Chapter 2

"Hypothesis confirmed", Alpha's X-5 computer droned in its monotone female voice. "Third planet from the star we are approaching is Earth. 99.83% probability."
Koenig looked around the table at his senior staff, trying to access their reaction before speaking. "Comments?"
"How about 'oh brother, this is where I came in'?" replied Tony sardonically with a theatrical eye roll heavenward..
Koenig scowled at him. "Victor, any chance that this is a repeat of what happened the previous time we encountered a space warp?"
"I'm going to defer to Maya on this," answered Victor. "Her knowledge of these types of space phenomenon far exceeds mine."
"Victor, I appreciate the vote of confidence" replied Maya. " However, there are no true experts on random space warps, or wormholes as they are sometimes called. In fact, until I had a chance to review the data on your own encounters, and then experience one for myself" she smiled at this remembrance, as did others. Maya had been ill and delirious at the time of Alpha's last encounter with a space warp." space warps were only studied as a theoretical occurrence on my home planet. As you know, Psychon never developed faster than light space flight capability, so there is still a lot we do not understand about random space warps, but after reviewing the sensor logs from your encounter with the parallel universe Alphans, I think we can safely rule out that this is a repeat of that scenario. Agreed?" Maya turned to Victor to secure his assent
"Agreed." replied Bergman. "The readings taken during this last traverse correspond very closely to the readings taken from the time we encountered the Menom ship, and also the space warp we traversed shortly after Breakaway. Which means that we are looking at a massive spatial displacement only? So far as we can tell, there is no dimensional shift."
Everyone at the table visibly relaxed. The encounter with a parallel universe containing counterparts to Alphans had been emotionally draining for everyone, particularly Helena and Alan. It had also cost them the life of Regina Kesslan, a young and promising member of Alpha's technical department. No one was anxious for a repeat of that.
Alpha's chief medical officer, Dr. Helena Russell, spoke for the first time." So what this all boils down to, unless I miss my guess, is that we've come home. Again."
"So it would seem" mused Koenig.
"We know where we are, but do we know when we are?" inquired Tony. Everyone looked to Sandra, who as chief of the Service Section, had the latest report from stellar cartography.
Sandra took a deep breath. "According to star readings, the year is 3984 A.D."

This revelation was greeted with shocked silence. No one spoke for a full minute.

"Our last communication with Earth was in their twenty-second century. Technology had come a long way, but the physical environment of Earth was a mess." said Alan finally.
Koenig sat and digested all of this for a minute, then got to his feet. "Speculating is pointless. We're here now. Victor, how long before we achieve orbit?"
"At our current rate of deceleration, our trajectory should put us in a slightly elliptical orbit around Earth in about six hours." replied Bergman.
"Six hours." repeated Koenig to himself. "Alan, ready a survey Eagle. As soon as we're in orbit, we'll go down and assess the surface. No need to use the Swifts for an Earth shuttle, but keep Santa Maria on stand-by alert. We may want to make a survey of the outer planets later."
"Right" responded Alan.
Six hours later, with the Moon safely tucked into an elliptical orbit almost identical to the one it possessed prior to breakaway, Koenig stood on the debarkation platform with the survey team, which consisted of science officer Maya, geologist Dave Reilly, botanist Shermeen Williams, veteran pilot Bill Frasier, Dr. Ed Spencer and security man Lincoln Blaine. The mission was commanded by Alpha's security chief, Tony Verdeschi.
"Our long range scanners are still off -line, but stellar cartography has been able to determine that Earth's biosphere is intact, fully capable of supporting life. But that's all we know. Your mission is to survey the earth from low orbit, gather all the information you can about the surface conditions, then report in." ordered Koenig.
"Still no response to our messages?" asked Tony
"None." answered Koenig. "We've been transmitting on all frequencies. No sign of any radio or electronic signals of any kind so far." Bill Frasier came out of the Eagle.
"Tony, all the supplies and equipment are on board, we're ready." said Frasier.
"Right. Let's get this show on the road." with a nod to Koenig, Tony entered the Eagle and closed the hatch. Koenig headed to his quarters with Helena walking next to him. She too had come to the launch platform to see the survey crew off. All of Alpha was naturally anxious about this mission. Could their years of wandering finally be coming to an end? Only time would tell. There was nothing to do now but watch and wait.
Back in his quarters, Koenig was just in the process of taking off his boots to get ready for bed when Alibe signaled from Command Center.
"Commander, we're picking up what sounds like a carrier wave from a spaceship."
"On my way" responded Koenig, with weary resignation.

