What Ever it Takes.
Chapter 6.
With the planet Yak still three days away and the ship on course, all seemed well, no sign of the crew becoming overly emotional, most of the crew were in the mess hall, Joe and Grant were on the Bridge, when an alarm sounded.
“What is it,” asked Joe,
“It’s a proximity alarm, there’s a ship on long range sensors,” replied Grant.
Joe activated the intercom and said, “Captain to the bridge.”
Owen responded over the intercom, “what’s the problem?”
“A ship on long range sensors, Captain,” replied Joe.
“Sound general quarters, everyone to the bridge,” ordered Owen.
Everybody rushed out of the mess hall heading towards the bridge.
“Captain,” called out Bill.
“You and Joan to the Sick Bay, and strap yourselves in,” ordered Owen, as he rushed through the hatchway.
Once on the Bridge and with everyone at their stations, Owen ordered, “put the star chart on the main view screen.”
The star chart came up on the main view screen showing the location of both the Artemis and the unknown ship. It was still a long way away, but it was on an intercept course.
Jones had taken over from Joe at the helm and Turner had taken over from Grant at navigation. Joe had moved to tactical while Grant was on shields, John on weapons, Helen on communication, Andrew was looking after defense while the Chief was at the Engineering station.
“Jones, let’s give him a wide birth, steer twenty degrees to starboard,” order Owen.
Jones disengaged the auto pilot and turned the ship slowly to starboard.
“He’s maintaining his course, Captain,” said Joe.
“Stay on this heading, Jones,” ordered Owen.
“He’s dropped of sensors, Captain,” said Joe.
“Return to our original course, to Yak, Jones,” ordered Owen, then adding, engage auto pilot when ready.”
“Do you think he saw us?” asked John.
“I don’t think so, that or he had no interest in us,” replied Owen.
“Captain, I’ve been thinking about how we can retrieve the root of the Macky bush given that Yak is in full winter,” said the Chief.
The planet Yak was only inhabited during its summer as the winters were too harsh, high winds, and very cold, not that those in themselves were insurmountable. It was more to do with the fact that the only reason anyone lived there was for the tourist trade, and tourists only came to look at the Alien fossils and harsh landscape during good weather. There were no tourists during winter so everyone involved in the industry moved on to other jobs during the winter season.
“Have you come up with anything,” asked Owen.
“Well, we can’t land the Artemis, so that just leaves the shuttle,” said the Chief.
“The shuttle is not really designed for the winter weather conditions on Yak,” replied Owen.
It’s all we’ve got,” said the Chief, who after a short moment added, “and I’m the only one with the necessary experience to pilot it.”
Owen knew he was right, but was uneasy with his old friend taking on such a dangerous mission.
“What about the thin atmosphere?” asked Owen, who paused for a moment before adding, “you can’t wear a full space suit and pilot the shuttle, you just want fit in the shuttle with one on.”
“I will have ware a heated suit and I’ll take auxiliary oxygen,” replied the Chief.
“Alright, Chief, make ready,” said Owen.
“When we were there, on that tour, there were some Macky bushes growing in the visitors centre, if that would make it easy,” said Helen.
You’ve got three days Chief,” said Owen.
The next few days passed without incident as they moved through rarely travelled space, there was nothing much there, just a few uninhabited planets. The Chief readied the shuttle and himself, he spent some time each day in a low oxygen room to help his body get use to the lack of oxygen.
The shuttle was a small five person craft designed for transporting crew from the ship to the surface, saving the need for the ship to land itself. The pilot sat independent of the rest of the shuttle with a separate air system. It was armed with one small cannon and it was very maneuverable but it was not rated for the sort weather that was expected on Yak. It was housed in a large air lock, commonly call the Shuttle Bay, in the middle of the ship. To launch, two large doors would swing open and the shuttle would drop from the air lock.
As the Doctor had predicted, everyone was starting to get a bit emotional, the couples were spending a lot of time in their cabins, while everyone else spent time in the simulators trying to keep focused. The Chief seemed unaffected, may be because he had something to keep his attention.
