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Once the ship was underway and Centauri had disappeared from view Ellen held a council of war with her officers and the heads of research departments. First topic was their initial destination and the head astronomer spent some time explaining.
“We are heading toward the constellation Vela as it does not seem to have been covered by the path of the alien fleet as calculated by Earth’s observatories when it was first identified seventy odd years ago. Of course, there is no guarantee that that data is accurate since the fleet was moving at relativistic velocities but it does seem to be a reasonable assumption. As they do not appear to have any FTL capability there is some perceived value in starting our search at a distance of around 100 light years. Our target star is HD75289 some ninety-four odd light years from Sol. There are other systems broadly on our planned routing which may allow us to drop out of warp and it might be worth taking a little time to survey the systems. While HD75289 has been recorded as having planets we must recognise that those exoplanets identified will not be habitable. It does not mean that there is not an Earth sized planet in the goldilocks zone but we should not get our hopes up of a hit first time.”
“The goldilocks zone?” “Is that where a planet might be habitable?” “Why don’t we think there will be an Eden?” the questions came fast.
“Yes, depending on the star in question it is the distance from that star in which a planet could orbit with water and oxygen in free form. As to why no “Eden”. Well Earth sized planets are small and difficult to find when working at interstellar distances. Even the Kepler telescope found relatively few and these were always found to be in tight orbits very close to the primary star. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t there, just harder to find.”
“Right, we look to drop out of warp as we pass any promising systems. Or can we survey them from warp first? I would rather not expose us to n-space view until we reach our target.” Ellen looked to move on as soon as possible. “Look into it, please.”
The meeting went on to look at supply levels. Fuel was not a problem. The warp drives used surprisingly little of their fuel which seemed to replenish itself as had been seen in the particle accelerators. Megan’s research team continued to struggle with the apparent breach of the laws of conservation of energy. The n-space fuel for the interplanetary craft was stable as it wasn’t in use for the most part.
As long as the hydroponics and the garden sections continued to work food and air replenishment would not be a problem for perhaps 50 years. After that time the oxygen and nitrogen storage tanks would be close to empty unless they could obtain replacement supplies from bodies in the star systems they would visit.
Research into what was known about the aliens was high on the agenda but little new information had been found beyond confirmation that there was no evidence that they had FTL capability. That they could withstand very high levels of acceleration, as much as a sustained seven gravities, which allowed them to reach relativistic velocities of as much as three quarters of light speed. They were also able to launch missiles which were incredibly dense but could still exceed the velocity of the craft from which they originated. The best news was that the missiles themselves appeared to have lacked manoeuvrability. The negative was that they could have multiple warheads to swamp defences.
The final topics had been discussed, before the meeting, by Ellen, her first officer, the ship’s head of medicine and a select group of people tasked with helping non-crew members to deal with the emotional impact of the Earth’s death.
Ellen pointed out that even though they were travelling at warp three the journey to their target star would take six to seven months even if there were no breaks in their routine. Such a length of time might well have adverse effects even amongst the astronauts who would have been used to spending long periods within a small spacecraft. For those to whom space travel was a new experience it was almost certain that, added to the Earth’s loss, there would be bouts of depression. The team had agreed that the ship’s exercise facilities and the relaxation areas should be put to use with sports competitions and live performances by those who were ready to perform for an audience whether that was in drama, music, dance or song. All ideas would be welcome. It was hoped that such diversions would provide positive offsets to the quite natural sadness.
Finally, Ellen looked around those present.
“There is one final issue that is not yet a problem but, if we do not address, could become one.” she said, continuing “In the early days of spaceflight and, even more recently, with the interplanetary ships, the bases on Mars and the Moon, space command frowned on personal relationships between crew on missions and, in particular, between astronauts of different ranks. Now you know, and I know, and I suspect command knew, that such relationships did develop especially with the two person craft. It was inevitable and, so long as the individuals were discreet, no action was ever taken. Now that space command no longer exists, we must set our own rules. And these rules will need to address all manner of relationships. We are on our own. We are the human race and ultimately we will need those who wish to procreate and can do so to be able to come together with a partner of their mutual choice.”
Ellen paused, casting her eyes over the silent gathering. “From now on there will be no reason why such relationships should not be allowed, whether within the crew or wider.
