Thank you to those who are reading this story.
Chapter 2
"Captain I am receiving a transmission from a courier," Andromeda announced over the ship's intercom to her captain.
Dylan Hunt was in his quarters reading a holonovel when the holographic from of the ship's artificial intelligence materialized. The captain was used to Andromeda's hologram popping in and out of thin air so he merely glanced up at the image. "Thank you Andromeda, I'll meet the courier on Command Deck."
Andromeda's holographic image nodded her dark head. "I'll send my avatar to join you."
The captain put on a jacket before leaving his quarters. "I hope for once a courier is bringing good news."
Hunt met the courier on Command Deck and greeted the human courier who handed the captain a flexi. Rommie escorted the courier to the mess hall for a light meal before he had to leave the Andromeda. Dylan took the flexi, a thin piece of plastic that could store a data file, back to his quarters to view the message. Many times flexis contained video clips and other times they merely contained handwriting that had been converted into text by the flexi.
The courier had mentioned that the flexi was from the Hesperia so the captain pressed a button on the plastic. Dylan took a deep breath when he saw that there was a video message file on the flexi. The odds were that the message was from Rhade or Harper. Dylan was surprised to see the image of an elderly woman in dressed in dark brown velvet robes rather than one of his officers.
"Hello Captain Hunt. I am sorry to trouble you," the woman began. She identified herself as Ambassador Cartala, same person who had requested the Andromeda's assistance earlier in the day. "Our relations with the Kalderans have taken an unexpected positive turn. The Kalderans made contact with the Hesperian council and have requested a meeting between a Hesperian delegation and a delegation of Kalderans. We have no need for your immediate assistance Captain but your presence is still most welcome."
"Well, that's a positive turn of events. It's nice to get good news for a change," Dylan remarked to himself.
"It is indeed good news," Andromeda's hologram replied as she materialized next to her captain.
Dylan frowned at the hologram. "We might as well meet up with Rhade and Harper and help them before heading for Hesperia."
"I'm not sure how it happened but I think we lost the alien ship," Foster informed, the wonderment evident in his voice as he eyed the surroundings out of the windshield of the Lunar Module.
"We're not out of the woods yet," Straker informed as his eyes spotted the Drago-Kazov fighters that had been attacking the Eureka Maru moments earlier.
Foster steered the Lunar Module into as sharp a right-hand bank as he could manage in an effort to lose the ships. The ships kept on the tale of the S.H.A.D.O. officers causing Foster and Straker to exchange concerned looks. Before the Drago-Kazov fighters had a chance to fire a shot, the Andromeda Ascendant appeared out of a slipstream portal next to the Lunar Module.
Foster blinked his eyes several times, as if trying to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Then he turned to his superior asking, "What do you make of what we just saw Commander."
"I'm not sure Paul, but those ships or weapons don't look like anything we've seen before," Straker replied. He had just gotten the words out when the Lunar Module jerked, as if it had been hit. "Paul can you tell what that was?"
The dark-haired colonel pressed some buttons as he studied the monitor in front of him in the cockpit. "The outside cameras are showing that large ship that saved us sent out a couple of cables and is pulling us in."
Straker leaned over to get a better view of the monitor. "Those look like Bucky cables which means there isn't much chance of pulling free of them."
"Do we really want to break free sir? That large ship did save us from the other ships that attacked us," Foster pointed out.
The commander looked at the younger man with an intense look. "We don't know why any of those pilots out there behaved the way they did. Right now we don't know who those people are or what they want with us," he said pointing to the Andromeda outside."
"Then I assume we tell as little as possible and try to find out what that ship wants with us?" the colonel remarked as the ship entered the Andromeda's hangar.
The blond-haired commander gave a slight nod of his head. "That's the plan for now."
As soon as the Lunar Module was safely docked onboard the Andromeda Ascendant Straker and Foster cautiously made their way down to the Andromeda's deck. Both men looked around at the hangar deck filled with sleek-looking small ships sitting in a neat row. Without warning an image of a woman appeared in front of Foster and Straker. The woman in the 3-dimensional image had jet-black hair with streaks of red in it. The two S.H.A.D.O operatives looked at each other in wonder.
"I apologize if I startled you gentlemen," the woman said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Andromeda and you will not be harmed if you do not pose a threat to my crew." She was dressed in a burgundy-colored two-piece leather suit that accentuated her curves. Paul's eyes seemed to be fixed on the 3D image.
Straker quickly regained his composure and offered the woman a polite smile. "I'm Ed Straker and this is Paul Foster," he said gesturing towards the colonel. At the mention of his name, Foster straightened up his posture.
Andromeda returned Straker's polite smile with one of her own. "Welcome aboard gentlemen. My avatar is on her way to greet you. Please remain here until then. We'll be entering slipstream so prepare yourselves," she instructed.
"I don't know what slipstream is and you're not a real person, you're just a moving image," Foster pointed out with a smirk. "If you don't mind my asking, how can a 3 dimensional image have a crew and how can you stop us from going where we want?"
"Because that 3 dimensional image, as you call her, is the ship's AI and can control the ship. Unless you want to have the environmental controls turned off on this deck, I suggest you follow instructions," Rommie answered as she stepped onto the hangar deck and approached the two strangers.
Paul's eyes widened as he watched the projection and woman stand side by side. The two women looked exactly alike although were dressed in different outfits. "I'm sorry for staring but you both look like twins."
Rommie smirked slightly at the remark. "That is because we are the AI of this ship. This is the holographic representation of the AI while I am her avatar."
"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term AI," Straker announced coolly.
"The term AI is shorthand for Artificial Intelligence," Andromeda's hologram patiently explained, as if to a child.
Foster and Straker appeared to catch the condescending tone in the hologram's voice as they exchanged looks. "On Earth our ships don't have artificial intelligence nor do they have avatars," Straker quickly defended.
"You'll have to excuse my hologram, gentlemen," Rommie apologized, summoning up her diplomatic programming. "She is not programmed for diplomacy to the same extent that I have been and therefore can be rather blunt."
The pull of slipstream travel caused Foster and Straker to stumble in an effort to keep their balance. The avatar quickly rushed over, grabbed the two men, and helped them remain on their feet. Rommie's expression became sympathetic. "I am sorry gentlemen but you will feel the effects of vertigo which will wear off as soon as we are out of slipstream.
Both men had regained their bearings and were able to stand unassisted. Rommie released her grip on their arms and stepped away from Foster and Straker.
"What is this slipstream you mentioned?" Paul questioned with curiosity.
"It's the way we travel through space," the avatar informed. Upon seeing a brief look of confusion on the U.F.O. operatives' faces she continued, "Perhaps I should elaborate. Slipstream is an extension of our reality, an additional dimension that's intertwined with our own. The slipstream is a place where quantum connections are visible as cords. This is especially true of the large and strong connections like those between huge concentrations of matter such as planets or suns. A spaceship that enters the slipstream can harness the energy of these cords and ride them from one star system to another. It's a highly efficient manner of traveling."
An interested look appeared on the Commander's face. "That's fascinating. I'd like to hear more about slipstream.
"I'd be happy to explain slipstream in more detail but I'm afraid it will have to wait," Rommie replied.
"My captain would like to see you on Command Deck so if you will follow me we'll get started."
