Version 2006 - Ch 32

Quagmire Bog

3rd Planet, Icsein System 4323 LY to Earth

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To my surprise the other's where at the dorm as well. Wetmouth sat in the lotus position on her bed and was deeply focused reading something on an E-pad. Mao and Krabbel focused on playing chess at the table. Cirruit was in his bed but not sleeping but watching something on GalNet, I was certain it was one of the shopping channels. Elfi was doing something with Muhammad's hair Only Hans was absent but we heard him singing in the showers as he always did, ancient German Opera he called it. "Does everyone have R&R?" Har-Hi asked?" Elfi put the tool down." Yes everyone got the rest of the day off. Tomorrow we have our field evaluation test." "This is the first time I hear about this. What kind of test?" I asked. "I don't know exactly what it entails, but Lt. Merkus said every group is leaving the ship and has to solve a field challenge." Wetmouth looked up." I just read logs of past Field challenges. The tasks vary greatly. One group last year had to observe a primitive pre space flight culture without being spotted and write a detailed report on that culture afterwards. Another group had to survive for a week on a desert planet. Yet another was tasked with surveying a star system. It seems our instructors go to great length to prepare these tests and there is no real pattern, but it seems survival challenges occur more often." I got me lemonade from the Serv-Matic and sat down. "Well I guess we know more tomorrow. Surviving on some extreme planet is inconvenient but I think we make it." Har-Hi leaned forward." I find this game of chess very intriguing. Who is winning?" Mao smirked." Krabbel as usual." "That is not true. You won two times!" Krabbel protested. "Yes, once I was certain you let me win on purpose and the other time you where distracted watching GalNet with Cirruit." Wetmouth had left her bed and looked over the board." Mao your defeat is by no means certain. I see eleven ways to beat Krabbel." "No offense Wetmouth, but could beat Centron in a game of chess so your analysis of the game does not necessarily mean I see even one way to get out of his trap." Wetmouth hugged Mao." Oh you big oaf! Don't sell yourself short. You play very good!" Mao blushed and smiled at the masked girl. "That means a lot to me!" "I know how you feel, Mao." Krabbel said." I did play against her a few times." Wetmouth padded Krabbel." You, my eight-legged friend have great potential. I bet you could become a grandmaster." Krabbel balled his legs around his body, as he always did when he liked something very much."Your compliment is perhaps a bit exaggerated but it makes me quite proud!" I sipped my lemonade and observed Elfi." What in Odin's name are you doing to Muhammad's hair?" "I put extensions in. He wanted long hair!" "I think you wanted it and talked him into it! Well he looks like Prince Valiant, a very dark Prince Valliant!" "Who is that?" "Oh an ancient story about a Viking prince. I loved it as a kid, every Neo Viking did. He had his hair much like Sarans do." Muhammad looked at his reflection in a mirror field." I think I look rather handsome!" "So do I!" Elfi agreed." I can do the same to you Eric!" "Maybe some other time. I doubt long hair will be on my priority list for a while and they made me cut mine in basic." Hans finally came out of the showers and he was no longer bald headed, he too sported the same page hair cut, just his was blonde. "Oh Odin!" I exclaimed. "What in the world is going on here? If that continues we all look like sisters and brothers!" "Do you think such a hair cut would make me look like a brother of yours?" asked Krabbel. "Naa, you don't need a haircut you already look like a brother of mine." "You aren't serious!" "But I am! All Vikings are born with eight legs and eight eyes we just cut them off during the first year, it's an old custom." Wetmouth padded Krabbel's furry torso." Go right ahead and get a wig of mine, I am sure no one will ever be able to tell us apart!" "Well maybe I should dye my leg hairs pink too, what do you think?" Har Hi shook his head." Nothing wrong with pink, but Red is the royal color! You should try red!" Our conversation was interrupted by Lt. Clusen entering our dorm. Muhammad saw him first and yelled." Officer on deck!" We all jumped to attention. "Ah the Olafson gang is completely assembled." I had the strong notion that something fishy was going on. The sudden feeling disappeared as fast as it had come. He smiled like a cat that caught a fish." You are to report to Hangar Deck 7 with Standard field gear at 0500 tomorrow. You are to meet a Research team on a garden world for some routine research work." He left without any further words. I was certain I heard him whistling while the door closed behind him. "That doesn't sound too bad." Mao concluded." I expected him to send us to the roughest extreme world for our test." Har-Hi crossed his arms." I am not so sure about that. Lt. Clusen hates us, I am sure he went out of his way to find an especially difficult task." "Or simply a boring one where we hardly gather any points." Mao suggested. "I tent do agree with Har-Hi. Something smells wrong about it. He whistled!" I said. Wetmouth opened her locker." How standard do you think we should pack?" "We can't prepare for every possibility, but I think we better request arms and maybe they allow Destroyer suits." I said. QUAGMIRE BOG A Lieutenant we never seen before seemed surprised to see us when we reported. He checked his E Board and shrugged." Everything looks alright. Those are HQ orders." He mumbled more to himself than to us. Then he gestured towards a D 14 Shuttle and said." Your equipment is loaded and the pilot is standing by." "Sir would it be permitted to request Destroyer Suits?" I asked. It was then when Clusen walked in." No, I cannot authorize Destroyer suits without specific orders and your equipment list has none on it! "Your orders are to make contact with the research team on the planet. Find out why they do not answer any of our calls. You are then to collect specimen and make a standard planetary survey. Also deliver the equipment requested by the research team already there. Now get aboard we only have a short launch window! The Captain would be very angry if he had to change flight plans because of you!" We boarded the long range shuttle, the hatch barley closed as it accelerated down the launch tube. The Shuttle was a plain cargo version and we in its cargo bay along with two large containers. The flight deck was separated from it by a door and the red light above it showed it was locked. "I think we just walked into a trap!" I said. "Sure feels that way." Har-Hi agreed with a gloomy note in his voice. The flight only took 2 hours as we felt the characteristic movements of a shuttle entering atmosphere. The Intercom came on." Here we are. Planet Quagmire Bog, I sure wonder why they send a team of Midshipmen here but then I am only a shuttle pilot. I got to return to the Devi right away. I drop you of at the old Campsite and unload