The Pathfinder Project (5 page)

The Colonel motioned to the two
marines on either side of him. Both immediately took up defensive postures and
raised their weapons cautiously. Murray then turned back to Kaufield and
nodded.

There was a loud hiss audible
as Kaufield released the lock on the outer door. They heard it open and close –
followed by a long pause as the airlock re-pressurized. Glancing cautiously at
the Marines, the Captain shook his head in frustration and released the lock on
the inner door. It opened slowly, and the space-suited figure entered the inner
corridor. As soon as the airlock door closed tightly shut, the newcomer
unlocked and removed the suit’s helmet.

The man in the space suit had
long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and handsome, Eurasian features. He
was extremely well-muscled, and smiled slightly at the looks of astonishment on
the faces of the men surrounding him. “My name is Hobak 627,” he stated
matter-of-factly, “You may call me Hobak. I am here to demand your
unconditional surrender.”

“I am Captain Dennis Kaufield,”
replied the Captain. “I hope you don’t mind if we ask you a few questions
first.”

“Not at all,” Hobak replied far
too politely, inhaling a deep breath of fresh air. “Just understand that I am
authorized to spare your lives if you surrender unconditionally. Resistance of
any kind will result in the recall of my warship and your immediate
destruction.”

“Are you a member of this
Brotherhood we’ve been hearing about?” asked Murray. The look on his face
betrayed his confusion. “What nation do you represent?”

“Yes, I am a member,” replied
Hobak. “And I represent
all
nations, actually. Today a new order is
forming on Earth, and there will be a centralized, governing body. Borders as
you knew them will cease to exist within days. Earth and its resources are
ours, now. As I have already stated, it would be wise for you to surrender
yourselves to me without resistance. It will spare innocent lives. No more need
die today.”

“How can you do this?” Kaufield
demanded, his face reddening. “My mother and father are back on Earth for God’s
sake. Is there even anything
left
of it?”

“You are wasting my time,”
Hobak said casually with more than a hint of arrogance. “Please lower your
weapons and allow my troops to enter. I will continue to answer your questions
as they secure the base.” He smiled again and held out his hands. “Please…
think of your comrades,” he said. “We know you have almost eight hundred people
– most of them civilians – stationed at this base.”

“We are prepared to evacuate,”
Kaufield replied firmly. “All I have to do is say the word and the
Pathfinder
will be out of here before you can blink twice.”

“That’s a bluff and you know it
Captain,” Hobak replied. He stepped forward and looked Kaufield right in the
eyes. “Your CAS system remains
un
-perfected. Without PTP capability,
you’re reliant on standard thrusters and just a duck in our shooting gallery.
My
people will complete the enhancements to your new ship. Now step aside – I will
not
ASK
you again.”

Murray nodded at his two
Marines and they turned to take Hobak into custody. The Eurasian spun so
quickly that no one had time to react. He picked up one of the Marines
effortlessly with both hands and tossed him across the corridor and into the
wall. Then his left hand closed just as fast around Colonel Neeland’s throat
and proceeded to lift him as well. The Colonel began gasping for breath, and
Hobak smiled malevolently at him with an expression of total arrogance.

Kaufield spun to attack the
intruder but the second Marine beat him to the punch. Several shots rang out,
and Hobak’s smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. He dropped the Colonel
and staggered forward, trying to get at the remaining guard. The Marine fired
twice more before Hobak finally slowed and toppled backward.

“Don’t worry Private, he forced
our hand!” Neeland told the marine who had fired. The man’s face was pale and
filled with fear – he was staring in shock at the spreading blood stains on the
floor. The Colonel stood up slowly and then cautiously checked Hobak’s unmoving
form for signs of life. “Did you see the strength he has?” He moved next to
check on the other marine, who – aside from an injured arm – appeared to be
okay.

“Yes,” mused Kaufield with
frustration. “Obviously, this man has genetic enhancements. And that is a
violation of just how many treaties? Well… I couldn’t say just now without a
whole lot of research.”

