Mission Origin View (Final Days Trilogy) (54 page)

“
Maybe we are trying to overanalyze this,” Gideon said.

“
What do you mean, Lieutenant?” Mary asked.

“
The president of the United States hasn’t given us any orders. All the orders you’ve received came from Admiral Frank. My opinion is that we don’t have any other option but to follow Admiral Frank’s orders,” Gideon answered.

“
Well, Lieutenant, it took me hours to come to that same conclusion. I wanted to know if you would agree,” Mary said with a slight smile.

“
I’m a genius. Remember, it doesn’t take me long to figure things out,” Gideon said as he returned her smile.

“
Commander, your opinion?” Mary asked.

“
Follow Admiral Frank’s orders until, or if, we receive orders from the president,” Commander Steward answered. He paused and then said, “And then we’ll have to determine if the president’s orders support and defend the Constitution.”

The three discussed the o
rders a while longer and agreed they would follow Admiral Frank’s orders and that sharing the change in orders with the rest of the crew wasn’t necessary at this time. Also, it was decided if they didn’t receive further orders from the admiral, they would meet again and discuss what they would do before arriving at Phobos.

At 1300, the
Stephen Hawking’s
new AI set a course to Phobos, and Mary ordered the AI to engage its propulsion systems. The ship entered the time-speed dimension.

The ship
would travel for two days and then exit the time-speed dimension to obtain navigation data and adjust their navigation course.

Ship’s Brig, SRS
Stephen Hawking

2113
—
March 16, 2372
 

“
Heavenly Father, thank you for my salvation through your son, Jesus, and for the many blessings you have given me. Thank you for using me as your instrument to spread the gospel and reaching those who have been saved and those who will be saved. Though I was saved by grace and have believed since a child, thank you for opening my heart and filling it with the Holy Spirit and opening my mind to understand the things I did not remember and understand as a child. Lord, I now ask that you watch over my friends and be with them through the challenging times to come. Continue to burden their hearts until they accept and believe. All these things I ask in Jesus name, amen.” Joseph prayed as he kneeled on the floor by his bunk with his hands clasped together in front of his face; recalling it was the way his grandma had taught him to pray as a child.

Before Joseph could stand, he felt a hand on his right shoulder and turned his head. He saw Michael standing there, dressed in what looked like an ancient-style armored breastplate with his black robe draped over his shoulders and his hood covering his head.

As Joseph stood to face Michael, Michael
slid his hood off his head and said, “Joseph, my friend. Take comfort in the knowledge that I will help your friends through what they must endure over the next seven years. As it is written, ‘
At that time Michael, the great prince who protects God’s people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.
’”

“
Thank you,” Joseph said with tears in his eyes.

“
Do not thank me, my friend. Thank God and give him the glory!” Michael
replied with a deep, commanding voice, and then the archangel disappeared, leaving Joseph standing in his cell alone.

En Route to Phobos, SRS
Stephen Hawking

2113-
March 28, 2372
 

The
Stephen Hawking
continued to exit the time-speed dimension every two days to obtain navigation information, recalculate its course, and communicate with Mount Mitchell via QMAC. Mary asked for and was given permission to download news media reports from Earth and the colonized planets for the crew during the QMAC connection. Once back in the time-speed dimension, the crew could browse the news and keep up with current events.

The news reports w
ere about a series of worsening events occurring on Earth and the colonized planets: wars, social unrest, massacre of ethnic groups, assassination of political leaders, and natural disasters.

Though the United Nation
s and Planets (UNP) and world nations, had ceased their threats toward the United States after President Clayton gave his official statement concerning the “Christian terrorist” aboard the
Stephen Hawking
, the news media continued to link every bad news report to the creation report Stephen had transmitted
.

Mary had not received any
new encrypted orders from Admiral Frank since the change-of-orders message. She thought about sending him a connection test message to make sure their encrypted connection was operational but decided against it in case the connection had been discovered and was being monitored.

Gunny Xia had been released f
rom sick bay and returned to light duty. Gideon ordered Xia to say away from Joseph, and Xia told Gideon he didn’t plan to see or interact with Joseph, unless of course he was ordered to.

The ship
’s crew, marines, scientists, and civilian passengers had settled into a somewhat normal daily routine. One activity, that could be considered abnormal, was the evening Bible study meeting in the hangar. Corporal Gault led the meeting because Joseph was in the brig. Mary refused Gault’s request to allow Joseph to attend but did, however, allow Joseph to participate via a portable communication console. Regulars to the meetings were, of course, Gault, Joseph, all of the children, and the old women. Most every enlisted and commissioned crew member had attended at least one of the meetings, but only a few had become regulars.

Captain Bowser’s Quarters, SRS
Stephen Hawking

0322
—March 29, 2372
 

“
Captain…Captain?” Mary’s Anna said into her ear implant until she awoke.

“
What is it, Anna?” Mary asked and rolled over on her back.

“
Doctor Pettway wants to speak with you. She says it’s urgent,” Anna said.

Mary got out of bed
, went to her desk, and brought up a communications link to the sick bay. Dr. Pettway appeared.

“
Captain, the children and women are missing!” Pettway blurted. She looked shocked.

“
What do you mean, missing?”

“
They’re not in sick bay, and my Anna or the ship’s AI can’t locate them.”

“
I’m on my way,” Mary said and terminated the transmission.

