Space 2099

by JR.sgt

A new twist on an old childhood favorite.

1. Chapter 1

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Space 2099

Breakaway

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Cause and unseen effect.

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The five crew dismounts from the 50-ton behemoth as its rear cargo bed opens exposing what at first glance would be confused with a large telescope. The dark long cylinder traverses as it rises pointing toward the stars above. The five are wearing civilian spacesuits and each is performing a specific task around the vehicle.

Ones open boxes with instrumentation others pull cables from the land transport and connect them to the boxes. Then one of the crew jumps into the cargo bed and stands in front of a console turning on the different screens.

Last it is the central screen showing a digital map of the Moon with different dots moving about. Each dot has a small window showing what class of vehicle, heading, and altitude as the speed. "The flight 425 from the Kepler crater is at range. Is the cable connected?"

"Is that from the lunar hotel?"

"Yes, is the cable connected?"

"It is but there is no power until, one minute."

"They are always on time. Don't forget the regulator."

"All is connected." One other astronaut goes to say over the comm-link. "Thirty seconds for the power, remember this is the first time we are doing this. The boss doesn't want screw-ups. Twenty seconds!"

"All systems are ready." Then suddenly the energy regulator box commences smoking. The closest astronaut to it turns to see the electrical fire melt the box. "They started early! Shot it off, shot…" He could not complete his sentence when the telescopic apparatus explodes as if a tactical nuclear warhead went off.

Several miles out overlooking the explosion a woman is standing next to a personal L.R.V. She throws her scanning binoculars to the ground in anger. She raises her right forearm and with the left-hand touches the screen-pad on the suit forearm and says. "Open a call to 857."

"Natasha, how it went?"

"Boss, either the Holdium was impure, or they started early from the site."

"What happen?"

"It blew up. All that is left is a crater."

"Dammed, okay… we still have the second one. I will cover all up from my end, and you return to Tranquillitatis."

"Yes sir." Natasha leaves the hill heading toward the main road. But if she would have stayed for just one more minute, she would have seen a strange glow of light coming from the recently formed crater. It lifts from the ground like a swirling mist and then the peculiar apparition moves rapidly toward the lunar installation in the distance.

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The new arrival

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One hundred and thirty years after Neil Armstrong set foot on Earth's only natural satellite, the Moon it is now populated by 200,000 humans. Over 200 bases and mining sites cover the Moon surface with two major space stations in orbit thus creating the most complex living and work system ever built by humans. All interconnected by an arrangement of communications, roads and flight corridors to serve the lunar dwellers.

All is managed from the largest and newest base, Alpha Moon Base. The International Lunar treaty was signed after the first Mars landing. The agreement recognizes the Moon as the continent of Antarctica has been, an international soil. Only inside the confines of each base, national authority is recognized. However, the International Lunar Organization can enforce laws, rules, and regulations inside all installations as on the use of equipment own by the different countries on or in orbit of the Moon. Alpha Moonbase was created as the primary center for the lunar community to assist in scientific as commercial endeavors on the Moon.

One of the major undertakes on the Moon is the construction of the equatorial lunar super-collider. The E-collider has been under construction for the past five years at the same time Alpha Moonbase, although Alpha base has been fully operational for two years.

Every year as per the International Lunar treaty, a new base commander takes over exercising executive powers on the Moon. The new commander is not new to massive endeavors as managing an intricate political behemoth as it is found on the Moon.

John Koenig is the first man to set foot on Mars and later became a Senator in the U.S. Congress. However, his first calling is space exploration something that motivated him to join the U.S. Air Force and with the rank of Colonel arrived on Mars obtaining the historical status of Neil Armstrong or Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin.

When Koenig received the proposal for the commander's seat of Moon Base Alpha chair, he declined an offer from his party to run as Vice-President of the United States and left Congress at the end of his second term. He said in a televised interview, "Space calls me once more."

Now he is on transit between Moon Space Station Antares and Alpha Moonbase. As he seats comfortably in one of the newer versions of the Eagle space/atmospheric craft, he converses with the Chairwoman of the International Lunar Organization Margaret Simmons, John's Boss.

"John, we have invested Trillions of international credits on the equatorial super-collider. The inauguration has to continue on schedule."

John reviews information on his pad and goes on to say. "Margaret, did anyone have reached a more conclusive explanation on this illness?"

"Not since this started two weeks ago. All we know is that two commercials flights one from Tranquility to Nectaris and a second from Humrum to Copernicus base both arrived at their destinations by remote emergency control and the crew as passengers were unconscious. We have several reports of land cargo transport were the drivers had shown the same symptoms."

"The land transports, were on the same highway at the same time?"

"No. The two flights as the transports were at different points on the Moon as in different times."

"No solar flares and no other space anomalies… um? Could this be accumulative on the vehicles?"

"I don't follow you, John?"

"The vehicles themselves, could they have traveled on, near or over any of the depots?"

"Do you mean ionizing radiation?"

"Yes."

"None traveled near or over the Gagarin crater."

"But the illness is by a radiant source. What about magnetic anomalies?"

"John, you know the Moon does not even have a decent magnetic field, and the patients were checked for the full spectrum, microwaves, ionization radiation, magnetic… heck, even radio signals."

"Is not biological, chemical but all points to a radiant source of energy but none is found."

"Victor is inclined toward a radioactive source, but nothing is conclusive. John, what I want you to do is to get acquainted with your new assignment and be at the inauguration of the super-collider."

"And all this you just drop on my lap?"

"All will stay under wraps until a solution it is found and what is causing all this. On the Moon, it is only you, Commander Gorski the Chief Medical Officer Helena Russell and of course Victor Bergman that know about this."

"Victor was my senior scientific officer on Mars One. I know Gorski since the Mars One project, but I never heard of Dr. Russell."

"She came with high recommendations from the W.H.O, and she is by the book."

"What explanation has been given to the families of the victims?"

"Different and reasonable explanations have been given. All are around malfunctioning environmental equipment or structure failure leaking atmosphere from the vehicles."

"Oxygen deprivation? The pictures of the victims don't look like the classic symptoms. Look at their eyes."

"That is all we can give. I might drop by and be in the ceremony. I have to go."

"I hope to see you in next Sunday." Margaret gently lifts all the documents on her desk and shows them to John both smile, and she says as she puts them down. "I will try to take care of all this in the next five days, and I am sure your desk will look like mine soon… Commander Koenig."

"I have to change that title of the commander to something more civilian. We will talk later."

"Have fun." The view vanishes from the screen showing the local lunar news channel. John can finally finish his breakfast as he looks at the E-Pad with the relevant information on the mysterious illness.

Once finished, he slowly stands and moves forward to the flight deck section. He opens the first door of the passenger to see the cockpit door is open, and he walks in.

"Alan, what if I wanted to highjack this Eagle?"

"Colonel, you know the flight computer would not let you."

"Alan, drop the Colonel. I am a civilian."

"Okay, or maybe, Senator or Mr. Vice-President?" John smiles as he looks at the instruments. Both men served in their respective Air Forces, and eventually, in their military careers they end up in the same multi-national flight squadron under the U.N, John was commanding officer and Alan the executive officer.

John continued into the arms of NASA. While Alan retired from the Australian Air Force as a Colonel, then he joins the test pilot program for the International Lunar Organization. It is well known that Alan Carter is the pilot with the most flight hours in space especially with the Eagles class spacecraft.

Now Alan is the Senior Chief Pilot of Moon Base Alpha. The co-pilot U.S Navy Ensign Bill Fraser looks at John and asks. "Sir, what do you think of the Eagles 3's?"

"It beats the ones I flew in my day. On Mars one, our mainframe took a whole room and here you have the same computing power under your dashboard." Alan goes to say. "Sir, the computer is all around us. Nano-quantum, bio-computers the size of a plank, quadrillions of them attached in every square foot of the inner hull."

Bill goes to say. "A plank? What, now we are pirates?" John shakes his head as he smiles, looks at Alan and the senior pilot says. "Sorry, sir. I think they stop giving physics in flight school or grade school."

"Hey, what gives boss-man? We had plenty of planks setting around my dad's ranch." John goes to say. "Bill, a plank is a measurement used in physics. The smallest measurement there is."

Alan turns his attention to the communications, and he says. "Alpha flight control, this is Eagle One on approach 255, five thousand feet."

"Copy, Eagle one. Welcome to Alpha's flight control net. It is 0600 hours. You are clear of traffic you can commence your approach to landing pad one."

"Copy you, A.F.C. starting my approach."

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Old things never die.

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Mark was a 20 years old veteran in the coal mining industry. He is working for one of the founding companies of the lunar colonization movement, Elements international based in Kentucky U.S.A. Mark is the day shift supervisor of mine 325 near the Theophilus crater in the Mare Nectaris side. As he and his crew checked in into the central station of the mine, Mark noticed something odd.

One of the dozers cut a tunnel during the weekend when all the personnel was off and knowing about this incident. Mark loses its customary New York City calm.

Now Mark is driving down tunnel 13B with his assistant shift Donna to find out who operated the dozer. Mark stops the six-wheeled vehicle at the entrance of the new tunnel. He is livid furious and jumps out headed straight to the bottom of the shaft, but Donna yells at him. "Old Man, stop!"

"What! What! I need to find out who was the idiot that dug a hole without permission!"

"You would die to know. Here put the mask on, the air pressure pumps were off during the weekend. Who knows how much O2 is down there and of course, we need the floodlights."

The old man chest expands and contracts slowly in anger as he looks down motionless and in a quick pace returns to the transport. Already Donna has two oxygen masks in hand. Mark takes one and a handheld floodlight. Then they head into the tunnel.

As they walk the lights breaks the hellish darkness in front. Both can see the customary circular cuts on the rock walls of the runaway machine a few minutes later they reach the bottom. The lights show the yellow painted hull of the machine. Mark opens the rear hatch, and both enter the mammoth sizes machine.

Mark opens the driver cabin hatch above them and both enter. "No one is here."

"Mark, why would be someone in here. Thus a bank robber stays in the bank waiting for the cops?" Donna said as she examines the operation logs. Mark stands next to her and asks. "Who was it?"

"It does not say."

"What! Stand aside. No one can start this piece of crap without a biometric scan." Donna rolls her eyes and turns to Mark, and she points to the logs to say. "Okay… Bill Johnson shut down the dozer at 1405 hours this past Friday, September four, then on Saturday the fifth at 0001 hours the dozer started to work. Today September the seven at 0501 hours it stops."

"Yes! Yes! I see that, and now is 0610, and here we are. I want to know, who started the dozer?"

"According to the log… it started by itself."

Then the conversation is interrupted by the communication link. "Mark, do you copy? Over."

"Send for Mark."

"Hey, we check the security cameras recordings, and no one entered the facility after we left on Friday."

Mark turns to Donna and he points to the onboard camera system of the vehicle, and she turns to it as Mark continues over the link. "Joe, call the main office and tell them what happened."

"Okay but you know the Feds from Alpha base are going to stop work for at least 24 hours."

"Hey, hey… make the dammed call. Gee whiz… Joe, just make the call."

"Okay but I better get pay for today."

"Or what!"

"I'll get the union on your butt."

"Oh really let me tell…"

"Mark." Donna said, but Mark continues his argument over the link. "…You, no one…" "MARK!"

"WHAT!"

"Look at this shit." Both stay glued to the screen, and Mark says. "That, that is more than 10 miles… that is deeper than Aiken crater."

"With how deep the main tunnel from where this dozer started digging is at, that puts us here close to fifty-two miles under the surface."

"No… no way. We don't have the permits to dig this deep."

"What the hell is that… is that a metal wall?" Donna said and immediately both look through the forward porthole. They see a bright high luster gray metallic wall. In a nervous but low tone voice Mark says. "Donna… lets back up this dozer…. Gently."

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The reception.

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Alan and Bill are doing the shutdown procedures of the Eagle as John in the back collects his belongings.

The docking bridge makes contact with the port side lateral airlock, and the panel displays green lights. Alan comes out from the flight deck and meets with John by the hatch. "Are you ready sir? I can make this bird land in Hawaii in three hours." John smiles and replies. "I was less nervous stepping on Mars."

"Ah, yes… One small step for a man, the second giant leap for humankind, I think you took that from Neil."

"It was inspiration from a giant."

"Well, I have a good one."

"What?"

"Open sesame." Then Alan presses the release button, and the door opens. The two old friends walk the long pressurized ramp until they are about to reach the terminal. John turns around to look back quickly, and he asks. "Where is Bill?"

"You will see why he is not here."

"Why?" At that moment they enter the terminal John is attacked by strong lights and flashes from news cameras. Several microphones are stuck in front of John's face, and Alan slightly bends and turns to the left saying as he smiles at John. "Have fun and remember Cyprus."

"Hey… hey… come back."

Several reporters commence asking questions as John tries to move. He is flabbergasted by the unexpected attention, and he slowly turns to look back and sees Bill doing a discreet exit from the ramp. John says under his breath. "Bastards, they knew."

More questions are thrown to the new Commander of Moon Base Alpha. Then a small detachment of security officers creates a buffer between the members of the press and John. He takes in the momentary reprieved and stops raising his hands at both sides chest high. "Okay… Okay, two questions. I have to start work."

The entourage of reporters explodes in unison asking questions and John points to a reporter. "You there, one question?"

"Thank you, sir. Melissa Meyers, Lunar action news five. Why the Moon and not run as the Vice-President?"

"I find more challenging taking care of the needs of 200,000 people on an area that is larger than the North American and European continents connive. Exploration is what brought us all here… the door through a new frontier, leading into our Solar System all that starts here on the Moon. Not Mars or the Moons of Saturn or Jupiter. To get there, all starts from right here. One last question, you over there."

"Thank you, Commander. Carlos Ortega Lunar News Network. Sir, are you aware of reports of a virus on the Moon affecting some flights and land traffic over the lunar equator?"

"You… asked what?"

"Yes sir, a virus."

"No, not the virus… what about the equator?"

"Yes sir, over the E-Super collider."

"I have not heard any reports on this. If you all allow me to start my work, I will look into it." Then a familiar voice with a worried tone says. "Okay, let the Commander go. He had a long trip, and I am sure he will make a press release."

John feels a hand pushing him forward, and he follows the motion as the security team moves around him. John looks to his side and says. "Victor, as always in the nick of time."

"Hello, John. We have to talk, big time talk."

The pair walks into one of the trams as the security stays out. John realizes that Victor has set a private meeting.

"How are you doing old friend?"

"Doing well, my daughter and my granddaughter are here until next week, and I have been an exemplary grandfather."

"You must be pampering that little girl."

"Everything she asks she gets from gramps."

"Sorry I could not be at Martha's funeral." Victor smiles look down and lightly tap John on his knee and replies. "You were busy in the Senate and the Vice-President nomination." John can feel the loss in Victor of his wife of twenty years to cancer. "I saw the news and…" "John is okay… life goes on, and we have things here that need attention."

"Okay, tell me."

"We still don't know what it is. Second, more people got ill, and this is happening all over the Moon."

"Near the equator?"

"Yes, near the equator."

"How come Margaret did not tell me this?"

"She does not know, at least not yet."

"What! That is not you. What made you not report these other incidents?"

"Doctor Russell made a good point."

"That been?"

"Panic… just panic."

"Panic? Victor, we are talking of the head of the Lunar International Organization that is the United Nations in space. Why not report this?"

"You heard that reporter, a virus… that leaked out from the Earth side from someone in her office. Our communications from here to her were encrypted in mathematical algorithms that will never repeat in one million years. That leak came from her office and thus far is a virus. What people don't know is how many are ill."

"How many?"

"So far seventy-eight people and many do not have a connection among them."

"Except that they were near the E-Collider. How many techs or employees of the E-Collider are ill?"

"None."

"None?"

"Not one."

"I was thinking on the nuclear depots."

"John the depots are away from the equatorial line in the far side this problem is on or near the equator."

The tram stops and both men stand up the doors open showing the atrium of the central command area in the base. Alan is standing by the side of the platform as John exists he says. "Hilarious Alan, you have not changed."

"Remember that day in Cyprus?"

"How can I forget it? None stop sorties over Syria and that press conference I ordered you to do."

"Bingo."

"Alan, John and I we have to catch up. Will see you later in Gloria's."

"Ok, I have to schedule the flight ops for tomorrow. See you guys there." As Alan walks away from John and Victor they head in the other direction and John asks. "Gloria's?"

"That is a small family restaurant and bar in the north side."

"After talking with you, I will need one."

"So do I John, so do I."

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The circling light.

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The Lunar Equatorial Accelerator (L.E.A) or E-Collider is a succession of accelerators that speed up particles to increasingly higher energies on every turn. Each accelerator boosts the energy of a beam of particles, before injecting the beam into the next accelerator in the sequence.

The last accelerator in the process circumvents the Moon, accelerating the particle beams up to 99.5 TeV per beam.

The smaller accelerators in the chain have their own experimental halls where beams are collided and used for experiments at lower energies, and they are spread out across the large equatorial accelerator.

The L.E.A main control center or base is located in Sidus Medii and contains several sub-control centers for the accelerators as well as the support centers. Some are the cryogenic distribution system, the technical support infrastructure, living quarters and the largest Hydrogen 3 fusion reactor on the Moon.

The L.E.A base is half the size of Alpha Moon base making it the second largest base on the Moon and both share the distinction of been constructed on the same architectural design. One person could not tell if he or she is in Alpha or the L.E.A complex if not for the fact that the person arrived at the L.E.A base.

Doctor Maya Roberts is the senior director of the L.E.A project a twice Novel Price recipient before the age of twenty in astro-mathematical quantum physics. At the age of nineteen, she discovered the elusive unified field theory or the theory of everything. Now call the Roberts quantum mass electro-gravity dynamics equation.

Today, she is running a field tests on one of the small accelerators of the system that is located on the other side of the Moon from the L.E.A base is located. The control center is similar in design and as large as NASA's Johnson Space Center with the customary succession levels in the shape of an auditorium and all the stations facing a lower proscenium filled with large screens and at the highest level of this technological incline is Doctor's Roberts station.

The technicians call it the ant hill, not because of the inclined shape leading to the top station where the young Doctor seats but because she never seats there, walking all over the place as if the annoying insects keep her away from her station. Although she displays calm as Roberts walks about, the techs can tell she is sweating buckets every time the switch is about to be flipped on.

"Mike, here she comes."

"Oh, crap… micromanaging, bit… Hey, Doc. What brings you to these parts?"

"What is the pressure in the hydrogen containers?"

"It is… 254 psi as it was five minutes ago."

"And the electric field?"

"All green. Doc, do not worry. Your hydrogen will be stripped of those irritating electrons."

"Thank you, Mike."

"My pleasure."

The Doctor walks away toward other stations, and Mike leans closer to his friend Steve as both discreetly look at Roberts and he says. "I would like to strip her of her electrons."

"She could have been a super-model. I heard she got divorced."

"Really!? From that Special Forces guy?"

"Yea, he is in Alpha as security chief."

"Oh, yea that dude. I can take him, mano a mano bro."

"Right… that guy was in the Middle East wars in Ukraine. Benny from accounting told that her ex-took on a team of Spetsnaz in Ukraine."