your equipment; I have to go back right away." "Sir can you double check that we are supposed to be here?" I asked. "Already did that. Because I could not believe they send me down here without an armed escort and make me drop of Midshipmen. However orders were confirmed to drop you and the equipment of." "Can you do me a favor and contact L. Merkus and tell him where we are?" "Sure will! Now get out and let me drop the containers." We stepped on a swimming dura plast platform that was surrounded by brackish greenish water. The water belonged to a foul stinking lake the shores heavily forested. A robot carried a small box out, put it down and returned into the shuttle. The shuttle lifted off turned on its end and the two containers slid out its back and splashed into the water, close to the platform, almost dousing us with the mud green water. It then accelerated and disappeared into the cloudy sky. I looked around. The platform was perhaps 50 meters in diameter and two buildings where built at its center. Everything looked old and abandoned and in dire need of repair. "Now what?" asked Mao? "Let's find the research team." I said somehow knowing we would not find anyone. Both building where manufactured of Dura plast and had simple manual operated double doors, the buildings where rectangular in shape and about 10 meters long in each direction. I estimated them to be 5 meters tall. Only one of them had windows, to dirty to see through. "Har-Hi, Mao, Elfi and Cirruit check the other building. Draw your weapons and proceed with caution. We check this one!" The inside was a common room with a table, chairs and a small portable serve-Matic. Everything was covered with dust and mold. A cup on the table was covered with some fungus. There were 3 bed rooms personal belongings strewn around, Uniform coveralls hanging in a locker, the simple bed unmade, an E-board with reading material on the night stand. Krabbel said." I found one of them!" Up a short flight of stairs were an office and a GalNet terminal. The GalNet terminal was damaged with a blaster shot and a mummified human was sitting in a corner of the room on the floor still holding the blaster which he had used to blow half of his head away. The body wore the uniform of the Science Corps and the name tag read:" Dr. Herford." Wetmouth knelt down and examined the remains closer." That is an old uniform. This style is no longer used. The last time it was issued was 30 years ago." Muhammad picked up an E Board and activated it. He had to clean the read out window." It looks like I found his personal log." "Does he say why he committed suicide?" "The E Pad is damaged, maybe Cirruit can fix it." We went back down and met the others. Har-Hi thumbed towards the other building." It was their lab and storage facility. We found the remains of a badly decomposed body, whoever it was. The vibro-machete that was used to kill him is still there. The lab is somewhat trashed but there is enough food stored to last us a life time." Cirruit added." The power cell is fine and enough left to operate at least fifty years and I think I can fix the water recycler, it's just clogged." I handed him the E-Pad." See if you can fix that as well. It might help us solve the mystery." He took the E-Pad and checked it." The thing is useless even if I fix it. The memory crystal is gone. Whatever was recorded on it is gone." "Someone took the crystal." Elfi concluded. "There are three beds, three rooms and only two bodies. The killer might still be here." Hans added. "So what are we doing now?" Krabbel asked me. "We do what we came here to do. Cirruit and Muhammad get the equipment working. Har-Hi, Wetmouth and Elfi you make recordings of the bodies and see if you find some container you can put the remains in, then start cleaning the living quarters. Hans and Mao you going to check the food supplies and prepare dinner. Krabbel you go on top of that building and take a blaster. Keep an eye, well eight eyes on our surroundings." Mao grinned." You got a knack for this. I would have never thought of all that!" Wetmouth's mask was as unreadable as ever, but I knew her long enough now that I knew when she was smiling." That's why he's in charge. Believe me; I am amazed at him sometimes too." "You made him blush!" Mao laughed pointing at me. I grumbled." Get to work! There is lot's to do!" "What are you going to do?" Asked Wetmouth. "I am going to unpack and see what kind of equipment we got in those containers!" I went to the small box the robot had carried. It was a standard 50 x 50 x 80 small equipment container. I opened the first and on top was an E-Pad and I activated it. The screen came on and it read." Briefing and Orders for Special Investigation Team. Lt Strasenburgh commanding: Recent scholar research indicates that Planet Quagmire-Bog was first cataloged and surveyed by the Saresii over 8000 years ago. The Saresii lost two survey teams on the planet and declared the planet dangerous and inhospitable. The Saran rediscovered it in 2100 and also lost a survey team and a subsequent expedition to rescue the first disappeared. The Sarans made a third attempt to find out what happened to their people in 2200 and yet again all contact to the planet team was lost. The Saran declared the planet off limits. The United Stars Science Council sent a team of Scientists in 3500 to investigate after 2 weeks contact ceased and a team of Marines was sent to find out what happened. The Marines found six out of nine scientists dead. All killed what seemed by a member or members of the team, not local life forms. Even after extensive search the two other scientists could not be found and where declared MIA. The Planet was placed under quarantine until more research could be done. In 4969 a team of Scientists under Dr. Hereford was sent to Quagmire to investigate. After 3 weeks of eventless research and continuous contact, with Dr. Hereford no new reports where filed and any contact attempt failed. We fear Hereford and his team fell victim to whatever danger lurks on the planet. The Planet is nitrogen Oxygen Garden-World with moderate climate and open water. Such planets are rare and valuable. The Star system is strategically close to the Nul-Nul Empire and in a very likely upcoming conflict could serve as an important base. You are an experienced Navy Officer and along with you are six fully equipped Marines to assist you. Your orders are to keep constant contact to a second team that remains in orbit. Report any and all findings without delay. At the sign of any danger you cannot handle, you are permitted to evacuate immediately. If you are able to determine the nature of the danger and it can be neutralized, your orders are to establish a permanent base on the Planet. To this purpose a LEGO-III Nanite factory and 20 Engineering Bots have been issued to you!" I was occupied reading the E board, as I noticed the movement out of the corner of my eye it was too late! A dark green tentacle coiled around me and pulled me over the hip high railing into the muddy green water. The last thing I heard was Krabbel's alarm, before I was pulled