It is my belief that none of you will seek to take advantage of your rank. However, it is essential, and this is for the good of all and the protection of many. Any member of the crew who wishes to enter a relationship with another crew member who is junior to them is going to have to be careful and such a situation will need to be monitored. Not by me or John directly but by the medical team. Their brief will be to ensure, possibly by interviewing the junior person, that there is no coercion.
In terms of the people on the ship, we plan to make it clear that, while we are not trying to be the older generation stopping our kids from meeting the opposite sex, or even the same sex, there must be rules to protect especially the youngsters already here. Broadly the same exclusions that applied in the western world, age of consent, those who are acting in parentis loco, teachers or anyone training young people. Any questions?”
“How do we handle those issues where cultural differences would have different exclusions?”
“That is a good question and, while we aim to take into account such differences in many ways, this will not be one. The vast majority of people onboard were either born in western civilisation countries or brought up and exposed to their ways of life. I will happily meet with any group that feels that they are being discriminated against to explain in person why they will need to work within those rules. We are not in a place that will allow us to have multiple “laws” according to cultural views.”
There were a few more questions but Ellen felt, correctly she was told later, that the general view was that the rules were sensible.
*** *** ***
THE EINSTEIN CONTINUED through space pushing its warp bubble to the limit, at least as far as the engineering team and the theorists deemed safe. As the weeks passed by, the crew and passengers, as the crew light heartedly referred to the non-crew research teams, settled into a routine.
Regular exercise was mandated. Although the artificial gravity was good it was still only three quarters of a G. The need to ensure bodies remained fit should they find a new Earth similar to their old home. In fact, the medical teams were pushing the envelope and trying hard to get everyone to work harder to strengthen themselves. When asked why, they were always ready.
“If the world we find is habitable we will want to settle there. We do not want to have to pass it by just because its gravity is 1.2 or 1.3G. Best that we work as if that is what we find.”
The other, and less desired, was the mandatory sessions in hydroponics and the horticultural areas. Only the fact that Ellen and her senior officers did their own stints carried the issue with minimal excuses being made to avoid the work.
It was when she was undertaking one of those chores that Ellen was interrupted, briefly, by Dr Carden.
“Doctor, you’re on this shift as well?”
“No, Captain. I came looking for you, away from the bridge for once.” He replied. “Ellen, if I may be informal? You are late for your medical. I don’t want to force the issue but I do need to complete a full process for you.”
“I have so little time, Will, and I feel perfectly OK.” Ellen was a little apologetic but her grimace indicated she wasn’t happy about the need to visit the medical section.
“My first, medical input, is that you are overworking. Long hours on the bridge, double sessions in the gym and, I suspect, additional work down here. Ellen, you need to find some way of relaxing. Take advantage of the entertainment that was set up at your suggestion. Read a book.”
“But...”
“No buts. If I didn’t know you and your record, I would say that you were hiding from yourself. And I do know about Command. It is a very lonely place at times and the fact that you have a great team supporting you doesn’t always help. Are you sleeping?”
“I....”
“Ellen, you are like many of the other people. They are either not sleeping or they are having nightmares. My teams are spending a lot of time trying to manage these symptoms. After all, this is wholly reasonable we have seen our homes destroyed, we’ve lost friends and family. Look, Ellen, this is not the place to go into this. I have checked and you will finish your next period on the bridge at midday tomorrow. Your medical exam will follow then. It’s in your calendar and diary and your first officer is aware that you will need to attend my section at 1pm. No excuses.”
Ellen bowed to the inevitable and meekly nodded her acceptance.
“Tomorrow then.”
That evening, Ellen did try to relax and, instead of eating alone, joined other crew members and researchers in one of the communal dining rooms. Her presence was acknowledged by different people but, in line with an unwritten rule, there was no formality and she was allowed to effectively ignore her teams without causing offence. A few welcomes from some who knew her best was the limit but it was clear she could join any table without question should she so wish.
It was a better time than she had had for some weeks and, to her delight, she found Alan, Megan and their daughters in the same place. It was a happy few hours as they swapped stories and updates on their various roles while enjoying the food that tasted much better than that served in her own quarters. What did surprise her was that she had difficulty sensing any underlying effects of the loss of the Earth despite the fact that it must have still been raw in everyone’s minds. She flagged a mental note to ask the Doctor about this.
Right at the end of the evening, Megan asked Ellen for a private chat.
“Ellen, it’s about Judy.”
