Chapter 25

Ship Time: Tuesday 13 December 2264 AD – Mission Day 414
Local Time: 4 December 10191AG

"Captain's Log: Stardate unknown," Garibaldi began while sitting in the center seat on the bridge. "We are now 414 days into our mission and we are still on course for the Canopus system. Commander Schwartz has completed his installation of the Holtzman drive after its successful field test. We will now complete our flight to the planet Arrakis where the Atreides will soon take over from the Harkonnens.

"Commander Giacconi reported that his investigation into the properties of the Holtzman Fold drive regretfully do not allow us to us it to return to Federation space. He reported that it is a Tachyon based propulsion system and that we cannot change the quantum state of matter while using the Fold drive."

Garibaldi switched off his log recorder. "Mr. DePaul," he began. "Just like for the Guild, you are responsible for jumping us to safe locations as we complete our flight to the Canopus system."

"Yes, sir," DePaul replied. "I'll jump us in one light year increments."

"Very well; Mr. Hansen, neutralize warp."

"Aye, sir," Hansen replied while disengaging the warp drive.

"Engage Holtzman drive," Garibaldi ordered.

"Power buildup commencing," Commander Schwartz announced.

"First jump point scanned and laid in," DePaul reported, "beginning jump sequence."

The Polo began a series of one light year jumps. Pausing briefly after each to scan ahead to ensure the next destination was clear of obstruction and to recharge the Holtzman drive. The final jump brought the Polo into geostationary orbit over Arrakis. There were no Guild ships present.

"Deploy the observation probe," Garibaldi ordered.

"Probe deployed," Hansen replied after launching the highly modified probe; similar to the one deployed over Caladan. The Polo set out from Star Base Nine with fifteen sensor probes. Two were used over the pirate base in system M-51170. All of the remaining probes were modified into observation platforms.

"Set course for Kaitain," Garibaldi ordered.

"Course is set," DePaul replied.

"Engage Holtzman drive."

The Next Day

"Captain's Log: Stardate unknown," Garibaldi began his log recording from in his quarters. "We are now 415 days into our mission. I am very pleased with the ship's new Holtzman drive. We were able to complete our observation probe deployment in one day compared to most of a year using the warp drive at a fuel efficient speed. We now have the major worlds of the Empire under electronic observation. The computer will alert the communications staff should a signal intercept show any unusual activity.

"With that task completed I have called for an executive staff meeting to discuss our future actions. It is a shame that we could not come to some kind of agreement with the Empire. We'll just have to keep ourselves busy elsewhere as we wait for the wormhole back to the Federation to open."

Garibaldi ended his log entry and called up his personal file on his computer. Included in his file was a copy of his family tree which reached back to the early eighteenth century in the old Julian calendar. He scanned down the tree until he reached the listing for Giuseppe Garibaldi, the unifier of Italy in 1860.

My great, great, etcetera, grandfather accomplished something very important, he thought. If I were to try that here, the crew would lock me in the brig. They are too attached to the Prime Directive. My Mirror Universe counterparts would not hesitate to conquer the empire, he concluded with a wry grin.

Garibaldi closed his files and headed towards the briefing room and arrived there a few minutes later. His senior officers were there waiting for him.

"Room, attention," Bolt ordered as Garibaldi entered. Bolt and Commanders Giacconi, Schwartz, and Maxwell braced themselves in their seats.

"As you were, gentlemen," Garibaldi ordered as he took a seat at the table. "First of all, I want to tell you that all of you have been doing a fantastic job recently, particularly, Giacconi and Schwartz. Letters of commendation for your development of the Holtzman drive are now in your personnel files, thank you.

"Now, since we completed our monitoring probe deployment, I would like your thoughts about what to do next. Please recall that we discussed some of our options months ago after we passed through the wormhole, but now making our way within the Empire is now off the table." Garibaldi then leaned back in his chair to let his command staff brainstorm.

"I wouldn't mind finding some habitable planet way outside the Empire and settling down for a while," Maxwell said. "It's obvious that we can't stay here without constantly being on guard."

"Our new drive should help with that," Schwartz said. "Based on our scans, we have a faster reaction time and can stay ahead of the Guild Navigators should we remain in imperial space."

"Instead of hunkering down," Bolt said. "I propose that we continue to explore. There are obvious differences between this Milky Way and ours. With our new drive we can really see a lot before returning to the Federation. A busy crew is a happy crew."

"I can agree with that," Giacconi added. "We might even find another wormhole and, if we are lucky, get back home sooner."

"We can always temporarily settle down between voyages of discovery," Maxwell said. "Think of it as extended shore leaves while the crew and the ship are given a rest. Perhaps we could explore for a year then stand down for a few months to rest and refill our stores."

"Which way do we go then," Schwartz asked.

"I have an idea for that," Giacconi replied. "Lieutenant Sotar found something interesting recently." Since he was sitting at the computer terminal he activated the voice command system. "Computer display report Sotar 184 on the monitor."

"Working," the computer replied while a display of the core worlds of the empire appeared. Several short lines began at Earth and ended at the some of the longest inhabited worlds of the empire. One started at Earth and continued to the edge of the view screen.

"When this universe's Earth began to colonize other worlds," Giacconi explained." "They sent out hydrogen fusion ramjets. All of them except one arrived safely. One must have had a problem with their drive and could not decelerate to their assigned destination and continued on into interstellar space. These ships are obviously of a more advanced technology, except for the Holtzman drive, than currently used in the empire. Do you think it worth our while to track down this last colony ship?"

A wayward colony ship would be grateful for any help we could provide them. Besides, with our new drive twenty thousand light years is only a few days away. "Gentlemen," Garibaldi announced. "We will be pursuing this wayward colony ship. Man your stations."