The information exchange got Foster thinking and got her mind ready to connect the final dots in the puzzle before them. “The planet around Sirius B we first stepped foot on,” Foster said. “EVE, didn’t you say that structure was not consistent with Lyonria tech?”
“That is correct, Captain.”
“Marduk said that place was a tomb, Tiamat’s that is.”
“It is a sacred place for my people,” Nereid said. “We all long to visit it, but lack the means to travel there safely.”
“You’d need an EVA suit to walk on that planet,” Pierce said. “Something the Undine wouldn’t be able to do, even if they went through the wormhole to get there.”
“I reckon that voice that told us to ‘leave’ wasn’t threatenin’ us,” Foster said. “It was trying to warn us. Marduk’s people were there messing around. The trap that’s been keepin’ him here is a fleet of drone ships, programmed to attack his ship if he tries to leave the system. He mentioned he managed to reprogram some of them to serve him, just not all of them.”
“There were hundreds of them that chased us out of that sector when we lost contact with you guys,” Williams said. “Guess it’s safe to assume that’s where the ones he controls lurk.”
“Tiamat’s tomb must be more than just a tomb, though,” Foster said. “It’s probably a control center for the drones.”
“Marduk’s forces were probably entering the tombs to see if they could make further progress into taking control of the drone network,” Pierce said.
“OK!” Chevallier interjected loudly. “Can we get cliff notes for the people not interested in science, legends, and ancient shit?”
Foster smiled at her and her willingness to push things forward. “All you need to know is Marduk wants to rule Earth again, and he needs the drones in the system to allow him to leave.”
“So, stopping Marduk results in enslaved people becoming free, our colony safe from danger, and the prevention of another alien attack on Earth,” Chang said, uncrossing his arms as he leaned against the window peering out into space.
“Pretty much.”
“Awesome, so when do we start? ‘Cause it sounds like whatever we need to do, we should have started it an hour ago.”
“The planet SB-417. Tiamat’s tomb must be the control center for the drones. And if he’s got part of EVE’s program he might be able to use it to hack in and take control of the network.” Foster stood up from her chair with new direction and determination powering her growing smile. “And we got a fully functioning EVE, we just need to get there and take control of it before he does.”
“There’s only one problem,” Pierce said. “We lost contact with the ship the moment we got deep inside the tomb? We won’t be able to utilize EVE.”
“I could modify an EAD to store part of her programming into it,” Rivera suggested. “It’s just I will need to wipe out everything on the EAD including its OS. You won’t be able to do anything with it except use it as a portable EVE.”
“Works for me,” Foster said.
“OK, we do our thing on the surface, then what?” Chevallier said.
“Then we’s gonna force him to negotiate,” Foster said. “Give him one last chance to end this conflict without bloodshed. Tolukei, what’s the status of Marduk’s ship?”
The long silent Javnis psionic briefly entered a trance, and shut all four of his eyes. When they opened he said, “I sense his ship has not moved.”
“But he’s alive, isn’t he?”
“I can feel his mind, so yes, he still lives.”
“He might be using his wormhole to travel there,” Rivera said.
“Then let’s get movin’ folks.” Foster strode away from her desk and toward the staircase leading up to the bridge. “MC, put together a fire team, let’s be prepared, unlike the last time we went to that world.”
Chevallier and Williams exchanged glances with each other. “Williams here had the brilliant idea of deploying every Hammerhead to protect the colony and the Lyonria travel hub.”
Foster groaned and face-palmed as she stopped short of stepping up onto the stairs. “Anything else I should be aware of, guys?”
“Let’s not touch what little crew we have left to operate the ship, especially if we’re going to battle,” Rivera said.
“Want me to head back to pick them up?” Chang offered.
“There’s no time for a detour like that,” Williams said, “it will take us half a day just to get back to Sirius B if we do. Marduk might have what he wants by then, assuming he doesn’t already.”
Chevallier raised her hands in the air in a ‘what the fuck’ motion. “So, what does that leave us with?”
“I’ll go.” Nereid said, stepping forward. “I’m sure the Poniga will assist.”
Chevallier rolled her eyes at Nereid. “Right, let’s take people who nearly lost their lives into a combat situation using equipment and weapons they know nothing of.”
“Then, we shall teach them,” Nereid firmly said.
“Dr. Kostelecky, see which of the Poniga are well enough and willing to fight,” Foster said to her, and then addressed the senior staff before her. “Any other questions?” There were none, everyone was ready to do their jobs. “All right, dismissed. Let’s liberate the people of this system, and prevent the human race from suffering what they have had to for the last four or five thousand years.”
ESRS CARL SAGAN, Bridge
SB-417 orbit, Sirius B system
May 22, 2050, 17:39 SST (Sol Standard Time)
The Carl Sagan appeared above the southern hemisphere of the ice world SB-417 as its sub light speed engines disengaged. Sensor and ESP scans combed the sector around them checking, and then later, double-checking for any signs of hostile forces. There were none, Marduk’s ship was where they had left it in Sirius C. Drones loyal to him evidently arrived and remained at its side in a wide defensive pattern. The reveal helped slow Foster’s heart rate as her breathing slowly returned to normal. All that remained, was hopefully, a quick and easy in and out operation on the planet’s surface, then a brace for whatever Marduk planned to retaliate with in the aftermath.
“Chief, how goes the mind shield situation?” Foster transmitted via intercom.
“Give me a few more minutes, Captain,” Rivera’s voice replied over the speakers.
“Marduk’s ship could come after us any second and travels at FTL, we ain’t got that.”
“We’ll be fine, Captain,” Chang said. “This planet is big enough for our two ships to play hide-and-seek. I’ll do my best to keep our distance if it comes to that.”
“You sure?” Williams cut in. “Because that didn’t work out too well at Meroien.”
“No offence, Commander, but you were at the helm,” Chang said. “Marduk uses energy weapons, we don’t. Tolukei’s powers can force our weapons to curve around the planet to hit him. I can do this.”
Foster liked the idea. “Psionics can’t control the trajectory of energy weapons.”
“It was the biggest advantage Radiance had over the Hashmedai,” Chang said. “If a missile missed its mark, a psionic could force it to turn back around and try again. If a plasma cannon missed, it missed, there wasn’t anything a psionic could do to change that.”
Foster leaped out of her chair and moved to the exit of the bridge. “Dom, you have the bridge.”
Williams stepped between her and the exit with his arms crossed. “Captain, remember what happened the last time you left?”