Chapter 3: Home Coming

Two months had passed since the Pexis Plagma was found and the Expedition Fleet now was making it's way towards Earth.

They were eager to bring the news of their latest find.

" What a mystery you are to us, Pexis, " said Miori staring into the containment looking into it's depths. The Pexis just continued to pulse silently revealing none of it's secrets.

Wires ran all over the place in the cargo hold and monitoring equipments are scattered all over the floor. Research work was a little behind schedule as the research ship is

becoming a tourist attraction. Every crew member in the expedition fleet tried to get a close look at the Pexis they had recently discovered so much to her dismay.

People can't seem to mind their own business. Then she found out that Bryan was behind all of these visits and this infuriated her even further.

One day captain Panaka dropped in to see the Pexis and said that it is not what he had pictured and congratulated the team involved.

Bryan seemed to drop by very often handling pamphlets to the whole crew like some sort of sales person promoting a product.

" He's giving me a headache, " said Miori one day in her quarters, rubbing her forehead to increase blood circulation, " and to think that he is serious to keep his word

and take care of me," she sighted. Trying to forget the days events she rubbed her womb now the size of a basketball. Yes, the baby is doing well and Miori made sure

she watched her diet and got enough exercise. She expected it to be born in October, "If I don't succumb to all this pressure," she muttered.

" Where is that bone head Bryan?" she wondered. "Men!" she grunted,

"Give them a new toy and the start playing with it forgetting their family and friends, " she grumbled and went to look for him.

On her way out she meet Sarah milling a batch of people near the cargo hold where the Pexis is kept.

"People, people settle down and form two lines please," she shouted at the crowd, " and follow me quietly," she turned to find Miori heading towards her.

"Hello Miori," she greeted. "Good Afternoon Sarah," Miori waived at her.

" How's everything? " she asked." Terrible! " Sarah wailed raising her hands in dismay, "I have enough trouble controlling these people.

They seem to wander of if I do not keep my eye on them. I caught one the other day making of with some part of the Pexis he stored the in a container.

Luckily it glowed through his coat or he would have left without us noticing," she said eyeing the crowd to see if anyone is missing,

"Bye now I got to go, I have to show this batch around," she turned and lead the group into the cargo hold lecturing along the way. Miori made a mental note

to increase the security at the cargo hold where the Pexis is held and she will orders to the guards not to let anyone in save those who came for research.

She would reprimand Bryan to stop his nonsense and close all visits to the Pexis, she had the feeling that if this is open to the public too soon the Pexis will fall into the wrong hands.

Space is not safe to have something this valuable around especially if there is no large fleet to protect it.

She made her way towards the cafeteria hoping she would find Bryan there to her luck spotted him sited at a table among the crowd.

Seated with him are two men dressed in suits sitting at the opposite side of the table. She frowned shoving her way through the crowded cafeteria towards the table.

" There you are Bryan, I've been looking all over for you," said Miori as she sat down beside him.

"Hello Miori you've just made it in time these two gentlemen wanted to see you," he waved a hand to them.

"Let us introduce ourselves madam Miori, I am Bernard Velmen and this is my accomplice Frederic Goth from The Technological Bureau Corporation.

We are here to discuss about the Pexis Plagma that you've recently found during your voyage," said the gentlemen on the right.

Miori kept a straight face," May I ask you gentlemen on how you obtain that information?" she asked although she knew it already.

"Your friend here Bryan had a little talk with us and we are interested in making a deal with you," said Bernard Velmen.

"What if I refuse?" asked Miori her face bearing no emotion. "We know that you wouldn't resist this offer once you have heard of our bargain," said Frederic.

" What we have is the DNA sample of your husband and we are willing to clone him.

We also offer a large lump sum of one hundred million credit units in the exchange for the Pexis," he continued in a business like tone

" One hundred million credit units?" said Bryan with his eyes wide, " That is a lot of money,". "Indeed it is Mr.Bryan," said Bernard smiling.

Miori hesitated to have her husband back is beyond everything she ever dreamed. How often she thought of lying wrapped in his arms, into his warmth

and loving embrace and to look at his eyes again. She longed for him to kiss her and make love and could almost taste the kiss he had given her, sweet and warm.

All that matters now is she will be with him and they could live their life of from the money they received, happy and content forever.

"Well madam do you agree with what we have to offer?" said Bernard eyeing Miori intently. No, she thought even though they bought him back he will not be the same and

she had a feeling that her husband will not accept such a deal. "Yes," she said. "Good…" said Bernard but before he can continue Miori interrupted,

"You can take your deal and your hides back to where you came from and do not speak to me again ".