"I can take him."

"Mike you can't pick up a cup of coffee with both hands."

"Hey, I work out."

"Your avatar workout in Call of Honor."

"I kick your butt and Mathias last night."

"You have not played against the Piranha."

"I have been looking for her. I know she logs on from Alpha Base. Who is she?"

"No one knows. She has a private account."

"Okay, people let light this candle." Roberts said over the speakers. Each station checks in with a green to go. Then Maya turns toward Mike two stations below hers and says. "Release the hydrogen."

"Hydrogen released, striping field at optimal capacity." Then from another station below Mike's station. "Ma'am, the electrons are gone."

"Okay, spin the wheel."

"Spinning at 50 MeV and increasing." Maya looks into her screens and waits as all standby for her next command and the computer alert her, and she says. "Inject into the PSB."

All the techs look intently at their screens and input information into the main computer as another automatic system exerts their functions over the proses. "Ma'am the beam is at… 12.4 GeV and increasing."

"So far, so good." Maya said that with a sigh of relieved but then on Mike's station a warning window fills his screens. He tilts his head backward as his eyes widen. Mike rapidly stands to face Maya as he points to his station. "Doctor is happening again… the mass /speed ratio is increasing!"

"Shot it down." Maya throws her headset into her desk takes a large breath and repeats. "Shot it down and secure all stations."

The first stage accelerator is shot down and the content ejected from the containment. "I want all department heads working on this… I don't care if it takes all night. I want this solved."

Maya plummets into her seat putting her hand on her forehead looking into her desk as she mentally breaks down the process that just took place mathematically.

Steve turns to Mike as both secure their stations and he asks. "The same?"

"Yes, the same crap. The mass increases and yet instead of the speed go down it goes up. A first stage accelerator can't handle that."

"Why not inject it into the main E-Collider?"

"Oh, and the mass increases more at 99.9999… who knows how many more nines toward the speed of light and then Boom."

"Wow… is the hydrogen striped?"

"Of course it is. So… something is hitchhiking in the ride."

Both men slowly turn to look at Maya that still in the same posture and Mike goes to say. "Let her figure it out. She is the one that gets the big check."

Maya stands up and collects her notes and E-pads putting them in her backpack. As always she walks out with her famous one thousand yards stare. Maya's mind is absorbed in solving equations that saturate her mind.

All know that distant stare of hers as someone reading a do not disturb sign on a door. Maya walks through the hallways mumbling randomly under her breath equations to solve her problem.

Maya finally arrives at her office, and a young, tall athletic built man stands from a sofa. Maya's secretary points to the man, but Maya is in another world. As the door to her office opens her secretary points toward the man and she says. "Doctor, Major Verdeschi is here."

"Uh? What?" She turns toward the small waiting area of the reception office. Maya raises her hands as she looks down in anger. "Not now, Tony."

Tony walks toward her and says in an annoyed tone. "Did you sign the papers?" She pivots around and enters her office as to escape, but Tony follows her. Maya's secretary stands and says. "Sir, you can't go in there!"

He turns rapidly toward the secretary and says. "Call security… most probably I will get that call." A book goes flying close Tony's head from inside Maya's office. "Get out!" He walks in and asks. "Did you sign the papers?"

"Yes! Yes! I did!"

Their anger turns into a silent expression of surprised after she said that and Tony looks down and then up to tell her. "Let me have them."

She looks nervously about on her desk and around it. "I have them here… somewhere. Did you receive my E-mail?" He clears his throat and holds his hands in front and replies. "Nope."

"Darn… Okay, I will resend the E-mail all is there."

"Okay." That is all he said and turns around walking to the door. Maya looks at him as if he is taking a part of her with him when Tony stops and he slightly turns his head toward her. She regains her facial expression of anger looking toward her desk as she empties her backpack. "I said I would send it. What?"

Tony answers in a low tone of voice. "Nothing." He walks out, and the door closes. Maya plummets into her chair, and now instead of processing equations in her brain, Maya is processing emotions in her heart.

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The call.

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After a few minutes, Tony arrives at one of the motor pools airlocks, reception areas, and his companion Security Officer Lieutenant Tanya Alexander walks toward him. "Tony we have a call." He continues walking, and she matches his speed and heading. "What is it?"

"Someone used a dozer illegally in a mine operation in the Theophilus crater."

"That is in the Mare Nectaris… that is Gus and James beat."

"They are already there, but there is more than some drunken miner taking a joy ride in a dozer."

"Someone got killed?"

"Something about a… wall or something."

Both reach their pressurized jumper and enter. Tanya takes the controls and drives out toward the exit airlocks as Tony reaches for the communication link. "Unit twenty-three this is Unit one."

"Go for twenty-three."

"Gus, why is that the chief of security has to handle some drunk driving a dozer?"

"Sir, to tell you the truth, you have to come and see this. You may want to call Doctor Bergman's office."

"What, you found a tall rectangular black monolith?"

"Ah… well… I would put it in that category, but a low paying security officer can't just call for Bergman. That is your job."

Tony and Tanya look at each other intrigued by Gus last statement and again Tony pays attention to the link as Tanya listens with more attention. "Hold on… are you implying…?"

"Hey, I am just a policeman on the beat. I have seen old space junk all over the Moon, but this is different."

"I am on my way."

The small vehicle has cleared the structure and slowly lifts, and at the optimal altitude, Tanya turns flying toward the Theophilus crater.

About an hour later, the security vehicle is landing on the traffic pad of the mine. Tanya drives the vehicle toward the airlock. Both officers stayed silent through the whole trip.

The inner doors of the motor pool close behind them and Tanya parks next to Gus and James patrol vehicle. James approaches his superiors and says. "Sir, you are not going to believe this."

"What happen?"

"A dozer operated by itself during the weekend and dug a tunnel."

"What… dug what by itself?" Tanya asked in disbelieve. "L.T I saw the logs."

Then Donna the assistant supervisor of the shift arrives to receive the officers in a six-wheel vehicle. "You must be Major Verdeschi?"

"Yes, and this is Lieutenant Tanya Alexander. What happen?"

"Hop in, and I will tell you in our way there." The three officers get in, and Donna drives as she explains what has transpired. A few minutes later they arrived at the entrance of the newly excavated tunnel. All dismount and Mark the shift supervisor flanked by Gus walks toward Tony. "Sir, this is Mark."

"How do you do?"

"I don't know… you tell us."

"What is down there?" Then a male voice behind the group replies. "Whatever it is now is the property of Elements international." Tony as the group turns toward the voice and Mark says. "This is Mr. Reynolds, the company vice-CEO of lunar operations of Elements International."

Tony and Reynolds shake hands and Tony replies. "That is true, sir. But according to the treaty the Lunar International Organization has to check things out."

"I am fully aware of that, but that is the limit of the scope of the I.L.O."

"Yes, sir that down there is all yours."

"Good, let's go see it."

Tony, Tanya, Mark and Mr. Reynolds descend into the drilled cavity as they walk Tony asks. "Is there enough O2?" Mark replies. "Yes, sir. We pumped several metric tons of Oxygen."

Tony's eyes widen with surprise and ask. "How deep is this?"

"Believed or not, 51.4 miles."

"Wow." The group continues until reaching the bottom. The floodlights hit the metallic wall, and Tony gets closer to exam it better. He notices handheld drilling equipment near the wall, and he asks Mark. "You tried to drill it?"

"Yes, the dozer blades were worn out, and we brought diamond drills and a laser/plasma drill, and none could cut through. The laser/plasma not even warmed the surface." Then Reynolds goes to say. "We are bringing a Fusion drill from our Tyhco site to drill it."

"Wow, isn't that powered by a fusion reactor?"

"The same."

Tony looks down and slowly looks up to the wall he touches it, and he says. "Do not drill. I will call the science department in Alpha to have them look at it."

Mark looks down in anger and then looks at the wall to say. "Are you guys shooting us down? I have people depending on their paychecks to feed their families!?"

Tony goes on to say. "And I am sure you like those people you mention to go home. I am no miner or a scientist, but anyone can assure me that you poke a hole and that thing will not blow up?"

All are silent, and then Tony adds. "I am ordering the suspension of all mining operations under the safety sections of the Lunar Treaty."

"Oh, look who is talking, the only one that touched that thing without a glove, Mr. Safety. Look, mister…!"

Reynolds calmly raises his hand in front of Mark and he goes silent, but his anger is self-evident. Then Reynolds goes on to say. "Chief, you and the Alpha experts will have our full cooperation. I am the one that stopped the handheld drilling. However, the other mining sections can continue operating, right?"

"No one here can tell the extent of this wall under the mine. So I am ordering the suspension of all operations.

"Chief, is it you or whom can determine that operations can resume?"

"Now, the only person that can order the mine to resume operations is Dr. Bergman or the new Commander. But most probably the Commander will listen to Bergman."

"I understand. Unless you have any more questions, we can head up."

The group walks the incline, and as the last splendor of the floodlights vanishes, the handheld drilling equipment left behind inexplicably commences to move slowly toward the wall.

As if an invisible hand was dragging the equipment over the ground the drills hit the wall, and the wall turns into a liquid fluid similar to mercury, and the equipment it is pulled deeper.

Once the last mining equipment has vanished through the wall, a human figure takes shape in the fluidic pool, and slowly a female figure emerges as if pushing against a plastic wrap.

The fluid gives way to a tall, athletic female wearing a gray one-piece uniform. Only her head from the neck up and her hands are exposed from the tied body garment. She stands still for a moment to perceive her surroundings and commences to walk up toward the entrance of the tunnel.

.

The pass down.

.

It has passed an hour or so since John arrived at his new command, although officially he is not part of the base as Commander, yet. John has to present himself as a professional courtesy to his fellow Commander and old friend, Anton Gorski.

Victor and John enter the Main Mission/Command Center, brain and heart of not only Moon Base Alpha but of the entire endeavor of humanity settling on the Moon.

The Command Center is as John remembers from his briefings. A two deck rectangular bay as he faces into the bay and to the left the main quantum/bio-supercomputer capable of processing quadrillions of functions in a Nano-second. In the center the command and control stations, where the department heads seat during the day shift. The top deck is the auxiliary systems and behind John the Commander's office and quarters.

Commander Gorski is standing behind the Main Operations station crewed by Paul Morrow overseeing his last operation as Commander. Gorski slowly turns to face John, and both men smile. John walks toward him as Victor and both Commanders shake hands. "John, I am sorry I did not receive you in the landing port, but we have been busy here."

"Don't worry Anton, I understand." Victor goes on to say. "In the past days, we have been tracking a comet fragment from the Weiss Comet and not until now we can do something about it."

John replies as he looks at Victor and Gorski. "You have to use a pusher missile?" Gorski replies. "No." Then he turns to Paul and says. "Activate the Holo-Ladar for the Commander."

Paul pushes a window on his screen, and a three-dimensional image of the Moon appears in the center of the room showing all the tracking of land as flying vessels moving on or over the Moon.

It also shows all the ground facilities, satellites as all the space stations and all the objects displayed have a small window with an identification serial number. Gorski says. "Paul, enhance grid 10001-B."

The image is augmented, and the comet fragment is displayed, and next to it, three dots are shown matching the speed of the rouge stellar object. John looks attentively and asks his counterpart. "Eagles?"

"No, those are the new F-145's Shado fighters."

"Shado fighters, having those here goes against the Lunar Treaty?"

Victor answers John. "The fighters have been modified and repurpose for these actions. A pusher missile is still out of range and sending an Eagle it would imply a crew landing on the object to place charges, and that is too dangerous."

"I see. How many you have up here?" Gorski goes to say in a jovial tone. "We have, John you have one hundred and twenty. We have to cover the entire surface of the Moon."

John smiles and says. "Okay, okay I will have, but I am sure there is a paper we have to sign first before midnight."

"Yes, we do." Gorski puts his hand on John's back, and he says. "Follow me to my… ups, I meant… your office."

The trio turns, walking up on a small flight of stairs to the Commander's office facing the center. Gorski seats behind the desk as John and Victor in front.

Gorski gives an E-pad to John and says. "That is the pass down release document, 1021-B. The first 200 pages it contains the full inventory of the all the items of the base to include the base itself with the monetary value of each item."

"Of course."

"The following 125 pages are the personnel roster, and access codes, which you can change at your convenience and behind me is the safe. You have the access codes for the defense systems in there as the Exodus directives."

"The Exodus directives?"

"Only by the direct order of the I.L.O Chairman… or as we know, Chairwoman being Margaret Simmons, with the proper confirmations codes the entire Moon will be evacuated to Earth. If that is to happen, as you Americans say, the shit hit the fan… big time. That means that on Earth all the heads of state of the countries in the I.L.O Council and the U.N have agreed to enact the directives."

"What would make them activate the Exodus directives?"

"All that will cause a major catastrophic loss of life on the Moon. Guess what?"

"What?"

"Alpha personnel are the last to abandon ship."

"That is comforting."

"Je, Je… yes. Now to continue the tour of the office from our chairs, to your left in that bookshelf, all those red binders are the hard copies of the operating procedures of all the sections of the base. The procedures are also in the computer where you can edit them and the involved department head signs, but you keep a hard copy in the binders. Before I leave, hopefully soon, I will show how to operate your new desk. Do you have any questions?"

"Well, is like you are in a hurry."

"My family is already in Moscow, and I want to leave. But before you sign your sanity away, I will have a department heads meeting at 5 pm so you can meet the staff. Also, you can change from that civilian attire to your black sleeve."

"Then officially I can kiss goodbye to my sanity."

"Hey, it will be for a year. I am not walking in a straitjacket out of here. You will love this place."

Then from the communication pad on the desk, Paul's voice is heard. "Commander, the fighters are ready, and the widow is optimal."

"Go ahead with the operation."

"Yes, sir." John asks. "You are bumping it out of orbit."

"No, my friend. We are landing that sucker near the water reservoir of Mare Crisium. Those are several billions of gallons of water. If not for this action the fragment would have hit part of the E-Collider."

"Talking about the E-Collider, do you think our problem here has to do with it?" Gorski presses one of the screens on his desk and the doors of the office facing the command center close.

"I am sure, Victor told you."

"Yes and that is because of Dr. Russell, some information has not been sent up the chain."

"That is correct, I rolled with that recommendation, and as soon as I am Earth side, I will tell Margaret directly. This situation is delicate. There is a lot of money and other interests depending on the stability of what we do here."

"Always money."

"For them on Earth is money. For guys like you, Victor and I is exploration. After the last Apollo mission, it took 53 years before a crewed mission could return to the Moon and ever since we have been on the move here. Something like this… a contagion could derail all that has been accomplished in the past 74 years."

"I understand, but the holding back information is not common to do, even if Margaret is to find out by more secure channels later."

"John, finally humankind is taking space expansion seriously. We wasted Earth with the use of fossil fuels and pumping trillions of tons of chemicals in the sponge we call Earth's ecosystem. Some of that crap still floating in the lithosphere, the atmosphere, and the oceans and they still pumping that crap."

"Yes, that is sad, but in the upside, all the discoveries made here are helping to clean the Earth."

"You are right John. It was here on the Moon that humankind discovered how to manipulate gravity and now we have faster and better ships. If not for the Moon, you would not have traveled to Mars in 14 days. We have now the largest supercollider ever built and the largest radio telescope including all the optical telescopes spread across the surface."

"I do understand the progress humankind has made on the Moon. But holding information about the illness?"

"I know, I know and I for one not like that but there is a leak in Margaret's office, and that is dangerous."

"But lives are at risk."

"John, all that can be done has been done. We are in the blind here. An illness never encountered in history that does not travel in the conventional mediums of propagation and hits at random. We can't tell people to stay home."

"Wait. Hold on… all the victims were in some vehicle near the equator?" John turns to Victor and continues saying. "Am I correct?"

"Yes, we noticed that. Vehicles have less shielding than structures that is why we are inclined to the radiation source but also the vehicles were pressurized with two or more people."

"The suits?" John asked as Victor and Gorski look at him lost by his comment. "What about the suits?"

"Has anyone wearing a space suit become ill?"

"No."

"Suits have way less protection than a vehicle, are pressurized, and no one has become ill while outside."

Victor replies highly intrigued. "You are right, and we never saw that. Suits are a vehicle powered by human motion. An engine system or a gathering of people is the problem. But still, what is the common denominator… what is the source?"

Gorski goes on to say. "So, motorized vehicles containing two or more people with a pressurized environment are the target of this illness." John asks. "What, those vehicles carrying the victims have that a suit does not have?"

Victor stands looking toward the back wall of the office as his mind goes over the newly discover angle. He slowly starts to walk to the rear door as he says. "I will be busy in my lab and later come back with something."

The two commanders stay silent looking at the departing scientist. Once Victor is out of the office Gorski turns to John and says. "Come with me, and I am going to introduce you to Dr. Russell. We have to tell her of your insight on this."

"At the hospital?"

"Don't tell me you are afraid of needless."

.

The lab.

.

Victor arrives at the main research facility and enters his work area. One of the techs, her assistant Carolyn Powell goes to say as the price Novel laureate walks in. "Doctor Bergman, Major Verdeschi has been calling you for the past 45 minutes."

"Take a message and pass me all the specs on cargo freighters, passenger craft and land cargo haulers to my station… oh and also space suits specs. Why the coffee pot is empty?"

Carolyn walks up to him with determination and puts an E-pad on Victor's face showing a video. "The Major reported this archeological finding from a mining site."

"A, what… an archeological… come again?"

"A wall of unknown composition, he believes it is part of a larger structure."

"Inside a mine? When all this happen?"

"It was discovered this morning by the miners."

"Check the geo-maps. It must be the structure of an old base, or it could be an old probe."

"At 51 miles under the ground?"

Victor stands still as his head slowly pivots toward the E-pad that Carolyn still holds. He says in a subdued but surprise tone. "Forget the coffee and get a team together and you are in charge of it."

"They are standing by on pad five and two Eagles full of equipment."

"Keep me posted and pass to my station what I asked you for."

"Yes, Doctor. Oh, by the way. The shipment of Holdium 167 was hauled away this morning."

"Holdium? I never asked for Holdium." Carolyn turns around and grabs another E-pad and shows it to Victor. "Here, sign by one Victor Bergman and approved by Alton Gorski, Commander."

"Maybe, but… who took it?"

"It is right there."

"I.M. Construction, a construction company. Why would a construction company need Holdium?"

"I guess is for molecular laser welding. Six tons of it pass the customs inspections and approved by the Commander."

"I will ask him, later. Now go I have work."

"Yes, sir."

.

Trouble in the mine.

.

Tony, Tanya, Gus, and James are in the mine's motor pool conversing with Mark and Mr. Reynolds. Then the comm-link in Tony's vehicle receives a message, and Tanya moves toward the vehicle to answer it. After she responds she turns to the group and says. "They are on their way." Mark shakes his head in disappointment and goes on to say. "I was hoping it was nothing."

"You can't take that risk." Tony said. "We can still work in other sections of the mine."

"Wait until Dr. Bergman makes that call." Reynolds replies. "As I said, we will cooperate fully and that wall might be more jobs and pay raises for all here."

