Quest for the Conestoga (Colony Ship Conestoga Book 1) (8 page)

Latest assessment: 31% into mission when incident occurred.  Unnamed crew member reported some “disaster” on-board the ship.  The ships main Artificial Intelligence, Monitor, was put into Command Mode with only instruction to “protect human life.” One report received from the AI Monitor which stated “biological organisms killing each other.  Request immediate instructions.” Trajectory plotted and estimated robotic contact at 87%.

Conestoga  CS 4:

Latest assessment: Unknown time of incident.  Report received from unlabeled AI as having made planet fall.  This would be at least a century prior to when ship was scheduled to arrive.  No human messages from Conestoga.  Trajectory plotted and robotic FTL contact estimated at greater than 90%.  Star charts show location is not a known solar system, nor does there appear to be a solar system at that location.  Report from AI is suspect, but tracking shows ship has not moved from the reported location.  

Eschaton CS 5:

Latest assessment No reports of any kind from ship.  FTL communications have not received any reply.  Trajectory plotted and robotic FTL contact estimated at 95%.  The nature of the crew and their religious extremism may explain their failure to report.  Ship and crew considered as probably hostile.

Trailblazer CS 6:

Latest assessment: 14% into voyage, massive systems failures reported by Captain Josey Alberts.   Cause of malfunctions thought to be encounter with micro singularity.  Captain Alberts also reported loss of 62% of sleepers but stated “repairs underway.” 29% of way into voyage, automated distress signal activated.  No further contact.  Trajectory plotted and robotic FTL contact estimated at 71%.  

Zubalamo  CS 7:

Latest assessment: Still on course as scheduled.  No human responses to FTL transmissions.   AI Kwame reports “situation normal, all systems operational” to every request.  Uncertain if AI is functioning, and uncertain if human crew awake.  Trajectory plotted and robotic contact estimated at 90%.  

Conclusions:

Each of the seven colony ships in the project have fallen short of design and mission parameters.   Loss of at least three ships is probable.  Loss of human life estimated at over 70% of all sleepers.   Loss of environmental systems also a high probability.  Program review concludes colony ship program a decided failure."

The images quit.

“What was that about?”  Cammarry asked. “The language was stilted and just plain odd.”

“It was about the Old World colony ship program,” Jerome said with a wry smile.

Cammarry glared at him, but grinned after a moment.  “It was a surprise, and I wonder why we received that.  Still no official word on Karen’s death, or on the missions?  Why no briefing?  No word at all on the solo missions?  Was this just some more nonsense played by Jubal?”

“I suppose it is possible that they had a briefing and did not invite us.  We may have been excluded from pertinent information.  Jubal certainly has us tied up in knots.”

“I am not physically restrained.”  Cammarry snapped and rose to her feet.  “I can still go and speak to people, and maybe learn more about why some program from a hundred years ago was discussed with us.  Unless, I wonder… Did one of the colony ships return?  Is that why they did the latest orbital flights?  I confirmed that those happened, so perhaps one of those colony ships returned?”

“None of the assessments said any of them returned,” Jerome reminded her. 

“True, but why tell us about them at all? It might be possible there was an eighth colony ship which was built and remained in this solar system.  The records from back then are sketchy at best.  We know there were once settlements on Mars and on some of the moons around the gas giants.  What if an eighth colony ship was dispatched to one of those places?  We have not heard from those settlements in decades, and I assumed they had died out.  What if there was some contact?”

“We have not heard officially.  With Jubal’s antics I wonder what information has been suppressed?”

“Right!  They probably did find an eighth colony ship.  That would explain the orbital flights and that message about those old spacecraft colony ships.  Those things were huge, and stocked with all manner of supplies.  They were built to last generations, so if one is close, it could be salvaged.  If that is the case, then that eighth ship might have resources we need here in Dome 17.”  Cammarry was rather excited.  “Come on.  We need to speak to the others about what this means.”

Together they departed their apartment.  They reached the cafetorium and got in line for the morning food and water ration.  It all felt strangely normal, and yet there was an undercurrent of something happening.  They received their ten ounces of water, and the small grey brick of food.  Cammarry and Jerome then walked over and sat with Paul, Gretchen, and some of the other adventurers.

“So what did you think of that special message?”  Cammarry asked as she pushed a strand of hair back over her ear. 

“Not much,” Paul replied.  “It is just old history.  How can it apply to us?”

“One never knows,” Hobart said.  He was his typical self: a happy man with a large voice.  “There are rumblings of new things coming.”

“You listen to Cammarry too much,” Gretchen teased.

Cammarry rolled her brown eyes, and grinned.  She tried to put a happy face on the outside, but inwardly she was upset that others knew things before she did. 

“I too think something big is happening,” Gwen said as she slid in next to Hobart.  “They would not have us all getting together for no reason, right?”  Hobart gave her a quick hug.

“They are doing the solo missions,” Gretchen said as she finished the food ration.  “I bet the meeting is about that.”  She nodded her head toward Michael and Jamie who had just walked into the cafetorium. Jamie’s short red hair was bouncing as she walked.  It was clear she was excited that Michael was back.  Michael’s face was set in a brooding look, his dark hair thick.  He walked as if carrying an immense load.

“We should go to the conference room,” Paul said in a disgusted tone.  He quickly got up and sidled away.  