" The Pexis is not for sale," she raised her voice giving a clear warning. "Miori, what are you saying? Consider," said Bryan taking her hand.

" I have consider it Bryan and the answer is still no," she said getting irritated.

"Would you gentlemen please excuse us?" he then led her away from them out of earshot. "Miori why…" he was cut of with a glare from Miori.

" No Bryan and I stand in my decision, why don't you listen," she said. "I want to know the reason behind the 'No'," he sighted putting his hand on her shoulder.

" Bryan I know it sounds right and they are trying to give me my husband and back but I know he wouldn't be the same, and something in my gut is screaming 'No'," said Miori.

" But you'll have your old life back, don't you want to see Hiroki?" Bryan asked looking into her eyes. She could see that Bryan missed his old friend.

"Yes, I want him back badly but if I give the Pexis away they will surely put it to use for themselves besides we need the Pexis .

The people from Earth need it to move to a better place," she looked at him pleadingly.

"Alright," he sighted ,"I support your decision and I'm sorry but I just want you to be happy," he said with his head bowed.

Miori put a hand on his shoulder, " I know and I thank you Bryan," she kissed him on the cheek. " I'll … I'll go and talk to them. He made his way back to the table.

" Bryan," called Miori, " Yes? " he said turning his gaze at her, "No more of this advertising nonsense, OK?" she added sternly.

He smiled at her " Ok, no more nonsense. I promise."

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~~ In a hideout around the orbit of Jupiter ~~

" Can you confirm my suspicions? Do they have it?" said an unknown voice from a communicator.

" Yes, our spies report that they have seen it," said a figure clad in an old brown military uniform." Excellent then proceed with the plan," said the voice.

" I have my mates on standby ready to ambush," said the figure. "Are you sure that these are sufficient enough?" said the voice. "I'm sure," said the figure confidently.

"No matter, I have other sources on standby should you fail in this task," said the voice. "I will not fail!" retorted figure.

" Temper, temper you will be given the chance to prove yourself," said the voice.

"Now Go! perform your duty, make sure no one survives" the figure bowed and left.

************************************

~~ Back at the RS-002~~

Security guards were posted at the entrance of the cargo hold and all visits to the Pexis are cancelled.

Miori was with the research team trying to decode the structure of the Pexis, " It is more complex than I have expected," said Alexis rubbing his eyes.

Staring at the computation made by the ship's research computer all day is straining his eyes.

Miori was sitting beside him "At this rate it will take hundreds of years to unlock the Pexis structure," she sighted.

" We don't have much time, we need to get this thing duplicated. It is no good that we just have only one power source," turning away she went towards the Pexis containment

and touched the glass covering carefully avoiding from tripping on the cables that surrounds the containment along the process.

"Hey! how's everyone doing?" Sarah greeted as she entered the cargo hold. " Not good, we still have a lot of Pexis structure to decode.

Even with hundreds of supercomputers it will take us about a hundred years," said Alexis in dismay.

" Unless there is another alternative we have no choice but to use this only Pexis as a power source," Alexis sighted looking at Sarah.

" I thought you said that this could power hundreds of colony ships?" she asked.

"Yes I know but it must have a direct connection to the Pexis, we can't have hundreds of wires running around one main colony ship to the others," Miori explained.

" If one of connection cables is broken then the ship will be stranded in deep space," "Oh…" she put her fingers on her chin, " Hey! I have an idea? " she quipped.

" Why not decode the a portion of the Pexis? Lets say its energy source, reproduce it and store it containers.

We then can transfer these containers to the colony ships power core," she looked at both of them.

"Yes… yes," said Alexis his eyes shining bright. " It should work, how did you come with that idea? " he asked.

"Ah, well studying biology I used the concept of cell cloning," she beamed.

He quickly entered some calculations into the computer, and then printed out the result. "According to the calculations this will take us 2 years," passing the slip of paper to Miori.

"Good enough, we then need to take this to Japan. They have enough power to compute the structure of the Pexis in this time frame," she said walking out.

"Hey where are you going?" asked Sarah. " I'm going to the bridge to send an encrypted message to Japan to make preparations for our visit," she answered.

***************************************

~~ Somewhere in a hideout at Jupiter's orbit ~~

"Earth expedition fleet is now entering the asteroid field and coming into range," said an officer in red. "Excellent proceed to battle phase with tactic 'Hide and Seek' immediately.

I want all stations on ready when I give the signal to attack," said Renard.

