Realm I Page 6

  “What do you think, Dr. Kent?” asked Anastasia.

  “If there is such a module, we should find it.”

  “Okay, I want that wreckage studied and analyzed. Rip it apart if you must. Any other ideas?”

  “I have an idea that might seem a bit . . . outrageous,” said Mykel.

  Argon felt excited.

  “Before the Orias fire, there is a considerable increase in energy levels from within their ships,” Mykel explained.

  “Yep. And their tails glow,” commented the admiral.

  “Maybe we can take advantage of that,” said Mykel.

  “How?” asked Cyr.

  “During our attack, we discovered that at a close distance the tails are vulnerable to our phasers and torpedoes. Perhaps we could reprogram our torpedoes to detect that increase in energy and target them.”

  Everyone looked at each other.

  “That’s a great idea,” said Anastasia.

  Argon was blown away. He wished he had come up with it.

  “How do we test this theory?” Cyr asked.

  “We can only test it in battle.”

  “Can we do it?” Anastasia asked Edward, the tactical officer.

  “Yes. We can begin immediately.”

  “Can we do the same for our phasers?”

  “I don’t think so,” said Edward. “But we can definitely get started with the torpedoes.”

  “Good. Do it,” said Anastasia.

  The meeting was about to adjourn when Cyr spoke up. “One more thing. I feel it’s important to share this. While we were going through the debris, we found parts… of the Orias.”

  Everyone remained silent.

  “Emmeline did the early scans and found a DNA pattern that matches reptiles on Earth.”

  Anastasia turned to Dr. Kent.

  “W-What?” asked Argon.

  “That’s unbelievable!” said Adrian.

  “That is preposterous! Are you sure?” yelled Jacob.

  “No, it’s not preposterous!” argued Cyr. “Orias might have similar origins to reptiles on Earth. It’s a clue that this species is somehow linked to our planet.”

  “That has nothing to do with the war,” argued the admiral.

  “How do you know?” argued Dr. Kent.

  “We’re wasting our time!”

  Ignoring the admiral Cyr said, “I’ve contacted an exobiologist from Earth, Dr. Isaac Finch. I’ve gotten approval from the Imperial Command for him to travel to Titan. Since he could help us win this war, his paperwork went through quickly. Delta Dune is his designated pilot, and she should fly him in tomorrow. Dr. Kent, are you happy to work with him, or should I ask Emmeline?”

  Argon tried not to show his amusement. His eyes drifted toward Anastasia, who gave him a quick glance.

  Dr. Kent nodded. “I’m fine with that.”

  Anastasia stood up. “This is excellent progress. Keep working. We need to get some answers. There are three other stations like Titan guarding the perimeter. Titan is the most powerful of them all. Why attack us? Why now? I want answers.”

  “Maybe now they have the means to do so?” Cyr suggested getting to her feet.

  “Or they found out that there are other neighboring species and want to explore,” said Dr. Kent, collecting the pads in front of him.

  “If they’re explorers, they shouldn’t attack,” Argon pointed out.

  Anastasia smiled and raised her left hand. “All excellent theories. Let’s get to work.”

  Everyone got to their feet and began to leave.

  “Maybe Titan has something they want, and we’re not aware of it,” Evan suggested, chuckling.

  Argon stopped dead and felt a sense of doom looming over him. Something on Titan. Something they want. Could it be it? He wondered. He thought about the plaque Emmeline had found. She’d been studying it for several months. Could the Orias and the plaque be connected? No. It wasn’t possible. Many artifacts and historical objects of unknown origins were brought to Titan from all over the realm. Why would the Orias want Emmeline’s plaque?

  Evan sensed his concern. “Argon, what is it?” he asked.

  “Nothing, nothing,” Argon answered, feeling his pulse rise. What if there was a connection?

