PERIL (12 page)

“Cruise, watch your vector this time,” Magruder warns.

“I got it!” Cruise gripes.

“What’s that all about?” Bains asks Reed.

“Cruise, tends to have a lead foot during take-off and under compensating for vectors. But that’s not gonna’ be problem this time, right, Cruise?” Reed says.

“No worries, I got this. I don’t see why we’re not using auto-pilot anyways!” Cruise snaps as he vigorously taps his holographic controls.

Bains gives Reed a semi-concerned glance. He just smiles to reassure her.

“Auto-pilot is what I keep telling you guys every time, auto-pilot. I’m anxious to get to my stasis chamber,” Cruise continues to rant.

“Patience, buddy, you got three whole years to play with your neuro-harlots,” Pendersen jeers.

Typically, while in cryo-sleep the crew’s body is inactive, but their minds remain active interfacing with the ship’s systems and engaged in recreational activities. Some of them play games and meditate, but it was common knowledge that Cruise prefers sexual diversions. He programmed his unit to project him in various sexual scenarios.

The Decima’s rockets burn furiously defying gravity’s hold on her. The mammoth ship shakes with great intensity as it slowly lifts-off from the launch pad. Outside, large plums of smoke bellows from beneath the Decima’s underside. From a distance the massive vessel looks like a huge metallic futuristic cathedral surrounded by multiple structures as it takes flight.

The Decima hit several G’s during her ascent. The massive rockets glow like the sun and roars loudly as the beast passes through the clouds.

“Activating gravity plating,” Nyna says.

Nyna instructs ISIS to activate the gravity plating throughout the vessel via her cybernetic link. The transition is seamless as the ship enters space.

“Well, see she is good for something,” Reed whispers to Bains referring to Nyna.

“So is my toaster, but I’m not ready to give it carte blanche over my apartment,” Bains quips.

Reed laughs quietly.

“Plotting course to the Crimson Expanse Wormhole,” Magruder says.

“Acknowledged. Seeyer, we are underway,” Bains responds.

“Go with infinite knowledge, Decima,” The Seeyer responds.

The Decima’s Aft rockets blasts directing it towards the expanse. They pass several vessels that are in route to the sun; they’re working on The Dyson’s Sphere. The crew receives transmissions from them, all wishing them a safe journey.

“Engaging auto-pilot,” Nyna informs the crew.

“Finally!” Cruise blurts out.

The crew laughs at his comment. Bains feel the implication of Lt. Cruise’s use of the stasis chamber’s neuro-link is inappropriate, but digresses. It is apparent that Cruise’s behavior is accepted so Bains chooses not to fight that battle; she has bigger fish to fry.

The Decima begins its eight-month journey towards the wormhole. It will spend another two months traversing it and one month to reach MV5.

The crew leaves Nyna on the bridge and they go to Med Lab. There they prepare their cryo-stasis chambers for their long sleep.

“Well, see you in eleven months, Commander,” Bains says to Reed.

“Eleven months,” Reed echoes.

“Goodnight, John-boy,” Cruise jokes with Pendersen as he climbs into his unit.

The crew settles into their units drifting into the slumber of cryo-sleep. Each of them is unaware of the horror that awaits them on MV5.

Nyna remains active on the bridge hooked up to ISIS.

Two weeks into the flight, while the crew sleeps Nyna takes ISIS offline and enters Med Lab. The crew’s unconscious state is still in effect. Their slowed synaptic functions haven’t reached the Altered REM Cycle yet. The Altered REM Cycle is a condition that allows them to monitor the ship’s progress from their chambers. Even though they are frozen they will be conscious. The freezing process slows everything down giving Nyna the perfect opportunity to hatch the devious pact between she and The Seeyer. 

She wanders over to Captain Bains’ chamber and opens it. Quickly, she removes some bone marrow tissue samples from Bains’ sleeping body. Carefully, she pierces Bains’ hipbone region extracting her samples. She did the same to Reed and Dr. Pierce. She then closes the chambers and performs tests on the samples at a station in the lab. What is she up to? Whatever it is, Dr. Pierce isn’t privy to this part of Nyna and The Seeyer’s plan.

