Briefing chamber about the USC Inferno
There was a dead silence hang in the air everyone save for Professor Harvey already suspected that aliens did this to the Purest Intent but to have the foremost authority on the Arkship's construction say it out loud was a sobering few moments. They all stood there looking at the ghost ship in the distance with three colossal holes blown into her flanks.
'How do you come to that conclusion, Chief Brodie?' asked Professor Byrd.
'Those holes there, professor.' Pointed the chief, to the ghost ship. 'Those holes were created by something we aren't capable of doing not us and not the colonists that left the solar system, that warping it defies explanation it defies our understanding of physics.'
'In your mind, this definitely couldn't be civil insurrection?' pressed Professor Byrd.
'Not with that weapons damage like I said we cannot manufacture weapons that do that.' Replied Chief Brodie, he pointed again at the holes in the flanks. 'We are dealing with not only a highly technologically advanced adversary, we are dealing with a strategically capable adversary.
'They hit the Purest Intent with a surgical strike, whoever attacked her struck her sensorium to the fore and her reactors to her aft. They left her blind and un-manoeuvrable, the damage to her amidships is beyond me as there is nothing worth hitting there perhaps they struck there to aid a boarding action.'
'If I may.' Interrupted Captain Everson the commander of the Southsea Castle, he shared a worried look with his XO. 'Chief Brodie the hole amidships what was in there?'
The chief shrugged. 'Nothing of any real significance there are massive parkland domes in the centre, big empty spaces nothing to worry about.'
'Then I think we need to start worrying.' Replied Captain Everson. 'While we were waiting for the Security Council I ordered the Southsea Castle to scan the Arkship. We didn't find empty spaces, what we found was a solid mass nearly two kilometres in length. Most of the masses makeup could not be categorised by our sensors.'
'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' asked the High Marshall.
'It means that whatever the mass is.' Stated Professor Byrd looking worried. 'It's makeup isn't known to our periodic table, meaning it is likely from outside the solar system.'
With the light of recognition in his eyes, the High Marshall looked to the Arkship. 'There is something alien in there.'
'I think we are getting ahead of ourselves.' Stated Victor, as he closed with the gathering his uniform was bloodstained from the actions of Captain Lerida. 'There could be all manner of reasons for the readings, your sensors could have gone awry when dealing with a void in a starship. After all your gear isn't calibrated for man-made constructions are they?'
'No.' admitted the Captain, begrudgingly. 'But the section of the ship in question is all empty space our gear can't just conjure up a mass that big there might be false returns but nothing like that, the gear scans what's in there and returns the data it's that simple.'
'We will have to agree to disagree.' Stated Victor. 'Even if there is a mass in there it doesn't mean its alien.'
'Or it could mean that it is alien.' Put in Professor Byrd. 'It's a solid mass where parklands should be, there could be extraterrestrials in the Purest Intent using the Arkship as a Trojan Horse.'
'In your opinion, you believe there could be extraterrestrials in there?' asked Lord Admiral Dante, for clarification.
'In my opinion, if the mass is of alien origin it is likely to be a Von Neumann probe.' Stated Professor Byrd. 'That was what the oversight committee concerning First Contact always theorised would be the most likely vehicle for finding intelligent species in the galaxy.'
'A Von Neumann probe?' asked High Marshall Hadley.
'A Von Neumann probe is a theorised self-replicating spacecraft.' Replied Professor Byrd. 'That would be created by an intelligent race to explore the galaxy more efficiently than if they sent out manned probes.
'A Von Neumann probe could be given a mission to seek out intelligent life in the galaxy, by this method of self-replication these probes could explore the entire galaxy in five hundred thousand years.'
'But aren't Von Neumann probes meant to be benign?' asked Lord Admiral Dante. 'That they would be used solely for space exploration, the Purest Intent was attacked.'
'A Von Neumann probe has been primarily theorised as a tool for space exploration.' Agreed Professor Byrd. 'Another variation of a space probe is a Bracewell probe created to communicate with newfound sentient life to conduct First Contact.
'Then there is yet another variation of a space probe commonly referred to as a Berserker, these probes could be created to seek out and exterminate all sentient life that is found.
'That this type of probe may have been created by a xenophobic race or could have mutated from a benign Von Neumann probe. I concede that these are just theories but we have to take them seriously considering the damage done to the Purest Intent.
'Not just that if Chief Brodie is right and the evidence suggests that he is that the Arkship was attacked on our systems doorstep then it means that the aggressor was already near to Sol.
