Mission Origin View (Final Days Trilogy) (13 page)

“
Any questions?” Captain Neubauer asked.

“
That’s it?” Dr. Harper asked surprised. “That’s the plan? You’re just assuming all this will work out like you described?”

“
No, sir. I’m sure we’ll have to adapt and overcome some unexpected obstacles. That’s what marines are trained to do: adapt, overcome, and succeed,” Captain Neubauer said.

“
Captain Neubauer, this plan is unacceptable. Sir, you’re putting our lives at risk,” Dr. Harper said with a hint of excitement in his voice, which seemed to magnify his Southern accent.

Mary
interrupted before the briefing got out of hand. “Your only alternative, Doctor Harper, is to not be part of the envoy team. We can send crew members in your place who’ll pose as other scientists who are part of the expedition.”

“
No need for that, Captain Bowser,” Dr. Harper said in a calmer voice. “Doctor Jones and I will go. After all, I’m sure our reputations precede us, and they’re more likely to cooperate with our being there in person. Anyway, the more I think about it, the more I’m sure they won’t hold us hostage.”

“
Plan approved, Captain,” Mary said as she looked at Captain Neubauer. “Get your team together and get ready.”

“
Yes, sir,” he responded.

Bridge, SRS
Stephen Hawking

0930
—February 21, 2372

“
Sir, we’ve arrived in the
Gliese
system,” Lieutenant LaPalm said.

“
Very well,” Mary replied. “Full stop and maintain position.”

Yes
, sir,” LaPalm replied as she used her holographic navigation console to comply with Mary’s orders.

“
Ensign Young, contact Gliese Space Command, let them know we’ve arrived and get our approach vector,” Mary ordered.

“
Yes, sir,” he answered and then transmitted the message.

A few seconds later Ensign Young reported.
“Sir, we’ve received the approach vector to Gliese and I’ve forwarded it to Lieutenant LaPalm.”

“
Lieutenant LaPalm, set course using the approach vector and let me know our time of arrival and position relative to the planet,” Mary said.

“Course set. We
’ll arrival at Gliese
at thirteen hundred and the ship would be stationed in a high orbit above Gliese
,”
Lieutenant LaPalm reported.

“Very well,” Mary replied.

Mary then used her command chair holographic panel and selected a communication channel to Captain
Neubauer’s Anna.

“
Captain, Captain Bowser wishes to speak with you,” Neubauer’s
Anna said through his implant.

“
Put her on,” Captain
Neubauer responded.

“
Captain, we’ll be in
Gliese high orbit at thirteen hundred. Have the envoy and extraction teams standing by in the hangar
.”

“
Yes, Captain,”
Neubauer said. He paused for a second and added, “We’ll be ready, sir.”

Hangar Bay, SRS
Stephen Hawking

1200
—February 21, 2372

Mary
entered the hangar bay and saw the standard orbital VTOL and the marine assault VTOL,
Bernice
, sitting side by side. Sailors, marines, and the two scientists who made up both envoy and extraction teams were standing under the vehicles, undoubtedly talking about the upcoming mission.

“
Captain on deck!” Xia bellowed when he noted Mary’s entrance.

Everyone stood at attention.

“Carry on,” she immediately yelled as she walked toward the group.

“
Are we ready, Captain
Neubauer?” she asked as she approached him.

“
Yes, sir. We’re as ready as we can be.”

“
Gather round,” Mary ordered as she used her hands and arms to motion everyone toward her.

The team members came to where she was standing. Some stood
while others took a knee.

“
This is not a pep talk, and I won’t speak long,” Mary said with a smile.

Everyone let out a short laugh.

“I just wanted to wish you all good luck, and remember the crew of the
Stephen Hawking
has your back. If you run into any trouble, stay calm, and we’ll do whatever we have to do to help you. We’re all going to leave this planet together,” she said with confidence. “Are there any last-minute questions?”

Dr.
Jones began to speak as she timidly raised her hand. “Captain, who’s going to fly the VTOL that the envoy team will be taking?”

“
Lieutenant Klaxton will pilot the envoy VTOL. Stephen has been his flight instructor, and the lieutenant has flown the minimum hours required in a simulator to become a certified pilot. It seems the lieutenant is a quick study.”

“
Thank…thank you, Captain,” Dr. Jones said with some hesitation as if she expected a more experienced pilot.

“
Anyone else?” Captain Bowser asked.

“
Captain Bowser?” a deep voice bellowed, startling everyone.

Mary, along with everyone else, looked and saw Petty Officer Sipes with his tree
-trunk-size arm held in the air.

“
Yes, Petty Officer,” Mary said.

“
Captain, I was so busy preparing for the mission I forgot to tell
Chief Ostrow that I finished up inspecting the ship’s pressure suits and gathering the tools he asked me to stow in the ship’s hull repair locker. Will you let him know I’m finished, Captain?”

“
I’ll let him know, but you can have your Anna send him the message,” Mary answered wondering why he
bothered her with such a request, and
hoping she hadn’t made a mistake of approving him to be part of the extraction team.

Joseph lowered his head, and responded in a somber, deeper voice.
“Sorry, Captain. I didn’t think about using Anna. I’ll let him know before I leave.”

Mary
waited a few more seconds for questions, and then dismissed the group.