“
Anna, contact Lieutenant Klaxton and have him meet me in sick bay on the double,” Mary said.

***

“Doctor, I’ll have my men check every nook and cranny of the ship. They’ll find them.” Gideon told Dr. Pettway. “Anna, have my marines report to me in the sick bay ASAP.” Gideon said.

“
What’s going on?” Corpsman Wong almost yelled as he stood over one of the children’s bed. Then he walked to the next bed and pulled down the sheet.

“
What is it, Corpsman?” Dr. Pettway asked as she, Mary, and Gideon walked across the bay to where he was.

“
The kids’ clothes are in their locker, and their sleepwear is lying in their beds,” Wong looked puzzled. “Not only are the children missing; they aren’t wearing anything.”

Gideon
went to the bed nearest him and pulled down the sheet. White sleepwear lay on the bed as if the child wearing it had just disappeared. He noticed something lying at the base of the pillow and picked it up. It was a necklace, its chain made of thin synthetic gold with an attached pendant made from plastanium.

The pend
ant was shaped like a cross. It took only a few seconds for Gideon to recall, from reading the Bible that the pendant represented the cross Jesus had been crucified on. He ran to each bed, pulling down the sheet and finding a necklace.

“
What are you doing, Lieutenant?” Mary asked as Gideon moved from bed to bed.

“
A cross…the kids were wearing a cross!” Gideon exclaimed. “Corpsman, check the women’s beds for necklaces.”

A
s Wong hurried to inspect the women’s beds, Gideon’s Anna said. “Gideon, I contacted all of the marines except Corporal Gault. Corporal Gault’s Anna reported his ear implant has been removed.”

Gideon
’s heart raced as he realized what may have happened.

“
Their sleepwear is here, and so are some necklaces,” Wong yelled from the other end of the sick bay. He held up several necklaces.

“
Anna, contact Sipes and see if his implant has been removed,” Gideon said.

“
Petty Officer Sipes’s implant has been removed,” Anna responded.

“Anna, contact every crewman and scientist and see if their implants have been removed,” Gideon ordered. He paused and turned toward Dr. Pettway. “Doctor, I suggest you check the morgue.”

Dr.
Pettway look confused for a second and then ran to the morgue with a horrified look on her face.

A few s
econds later, Anna reported that all the scientists had their ear implants installed but several crew members’ implants had been removed. Anna listed those crew members on his forearm display.

Gideon accessed the platoon communications channel and said,
“Gunny, change in plans. All the children and women are missing, along with Gault and several crew members. Anna will send you a list of who’s missing. Search the entire ship for them and keep me updated.”

“
Yes, sir,” Xia said.

“
And Gunny, check and see if Doctor Bailey’s son is missing,” Gideon added.

“
Yes, sir,” Xia responded again.

“
What are you doing?” Mary asked Gideon. She looked confused.

“
I’m trying to find out who is missing,” Gideon said.

Ship’s Brig, SRS
Stephen Hawking

0400
—March 29, 2372
 

Gideon
and Mary rushed to the ship’s brig and looked into the cell where Joseph had been held. His clothes lay on his bunk along with his portable media device, his Anna forearm device, his ear implant, and a necklace.

“
He’s gone! That’s impossible!” Mary exclaimed.

“
Gideon, Gunny Xia wants to talk to you,” Gideon’s Anna said.

“
Patch him through,” Gideon said.

“
Sir, I found Corporal Gault’s uniform, weapon, his Anna, ear implant, and a necklace on the floor of the bridge where he was on duty,” Xia reported, paused and added. “I just searched Doctor Bailey’s quarters. Her son is missing, and she’s hysterical.”

“
Understood. I’ll ask Doctor Pettway if she’ll go and see Doctor Bailey,” Gideon said. “When you’ve finished your search of the ship, report to me in the Triple C.”

“
Yes, sir,” Xia responded.

Before Gideon attempted to contact
Dr. Pettway, the doctor contacted him. “Some of the bodies are gone! Sergeant Mucha and the child who died are gone but the bodies of the old women who died are still here!” Dr. Pettway reported and began crying as she continued between sobs. “What’s going on, Lieutenant? I’m scared!”

Gideon
didn’t want to attempt to explain yet. He simply asked Dr. Pettway to go to Dr. Bailey’s quarters. He then asked the ship’s AI to open the cell door. The cell door opened and he went in. He picked up the necklace Joseph had been wearing and looked at it.

“
Lieutenant, I suspect you know what’s going on,” Mary said as she entered the cell behind him.

“
I think I do, sir, but you’ll think I’m crazy,” Gideon said. He slipped Joseph’s necklace over his head, the cross now displayed on Gideon’s chest outside his jumpsuit. “The Bible describes an event that will occur during the end-times. It says, ‘
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,
but only the Father. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
’ This event is referred to as the rapture of God’s church.”

Combat Control Center, SRS
Stephen Hawking

0635
—March 29, 2372
 

Mary
ordered her officers and scientists to the Triple C, and told them about the missing people.

“
There has to be a logical explanation of where they are,” Dr. Harper said. “We’re traveling in the time-speed dimension, so there’s no way they could’ve left the ship. Safeguards are in place to detect if a hull door into space opens, and the ship’s AI would have
immediately
dropped us out of the dimension.” He paused for a second and added, “I’m sure Sipes is involved, and he somehow orchestrated the entire event.”