'The close proximity suggests that they were already aware of the human race and were already en route when they came into contact with the Purest Intent. The catastrophic damage done to the Arkship could mean one of two things.
'Either it was a peaceful First Contact gone awry which resulted in violence or whoever or whatever attacked the Purest Intent had violence on its mind in the first place and the Arkship was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.'
'If it was already coming here how did they find us?' asked High Marshall Hadley. 'We have been looking for alien life for centuries and found nothing how come they detected us?'
'We've been detectable for centuries.' Replied Professor Byrd. 'The first radio signals were sent in 1900, they have reached hundreds of light years from Earth and our first TV signals have reached over a hundred light years from Earth.
'We might not have been looking for the right things, unfortunately, an extraterrestrial race is always likely to be lightyears more advanced than us they could have dozens of probes in our stellar neighbourhood alone that detected our signals and rerouted to investigate our territory.'
'Or we could be in their territory.' Suggested Captain Everson, commander of the Southsea Castle, his input raised more than a few eyebrows.
'Excuse me?' asked High Marshall Hadley.
'We could be in their territory.' Repeated Captain Everson. 'Think about it homo sapiens only evolved from our common ancestors two hundred thousand years ago, true civilisations only began six thousand years ago and industrialisation only started in 1800.
'All of that is just a blink in the eye compared to the age of the cosmos. Who's to say that we aren't in the middle of an interstellar empire of some extraterrestrial race?'
'This is preposterous.' Chided Victor.
'Is it really though?' persisted Captain Everson. 'What if an extraterrestrial civilisation came across Sol when the human race was in its infancy or hundreds of thousands of years before that or even millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
'Perhaps our system was claimed long ago by aliens who deemed life on our little blue planet to be beneath their notice. We like to think that we are important but we could be no more to an alien than an ape is to us, just some wild beast that is no threat that inhabits a small part of their territory.'
'If your theory stands up.' Put in High Marshall Hadley, there were several concerned looks now, everyone save for Victor was taking Captain Everson's opinion seriously. 'If we are beneath their notice living in their territory then why attack us now?'
Captain Everson paused not for dramatic effect or because he had run out of arguments, he paused because he was worried in case he was right.
'Captain?' asked the High Marshall.
'Perhaps there are Berserker probes anchored off the Oort Cloud.' Stated Captain Everson. 'Perhaps an alien civilisation claimed our system aeons ago and left it unmolested but left Berserker probes here as insurance in case anything evolved to challenge their supremacy. Perhaps the voyage of the Purest Intent awoke a hibernating Berserker probe after detecting the Arkship.
'Perhaps it murdered the crew of the Purest Intent and destroyed her escorts as an automated response to detecting alien sentient life and now it is using our own ship as camouflage to assess the capability of the system's inhabitants before it makes its next move.
'To either exterminate us itself or to send a warning home or to its nearest outpost. Considering this fact and the fact that we are finding this out decades after the Purest Intent was attacked could mean a warning has already been sent and there could be an armada bearing down on us even now.'
'As much as it scares me to agree.' Said Chief Brodie. 'I think there is something of unknown origin in the Arkship. I don't know if it is a probe if it is an alien or god has come himself for the second coming but what I do know is that the Purest Intent cannot be back here under her own propulsion not under these circumstances, therefore, something else brought her back.'
'I think we have spent too much time in the realms of science fiction.' Cut in Victor, snidely. 'There isn't an armada out there, there are no aliens if there was we would have seen them coming.'
'Just like how we saw the Purest Intent coming?' scoffed Professor Byrd.
'That is entirely different the Purest Intent is drifting dead in space.' Replied Victor.
'Then who's to say that an armada wouldn't think to do that also?' asked Professor Byrd.
Victor didn't offer a reply instead changed the subject. 'The Purest Intent is hurtling towards the outer colonies, stopping her should be our first priority instead of this conjecture.
'The Arkship needs to be halted before anyone not under our sphere of influence sees her, we need to stop her then hide her. Then and only then can we waste time on half-baked theories as to why she is back here.'
'We don't even know if that is possible.' Stated Professor Byrd, he looked to Chief Brodie. 'Can you stop her?'
'Not without boarding her and trying to reactivate her reactors.' Replied the chief. 'That or bringing in heavy gear from Jovian territory but the last time it was attempted on such a large vessel was when the White Starliner Titanica was hijacked by terrorists.