‘Michael is back!’ Cammarry nearly screamed out, but restrained herself. 

“You are aware that a Committee meeting is happening soon, right?”  Hobart whispered to her.  “I would hate for you to be cut off from all the fun.” 

Despite Hobart’s happy whisper, there was almost palpable tension in the air between Paul and Jamie.  Paul was walking away, but glanced back toward Jamie once or twice.  Jamie ignored him.  Cammarry watched the interchange closely.

“I will accompany him,” Gretchen said.  “See you at the meeting.”  She hurried after Paul who had slipped out a side door of the cafetorium. 

“There is bad mojo between those two,” Jerome said and nodded at Jamie and then looked at where Paul had departed.  “That does not bode well from future missions.”

“With Michael being back from a solo mission, there may not be team missions again.  And to think, Jubal had tried to hide this meeting from us,” Cammarry said.  “It is almost like he did not want us there.”

Jerome and Cammarry finished their food ration and followed the others out.  Entering the briefing room, Cammarry saw that Paul and Gretchen were already there as was the Committee. 

“All the Committee Members are here,” Cammarry whispered to Jerome.  “They did try to cut us out of this.”

Murial was seated at the triangular table with Jubal on one side, and Lorna on final side.  Murial gave a slight glance at Cammarry and Jerome.  Jubal looked at them with a brief moment of surprise, but then masked over his feelings. 

Most of the seats were filled by the time Michael, followed by Jamie, came and sat down.  Cammarry watched as Paul, who was seated toward the back near Gretchen looked away.   Jamie and Paul ended up on opposite sides of the room.  Nonetheless, the stress and tension between them was great. 

“Glad to see you back in one piece,” Murial said to Michael who was just sitting down. “Are you ready with your report from Dome 11?” 

Cammarry wondered what Gretchen and Paul were whispering about, but where she was seated she could not hear them, and they spoke from behind their hands so she was unable to watch their lips form the words. 

Michael answered Murial.  “Yes, Member, I am ready. I have recovered files from Dome 11, and the AI has them.”

“AI please display files from Dome 11, and put visual images with Michael’s report.”  Murial ordered.

“Yes, Member, here are the files," the AI’s mechanical voice replied. A graphic display appeared in the center of the triangular table. It looked identical from every seat’s perspective around the table.  It was far more sophisticated than the basic message display done by Winchell regarding the colony ships. 

Michael sounded nearly as mechanical as the AI as he made his report.  “Dome 11 was reached in the typical manner using the old dome plotting records and maneuvering the outside rover vehicle.”

Synchronized with Michael’s report, the AI displayed images showing the breached dome, floor plans, schematics, visual records, and conjectured ideas of what utilities and power systems were estimated to be within walls, floors, and the ceilings of Dome 11.  Dust covered everything, and to many of the adventurers it recalled the horrific scenes from the illicit record of Dome 3. 

Cammarry was deep in thought.  ‘Again we find that all the other domes are ruined and dead.  Why?’

“Does anyone have any questions?”  Michael asked as he finished his presentation. 

Member Lorna spoke up.  She glanced at Ken as she did.  “Did you have any difficulty in travel to or from that dead dome?”

“No, Member Lorna, I had no difficulty. The vehicle performed well, even in the dust storms and higher winds than I expected.” Michael replied with little emotion.

Cammarry studied Lorna.  Her short blond hair, soft features, and penetratingly bright blue eyes did not reveal much, but there was some emotion bubbling under the surface.  Before she could ask another question, which looked to be on her lips, she was interrupted. 

“Did you run into any monsters?  Like a sand shark?”  Hobart’s big voice chuckled with his own joke. 

“Or perhaps see the ghosts of the Great Event?”  Gwen added.

That was followed by some snickers which led to more guffawing.

Beth added her own comments.  “Did you find a sealed vault with canned goods and frozen foods?  Maybe eat all that delicious food on your own on the first solo?”

The faces of the Committee members remained unmoved.  They neither stopped the mirth nor joined in on it. 

“You were on your own, buddy.  Did you find a glacier of drinkable water?”  Allen asked while he licked his lips.

“Maybe find some biological farmstead where the cows and pigs are roaming free?”  Another adventurer asked. 

“It was all in my report.” Michael stated without emotion.  Jamie leaned toward him with partly open mouth. 

“Well, Michael, thank you for your service. It looks clear enough that Dome 11 is also dead like the others. But let us learn the specific cause,"   Member Jubal stated in a causal way, “Artificial Intelligence, please analyze and give us the most probable cause for the demise of Dome 11.”

“Jubal is certainly not very concerned,” Cammarry whispered to Jerome.

“He should be.”

“Too smug and self-centered,” Cammarry responded. 

The AI named Artificial Intelligence, the one Jubal personally controlled, which also was overseeing and restricting Faraday and Winchell responded.  “Failure of Dome 11: inevitable. All dome systems have exceeded best-case life spans, and multiple system failure occurred.”

A traumatic silence descended suddenly on everyone in the room.  There were no more jokes, nor giggles, nor even gallows humor. 

Cammarry looked around.  Paul and Gretchen were huddled close and whispering, and a few others were shaking their heads, but with the exception of a rare murmur, no one said anything for an uncomfortably long time.