Expedition (Galactic Neighborhood Book 1) Read online

  Perry raised an eyebrow, but made no further inquiry.

  “Very well. I will meet you in the level three conference room in five minutes. Please have a galley remote deliver some hot coffee and a light snack for me.”

  “Yes, sir,” Mosis replied, as Christopher Perry turned and walked swiftly out into the corridor toward the main transit tube.

  ####

  …The planet Grazill, forty romms (years) in the past…

  Gozorr eased off the acceleration once the ship achieved its proper orbit, and gazed at the glorious image on his screen. The other two ships in his triad took up their assigned places and awaited his orders, but he was content to let them wait while he absorbed the wonder before him. Grazill rotated slowly beneath his new ship, the gray-green water interspersed with thousands of irregular sandy land masses. White clouds scudded across the warm skies, leaving deep shadows as they passed. His hearts thudded with pride at the accomplishments of his people, and he was honored to serve in the fledging space fleet which now assembled in orbit.

  As Overlord, Gozorr was in command of all six vessels, and a large portion of his responsibility was the training of Underlords and thralls which crewed the ships. It was taking a bit longer than he preferred to see the results demanded of him by Premier Golopp, but yesterday’s exercises showed improvement in speed, maneuverability, and reaction time. Today, they would be testing their weapons systems as well as emergency protocols. No one on Grazill was particularly worried about enemy attacks, since there was no indication other sentient life forms even existed. Nonetheless, the Premier wanted them to be ready for anything, and Gozorr was not about to disappoint him.

  From his raised dais in the center of the bridge, the Overlord could see each of the stations, positioned in a half circle below him. Though he could stand, he preferred to recline on his belly, clawed limbs splayed off to the side. The dry atmosphere aboard ship was a constant irritation, however, and he called for a thrall to moisten his tough, scaly hide. When all ships reported readiness, he sent a short signal, and watched in satisfaction as one designated vessel veered out of formation and disappeared.

  That ship was to play the role of an enemy, and would ‘attack’ randomly to test their emergency readiness. In addition, several small asteroids had been strategically placed throughout the training area, each one supplied with a unique electronic signature. Any of the ships encountering one of those signals was ordered to engage their weapons systems.

  Gozorr grunted out the order to begin, and the ships scattered to their assigned coordinates. His bulging yellow eyes narrowed slightly in satisfaction as the reports began trickling in, growling alternately in satisfaction or dismay at the response of various ships. His own vessel was not expected to engage this time out, only monitor the rest of the fleet, and collect information.

  For this reason, he was unpleasantly surprised when his weapons thrall fired without warning. The resulting explosion meant something was hit, and for a tense moment he feared it was one of his own ships. Gozorr immediately ordered the fleet to stand down and wait for his next order. He slithered down off the dais and approached the weapons console.

  You fool! This is a clear area – there is nothing here to fire at. What did you think you were doing?

  The nervous thrall exposed his neck in submission, and gestured towards the small screen at his station. Gozorr growled in surprise as he noted the presence of a strange object, spinning wildly away from the point of impact.

  Track the object! Do not let it escape or I will send you out the airlock to go after it!

  The ship altered course to pursue and engaged their tractor beam, though it had little effect on the pillar-like device. Calling in three more of his ships, Gozorr ordered each of them to target the object with their tractors. This time, they were able to stop its spin and momentum.

  Clear the docking bay and bring it aboard!

  While the ships hurried to carry out his orders, Gozorr resumed his examination of the visual records. The main viewer was engaged to replay the event, starting several seconds before the weapon was fired. Nothing but empty space could be seen until the explosion suddenly erupted before them. The sequence of events became clear only after the recording was replayed at one tenth speed. Just prior to the weapons fire, the thrall intercepted a faint signal, and assuming it was one of the target asteroids, immediately fired. Less than a moment before the explosion, the object suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was struck by the weapon. Stranger still, the object was only damaged, and not destroyed outright.

  Gozorr paused to consider what just happened. Obviously, the device was created by someone other than the Lydokk, meaning there was another intelligent life form somewhere! The amazing appearance of the strange device, coupled with the lack of detection by any of his ships, spoke of a technology vastly superior to anything his people possessed. The profound importance of this event was almost overwhelming, forcing a long deep growl from his throat. His forked tongue darted in and out, as saliva dripped freely through rows of sharp teeth and onto the deck below.

  This was astonishing, and his ship would be credited with the honor of the discovery! Gozorr’s ruminations were interrupted by his communications thrall, announcing the device was now secured aboard ship. He quickly resumed his place on the dais, and ordered the fleet to return to the surface immediately. Premier Golopp could be demanding and unreasonable at times, but any shortcomings would be quickly forgotten considering the news Overlord Gozorr was about to deliver.