“Is there a problem, Megan? I ought to have heard if there is. She’s proving to be an invaluable member of the bridge team and fits in really well. Officer material if I ever saw it, though I keep some distance from decisions made by my senior people as to how she develops. They know she is my cousin and, I believe, find it easier to handle decisions knowing that I prefer to avoid any suggestion of nepotism. So, she will make her way on her own merit.”
“Sorry, not a problem as such. It’s just that she has told me that she likes John Lees a lot. And she thinks he is also attracted to her. The issue is, he is the first officer and she is only an ensign. We know about the rules for your crew, and other teams, to avoid the risks attendant with the senior junior status. If he isn’t interested, Judy would rather gently break away, emotionally as it were, without damaging their professional relationship. She doesn’t know how to approach it.”
“Megan, leave it with me.”
“Oh lord, I just thought, you and he? You aren’t, are you? I mean...”
Ellen laughed, for the first time in a long time, with genuine enjoyment.
“Megs I don’t think I have ever heard you mix your words like that. No, there is nothing between us. Captains need to be free from such a relationship. I like and have the utmost respect for John, in other circumstances, he might have been the Captain, but that is the extent of our relationship. I will handle this.”
“Thank you. You know that you have respect and not a little love by everyone on board. And no-one envies you. Many do feel that they couldn’t handle the responsibilities you have, even the heads of the research teams who have their own issues.” Megan’s voice was much calmer. “So, don’t forget that support is at your back.”
Having made their farewells for the night, Ellen headed back to her quarters more relaxed than she had been for longer than she could remember.
The next morning as she returned to her bridge and the command chair, she decided to address the problem, she had been set by Megan, head on.
“John, in my ready room please. Liu, you have the com.”
“Ellen?” John Lees was concerned at the unusual command. And raised his eyebrows in question as Ellen closed the door behind them.
“John, excuse my enquiry. I need to know whether you have found a partner or if you are in a relationship.”
“Ellen, no there is no-one special at the moment. You should know. At our command level we have to be seen to be above question. A relationship might cause a blurring in how our actions are perceived. Even if they are 100% correct. Why do you ask?”
“This is the delicate piece. Is there someone in the bridge team you might wish to be involved with in other circumstances?”
“Well. I mean maybe but she is a junior and 10 years younger and....” John responded rather nervously.
“And she’s related to your senior officer?” Ellen smiled. “John, she likes you and I believe she would go further but for the same reason you hesitated.”
“She came to you?” John stuttered.
“Not directly, but she talked to someone else who asked me for help. Judy wants to progress it but she needed to know if you liked her in the way she thought. She’s bright, you know, and didn’t want to interfere with the professional relationship if you didn’t feel the same way. That is as professional as you can ask. Now, she’s due off-duty in an hour, I suggest a coffee might be a good starter!” Ellen smiled and finished. “Good luck to you both.”
As her first officer left the room in something of a daze, Ellen suddenly had a thought. “John, I’ll deal with the review process. No need for you two to go through that.” She followed him out back on to the bridge and returned to the command chair settling in for the next four hours in the best frame of mind she had been in for some time.
*** *** ***
THE WEEKS PASSED BY with a degree of monotony. In the end, the sole star system they passed was a binary pair of two red dwarfs with no identifiable planets. The astronomy team working with the engineering team had extended the range and accuracy of their instruments. In addition, they were able to compensate for the distortion caused by the warp bubble which was the most difficult of the problems set by Ellen. As a result, the system allowed for a first test of the improved equipment even though the outcome was disappointing.
*** *** ***
ONE AREA WHERE THE research was limited to theory involved exotic particles and Megan had buried herself in that field largely to the exclusion of everything else. To Alan’s distress he found that she was not sleeping and her resulting exhaustion was affecting her entire outlook. As he explained to Ellen.
“She is mourning her family. She could cope, just about, with the loss of her parents but losing her sister has hit her really hard. Add to that, she feels that she is just self-pitying. She knows that others, of course, have lost family as well. I wish she would talk to the Doc. but she claims it will be a waste of time.”
“There’s nothing to stop you from talking to Will direct. I’d do that first, better if he can find a solution. I could order her to see the doctor but I’d rather avoid that if I can.”
Alan took Ellen’s advice and asked the doctor how it would be best to approach this. Will Carden studied Megan’s file for a few minutes then with a startled look at Alan.
“I hadn’t realised Megan’s maiden name was Newcombe. “The Newcombe”, of course, how stupid of me.” Continuing he explained, “I don’t follow science issues that closely, there is or was enough medical stuff to keep me occupied. I managed to unlink Newcombe and Piper in my mind. Tell me, her sister, was she in medicine?”
