The captain still agitated from the meeting with the council, headed back to the command section. Instead of going straight to the bridge, she made her way to her private office. It was one section along. She had contacted the commander on her way there, instructing him to meet her outside.

As she entered the corridor, she saw him waiting patiently at the door to her office.

Seeing the captain approach, the commander stood to attention.

The captain’s forehead was furrowed, she was still deep in thought. As she reached the office, she looked up. “At ease.” With a wave of her hand the automatic door opened. “Step inside.”

The pair stepped into the office.

Unlike most of the ship, the captain’s office felt like it belonged to a different age. Polished wooden floors, walls lined with embossed wallpaper. Two lavish leather seats sat in front the large desk. The desk itself was wooden, mahogany more than likely hand carved back on earth, rather than printed on ship.

The captain slumped herself down in her wingback chair, reached to her drawer and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. She placed them on the desk with a clank and motioned to the commander to sit down.

Sitting just as she had instructed, the commander shot a worried glance at the captain. “Has something happened?”

She silently poured the whiskey into the two glasses. “The council. They’ve made a troublesome decision at the suggestion of that AI.” She pushed the second glass towards the commander.

He cautiously picked up the glass. “What happened and should we be having a drink at a time like this? The bridge is still waiting for your next order. Something needs to be done about the object, it could reactivate at any time!”

She pulled the glass to her mouth, almost draining half its contents before placing in back down on the desk. Her expression was serious, she was almost staring down the commander. “I know it could. Trust me, you’ll be glad of that when you hear what they’ve decided.”

After looking away from the captain and down at the glass in his hand, he decided to take a sip. “Tell me what happened.”

She filled her glass back up to brim. “The AI suggested that we take a sample from the asteroid, and those idiots on the council agreed to it. Seven to three! We’re to take no action against it, not until they give the go ahead. Unless it moves against us that is.”

The commander almost chocked on his own breath. “What! They can’t be serious, there’s no way we can retrieve a sample. The visitor would blight anything that it came into contact with.”

This wasn’t news to her.

The glass was drained again. “That is exactly what I told the council before they took their vote. It didn’t sway them. The AI has suggested counter measures, and they plan to hold the sample on a research vessel some distance from Palehost.”

“What possible measures can they have taken that would make this safe?”

The captain waved her hand, a small screen floated in the air in front of the commander. It was projecting the contents of the files that the AI had sent her. He was engrossed for the moment, trying to take in the data.

While the commander read, the captain poured herself yet another drink. She pushed her chair back and got to her feet.

Turning her back to the commander she waved, bringing up screen on the wall behind her. It was displaying the fuzzy image of the asteroid slowly turning, half a million miles away from Palehost.

She turned back from the screen. “A single rock, that’s all it took… We called them the visitors. A single rock visiting the solar system from some unknown point in the universe. When it started deviating from its orbit, that’s when it drew attention. The only explanation was that it was able to propel itself. Finally, it approached Mars. The primacy allowed it land, unopposed. They thought it was a defining moment for humankind, first contact. Then within a month the entire colony, over three hundred million people, wiped out, gone.”

The commander looked up from the projection. “Within two years the entire home system was destroyed. Humanity was on the brink of collapse. If Palehost hadn’t been in production before their arrival, we might have gone extinct.”

“Yes… And we still might.” She clasped the edge of the chair, then sat back down. “And now they want us to leave this rock intact. They want us to bring a sample here… Those idiots!”

He was nodding in agreement with her. “Can’t you ignore the order and launch the attack regardless? We both know that would be for the best.”

She glanced up, a look like fire in her eyes. “Don’t tempt me. A seven to three majority, they wouldn’t hesitate to have me put into the ice chambers and thaw out the next captain class. I’d go through with it, but Palehost having a fresh thaw in this situation? The spares were put into the chambers almost seven hundred years ago. How do you think they would deal with this, with the council and that damn AI?”

