Fatal Discovery

Chapter 8

Section Eight

Main Bridge

1800 Hours

April 12th, 2167

Fletcher stood looking at the images on the glass in front of him.

"Weapons signatures? From meteors?"

"I think we can assume that these are not meteors," said Commander Marvin Garrett, the balding, stone-faced chief of security.

"Is it the Russians?" The captain looked at Garrett with fear in his eyes.

Although United Earth told it's citizens that the Russians did not pose a military threat, reports from agents on the inside confirmed that Russian military technology was more advanced the Earth's.

"I don't think so sir, I'm not aware of any Russian technology like this. It's to advanced, too sophisticated."

"What are you saying?"

Garrett looked uneasy as he spoke, "I've been hearing rumors about what was discovered down on the surface and I..."

"I refuse to believe that these are alien spaceships coming to destroy us." Fletcher said this, but Garrett knew he didn't believe his own words.

Deep down Fletcher felt a terrible since of vulnerability. He had woken up that morning, confident that humans where the only sentient life out here, in our galaxy at least. But now, that confidence was shattered.

"Captain, there's a call waiting for you from the surface. It's doctor Trinneer."

Fletcher walked to the comm station and saw the doctor's face on the glass.

"I hope you have good news for me doctor."

Doctor Trinneer's face was pale. "Sorry captain, but no; mister Hollister has heard something else from the computer. He says it's another message, but he refuses to tell anyone but you."

"Well put him on screen."

The screen changed to show Derek propped up on the biobed. "Captain, those aren't meteors the sensors are picking up, their probes. Robot probe. The aliens left them to wipe out any trace of the virus that turned up after they left."

Captain Fletcher looked alarmed, as did Commander Garrett.

"Why would they want to eradicate anyone that comes into contact with the virus? That would eliminate the chance of anyone finding a cure."

"From what the message said, they think they are doing us a favor. They want to spare us from what they call 'the final stage' of the virus."

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm not about to play the victim of a mercy killing." The captain turned to the commander and said, "I want you to prepare all of the fighter-pods. Get them out there and destroy those probes before they have the chance to see us up close."

* * *

Back on the surface, Alyssa watched as Dr. Trinneer peered into the screen of his quantum microscope.

"Fantastic!" He exclaimed.

"And what would that be doctor?" Alyssa had an edge in her voice.

"There does seem to be evidence of a virus, but only at the quantum level. The virus actually attacks the atomic structure of its prey. It's capable of actually rearranging an objects atoms."

"I'm sorry if I sound rude, but why is that fantastic, shouldn't we be concerned that this virus is going to rewrite our DNA or something?"

"Well I don't think we have anything to be afraid of actually. The virus seems to be inert. If it was an artificial virus, it must not have strong enough defenses to withstand the elements this long without a host. It's like the robots they use in the deserts back on earth, if they aren't maintained, the sand gets into their gears and corrodes them. Eventually the grind to a halt."

The doctor turned to a comm panel and placed a call to captain Fletcher. The captain's face filled the screen seconds later.

"I have some good news this time captain."

"God knows I could use some."

"I have found evidence of a virus, but from all I can tell, it is inert. The virus seems to be everywhere, but none of its cells are moving. They just cling to everything they come into contact with."

"I guess no one bothered to tell those probes that the virus is dead, because they are still closing in on us. Is there anything you can do to mask the virus or better yet, destroy it?"

"I've been looking into that. So far, it has proven to be quite resilient. It has some kind of outer shell, if you will, that protects it from everything I've tried."

"Keep working on it and keep me posted of your findings." He looked around as if to make sure he was alone and then addressed Alyssa, "Alyssa, I want you assembly everyone in the mess hall until we figure out what to do about all of this. I'm going to make an address to the entire crew at 1900 hours to explain the situation."

"What exactly is the situation?"

"Let's just say 'Houston, we have a problem' is an understatement."

* * *

Alyssa walked into the main control room of the base, passing the environmental and power systems, she stopped in front of the comms station.

"Computer," the comm panel computer activated with a beep, "begin base wide address." The computer beeped twice and a small green light flashed.

"Attention all crew members, by order of the captain, all personnel are to report to the mess hall until further notice. The captain will make a base-wide address at 1900 hours." She tapped an icon on the screen in front of her and the green light stopped flashing.

Alyssa left the control room and made her way down the hall toward the mess hall. Just as she rounded the last corner, Tom yelled her name and she stopped.

"Alyssa, what's going on? Why is everyone being sent to the mess hall? I thought that only happened in the event of an emergency."

She nodded.

"Are you saying somethings happened?"

"I'm not supposed to say anything until the captain makes his address, but yes, something's happened."

Tom looked shocked as they walked into the mess hall and found a seat near the center.

The view of the martian landscape through the large windows was now obstructed by large metal shielding that had come down.

In the event of an emergency such as a hull breech or biohazard, the mess hall had been designated as the gathering point. It had been enhanced with extra shielding and it's own supply of oxygen.

Alyssa turned to say something to Tom, but he had just seen Kara, his botanist friend, and taken off to meet her.

Her thoughts turned to Fletcher. She missed him. Yes, she saw him every day, but their relationship was falling apart. They had each become so engrossed in their own respective work, that they had stopped spending time together.

I wonder if he feels the same, she thought as she watched Tom and Kara embrace.