  Two Months Ago

  Titan, Deck 10, Docking Bay

  Argon toiled alone in Hangar 23. It was quiet, and he liked it that way. It was way past midnight, and he still was fixing the AI of Raven. It was an old ship that his dad’s friend had given to him and challenged him to fix as a joke. He had taken up the challenge, and many times regreted his decision. It had been two years, and still Raven was under repairs. The delays had been mostly because life got in the way. He had to study for his exams, get combat and pilot training, and then as a part of his qualification he had to spend six months on Earth for a project. But Argon could still remember the day the ship had arrived. He’d thought it was beautiful, though his father often referred to it as garbage.

  Raven could easily hold over twenty people, but it wasn’t a cargo ship. It was made for long flights and had a powerful engine. In the last two years, Argon had integrated every technology he could to upgrade it. Technology and parts were readily available on Titan, usually from the local recycling shops, or he could get them from engineering. Being good friends with the chief engineer had its benefits.

  “Unable to comply,” the computer said for the fifteenth time.

  Argon rolled his eyes and stretched his back. He was getting tired. Deciding to try just one more time, he made slight adjustments to the server and wondered if increasing the computer’s capacity and integrating another power server would do the trick. He pushed the button again.

  “Raven online,” said the computer.

  “Yes!” Argon shouted, but then he heard a wheezing noise, and all the lights shut off. “Oh no,” he muttered.

  Frustrated, he left the ship and glared at the vessel. It was gray and broad at the end, narrow in front. Its exterior wasn’t smooth like Titan’s; it was covered with square bumps. Argon heard footsteps and turned to see Emmeline. He smiled. It wasn’t unusual for her to stay awake so late. She must have been working, and as usual, once she was done, she’d come to find him.

  “How’s it going?” Emmeline asked, looking at Raven.

  He liked that she was interested in technology and ships, and always keen to know what he was working on. “Not too good,” he told her.

  “You’ll get there.”

  Another plus point. For the last two years, Argon’s father, mother, and friends had regularly told him to give up on fixing Raven. Emmeline said the opposite. But today, he felt tired and jaded. “Maybe this is all I can do with it.”

  Emmeline folded her arms and asked, “Okay. Tell me how far you’ve come.”

  He knew what she was doing, but she always wanted to hear it again, and he liked to tell her. “I’ve updated the engine, the computer, and the server. Byron and I pulled out all the old interiors and refurnished it. Micah and Clio helped us fix all the holes in its haul. We fixed the landing gear. Now it has operational weapons. I had to beg Commander Waters for approval. She didn’t want a private ship to be armed, but I convinced her.”

  “Wow, you’ve practically rebuilt it.”

  “You’re right,” Argon replied, remembering that Emmeline had helped him fix the engines.

  “Looks like the AI is the last thing you need to fix,” Emmeline said.

  “Yeah, I don’t know. Maybe I should ask for help. It’s not working.”

  “Maybe you could ask Lieutenant Storm.”

  Argon wondered if Titan’s chief engineer had the time, but when he thought about it, he realized they all had a lot of time on their hands. Things on Titan were rather quiet.

  “Did you have dinner?” Emmeline asked.

  “Not yet.”

  “Care to join me?”

  He smiled. He wouldn’t miss the opportunity.

  Titan, Deck 10, Docking Bay

  �
�Are you sure about this?” asked Delta as she prepared to launch Astra.

  Delta was a little older than Emmeline and her best friend since childhood. She remembered meeting Delta in one of the cottages in the mountains of northern hemisphere. She was hiking with her grandpa, and Delta was with her father who was a pilot delivering supplies in the region.

  Delta was pretty, with long hair in shades of blue. She wore a body-fit red top with black pants, which looked like leather. Delta was a high-spirited pilot who flew a small cargo and passenger ship called Astra.

  Emmeline sat in the co-pilot seat. “We can’t be sure about anything until we get there.”

  Last night’s dinner with Argon had gone well, and she was ready for her trip today. She’d told him about what she was doing, and he’d seemed worried. Once again, she’d had to remind him he didn’t need to worry about her.

  “Thanks for planning another adventure. Hauling cargo and passengers from Mars to Titan or to other colonies is no fun at all. I need a break!” Delta laughed.

  “That’s your job. Do you want to keep Astra or not?”

