Mission Origin View (Final Days Trilogy) (46 page)

“
This is all impossible!” Dr. Harper screeched in frustration. “There cannot be an unstructured planet made of liquid water seas and a water vapor atmosphere. And light certainly can’t be emitted from nothing!”

***

Joseph, still sitting in the back of the MCC and listening to Stephen’s report and Dr. Harper’s comments, suddenly remembered something he’d read in his book and then felt a sensation of energy filling his body. A moment later, he felt the warmth of the energy within his chest, and then thoughts and answers appeared in his mind. The energy prompted him to speak, even though he didn’t want to. Joseph eventually knew he had to speak, and then a calm came over him.    

“
It is not impossible, Doctor.” A deep voice came from the back of the MCC. Everyone turned and saw Joseph standing as he spoke. “Is the science you know so limited that it leaves you without an explanation of what you’re seeing with your own eyes? The beginning of the words of my book detail how Earth was created in the same manner as you’re witnessing.”

Everyone in the MCC looked at
Joseph as he spoke. It was as if it wasn’t him speaking but someone else. He spoke with such confidence and authority. Everyone remained quiet, their bodies unable to move, waiting and somehow longing for him to continue speaking.

“
You have been chosen to witness creation. Don’t let your intellect dictate what you believe to be true,” Joseph said and walked out of the MCC without being dismissed. Once in the corridor, the energy in Joseph subsided but didn’t completely go away. Joseph knew what he had just said and done, but didn’t really know what it meant. He also knew it didn’t matter if he understood it or not. What was important was that he’d said it. He remained calm and began walking to his quarters.

***

Seconds went by before anyone in the MCC could speak or move.

“
Doctors, continue your analysis and contact me if there is something I should know.
Lieutenant
Klaxton, you’re with me,” Mary said as she headed out of the MCC. Gideon followed.

“
What just happened?” Mary asked Gideon as she entered the corridor and began picking up her pace.

“
I don’t know, Captain. Why do you think I would know?” Gideon said as he walked faster to keep up with her.

Mary
continued walking and said, “No reason other than you’re a genius, and I hoped you might have an idea because I have nothing. Everything I’ve seen for the past few days makes no sense.”

“
Well, sir, you must have something in mind, or you wouldn’t be in a hurry,” Gideon said as he continued to follow.

“
We’re headed to the Tripe C, where you and I can make some plans. Have your marines meet us there,” Mary said as she continued walking.

“
Anna, contact all the marines, with the exception of Gunny, and have them meet me in the Triple C on the double,” Gideon said aloud.

“
Anna, have Commander Steward meet me in the Triple C ASAP,” Mary ordered her Anna.

A few
seconds later Mary and Gideon entered the Triple C.

“
Okay, here’s what I think and what I want to do. It may sound crazy, so I want you to be honest with me and tell me what you think. Is that clear, Lieutenant?” Mary said.

“
Yes, sir,” Gideon answered.

“
Since no one knows what’s really going on and after my secure message from Admiral Frank, I have to take into account the possibility that what has happened to us, what is happening to us and what might happen to us, could be the result of alien intervention, and we should prepare,” Mary said, waiting for Gideon’s response.

Gideon
thought for a few seconds and said, “Sounds logical. What do you have in mind, Captain?”

“
Security, Lieutenant. As soon as I brief your marines and Commander Steward, I’m going to order battle stations. I’ll explain to the rest of the crew and scientists that we’re going to battle stations to better cope with our current situation. Per protocol, I want a battle-ready armored marine stationed on the bridge, in engineering, in the Triple C, or wherever we think should be secured at the time. I want to make sure no one or no
thing
interferes with the operation and my command of the ship,” Mary said.

“
What about Stephen?” Gideon asked.

“
That includes Stephen, Lieutenant. I’m not sure if Stephen is malfunctioning or not, and until further notice, it can’t be trusted. If Stephen does anything outside his normal operating parameters or disobeys my orders, I want you to shut him down,” Mary said.

“
Yes, sir,” Gideon said.

The
marines and Commander Steward entered the Triple C a few seconds later. Mary also asked Stephen to join the meeting. Mary told everyone she was ordering the ship to battle stations, and then she told them about the message from Admiral Frank and told them to treat the information as top secret and not to share it with the rest of the crew and scientists.

While the
marines and the commander were trying to process what they had just heard, Gideon ordered Manelly, Kindle, and Tidwell to suit up in combat armor when the Captain ordered battle stations. Manelly would be stationed on the bridge, Kindle in the Triple C, and Tidwell in the MCC. Gault asked what he should do, and Gideon told him to armor himself as best he could and report to engineering.

Mary concluded the meeting by ordering
Stephen not to permit the ship to be put into motion without a direct order from either her or Commander Steward. Then she asked if there were any questions. No one asked a question. Mary then sat at a console, brought up the ship’s tactical display, and selected battle stations. The ship’s alarms sounded as Stephen used the ship’s intercom and repeated, “Battle stations. Battle stations. Battle stations.”

Everyone scrambled out of the T
riple C, leaving Mary and Gideon. The Triple C
was
their battle station.

SRS
Stephen Hawking

0800
—
March 9, 2372

It had been almost twelve hours since the long
-range sensors stopped detecting any changes from the planet being analyzed. The gray-water planet sat in a void, illuminated by light without a source. The scientists took shifts working through the night, reviewing and processing data they had received the previous day, and waited for any new data to be detected. The ship’s crew and marines were at battle stations throughout the ship and would remain there until Mary changed those orders.