'Well, I don't think that is a fair example considering the terrorists destroyed the gear before it could be used. But all the same its movement would raise eyebrows the use of such equipment is usually preceded by a media story, journalists would follow the gear all the way to the edge of the system. '
'There has to be a way.' Put in High Marshall Hadley. 'Can't we just attach tow cables to halt her?'
The chief shook his head. 'She is travelling at the speed of a comet, even if a larger vessel could be retrofitted with cables and match speed the forces doled out it would snap the cables or worse it could tear the ship in two or perhaps both vessels.'
'Wait a second.' Stated Lord Admiral Dante. 'Chief you said the only way to stop her is to board her and start her reactors, she has been holed through her reactors have been atomised there is nothing left to start.'
'Yes, the Arkship's reactor has been holed through and blown to hell.' The chief closed with the armourglass, he gestured to the Purest Intent. 'The term Arkship has been used in the newsreels for so long that the name has become synonymous with the Purest Intent but it doesn't fully describe her.
'What we see is one vessel but she isn't a single vessel she is, in fact, three vessels. Topside is the Arkship that was to be used as living quarters for the colonists during their three century voyage.
'Then there is the colonisation vessel underneath which housed seeding, terraforming and construction gear. There is also a smaller vessel with the capacity to house a few thousand people, this was their means of escape in the event of a catastrophic disaster.'
'You mean to say that there are potentially two more viable reactors in there?' asked the Lord Admiral.
'Yes, sir.' Replied the chief. 'But the only chance to activate them will be to board her through the damage to the Arkship's aft.
'It would be too risky to board her via conventional military boarding methods as we would risk ship quakes using such brute force tactics. Once inside there are hatches between the two ships that pass between the inner and outer hulls.'
'Then that could be how the Purest Intent got back?' suggested High Marshall Hadley.
'No the Arkship cannot be travelling backwards not by conventional means.' Stated the Dockmaster. 'As I said earlier such a manoeuvre would leave the Purest Intent spinning, she is travelling backwards perfectly something unknown got her back here.'
'Then it is decided we have to go in.' declared High Marshall Hadley. 'The decision is made for us we have to uncover what befouled the Purest Intent and we have to do it quickly.'
'If it is to be done this way.' Stated Victor. 'To preserve evidence and security it should be my operatives that go in alone.'
'Can they start or fix a one hundred fifty seven year old reactor?' asked the chief mirthlessly.
'Your operatives are not going anywhere near the Purest Intent.' Stated Lord Admiral Dante, before the High Marshall could launch into a tirade. 'Your handling of this situation up to now has been despicable, you have proven that you cannot be trusted.
'You and your operatives will have a role but it will be purely advisory as per your agreement is that clear?'
Victor looked set to go against his word but he evidently thought better of it. 'Crystal clear, Lord Admiral.'
'Then it is settled.' Said the High Marshall. 'We go in and restart her reactor.'
'Surely we shouldn't forget about the mass.' Put in the professor. 'I still think a recon party should be the first to go in to investigate the mass after all that is our biggest concern.'
'We still don't know what happened to her.' Put in the President Elect. 'Surely that should be the priority, find the bridge and inspect the Captain's files.'
And so the conversation devolved into bickering of who was most right and what should be done first.
That was until the High Marshall let out a slow chuckle that got the attention of the assemblage. 'How about we ask someone who knows a little something about what they're talking about, Colonel Breckenridge your assessment?'
'All three of you are right.' Stated the Colonel. 'We need to investigate the mass, restart the reactors and find out what the Captain and crew knew.'
'But which will you do first?' asked President Elect Strauss.
'We will do all three at once, President Elect Strauss.' Replied Colonel Breckenridge, with no hubris attached to his statement. 'I will take in the entire battalion split into two expeditions a small force under XO Trevor Harrison will make entry to her fore and investigate the bridge.
'The remainder of the battalion under my command will restart one of the reactors and investigate the mass. Now specialists will be a major advantage in both tasks, we cannot guarantee your safety but the help of Chief Dockmaster Brodie and Professor Harvey would be a major asset on the inside.'
'You got it.' Said Chief Brodie without skipping a beat, he turned to the Lord Admiral. 'Although I will need to pillage your stores for equipment, I was forced to leave mine at home.'
'You will have access to anything you need.' Replied the Lord Admiral, he turned to Professor Harvey. 'Are you prepared to go in?'
'Not in the slightest.' Managed the professor, trying to laugh off his unease. 'But I have learned everything there is to know about the Purest Intent and those who sailed upon her, it makes sense to put it to good use I am at your disposal.'
