Links to other Parts:

Part 1: Not Alone

Part 2: A Spy Unrealized

Part 3a: The Journey Part 1

Part 3b: The Journey Part 2

And now, Part 4

***

The Not So Distant Future...

"Shuttle prepped for launch, and the buggies are loaded."

"Great, Jay. We'll be right there." Flynn turned to the rest of his team. "Our job's easy. We go in, we make sure the tach-com is working properly, change the settings to accept our transmissions, and get out. Questions?"

"What about that thing that's out there?" Ariel Johnson asked. Flynn groaned mentally. All it took was one rumor... Still, it didn't matter. He was almost certain that there wasn't anything tangible there. Dust, a sensor glitch, nothing major.

"We don't know if there is anything there. It might have been a problem with the sensors. However, we will be going in with our shield down so we can use our maximum scanning capacity. So Jay, fly carefully."

"Got it." No more questions materialized, and the group climbed aboard the shuttle.

"I wonder how Jackal and Spitfire are doing," Flynn said.

***

On the surface, Spiridon Brand was not happy. "What do they expect us to find, footprints? Tire tracks? I'm a geologist, not a tracker. Besides, this isn't Luna. Winds, dust, and lightning, not an unchanging landscape that stays the same for years!"

"You think that you're out of your depth? I'm an archaeologist! I'm better at finding entire civilizations that have been dead for millenia than at finding a nomadic, living group."

"Just venting a bit," Spiridon assured him.

"Same here," Jackal replied. "Besides, we know where they found the grass, so we've got a starting place at least."

"Pity we couldn't take a hovercraft or the jet. We could use the extra speed."

"We'll get there soon. Besides, the hover fields would have wreaked havoc with any tracks that were there."

"True." Silence held for the remainder of the brief journey to the field. The grass there was brown, seemingly dead. "Well, they wouldn't have stayed here," Spiridon sighed.

"Hold on, I'll grab a sample of it," Jackal said. He climbed out of his buggy and cut a blade off. He placed it in a sample jar, then held it up to the light. Suddenly, he saw something glint green on the horizon. "Spitfire, you see that?"

"What?"

"Horizon line, green, reflective." Spiridon squinted.

"I see it. It's out of sensor range."

"Go have a look. Shields up, though, minimum strength. I'll look around here." Spitfire's buggy took off with a cloud of dust behind it.

"I'll check back when I can get a reading."

"Good luck." Jackal looked around and sighed. "You'd think they'd have left a HELP or something."

*** 

"We'll enter Phobos orbit in three minutes."

"Thanks Jay." Flynn switched over to the group comm. "Alright, comm check, everyone."

"The Dude, ready."

"Supercheese, prepared."

"Tigerstorm, accounted for."

"Flyclub, all set. Jay, you hear all that?"

"This is Solar Flare, I hear you loud and clear." Flynn laughed quietly to himself. Call-signs were good reminders of how individual people were.

"What do the sensors say, Jay?"

"Just normal debris. Nothing that would explain what I saw."

"I'll check the sensors when we get back to base. Last thing we need is..." A warning buzzer cut him off.

"I've got something! Starboard side, just coming around the moon!" Everyone rushed to the nearest window. As the shield plates slid back, all gaped at the enormous shape, looming over the satellite's horizon.

***

"Mission log, day 35..."

"Pause playback." The computer obeyed a bleary-eyed Glast's command.

"What is it, Tess?"

"Tom, use your head. We've skimming through over 800 hours of footage for the past 5 hours, and have found no references to secrecy, covert operations, or even who bluffed who at the weekly poker game!" Babage ran through his best options. A: become defensive, and irritate an already annoyed coworker; B: Become silent and ponder philosophy while Glast calmed down; or C: accede to the demands of both their tired brains for sleep. C seemed the best of all.

"Alright, then. We can come back to this later. You go get some sleep, I'll just watch this last log entry and turn in for the night." The prospect of sleep visibly calmed Glast.

"Okay. See you in the morning." As Glast stood and stretched, Babage resumed the playback.

"Orders came through today. We're to build a bunker, a safe-room beneath the base. Why this is being insisted upon seems evident, but the reactors have been stable since we brought them online. However, the orders were signed by Aubrey. We're also to keep this off the records, and not mention it in our logs, communications, or supply sheets. I'm not sure why so much secrecy is required, but I'm nervous now that something's happened with one of the test reactors on Earth. If these things are oversized bombs, I see the need for a bunker. But why the covert nature?" Tom turned. Glast had stopped with her hand on the door pad.

