eating something from a can.
Without missing a beat Mandi said, "Care for a
peach?"
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A Chance
Memory
Earth
2330 A.D.
Admiral Sanchez
looked up at the Army Captain sitting before him.
He then glanced back down at the top-secret report that was
still in his hands. It was a wonder they weren't shaking, the abstract thought
came into his mind.
Forty minutes ago he'd been contemplating what he thought
was the most sensitive information, and biggest headache, the Terran League
(and possibly mankind) had ever run into.
The Terran League had no idea what to do with the
discoveries on Betelgeuse. Only recently had the recovered records been
translated sufficiently to tell its fateful story.
The fragmentary ruins of what might have been alien
civilizations had been found before. But this…
Apparently, because of his scientific background, the powers
that be at the Terran League felt that he would be the best person to dump this
mess into the lap of.
On the one hand, it was an honor to be thought of so well…
On the other hand, this was his for life. He would never be given another
assignment and, assuming the universe didn't end tomorrow, his career was
effectively dead-ended.
The Admiral wasn't the type of man to dwell on those
thoughts, however. His task was to assume that the information was correct and
that there was an existential threat – and then formulate a plan to deal with
it.
How did you plan for something when you had no idea what you
were planning for? Or, for that matter, should they even believe it? It seemed
so fantastical and they had so little evidence.
And then forty minutes ago the captain had walked into his
office…
"What is your name again, son?"
"Jacoby, Sir. Captain James Jacoby, Terran League
Army."
"How many others know about this report, Captain?"
"The actual report was written by me, sir. And no one
else has seen it. I spoke to my commanding officer who pretty muchly laughed it
off as a joke. He told me it was my career, and then directed me to the Space
Navy Admiralty, who immediately routed me to you."
The Admiral made a mental note to vet everyone that might've
been exposed to this information…
"And how did you become aware of this… Object that you talk about?"
"I work in Army intelligence, Admiral. I understand
that they have now put you in charge of the discoveries on Betelgeuse, but some
of the preliminary information was made available to us. Amongst that
information was the description of crystalline objects…
"It triggered something in my memory that I'd read in a
report long ago. I tracked it down and actually found the artifact stored in a
warehouse. No one believed it authentic, but no one had bothered to throw it
away either."
The Admiral made a decision…
"Captain, you now work for me. Consider yourself
attached to the Terran Space Navy and bump yourself up a level in rank… What's
above captain in the Army? Major?"
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, Major Jacoby. Your first assignment is to gather
the artifact and bring it here. I will also want a detailed report on anyone
that might be privy to even a portion of the content of this report…"
Once the new major had left his office, the admiral looked
back at the report and started reading it again…
CHAPTER TWENTY
A Tall Tale
Climbing
the Gravity Well
"Explain."
"Well I couldn't very well let myself starve. I didn't
think you'd mind if I pinched a few peaches."
"I'm not talking about the peaches, Mandi,"
Argentine said. "I want to know what's going on here?"
"Mandi?" Sami said with surprise. "You know
this woman?"
Looking at Sami, Mandi said, "Don't worry, dear. We
shared a few laughs and a cup of coffee. We barely know each other at all…
"By the way," she continued. "How long until
we reach Asperia?"
"We're not going to Asperia… We're turning
Without missing a beat Mandi said, "Care for a
peach?"
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A Chance
Memory
Earth
2330 A.D.
Admiral Sanchez
looked up at the Army Captain sitting before him.
He then glanced back down at the top-secret report that was
still in his hands. It was a wonder they weren't shaking, the abstract thought
came into his mind.
Forty minutes ago he'd been contemplating what he thought
was the most sensitive information, and biggest headache, the Terran League
(and possibly mankind) had ever run into.
The Terran League had no idea what to do with the
discoveries on Betelgeuse. Only recently had the recovered records been
translated sufficiently to tell its fateful story.
The fragmentary ruins of what might have been alien
civilizations had been found before. But this…
Apparently, because of his scientific background, the powers
that be at the Terran League felt that he would be the best person to dump this
mess into the lap of.
On the one hand, it was an honor to be thought of so well…
On the other hand, this was his for life. He would never be given another
assignment and, assuming the universe didn't end tomorrow, his career was
effectively dead-ended.
The Admiral wasn't the type of man to dwell on those
thoughts, however. His task was to assume that the information was correct and
that there was an existential threat – and then formulate a plan to deal with
it.
How did you plan for something when you had no idea what you
were planning for? Or, for that matter, should they even believe it? It seemed
so fantastical and they had so little evidence.
And then forty minutes ago the captain had walked into his
office…
"What is your name again, son?"
"Jacoby, Sir. Captain James Jacoby, Terran League
Army."
"How many others know about this report, Captain?"
"The actual report was written by me, sir. And no one
else has seen it. I spoke to my commanding officer who pretty muchly laughed it
off as a joke. He told me it was my career, and then directed me to the Space
Navy Admiralty, who immediately routed me to you."
The Admiral made a mental note to vet everyone that might've
been exposed to this information…
"And how did you become aware of this… Object that you talk about?"
"I work in Army intelligence, Admiral. I understand
that they have now put you in charge of the discoveries on Betelgeuse, but some
of the preliminary information was made available to us. Amongst that
information was the description of crystalline objects…
"It triggered something in my memory that I'd read in a
report long ago. I tracked it down and actually found the artifact stored in a
warehouse. No one believed it authentic, but no one had bothered to throw it
away either."
The Admiral made a decision…
"Captain, you now work for me. Consider yourself
attached to the Terran Space Navy and bump yourself up a level in rank… What's
above captain in the Army? Major?"
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, Major Jacoby. Your first assignment is to gather
the artifact and bring it here. I will also want a detailed report on anyone
that might be privy to even a portion of the content of this report…"
Once the new major had left his office, the admiral looked
back at the report and started reading it again…
CHAPTER TWENTY
A Tall Tale
Climbing
the Gravity Well
"Explain."
"Well I couldn't very well let myself starve. I didn't
think you'd mind if I pinched a few peaches."
"I'm not talking about the peaches, Mandi,"
Argentine said. "I want to know what's going on here?"
"Mandi?" Sami said with surprise. "You know
this woman?"
Looking at Sami, Mandi said, "Don't worry, dear. We
shared a few laughs and a cup of coffee. We barely know each other at all…
"By the way," she continued. "How long until
we reach Asperia?"
"We're not going to Asperia… We're turning
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