The ice slipped in the commander’s drink as it melted. He took another sip. “You really think they would go that far?”

“I think so.” She sighed. “You saw the data, they’re serious about making this attempt. I expect the AI already calculated the that risk I’d ignore them and destroy it anyway. Then there’s Dimitri, if I had to guess they’ve already taken a vote on what to do, if I ignored the instructions. I think he’d thought the whole thing out before he contacted me. I could just tell in the way he spoke.”

He drained the last drop out of his glass. “So, we don’t have any choice?”

She slumped in the chair. “No… All we can do is monitor the situation as we carry out their plan. We need to be ready to shut it down the moment something goes wrong. Any hesitation could be the end of us.”

“Why would they do this?”

“Why?” She laughed. “Oh, I can understand that much, the opportunities are obvious. A chance to study them, see how they work. How to stop them. It’s just that the risk is so high and there’s no guarantee we’ll come back with anything useful.”

“What do you want to do if it goes wrong?”

She spun her chair to face the screen behind her. “We’ll destroy the asteroid and the research ship at the first sign of anything going sideways.”

The commander clanked his glass down on the table. “But the crew!”

“There’s nothing I can do about that. I don’t want to put them in harms way in the first place, but I can’t stop it. I won’t let the risk spread to Palehost.”

He slouched over the desk. “I understand.”

She spun the chair back to face the commander. “The AI’s plan is quite thorough. We have to hope that it works, and nothing goes wrong.”

“What do you think the council will do if it does?” He already had some idea, but he asked anyway.

“If we survive… Well, I expect they will want to curate everyone below our rank, and the ships records. Then they’ll carry on like nothing ever happened.”

“Just like after new home system.”

She nodded. “Just like after new home system.”

If that happens, at least they won’t be able to curate him again. Not this time.

 

 

    

Vincent, Maya, and Sam continued on their way towards Dissolution. The number of people around them seemed to increase with each step they made. The population might even be higher here now, than it was when it was still connected to the control.

Every time he passed this way, Vincent was always surprised. The ingenuity and resourcefulness that human beings showed, even in this situation was quite incredible. Coming from the crewed area the whole place appeared to be one large slum, but on closer look you would realise that it was a fully functioning ecosystem all on its own.

Limited supplies, stunted access to the ships systems, these things had only held them back so far. What they didn’t have they made in ways that normally only appeared in history books. A primitive net system ran here. There was manufacturing, everything from computer components to bio implants. They passed many shops pedalling these wares even before they reached the city proper.

The entire area had adapted to run on the ships basic systems that could be accessed. The materials they could create, everything else was either scavenged or improvised.  

The main walkway became crowded as they reached the central area. The press of people going about their daily lives, shopping, working, drinking and stealing. Maya still clung to Vincent’s arm, and she was receiving more than the occasional look. Sam followed closely behind the pair.

At the central divide they halted. They had entered right in the middle of the ten levels. Vincent held onto the rail, the only thing that stopped someone falling into the five section deep void between the cities two halves and looked down. The pumped breeze, sending semi stale, rebreathed air across his face as he looked over the city below.

He felt Maya let go of his arm. She had leant over the barrier trying to make out what he was looking for.

She straightened up and turned to Vincent. “There something interesting down there?”

He laughed. “No, not really. I just haven’t been here in a while.”

Maya cracked a smile. “Too much time wandering the wilds of the lost zones.”

Dwight stepped away from the barrier and nodded. “I suppose I have. You know, a lot of people consider this a part of those wilds.”

“I know.”

Sam had been standing behind the pair while they spoke. He was glancing up and down the walkway, he was on edge.

Seeing how nervous he looked, Vincent put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, no one’s going to grab you off the street again. Not while we’re here.”

Sam pulled his gaze back from the crowds of people. “Sorry, I can’t help it. It’s been twice in the last week, so I’m a little jumpy.”

