left these Beacon stars. The Throne world should be right there, but all I see is another Nebula." Her voice became a whisper." There are no Seenians left then? We lost the war?" I nodded." The Saresii do not know the details, but their history records say that the Saresii joined the Celtest in the fight against the Dark Ones and where punished and lost all their colonies and worlds, except their home world and gave up all space flight for 100,000 years. When they resumed space exploration both the Dark Ones and the Celtest where gone. The Narth hid their world behind a cloak screen and know nothing about the final outcome of that war. There are known Celtest artifacts but no one ever claimed to have found anything belonging to the Dark Ones." She looked at me."You have the strength of a Narth. No one else could survive a Mental Hammer attack." "I have close ties to one Narth." Wetmouth said:" But there is also a legend that the Terrans are a lost Celtest colony. Eric's ancestors are from Terra and our Helmsman is a true Terran." Her eyes lit up." Maybe that s why you could capture me!" She sighed." My ship automatically attacked your Hospital ship to gain the necessary energy and materials to repair and restore itself." --""— " This is Midshipman Olafson currently in command of the Devastator Auxiliary Ship 45-12, Barracuda Class Destroyer." I said after Elfi got me connected to Fleet Command." Please advice the ships en route to assist. That we are now in orbit around Planet Gregory. We managed to partially repair the hospital ship revive the crew that was in emergency stasis and tow the Paracelsus to Gregory. Captain Perma is currently in surgery but expected to recover. My science Officer Midshipman Wetmouth is currently planet side assisting the medical research team and she believes she isolated the cause of the epidemic. My engineer Midshipman Cirruit is working on modifying a Loki torpedo to combat the disease causing bio organism. We have a live Celtest commandant aboard, who was in suspended animation for about a Million years and was the cause for the Paracelsus damage." The Commodore laughed:" Midshipman Olafson. That's enough with the jokes. I indulged your war-game simulations until now. I am sure you are having fun in whatever simulation the Academy put you in, but now stay away from official fleet channels and connect me with your commanding officer." "Sir I am the commanding officer of this ship, but I can connect you to the XO of the Paracelsus in a little while. Their Comm systems are still under repair." "I had enough of this, Midshipman. Your adventure stories where fun and imaginative. I am contacting the Devastator now and tell your Captain. You are in trouble now!" The Commodore cut of the transmission. I looked at Elfi. "I have a feeling he never really contacted anyone, no wonder the Devi didn't show up." She blinked." I did transmit our ID codes and everything." "Maybe he never looked at them." "We are being hailed, Eric. From the Devastator." Captain Harris and Stahl appeared on our screen and both had stern unreadable faces. Stahl spoke first:" I just got a complaint by a Fleet Command Commodore. He tells me a bunch of Midshipmen keep contacting him with outrageous stories of alive Celtest, Hospital ships in distress and all this deep in Union space. Didn't Captain Harris send you to the Dover system?" "Yes Sir he did. We encountered a distress call on our way and contacted Fleet Command for advice." I gave Elfi a sign." Transmit the record of our calls." I saw both Harris and Stahl watch and listen to our initial contact with Fleet Command. Stahl then looked up and said:" He believed it was a training scenario, and never checked or called the Paracelsus. He never called us or anyone either. Now tell me the rest!" I repeated my report and when I came to the end I said." We overstrained our engines towing the Paracelsus. We could use some spare parts and fuel. The Colony doesn't have much and the Paracelsus is still without an engineering section." There was silence; both Officers looked at me with open mouths. Stahl then swallowed." You are under Red Red Blue right now. Do not call anyone and mention the Celtest Officer. We will be there shortly!" We all stood in line and in attention on the Devastator Flight deck. Harris and Stahl walked slowly down the line and finally stopped and turned to me. Harris sighed." Teaches me to give the Olafson gang a ship. Anyone else would have made it to Dover without any problem. But they battle a techlevel 11 space ship, capture a real live Celtest Officer, tow a battle ship sized ship across 103 light years and are instrumental in saving 200,000 settlers lives by identifying the cause of the disease and finding a cure." I lowered my head." I am sorry Sir. I know you gave us orders to go to Dover. I am sorry if I disappointed you. I was in command and it was my fault only. My friends only followed my orders. I accept all blame and any punishment you see fit." "I see. What do you have to say for your defense?" "Sir I believed I acted according to regulations especially after Fleet Command gave me green light to proceed. I was not aware he thought this was an exercise. Lives were at stake sir and I would have acted the same way if I had no orders from Fleet Command; however I want to recommend my fellow Midshipmen who acted gallantly and professionally, if you be so kind to evaluate the records." Harris put his hand on my shoulder." Son you are not in any trouble. The Admiral and I watched your reports and records and I am deeply impressed by your alls conduct action and professionalism. It was my fault for not giving the Barracuda official recognizable codes, the Commodore could check and verify." Stahl's stern face didn't chance." The discovery of a live member of the Celtest race is perhaps the most significant find in recent history. But because of that significance it must remain secret. You are not allowed to speak to anyone about this incident. However the events showed clearly that you are no mere Midshipmen, but talented and resourceful officers. I am making you all acting Ensigns and make your ranks permanent after you completed your Challenge at Dover Planet. It seems almost trivial to send you now to a Midshipman challenge, but we already committed you to that. Since Captain Harris is already getting used to decorating you, I will do it myself." Harris opened a box and Stahl tagged a Distinguished Space Star on my chest." Mr. Olafson once more you displayed courage and resourcefulness in a difficult situation." He then decorated everyone the same way and added a golden Mercy Cross to Wetmouth's decorations." This is for identifying a disease and saving an entire planet by finding a cure." "Thank you Sir, but it was Cirruit Idea to seed the atmosphere with a genetic designed virus that killed the fever causing bacteria." "That's why I am giving him one too!" ________________________________________