" Yes sir!" saluted the officer seeing Renard clad in his old brown military uniform leaped into his fighter. "This is battle is going to be an easy one," he smirked.

He closed the cockpit's door by flicking a switch and activating others at the console above his head. The engines of his fighter hummed to life and he switched on the ships computer.

'REACTOR ONLINE

SYSTEMS ONLINE

WEAPON SYSTEMS FUNCTIONAL

ALL SYSTEMS GO…'read the ship's computer.

"Bleep!" suddenly two people appeared on the intercom screen.

"Diamond Backs ready to go!"

"Black Panthers ready!"

"All right let's kick some butt!" shouted Renard.

************************************

~~The Perchion, at the bridge ~~

Captain Panaka was at his seat when suddenly a loud bang shook the ship causing him to fall off. "Damn!" he swore as he got up,

"Sound the alarm! We are under attack! I want all station on full alert !" he ordered.

'BATTLE STATIONS!'

'WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!'

'ALL PERSONNEL PLEASE MAN YOUR STATIONS IMMEDIATELY!'

The alarm blared.

The captain then called the bridge operator monitoring the ships radar, "How many are out there?" he asked the operator stationed there. " About 60 fighter ships took us by surprise

from those belt of asteroids sir. They must have shutdown and waited for us to get into range," he said. "Damn!" Panaka pounded his fist on the corner of his console.

" That's why they didn't get detected, call in the patrols to engage the enemy before we send out reinforcements," he barked.

" Tell the patrols also to protect the research ships at all cost. They must be after the Pexis," he said out loud.

Bryan was sipping a cup of coffee when suddenly the Perchion shook forcing him to splutter coffee through his nose.

" Darn! Just what I need an attack on my coffee break!" wiping splutter with a handkerchief from his nose he rushed to the docking bay.

" Hey! What's up ? Why is everyone standing around here for? We have a battle out there!" he shouted at his squad mates.

" We can't get out sir, the exit from the docking bay is jammed and caved in when the ship took damage," cried Jack a member of Bryan's squad.

" Does it look bad?" he asked. " Not really just a few feet of rubble," said Jack. Bryan looked around to see if he could find anything useful.

BOOM!

The ship shook violently forcing everyone to drop onto the floor. "If this continues the mother ship would not last!" cried Jack in dismay.

"Aw, Shut up!" Bryan shouted irritated then he saw it, a mounted laser canon. He quickly ran and jump onto it turning it's nozzle towards the rubble.

"Get outta the way! Jack keep near the airlock button!" he shouted.

His squad mates ran for cover and he slammed at the button blasting both the rubble and the jammed door out to space.

Air suddenly rushed out pushing everything in the area into space. "Quickly shut the airlock!" Bryan shouted grabbing for his dear life at the fixed canon.

Jack crawled towards the airlock button and pressed it , the airlock hissed shut. "OK team lets get out there and fight!" Bryan leaped into his fighter called the 'Swift'.

( Swifts are Earth fighter ships that have a sleek body with twin firing laser canons positioned below the nozzle. Two missile launchers are attached at the side under each wing

these can be fitted with seeking missiles or short ranged scatter missiles.)

The rest of the squad mounted into their fighters preparing for battle. When he saw everyone inside his or her ships he activated the remote in his ship that opens the airlock.

"YAAAHOOO! Eat potholes yer scum!" he fired lasers at the enemy ships as he shot out of the bay two went down on his first attack.

"Everyone break formation and open fire!" he said to his squad through the intercom.

"Roger!"

"Here we go!"

~~Just outside the research ship RS-002 ~~

" Dang! Just what I need, fighters behind my tail," said Renard as laser blast rained behind him.

He flipped some switches on the console releasing the parasite clamps that sticks onto enemy ships and slows them down with their small thrusters.

"C ya!" he waved at the bewildered pilots while one of his mates shot them littering the area with debris.

His fighter whizzed through space as he dodged lasers aimed at him and shooting any Swifts that got in the way.

" This is a piece of cake," he chuckled gunning down two Swifts that he was tailing.

"Ok now time to board the research ship," activating the intercom he spoke, " This is Renard I've cleared the area.

Send in the transports before the enemy sends in reinforcements, 'Panther Lead' and 'Diamond Lead' commence operation 'Ring around the roses'.

Let's make this raid they'll never forget!" he sneered. "Roger!" they said through the intercom and he escorted the transport ships to board the RS-002 when they arrived.

Both Panther and Diamond squads concentrated their attack on the other research ship forcing most of the expedition fighters to tail them.