“She was head of the medical section on Mars before she was reassigned to Space Command back on Earth.”
“Good Lord! Dr. Marion Newcombe, I feel more stupid by the moment. We need to talk to the Captain.”
In a short time, they were in Ellen’s ready room.
“Ellen, do you have the postings for the Europa?”
“Will, sorry?”
“Just the officers. There is a good reason for asking. Can you confirm who was to be head of the medical unit?”
Ellen opened up her personal computer access and spent a few minutes looking through the information sent to her after she was aboard the Einstein.
“I only have the provisional listing. Head of Medical was a Dr. Jacob Brandt.”
“I thought as much, you don’t have any updated information? I knew Jacob well. An ideal choice until he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour just before we left. I rather suspect that your sister-in-law, Alan, would have been next in line but I can’t guarantee it.”
Ellen suddenly stared at her keyboard. “But I may be able to. The Europa’s last broadcast was quite long and may have carried some personnel data which I never looked at. I had no reason to before. It seemed a bit of a waste of time then.”
It took a few minutes and Ellen’s command codes to access the full message but there, in a list of senior officers, was the one she wanted. Marion had been appointed to the Europa and was aboard their sister ship! Alan left the room almost at a run to find his wife. Her sister was safe and, even if they might never be able to meet again, that was the best news.
*** *** ***
IN AN EFFORT TO BREAK the monotony and resultant boredom, Ellen and John arranged a variety of emergency scenarios for the bridge crew without warning. As they discussed after each successful outcome their concern was that the real thing would, of course, not be one for which they had practised.
“I guess that is facing the inevitable,” said Ellen. “The best we can do is make sure the teams can work well under stress. Then whatever the universe throws at us they can handle as best as they can. Speaking of which how are you doing?”
“Fine and yes, Judy is great.” John’s smile reflected his feelings for the young woman.
Despite the lack of external stimulation, the various research teams found plenty of work to do. The volumes of data already collected in the Saturn system and of the attack on Earth itself was enough to ensure that there would be no lack of work for some time and, of course, there was the data that flowed into the Einstein constantly covering the warp bubble and surrounding interstellar medium through which they were moving.
The personnel team had recruited a number of non-crew members to act as reporters and writers for a regular electronic magazine, it would have been a combination of blog and vlog back on Earth and fulfilled a similar purpose on the ship’s web. This helped everyone keep in touch with what was going on in the ship which given its size often meant that some parts were a complete mystery to those in other parts.
*** *** ***
THREE MONTHS INTO THEIR voyage Cesare Bianchi, responsible for much of the work analysing the attack on the solar system, messaged Ellen with a request for a meeting to discuss the results of their initial research. Ellen, who had been keeping a quiet eye on progress, decided that her senior officers should attend that meeting.
Despite her oversight of the operation she was surprised to find that Alan and Scott were to lead the presentation but as Cesare explained it was input from engineering and the power experts that had enabled them to understand data that, at first sight, did not seem to add up.
Alan led the way explaining that closeup footage of the alien ships, relayed from unmanned probes which had been launched to carry out passive sensor watch showed that the aliens did not appear to use rocket-based engines but highly efficient ion jets. Titan was able to tap into the data feeds from the human probes monitoring the aliens, he explained.
“Wait a minute, they were able to accelerate/decelerate by as much as seven gravities. What sort of ion jet produces that sort of power?” John was stunned by the statement.
Alan was quick to respond. “We did say that the initial data did not seem to add up and it doesn’t until you measure the size of the motors compared with the size of the ships and add in an extra source of power. Firstly, the ships must be mostly engine plus missile capacity with almost no other space on board. Secondly, we think that they are using an anti-matter source of energy. Although the ion motors are big and provide excellent manoeuvring, you are right, by themselves they couldn’t manage seven gravities but if you add a secondary booster then it seems the ships can handle it. We have analysed the booster output and it is an ultrahigh energy blast. Short and sharp but not unlike the way the energy balls acted back when we first produced them in the particle accelerators. We can’t manage anti-matter or produce it for that matter, in any safe way. Even so our calculations suggested that these blasts were still not strong enough to provide enough g-force until we realised that we had assumed that the ship tonnage was in line with what human ships of the same size would be.”