"There's something fishy about this. If they weren't supposed to mention these orders, why is this here?" An information request showed why. LOG, DAY 35, ERASED FROM PRIMARY MEMORY. TRANSFERED TO MISSION RECORDING DEVICE/BLACK BOX PRIOR TO ERASURE. "But Aubrey didn't know about the bunker! How could he have given the orders?" Glast's frustration was obvious, but Babage's thoughts turned to the less so.

"Perhaps he did know. Glast, we need to talk to Aubrey. Privately."

"You can't be thinking that..."

"'The simplest explanation is most likely the correct one.'"

"Tom, Occam's Razor does not mean that Aubrey is lying to everyone!"

"Even so, we have to make sure. And, on that thought, we should bring our CMO with us." Babage locked the files, then headed for sickbay, Glast following worriedly. 

***

"What is it?" Johnson gasped. The station was at least 1,000 times the size of their shuttle. Kestrel tapped a few controls, and a partial tri-d of the station appeared.

"There's no registry beacon, so it's not one of ours. Anyone recognize it?"

"I think so," Flynn said. "Run a comparison between this and any large spacecraft lost in the last 20 years." Images scrolled over the screen. Finally, one matched. "Voyager 3!" Flynn was astounded. "I worked on that station as an intern! The first exploratory space station...and so far, the last."

"Wait, so that thing is from Earth?" Dustin Brown was skeptical. "Then why isn't it common knowledge? Something that size could not have been built in orbit without someone noticing."

"Geostationary orbit over Antarctica," Flynn explained. "NASA was skeptical about it. It was revolutionary, and as such, prototypical. Automated robotic maintenance systems, full size flight section, high speed shuttles that could break the sound barrier without a sound..."

"So it was expensive. Why is it here though?" Dustin demanded.

"The maintenance systems malfunctioned, and began damaging parts of the ship. They were equipped with heat shields, and if they had made it to Earth..." No explanation was necessary.

"Why'd they send it to Mars?"

"They didn't. It was launched towards the sun, but contact was lost shortly after it passed Mercury."

"Well, guess we know where it wound up now," Brown said drily. "Should we ignore it?" Flynn turned to Kestrel.

"Jay, are you reading an atmosphere?" The scans came back quickly.

"Oxy-nitro, well within Earth normal. 1G as well." Flynn nodded in thought.

"What are you reading on the relay station?"

"Intact, operational. We don't even have to go down there, I can reset the permissions remotely."

"Alright then. Jay, you take care of the relay. Everyone else, suit up. We're going over there." As the rest of the group headed for the launch bay, Flynn opened a channel back to base. "Aubrey, you're not going to believe what we found."

***

As Flynn outlined what they had discovered, Falconer's expression grew more and more incredulous. "You're right, I don't believe it. Or at least, I wouldn't without those scans. Apart from you and me, only 30 people know about the scuttling of Voyager 3. Find out what brought it here, and then relay those findings back to me."

"No problem. Clubbaire out." As soon as the channel closed, Aubrey checked the status of the relay. The link was set. He typed in his password, and prepared to make a call to Mission Control. He was about to press the Connect button when his door chimed.

"Come in." Glast, Babage, and Futureboy walked in. "Did you find something?" Falconer asked.

"We did," Babage said. "Before we tell you what we found, we have to make sure of something."

"Alright, what?" Futureboy stepped forward.

"If you would place your hand on this pad?" Falconer did so. "What is your name," Futureboy asked.

"Aubrey Falconer."

"What is 6 times 7?"

"42." Falconer was perplexed now. "Is there a reason for this?"

"Please," Babage insisted. "This will only take a minute."

"Now," Futureboy continued, "were you aware of the existence of the bunker before we arrived on Mars?"

"No." Glast cleared her throat, then spoke.

"Did you sign orders requiring the construction of the bunker, and all secrecy associated with it?"

"No! Now what is going on?" Futureboy took back the pad.

"He's not lying," he confirmed.

"Thanks Doc," Babage said. "Now, Aubrey, what we found was that Thompson recorded a log entry in which he stated that the orders to build the bunker were signed by you. He erased it from main memory, but the recorder kept it."

"I never signed anything of the sort!" Anger was clearly present on Falconer's face. "Bring up the entry here. I want the Director to see this, and I expect an explanation."

***

As Spiridon approached the green glint, he noticed something about it. "Rob, that green thing's airborne."

"Any reading yet?"

