Further Revelations
Chapter 11 of Starfighter! The
Iconoclast
By: Tom Sczepkowski
With editing and clean-up
by: Frederick P. Kopetz
Copyrights:
STAR TREK is © 2004 by Paramount Pictures, Inc. STAR BLAZERS is © 2004 by Voyager
International, and, STAR WARS is © 2004 by Lucasfilm, Ltd. GARGOYLES is © 2004
by Disney Entertainment. The Technomugar Empire is © 2004 by Frederick P.
Kopetz and is mentioned here by the author's permission. All original elements
of this tale are © 2004 by Tom Sczepkowski. All rights reserved, not to be
copied without the author's permission.
Vaught was hungry. And what loomed largest in his mind was a
restaurant. In his own universe he would, on Earth, go to eat at Sisko's in
He wasn’t sure about what restaurants were in town
especially since this was
Again he just about made it to the gangway when all of a
sudden he heard his name being called as he turned around with a sheepish grin,
only to see Sandor and Wildstar walking together.
“Are you off?” Sandor asked
“Trying to be,” Vaught said nodding at Wildstar
“Well I guess you’ve heard the news,” Sandor said.
“That is!?” Vaught asked
“That you have been assigned to us,” Sandor replied.
“I see,” Vaught said dryly.
“Is there a problem
with that, Colonel?” Derek shouted.
Vaught turned to the young man and was ready to let him have
it. No one ever dared to raise their voice to Vaught or at least get away with
it. However Vaught rarely showed his temper as he growled lightly taking the two
men aback slightly. Vaught than straightened and cleared his throat. Wildstar
did outrank him since he did hold a temporary rank of Captain while in command
of the Argo and was not yet officially relieved.
“Permission to speak freely,
Captain?” Vaught said in Japanese
He could tell that Wildstar didn’t know how to answer his
question by the way he stuttered his response. “Uh...sure.”
Wildstar said shrugging at Sandor.
“One, I'll respect your position and your authority without
question... I am at your service…Whether or not I respect you personally will
be answered in time,” Vaught said again in the Japanese language.
“Fair enough.”
Wildstar replied in Japanese “And what
is your request number two?”
Vaught took a step towards Wildstar as he towered over him
his reflection shone off Vaught’s dark tinted glasses.
“Don’t you ever shout at me or raise your voice to me
again.” Vaught said in a deep dangerous tone.
Wildstar never flinched despite Vaught’s size and simply
returned Vaught's stare.
“That I can’t promise you, Colonel, but I will try.”
Vaught nodded as Wildstar extended his hand. Vaught accepted
it and shook it.
“Welcome to the Star Force, Colonel Corsair,” Wildstar said
in English.
“Thank you, sir,” Vaught replied in the same tongue.
“Can you stick around for a bit?” Sandor asked. "We're
going to get something to eat in a little bit.
I was going over the Andromeda
with Wildstar, just giving him a brief tour of the ship."
Vaught nodded as they began walking through the corridors of
the Andromeda. There was an uneasy silence between the three of them,
but then, Sandor broke the silence.
“What do you think of her, Wildstar?” Sandor said.
“She certainly is big,” Derek replied. “And I guess she's a
lot more comfortable than the Argo.”
"Almost too comfortable," said Sandor.
Vaught gave a bemused look as the stepped on a walk way
through the corridor of the ship as they made there way to the engine room. Before them stood the wave motion engine.
As Vaught gazed at the engine, he noticed that it looked
exactly like the sketches Creighton had made. He was saddened to see it built
since his father had become so frightened by what he had created that he had
dubbed the wave motion generator “Project Frankenstein.”
As Sandor was explaining to Wildstar the improvements of the
Argo’s wave motion engine Vaught surreptitiously took scans with his
data watch and sent them up to the Inferno,
which then fully scanned the engine room followed by the whole ship. Vaught did
a highly detailed scan of each section that he visited.
Despite its technological marvels Vaught found the Andromeda extremely vulnerable to an
attack. The vessel had armor hull plating, however
Vaught noted that there were no shield generators. And the ship's sub light
speeds were limited and inferior to a Federation starship’s impulse drive
system. The ship was also restricted to
sub-light cruising speeds and its warping system actually folded space for a
moment, whereas a Federation starship could maintain a warp field and travel in
warp for months.
