CHAPTER ONE

“Nicole? Are you there? Where are you? I can’t see you.”

A thick fog surrounded John. He squinted his eyes, but couldn’t get a clear view of his surroundings. He started to run to get out of the fog but it was useless. He ran for what seemed an eternity. No matter how far he ran he couldn’t escape the fog. He continued calling out for his sister as he ran. He was determined to find her despite not hearing her call back to him. When all hope seemed lost and he was ready to give up, he spotted a shadowy figure in the distance. It was her, he just knew it. When he reached Nicole, he put his hand on her shoulder and spun her around.

John woke up and found himself covered in sweat. He looked around and found himself in his bedroom. He was in his quarters on board the starship PHOENIX.

The young captain waited a few moments for his heart to stop beating so fast. The dream really had an affect on him. Once he felt calmer he got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom. He splashed some cold water on his face to help clear his mind. He looked at himself in the mirror. Why was he dreaming about his sister so much recently? It was the third time he had this dream and its intensity hadn’t subsided from the first two he had. Nicole hadn’t been a part of his life in years. She left him back home in La Habra when he was a kid.

La Habra…that part of his life on Earth seemed like nothing more than a distant memory. Over six months had passed since PHOENIX left the solar system in search of humanity’s mysterious enemy, the Screen. Yet, for some reason, John felt he had been living on this ship for years. PHOENIX felt more like his home now than Earth ever did.

The Screen…that was another topic John didn’t want to dwell on. These past few months in space had yielded little information about them. This was a race that had kept humanity contained within the solar system for nearly a century. If things continued this way, PHOENIX could be out roaming space for years trying to locate them. It was a scenario John did not want to come to pass.

The captain shook those thoughts from his head. Getting frustrated and dwelling on the negative wasn’t going to accomplish anything. “Computer, what’s the time?”

“0435 hours.”

There was no sense returning to bed. John wasn’t going to get back to sleep. “Roberts to command deck.”

“Command deck here,” said a male voice through Roberts’ pip. “Lieutenant Richards here.”

“Lieutenant, what’s our ETA to the station?”

“Navigation estimates about ten hours.”

“Thank you, lieutenant.”

“Is there anything you want me to do, captain?”

“No, I was just checking in. Roberts out.”

A week ago Drix, the ship’s only resident Cresorian, had approached John and Commander Olson about the location of a space station that was a well-known trading hub. It was rarely bothered by the Screen so it was unlikely the crew would get any new information about their enemy there. But the station did provide an opportunity for the crew to learn about others races they hadn’t encountered. They could also provide some new information about the Screen. Finally, it could be an opportunity to acquire alien technology that could enhance PHOENIX.

John was hungry. All this thinking was making him work up an appetite. He decided a hot breakfast was in order. After getting dressed in his black TERRA uniform, he headed down to Central. Despite the early morning, there were a lot of people out and about. No matter what time it was you could always find a decent group of individuals roaming around Central.

John wasted no time heading straight to the Stardust Café. He was surprised to find his executive officer, Julie Olson, there at one of the outside tables. With her was the Aldarian leader Thresha, the other alien race now living on PHOENIX. But unlike Drix, who was the only one of his kind on board, there were three hundred Aldarians on the ship. The crew had rescued the entire race from their planet in order to save them from potential obliteration from the Screen.

“Thresha, commander, you’re both up early,” as John approached the pair.

“You know I’ve always been an early riser,” reminded Julie. John used to complain about how much noise she made when she got up when they were roommates at the Academy. By the time Julie was out the door and heading to class, John was barely crawling out of bed. She consistently showed up on time to class while he consistently showed up late.

“Yeah, but even this is a bit early for you,” as the captain joined them at the table.

“Commander Olson and I are finalizing the list of goods to offer for trade at the outpost,” explained Thresha. She handed John her Data Acquisition Terminal (DAT) to review.

Mario, the owner of the Stardust Café, approached the table with two glasses of orange juice in hand. “Good morning, captain,” as he set the glasses down on the table. “Are you joining these two lovely ladies for breakfast?”