below the surface. I instinctively opened my gills and gagged! The water was full of debris and almost no oxygen. But my legs hit the ground. The bog was not deep and with all my strength I tried to stand up, and managed to get my head and shoulders out of the water. But more tentacles started to coil around me and I soon would be totally helpless. My blaster was pinned to my hip by one of the tentacles and as unreachable as my combat knife in my boot sheath, but my right arm was still free, so I pulled the 45, thumbed the safety and fired the entire magazine into the black blob just in front of me. The thing reared out of the water, pulling me forward. I felt the tentacles go limb and knew the beast was dead! Two sun bright beams singed over my head vaporized water and much of whatever got me. At the same time Har-Hi jumped with Dai knifes in both fists into the water and started cutting tentacles away from me. Krabbel holding two blasters kept firing and whatever had me was long reduced to atomic ashes. Har Hi's face was covered with green slime and filth:" Are you alright?" "I think so!" He grinned at me." I know you like swimming but you should choose your swimming partners a little better! Besides this water is not exactly water!" Two powerful fists grabbed us and pulled us with no effort back on the platform. Wetmouth came running with a first aid kit. In her voice vibrated more than concern, almost something like fear or panic. This surprised me; she was usually the most un-emotional of us all." Is he alive?" I struggled to my feet." Yes I think so. If the tentacles had any poison or so, it didn't penetrate my suit." She ran a medical diagnostic scanner over me never the less and checked the read out." Other than a few contusions and ecchymoses you seem alright?" "Ecchy…what?" I repeated Her voice had the usual unemotional quality again:" Medical term for bruises, black and blue marks on your skin left by those tentacles." Cirruit and all the others had come too and he said." I just finished fixing the plumbing. Looks like just in time you both are in need of a shower." Elfi wrinkled her nose." Yes you both stink!" I grinned."Har-Hi and I are veterans when it comes to stink and green slime!" Wetmouth took me by the arm. "The next time be more careful we are on an unexplored possible dangerous world!" "More dangerous than you realize! Read that E-Board!" --'''— Wetmouth was right I did have red marks around my waist and legs but nothing serious. The shower felt great and I rinsed my gills and was amazed how much dark green stuff came out. It felt even better to breathe fresh water. I called a meeting in the common room after Har-Hi and I where clean and when everyone was assembled I said." So how are we doing, so far?" I looked at Har-Hi first. "We recorded the crime scene; Wetmouth secured any possible evidence for later. We stored one body in a specimen container and where just about to do the second when Krabbel raised alarm and you decided to examine a local life from close up!" That reminded me and I took the 45 put it on the table and took it apart as the Marine instructor had showed me to clean the gun. It came in quite handy and I promised myself to keep it in perfect working order. Wetmouth was next." All crime scene evidence suggests that he was not murdered but committed suicide, but I am going over the forensic evidence I collected more closely, later. Not that there was much left. I also read the E Board you gave me and I concluded with 95 percent probability that we should not be here, but Lt. Strasenburgh his team and most of all the Marines. I further conclude that Lt Clusen set us up somehow." I nodded." I came to the same conclusion. Not that I put any percentage to my results. That means there is some dangerous life form or condition on this planet that is responsible for all those expeditions getting lost. While I am confident that we might be able to survive whatever it is, I would feel better if we could leave this planet before we have to find out what it is. I pulled the recoil spring plug off." Any chances that GalNet terminal could be repaired?" I looked at Cirruit. "I didn't have a chance to look at it. I get right to it. As for the other equipment, the Pile is about half way drained so we should have enough power for at least a hundred years. Water recycling works fine now; there was some nasty stuff in those filters I tell you, the self clean cycle has to run all the time. The lab equipment is pretty much intact. In addition we have six old style Marine TKU Rifles, A full sized F-9 Paralysator on tri-pod mound. Several boxes of explosives and detonators." Har-Hi interrupted. "Old Style TKU'S? Intact?" "Oh yes they are still in their shipping crate along with lots of fully charged cells." Har-Hi's eyes glittered." Whatever is down here, we have nothing to fear. Do you know why they don't have them no more? " I shrugged." No I don't." "Because they where to powerful! Ahhh I always wanted one!" "Then take one and relief Krabbel, and only fire them a few times and warn us!" Har-Hi almost flew out the door." I will!" I looked at my Multi Com. "Let's continue with what we started to do. I would like to have dinner at 2000 hrs and everyone get dressed for it. I would like to have it as formal as possible. We are Navy Officers and let's face the challenges with style." They all got up. Elfi commandeered Krabbel and told him what had been discussed. I cleaned my gun, reloaded it and put it back in my holster. Almost padding it, like an old friend. I went back to the box to see what else it contained. There was a rectangular multi task console, one that could be carried with a strap before the waist. The unit had the manufacturer's designation written on the side:" Portable Construction Command Console." After I activated it, it had a simple easy to understand layout. The two large containers the shuttle had dropped where almost completely submerged into the muck. I pressed the robot activation key. I could see the slide door opening and water rushing in. Twenty robots emerged. I saw only parts of their heads sticking out of the water. Engineering robots where designed to work in almost any environment and neither the mud nor the water mattered to them. A voice from the console asked." Choose project." A pullet list appeared and I scanned down the list: Defense Bunker Landing Platform Space Port Landing Field Settlement Small Standard planetary base Medium Planetary base. Large Planetary base. I didn't bother to scan further and selected Medium Base. One of the robots launched a small device into the air and it disappeared into the sky." Survey Satellite launched. Mapping in progress….Select site." An aerial picture of our location appeared on the console. It was Jungle and mud bogs everywhere. So I simply drew a circle right here next to the old base. "Selection process complete. Construction phase indicated!" The robots worked on the second container. A big chute extended on one end just below the water. Water rushed in the chute and the robots began dismantling their own shipping container, gathering mud