Titan Encounter (9 page)

Mara gave him a
perplexed look. “So?”

With a shrug he
continued his walk about the bridge.
Why would it start warming and
pulsating only when we got here?

Mara turned to
Justin, “We’re about as close to the gate as I want to get.”

Without pausing his
slow walk about the bridge he mumbled, “Put us in orbit around the point.”

Seconds later Mara
announced, “Forward momentum zero.
Thrusters at
station-keeping.”

He finished another
unhurried lap around the bridge as a smile spread slowly.  “How many ways
can you send energy from one place to another?”

Both women shrugged.

He waved his hand
toward the pendant. “Less than an hour ago we thought it was just jewelry, but
it’s not.  Energy, in some form, has activated it.”

Mara leaned back in
her chair. “You’re thinking either the gate or ship is sending it power?”

“Yes. I’m sure Dr.
Galen knew the pendant would activate when they approached….”

“Look!” Naomi
pointed to the screen, her eyes wide.  Lights flashed on the derelict.

“Sensors indicate environmental
systems are turning on,” Mara declared.  “I’m detecting infrared
radiation.”

As the derelict’s
docking bay opened. The lights of the ship and the pendant now pulsated in
unison. “Apparently someone wants us to pay them a visit.”

Mara pulled Justin
aside before he entered the skiff’s airlock. “I’m not sure this is a good
idea.”

He sighed and
stepped inside the hatch. “We already talked about it. I thought we should take
the pendant to the ship and Naomi insisted she go with it.”

“No,
not that…well really more than that.”
She paused. “Is going over there a good
idea?”

He smiled weakly.
“It’s a lot better than sitting here until our food and fuel runs out.” 
But
I wish I had a weapon for this trip.
He squeezed her hand. “We’ll be back
in minutes.”

Mara handed him a
commlink
. “I’m going to reconnect to the ship—just in case
we need to move fast.”

He nodded.
But,
where can we go?

 She smiled
weakly and shut the airlock hatch.

From the pilot seat,
Naomi looked over her shoulder as he entered the rear of the skiff. The low
light of the control panel and the glow from the pendant dangling outside her
blouse,
softly illuminated her face. For a moment Justin
drank the pleasing picture.

She smiled. “You
need to seal the hatch.”

“Oh, yes.” He turned
and did so. “Can you fly this thing?”

“Yes. I am a good
pilot.”

He looked at the
six, empty, passenger seats in the cramped compartment and smiled, “Should I
sit back here?”

She gestured toward
the co-pilot seat, “We should get started.”

As the skiff glided
toward the frigate, Justin was glad he sat up front.  The cockpit window
provided a panoramic view. Instantly he observed a counter clockwise swirl on
the planet before him.  It was a storm disrupting the crimson, orange,
brown and white bands that otherwise encircled the giant world. Off the
starboard bow, two icy silver moons slid by in the endless sashay of the solar
system, while off the port side the arc of the encircling rings dipped below
his view. A host of stars served as the backdrop for the grand vista.

“Usually we see this
as a hologram or an image on a screen,” he said, still focused on the
spectacle. “I’ve never seen anything like this before in real life.”

Naomi glanced at him
and smiled, “In the Earth system there is a planet called Saturn that is very
similar.” She returned to the ship controls.
“ETA at the
derelict two minutes.”

Slowly he scanned
the view. “I want to remember this and paint it someday.”

The skiff touched
down in the bay and air filled the compartment. As she exited the craft Naomi
crossed her arms. “This ship is cold.”

His smiled at her
frosty breath and nodded.

“Which way should we
go?”

The etching wobbled
back and forth. “Look at your pendant.”

She took the chain
from her neck and held it in her hand like a compass. After a moment, she
pointed to the other side of the skiff toward the bow of the ship.

Walking briskly in
the cold they came to the far side of the craft. Painted high on the bulkhead
before them was a double helix shield with crossed swords.

Justin stared at the
emblem, but raised the
commlink
to his lips. “Mara,
we’re onboard. It’s a Titan ship.”

“Get out, now! We’ll
come up with some other plan.”

Fear tempted him.

Naomi shook her head.
“Whoever created this pendant and left the ship here wanted people to find this
place and there could be food and fuel onboard.”

He agreed. “Let’s be
quick.”

Several minutes
later, as they trotted down a passageway, Naomi peered down at the orb and pointed
ahead.

Justin glanced at
the pendant. The golden glow was now constant. The etching stood out in sharp
contrast. “I think we’re close.” 

Breathing heavily,
they approached an entryway with two sliding doors.  The same two
intersecting arcs that created the simple outline of a fish on Naomi’s pendant
were etched on one side while on the other was the double helix coat of
arms. 

Justin continued
toward the doors.

Naomi stopped five
meters from them.

They did not
open.    

Glancing down at the
glowing orb she said, “Our path is through that door.”

The
commlink
crackled. “Justin, come in.” Tension sprang from
Mara’s voice.

“What’s the
problem?” He continued to look for a way to open the hatch.

“Two ships just
entered normal space at the edge of the system.”

“Can you identify?”

“Not at this
distance.”

 “Well don’t
worry. They could be anybody, miners, explorers, researchers. They could be
lost. Who knows why they’re here.” He didn’t believe that, but it almost
sounded plausible. “Have they seen us?”

“I don’t think so.
We’re using minimal power so we’re not much of a sensor target.”