The Andromeda’s
weaponry told a different story. Her main guns were several times more powerful
than phasers and they had greater range. Plus the ship had numerous pulse laser
emplacements all over the hull. Therefore, any vessel attacking her would be
quite badly damaged in the battle.
Then there was the primary weapon…the wave motion gun. It
was this weapon for which the Cardassians had tortured Vaught’s parents to gain
its secrets. Used correctly the wave motion gun had the ability to destroy an
entire planet.
For some reason Vaught had been thinking of his older
sister. He hadn’t thought of her in
years, and any passing thoughts, he was able to suppress. However, they all
came rushing back to him when he saw the Andromeda’s wave motion system.
He turned back to the conversation between Wildstar and
Sandor as they discussed all of the many advancements that the Andromeda had over the Argo save for one, which was the blunt
fact that the computer core basically controlled the ship...and not the crew.
Sandor was concerned about the fact of computers controlling
starships since , as he knew, computers could not
think as Vaught again thought of his father. His father had once been a
civilian engineer observer on a starship when Starfleet had toyed with the idea
of a computer system controlling said starship. The result was a disaster, as
the computer went mad along with its designer……
“Daystrom M-5.”
Vaught blurted out. "That's all this ship is...an ultimate computer!"
“What was that?” Sandor said.
Vaught shook his head, “Just a classical reference.
"I do agree with your concerns on so much computer
control,” said Sandor.
Vaught nodded. "A very wise man once told me 'Computers
make excellent and efficient servants but I have no wish to serve under
them'…..A starship also runs on loyalty to one man and nothing can replace it
or him. ”
“Smart guy,” Wildstar said. “Who is he?”
“His name is Spock,” Vaught replied. “I believe your Captain
Gideon once served with him?”
“Well I wish this Mr.….Spock would come and address our
Defense Command," said Sandor.
"Captain Gideon tried.... however he wasn’t too successful.”
“He was against the project?” Vaught asked.
“Yes. He was dead set against it,” Sandor said. “I guess it
was ironic that he was placed in command of this ship…You see those people at
Defense Command like these little gadgets."
Sandor said sitting at a console moving a joystick around in
a circle. "They honestly believe that these stupid little consoles got the
Argo to Iscandar and back....and I keep saying how wrong that is!”
snapped Sandor, who banged his fist on the console.
"Good point," said Wildstar.
“Right," said Sandor as he looked at Wildstar and
Vaught. "Like your Mr. Spock said, Vaught, there’s nothing to replace crew
loyalty. You see, it's people….working together...
that get the job done. I don’t know what
the hell they’d do in an emergency….I’m an engineer and I agree with
progress...but, if this is indeed progress….well...I don’t think it is.”
There was a brief silence as Sandor's words were pondered by
both Wildstar and Vaught. Then, Sandor stood up from behind the console and
looked at both men.
“Uh...I didn’t mean to preach...” Sandor said
“Well,” Wildstar said “I think you’re in good company. This
thing's nothing but a damn flying computer."
“Agreed,” Vaught said.
“An argument for another time,” Sandor said. “Wildstar, I think
that our newest Star Force member would like to raid a kitchen someplace, since
we have been keeping him pretty busy."
"Good idea," said Wildstar. "Let's go to the
Officer's Club, guys. I could use some food, too. Remember, Nova was too mad at
me to cook tonight; but she said she'd take me to lunch tomorrow to make up for
it."
So, Vaught delightfully settled for a meal at the Officer's
Club. He was happy, since he was able to get an imitation crab meat salad,
which he cheerfully accepted, along with a glass of water. Sandor took a beef
stew meal, and Wildstar had some fettuccine
alfredo...the same dish Nova had been planning to cook for him at her
apartment until they had had their argument.
The dinner conversation was light, until, of course, Wildstar
took out his cigar. He quickly stuck it in his mouth and began slapping his
pockets for a match.
“You’re not going to light that thing, are you?” Sandor
said.
“Oh, damnit...it's just us and the
kitchen has stopped serving...no one else is coming in here tonight at 0100!”
Wildstar protested.
“Nova’s pretty upset that you started smoking again,” Sandor
said.
Wildstar let out a frustrated groan, “Well...I never said I
was going to stop!”
