Alpha Security Chapter 20

[Ed Man]

The Dig
Chapter 20

The Neptune was finished and all the testing was over. The Excel and Zipper was in the lower dock. The Exaireo and two M3 fighters and a specially equipped research Buster was in the upper dock. Josh had pieced together a small crew of some of the best for the ship. Cutter was the flight leader and second in command under Josh. Cutter had so many different Pirate Clans after him he was becoming a regular target for Mercenaries and needed a new placement in the company.
Sherry had been called away on Government business which worked out well for Josh seeing they were about to go dig up a ancient structure she knew nothing about. Mina had went to Argon Prime to take a business course after Cutter helped her capture a M3 and its escorts giving Mina a M3 and the credits to do what she wanted.

The Neptune was headed for the planet at a slow speed as Josh and his team were waiting on the final approval to explore several places on the planet one of which was there main objective. The Planet was only three weeks away from opening up to be colonized. The construction crews and explorers would be the first with a few lone groups ready to make there mark on the new planet.

The Military had already placed a base on the planet and everyone and everything had to go to the base first. Satellites were placed in orbit and fighter wings were already patrolling the planet. The Argon Trading Station was about completed and would be in full operation within a week. The Station would be a first stop and screening port for anything and anybody headed for the planet.

[Sarah] “We have just received confirmation and can proceed to the planet.”
[Josh] “Good Cutter set course and hold it at 75% we don’t want to scare the locals.”
[Cutter] “Understood Commander increasing speed to 75%.”
Josh wanted to be able to catch or outrun any capital ship made and the Neptune had just achieve the 400m/s in the test flight.
The ship was Company’s Flag Ship with the firepower of a destroyer and the speed of a fighter and could maneuver better than a M6. There was six new shields each at 500 megs giving the Neptune 3 gigs the best shielding known while recharging faster than the standard 125meg. And the new missile bay could spit out missiles faster than most factory’s. The jump drive could point to point jump as well as Gate travel. The ship was a marvel of technology that set a new standard that every race would strive to catch up to.

There was two M3 and a M5 scout that Cutter had captured for the Neptune being refitted in the docking bays. The lower docking bay was being reinforced to hold up the ship in a crash landing. Shielded heavy assault soldier drones were being built and stored in a section off the armory. All the modifications weapons reserve and fighter refits would be finished within the week increasing ships status to 100%.

[Cutter] “Commander Galen we are receiving a message from the base asking to speak with you.”
[Josh] “Patch it through to my office. Yes can I help you?”
“This is Mitchell I have a request Josh. And it’s good to see you again Sir or should I say Governor.”
[Josh] “Good to see you Mitchell I was wanting to see you before I left the sector I seen your name on the list of new personal. Lets keep it informal just Josh what can I do for you?”
[Mitchell] “I was wanting to take a tour of the Neptune with the other three Senior Officers and save you a trip to the base.”
[Josh] “Bring your science officer with you and make it five but no scanners I have a gift for her that should keep the research department busy for years. After the tour you and your fellow officers can dine with me.”
[Mitchell] “We’ll leave as soon as you make orbit and thanks Josh.”
[Josh] “How long till we make orbit with the planet?”
[Sarah] “30 minutes till we make orbit.”
[Josh] “Cutter tell the crew well be having guest I want each of the division officers ready to give our guest a tour of their department.” [Cutter] “We’ll be ready Sir.”
Josh was waiting in the dock as Mitchell requested. “Permission to come aboard Sir.”
[Josh] “Permission granted and welcome aboard. Please no scanners or cameras or tapes during the tour. We have planed a reception dinner for you after the tour so if you will I start with the galley so each of you can give the cook your orders so your food will be ready when we’re finished.”

Josh lead the group to the kitchen as the cook took their orders and showed them the galley. Then Josh took them to each department as the Officer in charge showed the group their section. The final stop was the ships bridge. [Josh] “This is my second in command and one of the best fighter pilots I have ever meet Commander Cutter.”
One of the officers asked. “I noticed you only have a small defense force and assault force onboard.”
[Josh] “Every person onboard is a trained soldier and has a weapon and knows how use it if they need to. But our main purpose is not assault but rescue, support and defense of company installations and ships. Our Company has stations in Boron and Argon Space and we are planning on building Stations in the other races sectors. Our ships fly in and out of every known friendly sector and race. This ship will quickly stop a Pirate Clan or some radical nut from attacking our stations. Quick response teams are ready to jump in and assist any company ship under attack. As our company has developed into a Intergalactic Corporation I decided it was time to build the Neptune our Company Flag Ship.”