and debris and putting it into the chute. The output conveyor was under water but I saw other robots taking square bricks of 2 meters x 1 x 1 meter and carrying them away. Long poles appeared and robots placed them in regular intervals into the mud forming a circle of perhaps 300 meters diameter. The robots worked tirelessly and with unerring precision. I saw a robot dragging a black blob of tentacles and scales towards the chute. It was the same or at least a similar animal that had attacked me. It had no chance against the raw power of the robot and seconds later the last tentacle end disappeared into the Nanite factory, where it would be disassembled into its molecules and reassembled into something the construction project needed. Bushes and water plants, rocks and mud everything was devoured. It was a fascinating process and I could have watched it all day long. I turned to return to the others and see their progress. Something caught my eye and I saw Har-Hi on top of the building aiming his blaster gun at me! At first I thought he was aiming at something behind me and I turned but there was nothing. Har-Hi was trembling and the gun was shaking. With a sharp thunder-crack a bolt of super heated plasma burned a 20 centimeter wide hole right before me through the dura plast of the platform. The heat was still so intense it burned with stinging sensation all over my face and hands! I was shocked. Har-Hi had almost killed me! My eyes were still blinded from the bright bolt and I heard shouts and Har-Hi's angry voice. In heard Wetmouth close to me and the characteristic sounds of the medical scanner." Second degree burns all over your face, thank to the Goddess your eyes are not permanently damaged. She sprayed something cool in my eyes and then over my skin. My eyesight returned and I saw Krabbel restraining Har-Hi and Hans aiming his immense fist at his face." Did you lose your mind? Why in the world did you shoot at Eric?" Something that I thought I would never see, tears where rolling down Har-Hi's face. "Yes I lost my mind! I don't know why but I suddenly felt so angry and hateful against Eric. For a moment he was the killer of all those Dai. I saw him attack me and the anger became stronger and stronger by the moment! I wanted to kill him! Deep down I knew it was all wrong and what I wanted to do was not me! I could not kill you. I was able to aim the gun elsewhere the very last moment!" Elfi made a serious face." I am latent Psionic talented and I felt it too! It was not Har-Hi but someone or something influenced him. For a moment I hated Wetmouth! I wanted to kill her so bad! I hated her for being so beautiful and intelligent. At the same time I knew it was wrong. I never saw her face how could I even know if she was beautiful or not!" "Let him go Krabbel." I said. Hans still was aiming his fist and his face showed anger." You verfluchter Dai Pirat! You tried to kill Eric! I will rip you apart!" "Hans! Stand down that is an order!" I said as loud as I could without screaming." Stand down at once. Last chance!" Hans gleamed to me and his face was barely recognizable, it looked like the face of a raving lunatic. Then his expression relaxed. His fists opened and he stepped back." Oh mein Gott! I was ready to kill you! What is happening to us?" Wetmouth said." Someone or something out there has Psionic powers to Hypno suggest. Probably latching on at the smallest emotion and increasing it!" I looked around instinctively towards the jungle. It was for a moment as if someone had tapped on my shoulder, but there was no one. A sudden painful headache made me groan but it disappeared and I shook my head." I am alright. What can we do to protect ourselves?" Wetmouth said." I am immune to Psionic attacks, all Sojonites are. Our wigs have small Saresii psi tech shields! I got four extra wigs along." "Give one to Hans. If he goes berserk no one can stop him. Har Hi needs one!" I grinned despite the serious situation." It's going to look good on you!" Cirruit raised his hands." I am immune too, nothing biological to my brain, no Psionics." "Alright then. Krabbel how about you?" "I am not sure. My Heidelberg score is less than five but Saresii can read my mind." "Krabbel you take a wig too." Elfi said." I think I am able to detect the thing. Somewhat that is. I felt a wave of pain, something has injured it and it was you doing it and it retreated. It is not around or within my range to sense it." "Mao you take the last wig. Those without stay at all times with a wig wearer. At the slightest sign of trouble we must be restrained or paralyzed. I think I got something from Narth that protects me somewhat, but I am not sure and I certainly can't control it." I turned and looked towards the jungle. It was getting dark. The poles the robots had erected where now equipped with flood light heads and the construction area was as bright as daylight. "We cannot assume there is only one being out there with this capability, but I have a feeling their range is limited. I took the Construction command console and put it on voice command input." Robots interrupt construction process and clear any vegetation for 500 meters in all directions centering on my location." The Robots dropped what they were doing and marched towards the edge of the lake and the jungle. I couldn't help but smile when I saw Hans, Mao, and Har-Hi and Krabbel wearing the pink wigs. Har-Hi gave me a sinister look." What I am thinking now is all my own! Only because I almost killed you I won't ask for an honor fight!" I put my hand on his shoulder." Har-Hi you never missed in your life. The very fact that I am still here and you missed proofs that your friendship is stronger than whatever is out there. That my friend makes me prouder than you ever know. Say the word and I kill myself if I offended your honor!" He looked at me for a long moment." You are my brother!" He then turned to Hans." And so are you! What Eric said holds true for you. I know you could have killed me like an insect with those fists." Wetmouth hugged Elfi." Thanks for not killing me either!" I looked around and paled." Where is Muhammad?" Cirruit said." He was helping me taking the GalNet Console apart and he was working in the Lab with a microscope to repair a modulator component. We all rushed to the lab and saw Muhammad, his eyes glued to the micro scanner eye piece while his hands manipulated micro tools. He looked up almost annoyed as I called his name, but then he smiled." I am almost done. I think this modulator is working!" We told him what happened and he shrugged." I am a Virtu Helmsman. All Helmsmen are implanted with the finest Saresii psi shield. So no one can manipulate us while we steer a ship." "Well that leaves only Elfi and me then. How long till dinner?" "You still want to do the dinner?" Hans asked. "Absolutely!" "It will be ready at 2000 hrs. Or in about 40 minutes!" --'''— They had done a great job. The common room was clean and tidy. Where they got the second table I didn't know but it was now long enough to seat us all. It had a table cloth from blankets. We all wore Dress uniform and I took