“On the trip back from Iscander you told her you wouldn’t be
smoking them anymore.”
“I didn’t have anymore to smoke you had IQ-9 torch the last
box I had!” Wildstar yelled
“I hate to tell you the conspiracy went deeper than that,”
Sandor said.
“Bah on all of you!”
Wildstar said chuckling as he took the cigar and placed it back in his pocket.
"I'll have some fun discussing this with Nova tomorrow. Bet it's all her
fault."
“But she means well. See...your lungs are sighing with
relief, already!” Sandor said. “Right, Vaught?”
“Don’t put me in the middle of this!” Vaught said. “I happen
to like a good cigar after dinner with a nice glass of 200 year old Saurian
brandy.”
"My kind of man," joked
Wildstar.
“Not our Captain,” Sandor said, slapping him on the back.
"Wildstar just goes straight for the Mad Dog 20/20 in the fine bottle with
the screw cap.”
Wildstar nodded and turned to Vaught.
“Yeah?
And who’s the first guy at my door with an empty glass in his hand when that
fine screw cap seal is cracked?” Wildstar said pointing at Sandor.
“Captain, I resent your insinuation!” Sandor said “That’s
not entirely precise information you're giving the Colonel. And what about that
time, during our month on Iscandar, when Nova brought you back to the ship
weaving when you had found one of those screw top bottles around and stuck it
in your picnic basket with her sandwiches?”
"I think that was her idea," retorted Wildstar.
"You don't remember that she was giggling when she brought me back from
that picnic on the green hills of Iscandar?"
"Yeah...and IQ-9 recorded you two singing old songs
off-key like a pair of sloshed idiots."
"He recorded that?
What the hell else did that tinwit record?"
"What else were you two up to that day?"
"None of your damn business!" said Wildstar.
"Let's get back to the issue at hand, Sandor, your showing up at my
quarters looking for Mad Dog."
"He's not giving you the correct story," said
Sandor. "Let me tell you how it
went, Vaught."
Vaught, who was amused with the bantering, was now finished
with his meal. He leaned back in the chair and folded his arms
“I’m dying to hear this explanation,” Vaught said
“And you will find it a good one.” Sandor said
sarcastically. “It was only when he had the Key Lime pie flavor. did I partake in a little after dinner glass.”
“A little?”
Wildstar said. “A little? HAH! You and Dr Sane were
singing very badly in the corridor, and you mistook Captain Avatar for IQ-9.”
The two broke into a heavy laughter. Vaught, who did not
know all the people they were referring to, cracked a smile. He had experienced
similar things in his youth so he appreciated the story.
“Boy, did he ever get mad!” Sandor said to Vaught.
"Yeah...he sure did," said Wildstar thoughtfully.
"I wish he was around now..."
A silence fell among them as Vaught could tell that they
were reminiscing about their late leader. Then, as if an alarm went off, saying
it was time to return to reality again. Wildstar straightened up in his chair
and cleared his throat.
“Sandor, do you have any information on the enemy planes
that we met...and also, did you find anything on the tapes we brought back?”
“Problems,” Sandor replied. “And computers can't solve them
all.”
Vaught looked a little confused “Gentlemen, I’m missing
something," he said. “I take it this coincides with the power blackout of
a few days ago?”
“Yes, it does,” Sandor said.
“Interesting.”
Vaught said “You were attacked you say by what type of craft?”
“I’m not sure...Wildstar said whatever it was, it was faster
and more maneuverable than what we have ever seen.”
Shields raised
at the precise moment of the blackout. Vaught thought to
himself
“Would I be able to look at what you have?” Vaught asked.
“Perhaps I can come up with a different type of analysis.”
“That’s a good idea.” Sandor said “There’s something else I
want to show you...whatever it is... it’s a real mystery.”
It was now 0200 hours...or two o'clock in the morning, once
they had reached their destination. They made their way to the main EDF
tactical center, which was a large room with many monitors and a large view
screen like that on a Federation starship.
Vaught was in one section of the room towards the tape
player. When he listened to the tapes, they turned out to be extremely garbled.
He had Inferno’s computer scan the
tapes. However, even with all of his efforts, the computers of his ship could
not come up with any type of analysis.
Sandor walked over to Vaught who took off the headsets.