  “Of course, I do, and it pays well. I can’t imagine a day without my ship.”

  Astra was much older than its pilot. It had once belonged to Delta’s father, and when he’d died, she’d inherited it. With its fourth-generation engine, it was much slower than the current ships and wasn’t built for long-distance space travel. Astra was divided into three parts. The pilot’s cockpit was attached to a small sitting area. Behind the sitting area were twenty chairs for passengers. If needed, the chairs could be folded to make space for cargo. The cargo bay was located between the propellers and the sitting area. The cargo section had a large door that opened outward and turned into a ramp.

  Delta was Emmeline’s best friend, but recently, whenever they were together, Emmeline couldn’t help but feel envy. Delta never worried about a thing. Emmeline, on the other hand, felt trapped. Her days were spent doing administrative jobs, making sure all data from the scans was accurate, cataloged, and documented. It wasn’t a terrible job, but she never thought she would be doing this forever. Everything she did was cross-checked and reanalyzed by Dr. Kent. She wanted to go to the next stage, but he seemed to want to keep her where she was. In a way, it was all her fault. She’d made a mistake, and she had to suffer the consequences.

  The engines fired up, and Astra came to life. Emmeline began entering the coordinates and mapping a flight plan.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Delta asked.

  Emmeline eyed her.

  “I know Earth is that way.” Delta pointed her thumb to her left.

  “I’m just following procedures.”

  “Darling, you need to spend more time with me.”

  Emmeline smirked.

  The doors to the docking area opened. Then the shiny opaque shields of Titan dematerialized.

  “Astra. You’re clear to launch,” said the operator on the intercom.

  “Thanks, Samuel. I’ll see you later.”

  A short laugh crackled on the radio. “Safe journey. I’ll see you girls when you get back.”

  Emmeline sulked. Everyone liked Delta. Boys flirted with her and wanted to be around her. Emmeline just wasn’t good at any of that. She liked Argon a lot, but she still held back. She thought that if she was stuck forever on Titan, he would stay as well. This worried her. He often mentioned flying away, and she didn’t want his feelings for her to hold him back. Of course, she could join him on the same ship, but for that she needed her qualifications. She rolled her eyes; everything depended on her getting her credits.

  Astra left Titan, swaying away from the giant space station. Emmeline looked at it. It filled the entire window. It was more than a station. It was a hub for interstellar exploration and trade and a refueling center. Soon, Astra raced full speed toward Earth.

  “So, do you want to tell me where we’re heading?” Delta asked.

  “Earth.”

  Delta rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Earth is big. Where on Earth?”

  Emmeline gulped and bit her lip. She remained silent for a while and then, in almost a whisper, said, “Sector 1001.”

  Delta’s face turned stony. “What? Do you mean Quarantine Sector 1001? Why the hell would you want to go there?”

  Emmeline lowered her eyes.

  “Oh no. God! I can’t believe I fell for it. Again! Not the fairy tale.”

  “It’s not a fairy tale!”

  “I don’t understand you. Since you found that stupid ancient junk, you haven’t been the same.”

  Emmeline crossed her arms. She feared that if she said anything more, Delta would turn around and head back to Titan. She had worked hard for this opportunity. She had spent the last three weeks lobbying three people to get into Sector 1001. She’d had to beg Dr. Kent to approve her leave.

  “Emmeline. There’s nothing for you in Sector 1001,” Delta said. “There’s nothing for any of us. What was it called? Oh, yeah. You mentioned it last time. New York. There’s nothing there. The place is a tomb. Everything is dead!”

  Astra’s cockpit became silent.

  “Not everything is dead,” Emmeline replied softly.

  Delta took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. But that place makes me sick. I hate it. I don’t want to go there. We’re not meant to be there. Something horrible happened, and I feel like that horror lives in its shadows.”

  Emmeline said nothing.

  “A couple of months ago, I had a passenger,” Delta continued. “A meteorologist who was being sent to conduct a standard survey of Sector 1001. He said it was fine during the day, but at night, he saw shadows and heard cries. As if something unnatural had survived the catastrophe. He believed demons lived in Sector 1001.”