[Mitchell] “We came here to save you a trip to the base and look at you ship but please stop in any time you want. We also need your signature on this authorization for you and your teams to do a little exploring and digging around. I hope you find something other than rocks and dirt because that’s all the Military Survey teams found.”
[Josh] “I hope so I went to a jewel show one time and the unfinished gems looked like rocks to me. But the Man giving the show knew what to look for. I have teamed up some of the people who know what to look for.”
[Mitchell] “If you find something you can stake a claim to one section and pay for it and declare what you found or plan on doing with the land. You seen the maps the futher away from the plained cities and settlements the bigger the lots are you can stake a claim on.”

[Josh] “That’s the end of the tour if you will follow me one more time back to the galley your meals are ready. I have a few designs and a small working model of a shield and power supply for you to study.
I’ll have them in a small case you can carry onboard your ship like luggage in my office. I’ll give the case to your Science Officer before you leave. Please injoy your meals.”

Josh sat down and ate with his guest the older military men were taking time enjoying the meal and get together. The Science Officer was wanting to get to the case and look at the goodies. Josh took her PDA and downloaded the designs onto it and started explaining each part to her while the others enjoyed the get-together.
Two hours later the others were looking and lisiting to Josh and the Science Officer as they talked back and forth until she looked up seeing the others were finished and watching her replied. “I think we’re ready to leave thank you for your insight Sir.”
Josh escorted them back to their ship and watched them leave turned and ordered the teams to load up on the ships they could go to the planet and get started. Within minutes the ships were ready to leave the Buster undocked followed by the refited Harrier Cutter had captured.
Josh would set up base camp within transporter range of the ruins so he could do his examination on the structure. The teams would head out to different locations using the two ships working in five teams consisting of two men and three worker drones. Each team would set up a tent like shelter to stay in while surveying the areas. The two ships would do aerial scans of selected sights and the pilots will take geological samples to study back at the main base.
The scout ship would be surveying the outer regions being the fastest ship while the Buster would do the closer sights. Josh had loaded the Excel up with the portable feld base structure and had sent it to be deployed. While Josh and the Survey Team Leader and his assistant was leaving in the Exaireo to the base camp.

After they had landed the drones had set the moble base up and were waiting for the Doctor and his aid to give them orders. Josh landed the Exaireo within transporter range of the ruins mound so he could do his work without leaving his ship.
The base was set up and testing had started on the soil samples taken near the base some of the teams were set up and heading out to take samples. As sample testing and scanner data was starting to come in as they were mapping the data Josh thought it was a good time to return to the ship and get started.

[Josh] “Sarah lets start by sending a drone to the sight and doing a sonic test on the mound to test for openings and to get a accurate placement of the structure so we can transporting small peaces of the unknown material onboard to analyze.”
A pair of drones exited the ship and headed to the mound under the cover of darkness that had set on the camp. Several minutes later the units were in place and the data was coming in.

[Sarah] “We now have a detailed reading on the structures placement and size do you want to start transporting the samples?” [Josh] “Yes transport two samples of each unknown material into a secure container in case they are toxic.”
[Sarah] “Understood transporting now. Futher study showes a room that appears to be a controld room is open with unknown readings as if the room is cought in a the middle of being transported.”
[Josh] “Ping the structure again and recheck the readings.”
Josh watched as the reading came in the same as the last test.

[Josh] “Whatever it is has been there thousands of years let’s do what we came to do first and identify the meterals and try and discover its function.”
After finding that the meterals were not toxic or dangerous larger peaces were transported onboard to experiment on after maping the composition and recording it into the constructor Josh started testing the meteral. After testing on the meterals on into the daytime Josh discovered one of the materials that covered the outside of the structure created energy when exposed to sunlight and stored energy. After discovering the energy source and how it worked the other materials were tested using the new power source. They produced fresh water and all the gases to create an atmosphere. The structure was used to terra form the planet into a environment able to support life. None of the elements were natural and had to be engineered by a technologically advanced race. It had to be the Ancients this was how they transformed dead planets into live ones.
One more round of testing showed that not only did it create air the structure collected toxic gases and destroyed them in the process.
[Josh] “Sarah lock onto one of the drones and transport it into the control room of the structure.”
[Sarah] “The area is open but the drone may not function in the unstable environment the room is fixed it.”
[Josh] “Transport a scanning unit with a video camera and a peace of sliced fruit to check for time changes.”