 “Who the hell
made
him?”

“Obviously, he is a product of
this mysterious Brotherhood that we’re hearing so much about today,” Kaufield
replied, looking over at the monitor. Its image still showed the motionless
soldiers, standing on the lunar surface above while patiently waiting for
orders. “But I think our course is clear. We’ve got to get the
hell
out
of here while we still have the chance to do so!”

THE PATHFINDER PROJECT

The Command Dome on
Pathfinder
was bustling with activity when they got back. People all around the cavernous
room were moving as quickly as they could, getting the ship ready for launch.
In the background, Kaufield could hear the sound of the ship’s maneuvering
thrusters warming up as he helped the wounded Marine he was carrying. Murray
and the other Marine were right behind him. Curious, Kaufield glanced at the
wounded man next to him.

“What’s your name, son?”

“Corporal Benjamin Henderson,
sir,” the man replied. He winced in pain as the Captain eased him cautiously
into a chair alongside one of the larger computer consoles.

“You stay right here, Benjamin.”
Kaufield ordered as he turned to face the others. “Mary, please ask Dr. Simmons
to come up here. “I’m pretty sure his arm is broken.”

“Yes sir,” she replied,
activating intra-ship communications. “Dr. Karen Simmons, please report to the
Command Dome. I repeat, will Dr. Simmons please report to the Command Dome.”

Mary turned back to her
console, struggling to keep focused. Amidst the buzz of working people moving
past her, she continued to hear comments about the possible destruction of
Earth’s population. She couldn’t help but wonder about her family and friends
back in Kansas. She had a couple of older brothers and a younger sister... they
all worked hard to keep a farm there thriving.

What would things be like now?
How many, if any, had survived? She couldn’t help thinking about these things
in the back of her mind, but diligently made sure the bulk of her attention
kept focusing on the status reports and flashing indicators on the console in
front of her.

“Point-to-Point computer is
on-line and ready, Captain.” She noticed that Kaufield was standing behind her,
rather than joining the rest of the command crew in the dome’s ringed central
control center. “Maneuvering thrusters are active. We’re pre-flighted and
ready.”

“Anything on motion sensors?”
asked Kaufield.

“No sir, but our security
surveillance shows the soldiers that were waiting outside the airlock you just
came from are busy forcing their way in. They obviously know we’re planning to
try and leave.”

Kaufield made his way past Mary
down to the center of the Dome. He put his hand on the shoulder of a handsome,
young officer wearing a Lieutenant’s uniform. “Thomas says the CAS Drive isn’t
ready, Adam.” He said. “So how about we do this the old fashioned way?”

“My brother
never
finishes his work on time,” Adam Roh replied sarcastically. “That’s why he’s a
certified software weenie. Because he doesn’t realize that occasionally you
just have to pick up a wrench and hammer on things until they work.” He smiled
slightly as he worked, then glanced across the waist-high computers that
encircled the center of the dome.

“I heard that,” Thomas said,
seated almost directly opposite his brother. “Sometimes I think it’s you that
doesn’t understand. These days we’re working with systems that need a gentle
kiss now and then… along with a great deal of fine-tuning.”

The tone of his voice brought a
smile to Mary’s face. “There’s still nothing on motion sensors, sir, but you
should be aware that the enemy soldiers have penetrated the underground
airlock.”

Kaufield sat down next to Adam
and both took a moment to verify the pre-flight indicators. “Everyone is
aboard,” the Captain confirmed. “All outer hatches have been closed. If you
folks will do the honors, I think it’s time that we were leaving.”

Mary’s expression changed to
one of frustration. “There’s structural damage to the overhead hangar doors,
sir,” she reported. “They’re not opening.” The last part of her statement was
almost drowned out by a growing roar as the ship’s maneuvering thrusters
powered up for lift-off.

“Is the locking mechanism
disengaged?” the Captain asked patiently.

“According to the indicator on
my board,” she replied. “I can’t confirm.”

“Adam, if you please.” Kaufield
gestured overhead, and the Lieutenant smiled.