Mark finally smiles and says. "Well, if that is the case. A couple of days off are okay then." Donna walks to the group, but she is looking toward the far side of the structure and asks. "Chief, is that woman one of the techs from Alpha?"

All turn to look intrigued and Tony replies. "No, I saw her entering the motor pool and thought she was with you."

Mark replies. "Not with us. Hey! You lady, stop right there!" She ignores him, and then Mark yells to two of his employees near her. "Roy, Andrew! Stop that woman!"

The two, body built large men cut in front of the woman, and Roy says. "Hey, the boss wants to talk to you." She continues walking ignoring them, and Andrews puts his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you deaf."

She grabs him quickly by his hand and squeezes hard breaking every bone. Andrews goes down to his knees but Roy tackles her against the wall, and she pushes him several meters away.

By now the four officers are running toward her with their electric batons in hand. Tony yells in a commanding voice. "Stop and put your hands on your head!"

The woman stops and slowly turns toward the officers. For Tony's surprise, the woman looks familiar, and he says. "Maya?"

"We have been woken. We must go to connect. We must return."

"Ah…ah." That is all the rough ex-special forces said, but Tanya takes over. "Put your hands on your head!"

The woman turns and continues walking. Gus says. "She is going to the airlock."

James is the first to make contact with her using his electrical baton, but the officer is pushed several feet by an electrical arch. Tanya pulls her service weapon and points. "Stop!"

The woman grabs the airlock door and opens it with force. Then moves into the chamber and holds the outer more massive door and commences to open it. The atmosphere starts to escape, and Tanya is ready to open fire when Tony slightly pushes her and Tanya fails to hit her target.

Tanya looks at him in with surprise as the strange duplicate of Maya Roberts finally opens the door, and the atmosphere is vented. Gus grabs James as Mark and Donna help the two down fellow miners. Tanya grabs the stun Tony and says. "RUN!"

The group runs to safety into a nearby compartment but Tony dashes toward his vehicle farther out followed by Tanya. Both make it in time into the atmospheric safety of their vehicle.

"Are you MAD!?" Tanya yelled, but Tony ignores her as he drives the jumper. He remotely opens the motor pool vehicle's airlock and finally makes it out. He hovers in front of the airlock where the woman came out, and there is nobody.

"This is impossible." Tanya said as she looks to her right. Tony looks and says. "She has no pressure suit and the Sunlight is on her."

Tony flies the jumper toward the woman running away, and before the vehicle is on top of her, she vanishes among the small hills in the area. Both officers search with no luck until two science Eagles arrive at the mine. "That was not her."

"I know… I know it was not her. We have to return and check on James. I do not even know how to report this."

"Thank God, is not my job."

.

Crossroads.

.

Alpha's main hospital has the capacity of one thousand two hundred beds two M.I.C.U's one large S.I.C.U and the cardiac ward with a complete C.C.U.

Among this also you can find the different medical departments with their clinics. One level is dedicated to medical research and a high-level isolation area with two hundred beds. This entire medical facility covers the needs of the lunar population, and it is supplemented with over two hundred small medical centers across the surface.

In total five thousand people are working in the hospital at any given time. The hospital is located in the east side of the Alpha base, and most of its levels are underground.

Anton Gorski and John Koenig arrived at the main lobby where the administrative director and second in the hierarchy under Dr. Russell, Mr. Johnson received the two Commanders. "Welcome, Commander Gorski… Commander Koenig. I am Mr. Johnson I run the admiration and service aspects of the hospital." Gorski goes on to say. "Thank you for receiving us. As I told you before, this is Commander Koenig."

"How do you sir."

"Well, thank you. Where is Doctor Russell?"

"Follow me please."

The three move toward the central area of the lobby where a large number of elevators are gathered. People come and go through the structural hub. Medical personnel pushing patients on gurneys or wheelchairs and other patients are going to their appointments and so on of what anyone expects to see in a major hospital.

Johnson approaches one of the elevators and puts his hand on a small screen. Then several selections appear in the screen, and he selects the one VIP CALL. "Doctor Russell is in the isolation ward. She has been in there for more than twelve hours."

John goes on to say. "That is dedication." Gorski replies. "Not dedication, devotion. She has a hard driven character when it comes to taking care of her patients."

The elevator's doors close and the trio goes down to the lower levels. Gorski asks. "Mr. Johnson, have there been any new victims?"

"None have been reported."

"Good."

The elevator stops and Johnson step out first followed by Gorski and John. After moving through several hallways and one guarded checkpoint, they arrived at the isolation ward. Johnson approaches one of the Doctors and asks. "Dr. Nuñez, this is Commander John Koenig, and you already know Commander Gorski."

"How do you do gentlemen? If you came to see Dr. Russell, she is in the lab, over there."

"Thank you." The new arrivals walk toward the lab and enter. Johnson sees Dr. Russell at the end of the long room watching the results of the labs from the victims.

The group moves toward her and Johnson says. "Doctor, Commander Gorski and Koenig are here."

She quickly rubs her eyes and then she stands and slowly turns to face her visitors. Gorski goes on to say. "Doctor, this is Commander Koenig my replacement in hopefully four more hours."

For some reason that both, Helena and John can't explain their smiles are more accentuated, and their handshake gentler and longer. Their eyes gaze into each other's eyes is more profound and as their smiles slowly vanish.

Helena breaks the accidental contact by timidly stepping backward been taken by the encounter. John clears his throat and says. "Nice meeting you Doctor."

Helena and John's unexpected demeanor is cover again by their professionalism then both turn toward a smiling Gorski who asks. "Have you two met before." John replies. "I never had the pleasure."

"Well, I have seen you on television, but ten billion people saw you as well."

"Oh, the Mars landing."

"Yes."

Gorski's command phone rings, and as he reaches for it, he says. "Doctor, can you brief Commander Koenig. I have to take this call."

"Yes of course."

Gorski moves to a more private area in the lab and Helena turns to her station. Johnson goes to say. "I have things to attend if of you excuse me."

"We will talk later." Helena says as Johnson acknowledges her as he walks away. John then asks. "What have you found?"

"We believe that a radiant source causes this illness. Not the ionizing ones that we know about."

"What is the difference?"

"Ionizing radiation irradiates heavy particles, and when those particles intrude the human body, it dislodges DNA molecules in cells. Thus making the cell to forget its purpose and this cell or cells divided exponentially taking over the organ they belong to."

"That is Cancer."

"Correctly. Now the radiant force we are encountering is reorganizing the DNA molecules in certain areas of the human brain. The eyes of the victims had change has to collect more light, and that is the brilliance you see here in these pictures."

"What parts of the brain?"

"All the areas dealing with the senses, all have been augmented, but the information is so much that the victims are in a coma."

"No one has recovered?"

"None. All their other biological functions are normal. No fever, no dermal damage, oxygen intake is normal. If not for the affliction to their sensory parts of their brains these people are in good health."

"You have worked closely with Doctor Bergman in this?"

"Yes, I have."

"He is checking on something with regards to radiation shielding."

"We check the radiation shielding of the vehicles and all are to standard."

"Any of this patients, were wearing a space suit?"

"No, they all were in a vehicle. What a space suit has to do with this Commander?"

"Commander Gorski and I went over a list of E.V.A actions taking place near or on the areas were these victims acquired their ailment. None of the people involved in the E.V.A's were affected and keep in mind the shielding of a suit is way less than that of a vehicle."

"I see, that adds to the mystery. Has Dr. Bergman found anything?"

"Not yet."

Gorski walks closer and says. "John, my security chief just called about a strange situation developing in one of the mining sites. He wants me to take a look."

"What happen?"

"I will tell you on the way there. Doctor, keep me posted and don't forget the meeting this afternoon at 1700 hours."

"I will be there." John goes to say. "We will talk then, good meeting you."

"Likewise, Commander."

.

Flight 205.

.

Paul and Kano are running an analytic routine of the auxiliary communications network when Paul asks. "How many quantum computers are there beside the one we have here?"

"There is one in the I.L.O. Headquarters in Switzerland, the second in Maryland and the third one in the U.N. headquarters in Belgium."

"I thought there were more?" Sandra said as she seats on her station. Kano replies. "There are more but not like the Bio-gel, Tri-linear quantum computer that we have here. In each molecule size storage unit you can store the entire history of humankind over a billion times. The main computer can pull and save information at once from all the molecule storages in a Nano-second." Then Paul asks. "How many molecular storages it has?" Kano smiles and replies. "How many stars are there?"

"All those are in how many gallons of goo?" Sandra asks, but she adds a sarcastic tone to her question. "It depends one day is twenty gallons in others forty-five. It has mood swings, you know."

"A girlfriend with brains made out of goo. That is your type."

"Yes, that is my type." Paul asks Sandra. "You worked with the new Commander before?"

"I work with him in Huston. Koenig is professional, and he will back you up, and he is fair. However, do not hide anything from him or worst lie."

"Alan Carter knows him best." Kano said, and Paul adds. "Don't forget Dr. Bergman, Koenig and he went to Mars."

"Oh, yea… I forgot that." As Sandra completes her comment, a window opens in one of Paul's screens.

He looks at it, and his eyes widen. "Computer, enhance grid 2005-b at 5,000 feet." As Paul says this he stands and walks to the center of the room toward the holographic projection of the lunar surface.

He lightly touches his earpiece and says. "Copernicus control this is Alpha control. I am following flight 205, and it overshot your facility."

Out from the loudspeaker, the voice of a young woman is heard. "Alpha control this is Copernicus control, we lost contact with 205 one minute ago during their final approach. Be advised that we are calling and no response from 205… we are trying to engage the remote flight control… standby Alpha."

Silence, all wait for the Copernicus flight traffic controller to come back with good news, seconds feel like hours, and then two quick high pitch alarms are heard over the loudspeakers as from the holographic projection.

The digital representation of flight 205 changes color from green to red and the female voice is heard again with a more worried tone. "Alpha control, this is Copernicus control… we are declaring an emergency… flight 205 is none responsive and descending. In approximately five minutes it will collide in the Montes Carpatus mountain range. Alpha, do you have an Eagle in the vicinity that can take over."

Paul takes a big breath and says. "What happened to the remote control option?"

"We just tried and did not work. The only alternative is one or two Eagle's crew members to board the flight."

Paul again touches his earpiece and says. "Eagle One, take off… toward the Copernicus crater… all the information is now in your mission computer. Hurry, lives depend on it."

Eagle one has been assign and prep for emergency standby, and it takes off from the pad. One of the pilots reads the mission and says to his companion. "We can do this, but we might not get there on time."

The female controller of Copernicus facility goes to say with a tone of relieved. "Thank God."

Paul turns to the holographic projection, and he sees a second display approaching fast flight 205. A familiar voice is heard. "Alpha control this is Alan Carter, in Eagle 105. We are by the Copernicus crater, and flight 205 is in our twelfth O'clock, and we are closing."

Inside Eagle 105 Bill turns to Alan and he asks. "How we play this, Boss-man?"

"Match speed and heading. We dock with the forward dorsal hatch, and I jump in. Simple shit."

"Yea, simple shit said the cow in my daddy's farm in Idaho."

Alan stands from the flight command seat and heads to the back. He puts his helmet and opens the top compartment by the airlock and pulls down the hoist. By now Bill has his helmet on and says. "Too bad we don't have a cargo pod."

"This is how the cards were dealt. You will be my eyes, line me up good."

"You can open the door."

Alan does and looks down seen the rear of the passenger craft. The view slowly moves forward until the yellow striped dorsal hatch of 205 comes to view. "Ok, Bill we are lineup. We have 50 feet of cable here."

"It is going to be close." Bill lowers the Eagle to 25 feet almost on top of the passenger craft. Then Alan jumps suspended from the cable. "Bill, lower the hoist."

"Yes, sir… oh and by the way those mountains look big." Alan clears the hull of the Eagle looks forward, and he replies. "No shit, Sherlock. We are getting closer. Once I make contact peel off and stay away."

"I have my cowboy hat tie and good to go. You give me the word."

Alan reaches the top hull of the passenger craft and detaches from the hoist cable. He bends his body as far as the suit allows him. He reaches the service hatch and tries to open it, but the circuits are dead.

"Crap!" It is all that he said, and he moves to the left of the hatch and opens a panel containing the manual unlocking mechanism of the hatch. He unlocks the safeties and pulls the lever.

The hatch opens by air pressure and hydraulic pistons. Alan slides into the compartment and closes the hatch. The only light provided is the one from his helmet. He reaches the bottom and again manually opens the inner door.

He enters the passenger craft through one of the midsection galleys the lights onboard are out and walks with a haste pace toward the flight deck. He sees all the passengers unconscious on their seats or on the deck.

He jumps over one of the food carts and falls to the ground he stands up and runs toward the front. Alan reaches the pilot's cabin door, and it is lock. "Dammed!"

"Hurry, Boss-man."

"How close are those mountains!?"

"I could spit from here and hit them."

Alan looks about and sees one of the stewardesses on the floor next to the door. She was carrying a tray with four cups of coffee. Alan realizes that she was taking the coffee to the pilots.

He knows that the power is out, but a manual key is needed to open the door. He searches the flight attendant and finds a set of keys on her. He commences trying each key until the third one opens the door.

He enters the cabin, and for his horror, a small mountain is approaching fast. Then he feels a jolt from under the hull of the passenger liner, and the nose goes up. Alan reaches the controls, and he yells. "Bill, what are you doing!?"

The Eagle is under the forward section of the space liner, and with an effort, the smaller craft lifted the nose of the doomed flight. "Giving you and all on board a chance."

Alan activates the manual controls, and as he does, he yells this time with anger. "The Eagle can't handle the weight without a pod!"

The Eagle not having a pod attached in the center to give more structural support bends slightly but it is enough to sever the flight controls from the flight cabin to the engines, and the Eagle falls in a spin toward the surface.

Alan takes command of the passenger craft and lifts the nose banking toward the Copernicus facility. He sees the Eagle hit the side of a mountain and roll down. Alan hits the panel several times in anger.

"Stupid, heroic cowboy kid."

Alan looks at his forearm pad on the suit and changes channels. "Alpha control, this is Alan Carter… I have command of flight 205. I need emergency landing clearance and a medical team for the passengers. Eagle 105 went down I need a S.A.R mission."

"This is Alpha control. Eagle one is two minutes out for S.A.R ops. Copernicus is standing by with the emergency teams."

Suddenly the co-pilot of flight 205 touches Alan by his right shoulder. Alan looks and sees him saying something, but he can't hear him through his helmet.

The co-pilot's eyes are bright as if the light of a lantern was inside his head. "Alan is taken by the spectral view and then the co-pilot losses consciousness. "What in Hades, is going on!?"

.

The mine.

.

John and Gorski are observing the research crew lead by Carolyn Powell examining the strange structure in full bio-suit protocol. Between the observers and the object of interest for all, there is a transparent containment tarp. Gorski turns to Tony and asks. "And you touched that thing without gloves or any P.P.E. In a crime scene you go on touching evidence?"

"No, sir. I saw the drilling equipment, and I thought the miners did it before me." John adds as he looks toward the wall. "Talking about the drilling equipment, no one took it?"

"No, sir. According to the shift supervisor, none of his guys came for them. Per the orders of Mr. Reynolds all was to be left as it was." Gorski asks. "Tell me, Tony… how… well, how this woman looked like, who?"

"Dr. Roberts."

John turns to Gorski with only an inquisitive look and Gorski answers at John's silent question. "She is the head researcher of the E-Collider."

"The, Maya Roberts?"

"The one." Tanya goes to add. "She did not exactly look like her. The facial features were different. The woman looked like her, but it was not her, sir."

"What do you mean?"

"Along her sides of her cheeks, there was a different darker hue color. More like dark purple and as it approached the mouth area, it became smaller. More like that Victorian era long sideburns that ended in an upward triangular hook but never extending to her mouth and her eyebrows were small ridges like dots as far as anyone's eyebrows would go."

"But everything else did resemble Dr. Roberts?"

"Yes, sir."

Carolyn comes out and takes her mask off to say. "We ran a spectral analysis, metal composition, sonar and Ladar, and nothing registers. No heat, no emissions or any we send to the wall bounces back to our instruments. All we know by the strata and depth that possibly this wall has been here since the Moon was formed."

All eyes open wide during her last stamen. John drops his arms to his sides as he looks at the wall. Gorski is trying to formulate a question, and all he says is. "4.5 Billion Years?"

"Yes, I know… I have to run the strata samples by the computers in Alpha. This very well could be a fast impact object, and it embedded itself this deep."

One of the researches comes out in a brisk pace toward Carolyn. He opens the partition and gives her an E-pad. "Carolyn this is what the spherometer calculated… this numbers must be off."

Carolyn reviews the findings, and she turns to her colleague. "Use the other one."

"I did and used both to confirm each other." John asks. "What is it?"

"Sir, a spherometer calculates the curvature of an object and…" Gorski interrupts. "Commander Koenig knows what a spherometer is, go on. What did you find?"

"Sir, this object circumference covers more area… this is not a wall but a large sphere and if the readings of the two spherometers are correct. This could be the Moon's lower crust."

Gorski and John look at each other and then Gorski turns to Carolyn to say. "Dr. Powell, you run up to your Eagle and give all this to Doctor Bergman and have him come down here… now."

"Yes, sir."

Right after that order, Carolyn runs up the incline as she takes off her bio-suit. John turns to Gorski to ask. "What about the other project he is working on?"

"John, this could be it. This whole structure is the cause of our problems."

Gorski looks at the time and goes to say. "John it is 1 pm. I don't like to leave you with this inheritance, but it is almost that time."

.

Earthly problems.

.

I.L.O Headquarters in Switzerland the hub of all lunar operations on Earth. As always many come and go in the large building with the security measures at the main lobby that anyone would see in an airport.

Among the many one woman passes the security checkpoints with no problems and at the last station, she is placed in a full body sonogram machine. "Please, Ms. Robinson step this way." The armed guard said, and the woman walks forward asking with a smile. "All good?"

"Yes, ma'am. The research area is on the 57th floor."

"Thank you, officer."

She gets a visitor's pass, and she heads deeper into the building. Instead of walking to the elevators she heads to the bathrooms and once in she enters one of the stalls and waits.

Other people come in and out, a few minutes pass by, and then a female voice is heard saying. "Sorry, we are closing this bathroom."

Then the woman says to two other ladies washing their hands. "Sorry, we have to fix a pipe, and it is going to be a whole day deal."

The women leave, and the maintenance woman posts a working sign out of the door and walks in. "Anyone else?"

Ms. Robinson knocks in a peculiar way on the stall door. The maintenance woman grabs a small duffle bag from her tool cart and passes under the door. "All is there. Right behind the closet is elevator five."

A few seconds later Robinson comes out wearing a bright aluminum foil cat-suit attire. She is holding a small tank of Co2, and a small handheld bag and Robinson moves toward the closet.

She enters and locks the door. On the other side on the wall, there is a thin metal panel were only two lightly tied screws holds the panel in place. Robinson pulls the panel exposing the shaft of elevator five.

She waits for the elevator car to stop below her and she jumps on top. She connects the hose of the tank to a connector on her suit then she covers her head and face with a hood part of the suit, and she injects the Co2.