“Absolutely,” replied John. “You still make that Mediterranean omelet?”

Mario nodded. “I do, but it’s going to cost you. Eggs are now twenty-three credits a pop.”

John just about had a heart attack when he heard the price. “What!? Why the hell so much?”

“None of the chickens have been producing eggs the past couple weeks,” explained Julie. “Neither medical or the ship’s vets have found anything to explain it. I gave you the report about it two days ago.”

John rolled his eyes. “Commander, if you haven’t figured it out, I don’t read all the reports you give me. I do have a life.”

“I’ll remember that the next time you ask why a report is late,” remarked Julie.

John wanted to stick his tongue out at her, but resisted. It probably wasn’t good etiquette to display such childish behavior in front of Thresha. And the Aldarian wouldn’t know what it meant to stick one’s tongue out and the captain wasn’t wiling to explain it.

“Well, might as well take the hit on my wallet,” said John. “I’ll do the omelet and glass of cranberry juice.”

“And for the ladies?”

“Xixia paste,” requested Thresha. John’s stomach churned hearing the name of the accursed Aldarian plant that got him sick a few months back. Xixia paste was a mixture of mashed potatoes, basil, mushrooms, and xixia, a plant native to the Aldarian homeworld. It had become a favorite breakfast item at the café among both Aldarians and humans. John refused to have anything to do with it after getting sick from the plant.

“Fruit bowl for me,” asked Julie.

“And bring a pot of coffee,” added John.

As Mario went inside to prepare their food, John looked over the trade list. “Well, at least we’re not trading our remaining supply of eggs away.”

“We removed any supplies we’re low on,” assured Julie.

“Pulse guns, molecular generators, computer modules,” John said as he read off the list. “These are some pretty high-valued commodities. Didn’t we agree to limit the items to low tech stuff?”

“Drix said that even though these aliens haven’t seen human technology, they’re pretty savvy and will be able to identify any of our low-valued items,” explained Julie.

“I’d rather try trading the low tech stuff first before moving on to our big ticket items,” said John. “I’m not comfortable with trading weapons and computer components to races we don’t even know.”

“Drix says the outpost merchants value consumables above all else,” said Thresha. “Perhaps we should limit the negotiations to food items.”

“That might not be enough if we want any alien technology,” warned Julie. In the last senior staff meeting they discussed that one of the goals was to try and obtain alien weapons that could be equipped on the PHOENIX. The Screen was aware of the ship’s offensive capabilities and the staff wanted to eliminate that advantage with new weapons. “It’d be hard to convince anyone to trade tech for food.”

“We’ll just have to be convincing that our bagels and cream cheese are worth trading for tech,” joked John.

“I was not aware bagels were so special,” said Thresha.

“They’re not, the captain’s being sarcastic,” clarified Julie.

“Yeah, sorry,” added John. Even after all these months living with aliens John still had a tendency to joke around them. He had to explain his words more than once to them.

After their breakfast, Thresha went off to do some meditation at the Aldarian temple that was recently completed in Central as John and Julie headed up to the command deck.

“How are things around the ship?” asked John as they entered the lift.

“Just the usual,” replied Julie. “I talked to Chris yesterday and he says crew morale seems to be ok.”

“I’m worried there haven’t been any other incidents since the chemistry lab explosion.”

Julie didn’t want to admit to John that she was also concerned. The explosion was a deliberate act of sabotage and an attempt to frame an Aldarian for the crime. Although the Aldarian was cleared, they were never able to identify the true culprit. Both John and Julie anticipated the perpetrator would try something again.

“Maybe the saboteur will lay low for awhile,” said Julie.

“I’d rather they try something again so we can catch them,” admitted John. “I hate the idea of someone working against us.” They both were convinced that the saboteur was the spy who was sent to observe the EXODUS Project.

********

The pair spent the rest of the day attending to their duties to pass the time until PHOENIX arrived at the trading outpost. When the ship was close to its destination, John, Julie, Alex’sis, Chief Sandoval, Drix, and Thresha gathered at the operations table on the command deck. Bret and Kevin were already at their respective stations.