"No." He closed to within 100 meters. "Metallic, but I'm getting life-signs as well! And there's another one on the ground!"

"What are they?"

"The one on the ground's human! I don't recognize the other one, but something is very strange about this! I'll try a call." The external speaker's focused towards the life-signs. "Hello!" The effect was almost immediate. The green thing dove to the ground, leveled out, and started running. The human broke into a run as well. "Rob, they're running!"

"Call them again!"

"No use, they're too far away already!" Suddenly, the life-signs disappeared. "They're gone!"

"What? No, that's impossible!"

"Nevertheless, they were there one second and gone the next!" Andrews sighed.

"That was probably our best lead. Let's head back to base, theirs nothing else here. I just hope we can figure out what that was from the recordings."

 

***

"The secondary airlock's located next to the bridge. We'll go in through there, and head for the flight recorders here, here, and here." The areas Flynn indicated flashed on everyone's screens. "One here, on the bridge. One here, in the hangar bay. And one here, on the lowest level." Everyone picked up on the ominous tone in his voice on the last location.

"What's in the lower level?" Johnson asked.  Flynn sighed.

"We managed to confine the Autonomous Maintenance System to the lower levels. No access to the power core, the airlocks, or the propulsions systems. However, it's power source was nuclear. If it failed to shut down with the rest of the station, it's still active."

"How bad can an automated cleaning service be?" Dustin's skepticism irritated Flynn.

"Trust me, you don't want to know. But if you hear something unusual, head the other way"

"Sorry to interrupt, but we're here," Kestrel said from the bridge.

"Great. Wait here. If we go silent for more than ten minutes, broadcast this code to this area."

"What's it do?"

"Overloads the core." Surprised noises issued from everyone. "If anyone wants to stay here, that's fine." No one opted out. "Alright then, here we go." The shuttle's ramp came down, and 4 buggies drove onto the ledge of Voyager 3's airlock.

*** 

Kestrel watched as the small group maneuvered through the lock. Apart from the expected energy readings of the lock's motors, nothing seemed particularly out of the ordinary. That is, if a rogue space station could be called ordinary. He blinked. The next time he glanced at the monitors, something had appeared. "Flynn, I'm picking up a metal object and life signs in the hangar bay! It just appeared!"

"What do you mean just appeared?"

"Just that! It wasn't there one second, and was there the next!"

"We'll check it out. Thanks Jay." Kestrel copied the sensor records from the past minute and sent them to the base. Maybe someone there could figure out what had happened.

***

"What is going on here?" The Director of NASA was visibly taken aback by Falconer's anger.

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Daniel, I have just learned that a secret bunker was built without my knowledge under Planitia Base, and apparently authorized by me. Since I know I didn't sign anything similar, I'm rather curious as to why the heck my signature is on a document that I've never seen!"

"I've never heard of anything like this either! Plans, records, nothing says anything about that! So you can stop pointing fingers, because we're both in the dark!" Falconer was still fuming, but his rage was dissapating. 

"Fine. Sorry. So, where do we go from here?" The Director pondered for a moment.

"Your tach-com's working at full capacity, right?"

"Yes..."

"And you have Zach aboard, right?"

"Yes...why?"

"Talk to him about remote access. Bring him onboard. If there are any files about this, on Earth or Mars, he'll find them." The director tapped a few keys. "Tell him to use the Ares Beta code on what I just sent him. He'll know what to do."

"Thanks." A window flashed at the side of the screen. "Something new here. Thanks for the help."

"No problem. I owe you for handling the Planitia Disaster."

"My department, my responsibility. And keep this quiet, but from what we're finding here, it's looking more and more as if the Disaster wasn't that disastrous." 

"Please, no cryptic statements. That's the last thing that John left us with: just another mystery. Tell me when you know more. NASA out." The link shrank and died. Falconer paused for a moment to think. No one knew anything about this, an impossibility in this day and age. Something was very strange. He glanced at the link. Communique from Brand and Andrews. Tagline: Analysis. With two taps, he forwarded it to Glast's department. More pressing matter were at hand.

"Computer, locate Zachary Zam."

***

"I don't understand it," Spiridon said. "The one was human! Why'd they run away? The only humans on Mars were in the first mission, right?" 

"Maybe it was a Martian," Jackal said. 

"Martians aren't real!" 

"But according to the theory of exogenesis..."

"Which remains unproven..."

"Life could have arrived on Earth from another source."

"And you're suggesting that the life on Mars would look exactly like a human to the scanners?"