The suits it is filled, and then she opens her small bag, and she attaches several small cables to the elevator's computer. She waits for the elevator to be empty and she activates a handheld computer.

The elevator goes down and as this happens small lasers hit the car on the outside from all angles. Robinson stays still as the security beams scan the car to avoid for intruders to do what she is doing.

The suit not only diffracts the beams away from the sensors but the Co2 hides her body heat signature.

Once the elevator stops at the lowest level the doors open and two armed security guards enter. "There is no one here."

"Hey, it must be a glitch. The alarms are quiet. Let's call this in."

As the doors close, Robinson jumps to the side of the shaft, and the elevator goes up. She crosses to the other side where the doors are, but her attention is on another panel similar to the one she entered the shaft from the bathroom above.

She pushes the panel slowly and enters into another closet. Robinson peeks and sees the guards facing forward toward the elevators doors. She is beyond the checkpoint inside the secure area.

Then one of the guards walks passing by the closet. She opens the door and grabs him by the head and breaks his neck. She grabs his weapon and runs toward the second guard and at point blank discharges the weapon.

The secure area belongs to her.

Robinson hides the bodies and heads to the main room, where the I.L.O. quantum mainframe is. She enters the service room where the liquid hydrogen tanks are, and she opens all the valves.

In minutes the whole level is flooded, and then she yells. "Liberum Luna!" and discharges the weapon.

Above, the building shakes as the lights flicker. Margaret Simmons is in a budget meeting, and all with her stand as the emergency lights come on.

She reaches the phone in front of her and calls her security chief. "Matheson, what just happen!?"

Before he could answer the automatic fire alarm dialogue is heard in several languages. "Code red, code red… building one, level 001."

"Ms. Simmons, there was an explosion in the mainframe room."

Secondary explosions shake the building again, and the phone line is down. Margaret takes command in the conference room and says. "All of you, out down the stairs."

She walks out of the meeting room stands on the first desk she encounters and yells to her subordinates. "Everyone out! Take the stairs, Franz, lead everyone out to the parking lot."

"What about you!?"

"I have to go to my office. I will be the last out. Just go!" Franz opens the stairwell door, and one by one the employees move down the stairs.

Margaret enters her office and opens her safe. She pulls a red metal briefcase and when she turns the maintenance woman is standing by the door. "Didn't you hear the alarm?"

"I came to see if you are alright, madam."

"I am fine, follow me."

As soon Margaret is in front of her. The woman grabs Margaret's head and snaps her neck. The woman takes off the overalls, and now she is wearing a business suit. She grabs the metal briefcase and puts it in a larger regular briefcase that she pulled from the maintenance cart, and she walks down the stairs.

.

Shock and awe.

.

In Alpha's command center all are paying attention to the news from Earth in their screens. Sandra goes to say. "Switzerland, the United States, and Belgium… what is going on?" Kano adds. "Not just anywhere. This was directed toward the quantum computers on Earth."

Sandra asks. "Kano, how you reached that conclusion the attacks were to destroyed the super-computers on Earth?"

"The I.L.O Headquarters in Bern was attacked, so the Defense digital information Headquarters at Ft. Mead Maryland and the U.N. building in Brussels. Since the attacks, there have not been any communications between those computers and ours up here."

Paul asks. "Why, who would gain on doing this."

Then the command line opens in Paul's screen and is Commander Gorski. "Paul, from the information you gave me and what targets were hit. I want you to double the security on the mainframe room and have Kano run a full analytic routine on the computer."

Kano goes to say. "Commander, an unscheduled full analytic routine will slow down the computer for at least 48 hours. Give me time to set the auxiliary systems so they can take the workload of the main computer."

"Kano, I don't want some virus to command the main computer to vent the atmosphere in Alpha. Whatever group did this could not reach our computer physically. Check and double check everything. Shutdown unnecessary systems if you have to. If you need to compute something, go to my office and grab a paper and a pencil and go at it."

"Yes, sir."

Gorski terminates the call and turns to John. "After our pass down I have to leave to Earth and head straight to Bern and check things out."

"What made you think that the attacks were directed toward the computers?"

"The three common denominators in each site attacked are those computers. If the attack would have been just the U.N. and the I.L.O I would have thought a group is making an international political statement but Ft. Mead, that right there completes the picture."

"I am sure Margaret has all under control in the I.L.O. You should go straight home and not Bern."

"I am sure she does, but an extra helping hand will not harm. I hope she calls soon."

The pilot of the Command Eagle goes to say over the speakers. "Sir, we are five minutes out."

"You have news on Alan and that passenger liner?" John asked.

"Yes, sir. Chief Carter landed the liner, and Ensign Fraser is okay. He was medevac to Alpha." John goes to say with relieved. "That is a good kid. Too bad he will not be flying for a while."

Gorski replies. "Alan has him under his wing. Those passengers were lucky those two were doing flight ops by Copernicus crater."

Then the communicator receives another call and Gorski answers. "Doctor Russell, what is the condition of the passengers?"

"The same as the others but there is a difference this time. I have a recording from Chief Carter's helmet. One of the victims spoke to him. While in the state they are now." John asks. "What did the victim told him?"

"Not directly to Carter, he had his helmet on. But the computer read his lips, and he said… We have been woken. We must return."

Gorski says. "That makes no sense." John turns to Gorski and says. "Wait, in Verdeschi's report… that woman said something." John grabs the E-pad and scrolls the report. "Here, she said… We have been woken. We must go to connect. We must return."

"Well, the victim omitted the, must connect part." Helena goes to ask. "What are you two gentlemen talking about?"

"Something happened in a mine site also about a discovery. We need to talk about this." John said and surprisingly a small smile much like the Mona Lisa surfaces in Helena's lips, and she says. "I will be looking forward."

The communication is terminated as the Eagle lands on the pad. Gorski turns to John to say as he smiles. "I have not seen her acting so… so mildly jovial toward anyone. Not before you came."

"Oh, come on. We are professionals."

"Hey, I call it as I see it."

Meanwhile on the far side of the Moon in the Tsiolkovsky crater, 110 miles east from the atomic repositories two people wearing civilian spacesuits have stopped their lunar land transport next to a communication control tower.

The pair enters the service shed were the communication equipment is located. Between the two they carry a cargo container. They put it on the floor and commence to pull out computers boxes and cables.

Once is all out they start to connect the jigsaw puzzle of computerized system and cables among the computers they brought with those of the communication tower.

"We have to start the first part in 15 minutes and the big finally by 1800Hrs."

"Why we have to wait and not do both as soon as we connect all this?"

"I follow orders. So keep working."

.

The burden of knowledge.

.

Maya Roberts is in a large conference room with all her department heads of the E-Collider. They are going over the information gathered thus far from the failed attempts to start the first stage colliders.

"Okay, people it has been two weeks since all this started. I want all on the table, from neutrinos, Earth's gravity, solar flares to the fictional Tachyons anything off the beaten path."

Mike raises his hands and says. "What about aliens?" Maya puts her hand on her face looks down and says. "If you have something plausible with that throw it." Then she looks at him livid at the world and replies. "If not shot up!"

"Okay, okay… not that path then."

Maya retakes control and says, reviewing the facts. "We all know that as a mass moves toward the speed of light gains mass and thus, it slows down. What we are seen is, mass gain but it speeds up. What is causing that?"

Steve goes on to say. "A hitchhiker… an unknown particle that we can't detect adds speed as the hydrogen molecule core is close to the speed of light." Mike says to Steve in a whisper. "You took my Idea."

"You went for the Alien spaceship flyover the Moon, crap."

"They might still be around."

"For two weeks? There are no cows to dissect on the Moon."

"Hey! You two stop talking and listen!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Yes, Doctor."

"Okay, Steve brought a good point but why now and not since we started this project. What is different in the past two weeks that was not there six months ago? Also on Earth, the Texas S.S.C Hyper-collider pushes the cores at 95.7%, and they don't have problems. Why we have this problem here and now?" One of the techs raises her hand and Maya points at her. "Yes, Freda."

"Doctor, two weeks ago a meteorite hit two miles north of the first stage collider 568 during a test. There was a massive spike in power."

"But the test continued normally."

"Yes, Doctor."

"Actually that was the last test done that we had no problems. It was the next test at the far side… first stage collider 67 when we started to have problems. Doctor Rowland and I inquired the good people of Moonbase Alpha and they never detected the impact, so it was not something to worry about."

"Yes Doctor, thank you."

The meeting continues for an hour. Different techs, Ph.D.'s and in between go over all the possibilities with no definite conclusion about the cause of the problem.

At the end of the meeting, all reach a collective agreement that the sensors and other measuring devices have to be upgraded to observe in more detail the acceleration of the hydrogen cores.

The meeting is adjourned and all commence to stand up. Maya walks to Mike standing next to Steve, and she asks Mike. "What was that crap of Aliens?"

"Oh, nothing Doctor."

"You must have a reason why and I hope it was not a joke?"

"Well... um, the space weather is clear, and the Moon puts out her usual amount of radiation, and the magnetic field is as always. Traffic of vehicles is the same with the same prolusion systems. Nothing has changed around or on the Moon of what is commonly known. So something new passed by leaving a residual amount of something."

"Okay, taking away the Alien angle, we are left with a transient force that has left some residual energy that somehow is affecting the E-collider systems. Is that better?"

"Well… the alien angle was cool but yes."

"So with Steve's theory, which I agree with…" "He stole it from me, by the way." "… and mixing it with yours, we have an unknown natural force or particle that is adding speed to a growing mass as it reaches the speed of light."

"More like a tugboat."

"Umm, but a Tachyon, in theory, has no mass and no polarity."

"Maybe and I was thinking on Tachyons. But not a polarity of their own but a source of our creation that gives them a polarity to pull."

"Let me get this straight Mike. You are describing a mediation force that interacts with the Tachyons in there realm making them condensate toward our realm."

"Exactly."

"So we are slowing down Tachyons with what?"

"We use magnetic and gravity accelerators, it is possible that gravitons contained in a magnetic field are acting as a wall slowing the Tachyons and somehow adding polarity pulling the hydrogen cores along with them. Now, are the Tachyons traveling individually or more like a cloud through the universe?"

"If it is a cloud it will pass by. But if they naturally travel separately, that will mean…?"

"You see Doctor Roberts, which is when the Alien ship comes in. Humanity does not have a Tachyon generator to have a concentrated amount of Tachyons as we encounter here and now floating about. There is a source close by putting out large amounts of Tachyons affecting the entire Moon."

"Mike, why do you jump to the conclusion that is affecting the whole Moon?"

"Dr. Roberts, for the past two weeks we tried to start all the first stage accelerators around the Moon's equator, and all failed due to this problem."

"All this is academic, to start Tachyons are, but a scientific ghost and Tachyons are more plausible in nature than aliens in spaceships pumping them out as an exhaust."

"Okay, let's take away the Alien factor and…" "I thought we did?"

"You did… According to your equation, there are higher levels of energy above the speed of light."

"Because the laws of physics in this universe stop pass the speed of light because all in that realm is reverting to the Big Bang as a cycle."

"Correct and thus energies are traveling beyond the speed of light, and among them, you can find those pesky Tachyons."

Steve adds. "These energies, we just name them Tachyons, but very well could be something else coming from that higher realm. Energies of different forms never detected. All we know of the realm above the speed of light is trough equations."

"Doctor, whatever they are this energies they are returning to the past to restart the Big Bang from a Universal cataclysmic event in our distant future that is not the big crunch and we are slowing them with the E-Collider."

Maya looks at Steve, and she replies. "There is no big crunch, anyway. So we are slowing them down and they pull on our cores. "

"The two lanes universal street effect in your equation, describes that cycle. That is part of your equation of everything implying that. The E-Collider, even the first stage colliders are putting a lot of energy in the chambers and they can do this."

"That is the only reason I am continuing this conversation with you two is the universal two way cycle in my equation. Look into this Tachyon intrusion and call me."

Maya turns and walks out of the room then Mike go to say in a mocking high pitch voice. "Blah, blah, blah… That is the only reason I am continuing this conversation."

"Mike at least she gave us the green light to look into it. Or you want to be calibrating sensors?"

"Not even that Special Forces dude could take her arrogant shit. Well, I guess you are right. Let's go to the research lab and start this."

Maya is headed to her office to have a Teleconference with the I.L.O scientific team in Cambridge when an alarm is heard. She changes direction toward one of the hallway intersection stations and looks at one of the screens for information. Maya reads the alert posted, and she grabs her intelligent phone. "Service department."

The handheld device connects her with the head of maintenance of the facility. "Mr. Ferguson, what is going on?"

"Doctor, we have a decompression in one of the lower airlocks… east lower entrance 89-B."

"Is it serious?"

"No, Doctor. The containments are holding. I dispatched a maintenance crew to check it out."

"Was anyone scheduled for an E.V.A and used the airlock?"

"Not one of my people. I will check the logs, it could be another department doing an E.V.A, but all is under control."

"Keep me posted."

"Will do."

Maya resumed her walk toward her office. She passes by several people in her way, and once she enters the administration section, she notices one of the hallways without power. Maya looks as she walks and sees a female figure standing at the far end of the darkened hallway.

She keeps walking with more important matters in her mind. Maya enters her office and sees her secretary. "Is the Teleconference ready?"

"I have not been able to contact Cambridge. It must be due to the attacks."

"What… wait, what attacks?"

"Terrorists bombed the I.L.O headquarters and the U.N in Brussels, and there was another attack in the United States."

"Where in the States?"

"Maryland, I think it was Ft. Mead."

"Connect me with anyone from the I.L.O."

"I will try."

Maya walks into her office and seats down behind her desk. She opens a personal channel to Earth, but there is no connection. "Wow, whatever happened must be big."

She searches the directory and finds the number of a friend on the Moon space station Antares. Maya calls and no connection as well. She reaches for the phone on her desk and calls her secretary. "Mary, have you called home?"

"I tried, but all the links are down. Oh, wait, someone just walked in."

"Tell that person I am busy and…" Maya could not complete her sentence when she hears Mary scream. Maya stands and runs toward the door. She walks into the reception area and sees a woman looking over an unconscious Mary.

"Stop!"

Maya is speechless looking at her duplicate turning the head toward her. Maya steps back as the woman walks toward her. Maya closes and locks the heavy oak door, but the woman punches the door introducing her arm.

Maya runs toward her desk and reaches the phone. "Security alert in the Director's office…" The woman breaks the door walking into the office, and both women are facing each other. "Who are you!?"

The woman stays silent.

Maya tries to run around the desk toward the door but her duplicate grabs her by the arm, and at that moment a bright light emanates from the intruder's hand holding Maya.

.

The fast-approaching hour.

.

Is 4:55 pm, Gorski, John, and Victor are in the Commander's office. The three are discussing the strange happenings thus far that day. Victor is going over his findings. "…And this is the schematics of the computer systems of the vehicles."

"They look the same." John said.

"They are the same. Different companies built each vehicle but all follow the same design as per the I.L.O standards of safety."

"That is what all vehicles have in common then, the I.L.O requirements." Gorski said as he examines the E-pad.

"One of the requirements is the computer systems, the civilian vehicles as our Eagles have their computer spread throughout the inner hull."

"So, there is an interaction between the mystery radiant force and the computer?" John asked, and Victor smile at John's insight before Victor could make his point.

"You are correct, John. When the mysterious radiant energy hits the vehicles passing through the hull interacts with the bio-gel of the Nano-components creating or changing the wavelength of the system."

"Generating a pulse frequency that affects the passengers, am I correct?" Gorski asked. "That is correct. The computers operate in a high frequency that the radiant energy speeds up bombarding the passengers, in this case, their brains. Spacesuits do not have the bio-gel computer system."

"Can you tell by the digital forensics what kind of energy is doing all this?" Gorski asked. "No or not yet but examining what is left of each computer from the vehicles, I found this."

Victor turns his E-pad toward the Commanders showing a circular wave function as seen in an oscilloscope, John and Gorski scroll their E-pads to look at it, and Victor continues.

"I called it, the Meta-wave signal. This signal is embedded in the affected computers and this same wave function is also showing in the brain scans taken by Doctor Russell from the patients."

"Does she know this?"

"Yes John, I told her, and she is monitoring this very closely."

Gorski looks focused at his pad and then looks at Victor to ask. "Okay, so all this has to do with the underground structure?"

"I was getting to that. The wall has a quantum resonance identical to the Meta-signal, however."

"However?"

"The computer systems of the mining vehicles are built as the affected vehicles, and none of the miners have fallen ill. So the radiant force reaching the vehicles is a mediation force of some kind that only happens above ground and condensates the Meta- signal of the structure into our universal plane."

"Condensates… as in quantum physics condensation?"

"Yes, Commander Gorski. It pulls into our Universal plane the signal, and I do not know if this condensate is controlled or hits at random." Gorski leans on his desk reaching the comm-link. "Paul."

"Yes, Commander."

"I am sending you a list of vehicles that need to be grounded." Paul looks at the list, and he replies with concern. "Sir, the Eagles too?"

"Only the ones with a low priority and the Eagles that do need to fly the crew will be in full E.V.A. The civilian vehicles there will be no compromise with the users. Only under a life-threatening situation, they can use them."

"Understood, sir."

"Anton, most of the civilian vehicles have Bio-gel computers. Those are thousands of vehicles."

"John, until we have a better handle on this…" Gorski smiles, looks at his watch and says. "You, my friend can lift the restriction in its totality or parts of it."

"Is about that time isn't?" John said looking at the time. Then Gorski slowly pushes across the desk the pad containing the pass down of command, and he says to John. "I wish I could have given you all this under normal circumstances."

The Door of the office facing the hallway signals that a person wants to enter, Gorski looks at the screen, and he smiles then looks at John to say. "I think this is a first. John this is for you."

"What?" Gorski from the desk opens the door, and Helena walks in holding a small bottle of Champagne. The three gentlemen stand and Helena approaches. John pulls a chair and she seats. "I brought this non-alcoholic Champagne."

"Thank you, Doctor. I take you are not celebrating my departure." Gorski said as he walks to one of the shelves to get three cups. Russell smiles and says. "Well, actually I am."

"Really, that bad I was?"

"Not at all Anton. This is to celebrate your reunion with your family and for a continuing prosperous life and to welcome Commander Koenig. This is the first pass down in Alpha. Maybe future Commanders will keep this small ceremony."

"I will make sure that this happens." John said as he opens the bottle. He fills the cups and Helena stands raising her cup to say. "For Alpha." All the gentlemen reply. "For Alpha."

"Well?" Helena asked as John taps gently on his hand the pad. Gorski looks at him. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Gorski opens the double doors leading to the main control and the four walk into it. Gorski goes to say out loud. "Attention, please. As you all know, this is Commander John Koenig, and he is here to take Command of Alpha base and all lunar operations under the I.L.O agreements. It has been an honor serving this past year with all of you, but my retirement calls me."

All present, go on to smile at Gorski's jovial comment but all display a sad deportment, Sandra and Yasko have to hold back tears.