Nyna finishes her work and returns to the bridge. She transmits a message back to The Seeyer––“Dr. Todd Remis’ findings are confirmed. The symbols appear to be a map pointing to MV5. We’ll soon know their origin.”

Afterwards, Nyna reconnects herself to the ship’s systems and reactivates ISIS. The computer is unaware of her activities. Together they guide the Decima on its lengthy voyage to MV5.

Chapter Twelve

It’s been three years and the Decima has successfully traversed the Crimson Expanse Wormhole. A sea of stars fills the emptiness of space as the mining ship approaches the eerie planetoid, MV5. 

The dark planet is ominous surrounded by a massive asteroid belt. Caught in its orbit are three moons that are dwarfed by its massive size. MV5 is three times the size of Earth with a dense atmosphere.

The Decima’s engines hum silently as it passes the planet’s nearest moon. Onboard, the ship is like a graveyard at midnight; only the core systems are active. The mess hall is dimly lit. A dining table has a few digital magazines strewn across it. The ship experiences minor tremors from a sudden course correction and automatic braking to acquire a synchronous orbit with the planet. Another tremor shakes the ship knocking one of the digital magazines off the edge of the table. It’s landing activates the cover article.

“Briggs, is out; Bains, is in. Ares Corp. brings in new blood after, Briggs’, forced retirement,” a reporter for the magazine announces.

The old article continues to play displaying outdated imagery. On the bridge, Nyna is powered down, yet still hooked up to ISIS. Suddenly, detecting their arrival ISIS powers up the bridge’s computers. The holographic monitors light up displaying the ship and MV5’s location. The navigational computers communicate with each other. Their bleeps and tones sound almost musical.

The phrases
, “FLIGHT TIME: 3 YEARS: 1 MONTH: TWO DAYS: 09:00HRS” and “LOCATION: CANIS MAJOR DWARF GALAXY: PLANETOID MV5” flashes across the helm monitors.

“Acknowledged,” ISIS says to the helm computers.

ISIS activates Nyna and informs her of their arrival. In Med Lab, there is a buzz of computer activity. One of the monitors reads, “CREW NEURO ACTIVITY: GREEN.” A holographic monitor shows a game of solitaire being played. It’s Magruder’s neuro activity. Another monitor shows Cruise’s activity. His monitor reads, “PRIVACY MODE: ACTIVE.” Bain’s monitor reads, “CAPTAIN BAINS: LOG IN SESSION.”

“Ship’s log, Captain’s entry… It’s been approximately three years and the crew is still in stasis. Ship’s systems and ISIS operating within expected parameters. Nyna is currently regenerating. Still no word from HAB 1…” Bains reports.

Suddenly, she’s interrupted.

“Captain,” Nyna says over the intercom.

“End log. Yes what is it, Nyna?”

“We’ve arrived at the coordinates.”

“Well it’s about time. WAKE US UP!” Bains replies.

“Acknowledged.”

From the bridge, Nyna instructs ISIS to comply with Bains’ order.

“Reviving crew,” ISIS says.

The Med Lab interior lights begin to slowly come on. They flicker as they illuminate the medical bay.

Eight cryo-stasis units holding the crew steadily lower from the Med Lab ceiling. A gust of pressurized gas loudly erupts from the clamps holding the units. A monitor displays each crewmember’s name and rank. It also shows their bio and neuro activity.

The crew is in a physical state of suspended animation. ISIS views the activity from a video strip along the ceiling.

Each of the units opens simultaneously. Their displays read
, “CELL REANIMATION IN PROGRESS” and “NEURO-ACTIVITY STATUS: GREEN.”   The ambient climate in the room and the below zero temperature of the crew’s body interact producing a mist that slowly rises from their skin. The units heat their bodies inducing a rapid thaw.