"Well, you did say that one was green..."

"That doesn't prove anything!"

"Well, we do know that life off of Earth exists!"

"How?"

Jackal waved the vial of grass at Spiridon. The geologist was quite peeved. "Grass does not a human being make."

"Just saying..."

"I heard. We'll know more once the Analysis department gets through with the tapes."

"And this. Race you to the cloud?"

"Alright!"

The two buggies tore away across the Martian plane. There sensors were cycled down as power was shunted to the motors. An unfortunate design flaw. On a ridge to the South, two sets of eyes watched them.

***

"They're buggies look different than the old ones," the human commented. His shorter companion nodded. "Wonder who they are." Shrug. "Sorry about your mike again. Maybe you shouldn't have landed so hard." Shrug. "Well, we should head back and tell everyone. Though I don't think he'll want us to go out on hikes anymore." Nod. The pair started climbing down. "Did you really have to send us up here?" Nod. "Guess I'll have to wait until we get back to find out why." Nod. "Oh well. Wonder what's for dinner."

***

Flynn groaned quietly to himself. This mission had turned into anything but simple, and they'd already done what they'd come here to do. Part of him wanted to just get everyone back onboard the transport shuttle, lift off, and blow this entire thing to smithereens behind them. But the new life-sign had changed that. They had to check that out at least. "Supercheese, get the recorder from the bridge and head back to the ship. Dude, you, Tigerstorm, and I will head to the hangar bay and investigate." Acknowledgements were made, and the four buggies split into two groups. "Jay, once Ariel gets back, I want you two to start prepping a quarantine bay. We'll need it if we're bringing whoever's over here back."

"Got it Flynn."

The distance to the bay from the airlock was shorter than Flynn remembered. There, amidst the rows of experimental saucer-craft and prototype transports, was a silver capsule. "The life signs are definitely coming from here," Dustin reported.

"Any sign of a comm system?"

"None."

"Orion, take care of the recorder here. Once you have it, get back to the ship."

"Sure you won't need help?"

"I'm sure." As the Dude headed into the recorder alcove, Flynn popped the canopy of his buggy. He walked over to the capsule.

"Life-signs are stable, right?"

"Yes. They indicate a sleep state."

"Okay, here goes nothing." Flynn tapped on the side of the capsule.

"They're awake!" Dustin shouted. Flynn jumped back as a hatch slid open on the capsule. A rush of air blew out into the bay, as the pressure equalized. Then, a suited figure stepped out. It started talking. Flynn could hear a voice in his suit's speakers.  

"Flynn, glad to see that someone was on the receiving end. Odd, that seemed to take a bit longer than expected." The figure looked around. "Funny...why'd you drag these old things out of storage to meet me?" 

The familiar way in which this person greeted him was a surprise to the engineer. "Who are you, exactly?"

"Don't joke, Flynn. It's me, Seb..." The voice trailed off. "My name...what's my name? Why can't I remember the rest of my name?" Puzzled, the figure seemed to peer at them more closely. "You're look younger than I remember... you too Dustin. Who else is here?" 

"Just Jay, Orion, and Ariel." Flynn carefully only gave first names. Whoever this was, something was very strange.

"Ariel? But he's... back on Earth... oh my..." The figure collapsed. Flynn rushed forward in alarm.

"Dustin, life signs!"

"Heart rate's up, but slowing. He's unconscious."

"This is just getting stranger and stranger...Dustin, take him back to the ship. Once Orion's done, I'll head for the last recorder."

"No way. If what's down there is as bad as you say it is, you'll need two people at least!" 

"This isn't up for debate. We don't know what's wrong with him, and we need to keep casualties at a minimum, if there are to be any."

"At least have Orion stand guard at the entrance! If you need help, everyone else will be too far away." 

Flynn sighed. "Fine. But only if he agrees."

Wilson agreed readily, to Flynn's dismay. Still, some back up would be nice. Dustin placed the prone Seb into the rear seat of his vehicle, and then started to head out. "Wait," Flynn said. Dustin paused. "If you can, push this pod back to the ship too. It might be important." Dustin complied. As the silver device was rolled off, Flynn climbed back into his buggy. He sealed the canopy, and, with Wilson tailing him, headed for the access elevator to the lowest level. He was not looking forward to this.

***

Still writing.

Sincerely,

Picard

 

Music is from the Disney Film The Black Hole. Thanks to Macdane for teaching me how to add music.

 

PS: I welcome creative, thoughtful critique.