"That's the best you can do?" inquired Koenig.
"I'm afraid so, sir. Long range scanners are still off -line." said Alibe. She was standing at the communications suite with Victor, trying to gather more information on the mysterious signal that started just after the survey Eagle had launched.
"All we can get at the moment is approximate distance and bearing. Seems to be a ship or a satellite of some sort." said Bergman. "It's under power and on a direct course for Earth."
"Now how can that be, Victor? We've picked up no signs of any communications or modern technology from Earth. Could this be an alien ship?"

Bergman shrugged half apologetically. "There's just no way to know, John. Without long range scanners, we're blind."
"Damn!" swore Koenig. They had invested a lot of time on upgrading many of their systems with the advanced alien technology they had salvaged. Long range scanning was one of them. An unfortunate side effect of this was that when the system was damaged, it took longer to repair.
"Alan, I want you take Santa Maria up and intercept that spacecraft, or whatever it is. We need to find out what it is and if it might represent a danger to us or the survey mission. Lift off immediately."
"Right" responded the Australian pilot.
"Also, before you leave, have a Starbright probe launched to survey the outer planets. Long range scanners are down, and I don't want to wait for Mayflower."
"Expecting any trouble, John?" asked Carter. "This is our home system, after all."
"It was our home system, two-thousand years ago Alan. Who knows what's been going on since then?"
Starbrights were unmanned probes about the size of a weather satellite, but with an upgraded drive system that would allow it to cover huge distances in a short amount of time. As Carter got up from his station and left Command Center, Koenig made contact with the survey Eagle to apprise them of the new development.
"Yes Commander, we picked up the signal too. Victor, I read it as a carrier wave or location beacon for a spaceship." said Maya.
"Concur" responded Bergman. "But without long range scanners, we have no way to know what or whose."
"We're sending Alan up in Santa Maria to investigate. It'll take him at least six hours to intercept." said Koenig.
"John, you said this object is on a direct course for Earth. That means it will reach Earth orbit while we are in the middle of our survey. Do want us to continue with the mission?" inquired Tony.
Koenig had already made this decision. "Yes, continue with your mission. Alan will intercept the object well before it reaches Earth orbit. That will give us plenty of time to review our options if it turns out to be hostile. Koenig out." Koenig walked back to his console and logged off. "Alibe, I'm going to get some shut-eye. Call me if there are any new developments."
"Yes, sir."
Koenig walked out of Command Center and headed towards his quarters once again. It was a longer walk than had been the case from the old Main Mission. More than once, he missed Alpha's original command nexus, and his spacious private office attached to it. But even more, he missed the people who had died in the freak meteor storm that hit the base right after it had traversed a wormhole. Ouma, Kano, Paul, Tanya and two others were killed when Main Mission had sustained a direct hit. Koenig thanked the God he still believed in that Victor Bergman had survived. that calamity. Logically, he should not have survived. Given his location on the lunar surface, Victor was more exposed than the people in Main Mission had been. But trying to make sense out of such things was a fool's game, Koenig knew. The memories hurt too much anyway, In the months since the disaster he had tried as much as possible to put it out of mind and concentrate on the task of staying alive in hostile space and finding a permanent home. He keyed the door to his quarters with his commlock, and he walked immediately through the living area to the bedroom.
"Well Mrs. Koenig, I hope I didn't wake you!" he told the shock of blonde hair that now peeked out from under the covers.

Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig, Chief Medical Officer of Alpha sat up and smirked at her husband. "No, just drowsing. Anything new?"
Koenig sat on the edge of the bed, buried his head in hands and recounted to Helena the signal they had detected which seemed to be a spaceship. "We're sending Alan out in one of the Swifts to investigate". Koenig kicked off his shoes, removed his jacket and finally lay down next to Helena. The calamity that had wiped out much of his senior staff had also reinforced in him the notion that time was precious, not to be wasted, and shortly afterwards he had proposed marriage to Helena. She had accepted without hesitation.
"John, what does all this mean? Earth.. It seems like something has guided us back home. When you think about the odds of us even surviving Breakaway, let alone everything that's happened since… it's just too much to think about sometimes." There was just the slightest edge of desperation in her voice. For the most part, she preferred to avoid discussing the metaphysical.
Koenig smiled ruefully as he laid down, listening to his bones stretch and crack and feeling every one of his fifty-one years. "I think we all feel that way from time to time. But the main thing is Helena, we're alive, and we're home. Whatever we find down there, it can't be anymore shocking than the things we've already encountered. Whatever it is, we'll manage"
Helena, cheered by that thought, relaxed and laid down next to her husband for a much needed rest. "You're right." She closed her eyes and was fast asleep in five minutes.