“Okay. Let me know
when you have more information.”

Justin continued to
look for a switch, knob, or
lever, that
would allow
them to pass.  After several moments he glanced back at Naomi still
standing several meters behind. “Is something wrong?”

Naomi didn’t
move.  “The ships…. It is probably
Ferren
, and
others, looking for us.”

Continuing to search
along the wall he nodded in agreement.

“The gate may not
work…”

He gestured toward
the door. “It might if we get inside.”

“I need to say
something—just in case.”

Frustrated, he
slowly turned and without emotion asked, “What?”

The radio crackled
again. “Justin, come in.”

“What?” He didn’t
attempt to hide his annoyance.

“They’re
broadcasting an order for us to surrender. It’s
Ferren’s
ship, the Acheron, and a police cruiser.”

“How much fuel do we
have?”

“Not enough to get
away. What do we do?”

Justin leaned
against the bulkhead. “Are they on an approach vector?”

“No, they’re in a
search pattern.”

He shook his head.
“They haven’t found us.”
Yet.
“But if we
activate the gate you can bet they’ll jump right on top of us.”

Looking at Naomi, he
asked, “What were you saying?”

“Never mind,” She
said coolly. “Let’s figure out how to open that door.”  For the first time
she moved right in front.  It slid open. 

Justin swept the
small room with his eyes. Consoles and displays lined the bulkheads. A terminal
stood in the middle.   

Naomi stepped into
the compartment.

Immediately the
doors moved to close. Justin leapt through as they did, landing with a thud on
the deck. He picked himself up as the holographic image of a man in uniform
appeared.

“Greetings.
I am the sentinel
for this gate. If you wish to pass through come forward and be identified.” The
man gestured toward the panel in front of him.  

Justin followed his
motion.  Located at the center of the controls was the contoured
depression in the shape of a left hand.  Before he could say anything,
Naomi placed her hand in it.

“Ouch! It pricked my
finger,” she said rubbing it.

The sentinel’s eyes
fixed on Naomi standing at the console. He seemed to ponder something about
her.  Then text streamed down the screen beside him.

Justin stepped
closer attempting to read it, but it wasn’t words, merely long strings of
letters that rapidly scrolled down.  

“My
DNA?”
Naomi said, staring at the screen.

When the cascade of
letters stopped the display ended with two lines of text.

Subject: Female.

I noticed.

DNA sequence:
84-11.  Specialty: Mobile Infantry Pilot.

A slight smile
spread across the face of the hologram. “Welcome,
sister
Titan. What is your rank?”

“Sister?”
She looked at
Justin.
“Rank?”

He shrugged.

“Lieutenant?”

He nodded. “There is
another person on the bridge.  Come forward and be identified.”

Justin placed his
hand in the outline and felt the sting at the end of his index finger.

Again the letters
flowed in rapid succession.

Subject:
Male    

DNA sequence:
133-37.  Specialty: Naval Line Office
r.

 “Welcome,
brother
Titan. What is your rank?”

In some corner of
his mind, he had held out hope that it was all some misunderstanding, that he
was not a Titan, and could explain what had happened to
Ferren
and resume his ordinary norm life. But that last thread of hope had been
consumed by the words “Welcome,
brother
Titan.”

He glanced at Naomi
and was thankful that if he must travel down this frightful road he had her and
Mara’s companionship.

“What is your rank,
brother
Titan?”

Brother Titan?
His eyes darted from
the sentinel to Naomi. He had no desire to be outranked by her so, with a wry
smile in her direction, said, “Admiral.”

The sentinel
saluted. A holographic display of the system appeared. Turning toward it he
pointed, “There are three ships in the solar system, please identify friend and
foe.”

Justin quickly did
so.

“Do you wish me to
engage the enemy?”

“We need to return
to our ship and jump. Provide covering fire as we do.”

“Yes,
Admiral.”
Again the sentinel gestured to a console. “Please insert the key.”

“Key?”
Naomi asked.

Justin pointed to
the chain in her hand.
“Your pendant.”

 She placed the
golden orb in a slot on the terminal.

 “Coordinates
entered…Destination locked…Activating gate…You may remove the key.”

Naomi retrieved her
pendant, but her eyes remained fixed on the sentinel.

“Justin,” Mara
shouted over the
commlink
, “The gate!  A
wormhole is forming!”

“We’re coming,”
Justin shouted into the
commlink
. “Be ready to jump.”
He ran toward the door, but stopped short when it did not open. He looked back
at Naomi.

She had not moved.

“We’ve got to go.”

“Of
course.”
Her gaze slid from the silent sentinel to Justin. “It all makes sense
now.  “Dr. Galen knew I was made from Titan DNA and figured they would
hide me.” Her mouth hung agape. “The Titans must be on the other side of the
gate.”

“
Ferren
and the police are on this side.”

She remained fixed
like a statue.

He breathed deeply.
“What chance do we have here?” He walked up to her and gently took her hand. “
Ferren
and the police will kill us.”

Tears welled in her
eyes. “The Titans…”

“Didn’t
kill other Titans.”
He moved quickly to her and pulled her close. “Please,
come with me. Whatever is on the other side we’ll face it together.”  The
door opened as they stepped forward. He urged her on as raced down the
passageway, through the ship, and across the docking bay. The whoosh of missile
launches and the crackle of particle beams greeted them as they ran up the ramp
and into the skiff.