  Chapter 2

  When Captain Perry entered the conference room, he stopped short with a mild gasp of surprise. Already seated was a tall, broad shouldered man with curly black hair and startling aquamarine eyes. The man stood when Perry entered.

  “Welcome, Captain. It’s good to see you again.”

  Perry smiled and shook his head.

  “You caught me off guard, Mosis. I’m used to hearing your voice, not actually seeing you. I assume image generators have been installed wherever you may need to go?”

  “Yes, Sir, I have been busy during this last sleep cycle.”

  Perry took a seat across from his Mission Coordinator, poured himself a cup of black coffee, and brought the nearest view screen online. The alien device was still where it parked itself, neither moving nor making any effort to communicate aside from the same repeating signal.

  “What can you tell me, Mosis?”

  The screen zoomed in for a close-up view before he spoke.

  “As you can see, the design is unknown to us, and most unusual for a space-faring object. It is a simple hexagon pillar, roughly ten feet long and three feet in diameter. The gold exterior is reflective and smooth on all sides. There are no visible markings, no obvious ports or antennas, and no observable propulsion system. The signal we are receiving lasts exactly 5 seconds, and repeats twice per minute.”

  Perry looked at Mosis, turning away from the screen.

  “What do you make of the signal itself? Have you made any attempt to contact it?”

  Mosis shook his head.

  “I believe the signal is an invitation for us to respond in some way, but it is difficult to ascertain what might constitute a proper response in this case. On the other hand, it may be a weapon of some sort or perhaps a probe similar to our own. Since it appeared, the object has remained outside our shields and has not attempted anything provocative.”

  Perry pushed back from the table, hands resting comfortably on the arms of the chair.

  “I agree the object does not appear to have any hostile intent, though I realize this assumption could prove to be disastrous. For the moment then, let us assume its purpose does not present a danger. How would we normally handle a similar situation?”

  Moises was ready with the answer, already guessing what the Captain was thinking.

  “We would scan the object, followed by a standard hail. It is the simplest approach, and one the makers of this device may be counting on. I believe i
t would be worth a try.”

  Perry shook his head quickly.

  “No, not yet, Mosis. I agree we should try it, but I want to know what our own probe rushed home to tell us first.”

  Raw data from the probe appeared on an adjacent screen, and Mosis paused the presentation before he began speaking.

  “As you know, our probes are instructed to return to the ship under certain conditions. B-271 was engaged in a routine sensor sweep of a nearby binary star system which went supernova into a black hole. The other star has been compromised, and has been losing stellar matter for some time. This was of particular interest, so we instructed the probe to gather data in the system for several weeks before returning to the ship.”

  “What it found, Captain, was a planet with the remains of a sophisticated civilization. In addition, artificial satellites were discovered in orbit which bear a striking resemblance to the one hovering outside our shields. Once the probes’ programming was triggered by these discoveries, it returned to the ship squawking a Priority One alert.”

  Mosis then forwarded to the probes’ visual records of the planet and surrounding space. With some enhancement, it became clear much of the surface was once filled with vegetation and the unmistakable remains of large cities filled with delicate spires. The records went on to show satellites stationed at equidistant locations around the planet. Except for their larger size, they looked almost the same as the one outside Expedition. It was obvious the objects were connected to the planet in some way, perhaps to attract attention or protect it from intruders.

  In addition, and even more important, was the astonishing discovery of other intelligent life in the Universe. The ship enjoyed almost five hundred years of exploration, and yet this was the first evidence found. Unfortunately, their crippled sun apparently killed them off before Expedition could reach them. On the other hand, there were examples of alien technology still in operation, and if their purpose could be determined, the knowledge gained would be priceless.

  Perry leaned back in his chair, eyes closed as he processed the information. Mosis knew it would be unwise to disturb him while he was thinking, so he calmly waited for the man to come to his own conclusions. Moments later, the Captain roused and poured himself another cup of coffee before saying anything.

  “When our probe reached the planet, did it initiate a scan?”

  “No, sir, only a visual sweep. It was too far out for an effective scan.”

  “Is there any evidence the objects in orbit reacted in any way to the presence of the probe?”

  “None I can detect with the data we have, though the probe was more focused on the planet’s surface.”

  Perry came to a conclusion and took a deep breath.

  “It seems to me the objects were not left in orbit primarily for defense, but rather to get someone’s attention. It appears our probe was followed or tracked back to the ship, perhaps to find the people who sent it. Whoever lived on the planet must have left these devices behind for a purpose, and now we have one knocking on our door.”