“I’m not surprised. We should probably head to this bar of theirs. You said you’d heard of it, but do you know where it is?”

“I’ve never been there myself. The area is, well a little scary. I know the name of the place and I know that it’s on the top level. It overlooks the divide.”

“It shouldn’t be too hard for us to find then. Come on, let’s go.” He turned to leave.

Sam hesitated. “You want to head right there?”

Vincent stopped in his tracks. “Yes… The sooner we find my friends and your family the better.”

Sam was fidgeting, his hands playing with the corner of his shirt. “You know, there’s a good chance that someone there will recognise me.”

He paused to think for a moment, scratching his head as he did so. “We’ll sort something out on the way. But you’ll recognise the boss, right?”

“I will.” Sam took a deep breath, his eyes twitching not wanting to keep eye contact with Vincent. “He led the raid to your friend’s settlement.”

“Then we’ll risk it. If someone does recognise you and the boss stays away, we’ll have to find someone else there to ask.”

“Okay.”

The trio left the railings in front of the divide and headed towards the nearest lift.

They were passing shops on the main street when Maya pulled Vincent to the side. “Here.”

He looked over the shop and then at her, he looked a little confused. “What is it? We don’t really have time to go shopping now.”

Her brow wrinkled. “I know but look.” She pointed to one of the electrical hardware stores just across from them.

Vincent looked and then crossed the street, stepping inside the shop. “You mean this?” He had picked up a small circular device.

She nodded “It’s only basic, but if I can access, I bet it will work well enough for what we want.”

“I’ll see what they want for it.” He walked across the store caring the item, until he found the shopkeeper. “How much for this?”

The ageing man squinted as he looked at the item in Vincent’s hand. “Oh, that little holo projector. Rare item that…” He rubbed his hands together, sensing the sale.

“How much?”

“A hundred credits.”

“Fine.” Vincent touched the square device the shop keeper was holding.

The man smiled. “Thank you.”

Vincent waved and headed back out the shop, to where Maya and Sam were waiting. He knew he had paid too much for it, but he couldn’t be bothered to haggle.

He handed the device to Maya. “Here you go. See what you can do with that.”

A small slot in the side of her arm opened. She pulled a thin wire out and plugged it into the side of the device Vincent had just bought.

The trio made their way back into the crowd. Maya worked away while they walked to the elevator.

It was only half a section along. The three of them pilled inside and made their way up to the top floor. Unlike out in the empty sections, the elevators were still semi maintained here. It rumbled as it climbed. They weren’t even the ships originals. This was something some of the locals had thrown together able to run off the existing power supply.

Once on the top floor they slowly made their way along the main street on the divide, as they looked for the bar.

They hadn’t got far when Sam stopped in his tracks. “That’s it.” He pointed to a bar four shops along from where they were stood.

Vincent read the sign and made a face. “Pinkies?”

Sam shrugged. “Don’t ask me. Like I said, I’ve never been inside, from what I’ve heard the front is a normal bar.”

“Okay…” Vincent turned to Maya. “How long until you’re finished?”

She unclipped the wire from the device. “Done.”

“Will it work?”

“We’ll see.” She stepped towards Sam. “Hold still.”

Sam didn’t look convinced, but he did as she asked.

She leant forward pulled the circular device into two halves, placing one on each of his temples. Once they were attached, she activated it.

Sam face blurred, then shimmered. His features seemed to shift and distort, until he looked like someone completely different. The effect would be broken if someone touched his face and it glitched from time to time. If someone were to look too closely, they would catch on, but in a poorly lit bar it might just work.

Maya stepped back. “Try not to touch your face.”

Sam nodded. “I’ll try.”

Vincent stepped close to Sam, checking out his new face. Then he turned to Maya. “I think this will do the job. Good work.”

Her eyes glinted as she smiled from the praise. “If I had more time, I could’ve made something better…”

“This will do for what we need…” He turned towards the bar. “Nothing else for it, let’s head inside.”