“Two minutes until we exit the jump,” reported Kevin.

“Do you still intend to keep the shields and weapons on standby?” Sandoval asked John.

“Yes,” replied the captain. “We’re going to a trading outpost, not a military installation.”

Sandoval shook his head. Drix saw the chief’s disapproving look and sought to reassure him. “The station armaments are substantially inferior against PHOENIX, Thomas Chief. We cannot display any hostile intentions if you hope to trade with anyone there.”

“If you say so.” Drix’s assurance didn’t convince the chief that approaching the station unarmed was the correct course of action.

“Exiting jump,” announced Kevin. They heard the low hum of the hyper jump engine disengaging.

“Picking up a large metallic object, ten thousand kilometers ahead of us,” reported Alex’sis. “Sensors are having difficulty translating it into a visual image.”

“The station is located near a star cluster that disrupts ship sensors,” explained Drix. “Implement the modifications I showed you. It should clear up the distortions.”

Alex’sis played with the sensors exactly as Drix taught her the day before. “It’s working. Sensors are clearing up.” She punched up the holographic display and an image of the station appeared over the table. The station was composed of a central cylindrical hub of a bluish color with five arms protruding from it. Each arm had a kink in the middle that made the arms flail in different directions. Various ships were moored at the end of each of the protrusions.

Bret was doing all he could not to be overwealmed by all the communications he was picking up from the station. “Captain, I’m getting a lot of comm traffic out there. I think they’re talking about us and they sound scared.”

“We better diffuse the situation while we can,” said John. “Open a channel to the station’s facilitator.”

“Hailing the station,” said Bret. “I’m getting a response. A Facilitator Malnygun is on the line.” It was the same individual Drix said that had run the station for over fifty cycles.

“Put him through,” ordered John. The image of the station was replaced by a blue colored alien. He looked humanoid, with two arms, eyes, and what looked like a nose. But where his mouth should have been there were a collection of large tentacles hanging off his face that hung down to his waist. Larger tentacles hung around the lower portion of his head, each moving wildly. It looked like a squid had been smashed into his lower face.

“State your intentions,” boomed the facilitator as its tentacles moved. “The station is armed and we will defend ourselves.”

“Jumpy octopus,” muttered Alex’sis under her breath. No one heard her.

“I’m Captain John Roberts of the human starship PHOENIX. Our intentions are not hostile. We’re only here to conduct trade.”

“What could my tiny station offer a vessel of such magnificent size?” asked an unconvinced Malnygun.

“We’re new to space exploration and haven’t made much contact with other alien races,” explained John.

“Your statement does not ring true,” countered Malnygun as the tentacles on his face gyrated in all directions. “A species with your ship construction capabilities cannot be novices to space travel.”

John wanted to reply back with, “Oh yeah, and how many human starships have you seen flying around?”

“John Captain tells you the truth,” interjected Drix.

“And who are you, Cresorian, to vouch for these creatures?”

“My name is Drix. If you check your records you will see I am a regular visitor to your station.”

The blue alien consulted his computers. “Yes, Cresorian species, designation Drix. You have conducted business here for the last twenty-three cycles, attaining a rating of untyne. You have a reputation of being a fair negotiator.”

“Then based on my reputation you can accept that what the human captain says is true,” said Drix. “They are explorers who search for knowledge and trade.”

“My scanners indicate you are the only Cresorian on board that vessel,” said Malnygun. “But there are three hundred of another race I have never encountered on board your ship.”

Thresha stepped up to the operations table. “You speak of my people. We are the Aldarians. Through the kind actions of these humans, they rescued us from peril from our homeworld.”

Malnygun didn’t immediately reply. He checked some of his computer terminals. John assumed the facilitator was reviewing the sensor data he had gathered on the PHOENIX. The captain crossed his fingers that they’d be allowed to come onto the station. This was too good of an opportunity to meet new aliens and acquire new technology to be denied access.