Gorski continues. "Today, September the seventh of the year 2099 at 1715 hours I pass the command with all the authority, privileges… and headaches thereof…" Once again all smile as John looks down and then upholding the pad with his hands on his back. "… The Command of Moon Base Alpha to Commander Koenig, please if you could press your thumb on the line."

John does and all the screens that have Gorski's name dealing with official documentation change to John Koenig Commander. Kano looks at his station's monitors and says. "The Computer acknowledges the pass down."

John goes to say. "I am happy the main computer, likes me."

All stand and commence to applaud to the incoming and outgoing Commanders. Each personnel shake hands with both of them. Alan walks in seen what is going on and he approaches Gorski to shake his hand. "You will be miss sir."

"Alan you are a plus in this little community of ours, and you have your old squadron Commander, back."

Alan steps to the side to be in front of John, and the skillful pilot says. "Yes sir, I will take care of him, and I think we are even with the Cyprus situation."

"I hope we are."

Helena's comm-link vibrates, and she reads it. She puts it back on her belt and says to the two Commanders. "I am sorry, but I have to leave. I have two wounded patients been flown from the E-Collider main facility."

"Yes, of course." John said, and Russell walks out. "Gorski gets closer to John and says. "Did she say the E-Collider?"

"Oh no… you have an Eagle to catch. That is my headache now."

"Okay, okay. I was just asking."

At that same time in the Tsiolkovsky crater. "It is time."

"Okay, run the program." One of the civilians hits a key in one of the boards in the communication shed, and all the screens come alive as the communications computers receive an upload."

"It is done. Let's go to our next appointment."

Then one by one all the Exo-Moon communication screens in Alpha's Mission Center go out. The communications tech, Jack Crawford, commences diagnosing the problem. He changes channels, but all he gets in each channel is the transmitted signals from outside Alpha mixed with static and in other channels only static. "Sandra."

Sandra slowly turns away from the festive gathering to turn toward Jack, and he says. "Sandra, look at this."

"What is it, Jackie?"

"All the Exo-comm links are out." Sandra does the same as Jack did to find the problem with the same results and she says. "Run an analytic routine on this and have Chief Zoref check this out. She might reassign some of her teams to check the hardware."

"Okay."

.

Emergent.

.

Helena is in the tram on her way to the hospital, and she once more grabs her comm-link and calls. "Doctor Mathias." The call is received, and Mathias goes to say. "Yes, Doctor."

"Who are the two emergencies?"

"Doctor Maya Roberts and her secretary Mary Johnson."

"Wait, Dr. Roberts… the Doctor Roberts?"

"Yes, they were found unconscious in Dr. Roberts's office after her call for security."

"What happen?"

"Someone broke into the facility, beyond that no one knows."

The tram stops as Helena stands walking out. "I am at the tram terminal of the hospital. Who is taking care of them?"

"Doctor Spencer, you want me to call Nuñez?"

"He was on call last. Let him sleep. I will be there is a moment."

"The two women are in the ER area. I call, Doctor Newman."

"Newman, are they burn?"

"Only Doctor Roberts's face shows signs of facial burns… I have never seen something like that before."

"I am in the ER. What room?"

"47-B and I am standing outside."

Helena passes the front desk and enters to the back of the ward. She turns the corner and sees Mathias waving at her. Russell approaches him, and Mathias gives her an E-pad. Helena reviews the information and says. "So, Ms. Johnson is in the step-down unit."

"She is unconscious with no visible injuries, we are sending her to scanning, but Dr. Roberts's face is disfigured only her epidermis is showing a strange discoloration." As Mathias speaks, Helena puts on a medical P.P.E gown and facial mask. Both enter as Doctor Spencer checks his patient.

Helena asks. "What we have here?" Spencer answers. "All bio-metric functions are normal. The lab is working on her blood, but the problem is the face."

"No burn marks on her attire?"

"None, she was wearing a polo shirt, jeans, and runner shoes. None show burns or radiation."

Helena gets closer to Roberts and looks at her face. "Her eyebrows hairs like little circular scales."

"They resemble antennae and look at her cheeks on both sides of the head. They have a purple colored pattern."

"They are symmetrical in shape, like long sideburns. Connect her to the encephalic-scanner."

"Yes, Doctor." As Spencer prepares the scanner, Helena walks to the other side of the room and asks Mathias.

"Do they have families here?"

"Ms. Jonson's husband is on his way. Doctor Roberts's parents are on Earth, and we just started having problems with communications to contact them. However, legally… well, Dr. Roberts's ex-husband is Major Verdeschi."

"I know Tony. He can't take legal decisions for her. Okay, I will put her under the medical assessments act until she recovers or we contact her parents."

"I have not informed the Major pending your approval."

"Legally we can't but as a friend of his. I will contact him when appropriate. In the meantime…" Helena is interrupted by a call over the hospital speakers. "Doctor Russell, you are needed urgently in the Iso-ward."

She grabs her comm-link and asks. "What happen?" The head nurse in turn replies. "Doctor, all the patients are waking up."

"All of them?"

"Yes, the glow in their eyes is gone, and all the readings are normal."

"I am on my way." Helena turns to Spencer and says. "Take care of her. Mathias, come with me the patients in the isolation ward are awake."

"What?" That is all he said as both take their P.P.E apparel of them and they walk out.

.

The second act.

.

In Alpha's civilian port John is escorting Gorski to the Eagle that is taking the former commander to Earth. Both men are in the terminal at the gate, and Gorski looks at his watch once more.

John goes to say in a jovial tone. "You have been watching that watch since the pass down. The Eagle is not leaving you behind."

"Oh, have I been doing that? I guess I am worried that Margaret has not called and now the communications are sporadic. Solar flares?"

"We will find out. Now get onboard." Both men shake hands, and Gorski says. "Take care of her."

"I will, now go on and I expect you to come and visit as a tourist."

"Yea, I never went to the Apollo 11 museum. Do that for me."

"Will do that in six months with your family and send my regards to Catherina and the kids."

"I will." Gorski turns around and walks into the service bridge, and he enters the Eagle. The airlock closes, and then John turns around walking toward the tram terminal.

He enters the tram and the tubular transport takes him toward the command area of Alpha. John is deep in his thoughts trying to solve the mystery of the unknown energy and the strange structure underground that thus far it seems to extend to the point that Victor things it could engulf the entire Moon as an inner shell at 50 miles under the surface.

John arrives at the command area terminal and exits the tram. As he walks one of the center's officers, Yasko Sato, approaches him. "Sir, these are the reports you requested about the communications failures."

"Thank you, did Paul look at them?"

"Yes, so Sandra and Chief Zoref."

"Who is Zoref?"

"Alice Zoref is the power and utility officer. She works for Sandra."

"When you say Chief Zoref is the utility officer you mean she is the chief engineer?"

"Yes sir she upkeeps the comm network hardware, which falls under her section as part of the utilities. She is a very bright young woman."

"I am sure she is, but also water distribution, the power grid, and the fusion reactors fall under her."

"That is under Zoref's section as well sir."

"And you?"

"I am the Logistics officer I work for Sandra. All tasks concerning operations in Alpha condensate into three departments run by Paul, Sandra, and Kano."

John smile and says. "I am sure I know something about that. The, none operation departments like, sciences, medical or aerospace have to coordinate with Paul who then decides if he coordinates a task request himself or to pass it to Sandra or Kano but most of the time all three departments work in unison."

Yasko shyly smiles and slightly looks down then looks up to say. "Sorry sir, I know you know. You will see that the members of different departments can take charge of the other officer's functions in the mission control depending on the workload of the schedules. Commander Gorski cross trained us that way."

"So you can fly an Eagle?"

"Yes, sir, I have a class one certification so all the members of mission control."

"Class one, none atmospheric flight."

"That is correct. I can't fly an Eagle on Earth or dock with a moving space station also I can't land in a site without a landing pad."

"I guess Alan and his pilots would not have a job if all had a class two flight certification. Now, what have you found out about the communications problems?"

"Well, the main computer is still in analytic routine mode and made things slower but is a failure on the ground. What we think is a cascading hardware problem, some ionization that strangely does not affect personal devices or close circuit links. So far there is no sign of a virus, but we are not taking that out, yet."

"Space weather?"

"All the observatories as the Stephen Hawking radio telescope report the space weather to be clear. We are all looking up and into our systems, but we can't find the problem. All communications across the Moon are done by land lines."

John and Yasko enter the Mission Control, and John looks about and turns to Yasko. "Thank you for your information."

"Oh, sir… is my job to help in all I can. If you excuse me, I have to work."

"Go ahead." Then John walks straight to Paul. "Did you reach the I.L.O?"

"I have managed to contact the Antares space station a couple of times, and they are okay. I received a message from Huston with the space weather report and after that nothing. We are still receiving commercial broadcasts from Earth mixed with heavy static."

"At least we are getting something but not what we want."

"Sir, this is getting worst and…" A loud intermittent beeping alarm is heard in the center, and all the screens open a window with a red background and yellow letters. The Holo-sphere shows the same.

Then an automated voice is heard after the alarm. "Break… break… this is E.C.M code Exodus… break… break. Main station confirmation codes required."

All look at the screens as John and then all eyes turn to him. Sandra goes to say. "Something big happened." Then John turns to Kano and says. "Give the codes and confirm this."

Kano gives the codes sent from Earth in an E-pad to John. He looks at them, and he heads to his office. He walks to the safe and opens it pulling a red metallic briefcase. He opens the case and connects a wire to his desk. He searches among several envelops for the envelope with the codes he received.

He opens the envelope and reads the instructions from a paper. "Paul, come to my office." Paul stands and in a brisk pace enters the office. "Yes sir."

"This message is an Exodus code level five. The total evacuation of all humans on the Moon, in your station you will enter this code. That will open a document with the step by step procedures the Alpha Base Commander has to follow. Read it, do what it says and delegate to whom you need on this."

"Yes sir." As Paul turns, Johns says. "Wait, I have to input my codes to confirm the Exodus action."

John inputs his code in a pad inside the briefcase. Then the automated voice is heard again. "Exodus action codes are confirmed. All-time devises are reset to a 72 hours countdown."

"Now go." Paul runs to his station as John walks to the edge of the stairs overlooking the control center. "Kano, do you have a confirmation of the source from where the Exodus alert was sent?"

"Sir, all points to Earth, from the I.L.O headquarters."

"I want a clear communication with anyone in the I.L.O."

"Yes sir."

"Sandra, connect me with the Antares station may be they can relay a message to confirm this."

Sandra tries to open a channel to the Antares and no contact. She turns to the communications tech on duty, and Sandra says. "Jackie, can you bust the signal?"

"Sandra, the transceiver is at full. All I am getting is static."

"Jackie, go again over all the channels, transponders and satellites for a decent signal."

"Yes, Sandra."

Then Sandra turns to John to say. "Sir, in the past two hours it has been like this. Between us and Antares station or Earth we have comm problems and are getting worst. But according to the Antares, they have perfect two-way communication with Earth."

"Paul, have Alan fly to the station and tell him he is our runner to contact Earth. I need this Exodus message verified. "

"Yes sir."

The John addresses the whole center. "Okay people, we have 72 hours to evacuate the Moon. All commercial flights are to be re-routed to take people either to the Antares station or straight to Earth. I want all commercial cable broadcasts to send the alert to the public. Paul, contact Major Verdeschi had him post extra security in the flight terminals."

"Yes sir."

"I don't know what happened on Earth or what they see is headed toward us. I do hope is only the malfunction in the Exo-comm system that we have. Paul will assign new duties related to the evacuation. Alpha personnel will be last to leave. That is all."

Victor walks into the center and John motions his hand as to talk to him. "John. Who activated the Exodus activation?"

"The I.L.O."

"Have you talked to Margaret?"

"Not yet. I send Alan to the Antares station to contact Earth. I don't know what is going on and the Exo-comm link failure makes it worse."

"I received a message from Dr. Russell she wants you to go to the hospital. The patients are awake."

"I can't leave, not now."

"Call her then."

John turns around and walks followed by Victor to his desk. He leans over and calls. "Doctor Russell." The connection is made, and Helena appears on the screen. "Victor just told me."

"Commander, you activated the Exodus protocol?"

"Well, not on my own but the I.L.O sent the message. We have 72 hours to evacuate the Moon. Your patients in critical condition are your priority."

"I will not do otherwise on my own… the patients woke up, and they are okay. They do not remember anything but a high pitch noise just before they lost consciousness."

At that moment Tony walks into the center, and John sees him. As he talks to Helena over the link John waves at Tony to approach his desk. "Doctor, are those patients fit to fly?"

"Yes but I have a recent arrival, Doctor Roberts, the director of the E-Collider. She might be one of the last patients to leave."

Tony hears this and walks in view of the screen John and Helena are conversing through. "Doctor, I received a report from the private security in the E-Collider, and they never mention her. Why you did not call me?"

"You know why, Tony."

"I am on my way." As Tony commences to walk John in a stern tone says to the young officer. "Major. Stand fast right there. I need to talk to you!"

"Yes, sir." Helena adds. "Tony legally you can't make decisions for her."

"We never sign the papers."

"What? But you told me that all was done?"

"I was angry at her when I told you that, but Maya and I pushed the papers in our faces, but none of us sign them." John goes to ask somewhat astonished by the revelation. "Major, are you the husband of Dr. Roberts?"

"Yes, sir I still am."

"Who is your second, is it Lt. Alexander?"

"Yes sir."

"Have Alexander come here. You go and see your wife but make it a quick visit. I expect you to be here in one hour."

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir."

As Tony walks out, he grabs his comm-pad and calls for Alexander. Victor goes to say. "I remember those days, young love in action."

"Helena he is on his way."

"Thank you… John. I need Eagles to move critical patients from the outside medical clinics."

"You will have them."

"Thank you, Russell out."

"John, now what?"

"Victor, we have to evacuate 200,000 souls from the Moon in 72 hours."

.

Behind the curtain.

.

Alan and his co-pilot Torens approach the Antares space station. "Antares control, this is Eagle one, we need a vector for landing procedures."

No one answers. Torrens looks at his instruments and say. "We are transmitting five by five. Would they have the same problem we have in Alpha with their communications?"

"Check other channels. There are 785 permanent crew plus transient travelers in that thing. Someone must be using a radio."

"Okay. You think Commander Gorski is onboard the station?"

"His Eagle was a straight flight to Switzerland. Let's dock."

"Alan without traffic control clearance, we could hit something."

"So, we have orders from the Alpha Commander. If we get a ticket, you will pay for it."

"Yea right."

The Eagle approaches the hangar bay matching the speed and rotation of the station. Alan enters the Eagle slowly as to avoid an accident but no traffic is seen.

He lands the Eagle in one of the pads and shot down the engines. The two pilots wait for a few minutes, but no one comes to receive them. "At least the flight line crew should be about." Torens said. Alan asks. "Did the radio scanner catch any signals?"

"None, just static." Alan gets out from his seat and says. "At least we have the suits on already. Let's walk in."

"Well, you are the boss."

The two come out from the Eagle headed to the airlock, Torens looks about the hangar and says. "Hey, are those the new Shado fighters."

"Yea, I thought we had enough of them already."

The pair keeps walking reaching the airlock, and they enter the station's pressurized section. As they close the inner door behind them, Torens is about to take his helmet off when Alan puts his hand on Torens forearm stopping him.

"Hey, I want this off."

"There is no pressure here."

"How do you know? The board on the door was green."

"Look over there."

Torens turns to the direction Alan is pointing, and they encounter several bodies on the deck. Blood is coming out of their eyes, nose and ears as any part at the surface of the skin that contains vascular veins. Their faces are as if they were gasping for air.

"Oh, crap!"

"Yes, big time crap. Let's reach the mission control area."

The two astronauts walk through the station, and all they find is dead personnel killed by a massive depressurization in the station. Gravity and lights continue to work.

They reach the mission control of the station, and the doors to the emergency airlock are close. Alan looks at the panel next to the door and goes to say. "There is pressure in there."

"The change room airlock had a green light, remember."

"Don't take your helmet."

They open the outer door entering the airlock and once in, Alan closes the outer door then the inner door opens into the station's mission control area. As they enter, both are pushed forward with force and roll down the stairs.

Alan and Torens are face to face with the barrel of a military grade Electro-Laser rifle. As they seat on the deck, both pilots raise their hands as a woman talks to someone seating in the commander's chair facing away from them.

Alan counts 20 armed men and women wearing civilian spacesuits but without the helmets. Two of them are pointing weapons at them as the others operate the command stations. The woman walks to Alan and Torens then she says as she makes the astronaut hand signal that both prisoners know well. "Take your helmets off."

Slowly, Alan and Torens take the helmets and wait. A male voice is heard from the chair saying. "Welcome to Liberum Luna, gentlemen." Alan's eyes open wide and slowly his speech returns for him to say. "Commander Gorski?"

The chair pivots around and Alton Gorski is seating on the chair. Alan goes to ask. "Are you… well, are you helping here?"

"If I heard a distress call from Antares and diverted my Eagle to come to help. Is that your question?"

"Yes, sir."

"No, I caused the distress here and the communications problems down on the Moon."

"You, but why?"

"Ha, my good friend, if you have read the history books. You will see why."

"Why?"

"Humankind since the start of the 20th century has been destroying the ecosystem of the Earth, and even in the latter quarter of the 20th century, and throughout the 21st we could have turn everything around by already knowing at that time the damage we were causing. Humans continued to pump trillions of tons of pollutants a year. Oceans devoid of marine life, the Amazon rainforest all gone and The Amazon River is a zest pool of poisons so all mayor rivers on Earth."

"But all that is changing."

"It is too late unless all the financial power of Earth is diverted to repair the damage but the financial powers at the top don't want to. These are old men and women that have at most 20 to 30 more years of life, and they don't care what is to happen 100 years after they die. That same elk of people feared to come to the Moon because helium-3 was the death sentence of fusil fuels and all their finances were based on oil."

Torens goes to say. "Excuse me Commander but… didn't you murder 700 some people on this station? You talk of saving the world, but you killed all these people."

"And more will die, the end justifies the means. Right now, I have hundreds of my associates on the Moon. Hiding to take it over and use it as a platform to return to Earth what was taken from her in the past 200 years. We have a new weapon that will make this happen." Alan goes to ask. "So you are behind the illness on the Moon."

"Although the weapon was meant to kill it did something unforeseen. I guess it has to do with the staggering amounts of Tachyons. You would need to calibrate your sensors and look from above to see the mist forming around the Moon."

"You are out of your mind. Tachyons don't exist but in science fiction."

"But they do, and just this morning I found their source under the Moon's surface. You see Alan. The E-Collider is pulling them from this underground source. The more the E-Collider is used, the more Tachyons come out from this underground source and who knows what would happen if the collider is used at its maximum capacity."

"Nothing will happen."

"I don't want to see the E-Collider working at its full capacity with all those Tachyons floating around."

"Even if Tachyons do exist are they supposed to zoom away?"

"The Tachyons stay around the Moon pulled by an advance technology, the underground source I mention before and eventually I will learn to use."

"Now that you're grand villain monolog is done what are you going to do with us?"

"Well, I could order your immediate execution but like any movie villain I will put you two in the station's brig, and you will die there. Part of the plan is to destroy the station anyway. So I will say, Proshchay Alan. Take them away."

