Prometheus: Afterquest
"Pluto: Weigh Station"
Author's note: Prometheus: Afterquest is the continuing saga of a categorized story arc. It was derived from the theatrical release of Prometheus, the prequel to the Alien movie franchise (all names and places used within the fiction belong to their rightful creators & owners, I respect that) I do believe that there was more launch to this movie than was allowed to be portrayed upon the silver screen. This is an attempt (worthy or not) to show a direction in which the story could have continued. This story fabrication allows certain arc scenarios that I hope are interesting… and will be viewed as plausible by the sci/fi community… Anyhoo, thanks for reading. I have enjoyed all responses to the story, I hope that you enjoy… Z
Points of interest:
Fort Forrestal,
Port Cypress,
E.I. Quarantine.
*************************** Pluto *******************************
It had been a long journey, and Elizabeth Shaw had no conception of most of it. She had been in Hyper-sleep much of the time, leaving the android, David8 in command of the Gylor; the vessel she and the robot had stolen away from Meredith Vickers in their escape from the small world of Eden; the moon in orbit around the cosmic planet LV-233.
Elizabeth had been awakened by David8, twenty-four hours before they were to make landing on the dwarf world of Pluto. He had already cleared permission with the landing authority of that world, and had received the required permits to make a landing at Port Cypress, the main port of entry on that small planet.
Elizabeth considered the humor of naming a landing terminal "Port Cypress" on such an inhospitable, frozen rock. It seemed ironic to call something "Cypress" on a world where there wasn't a single blade of green swampland grass, or a Cypress tree on the whole icy surface. Maybe the Port's name had been derived as a jest? Just a bit of satire, subtle in nature , to poke fun at the ruling Parliament a bit, the existing power on Earth that seemed to control government with an impassive empathy. Liz understood, she had become somewhat of a rebel herself. Defiant in her will to accept that the cosmos was being run by creatures of greed and domination.
Weyland, and/or, the planet engineers, seemed to be beasts out for their own control and adoration. Humankind had supposedly learned long ago that life, in no matter what form, was precious. Our home planet was a laboratory, and the great God in heaven was the only Divinity of the realm deemed authority to extinguish breath from a living soul. Elizabeth still retained her faith and religious creed, something ingrained within her very DNA, and something in which her father had never wavered. This is why it had been so confusing to her that they had surprisingly, without provocation, been attacked by the Boss engineer on LV-233, being that the creatures had tested to be our ancestors … it still boggled her brain?
Pluto;
Pluto had been deemed a "Raven" planet, a satellite outpost under military jurisdiction. Reason being that it was considered a first line defense world. Defending Earth from what, was still a matter of speculation, alien oppression, or cosmic plague? So far Earth had not come under the attack of either. Still it was better to be safe than sorry.
Although our blue world was considered the jewel of our solar system, humankind had branched out to set up shop on other worlds. There were mining colonies on some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and military outposts on Pluto, Neptune and Mars. There were business contractors also on some of these moons and planets.
The human populous of our small, oxygen abundant world were ambitious adventure seekers…explorers of the unknown. We had been that way since recorded history. Yet we knew that an alien threat could be able to expel us as if we were a floating leaf on the wind. We had learned to become cautious creatures in our endeavors. The cosmic creation of the Almighty, although with its glorious majesty, vastness of space, and deep well of mysteries that defied description…., was still viewed to be a universal minefield. One false move and a returning spacecraft could bring a cosmic plague back to the Earth.
This was why spacecraft reentering the solar system had to go through E/ I quarantine (Ellis Island) or ICC quarantine, (Island Control Commerce) as it was informally referred to sometimes; Ellis Island had been a place in Earth's history that had been a weigh station for entering the United States of America back in the mid 1800' 's purpose had been to capture immigrants entering the New World that may be infected with plague or disease. The Stature of Liberty may have been a sign showing that America was a welcoming community, but the young government knew it still had to protect itself.
This example of protection had followed us out into the stars. If epidemic was to enter into our solar system it could be stopped before reaching Earth. A moon or outlying planet may be sacrificed, but Earth would remain safe.
David8 made a soft touchdown on the white, icy surface of Pluto. He and Elizabeth would have to remain aboard the vessel for an incubation time period of until Authorities could do a scan, which would concluded that there were no other life beings aboard, whether known to be, or unknown. David had informed Port Authority that the only passengers were he and Liz; still, protocol determined that a vessel scan was to be made.
In two hours the all-clear was received and the android and archeologist were allowed to exit the vessel. Liz noticed that David had dawned one of the uniforms of Sergeant Thorn, she questioned his reasoning about this.
