Lieutenant Greg Alabaster: Adventures of the League Space Patrol, #8

By Frank Carey

Imagine yourself waking up in a strange room 300 years in the future. Now imagine that you aren't really yourself, only a clone with the memories of the original. If this wasn't enough to send you into therapy, you discover your original and his team may still be alive on a distant planet and you must save them from their eternal sleep. And you thought being a clone was tough.

If you like tech-heavy sci-fi, relatable characters, and stories of family and redemption, you'll love the eighth book in Frank Carey's Adventures of the League Space Patrol series. 45 pages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frank Carey
• Release date: Apr 23, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386729402

Frank Carey

Frank Carey has been formally writing and publishing works of science fiction since late 2013. Over the years prior, he had dabbled in various forms of writing including haiku poetry, but that all changed when he and his wife, Jo, decided to try their hand at writing and self-publishing. Since then, he has written and published a collection of flash fiction and short stories, two anthologies, a pentalogy, and a trilogy. All his work, to date, has been in the science fiction genre. Most of his stories take place about two centuries in the future when Earth joins the League of Planetary Systems. Many of his protagonists are strong females. He is an inveterate pantser who believes the story will go where the story wants to go. Frank’s background includes degrees in physics and extensive work as a scientific programmer and technologist.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Earth, England, London, 1890...

In a laboratory deep below the streets of Victorian London, Lady Penelope Alabaster paced in front of a large, ornate ring while a silver man watched intently.

Where are they, Wilson? Why have we not heard from them?

Your husband and his companions are eight hours overdue, milady. Would you like me to activate the recall circuit?

Yes! We have waited too long, I fear.

A tall man of advanced years with eyes sharp as a falcon exited a lift and joined Lady Penelope. Daughter, I got your message and hurried over to see if I can help.

Father! The Alliance went on a most secret of missions and have not returned. Worried, I instructed Wilson to recall them, but your device cannot perform the task.

Wilson, report! Dr. August Septimus ordered.

Doctor Septimus, I have attempted to transport all six alliance members, but the system is unable to lock onto them.

Doctor Septimus walked over to the ring and made adjustments to its controls. He pressed a button, but nothing happened.

What is wrong, Father?

Their beacons are not responding, and something has scrammed the address buffers. Without the beacons, I cannot travel to their location, so a rescue attempt is impossible.

What will we do?

We wait. Wilson, take Lady Penelope upstairs, then call my wife and bring her up to speed.

Yes, sir.

Father...

Go with Wilson. I will be up shortly.

When they were gone, Doctor Septimus began the task of shutting down the lab. He stopped when he got to piece of equipment which resembled a cylindrical sarcophagus. He laid his hands on its top. God forgive us, he whispered.

###

Earth, England, London, eight-years prior to the Colonization of Ronskin-223...

A head peeked into the darkened room followed by a hand-held scanner. All clear, a voice said. The head was followed by a body, then three more.

Somebody, find a light-switch, another voice said.

CLICK! Found it, a third voice said as the room lights came on.

Wow! the fourth member of the group exclaimed as the door snicked shut behind her. Ralphie! This is incredible.

Annie, this is the first time I've been able to get into this part of the lab, Ralph said. He pointed to the windows along the balcony above them. Normally, I see it from the gallery.

Ralph, it all looks new, a young man said as he peered at a large ornate, metal ring partially embedded in the floor.

Robot cleaners and filtered air, Tim, Ralph explained. Doctors Septimus and Alabaster worked on their inventions in this very lab. My family have been the caretakers of the house, this lab, and the museum ever since Lady Penelope died almost two hundred years ago.

Ralphie? a young lady called out from the back of the room. Why is there a body in here?

Sue? Where are you? he asked as he headed to where he thought she was.

Here, she replied as her three companions came into view.

Ralph hurried over and found Susan standing in front of a long, metal half-cylinder about ten feet long and three feet high. A control panel on its side was showing several multi-colored traces. Sue, did you touch anything?

"Just that button, she replied. She pointed at a large red button. Below it was a hinged cover.

Let me guess, you wondered what was underneath the cover, right?

She shrugged and smiled. Suddenly, clouds of vapor billowed out from underneath the half-cylinder as an alarm sounded in the lab.

Everyone out! someone ordered. The four teenagers turned to see a tall, slender man wearing a one-piece black suit hooking a thumb toward the open door. Waiting out in the hallway were several members of the house's security force and Ralph's father.

Ralph! Come here, the man said as the guards took the other three teens into custody. He looked at the man in black. Sorry about this, Mr. Wilson."

It's not their fault, Joseph. We'll talk later. Please, close the door behind you.

Yes, sir.

With the doors closed, Wilson turned to watch the chamber as it opened. This is Wilson. I'm in the lab, and I need a medical team down here STAT.

As he watched, the lid raised up to reveal a naked human lying in a bed lined with a jelly-like substance. The