As the two astronauts are taken out of the large room, the woman approaches Gorski and asks. "What if Koenig sends more pilots?"

"We do as we just did to these two if that happens. However, keep sending sporadic communications to Alpha mixed with static but send one clear signal that this two arrived and are doing well in the next minute."

"Okay. When is the grand final?"

"Ten minutes after you send the message about our visitors being in good health among friends, send one clear message to Alpha that Antares station is under the Exodus directive and all flights from the Moon are to travel directly to Earth then reestablish the atmosphere in the station and double the amount of O2."

"You want a big explosion."

"Yes, I do. Thirty minutes later we depart blowing up the station."

"All as planned."

"All as planned and we save the Earth."

.

Maya.

.

Tony arrives at the hospital and walks into the ER. He approaches the reception counter. "I am the husband of Maya Roberts. She came in not more than an hour ago." The nurse looks at her screen and says. "She was moved to the M.I.C.U on the fourth floor."

"Thank you." He walks out of the ER to the elevators in the main lobby, when over the announcement system a message is heard. "Code Orange, code orange M.I.C.U. Code Orange…" Tony knows that means a disruptive patient and does not wait for the elevator taking the stairs.

He arrives at the fourth floor, and he sees nurses pushing patients out of the Medical Intensive Care Unit. He looks toward the entrance seen the base security officers that are posted in the hospital line up to go in once the medical staff orders them too. Tony walks toward them, and he asks. "Sergeant, what is going on?"

"One of the patients is destroying all in there. Two nurses are hurt, and the first security officer that arrived is on his way to the ER."

"Who is the patient?"

"Some big wig doctor from the E-collider started a ruckus."

Tony's blood froze after hearing the sergeant's description of the disruptive patient, and he looks through the small glass window of the door. Suddenly the lights inside the ward go out, and a nurse runs out. "All the patients are out. You can go in."

Tony tells the nurse. "Go and stay with your patients."

"Don't tell me that twice." And she leaves. The sergeant turns around and says to the officers. "Okay, even numbers in the line move to the left uneven to the right as we enter the ward. Once the patient is sighted, we all jump at once."

"Delay that."

"Major?"

"I will go in first if I need you I will yell."

"Okay sir but at least let me go with you."

"Stay here." Tony opens the door and goes into the darkness. He turns on his body light as he walks looking into each room and sees no one.

Then from the corner of his eye, he sees the fast-moving figure of a large quadruped, but he is not sure.

He moves toward the movement, and from behind the nurse's station, a jet black Mackenzie Valley Wolf jumps over Tony. He manages to get a hold of the beast neck, but its jaws are getting closer to Tony's head.

He closes his eyes, and in a lamented tone of voice, he says as the inevitable jaws of death getting closer. "Goodbye, my beloved Maya."

The animal stops its attack and as a despairing canine would do it softly whimpers. Then it moves from on top of Tony, and the animal lays on the ground.

Tony pulls his service weapon and points it to the animal, and for Tony's surprise, the large wolf changes form and now he sees a naked Maya seating on the floor.

She opens her arms toward Tony, and she says. "Tony, please help me. I don't know what happen to me."

Tony walks toward her grabbing a blanket covering her with it, and Tony lifts Maya cradling her in his arms.

"Oh, baby… I don't know what happen, but Doctor Russell will help us." She embeds her face on Tony's neck, he feels her tears, and she says. "Will help us… I like the plural of it."

"Yes, hon we are still plural." Tony walks out and tells the sergeant. "Have your team check for more people in there."

"Yes, sir."

Helena and Doctor Mathias approach Tony holding Maya in his arms. "Tony, what happened in there? The nurses saw a large dog after Maya became combative."

"I don't know how but… okay, doc where you want Maya to be?"

"Down in the Iso-ward. I have a gurney for her."

"That is okay doc. I have wanted to carry my wife for a while now."

"And you to carry me, just for a snuggly while." Doctor Russell looks at Maya and says. "She is awake."

"Yes doctor, I been awake and please no mirrors." Tony tries to look at Maya's face, but she hides it under the blanket. "Please, Tony, take me to where the Doctor wants me to be."

"Okay. You lead the way Doctor."

"Follow me."

.

The Exodus.

.

Sandra is at her station and receives a second clear message from the Antares station. She reads it and calls the Commander. "Sir, I received a message from Antares. They are under the Exodus directive as well. All flights from the Moon have to go straight to Earth."

"I was hoping to turn around most of the flights to pick up more people on the Moon. How is the evacuation going?"

"The Stephen Hawking radio telescope, the Apollo Museums, and all the lunar hotels are close. All their personnel and hotel guests are accounted on their way here in Eagles. The education intendant reports all students have been picked up by the parents. All other commercial and scientific sites have been evacuated at this moment by Eagles in a few hours they will arrive here. All the outside medical centers have been evacuated except for the medical center in the Gagarin crater that at this moment are being evacuated by a wing of Eagles. That will take time."

"What about the mines?"

"The mining facilities are close as the Helium-3 refineries. All their personnel are here or in route a few hours away from Alpha in Eagles. The nearby facilities and mines personnel are on the road. All ground vehicles are being parked at the north side of Alpha's main gate. Except for the mine in the Hipparchus crater, which still waiting for the Eagles we rerouted to the Gagarin crater."

"What about the E-Collider personnel?"

"Half of them arrived in Eagles, but we had to redirect the flights we were using to bring the rest of the E-Collider personnel to pick the patients in the Gagarin crater medical center."

"So it is only the mine at the Hipparchus crater and the E-Collider personnel waiting. The rest of the facilities either their personnel are in route using land vehicles or Eagles are picking them up or about to. How long the miners and the E-Collider personnel have to wait?"

"The miners in the Hipparchus crater are okay with waiting. But the E-Collider personnel left the facility already in ground vehicles to come here traveling on highway 36."

"We have no wireless communication to know if they are okay on their way here. Who is in charge of the E-Collider people?"

"Dr. Cabot Rowland and I told him to wait, but he didn't want to listen. They will stop at the mining facility in the Hipparchus crater and use a landline to check in. If the Eagles don't arrive, they will continue on the highway."

"They will be the last leaving. Have you heard from Alan?"

"Not directly from Alan sir, the comm officer of the Antares reported that they arrived fine. Then the communications fail again."

"Keep me posted Sandra. Kano."

"Yes sir."

"Is the analytic routine procedures of the main computer completed?"

"No, sir."

"What would happen if you stop the analytic routine, now?"

"I would have to shut down the main computer and reboot the entire system. It will take a long time uploading the main computer memories. At least we have a computer now. Also if the computer reboots all systems dependent on the computer might shut down."

"Utilities, atmosphere scrubbers and the reactors, we can't lose those. Is there an auxiliary system that we can use?"

"The auxiliary systems are the secondary systems and have to be prep before the analytic routine is initiated to diverting part of the massive workload from the main computer to them."

"Then it is too late to use any secondary computation systems."

"Yes, sir."

"Is there any other computer on the Moon that performs close to ours that we could use to sustain the utility support systems if you disengage the main computer from the analytic routine and during the reboot?"

"Yes, sir and the only other computer close to ours is the mainframe in the E-Collider center."

"Make the connection and once done, reboot the main computer."

"I would have to send a team there. Set a direct landline link and once that is done I will pass those tasks from our computer to the E-Collider mainframe. That would help us a lot."

.

Clarity in the smoke.

.

Victor walks into John's office, and he says. "John, you call for me?"

"Yes, seat down. What have you found out about that wall?"

"Before the Exodus directive was enacted Dr. Carolyn Powell surveyed other sites around the Moon and the wall was there. That confirms my suspicions that the lower crust of the Moon is that structure. All indicates that this spherical structure was not cover as it is now."

"Is not is not extending in a specific finite area and how you know it was not covered in the past?"

"The debris and dust as other geological agents on the lunar surface are innate of our solar system. So, the accumulation of dust, dirt, as the impacts of other Astro-bodies covered the structure in a term of millions of years."

"You know what you are implying by stating millions and not billions of years?"

"I know what my assumption is implying, that the Moon did not undergo the process we have always assumed."

"So the Moon is artificial."

"There are legends and myths of ancient civilizations that describe a Moonless Earth."

"Victor, this challenge all we know about the Moon. I can't believe that the Moon could be an artificial mechanism or it could even be a ship as per your statement of a Moonless Earth."

"Yet, it is 60 miles under our feet, and I can show you the ancient legends of several emergent civilizations from over 5,000 years ago."

John takes a deep breath as he stretches his upper body as to take in what he just learned. Then he turns to Victor and says. "Wow, okay. The dozer operating on its own, could it be related to the structure as the woman that attacked the miners and the security team?"

"I don't know but all this happening in the past two weeks, the illness, and dozer working without an operator discovering the structure, the mystery woman, now the communications problems. In my subjective opinion, this is not coincidental."

"Are they related?"

"Maybe they are all related, or in parts, I don't know yet. Also, I just found out through two techs of the E-Collider that it was not working properly for the past two weeks ago."

"How?"

"According to the two techs, Mike and Steve, the first stage accelerators were pushing the hydrogen cores faster than the speed of light. They believe that Tachyons pulled the cores along with them. Do you remember what I told you and Commander Gorski?"

"I remember the Meta-signal. The unknown radiant energy could it be Tachyons?"

"The Meta-signal could be a byproduct of the interaction of Tachyons with bio-gel computers and humans." Victor abruptly stays silent looks down and slowly looks at John as the old Doctor had an epiphany. "John, the only machine on the Moon with the power to pull Tachyons from their realm is the E-Collider."

"Then the link to the illness is the collider. Um? What happened first?"

"What do you mean?"

"Victor, do you have the dates of the collider's malfunctions?"

"Right here." Victor gives the pad to John, and then he slides an E-pad with all the information of the patients affected by the illness already on his desk. Victor bends his torso closer to the desk, and John says. "Um?"

"What do you found?"

"The malfunctions of the E-Collider happen after the first report of the illness, at least three days apart."

"If it is not the collider then what could have done that?"

John stays silent connecting the dots in his mind, and then he says. "Check again all that you have on the vehicles especially the first one. I want you to look for a signature of a high energy direct pulse, the kind that could interact with Tachyons."

"Are you referring to a weapon, how you jump to that?"

"Anton never thought of a weapon that is why the illness was seen as a natural caused effect."

"John, that is a reasonable conclusion, Anton and I agreed on that. The E-Collider is the perfect suspect. The illness happened by Tachyons from the collider, and three days later the accumulation of them affected the collider systems. What I don't is how Tachyons can stay in lower states of energy and even to lingered in a specific area for long periods. "

"Victor, I have to think that is a weapon that can produce an energy pulse that affects Tachyons. The illness started first only affecting flights and land vehicles, correct?"

"Yes."

"The E-Collider by accident trapped the Tachyons brought to our plane by the use of this weapon because the weapon needs to siphon power from the collider."

"Well, following your military point of view…Then the weapon has to be close to the collider to be powered, the collider was functioning at the time and attracted the Tachyons, thus the collider's malfunctions later on."

"Victor, the days the collider was used as per these reports, matches with the same days when the passengers of a flight acquired the illness. This is a perfect match."

"A weapon like that would be of a gravitational nature. John, the E-Collider been the main suspect, is more plausible than a weapon."

"The collider malfunctions also happen on days that were no affected flights, and none of the personnel of the E-Collider was ever affected even during E.V.A work at the site. If it were as you are suggesting, all humans and bio-computers in the E-Collider project would have been affected first than a random flight miles away from the collider."

"Yes, you are right."

"I bet you that a link was created between the source of the Tachyons and the collider to continue malfunctioning, accumulating up to the point that our communications are failing. The last collider test was, according to the logs, today. "

"So, the E-Collider has been introducing more Tachyons trough a connection without the use of the weapon."

"Correct but there is something else here, um?"

"What else is there John? A weapon has been used. The E-Collider gathered enough Tachyons to disrupt our communications and the illness is an act of terrorists."

"In all this, the dozer does not have the common denominator of the Tachyons. It dug a tunnel for us to find out about the structure and neither has a connection with Tachyons."

"Also that woman from the mine that attacked Major Verdeschi and his security people neither she is connected to Tachyons. It is like the dozer incident, the structure and her are connected among them."

"I mean, let's face it, Victor. That woman ripped apart a 4 feet thick airlock access from its hinges. No one in the mine has seen her before and Verdeschi and Alexander, they swear she ran on the pressures less surface of the Moon without a spacesuit under sunlight."

"Has any security patrol found her?"

"Well, according to Dr. Russell. That woman is in her hospital but not as she was in her first appearance."

.

Tied spaces and sacred places.

.

Alan and Torens are seating in the brig. Their helmets were taken away to avoid their escape. Both pilots do not know when the end will arrive. Alan looks at the pressure indicator on the door panel and says. "They reestablish the atmosphere."

"Another green light, but look at the oxygen is passing the green line."

"I think they want to blow up this station really good."

"Now we can reach the Eagle."

"How?" Alan points to the cell door, and Torens looks down saying. "At least the kid did not come with us."

"Bill? Yea, he can live as long as we have."

The door of the brig is unlocked, and the two pilots stand, and Torrens goes to say. "I think they change their minds. I hope it will be quick."

The door opens halfway, and an astronaut wearing the I.L.O orange suit enters closing the door behind. Alan looks at the patches and is an Antares, station member. The astronaut opens the cell and raises the helmet visor. Alan looks at the young woman's face, and he says with surprise. "Aren't you the daughter of Clive Kander?"

"Yes, Melisa. You must be Alan?"

"Yes, we met once in the old I.L.O Tranquility Base."

"Well, that and your Canadian accent that is why I recognized you."

Alan's eyes open wide and say with pride. "I am Australian." She smiles and says. "Yes, I know. We have to go. Your Eagle is still in the hangar bay."

Melisa walks out, and Torens goes to say as he passes Alan. "I am Canadian, and it is fun being one. We should hop along to our Eagle."

"Yea, we have jokes."

Then the trio runs down the hallway toward the hangar. Alan asks. "What happened here?"

"There was an emergency call for all station personnel out in an E.V.A to enter the station due to a massive solar flare. I was a bit late getting inside. I had to finish fixing one of the comm modules of the main dish. When I enter the change room, the pressure was zero and all dead."

"Did you saw those civilians with weapons?"

"I saw them by airlock 20. They were receiving someone that came in an Eagle. I hide by moving positions. Those goons found crew members alive, and they shot them. I saw you two been move to the brig, and here we are running for our lives."

They arrive at the change room, Alan and Torens grab helmets then both check each other's seals. Melisa is already by the airlock with her visor secure. The inner door closes, and then the outer one opens.

They step into the hangar and run to where the Eagle is at. All three stop as their hearts drop to their stomachs. "They blow up the Eagle." Torens said Alan looks about and says. "They took the Shado fighters."

"What do we do, all these other vehicles are for hangar operations." Melisa said as Alan looks around for a space fearing vehicle of any kind. Then Alan looks at the Eagle and says. "The cockpit module is facing out."

"Oh, no boss. What are you are thinking?"

"We disengage the module. The explosive releases will give us a push out, and then we use the maneuvering engines."

"But the module is to be used in space or under 1,000 feet over the surface."

"You just want to float in orbit until Alpha sends help?" Melisa asked, and Alan shakes his head. "No, if we call in for help Gorski and his goons can come back in their Shado fighters and still we have to clear the station's debris. We have to go down."

Then the gigantic space structure shakes and all the lights in the hangar go out. After that Torens and Melisa do not argue with Alan as they run. They enter through the explosive cavity on the top of the Eagle and enter the module.

Alan activates the emergency power and once the systems are online Torens and Alan do the ejection procedures of the module. Melisa seats in the middle. Then Alan goes to say. "We are ready. Young lady come here."

"On your lap!?"

"Do you want to smash your big head against the console?"

"No." Alan extends the restraints and locks Melisa in place. "Torens, now!"

They jolt backward as the module moves forward. It clears the station and the best way both pilots can. They maneuver the module in a tangent gradient toward the surface. They see large pieces of metal passing them by, and Melisa says. "Antares station is gone."

"I hope we don't get hit… oh, shit!"

A large panel moves in front and Alan maneuvers under it and then a second large fragment moves from the right, and he turns to port. They lost their angle of descend that would allow them to survive the landing.

Alan as Torens moved the nose up. "We have 28 seconds of fuel!" Torens said. Then Alan uses all the fuel to slow down, and they continue to fall at a much slower speed, but the momentum of the fall commences to increase the speed again.

"Boss, I have no joy, and we are at least at one angel high!"

"Will make it."

"That ground is coming up pretty fast." Melisa said, and then Alan opens all the atmosphere valves, and the vented air slows down the craft then they hit the surface. A large plum rises as the module skips two more times on the surface.

The power is out, and Alan releases his harness. Melisa moves slowly to the center, and Alan says. "Is everyone ok?"

"I Am." Melisa said, and Torens goes to say. "I think I broke my left leg."

"But you are okay, no suit decompression?" Torrens looks at his forearm pad and says. "I am all sealed up."

"Melisa, help me pull this sickbay call clown out."

Minutes later they are outside and seating on a hill looking down. Alan is using carbon laced sealing tape to constrict the movement of Torens leg the best he could. Melisa looks to her right in the valley and asks. "What is that over there?"

Alan finishes taping Torens leg, and he asks him. "Can you move your toes?"

"Yes."

"Okay, stay here."

"As if I could walk."

Alan walks toward Melisa as she points in the distance. "What are those?"

"It is a small structure and equipment that means air, heat, and communications. Help me with Torrens."

"Okay."

After an hour of walking, they enter the small structure and find no one. They take their helmets off, and Alan seats Torens in a large sofa. Alan says. "Activate the oxygen collectors of the suits. Melisa, look for a way to call Alpha."

"Okay."

"Boss, where are we?"

"In a museum."

"Alan, the phone lines are down, and the wireless is just a garble of static."

"Melisa, look outside for a vehicle, we must be close to a major highway."

"I already looked and found one."

"Let's use it."

A few minutes later the trio is outside, Torrens is between Alan and Melisa as they look over a small three-foot cement wall.

Alan as Torens are the kind of men that could not be stopped by any obstacle, but this time the two harden pilots are being held by the little three-foot wall.

Torrens goes to say. "Alan that is sacred ground for us, we can't walk in there."

Melisa says in a nonchalant tone. "The only problem I see is pushing it over this wall."

Alan and Torens almost snap their necks turning to Melisa and Alan says in a stern tone to her. "We can't just walk in there. That is the Apollo 17 site, look at all those footprints that is history!"

"Oh, craps… excuse me, Mr. Pilot. But, we can't stay, and we can't carry Torens with his hurt paw all the way to Alpha."

The two pilots stay silent thinking on how not to cross. Melisa notices the demander from Alan and Torens then she yells over the link. "Dammed, there is a Moon buggy in there, and we need it!"

"It is called an L.R.V!" Alan yelled.

"Oh, a Moon buggy is too low. Okay, hold Torens for me."

Melisa jumps the wall and commences to walk toward the L.R.V both men put their hands on the top of the wall seen with horror as spaceflight history it is being defiled by a 21 years old girl.