"Well, it's cold out," he answered, "….and my thin cover overalls would do little to expel the freezing weather on Pluto. Besides my attire was becoming a little tattered and rank, don't you think?"
Liz studied the robot, since when had inserting a vanity chip become regular SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) by the manufacture? The scientist/archeologist then realized that although some of David's programming had been installed by her, that he was still a Weyland model android #8, and the manufacturer sometimes installed their own personality into their droids. She thanked goodness that David's vanity wasn't worse. The robot continued with other reasons why he had changed his clothing…
"Also, although I may not have blood running through my veins, I do have lubricants, and gear oil. Those liquids may not freeze as readily as the red stuff running through your body Commander, but at extreme temperatures they still do freeze."
Liz could see the logic in that. She had dawned some of the Meredith Vickers warmer clothing herself. They exited the craft.
The ramp to the Gylor lowered, and the two space travelers were met by three men and a woman at the base of incline. All were bundled up warmly against the freezing cold of the frigid Pluto atmosphere.
"Hello, I'm Margret," the woman spoke, "Margret Meadows, and this here is Burk, John-Lee, and Olav. We're here to assist you with your belongings," she held out her hand. Liz extended hers and received a healthy handshake.
"I'm Elizabeth," Liz spoke, " and this is….." she looked over to david8.
"Thorn, "the android spoke before Liz could introduce him, "Sergeant Thorn."
"Welcome, both of you," Margret continued, "….boys help them with their luggage please."
The transition from spacecraft occupation to planet living…interfaced smoother than Liz thought it would. Seems there wasn't many visitors that ventured to this remote outpost… so any guests making a landing here were treated almost as royalty.
There was a party held within the community room of Port Cypress' hub that evening, and rooms were set aside for Elizabeth and David to bunk down in. Military personnel were about, but the two travelers were not allowed to enter the military base. The landing port was connected to a civilian encampment, a small town constructed for the spouses and children of the government personnel stationed at Fort Forrestal, the name of the military base on Pluto.
The family of the military personnel were quite friendly, yet the colonial marines were a bit standoffish. Liz wasn't worried about this. For the moment she didn't want to have to answer questions that she had no answer for. She wasn't good at lying, but still she didn't want the people at the base to know who she really was. A man approached her; he introduced himself as Lieutenant Baker. He told her that he had questions for her, but that they could wait until morning.
Liz had enjoyed the party a little too much. She had indulged herself in wine and drink and soon found that she was almost beyond caring what happened to her. The last thing she remembered seeing…. before passing out , was the handsome face of David8 as he laid her in her bunk to sleep before returning to his own.
In the morning Liz was awaken by a solid knocking on her door. She opened it and found that there were two military escorts standing there.
"Miss, come with us quietly please," the closest one spoke, "You are under arrest."
Elizabeth was shocked!
"What is this," the archeologist questioned?
"I don't know maam," The soldier reported, "all I know is that you are to come with us."
Elizabeth Shaw found herself locked up within the confines of a Forestall stockade cell. She assumed that they'd found out her true identity, but how? Had David turned her in? No, she refused believe that! In half an hour the door to the stockade opened and in walked a woman in military uniform.
"Vickers!"
The woman smiled.
"Hello, Elizabeth. It isn't every day we get visitors to land on the planet, and even less often when we find that they are carrying a dangerous organism on their craft. Did you really think that you could get a possible life-extinguishing entity through ICC quarantine?"
Vickers looked at the scientist/archeologist, "No Miss. That is why the HDZ (Home Defense Zone) was established, to keep possible alien threats from reaching planet earth."
Liz looked at Vickers; the officer seemed to be playing a little game with her. The reality being, that in her eyes, it never registered that she even recognized Elizabeth Shaw.
Liz was shocked! Yet she had the presents of mind not to drop her guard as to the true identity of her android helper.
"Where is sergeant Thorn," she question?
"He's safe," Vickers said, "….and under interrogation just as yourself." The women turned to a man standing next to her, "Prepare a truth serum vial, and come get me when you're ready." She exited the room.
*************************** And something Else *******************************
Out, in the not too distance vacuum of space, another spacecraft was approaching Pluto's orbit. A man dressed in dark coveralls approaches the pilot of the vessel.
"How far are we…?"
"Not that far Commander, eighty-two hours."
"Good, notify me when the Authorities there make contact," the man in the dark suit expressed.
"I will do that Commander Bishop," the crewman answered.
END CHAPER 21