Malnygun finally spoke up. “I have heard enough. You are permitted to come aboard my station. Transmit information on your units of measurement so I may convert it to station standard. It will facilitate your business here. Be advised that all trade negotiations are subject to a tribu surcharge to me and any disputes will be arbitrated by me.” Thanks to Drix, John already knew that a tribu was equivalent to four percent. “And no more than five of your crew may come aboard at one time.”

John was impressed on how the facilitator handled their first meeting. He didn’t mess around and the captain respected that. “We’ll transmit the requested information and will standby for docking instructions.”

“Your vessel may not dock with the station,” corrected Malnygun. “I doubt we have the proper locking mechanism to interface with your ship. We have a transport bay you can use to land any auxiliary craft you have. Contact me when you are prepared to come over.”

“Very well,” said John. Before he could say anything more, Malnygun ended the transmission. “Well, he was a nice chap.”

“Once the facilitator determined your intentions were friendly, he no longer felt it necessary to act aggressive,” said Drix. “Besides, his position as facilitator requires his attention on more pressing matters.”

“What’s his race called?” asked Julie.

“I do not know,” replied Drix. “He is the only one of his species I have ever encountered. He does not discuss his race with anyone.”

“Captain,” said Alex’sis. “Since Malnygun scanned us, I thought to extend the same courtesy and scanned the station.”

John cracked a smile. He knew Alex’sis would jump on the chance to learn more about the station, if for nothing else to gain a tactical advantage. “What’d you find?”

“There are sixty-seven life forms either on the station or in one of the docked ships. Readings indicate seven unique species are over there.”

“Not a lot of aliens given the size of the station,” remarked Julie. “The computer estimates the station could easily accommodate several hundred individuals.”

“Are there any Cresorian life-signs, Alex’sis Lieutenant?” asked Drix.

Alex’sis checked the sensor readings. “I’m not showing any Cresorians over there. I also don’t show any Cresorian ships docked.”

“Were you expecting any of your people here?” Julie asked Drix.

“No, but it was my hope to find one here,” said Drix. “I have only encountered one Cresorian male, and that was over nine cycles ago.”

John could see the look of disappointment on the Cresorian’s face. It was the first time since he came on board that the Cresorian expressed any interest in seeing another of his kind. “Drix, we’re going to be here at least a few days. Maybe a Cresorian will show up while we’re here.”

“Although the possibility is remote, I do appreciate your attempt to offer me hope, John Captain.” For Drix, meeting another of his kind would be a rare treat. He had a specific reason for wanting to find a Cresorian, one he had not shared with his shipmates. He was of mating age. According to the Cresorian database it was of paramount importance for Cresorians to mate whenever those of the opposite sex crossed paths. Although the significance of such an event weighed heavily on Drix’s mind, he felt it was a minor issue for his human friends to be bothered with. So he chose to keep it to himself.

“Captain,” said Bret from his station. “The facilitator has made a station-wide announcement that we’re friendly but there’s still a lot of nervous chatter about us.”

“He’s right,” added Julie as she looked at a graphical display on the ops table. “Almost a quarter of the ships are disembarking from the station and leaving.”

“Should we chase after them, see if any of them have information about the Screen?” asked Alex’sis.

“No,” replied John. “We’re better off staying here and dealing with the remaining aliens. Alex’sis, I want you and Drix to do some reconnaissance on the station. Julie, you and the chief go over and meet Malnygun and show him what we have to offer.”

“John Captain,” said Drix. “Malnygun only deals with the highest ranked individual of a ship. He will take it as a personal insult if you do not meet him.”

“Fine, then me and the chief will go,” said John.

“I don’t suppose pointing out how risky it is for the captain to go over to an alien outpost will stop you from going?” asked Sandoval, who already knew what the captain’s answer would be.

“Nope,” replied John. “Julie, you’ll remain on the PHOENIX. Keep a constant lock on our pips.”

Julie nodded. “Yes, captain.”

“John Captain, you will want to bring something to wipe your face. You may also want to bring a change of clothes,” advised Drix.

“Why?”

“Malnygun greets any new individual by spraying a purple liquid substance from the orifice hidden behind his entrails. It is a sign of respect.”

John looked at Drix with wide eyes. In this instance, Julie was glad she was not going over there.