"Please stop!" Alan said, and Melisa turns toward the two pilots. "Oh, yea."

She kicks the dust around creating a small plum. Torens looks down and says in despair. "Oh my, she just erased Jack Schmitt footprints."

.

Veils.

.

Tony Verdeschi is arriving in the mission control center as he walks in he sees most of the personnel either standing or seating, but all are immobile looking at a screen. Tony's pace slows down as he turns his head slowly from side to side observing the at awe group.

Tanya sees Tony, and she approaches him. "Tanya, what happened?"

"The Antares station is gone."

"What do you mean by gone?"

"It exploded."

Tony turns to look into the Commander's office and sees him talking to Paul, Victor, Sandra and one of the pilots. He looks at Tanya and says. "I will be back."

He walks toward John's office. Tony stands at the entrance and John signals him to approach. "… Paul, I want to activate the gravity towers at maximum, I don't want any debris falling on Alpha."

"Yes, sir."

"Sandra, I want a large area cleared near the hospital for a triage area for Doctor Russell."

"Yes, sir."

"Clive, I want you to dispatch two Eagles and try to locate survivors up there."

"Sir, can I be one of the pilots?"

"Why? I need you here. You are the senior chief pilot now."

"I do understand, but my daughter worked in the Antares as a private contractor and… I would like to go, sir."

John puts his hand on Clive's shoulder and says. "I need you here. I am sorry, for what you are going. I need you to pick the right pilots for this mission and to continue coordinating the flights."

"Yes sir, I understand."

"Okay, go and keep me posted."

All three leave to the control floor, and then John turns his attention to Tony. "Major, please sit down."

"Thank you, sir." Then Victor asks. "Major are you familiar with energy weapons?"

"Yes, sir." The John says. "Have you ever heard of a weapon call, the ionized graviton accelerator?"

"Yes, sir I know of the I.G.A's weapons. They are too big and consume too much energy to have a practical use in the field." Victor replies. "For what I read of I.G.A class weapons, they are compared as the WWII German Heavy Gustaf rail gun of our time."

"Yes sir, they are as big. The United States and the Russian Union were building prototypes, but they cost too much to build and to maintain. Those weapons were never fired, and the test was done with small laboratory versions. Wait… does this has to do with the Antares?"

"We don't know." Tony's eyes open wide and John goes to say. "We have been exploring the possibility that such weapon has been used on the Moon. We found interesting correlations with the illness on the flights and the use of the E-Collider tests."

Victor goes to explain. "With the little computer power allocated to my department at the moment and the assumption that the illness was caused by a weapon adding some new information we have with regards to physics. The I.G.A class weapons came up. If the weapon siphons power from the E-Collider during a test, the size would be smaller as the ones you mention used in a lab for testing."

"Tony this weapon it is small enough to fit in the back of a 50-ton land cargo vehicle. We think that one of the tests weapons was brought to the Moon. We are giving you all the information about it and access to all traffic vehicles schedules as satellite imagery."

"Excuse me, sir… doctor but the result of a blast from an I.G.A is the total molecular dispersion of the target. Even the test weapons can be destructive pushing gravitons to 99% the speed of light. That is the energy released from a fusion explosion contained in a compressed beam affecting the fabric of space trough where the beam traverses."

"Well, at the speed of light and yes, affecting the fabric of space. This weapon system in itself is a small quantum accelerator. Besides the cost and high maintenance of the I.G.A weapons they can't be used in an atmosphere that is why the United States and Russia stop their tests." Victor said to the stunned officer.

John adds. "We believe that another force prevented the destructive outcome of the weapon and ended up been something else."

"The illness was caused to prevent the death of the passengers?"

"We believed so, but we don't know if it was accidental or deliberate and by whom." Victor said, and Tony quietly thinks, and then he asks. "The wall down there, it somehow prevented those passengers from dying?"

Victor and John turn to each caught off guard by Tony's revelation, and Victor says. "Then, if that is true, there is an intelligent force at work here."

John goes to say. "Tony, thank you for your insightful comment, but now I want you to find that weapon before it is used again."

"Yes sir." The young officer leaves and John goes to ask Victor. "Could it be possible?"

"It could be. If there is an intelligent something down there that arrived several millions of years ago. It has been waiting for something."

"Maybe, for us. Remember what the woman said in the mine and that pilot to Alan?"

"We have been woken."

"What worries me is the part that both said, we must return."

"John if whatever is down there wants to return let it return."

"Do we have the power to decide if it can leave or stay and what will be the cost for humanity if it leaves?"

"A Moonless Earth?"

.

The nest

.

Several hours later in the Mare Tranquillitatis not far from the Apollo 11 museum, lays the abandon Tranquility Moonbase, the predecessor of Moonbase Alpha. One half of Alpha's size it can accommodate 311 people, but at the moment only one hundred and fifty people are using the lower tunnels of the facility.

"Sir, they activated the gravity towers."

"At full force?"

"Yes, sir they did as you foresee it."

"I would have done the same with all that debris falling about."

"Sir, what about us?"

"This base was built the old fashion way with titanium, and thick reinforces concrete covered under lunar dirt. This base is built to last, but Alpha in the other hand is dependent on those towers. So much it will be their undoing."

One of Anton trusted lieutenants walks standing next to Natasha and says. "We are so deep under Tranquility that no one will find us here as those Alpha security officers that came." Anton replies. "That is correct. But what worries me is why they came?"

One of the techs turns to Gorski and says. "Sir the nuclear repositories have not reported yet."

"They reported arriving at the sites. Which teams have not reported in?"

"Site one and two."

"We need to secure those sites. Natasha, you and someone go to the Gagarin crater to check the repositories."

"I thought you wanted me to lead our team into Alpha?"

"Natasha the repositories are vital for us. You go and check things out. I will send Gloria to Alpha."

"Yes, sir."

"We need to make our next move before the Alpha personnel leaves."

"Why not wait until they leave?"

"Because I am sure that by now, John changed the control codes. We need those towers functioning."

.

The big invisible problems.

.

Natasha and one of the mercenaries, Baxter arrived at the Gagarin crater. As they reach the summit of the crater's edge on the road, they can see site one and far away two. Natasha sees something odd and stops the vehicle facing into the crater. "What happen?"

"Baxter, pass me the scanning binoculars." Baxter does as he looks at the repository compound. He can't see anything odd and asks. "What is wrong?"

"Don't you see it, the lights are out."

"So?" Then from above the site and out of nowhere an electrical arch, as a big bolt of lightning jumps out of the perimeter. A second and then a third one are seen each smaller than the presiding lightning. Both spectators are silent with their mouths open, and Baxter slowly raises his arm and points to say. "Did you saw that shit?"

"I saw it, but I can't believe it."

Natasha again uses the binoculars, but this time she changes the spectrum frequency and not until she reaches the Gamma frequency. She starts to discern the outline of an energy dome similar to a bubble of soap with circular eddies moving on the membrane.

Trap in the interior she sees a strange mist of vivid fluorescent hues moving slowly upward coming out from the vaults where the atomic waste is kept underground.

She changes the frequency to the visible spectrum and zooms in. She sees the vehicle of the missing team and across from it. She sees five motionless bodies on the ground.

"They are dead."

"What?"

"Team one is dead. There is an energy surrounding the site."

"Is it a radiation leak?"

"I have never seen something like that. Is not Gamma, the energy is a perfect dome. Ionizing radiation it looks like an undefined blob of light looking through these binoculars."

"So what is it then?"

"I don't know, but I recorded it in the binoculars. We have to show this to Anton and use our lab equipment to figure it out."

Natasha puts the vehicle in reverse and turns in the direction she drove in. Once again several lightings emerge out of nowhere from above the site, but this time they travel the long distance to hit around the vehicle.

One it's the mark draining the power cells in an instant. The two travelers lower their helmet visors and dismount the vehicle as more lighting furiously hit around them. Natasha, being in better physical shape runs faster than her counterpart that is hit by lightning that in measurements it could rival a sequoia tree.

Natasha quickly turns to look as she continues to run. Baxter's body does not burn as it is customary with the strike of such high yield bolt of energy. She manages to go over the crater's edge out of the line of sight of the invisible attacking force.

She continues to run until she reaches the bottom of the slope as she gasps for air. Natasha looks at his forearm pad to check her oxygen. "Darn!"

Natasha unzips her sleeves to pull two flexible solar panels, and she secures them to her arms. Lowers the battery output and activates the suits carbon-scrubbers.

She looks at the forearm pad again bringing up the GPS screen and commences her long walk to the other side of the Moon.

"At least there is a medical site not far from here."

.

On the road

.

Alan, Torens, and Melisa are traveling south on the lunar highway 65 since Monday. The old L.R.V has worked flawlessly but more so, on the level ground provided by the highway. Alan is driving as Torens seats next to him with his broken leg extended the most he can.

Melisa is in between them taking care of the modern voltage regulator and the batteries they found in the Museum. "Alan, do you know where we are at?"

"Young lady, I know the Moon like the back of my hand. Over to our right is the Plinus crater and to our left behind us is the Dawes crater. In a couple of miles down this road, there is a vehicle service center. Hopefully, we can find better transportation there."

"I was asking because we passed a sign that said, Apollo 11 landing site. We should go and see it."

Torens replies. "For you to erase Neil's footprints… oh, hell no!"

"Torens, she is joking… you are joking?"

"Yes, I am joking… maybe." Then Alan feels something and stops the old vehicle, and Torens asks. "What is it, Alan?"

"Don't you guys feel that?" Melisa answers. "Yes, is like a vibration."

They look about seen the dust on the road as on the sides shake or to gently cascade from the rocks. Then as if there was a fluidic medium around them an almost invisible shock wave is seen coming from the ground as far as they can see. The L.R.V moves gently upward without the wheels losing contact with the road and is all over.

"That was weird. That was a Moonquake?" Melisa asked, and Alan looks about and replies. "I guess that was it although, I have never been on one during an E.V.A." Torens goes to say. "Alan, please. Let's keep going my leg hurts."

"Okay."

.

Detective work.

.

Tony is at his station in the M.C.C, and as everyone else, he is looking about, and he asks Sandra and Paul. "Did you guys felt that?" Paul replies. "Everyone did. We have those every so often. I would say that it was less than a one pointer."

Carolyn Powell is at the science station as she looks at her screens she says. "1.2 in the scale but… um?" Sandra asks. "What is it, Carolyn?"

"The seismic-scanners don't have depth or direction to define an epicenter. All the scanners are telling is that it was a 1.2 in the scale and it happened at 2100 hours, today September the nine. They could be all out of whack too."

"I could look at my wrist comm-link and tell you that."

John and Victor walk up to Tony and John asks. "What have you found?"

"For every flight attacked the collider was used, but only the first stage colliders. On each occasion, a flight was hit near the first stage collider undergoing a test. Now, I was researching on what an I.G.A weapon would need to be operational. The American weapon used a gravity-electromagnetic field, the one used in fusion reactors."

"Okay and the Russian?"

"A rare element called holdeium." Victor's eyes open wide and say correcting Tony. "It is called Holdium… oh, no."

John and Tony turn to look at Victor and John asks. "What happen?" Victor commences looking in his E-pad until he founds what he is looking for. "Tony, you might need this."

Tony reads and smiles as he returns the E-pad to Victor. "Doctor, I found that supply invoice and the customs import documents as the custody statement from the warehouse. Each document is signed by each department head, but all the documents have in common the signature of Commander Gorski."

John examines the documents and says. "All are in order." Tony replies. "Yes sir, they are. However, we seem to have a problem with a possible Holdium based weapon, that by the way… two were reported missing a year ago."

"From who were stolen?"

"They were stolen from the central specials weapons armory in Russia, the two lab test prototypes."

"Who requested the Holdium?"

"The International Moon Construction company they won the contract to demolish the old Tranquility Base to build the first dome city."

"But why they need Holdium?"

"The only construction equipment that would use Holdium is a molecular welding laser. However, Moon Base Tranquility was built with materials that easily can be cut with plasma cutting equipment. Maybe to build the dome city but the construction of it will start in 5 years."

"I remember that Base as if it was yesterday."

"Also check this sir, each of the test weapons needs three tons of Holdium. Guess how many the construction company hauled away?" John answers. "Six tons."

"Yes, sir."

"I am sure before we approach to ask you, send a security team to check the old base?"

"I did, an hour ago. They report all clear. There was no construction equipment and no one around, although someone did use the base recently." Sandra goes to say from her station. "Commander."

"Yes, Sandra?"

"The convoy from the E-Collider personnel arrived at the mine, and all are fine."

"We have Eagles but not transports to take them to Earth, at least not yet." Paul goes to say. "There is a transport on pad 25. It is the Phoenix own by Captain Jack Tanner. It suffered a coolant leak, and it will be ready by Saturday."

"Okay, it will do unless another transport returns from Earth. Talk to Tanner and tell him he might have more passengers."

"Yes, sir."

.

The help you don't need.

.

It is Saturday 12 at 2200 hours. Five days have passed since the new Commander of Moon Base Alpha took the helm. The main computer is back online and operating at optimal capacity and by now the mainframe of the E-Collider center is in synchronous link with Alpha's main computer.

The entire mission control team worked 12 hours shifts during the Exodus protocols, but only three have worked more per shift than the rest, Paul Morrow, Sandra Benes, and Kano Daniels.

Paul is the second in command of Alpha as the Main Command Center Director his department is responsible for the proper conclusion of all tasks concerning the I.L.O on the Moon also the track and control of all flight traffic.

Sandra is the Base Operations Director. Her department is comprised of all the work sections of the base maintaining all the in-house functions and tasks concerning Alpha Base up to the confines of the outside perimeter. Coordinating and scheduling all the jobs with the common goal of maintaining the proper functioning of the base.

Kano Daniels is the digital information operations director his department function is similar to Sandra's department but in the digital realm in the base. Coordinating all computerized operations with the Alpha's main computer. All the computers in Alpha answer to him through the main computer coordinating tasks as receiving and sending information vital to Moonbase Alpha's missions.

Although with some unexpected logistical delays the civilian lunar population is on the Earth since Wednesday early morning. Except for the small group that is about to leave.

Paul is talking with the Captain of the last cargo vehicle to leave the Moon for Earth. "Captain Tanner, you have a go, you are the last traffic to Earth."

"Good, this is my third trip. You guys are paying for the fuel?"

"Yes, sir is all cover by the I.L.O. You can depart whenever you are ready."

The cargo ship lifts off from the loading cargo landing pads and commences its ascent. "Thank you, Alpha control. I am switching to Kennedy traffic control. This is the Phoenix signing off frequency."

Sandra turns to Paul and says. "Finally, the last one and now is our turn to leave."

Paul turns to look toward John's office but sees the doors close. Sandra goes to say. "The Commander is in the hospital talking to Alan."

"I still can't believe they used the Moon buggy from Apollo 17 to come here."

"They had to. All of the land vehicles on the Moon are here. It looks like a large parking lot on the north side of the base."

Alan Carter and Torens are been debrief by John and Victor, and as for Melisa she is in a different ward with her jubilant father. Alan has explained the unbelievable story of a traitor and the cause of all the problems thus far on the Moon.

John and Victor are in a state of disbelieved listening to the two pilots. "… then they blow up the station, and we end up… borrowing, I.L.O historic property." John asks. "How you three made it run?"

"We use some batteries from the museum and put a voltage regulator."

"Good job." Then John's comm-link sounds and John answers. "Yes, Paul."

"Sir, a military transport is arriving on pad number five."

"What kind?"

"It is an American L.S.V with a United Nations transponder, sir."

"I am on my way." John turns to Alan and says. "Until the Doctor gives a pass you are grounded."

"Yes, sir I'll be out with my clip wing."

"Torens, I was talking to Alan."

"Sir, I am good to go."

"Good to go into that bed. Victor lets receive our unexpected guests."

The two friends walk out of the step down ward when they see Major Verdeschi seating bent over looking down and holding his head with one hand. John stops seen this and says to Victor. "Hold on."

"Something is wrong with him. Could it be he finally saw his wife?"

"I guess." John and Victor walk toward Tony and the young officer seen them approaching stands up. "Major, are you okay?"

"No sir… is my wife, she… I do not even know how to say it."

"Major, Doctor Russell told me about it."

"Why I find out last?"

"Doctor Russell acted properly, and she had to report any special conditions of her patients to the Commander of this base that is me. With regards to the wishes of your wife that had to be respected. She found the courage to show you."

"But she looks like the woman from the mine."

"According to Doctor Russell and the tests she performed, that young woman is your wife. How she changed in appearance is still under Doctor Russell's care."

Victor puts his hand on Tony's shoulder as to reassure him and the old Doctor goes to say. "Remember, in health and illness… you both said that to each other. Let's say what happened to her happen to you where she would be at?"

Tony takes a big breath and looks toward the room Maya is in. He looks at Victor and says. "Thank you, Doctor. Excuse me, Commander."

"Go ahead." John said, and Tony walks back to his wife's room. Then he stops looking at the nurse station. Tony walks toward it and grabs a vase of flowers. Then he walks into the room. John and Victor slowly turn walking out of the ward, Victor goes to say. "Do we report the theft of those flowers?"

"I did not see a thing."

Several minutes later Doctor Russell enters Maya's room to see her patient and Tony cuddling, Maya is under the blanket and Tony at the edge of the bed. "Okay you two, this lady has to come with me and do some tests."

"Can they wait, Doctor?"

"No young man. I had to wait for the scanning clinic to have an opening for her. You can come back later tonight."

In the tram, Victor and John are talking about the shocking revelation that Alan, Torens and the brave young girl brought to them.

"I can't believe Gorski is behind all this. I know him since the Mars One mission program."

"Remember John, at the end of the Mars One selection it was either him or you as mission commanders. He might have some resentment about that."

"He was the one that put my name on Margaret's desk as his successor for Alpha. He might have been planning all this for some time."

"He made me senior science advisor here. I believe he feels that we took that opportunity to be the first man to walk on Mars."

"He told Alan of a weapon that will help him. I wonder if it is the I.G.A weapon."

"It must be."

The tram stops at the port of pad five. John and Victor walk into the large cargo bay to see, U.S and British Marines in formation wearing full E.V.A combat suits and holding standard weapons. The most notable piece of their uniforms is the blue and white armband of the U.N.

A U.S female Marine with the rank of Major is talking to a robust tall Royal Marine holding the rank of Company Sergeant Major in front of the multinational task force.

The Sergeant motions his head toward John and Victor as he says something to his senior ranking. The Marine officer turns toward them extending her hand. "Commander Koenig."

"Major, it is good to see you, but I was not expecting a military envoy."

"I am Major Warfield, and this is Company Sergeant Major Nicholson. I guess you don't know."

"Know what?"

"The Russian Union and China have moved on Western Europe up to Germany, the whole of South East Asia and parts of the Middle East."

"War?"

"Yes Commander, war. Forty-eight hours ago three massive graviton charges detonated over Moscow, Beijing, and Teheran. Twenty-four hours ago. Washington DC, London, and Brussels where NATO headquarters use to be located… all gone."