With all the crew on the Bridge as the Artemis approached the planet Yak , Owen ordered Jones to, “maintain a stationary orbit above the visitors centre.”
Owen then looked over at the Chief and said, “it’s down to you Chief, don’t take any unnecessary risks, good luck.”
“You know me, Captain,” replied the Chief.
“Andrew, John, go with the Chief and assist him,” ordered Owen.
The Chief, Andrew and John made their way down to the Shuttle Bay. Once there, the Chief climbed into the shuttle’s cock pit. With help from Andrew, he strapped himself into the cockpit, while John unplugged the shuttle from the ship. John signaled to Andrew, that all was ready, Andrew did the same to the Chief, who then closed the canopy. Andrew and John then left the air lock, closing the hatchway after them. With the air removed, John touched the control panel and the Shuttle Bay door swung open.
“See you soon,” said the Chief, over the radio, as he pushed the release and the shuttle dropped out of the Shuttle Bay.
“Free and clear,” said the Chief, over the radio.
“Good luck, Chief,” replied Helen.
With next to atmosphere the Chief had no problems entering the atmosphere but once he had, the weather conditions started to affect the shuttle. He struggled to control it as the wind pushed the shuttle in all direction and the lower he got the more the wind through the shuttle around.
“Weather conditions very bad,” reported the Chief back to the Artemis.
“Be careful,” said Helen, her voice quivered, as her emotions started to get the better of her.
Helen switched the Chief’s communications to the speaker so the whole crew could hear him.
“I can see the visitors centre, wind easing,” reported the Chief.
The Chief struggled with the controls as the surface was getting closer and closer, he extended the landing struts, and continued to descend. A gust of wind pushed him sideways just as he was about to touch down, he cut power and the shuttle dropped to the ground. The struts absorbed the shock as the shuttle hit the ground hard, but a quick check of his instruments told him that all was well.
“Down safe, near the visitor’s centre, safety check completed, about to leave the shuttle,” reported the Chief.
“Stay safe, Chief,” said Helen.
“Cutting communication, back soon,” reported the Chief.
“Received,” said Helen.
With that the signal went to static and all everyone on the Artemis could do was wait and hope.
The Chief unstrapped himself, turned on his heated suit, put his helmet on and turned on the auxiliary oxygen supply. He activated the canopy release and the canopy opened, the wind and the cold hit him hard as he climbed out of the cockpit, closing the canopy as soon as he was clear. The wind all most blow him of the short ladder that lead to the surface and once he stepped of the ladder it continued pushing him away from the visitors centre.
Owen got down on his hands and knees and started crawling towards the visitors centre, making slow progress against the wind. The visitors centre was not far away but it took the Chief some time to get there. He struggled to open the outer door but once he got it open by just a bit, it swung open and broke off, blowing away in the wind. He was now inside the court yard that lead to the main visitors centre building.
Now that he was inside the court yard of the visitors centre the Chief could stand up as the high walls of the court yard gave some protection from the wind, but the place was a mess, things strewn all over the place. The Chief checked his air supply and he had used just over half his supply. Looking around, he soon located a row of Macky bushes lining the path way, they were in pots and most were laying on their sides.
The Chief picked up one of the pots and through it down onto one of the others, breaking both of them. He then broke away all the soil from both pots, cut the tops of the bushes off and placed the roots in a bag and tired it around his waist. Checking his air supply he could see that his was running low, so he headed back to the shuttle. He tried to walk back as he was walking with the wind but the wind was to strong and kept blowing him off his feet, so he had to crawl most of the way.
As he got to the shuttle his air ran out, making the last little bit and the climb up the ladder very difficult, but he made it. Once the canopy was shut, the Chief pressurized the cockpit, making breathing so much easier.
Once he had his breath back the Chief strapped himself in and powered up the shuttle and prepared for lift off. He throated up and the shuttle lifted into the air, but as it did the wind court it pushing it sideways, dragging the landing struts along the ground. The Chief applied full power and the shuttle gained some height, the Chief then retracted the landing struts. The wind continued to buffet the Shuttle as it grained more height but then as he left the atmosphere the shuttle settled down to controllable flight.
“Just leaving the atmosphere, see you soon,” reported the Chief over the radio.