Slowly, one by one, the crew awakens. First, Doctor Pierce, then Neil, Bains, Magruder, Cruise, Reed, Pendersen and Nickolette’s bodies all bloom to life.

Suddenly, Magruder rubs her stomach and leans over the side of her unit.

“Magruder, what is it?” Bains asks as she climbs out of her unit.

“I don’t know… I just feel… WAAAHA!” Magruder replies as she vomits and gags.

  Lt. Cruise seizes the opportunity to get a laugh at her expense.

“Hey, Magruder, that’s why you not suppose to eat before cryo-sleep,” Cruise says laughing.

Magruder flips him the bird. Struggling to keep her middle finger high in the air she gags again.

“Alright, Cruise, knock it off! Magruder, did you eat before getting in this thing?” Bains asks.

Bains kneels beside Magruder’s unit being careful not to step in her vomit. Magruder nods her head no.

“Captain Bains, there is an explanation,” ISIS says.

“Contaminant?” Bains inquires.

“Of sorts,” ISIS responds cryptically.

“I’m listening,” Bains says impatiently.

“You may want to clear the room”

“ISIS, would you just spit it out!”

“Lt. Amanda Magruder, is pregnant”

“What!” Bains yells as she looks at Magruder, baffled.

“Holy shit!” Reed blurts out.

Everyone is shocked; Bains is shock and pissed off.

“Everybody out! Pierce, stick around” Bains orders sharply.

The crew heads for the hatch.

“A baby out here? I mean is there even a protocol for that?” Nickolette says to Pendersen.

“All I know is I didn’t knock her up” Cruise says flippantly.

“Yeah, seven kids and seven different mothers? You’ll have a hard time proving that, Cruise,” Pendersen retorts.

“Alright, hit the showers. I smell three years of funk on your asses and it’s foul!” Reed barks at the men.

Reed takes a quick glance back at Bains wondering how she is going to handle this latest development. The hatch closes behind Reed and the others leaving Bains, Magruder and Doctor Pierce in Med Lab.

Magruder eases onto a bio-bed. Bain is quiet for a moment while she makes her way over to a receptacle. She grabs a cup and places it onto a tray in the receptacle.

“Water,” Bains says sharply.

Water begins to fill the cup. She motions Dr. Pierce over to join her.

“I’d like to know how you missed this?” Bains asks.

Unaccustomed to answering to, Bains, Doctor Pierce is visibly taken aback by her inquiry.

“I didn’t miss anything. Her test came back negative for pregnancy,” Doctor Pierce says defensively.

“Yeah, but…”

“We’ve had false readings before, Bains. It’s not unheard of,” Doctor Pierce quips.

“And, ISIS? What about her scans before we left Earth?” Bains probes.

“It’s a redundant system. ISIS, reviews our initial data, but her primary function is to look for anomalous readings…diseased cells, contaminants, things of that nature.” Doctor Pierce states.

“As, Chief Medical Officer, on this mission, you should have caught this!” Bains argues.

Doctor Pierce rolls his eyes toward the ceiling as Bains grabs the cup of water and walks it over to Magruder. Bains hands the cup to Magruder. Ashamed of her situation, Magruder barely looks at Bains as she takes the cup and sips from it.

“You know the protocol before a deep space mission, no sex! What were you thinking?” Bains asks intently.

“I wasn’t thinking,” Magruder answers remorsefully.

“Obviously!” Bains snaps.

“I was diagnosed with Sharlen’s Syndrome years ago. I didn’t think I could get pregnant.”

“A history of Sharlen’s Syndrome was documented within the company’s secured files,” Doctor Pierce interjects.

“But, I don’t recall seeing that in he
r
personnel fil
e
. Shouldn’t that have made her ineligible for this mission?” Bains inquires.

“Not necessarily. It was deemed a negligible risk, hence the omission from the files you were given. Magruder has been on many missions without incident. The condition was thought to only have affected her reproductive system,” Doctor Pierce adds.