Joseph sat at his
battle station in the ship’s maintenance area, awaiting orders. As he sat he read his book and recalled the dreams he had had since the beginning of the mission. He still felt the energy within him, and as he read and thought, a lot of things began to make sense. He somehow knew what the day would bring. He was also ready to do whatever the energy within him told him to do.

Dr.
Pettway and Corpsman Wong had their hands full with the old widows and children. They tried to assure them they were going to be okay and the ship was at battle stations as a precaution and would most likely return to normal activity soon. On several occasions Gunny Xia tried to get out of bed and report to duty, but his wounds and lack of pain medication, per orders from Dr. Pettway, kept him in bed. He did, however, contact Gideon, and Gideon told him he’d come by and brief him as soon as he could.

***

“Captain, with your permission I’m going to brief Gunny Xia,” Gideon said.

“
Go ahead, Lieutenant, and grab something to eat,” Mary said.

Gideon left the T
riple C and walked towards sick bay. As he walked, his mind kept playing over and over the event with Joseph in the MCC the day before. He and Mary had talked about it during the evening, and neither could explain what they’d witnessed. It would be easy to believe Joseph had just snapped and started spouting off things that were locked away in his mind, but neither of them could explain why they’d been unable to move their bodies and how they’d been captivated by what Joseph was saying.

“
Anna, where is Petty Officer Sipes, and what’s he doing?” Gideon asked as he walked.

“
He’s at his battle station in the maintenance area, reading his book,” Anna said, “Do you have a message for him?”

“
No, Anna. Thank you,” Gideon said as he thought about what Joseph had said about his book yesterday.

***

“Sir, what is going on?” Xia exclaimed when Gideon entered his curtained area and stood by his bed.

Gideon pulled up a chair, took a seat, and told Xia about the ship
’s situation and everything the rest of the marines had been briefed on.

“
I’ve always wanted to fight aliens,” Xia said with a smile after Gideon had finished. “Sir, you don’t really think that’s what we might be up against?”

“
Gunny, I don’t have a clue what we’re up against, but we can’t rule it out,” Gideon said as he stood to leave.

“
Sir, do me a favor.”

“
Sure, Gunny.”

“
Sir, keep Sipes away from me. He visited me when I was in a coma, and when I woke up, he was reading to me,” Xia said. He paused a second and continued. “I know what he did for me and Manelly on Leonis, but I still don’t want him near me.”

Gideon thought for a second and replied,
“Okay, Gunny, I’ll order Sipes to stay away from you myself if that’s what you want.”

“
Thank you, sir,” Xia said.

Mission Control Center, SRS
Stephen Hawking

0835
—
March 9, 2372

“
We’re receiving new sensor data,” Stephen said over the intercom. The gray holographic display of the planet blurred again as the data being received began to be processed.

Dr.
Harper almost spilled his coffee as he turned away from talking to Dr. Jones and looked at the display. He said, “Anna, contact Captain Bowser and tell her we are receiving more data from the planet.”

“
Yes, Doctor,” his Anna replied and then relayed the message.

A few minutes later
Mary and Gideon entered the MCC.

“
What’s happening, Doctor?” Mary asked.

“
We don’t know yet. New data is being analyzed,” Dr. Harper said.

“
Stephen, pipe the planet simulation monitoring display throughout the ship along with audio of everything being said in the MCC,” Mary ordered.

“
Yes, Captain,” Stephen said.

“
Captain, is that wise?” Dr. Harper asked before Gideon had a chance to ask the very same question.

“
Everyone knows our mission and our situation already, Doctor. My officers and crew have requested I keep them up to date, and this is the best way, especially while we’re at battle stations,” Mary said.

Dr.
Harper nodded and asked with some hesitation, “Captain, is there a reason…I mean, why is a battle-armored marine in the MCC?”

“
Standard battle stations protocol, Doctor. Nothing more,” Mary answered as she sat at a console and brought up a ship’s communication display and selected the ship’s intercom. “This is Captain Bowser. Every ship monitor is now linked to the MCC and can be used to monitor our progress in resolving our current situation. Please continue performing your duties as required and only view the display periodically to get an update of our progress. Captain Bowser out.”

Every crew member
, who was able to access a monitor, selected the feed from the MCC. They saw the unfocused image of the planet and could hear the scientists talking among themselves.

Joseph was among those
who selected the MCC feed, watched, and listened. As he watched, the warmth of the energy within him began to increase, and he opened his book and read the events that would take place in the MCC during the day.

Mission Control Center, SRS
Stephen Hawking

1257
—
March 9, 2372

“
Yes, I’ve confirmed the analysis. High concentrations of gases are forming at an accelerated rate; nitrogen,
oxygen
,
argon
,
carbon dioxide
,
neon
,
helium
,
methane
,
krypton
,
hydrogen
,
nitrous oxide
,
carbon monoxide
,
xenon
,
ozone
,
nitrogen dioxide
,
iodine
, and
ammonia
,
” Dr. Bailey said as she read the information from her console, then turned to Dr. Harper. “At this rate the planet will have a breathable atmosphere within hours. This…this is impossible! There are no geological conditions occurring on the planet that would cause these gases to form. It would take billions of years for this to happen under the best of conditions.”