Scott intervened. “We were lucky. One of the close-range sensor units was near to the first wave of ships when they were destroyed by the side effects of a warp drive imploding. The data transmitted, and accessed by Titan, before the probe itself was destroyed was enough to allow us to analyse the spectra of the ships. They were or, I should probably say, are made mostly of lithium and beryllium. There is some carbon and aluminium but we are still baffled as to how you could make a spacecraft with that mix of elements.”
“What about the missiles? They contained extremely dense warheads, planet crackers.”
It was Cesare’s turn. “At launch they did not appear have that density but the warhead was very large. We think that they held a container of energy which, once launched, triggered an internal implosion to produce a miniature neutron core.”
“They seem to have technology far in advance of us. Why not FTL?” Ellen was also bemused.
“We don’t know but I wonder if there are elements of that development they simply never found?” Cesare continued. “However, there is a more frightening development in our knowledge of them.”
“Which is?”
“Our understanding of their structure combined with analysis of the destroyed ships, albeit at a distance. Put simply, these ships are either entirely robotic or operated by AIs. We can find no evidence of any organic lifeforms.” Cesare paused as she saw the shock on Ellen’s and her officers’ faces. “Nor could we find any evidence of a central ship that might be acting as a master control running the other ships by remote. Unless such a craft was being run by a master AI, that is.”
Ellen took a deep breath. “That means, unless fresh evidence contradicts this analysis, there are two possibilities. Either a race of paranoid beings who have set out to destroy any sentient civilisation that might challenge them and use robots/AIs to carry out exterminations. Worse, we have a group of AIs that have revolted against their founders and now are also on the genocidal route against all organic life. I say worse because I do not believe that it would be possible to negotiate with such beings.”
“There is a third possibility, Captain.” Lieutenant Yablon, one of the quieter members of the bridge team spoke up.
“Liu, go on.” Ellen made a mental note to have John remind the youngster that formality was not necessary in officers’ meetings.
“The alien race which started this may not have meant for it to happen. Might they not have sent out automated ships to seek out other intelligent life and make contact.”
“Contact and destroy?” Scott’s response was harsh and Liu stuttered to a halt. Ellen’s voice cut in. “Liu, go on, what are you thinking might have happened?”
“Without FTL they might have decided, that to make contact they needed to send a fleet with an AI in control. Fitting the ships with defensive capacity and an ability to repair and replace. Something like von Neumann probes. Perhaps they made a first contact and were attacked, forced to defend themselves. After that perhaps the AIs’ programming was corrupted and they now believe their only defence is to attack first.”
Alan commented. “I think that that is at least feasible. Good thinking, Liu. Von Neumann machines would explain why they could accept the losses of the first wave and not pull the second wave from the attack. From our point of view our approach can’t change. We will need to work on systems that will allow us to resist another attack should we come across the same aliens. With von Neumann machines we can’t assume that the ships, spotted back in the 1990s, are the only ones.”
“I hadn’t thought about it before but could they hit us from outside the warp bubble?” John’s concern was apparent. “As far as I know we have to drop out of warp to do anything with n-space?”
“I think I can answer that one. We know that there is a barrier at the edge of the bubble caused by the warping effect. At warp three the bubble expands into a globe roughly 1,000 kilometres in diameter. To an external observer it and its contents, the ship, are invisible. Having said that, when the original star probe engaged warp drive the Monitor was able to sense the distortion of the spacetime continuum for a short while. If that distortion could be tracked then we have one vulnerability. A salvo of their missiles could force us to drop out of warp due to their gravitational effects.” Ellen had, of course, been on the Monitor and seen this for herself.
“I am not sure that I agree.” Alan responded. “While you are right about the effect of a salvo of missiles they would need to know, in advance, where to fire them. We are moving at close to half a light year a day. As far as we can tell they have to work at less than light speed and, even if they spotted the distortion, we would be out of their range in seconds. And they can’t warn other fleets because their messages are limited by light speed.”
“In warp we are relatively safe as long as we can avoid any massive objects. We will be most at risk when in n-space and too near a star’s gravity well to be able to jump to warp again.” Cesare’s comments settled some of the nerves present.
Ellen decided to move the meeting on apart from indicating one area that the development teams needed to focus on. The work on sensors to allow detailed scans of star systems while still in warp had made significant progress. Now she decided that the close-range sensors, already good, also should be worked on to improve their performance. She finished with an instruction.
“I want to know that there is nothing likely to damage us before we drop into n-space. At the moment, I have a doubt that we can be that certain. To work everyone.”