“Great news, Chief, we can see you on the main view screen,” replied Helen, while the rest of the crew cheered and clapped.
The shuttle slowly approached the Artemis until it was lined up under the Shuttle Bay. Once the Chief completed the tricky maneuver of docking the shuttle he climbed out and was greeted by John and Andrew, who shook his hand and hugged him.
Owen came over the intercom and said, “well done Chief, we love you mate.” The Chief could hear the rest of the crew celebrating amid cheering in the back ground. The crew’s emotions were getting out of control but for some reason the Chief seemed to be unaffected. He made his way to sick bay with the two pieces of Macky bush root where he found Bill and Joan engaged in a passionate embrace.
“Sorry,” said the Chief.
“Come back later, Chief, where’re busy,” replied Bill.
“Bill, Joan, concentrate, the effects of the disease are effecting you, snap out of it,” said the Chief in a very forceful voice.
Bill tried to break away from Joan’s embrace and said, “Yes, Chief, your right,” but Joan was having none of it. “Go away, Chief, we’re busy,” said Joan, as she tried to kiss Bill.
“Joan,” said Bill, as he grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, he then said, “Joan, snap out of it.”
Joan looked shocked for a moment before saying, “Bill, I’m alright.”
“I’ve got the Macky bush roots,” said the Chief.
Bill and Joan took the Macky bush roots to their work bench and started processing it, the Chief stayed and watched.
“This will take some time,” said Bill.
“Don’t take too long, I don’t know how much time before the side effects of the disease go from love to anger,” said the Chief.
“It’s not something we can rush, Chief,” replied Joan.
Bill and Joan worked on the Macky bush roots, they pulverized it and then put it into a machine that turned it into a liquid, followed by placing it in a centrifuge. The resulting liquid was then filtered and heated before they added it to the antidote they had already made.
It had taken just over an hour but Bill and Joan were finished, they were ready to test it.
“There is no easy way to do this,” said Bill, he then continued, “all we can do is inject it into someone and hope for the best.”
“Do me,” said the Chief.
“For some reason you have not been effected, Chief, so you would not be suitable, so it’s me or Joan,” said Bill, he then injected himself and added, “I guess I’m it.”
Joan took the needle from Bill and directed him to sit down, “how do you feel?” asked Joan.
“Not sure yet, a bit odd,” replied Bill, he reached out and Joan took his hand, he continued, “I’m feeling a bit light headed.”
“Just sit back, look straight ahead, don’t move your head,” said Joan.
Bill just sat there looking unwell, Joan holding his hand looking worried, the Chief just looked on, powerless to do anything, all they could do was wait and hope.
After about five minutes, Bill said, “I’m feeling better, it might have worked.”
“Do you have an overwhelming desire to take me to the bedroom?” asked Joan.
“No more than normal,” replied Bill.
Joan picked another needle, loaded it with a dose of the antidote and injected herself, she then sat next to Bill and held his hand.
The Chief just watched on and waited.
After a while, Joan said, “I think we have been successful.”
“We need to inject the rest of the crew,” said Bill.
Bill and Joan then prepared doses of the antidote for all the crew, Bill injected the Chief and left him is sick bay. They both made their way to the bridge, where they found Jones and Turner playing a computer game on the main view screen. Once Jones and Turner had been injected, Bill and Joan headed to the mess hall where they found John and Andrew fighting. Bill managed to inject both of them as they were rolling around on the floor trying to harm each other.
Owen and Helen were asleep in their cabin, as were Grant and Joe, so they presented no problem for Bill and Joan to inject.
The ship was very quiet for the next hour or so as the crew recovered from the disease and the antidote. The recovery time varied from crew member to crew member, some took longer than others to get back to their normal selves. Some were a bit embarrassed about their behavior while effected by the disease and were slow to show their faces.
But eventually everyone started appearing on the bridge, Jones and Turner had never left, the Chief was unaffected so he showed up first. John and Andrew wandered in next sporting a black eye a piece, Grant and Joe then arrived next looking a bit sheepish, Owen and Helen were the last to arrive on the bridge. Bill and Joan checked everyone before heading to Sick Bay.