“Aye aye sir,” he said.

The
Pathfinder
lifted
off the ground and hovered several dozen meters above the hangar floor. Adam
carefully verified that the ship was level and then powered the forward
thrusters to full capacity. The hammerhead “nose” of the ship lifted up and
slowly touched the center of the hangar doors. The ship continued to rise and
the doors began to open upward as the large ship continued to push persistently
from below.

“Careful Adam,” Thomas warned,
“You don’t want to damage any of our critical areas.”

“Don’t worry,” his brother
replied. “We’re on a moon, remember? I won’t damage any of your precious wings
in this low gravity.”

The ship continued to slowly
lift the large doors upward. Despite his confident comments Adam continued to
watch the hull stress readouts carefully. He waited patiently until the angle
of the doors looked correct and then fired the
Pathfinder
’s rear
thrusters. The doors resisted at first, but the large ship beneath insisted and
– unfettered by the lower gravity – they finally reached vertical then passed
it. The
Pathfinder
flew out into the clear and hovered above the lunar
surface as the massive hangar doors continued parting – each now fully open and
falling toward the distant ground below.

“A gentle kiss and fine-tuned
precision flying,” Adam decided, meeting his brother’s eyes. Despite the
direness of their predicament, Mary chuckled. Both of the brothers exchanged
humorous criticism on a regular basis – she was used to it. But it still was
fun to see what a great team they made when they put their minds to it.

“We’re free and clear,” Mary
reported.

“Firing main engines,” Adam
responded. He glanced over at the Captain. “Any particular destination you have
in mind?”

“Let’s head away from our solar
system for now,” Kaufield replied. “Our next course is something that we’re all
going to have to decide.” He stood up and again placed a hand on Adam’s
shoulder. “Good work, Lieutenant.”

Behind him, a kindly-looking
blonde woman came through a door near Mary and glanced around the room.
Kaufield pointed to the wounded Corporal Henderson, who was still grimacing in
pain and trying to relax. Dr. Simmons walked over to the wounded soldier and began
examining his arm.

“We’re very lucky to be alive,
people.” Kaufield decided.

*    
* * *     *

“Somebody
please
pick
one,” ordered Captain Kaufield. On his desk, a computerized map on his monitor
showed half a dozen possible destinations. They had discussed the matter for
over an hour and narrowed the list carefully. On the overhead monitors, the
image of the moon was slowly dwindling as the ship continued moving away.

“I choose somewhere else,”
Thomas spoke up nervously. “With respect, sir.”

“Is there something wrong with
these locations?” the Captain asked.

“Well, yes. They’re
all
near radioactive dust clouds like the one shrouding Neptune,” Thomas pointed
out cautiously. “Most of the space-based colonies within our solar system have
lots of supplies and equipment, not to mention food and water. From the reports
we’ve heard, the Brotherhood is attacking anything – be it military or civilian
– that could possibly be used as a refuge or temporary hiding place. They’ve been
pretty thorough and efficient thus far.”

“I agree,” Colonel Neeland said
from his seat next to the Captain. “We have to assume that there are enemy
warships waiting at these locations. If not, then they’ve no doubt got scouts
flying nearby so that additional forces can immediately transit into the area
when called.”

Kaufield leaned back in his
chair and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair, then self-consciously
became aware of the action and glanced irritably at Mary. She was so fond of
commenting, lately, about the flecks of gray beginning to show.

“If you choose somewhere else,
then where would you go Thomas?” the Captain asked. After working with the
young scientist for so many years, he had really come to admire the young man’s
intellect. He had a habit of thoroughly thinking things through and evaluating
options before coming to a final, informed decision.

“Right now, we have no idea
which bases are occupied or still under attack. So I’d transit to any random
point that’s far enough outside our solar system where we’ll be certain to find
absolutely
nothing
,” he said with growing confidence. “With the
exception of our CAS Drive, the
Pathfinder
is ready to go… we have all
the supplies we could possibly need for the foreseeable future and we should
take advantage of that.”