  Emmeline rolled her eyes. “Demons don’t exist! How can someone believe such stupid stuff?”

  “People believe in what they want to believe in. Look at you! You believe in fairy tales and myths.”

  Emmeline remained quiet.

  “I hate Nemesis!” Delta cried.

  Emmeline didn’t share Delta’s obscure theories, but she loathed Nemesis as much as any other human being did. She wished it had never existed. Oh, if only she could turn the tides of time.

  It had been 150 years ago, but it had left everyone scarred. It had shaken the planet and wiped out half of Earth’s population.

  The comet Nemesis had not been detected soon enough. Just a day later, and Earth would have been a bit further away. Just a day. But it wasn’t to be. It had come out of nowhere. The military hadn’t been ready. The scientists were helpless. No one had suspected anything.

  Once detected, spaceships had been sent to destroy it, but they’d all failed. Nuclear weapons had been launched, blowing it to pieces. Half of the comet had perished in space, but the remaining half had split into two sizeable pieces that had gotten caught in Earth’s gravitational field. One had impacted the North American continent, and the other had headed for Asia.

  The two interstellar objects had struck the planet almost simultaneously. The impact had shaken the ground and created two mushroom clouds that spread for miles. Everything burned—streets, cities, countries, and homes. Everyone within a forty-mile radius of the impact had died instantly. The impact had created ridges in all directions, fracturing the ground and burying buildings and bridges.

  But Nemesis was not done.

  The sun was lost for days, and dangerous gases like sulfur and carbon monoxide had filled the air. The planet had become hotter, and radiation levels increased. The air turned to poison, and half of the planet’s population died. Plants, animals, and anything else living in the affected regions had not been spared. Radiation poisoning had affected most of the survivors, deciding their fate in the coming months.

  Help had arrived, but it hadn’t been enough. The military had isolated all sources of radiation and locked them down using shields. The bodies of those who’d died were left behind. There’d been t
oo many to carry or bury.

  Almost ten years later, the sky had turned blue again. But it had taken over sixty years for humankind to get back on its feet, and the planet was still recovering. When the air had become breathable again, man had dared to visit and study the impact sites, which extended for miles. Those areas were still under lockdown. One of those areas was Sector 1001.

  Something good had come out of the tragedy. It had forced humanity to build the perimeter. Once they’d built the perimeter, they’d focused on building space stations like Titan that were strong and powerful enough to destroy any rogue asteroids, comets, and anomalies threatening Earth.

  “Why would you want to go there?” Delta asked.

  Emmeline’s thoughts returned to the present. “To look for it.”

  “Emmeline, it’s just a story.”

  “I don’t think so. When I was seven years old, my grandpa used to tell me stories about a mythical device. Its creators were unknown, and so were its whereabouts, but Grandpa was certain it existed. As a child, I always thought it was just a story. His father shared this family secret about a device that was ancient and magical. Although, his father thought it was folklore, Grandpa decided to look into it. He started asking questions and soon found out about a plaque. He discovered through interviewing his family that the plaque could be a map of some kind. Of course, it was all hearsay.”

  “A map to where?”

  “I don’t know. But he speculated that the plaque was the key to finding this mythical device.”

  “What do you think?” asked Delta. “Scientifically . . .”

  “At first, I thought it could resemble the Tablet of Destinies. It’s an ancient device of immense power mentioned in Greek Mythology.”

  “But that’s fiction.”

  “I went through Grandpa’s notes and logs about this device or plaque and couldn’t find anything tangible. I’ve been studying my family’s diaries for the past year.”

  “Yeah, I know. The ancient garbage.” Delta sighed. “Why are you wasting your time?”

  “It’s not junk,” Emmeline insisted. “The diaries are over five hundred years old. Most of them are personal logs. Some of them are computerized, and others are handwritten. Fortunately, the handwritten ones have been well preserved. I’ve spent a lot of time digitizing them. You can’t imagine, it’s like watching them living their lives. It’s fascinating to hear how different their lives were than ours.”