Owen sat down on the Captain’s chair, looked around at everyone, activated the intercom, and said, “I think we all owe the Chief, Bill and Joan a debt of gratitude for their work during the last few days, well done.”
“Here, here,” said everybody.
“Now, we have some unfinished business to deal with,” said Owen, he looked around the bridge at everyone before continuing, “I think we are all in agreeance that, we will not be returning to our old lives.”
With a lot of reluctance, most said, “agreed,” while others just nodded their heads.
Owen continued, “as I see it we have a number of options, we can try one of the breakaway planets.”
“Like Lark,” said John.
“Well, yes Lark, but there are others,” replied Owen.
Bill came over the intercom, and said, “I think John is right, let’s look at the options, there’s Pool, a dictatorship, there’s Hexon, a Police state, and then there’s Tiral and Manx, puppets of the Home World. They would just hand us over, so Lark is our only option.”
“Lark has a problem as well, at least for the men,” said Helen.
Owen looked around the room, no one seemed to have anything to say so he said, “Lark has a problem but I think with all of us and this ship, I think we can make a life on Lark.”
“Let’s vote on it,” said John.
“All in favor of going to Lark?” asked Owen, he looked around the room and everybody had their hand in the air, he then asked over the intercom, “Bill, Joan?” who answered with, “agreed.”
Owen continued, “Lark it is then.”
“Let’s go,” said John.
“There is some more unfinished business we need to deal with before we can go to Lark,” said Owen.
“What business?” asked John, with some frustration in his voice.
“We need to make sure that Bob and the Home World believe we are died, so they don’t come looking for us. They do know we went to Lark, we don’t want them showing up,” replied Owen.
“Yes, Yes, let’s do that,” said John.
“Turner, plot a course, to a point that intersection our original course to Alien space,” ordered Owen, he then added, “Chief, ready a communications probe.”
The Chief got up from his station and made his way to engineering.
“Course plotted, Captain,” said Turner.
“When you’re ready Jones, set speed at M8.5,” ordered Owen, he then asked Turner, “how long to destination?”
It took Turner a few moments to calculate, he then said, “two days, Captain.”
Owen activated the intercom and said, “Strap in everybody,” as the ship turned and accelerated away.
“Engage auto pilot when ready, Jones,” ordered Owen.
“Yes, Captain,” replied Jones.
There was more chance of coming across other space craft in this part of space so Owen kept the bridge fully crewed over the next two days. The last thing they needed was to be seen by anyone, civilian or military.
After two days with the bridge fully crewed, everybody was a bit on the tired side, as they arrived at their destination.
“Coming up on the coordinates, Captain,” said Turner.
“Jones, bring the ship to a full stop,” ordered Owen.
Jones disengaged the auto pilot, and said. “Yes, Captain.”
“Is the communications probe ready, Chief?” asked Owen, over the intercom.
”Yes, Captain,” replied, the Chief.
“Set the destination coordinates for the rendezvous point with the Merlin,” ordered Owen, he then added, “I wish I could be there to see Bob’s face when he watches this.”
“Full stop, Captain,” said Jones.
“Thanks, Jones,” replied Owen, who then continued, “alright everyone, as we rehearsed it, play dead and injured, lower the lights, activate the alarm, start recording.”
Owen looked at the main view screen and acting like he was about to die, and said, “Bob, the cloaks didn’t work and, they found us, we’ve been bordered, the crew are dead or dying, I’ll see you again, Bob, when we’re like dust on the solar winds.”
“Recorder off,” said, the Chief over the intercom.
The crew clapped and cheered at Owens performance, which brought a smile to Owens face.
“Launch the communications probe when ready, Chief,” ordered Owen.
“Yes, Captain,” replied the Chief, over the intercom.
The ship shuddered as the communication probe launched and, Owen watched it tail off into the darkness of space.
“Turner, set course for the planet, Artful, Jones, set speed at M8.5,” ordered Owen.
“Where?” asked John.
“We still have some unfinished business to deal with, John,” replied Owen, before adding, “strap in everybody,” and then, “when you’re ready, Jones.”
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