my mug filled with Fleet Tea and raised it." To the best friends anyone could have. I don't know what the future holds for us or if we survive this mission, but I know we will face it together and that makes it a good future!" We all ate and the mood improved. There where jokes about the wigs and Krabbel uncovered a tray and said." Guess what? I found ice cream! Not the best kind, just Navy Standard but its still ice cream!" Har-Hi shook his head."I bet the Union Navy is the only space faring culture that has Navy Standard Ice cream!" Krabbel spooned it with visible delight between his mandibles." There really is a Navy Standard, a hundred sixty page manual just for manufacturers and suppliers." "You read that?" Wetmouth wanted to know. "I read everything related to Ice-cream." Har-Hi leaned back and pulled a box from a leg pocket and handed me a Cigar. Much to the surprise of the others we lit them and puffed happily. We had to explain to the others what we were doing and then Wetmouth gave us a small lecture on the history of smoking and the health risks that once had been associated with it. Har-Hi had enough Cigars for everyone. Mao stubbed his out after only one puff and coughed." That is the nastiest thing I ever tasted!" Wetmouth followed his example and said." I tend to agree with his assessment." Elfi however seemed to enjoy hers. Muhammad did not smoke his but produced something he called a cigarette and that this was an ancient Terran custom, just like the cigars just less civilized. Krabbel tried it and gave up." I simply don't have the lips to get a seal and therefore suction. It seems Spiders are not meant to smoke. So I stick with more ice cream." Cirruit said." I could rig you a mouth piece I guess." Before Krabbel could respond, Elfi started shaking. The thing is back! It feels there are…" She didn't finish her sentence but reached for her dinner knife and was trying to stab Wetmouth. She shook violently and from pressed lips she groaned." Stop me! Please!" Krabbel was fastest, he took Elfi and in blinding speed some silvery liquid or thread came out of his abdomen and he spun it around her arms and legs. Wetmouth was over her a heartbeat later, using her ever present scanner and said." Mao, quick. Get me the Med Kit. I need to sedate her. Her EEG is off the scale." While Mao hurried to get the kit. Har-Hi looked at me and said." Do you feel anything?" "No, not at the moment. I am going to check on the robots. Stay with me and if I act weird, sedate me too!" To Cirruit I said." What is the status on the GalNet terminal?" "It is a mess, and I don't have all the parts I need to make it work, but Muhammad and I manufacture the parts we don't have. I estimate about 48 hours till we can send and perhaps another day before we can receive." "Alright do what you can. Hans take that Paralysator cannon and take it to the roof and assemble it. "Wetmouth you stay with Elfi and make sure she is alright. "Krabbel take your post on the roof and keep watch. Mao you go to bed and in 4 hours relief Krabbel." "I am not tired." Mao said. "We need someone fresh, Krabbel will rest after you relieve him and so will I and Har-Hi." "Aye!" Har-Hi followed me outside. It was very dark except for the day bright circle of the construction site. Clouds of local insects swirled around the lights. I took the command board and cut the light. The robots didn't need it and I wanted to see what happened around us. Har-Hi handed me something. "What is that?" "Dark vision goggles. No Dai leaves his bunk without them." I held them before my eyes and the surroundings where as bright as day, except for color. Everything appeared in gray tones." "They're great. But I think I didn't turn them on right. I can't see color." "Because they are made for Dai Eyes. We don't perceive color as you do." "Ah! So how does red look to you?" "Red of course, but still different than you see it. How do you explain the color Red to someone who has no eyes? Same problem here." The robots had made enormous progress and cleared the ground from any vegetation almost completely around. The robots sunk to their knees in mud even what seemed to be the shore of the bog lake. I kept slowly turning and then I saw it! Just outside the 500 meter circle where trees where still standing. It looked like an upright snake, a thing without legs but it had arms and a wicked evil looking horned head. I instinctively knew this was one of our adversaries! Just as I saw it the headache returned and for a second or so, I wondered why I was not killing the Dai Pirate next to me. But it was clearly a foreign thought and I had no urge to act on it. The headache was a different matter. I had the distinct feeling that more and more of these snakes gathered to break down whatever shielded me. I got angry at the snake for messing with my mind. Again I saw Narth before my inner eye without his hood. Har-Hi yelled:" Are you still you?" "Yes! Over there I see it!" I bend over in pain but pointed in the direction. "I seen it too but before I could shoot it exploded like an over ripe fruit. Wait there are others!" Har-Hi's TKU roared. I took a deep breath." Did you get it?" "They moved just as I aimed as if they knew I was aiming at them before I did. I am not sure. The TKU blast is powerful and might have injured it." I looked back and said into my Com." Hans come in." "Hans here." "Is that Paralysator cannon ready?" "Just about! This is a big one even for me." "How long?" "One moment!" I saw him putting a long projector on a tripod close the snap connectors and switched the thing on and he said."Ready!" "Put it on maximum intensity and strafe the jungle 360 degrees." Paralysator rays where invisible. The rays interrupted neurological impulses and neuron activity and it worked on every unshielded carbon based life so far encountered." All the Jungle noises that had been a constant background were completely gone from one moment to the other. We could hear the robots relentless stomping movements. "Give it another pass just to make sure." I told Hans. Har-Hi said." Anything smaller than a Nufgwaug will be dead for at least a click! That's a F4 Paralysator. Anything bigger is ship mounted." "Let's find out!" I pulled my Blaster and jumped over the railing into the now only chest deep water. My boots where sinking in mud but I slowly waded towards where I had seen the snake with arms. Har-Hi's TKU blast had disintegrated the tree and left a smoldering smoking hole in the foliage of 5 meters diameter. Har-Hi was following me and cursed." I hate clean water, but this is worse!" "You hate water?" "I am a terrible swimmer and every time we had to swim in basic training I was horrified." "Happens to me in deep space. The time we went to that sphere I almost lost it." "Well you went anyway!" "And so are you right now!" We reached the shore. The ground was gooey and wet and the dirt stuck to the boots, but it got better the further we got away from the bog pond. Everywhere we went where dead or paralyzed animals and insects. The Paralysator ray at this intensity stopped all neural activity and in smaller life forms it