'I applaud your bravery.' Said Colonel Breckenridge, he knew the man was scared stiff but still doing it anyway that was true bravery. 'You will be in the expedition with XO Harrison to search the bridge you will be invaluable in this task.'
'Then it is settled the Old Guard goes in.' declared the High Marshall, he looked to Colonel Breckenridge. 'What do you need?'
'Intel for a start.' Said the Colonel, he looked to Chief Brodie. 'What kind of situation can we expect in there will there be gravity in there?'
'With the Purest Intent being dead in space her gravity drive will be offline.' Stated Chief Breckenridge. 'Given the Arkship's sheer size and mass, there will be some gravity in there obviously not Earth-normal but enough to move around.'
'Very well we will use magnetic boots to simulate Earth-normal.' Replied the Colonel. 'What about her superstructure how badly beaten up will she be?'
The chief shrugged. 'I couldn't possibly guess but if the rest of her is as torn up as those chasms then negotiating her decks might be a nightmare or they could be in one piece.'
'I suppose we shall just have to go in and find out.' Replied the Colonel.
'Right we have a cause of action.' Stated High Marshall Hadley. 'How soon until the expeditions can be made ready to go in?'
'As far as the Old Guard goes within a few hours.' Replied the Colonel, he then looked to the dockmaster. 'Chief?'
'I will have to try and familiarise myself with her layout from memory.' Replied the chief. 'If I had the time before I was snatched I could have brought my files and schematics.'
'That won't be necessary.' Cut in Victor, with a wicked smile. 'My operatives appropriated anything and everything of interest concerning the Purest Intent from the homes and offices of yourself and Professor Harvey.'
'You took everything?' demanded the chief, Victor inclined his head as an affirmation. 'Then you've taken the letter. It had better not have been opened or so help me I will brain you, I want that letter back and I want it back right now.'
'What letter?' asked the High Marshall.
'There was a letter in a wax sealed vellum envelope.' Replied the chief. 'It was in a wall safe in my office and I want it back.'
'Victor.' Glowered the High Marshall.
'I will have it returned to the dockmaster at the earliest convenience.' Replied Victor while smiling. 'What is the significance of the letter?'
'None of your god damned business.' Growled the dockmaster.
'I will make sure you get it back.' Promised High Marshall Hadley, while throwing Victor a baleful stare. 'How long until you will be able to deploy?'
'With the schematics here.' Replied Chief Brodie, he took one last look with the Arkship. 'I will be ready as soon as the Old Guard wish to deploy.'
'Before you deploy we need to think about First Contact.' stated Lord Admiral Dante. 'If the mass is of alien origin whether it is a Bracewell probe designed to communicate or there are extraterrestrials in there. How would we proceed in trying to make peaceable contact?'
'We will have to deal with the situation as it arises.' Stated Colonel Breckenridge.
'You mean make it up as you go along?' scorned President Elect Strauss.
'Yes, President Elect.' Replied the Colonel without batting an eyelid. 'We have no idea what is in there, if there is a ship in there we don't know if it is of alien origin.
'If there are aliens in there we have absolutely no idea what they would be like or how they might communicate so yes without knowing what they are like we will have to make it up as we go along.'
'Exactly we don't know what they would be like.' Countered the President Elect. 'So do you want their first impression of us to be soldiers with their guns drawn?'
'What else should we do send you in?' sneered the High Marshall. 'One look at you they would invade. What you fail to see President Elect Strauss is that this is not their first impression of us, is it? They've met us before.' The High Marshall gestured to the ghost ship. 'And look how that went, we may well be at war already and if we are they need to know that we won't be found wanting.
'A military response is the only logical response. If there are aliens in there they should be intelligent enough to know we would take umbrage to the treatment of the colonist's vessel and the fact that they've attempted to infiltrate our system.'
'If there are aliens in there.' Said Professor Byrd. 'And First Contact becomes a reality it is not our responsibility to make sure it goes right, it is our responsibility to just keep our heads.'
'How do you come to that conclusion?' asked President Elect Strauss.
'Like Captain Everson said.' Continued Professor Byrd. 'We have been detectable via radio and television signals for centuries any extraterrestrial race has no business visiting another sentient race without knowing their language and customs.
'We have been inadvertently sending out our language and customs for centuries so if an alien comes here they should already know about us.' The professor gestured to the Purest Intent. 'Which makes the damage to the Arkship all the more troubling, if they do know about us and attacked us on first meeting then perhaps they never had peaceful intentions for us in the first place.'