"This is nothing but mish-mosh," said Sandor.
“It’s in another language,” Vaught said. “It could be in at
least three different dialects that I am familiar with. If you can clean it up
a little bit, I might be able to translate it."
“How many languages can you speak?” Wildstar asked
“95.” Vaught replied matter-of-factly.
Sandor looked at Wildstar. "Yeah, right," muttered
Derek in a low voice after Sandor glanced at him
“You don’t believe me?” Vaught asked Sandor in Hebrew.
"Looks like we're wrong again," Wildstar chuckled.
Vaught stood up and looked at the main viewer as Sandor
looked at him quizzically and turned towards the viewer controls. On the screen
a giant white comet appeared as Vaught looked at it intently.
This is what Starfleet wanted me to
look at, Vaught thought. And, this,
I guess, is why I am here.
“That is the biggest comet I have ever seen!” Wildstar said.
“Don’t you believe it,” Vaught said. “It's not a real comet.
That thing’s holding an independent course and correcting for all gravitational
stresses.”
“It could be a rogue comet.” Wildstar said.
“Not likely.” Vaught said “That thing is powered, and it’s
moving at about warp factor 5. Natural phenomena can’t travel past the speed of
light.”
“It’s in a space warp!?” Sandor said. “That’s impossible.”
“It’s what they call a Cochrane warp, which differs from a
dimensional warp or folding space as you do when your ships warp.” Vaught said.
“See the lines of colors around it? That’s a generated warp field. It’s under
power.”
“An artificiality generated warp field is something that is
based only in theory,” Wildstar said.
“Not to these guys.” Vaught said.
“I agree with the Colonel,” said Sandor after looking at a
long sheet of data. "It also seems to be emitting some sort of power
beam."
Vaught walked over and started typing on a computer
terminal. He grimaced at the results.
“According to this, at the same time that power surge hit
here, your message recorders were receiving a message from coordinates
2014 mark 89. That’s far outside your…our solar system.”
“And our systems aboard the Argo were affected the exact same time as the systems were affected
here.” Wildstar said
Sandor nodded. “Then the two have to be connected some way.
Either the power surge was used to send the message...or to try and jam it.”
“Or there were two different possible power sources at the
same time,” Vaught said. “If you look at the data, the power surge is at 45.6
quantum joules. Two milliseconds later, as you see, it spikes at 331.6 quantum
joules. Now if whomever was blocking the message was
using a jamming source capable of producing 331.6 quantum joules of energy,
your tape recorders wouldn’t have picked up even static. So the stronger of the
two surges is what sent the message to you and accidentally knocked out your equipment."
“Accidentally?”
Wildstar asked.
“If you were sending
a message from that great a distance logically you would want someone to pick
it up at the receiving end…." Vaught said. "However if that comet
tried to block it out, then its occupants are committed to keep us from hearing
whatever the senders of the message have to say.”
“If that’s the case, with that
type of power and capabilities who knows where that comet is going?”
Wildstar said. "It could destroy our whole solar system!"
“I think we're going to have to present this to the Defense
Command,” Sandor said.
Wildstar nodded. Vaught appeared to be lost in thought as he
looked at the view screen at the projection of the comet.
“Colonel?”
Sandor asked
“For the world is hollow and I have touched the sky,” Vaught
said quietly.
“What?” Wildstar asked
“Excuse me.” Vaught said clearing his throat, “Just a
classical reference.”
Wildstar and Sandor looked at each other, then they looked back at Vaught, who was still tapping on a computer
console.
“With your permission, gentlemen, I’m
going to stick around and compile some more data and then rejoin you in the
Afternoon.”
Wildstar nodded with his approval as
Vaught excused himself.
“Sandor, where in hell did you find him?”
Wildstar asked.
"I found him by sheer chance. He came
up on the available crew placements; he’s a good engineer and even better, he's
a top-notch pilot."
“That’s what worries me,” Wildstar said.
“He’s good at anything. Almost too good.”
“Captain Gideon expressed the same
reservations...yet he seems quite intrigued with him.”
“So did Nova," Wildstar said. “Sandor,
I want that man checked out.”
End Chapter Eleven
Next Chapter: "Pieces of the Puzzle"
To Return to the Introduction
to Starfighter: The Iconoclasts,
click here