fried the neuro path ways for good and killed. We found a piece of scaled tail at the edge of the blast area." I think you got it. That is all that's left of it." I was almost read to turn around when I saw something a little deeper in the jungle. There were dozens of these snakes like beings, about Man sized and looking very alien. Har-Hi pulled his scanner out of a belt container." I still read life signs. They are not dead." I made a quick count and came to sixteen so far. I pulled my blaster and burned them, all but one. In my Com unit I said." Wetmouth how is Elfi?" "She is fine and cannot detect any hostile or otherwise influence." "Do we have something we can contain an alien and very likely hostile and dangerous life form? "Yes all you want. The lab is stocked with specimen containers of every size. They are equipped with stasis fields to contain the dangerous ones too." "Please come out here where we are and have Hans bring one of those containers large enough for a being about 2 meters long and perhaps half a meter thick at the widest. Wake Mao so he takes over on the lookout." "Aye,Eric." The rest of the local night passed without any further incident. Wetmouth was in the Lab with the snake being and ran tests on it. Elfi claimed she could not detect any influence all night. After a few hours rest and breakfast, I went outside and checked on the robots progress who had resumed their building task. The water was now only ankle deep and a circular wall of 2 meters height was built out of interlocking duro-crete blocks. The robots where carrying big blocks of stone to the recycler. When I realized what it was they carried and made them stop. The excavated mud and the now low water level revealed the ruins of a temple or building. I saw it moments later after I realized the rocks the robots carried were to square to be natural it was nothing natural but had to be made by an intelligent species. I called Wetmouth out. She looked at it and got excited." This planet must have had or have an intelligent species!" "Those snake beings?" She shook her head." No. I am not sure what they are, they have the higher brain functions of a sentient being but their DNA does not match native life forms at all. Their DNA appears constructed not developed naturally." "Well whoever built that temple might have made those snakes." I suggested. She climbed over the railing and went to examine the exposed ruins and I followed. She sighed." The robots have already carried away much of it. There is not all that much left, but luckily it seems there could be more outside the circle still under water." "I think it had been destroyed before, the water wasn't very deep and nothing was visible before. I pointed at an exposed stone block." Is that some sort of writing?" She knelt into the muck and wiped the surface clean." Yes it is. It is a simple hieroglyphic alphabet. I should be able to make sense out of it. She stared at it for perhaps 5 minutes then nodded." Yes I am able to read most of it. The Natives built this temple to appease the star gods who came and fought each other in their sky and on the ground. The star gods disappeared but left the coiling monsters behind! It says here brother fought brother and sister fought sister to the death!" She looked up." I think those snake beings caused this whole civilization to die." "Alright we know what did it, Psionic Snakes. No telling how many more are out there, but it could be millions." I reactivated the robots."As soon as we have a better base we can defend, the better. If they have higher brain functions they might have other means of attack than Psionics." At our second day Cirruit came." We are able to send and receive, but I am getting no signal. We are in Union space and should be able to pick up GalNet, but nothing, not even the base line!" "Are you sure it is working?" "I am certain. The GalNet terminal is like new. I had the nanites from the Robot factory make me all the parts. That is why I am done earlier than estimated. With the nanites it was easy to make a second terminal and I can receive the signal from the first, but nothing from the outside!" "What could cause this?" "Only two things. the Nul-Nul over ran this part of space and destroyed every relay station in reach, or we are being jammed." "How can we determine if we are being jammed?" "The best way is to launch a Transdim beacon and remove it a few million clicks from the planet. If we are being jammed it is local and no technology I know can jam an entire star system." "Well we got the robots and the Nanite factory. The mapping satellite should be modifiable." We had launched the emergency beacon with a pre recorded message two days ago. I had the robots resume building the base and they made tremendous progress. Inside the circular wall they had sunk thousands of poles into the ground and poured a duro crete floor on it. The robots now gathered building material around the base and erected a building on top of the platform." To make sure my friends would not lose hope I kept them busy, collecting specimen. We found a hover skimmer in storage and with it surveyed a greater area around the base. With the Paralysator cannon along. But even concentric search flights and detailed satellite mapping for energy sources did not reveal any more of the snakes so far. Krabbel spotted it first and we found the half sunken, overgrown wreck of an ancient Saran space ship. Vegetation and the elements had it severely damaged. It was next day our satellite identified an energy source almost on the other side of the planet. First we send a robot for closer reconnaissance and found a very alien looking machine complex build inside a cave. The robot was attacked by snake beings but telemetry showed they only used primitive clubs after their Psionic attacks were fruitless against the machine. We assaulted the cave from the air with Paralysator fire. Wetmouth identified the machinery as DNA crafting hatchery, no longer operational of alien design and theorized the snakes now used natural procreation to multiply. On the morning of the seventh day, a day after we had sent a modified Satellite as transdim Beacon probe on a theoretical course to Earth Elfi said." It seems no one heard our beacon." She didn't say it in a depressed fashion but I could sense she saw herself stuck on this planet. "We complete the base, and then we have the facilities to strip that Saran Planet Lander and make it a working ship. We got robots and a Nanite factory and a hell of a crew. We are far from out of options!" I smiled at her." We do have some work cut out for us however!" She simply hugged me." How could we be lost with the best friends a girl could ask for?" It was the tenth day. We had moved into the new Base. It was of course still in construction but the crew quarters and Command and control were operational. With the robots we had cleared a way to the Saresii Wreck and cleared the jungle around it. Tomorrow we would dig it out and tractor it to the base. Har Hi and Krabbel were on watch duty. Mao, Elfi and Wetmouth worked in the laboratories to catalog our collected