"Major, no one has graviton weapons."

"Doctor, we told that to the Euro-Asiatic governments, that we don't have them and we thought them either, but they retaliated wiping out the capitals of the U.S, Great Britain, and the European Commonwealth. So far is all conventional but not for long."

"Why, you came all the way over here?"

"To claim the Moon for our side and keep it that way. I need to move my Marines in key positions on this base especially the gravity towers systems."

"You will have our full cooperation on this, and we have our security personnel already in key positions. But why the gravity towers?"

"We are dealing with gravity weapons used by the enemy and those towers can deflect any attack of that kind. The I.L.O chairman has layout a plan for you to review."

"You mean, Chairwoman Simmons?"

"She was killed during the attack of the I.L.O headquarters last Monday."

"Who is the Chairman?"

"Alton Gorski."

John's eyes open wide, and he looks again at the fully armed men an woman in uniform in front of him. Victor is as surprised, and the old Doctor is about to say something when John cuts him off, and he replies. "Of course, who else could take Margaret's place?"

"He flew straight to Bern, and he was named Chairman of the I.L.O."

"Major, give me a few minutes to coordinate our efforts with my Main center controller Mr. Morrow. I will be right back."

"Of course."

John puts his hand behind Victor's back as he turns him around Victor is trying to say something. "But…but, John…" "Yes, Victor. Margaret is dead come with me to get all set up."

At some distance, Victor goes to say. "But Alan said that Anton was behind the attacks. Is he on Earth?"

"I don't know where Gorski is, but this people here are no Marines and don't know Alan is alive telling us about Gorski. Look around you. There are techs and ground operations crews all over this hangar. If we say something about Gorski, there is going to be a bloodbath in here."

"They work for Gorski?"

"Exactly."

"What are we going to do?"

"I have an idea. I still have to call Paul."

As John and Victor walk to the hangar's crew shed, Warfield receives a message. She touches her earpiece and says. "Go for Warfield."

"Gloria, have you mention my name as planned?"

"Yes, sir I just did."

"To whom?"

"Commander Koenig."

"Dammed is too late then. I just received information from one of our people that the two Alpha pilots survived the Antares explosion. Get out of that hangar."

"But sir, we are here. We can take them."

"No, you cannot. Koenig has 750 security officers as equipped as all of you. Now, do as I told you."

Meanwhile in the crew shed John is talking to Paul over the link. "I want you to call for a crash alert in pad ten. All ground crew personnel have to leave pad five, and as that is done I want a heavy security force around pad five."

"Yes, sir." Victor sees one of the Marines manipulating something inside a large cargo box they brought with them. Warfield and Nicholson look over the Marine. Victor then says. "John, what are they doing?"

John looks and the Marine closes the box. "I don't know." Warfield commences walking toward the shed as Nicholson orders the pseudo-Marines to return to the transport.

Then, Paul's voice is heard over the overhead speaker as an alarm. "All ground personnel of landing pad five, report to pad ten for a crash landing event. All…" Warfield stops and raises her hand holding an electronic device. "Commander, we are leaving, and we do not want to be in any way stopped."

"What is going on?"

"Sir, you know what is going on as I do. The big giveaway is how you found a way to clear this hangar."

"Okay, you know we know. Just drop your weapons and surrender. No one has to be hurt."

"I will tell you what you don't know. In that box, we have a five megaton explosive device, and I am holding this. I am sure you can put two and two together." Nicholson is the last to leave, and from the airlock, he yells. "Gloria, let's go!"

"You are bluffing!"

"Try me."

Gloria turns around and in a self-assured posture walks toward the gate holding the handheld device over her head. "Tell Anton that this was a waste of time!"

"Time is what we have. You do not."

Tony runs in and stands next to John and Victor. "Sir, are you going to let them leave?"

John answers as he keeps looking at Gloria. "I don't know what is in that box. Stand down your officers."

Gloria enters the airlock. John turns to Tony and says. "Evacuate everyone out of this section."

"Yes, sir."

A few minutes later the transport takes flight, and Paul is tracking it. Once all the personnel have been moved out of the east landing pads, John calls Paul. "Where are they headed?"

"They are heading toward the Mare Nectaris area."

"Dispatch two Shado fighters and have them follow at a distance."

"Yes, sir."

"Tony, bring a remote vehicle to check that box and have the disposal team ready."

"Yes, sir." Victor goes to say. "So Anton knows we know."

"He does what worries me is how he found out."

"So we have a spy working for him?"

"I hope it is just one but in all this what worries me is how no one from Earth has come to check on us."

"Maybe is time for us to send someone there."

"You are right Victor, I will check on Alan again."

Meanwhile outside in the main perimeter of Alpha, a large group moves tactically in the shadows. "Anton, we are in position."

"Good Gloria, continue ahead."

"Yes, sir." Gloria changes the channel and addresses her mercenaries. "Okay, people the main gravity towers center is over there. We cut the airlock open and take over. We will have a more defensible position in there."

.

The tunnel.

.

John and Victor are in the Main Control of Alpha. Paul turns to John from his station and says. "Sir the telemetry from the atomic depots stopped 45 minutes ago." John turns to Victor and asks. "You think Anton is trying to do something there?"

"All that material is not fissile to make any nuclear warhead. It is used to supplement the E-Collider power, nothing more."

"Paul, send an Eagle to check the sites with a Shado fighter escort."

"Yes, sir." Then Alan walks in with Clive Kander and Melisa. John turns to them but pays attention to Melisa by saying. "This is the young lady that helped you, Alan?" Before Alan could answer, Clive replies with pride. "Yes, sir she is the one."

"Good and what was your job in Antares Station?"

"I was a comm specialist." John turns toward Sandra and says. "Ms. Benes, do we need a comm specialist?"

"Yes sir, we do."

"Assigned Ms. Kander to duties as an I.L.O employee."

"Yes, sir." Melisa goes to say. "Thank you, sir."

"You are welcome, now follow Ms. Banes and let me talk to Alan and your father." Sandra takes Melisa to her station, and then John addresses the pilots. "Alan this is your second shot to reach a comm-link with Earth. You and Clive get an Eagle and go straight to Cape Kennedy. Tell them what is going on with Gorski and that we need real Marines this time."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, no… Alan still grounded." All look at Helena walking in and John turns to Alan. "Was I not clear in the hospital?"

"Oh… yes, sir but I feel find." Helena looks straight at Alan and says in a stern tone. "Chief Carter, go and see Dr. Nuñez. He is waiting in the scanning clinic."

"Yes, Ma'am." Alan turns to Clive and says. "Get Bartlett to fly with you."

The two pilots walk out in different directions from the M.C.C and Helena goes to say. "These pilots are like kids." John smiles and replies. "I am a pilot too."

"What can I say? You have kids at heart all over this place."

"That is better. You came to tell me soothing?"

"Can we talk in private?"

John extends his right arm toward his office and Helena walks toward it. Both enter, and John closes the partition doors. He seats behind his desk and Helena at the other side. "John is about Dr. Roberts."

"What have you found?"

"Well, at… her DNA is hers as it should be but…"

"But?"

"I had to borrow a scanner quantum spectrograph from Victor's lab. I discover that at a molecular level, her body is mixed with other biological elements bond to her carbon molecules that to tell you the truth I have never seen before. Her cognitive and biological functions are normal, but she is carrying more molecules than the average human due to these extra elements."

"Would that explain what the hospital's cameras recorded?"

"One moment is her agitated after seen herself in the mirror and then the wolf."

"A Metamorphic transformation?"

"You mean a Metamorph?"

"Yes."

"There are examples in nature of this."

"Caterpillars do not turn into a wolf, and humans don't do that at all. I am worried that this may occur again."

"Since Tony and her reconnected, she has not shown any signs of metamorphic transformation."

A call comes in on John's desk. "Commander."

"Excuse me, Doctor. Yes, Kano?"

"We lost our link to the E-Collider mainframe."

"Can we still operate without it?"

"Yes, sir. The disconnection happened at the E-Collider end."

"Before you send anyone, have Tony assign a security detail."

"Yes, sir." Then Helena's comm-link goes off, and she picks the call. "Doctor Russell here."

"Doctor, this is Mathias. Dr. Roberts is gone." Helena stands abruptly and says. "How did she left? There are two guards outside her door."

"Nurse Parker was found unconscious without her uniform in the room, but the two officers swear seen her leaving the room."

"I am on my way."

"What happen?"

"Maya, escape. My best guess is that she took the form of one of the nurses and walked out of the room."

"But you said she was fine."

"I don't know what happened and I don't know how to find a person that changes appearances as she does."

Then the general alarm is activated, and from the overhead speaker, Paul's voice is heard. "Armed intruders in the main gravity towers center, security tactical response teams, armed intruders in the main gravity towers center."

John stands rapidly walking out from his office followed by Helena. "Paul, what is going on?"

"They never left. The fake Marines took over the gravity tower center, and they have hostages."

Victor walks to John and says. "John, the depots…" "Victor, please not now."

"John, you have to look at the pictures Eagle 57 just sent us."

"What is that?"

"That is an energy field covering both sites. The thermal image is showing the piles heating up."

"What is causing that?"

"The scans show a Tachyon surge over the sites. It is coming from under the ground."

"The underground structure?"

"It has to be."

As all this is happening on Alpha, Eagle 20 is close to 500 miles from the surface and climbing normally at cruising speed. "Clive, we should have a clear line to Cape Kennedy by now."

Through the front ports, the two pilots commence seeing a thin yellow halo of light extending in front of them as far as they can see. "Bartlett, check the Ladar and the sensors."

"They are not bouncing anything back. All is clear to the instruments. I see the Earth."

"It might be particle debris from Antares or…" Clive could not complete his comment, as soon as they cross the barrier, the Earth disappears. "What, where is the Earth?"

"Look… Clive, look at that."

"Is like a tunnel but no stars."

"No, the stars are right there. Bundle up in that disk and why they look reddish?" Clive instinctively turns the Eagle 180 degrees and faces the Moon.

Both see the Moon in the same tunnel with them, and another bundle of stars forming a circle is in front of the Moon. The stars have a vivid blue hue, and they vanish at the lightless edge of the tunnel.

Clive looks at the instruments and says with a distress tone. "The Moon is moving away! Bartlett, engage at full power!"

With great effort, the Eagle passes through the yellow colored barrier covering the Moon above 450 miles from its surface. Then the craft regains its momentum speed synchronous to the Moon, and the two pilots had to slow down the Eagle.

"Clive, what just happen?"

"I don't know, but the Earth is gone. We better take all the sensors logs to Doctor Bergman."

.

The stop.

.

Tony is wearing a full combat spacesuit and carrying a one-megawatt electro-laser rifle. The shoulder-fired weapon can project an electrical charge up to 300 meters. Inside that range, it can render a person unconscious or cut through two inches of carbon laced Titanium. The handheld counterparts it still generates the same energy as the same characteristics inside the range of 100 meters. All the officers are carrying both.

Tony is overall is in charge of the tactical operation, he is inside the base directly controlling two teams that are covering the two long hallways leading into the large gravity control room.

Outside surrounding in a circular perimeter, the building is Tanya with 60 security officers with heavier ordinance with plasma propelled rockets launchers. Looking similar to the American WWII Rocket Launcher, M1A1 "Bazooka" but shorter with a larger face shield to protect the shooter and mounting a targeting digital view screen.

Circling above are several Shado fighters that complete the total encirclement of the overtaken area. Joining Tony is John overseen the preparations. "Paul."

"Yes, Commander."

"Patch me into the center."

"Sir, all the comm-links are out." Tony goes to say. "How are they going to negotiate?"

"They are not here to negotiate, and they have full control of the gravity tower network but for what."

In the north main perimeter gate of Alpha among the thousands of vehicles parked there. Two 50-ton cargo land vehicles parked next to each other commence opening their rear cargo area.

From one of them, the telescope like I.G.A weapon traverses as it elevates aiming toward Alpha. From the other heavy hauler, Gorski's mercenaries commence unrolling thick bulky electrical cables.

One of the mercenaries jumps at the rear of the weapon and activates the instrumentation. "All systems are in the green. The Holdium is fully magnetized." He says to the rest and changes channels. "Mr. Gorski, we have a solution."

"Remember, you have only one shot with the generator power you have."

"Yes sir, one thirty-second shot. I am waiting for Gloria's signal."

Meanwhile, in the E-Collider main building, the technical team sent by Kano to restore the link between Alpha's main computer and the mainframe of the E-Collider has arrived. They move with their equipment with the company of seven security officers in full tactical gear.

They move directly to the main control center, and they find the doors to the large control room have been open with force. The top of the doors are inside the doorframe, but as the doors go down the frame, they narrow making the entrance look like an inverted triangle.

The security officers, seen this enter first as to verify that the room is secure for the techs to work. They find Maya behind the main operations station wearing an orange I.L.O spacesuit. The officers approach her in a breach formation, and the lead officer yells. "Ma'am, step away from the station."

Maya continues to work on the controls as if she was transfixed with no facial expression. However, she replies to the officer. "We are near. We have to stop."

"No ma'am, you have to stop!"

All the stations in the room turn on, and on the big screen, it is shown that all 857 first stage accelerators are spinning and the main equatorial accelerator is fully magnetized.

Maya lifts the safety cover of the actuating button and presses it. "It is done."

At the same time, all 857 first stage accelerators inject their fast-moving cores, into the awaiting main collider encompassing the Moon. At the same time in the atomic disposal sites one and two. The plasmatic energy field around them contracts and moves into the power system that provides auxiliary power to the E-Collider.

The entire massive equatorial collider commences glowing as electrical arcs extent high above the lunar surface reaching the strange barrier covering the Moon. Suddenly, the inertial force of the slowing Moon is felt and all none secure objects either human-made or natural commence to lift on the far side of the Moon.

However, on the opposite side of the Moon, all objects gain inertial weight and all the security officers fight to stay standing. Maya is the only one not affected, and calmly steps pass the officers on the ground as the techs on the hallway, walking away from view.

In Alpha is the same, all are pressed on the ground not knowing what is happening. None or lightly secure fixtures from the ceilings and walls commence falling. A Moonquake topples most of all the items to the floor as the lights flicker and alarms sound across the lunar base.

Eagle 20 was in final approach at few meters over one of the landing pads when the deceleration of the Moon catches up with the craft. Although Clive and Bartlett do their best to avoid a hard landing, the Eagle hits the landing pad with force.

All the personnel in Alpha either outside or inside are on the ground in excruciating pain. Tony goes to say with effort to John. "They increased the artificial gravity to crush us alive."

"This is something else." John answers and slowly the pressing force commences to subside. As they stand, they stagger in their walk, but John tells Tony. "Now, move now before they recover."

"All positions move in, now!" Outside, Alexander takes command and says. "Move, move!"

As First World War soldiers, Alexander's team jumps into the hastily dug perimeter of the enemy. Most of the fake Marines are still recovering from the inertial energy their bodies experience. One by one fall by the stunning force of the Electro-Laser weapons of the security team.

Tony's team opens the doors, and they rush in. They find the intruders recuperating and as their counterparts outside one by one fall to the ground by the stunning effect of the security weapons.

Meanwhile, by the main gate, Gorski's team members are standing up and one by one all lookup and stand in awe. The leader calls in and says in distress. "Sir… sir… you better get out of the bunker and see this."

"What the hell was that? Did you fire the weapon toward the Earth? Did the beam pass through the gravity dome of Alpha?"

"Sir, there is no Earth. The stars are different, and there is no Earth."

The baffled team leader pivots slowly around as he looks up and says. "Sir, I never had the chance to fire. Sir, I see a red sun."

"Okay, call it off. All of you return."

"Yes, sir."

Meanwhile, in Alpha, all the intruders are restrained and are been moved to the security jail. As Gloria passes by John, she says. "He wants to talk to you."

"Officer, hold on. Who wants to talk to me?"

"Anton. Use my earpiece."

John pulls the earpiece from Gloria's ear, and quickly he cleans it over her uniform making Gloria says. "I take showers."

"I don't care." John puts the earpiece on and says. "Anton, make it easy for you and give yourself up."

"John, what have you done?"

"I stopped your little invasion that is what happened."

"Oh, so it was not you and you don't know yet. There is a red sun out there, and it looks like we are headed its way."

"A red sun?" Gloria smiles and says. "A red sun, Anton must be referring to the Earth's biosphere burning up."

Victor goes to say. "So that was your plan to burn the Earth?"

"Shhh… Anton, what red sun? Your fake marine here is saying that is the Earth's biosphere burning."

"You know. Until you see it for yourself, it is pointless any conversation with you. Do not come to Tranquility Base or you will have a real asymmetric war in your hands. My objective was never Alpha, but it could be if you try me. Gorski out."

.

They call it, breakaway.

.

Twenty four hours have passed since all those on the Moon found about the breakaway. John is standing with his arms crossed in the M.C.C examining on the Holo-sphere a new set of pictures taken not more than an hour ago. Paul goes to say as he looks. "He is not hiding."

John answers. "No, he is not. Tranquility base if fully functional with all the lights on, basically saying, stay away. But what I wish we could find are his Shado fighter and the I.G.A weapon."

"Gorski never gave me the impression on being stupid. He is not going to give those up easily."

"He is a good diplomat. He restored our communications again. I guess that is his good neighborly gesture."

"To talk to who sir?"

"With him, I am sure."

Victor walks in and approaches John. The Commander turns his upper torso slightly toward Victor and asks. "Can we go home?"

"John, I not even know how it happened." John still has his arms crossed and moves his right-hand index finger that is resting over his left shoulder pointing down several times, and Victor replies to his small gesture. "Oh, well… I am sure it has to do with the structure."

"Do you know when it happened?"

"According to the instruments in my lab, it happened at 2100 hours, September the nine and we stopped on September the thirteen at 1520 hours."

John looks down and puts his arms to the sides and says with remorse. "We let those people go in the Phoenix, light years away from Earth. I don't want to think what they are going through, right now."

"John, those people died centuries ago. For us to be here in the time it took, we were traveling above the speed of light."

"Ok, where are we?"

"By the location of the quasars, we are 13.3 billion light-years from Earth, and we are not stopping."

"Are we going to be burned by that red star?"

"No, we are traveling at 50% the speed of light in a sling shoot trajectory around the red sun. Let me show something else."

Victor shows John an image in his E-pad of an oscilloscope circular wave function. John looks at it and says. "That is your Meta-wave. I think you open the wrong file. What is that you want me to see?"

"This is a Meta-wave, and this signal is coming from the inner solar system of the red sun."

"Wait, someone is transmitting that signal ahead of us?"

"Yes, there is someone in that solar system, and we are headed right for it."

Meanwhile, in the mine 325 near the Theophilus crater, Maya is standing in front of the wall, and she says. "Father, we have arrived at Psychon."

"You did good daughter, and now we have to face the Archanons that imprison us here."

"But why, they did that? Your creation was meant to save Psychon."

"Envy just envy but now return to the humans and allow the human consciousness to take over until I call upon you."

"I like the human male."

"My dear daughter, there will plenty of noble suitors with lineage in Psychon for you to choose. Humans are just mere pawns to be used for our benefit."

"Yes, father."