Josh watched as the peace of fruit changed the same as the slice in the ship the time was the same according to the scanner the air and all other readings were the same. The drone was sent in and scans were taken of the equipment as the drone moved to each control panel in the room. According to the layout of the structure the control room had a smaller room on each end of the controld room that had a hatch leading into the room and a hatch leading out of the smaller room into the inside of the structure.
The drone opened the hatch on the right side of the room and steped into a room with the remnants of environmental suits hanging up on the wall. The hatch at the end of the smaller room lead to a double hatch room to gane access to the inside of the structure like a flooding conpartment for under water access.
The drone checked the room on the other end as it was the same setup just on the other end.

[Josh] “Have the drone open the door leading out of the structure.”
As the drone opened the door the remains of a dead body was in the hallway. All that was left was the dried bones of a human with a large armband on the forearm with a small lid opened up to a keypad on the armband.
[Sarah] “The armband is the source of the unknown readings.”
[Josh] “Have the drone move the scanner and fruit into the hallway just inside the hatch.”
The drone placed the scanner and fruit inside the hallway and moved back into the contrl room. The reading were constant with normal time the scanner camera picked up a flashing light coming from the armband.
[Josh] “The armband is active are you getting any readings?”
[Sarah] “None something is there but there is no readings it is like the area around the armband is not there.”
[Josh] “Move the drone back and transport me over after I get the scanner the Ancient gave me.”
[Sarah] “That is not a wise chose of actions can you send one of the research workers?”
[Josh] “You have never question my orders before why now?”
[Sarah] “One of my main functions is to assure your wellbeing if something goes wrong I can’t help you.”
[Josh] “The scanner will only work for me that’s why I’ll but on a suit and take my assault rifle with me for protection just to be on the safe side does that make you fell beter?”
[Sarah] “No it doesn’t.” [Josh] “Have the drone pick up the scanner and hold it about three feet over the top of the armband first.”
The drone moved into place the scanner was still blank.
[Josh] “Have the drone hold its position while I get ready.”
Josh went into the back and got the scanner and put his suit and gear on grabbed his rifle and said. “Sarah transport me over to the control room.”
Josh was in the control room of the structure as he took his scanner and started taking readings then moved to the door. “Sarah have you got anything else of the scanner?”
[Sarah] “Yes the scanner is picking up readings from the armband it is creating a small feld you need to get into the field to get a accurate reading. Get within four feet of the armband and you will be inside the field.”
Josh moved into the hallway and squated down near the armband.
[Josh] “Are you getting anything now?”
[Sarah] “Yes the armband is a controld unit for a space and time transporter. I am receiving the data now.
It is activated by opening the lid that is open and typing in a code for the place and time and closing the lid to make the jump. The armband is active I suggest you move away from the armband we have all the data.”
[Josh] “As soon as I’m in the clear transport me out.”
Josh was standing back up as he noticed a piece of fruit falling from the dish ontop of the scanner only inches away from the lid.
As Josh yelled. “SARAH Trans.” And then nothing

Sarah was scanning the area Josh was gone. No only Josh but the whole structure was gone. No mound of dirt nothing just a few plants and trees where the mound was.
The drone and sensors that were outside were on the ground in the same area they were in but on the ground. The mound and structure just vanished with Josh in it.

[Sarah] “Commander Cutter I need you to send a search and rescue team to the Exaireo Josh has just vanished while seaching a mound. The whole mound and area have changed. Please board the ship so I can debrief you on the events leading up to his disappearance.”
[Cutter] “We’re on our way.”




The next Story will be Lost in Time

[parameter]

Hi Edman, got a one time chance to get to read the Creative forums. Nice work! That will teach Josh to use fruit for aging test. Had to read this story from beginning to end. Nice work!