specimen. Cirruit and Muhammad worked on a second Nanite factory to speed up construction process. Hans was sleeping to relieve Har-Hi later and I was sitting in Command and Control writing our log book and monitoring Sensors and communications. Just then the GalNet terminal beeped and came on." USS DEVASTATOR calling Olafson's Gang. Are you able to answer?" I believe I made the distance from my chair to the terminal in one jump and said."Planetary Base Quagmire 1. Midshipman Olafson here. We are able to answer. I am switching to Visuals." Captain Harris came on. Stahl standing behind him. "Can you give me a short situation report? Any casualties?" "No casualties. We are on Planet Quagmire Bog and we have completed our mission. Contact to previous team impossible due to the fact they were dead. We identified and neutralized the danger that caused the death of previous survey teams. Base constructions near completion of phase one. We are attempting to repair old Saresii Ship Wreck, but we could postpone that if you have different orders or maybe give us a ride. We are ready to return." There was a moment of silence and I feared we lost them again. But it was Stahl who almost pushed Harris aside." A Shuttle is on its way. Midshipman. Do you need medical assistance?" "No Sir. I repeat no casualties here." --""" I delivered my report before the other midshipmen groups, Lt. Clusen was there and so was Lt. Merkus. Captain Harris and Admiral Stahl stood in the background. I concluded:" For our scientific report, the collected specimen, unearthed ruins, captured alien Psionic beings and the ancient Alien breeding facility I am giving the podium to Midshipman Wetmouth." Harris raised his hands." One moment Mr. Olafson, would you explain how you ended up on a planet that was strictly off limits and deemed too dangerous for anyone except a special selected team with Marine support?" "Sir I am sorry if we caused any offense, but we had no control over the destination of the shuttle that dropped us of. We asked several times to verify our orders and destination. We were ordered there by Lt. Clusen, Sir. We had no idea where we where until I found the E Board in the packing crate." Stahl said." Lt Clusen, can you explain that to me?" Clusen rose." I had no information about this planet being dangerous. I received the orders to send the Olafson team for their evaluation test there from Academy HQ." Harris said." Academy HQ has never in its entire history sent Midshipmen to restricted planets. The HQ orders where for Lt Strasenburgh and team and came from the Science Corps not the Academy, including the equipment on the shuttle. How come there was a Navy issue Transdim jammer in orbit around the planet? My Engineers said it is Union issue and such a device was requested by you three weeks ago!" Someone handed Harris a note and he read it. "Lt. Strasenburgh and team are right here on board. His orders to go to Quagmire where canceled." Clusen was pale but he shrugged." You must ask HQ on that. I have no authority over such things. I ordered a Jammer for class room instructions. I don't know why there was one in orbit." "Even if this is all true. Why did you not check on your students when you were unable to communicate with them? Would that to have been reason to raise alarm?" "The orders came from Academy HQ; I didn't feel they were my responsibility anymore. Sir this discussion should not take place before mere midshipmen!" "Oh it will happen right here. They earned the right to hear why the Navy sent a bunch of Midshipmen ill equipped to one of the most dangerous planets without any support." Stahl got up." I give you one chance and one chance only Mr. Clusen. If you tell me the truth now I will give you a fair trial and court martial. If you lie to me I will not consider you an officer and deal with you accordingly." "Check the orders, Sir." Stahl waved at someone and a marine escorted a furry gray being in Lt Uniform. Stahl said to it." Lt. Nort. You are the Communications Officer that was on duty while these orders came from HQ. Can you confirm that?" The being was nervous and Clusen was staring at the being with such intensity as if he wanted to kill it with his gaze. The furry Lt tried to escape the stare and said in a quiet tone." No Sir I cannot confirm that. No communications have been received from the Academy during that time or any time while I was on duty since we left Arsenal 4." "How come the orders where decoded by you?" "Sir I let Lt. Clusen change the orders that came for Lt. Strasenburgh from the Science Council and I used a comm. Loop with an old Academy code to create these orders for Lt. Clusen." "Why would you let him do that?" "Because my family serves his family and he promised me to give them their freedom and the chance to leave that world. He did not keep his promise but threatened to have my family killed if I ever come forward!" Clusen hissed." And die they will!" The furry Lt straightened." At least they are no longer slaves and I am free to face charges as an officer and not as a coward." Stahl said:" Mr. Nort you will face charges but yes as an Officer. I will deal with you later and I will investigate if Clusen family practices slavery then they will suffer the consequences." He turned to Clusen." Why?" "My family is forced to live below our status. Shunned by royalty. Midshipman Subbor's family is influential and sent us many credits and will restore us, in return for my service to Subbor." I am ashamed to have men like you on my ship. I am ashamed that this navy allows trash like you to wear this uniform. Marines take him and that Midshipman and get him out of my sight." Stahl looked away as the Marines dragged them out. Then he faced us." You all and especially you Mr. Olafson must by now have the lowest opinion of this Navy and I cannot find any excuses. All I can is offering my apologies!" "Sir, no apologies necessary. I am proud to serve this great organization. It is true I experienced what might be called injustice. It is true I meet a few that might not live up to the high standards of this Navy, but many more many that hold up that standard, I met those who exceed it every day and I am very proud of this Navy, as a citizen and a member. I feel deeply honored and beyond what I deserve to be given a chance to serve alongside distinguished officers, hardworking enlisted and senior staff. Most of all I feel deep gratitude to this Navy because it was the vehicle that allowed me to make friendships that are deeper than any family ties could be." I snapped in attention and saluted the Admiral. There was a moment of silence. Stahl simply nodded and said. "Why don't you carry on with your report? I am eager to hear what your findings where." Wetmouth concluded:" After cross-referencing with GalNet and the Encyclopedia Galactica. I am certain the snake beings are the legendary PSI weapon the Afonee used in the Glamaan war about 9000 years ago. The Afonee culture has ceased to exist but excavations on their home world found similar DNA manipulator hatcheries just like the one we found." "So all we had to do to solve