  “Here’s what we are going to do, Mosis. I want you to send one of our communications drones out to hold station with the alien object and then increase our shielding to maximum. Create a dedicated communications relay between the probe and Expedition which is separate from all the other ships systems, just in case the object has some hostile intent or our systems are not compatible. Let me know when you are ready, please.”

  Mosis selected a class one drone, programmed the dedicated relay, and then sent an engineering remote to add a separate self-destruct mechanism. When it was ready, the drone was released from its portal and then guided into place, opposite the alien object. The only thing between them was the ships powerful shields, which were now at maximum.

  “Recorders are operating, the drone is now in place, and we are ready to transmit on your order.”

  “Very well. Let’s start with a full sensor sweep of the object.”

  Mosis initiated the scan, and in seconds data appeared on the screen. He frowned, checked his instruments, and then looked closely at the information one more time.

  “The scans are being reflected back, Captain. There is no further information available about the object, but the signal has changed – both in frequency and modulation. It would appear the object has responded to the scan, even though it was able to deflect it. This has never happened before, and suggests not only superior technology, but a desire to withhold it from us.”

  Perry gave an irritated grunt and leaned forward towards the view screen.

  “I take it the change in signal still doesn’t tell us anything?”

  “No, Sir. I suggest we send a modified hail which includes an echo of their signal plus a short voice message.”

  Perry thought for a moment.

  “Agreed, but let’s go ahead and send a visual along with the voice message. I doubt they will have any way of understanding who we are or what we want, but we have to start somewhere.”

  Mosis gestured for the Captain to face the view screen.

  “Recording message…now.”

  “This is Captain Christopher Perry of the starship Expedition. We are on a peaceful mission of exploration. If you wish to communicate with us, please respond.”

  Perry paused while Mosis finished his preparations.

  “Send it.”

  Within three seconds the signal from the object stopped abruptly, and a very narrow beam lanced through the shields aimed directly at the drone. Before Perry could even ask Mosis what was happening, the beam disappeared and a steady stream of information began downloading over the relay. Perry waited quietly while Mosis concentrated on the exchange.

  “The transmission appears to be complete, Captain. All activity has ceased, and the object is no longer broadcasting a signal. The message contains both images and audio – do you wish to view it?”

  “On screen please, Mosis.”

  The message began with the image of a very large insect, accompanied by an undecipherable series of clicks, whistles and hisses. The being possessed three sets of limbs, two large compound eyes, long antennae, a shiny carapace, and what appeared to be large wings, folded on its back. The mouth parts moved as the audio portion continued, so the creature was evidently ‘speaking’. As the audio message continued, the view changed to images of what must have been the binary stars of their home system.

  First, a view of two suns, then one sun and a black hole, and finally the remaining sun, now drastically diminished. The image then changed to a view of their world – first green and littered with sparkling cities, and then dried up and forlorn. While the alien commentary continued, the final image was one of the large hexagon pillars which now orbited their planet. When the message came to an end, Mosis stopped the replay while Perry collected his thoughts, eyes once again closed in concentration. When he opened them, his usually stern face was softened, and a small smile made a rare appearance.

  “If I am interpreting this correctly, Mosis, these creatures have gone to a lot of trouble to get our attention and tell their story. But to what end? We need to be able to understand this message before we do anything else. Please awaken the senior staff and have them meet us here as soon as possible. I have a feeling there are a lot more surprises in store.”

  ####

  Two hours later, the conference room began to fill up as the senior staff members reported for duty. While only informed of the basics, everyone was clearly excited and eager for more details. Mosis, Perry, and first officer Theresa Arlington were already engaged in quiet discussion when the others began filtering in. Once Perry was informed everyone was present, the staff was seated and he began the meeting.

  “I could apologize for awakening you eighteen months early, but I won’t.”

  The group responded with nervous laughter and wide smiles, enjoying their Captain’s rare demonstration of humor.

  “If ever there was a good reason to break protocol, this is it. While we have al
ways hoped to encounter other intelligent life forms, it is still something of a shock to do so after all this time. I’m going to have Mosis bring you all up to speed, and then we will view the alien transmission. Save your questions until then, please.”

  Mosis efficiently reviewed the events as they happened, and included the visual records as he spoke. The alien transmission was then played in its entirety, leaving incredulous looks on every face. When the shock wore off, the room erupted in excited discussion, forcing Perry to knock gently on the table for order.

  “I can appreciate your enthusiasm people, but we need to focus. The first order of business is to understand what our alien friends are saying. Meanwhile, I want all the information from the message compared to what we can verify about the system ourselves. I expect your preliminary findings and recommendations in one hour. All the ships’ resources are at your disposal. If you need additional input from those who are still in stasis, Mosis will be able to facilitate your discussion.”