***

The men and women broke up into twos and threes and started talking. Captain Neubauer and Commander
Steward used their remaining time before the mission to talk with Mary.

Gideon, now wearing a navy
-blue jumpsuit with the same insignia the other scientists aboard the
Stephen Hawking
wore, walked around the VTOL he would pilot. It was
part of the traditional preflight check to inspect the exterior of the craft, looking for any damage or leaks. Sergeant Tidwell was doing the same preflight inspection on
Bernice.

Gideon
’s designation call sign for the mission would be Envoy One, while
Sergeant Tidwell’s assault VTOL,
Bernice
, was designated as Extract One.

“
Sorry, sir,” Gideon heard someone behind him. He turned and saw Sipes in a snug-fitting environmental suit.

“
What are you sorry for, Sipes?” Gideon asked as he continued his inspection.

“
For being so dumb, sir!” Sipes answered as he followed Gideon around the VTOL.

“
It’s normal to forget things when you’re stressed, Sipes,” Gideon said as he stopped to make sure an external access panel was secured. “This is something you haven’t done before, and it’s natural to be stressed about it. Just remember to do what you’re told, and everything will be fine.”

“
I guess that also means I do what Gunny Xia says too?” Joseph asked with concern.

“
Yes. It’s no secret that Gunny Xia doesn’t like you.” Gideon paused, grinned, and added, “As a matter of fact, he probably doesn’t like me either. But he’s a marine first, and I’m sure he’ll do his duty to keep everyone safe and complete the mission.”

“
I’ll do what I’m told, Lieutenant, and I won’t let you down,” Joseph said with a smile. “After all, my grandma told me in my dream to do my best to help save everybody.”

“
You’ll do fine, Sipes,” Gideon said as he finished his inspection. “Better get back to your team and stand by.”

“
Yes, sir,” Joseph said as he turned and walked toward the extraction team standing beside
Bernice.

***

“Captain Bowser?” Mary’s Anna said. “We’ve received a message from
Gliese
Space Command to launch the envoy orbital VTOL.”

“
Very well,” Mary said. “Gentlemen, w
e just received our invitation to visit Gliese. Load ‘em up, and let’s get this done.”

Both officers saluted Mary and yelled for their individual teams to board the VTOLs.

Mary left the hangar and walked to the hangar bay control room.

Commander Steward boarded Envoy One first, followed by D
r. Jones and Dr. Harper. Gideon followed a few seconds later, after giving Captain Neubauer a thumbs-up to tell him he was ready.

Sergeant Tidwell was already seated in the pilot
’s chair of Extract One, going through his preflight checklist, as Gunny Xia stood at the loading ramp, waving the extraction team on board. Sergeant Manelly entered first followed by Corporal Gault,
Sergeant Kindle,
Joseph and Captain Neubauer. Each marine wore standard camouflaged enhanced battle armor carrying a MPB-92 while Joseph wore a standard navy-blue environmental suit.

A few minutes later both VTOL
s were powered up and ready to depart. Gideon had received the course vector to
Canton Mie and was loading it into the VTOL’s AI computer as he sat in the pilot’s seat. Commander Steward sat in the copilot seat, assisting where he could. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harper sat quietly in the cargo bay.

“
Waiting on you, LT,” Sergeant Tidwell said over a secure VTOL-to-VTOL laser communication link. “I’ll be on your wing.”

“
Roger that. Just finishing my preflight systems checks, Tidwell,” Gideon answered.

Mary
safely watched the two VTOLs from behind the observation window of the hangar bay control room. The engines from both VTOLs shook the
Stephen Hawking
as she watched both VTOLs’ atmospheric flight control systems move up and down and then side to side.

“
Envoy One and Extract One, this is
Stephen Hawking
hangar bay control. External hangar doors opening in one minute,” Petty Officer Joel West said as he used the holographic hangar bay control panel to transmit the message and prepared to open the hangar doors.

“
Roger, shuttle control,” Tidwell said. “Switching to stealth mode now.”

Mary watched as
Bernice
seemed to disappear as its exterior began to blend in with its surroundings like a chameleon.

A few seconds later the hang
ar bay doors opened, and stars twinkled behind the envoy VTOL.

“
Envoy One, this is hangar bay control. You’re cleared to depart.” Petty Officer West said.

“
Roger, hangar control. Envoy One departing,” Gideon answered as he carefully used the VTOL controls to maneuver the orbital VTOL out of the hangar without hitting the now-invisible
Bernice
.

W
ith the assistance of the VTOL AI, Gideon set course to Canton Mie using the preprogrammed vector.

“
Hangar control, this is Envoy One. Following Gliese Space Command vector,” Gideon transmitted, using the VTOL’s unsecure radio frequency (RF) communications.

“
Roger, Envoy One,” Petty Officer West responded.

***

Gideon used his control panel to communicate with
Bernice
using only the secure ship-to-ship laser communications.

“
Are you on my wing, Tidwell?” Gideon asked, wanting to make sure
Bernice
was there.  

“On your wing, LT,” Tidwell responded. Although
Bernice
was in stealth mode, it still emitted a minute amount of heat, and being on the wing of the standard orbital VTOL made
Bernice
virtually undetectable.

“
Very well, Tidwell,” Gideon answered as a warning tone sounded. His holographic flight controls reported two objects on an intercept vector.