the Quagmire mystery was to send the Olafson gang." Harris smirked." I should have thought of that!" Stahl grinned." Yes that seems to be the case. Do you have any requests ort wishes?" Har-Hi nodded." Yes Sir. I like to keep those old TKUs." "Permission granted anything else?" Krabbel danced nervous back and forth." Well some ice cream would be nice, Sir!" That caused open laughter and Stahl nodded." I see what I can do. You are on R&R for 48 hrs. Mr. Olafson you are with me!" I followed the Admiral and as soon as we reached the corridor and were alone he stopped. "I personally apologize to you. Mr. Olafson. Because it was my fault what happened. Lt. Merkus informed the Captain about Clusen's misconduct several times and I knew personally about Clusen's attempt to chance the Score rating system. I frankly wanted to see how far he would go. I never imagined he would go that far and commit attempted murder. For this I must apologize." "Sir what I said in there I really meant." "I am going to space Clusen now. He has lost all rights to be trialed like a soldier. I would like you to be present. To show you justice will be done in this Navy." "I am not looking forward to see a man die, Sir. I am new in this Navy and I perfectly understand the need for capital punishment in some cases." The Admiral did say nothing but just then I saw my friends leave the briefing room and Wetmouth waved. My voice became hard and cold and I knew it." Yes Sir I like to be present. I do not feel he deserves death for putting me in danger, but his actions endangered my best friends for no other reason than vanity." He started walking again and said." What if you get a genuine order that puts you and your friends in harm's way?" "Sir I don't think you know me very well. I believe in this Union and I feel it is worth protecting. A community of beings where a Spider and an Android can be friends, where outer form and heritage means little is a society worth serving and if serving means dying then this is what I will do and I know my friends think the same way." He put his hand on my shoulder."Well said, son!" I followed Stahl to the 64th Section and Detention Center. In a small chamber with an Auto Dresser he changed into a completely black uniform. Except of his Admirals Gold on his sleeves it was bare of any decoration or ribbon display. He motioned me to do the same and the uniform I got was alike. No ribbon display, no patches, completely black. "The delinquent has lost all rights and the lack of decoration and ribbons symbolizes that these signs of honor would be besmirched by his gaze." Stahl explained. "What we are about to do is among the hardest tasks a commanding officer has to do." "Captain Zezz spoke of a similar incident, Sir." "Yes and he did it. I know how much it troubled him. I fought the Shiss for decades and even I thought of them as coldblooded Lizards." He sighed." This is why you are here and not your friends. You came a long way already in this navy and if you keep on this path I see you reaching your goal and become a Captain of a ship. This is why I wanted you with me. To see that justice is done but doing it can be very hard. I want you to see the dark sides of Command as well." I knew we were about witness the execution of a man. I did not look forward to it at all, but to hear why I was here made my heart skip a beat. He handed me a pair of gloves and a black hood." The hood helps as a psychological barrier and the gloves are to be put on when the command is given." He too put the black hood over his face and so did I. Then I followed him into a small empty Storage bay with an airlock on one side. Twelve Marines all in black stood on each side in a row. Stahl motioned me to remain at his side as he positioned himself next to the Airlock controls, dismissing a Sergeant standing there." You may stand back, Sarge. I must do my own dirty work." The Sarge saluted." Aye Sir, standing down." Almost like a whisper the Sarge added." For you Sir my Marines and I would do anything!" Clusen was brought in and Suppor as well! Both still wore their uniforms. Each had their hands tied to the back and bare feet! Captain Harris stepped before the Air Lock facing the two."Lieutenant Clusen, for acts unbecoming an Officer of the United Stars Navy I herby revoke your Commission. By lying after being asked to be truthful you forfeit your right to be tried by a Military court and under the regulations laid forth for Court Martial. You are now nothing more than a common criminal." Harris put his hood on and said."The masks of the executioners are all you see before you die. No hand shall be soiled by the task of exterminating you from our society." Everyone put their gloves on and so did I. I was glad for my mask. I could not help to feel sorry for the two. For all his faults he was still a thinking being and I wondered why society had not found a way to deal with crime another way. My logical mind tried to explain all the reasons to my consciousness and while I understood all the reasons and because they put my friends in harm's way they deserved what was coming to them, but my soul still refused to listen and I felt somehow guilty for putting those here. Clausen was still defiant and said." I had to do what I did. I am also my father's son and the welfare and status of my family is more important than fleet and duty." Suppor seemed not to fathom what was about to happen. His face showed the same arrogance." I demand to see a lawyer! If I am no longer a Midshipman I am a civilian and therefore have the right to a lawyer." Stahl spoke:" You don't deserve anything more. You soiled the uniforms you wear so much that nothing can clean it, so you going to implode in it. By conspiring against the Navy you formed a secret and condemned yourself to death." Clusen was dragged to the airlock first, the massive door opened. His tone changed." I am sorry! I knew what I was doing was wrong! I will do anything to make good what I did!" The drum roll now sends cold showers down my spine. All too vivid was my memory of the day they played for me! I flinched as I saw Clusen's legs collapse and the Marines dragged him merciless and without losing a step into the Air lock chamber. The door hissed down and slammed with a terminal sounding clang into the frame. Stahl said. "May whatever God you worship have mercy on you?" He then pressed the button. There was no sound coming through the thick material but we saw Clusen getting pulled into the vacuum of space through the transparent window in the door. He did not explode or implode. I was certain I saw him move his legs before the outer door closed. Subbor had seen it too and now he did realize the seriousness and that he was about to go next. He screamed and cried and begged and it took a moment to get him to listen. Stahl said." Since you were not yet commissioned and still in training. You will not be executed. You were present to see the consequences of your actions. After serving the maximum of 90 days in the Brig you will be dishonorably discharged and with the loss of your citizen privileges released into civilian live."