Star Patrol 2: Pegasus Quest

By James A. Connell

This is a story of alien invasion set 300 years in the future. The fifteen to twenty meter diameter silver Globes were first thought to be a fleet of spaceships, but as it turned out they were creatures so different from Mankind that Humans could not communicate with them on any level.

They could travel in space, and discharge destructive energy bolts that could destroy Human built spaceships. As part of their breeding cycle they infested planets with their offspring, nine foot long, voracious killing machines that devoured every living thing they encountered.

The Globes soon became an unstoppable force that quickly destroyed the first two colonies they found. Although the third colony offered more resistance, it too was rapidly losing the battle for survival. Undetered, the Globes swept on and eventually reached the abundant Earth. Once there they moved in for the long haul.

The early part of the story centers around a twenty-eight year old Medic fresh out from the Centaurus Colony. Samantha Wilson had taken a medical contract with the Star Patrol and arrived on the Lastchance Colony just in time to witness the first invasion. Within days she found herself alone and surrounded by lethal Slimers on a strange new world. Then came salvation in the form of the Star Patrol's Starship Orion, which, as Samantha's luck would have it, needed a Medical Officer.

Samantha and Orion's crew follow the invading Globes from Lastchance and finally to Earth where Humans are totally unprepared for this new threat to their existence.

Space battles with Globes, and planetary encounters with Slimers are all a part of the mix. Along the way Samantha finds lifelong friends and even love in places she never expected to be, even in her wildest dreams. Then while on a medical mission she and her Medical Technician become separated from Orion and the man she has fallen in love with.

The unlikely pairing of Samantha, the doctor, and Mary Como, the soldier, acquire an ancient Starship and then find themselves on a planet hopping quest to find their missing ship and crew mates. They soon discover that even with aliens threatening mankind, there are still humans conspiring for dominance of the species.

Although it is a story of alien invaders, the Earth and it's colonies, the thinly stretched Star Patrol, and human conspiracies. It is ultimately Samantha's story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781468546453

James A. Connell

I'm not qualified to write this book at all. I do not wish to have this information known. I am retired and I live in Santa Cruz California.

Book preview

Contents

Prologue

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

The Star Patrol Series is dedicated to my daughter Maegan Renee Connell

my inspiration.

Prologue

Seek and yee shall find. Sounds like a good philosophy for getting all your wishes granted. Unfortunately the phrase that often follows is, be careful what you wish for.

Several months before this story begins, the peace and tranquility of Man’s existence became shattered by the invasion of an alien force from outside of the Human sphere of influence. First thought to be a fleet of spaceships, the alien cluster of five to fifteen meter diameter silver spheres were not spaceships at all. They were, in fact, living organisms that had the ability to manipulate energy, allowing them to travel in space. They could also discharge that energy in devastating bolts capable of destroying Human built Starships.

Unfortunately, for Mankind, they hadn’t come to fight. They came to breed, and to do so they needed planets, the same kind of planets that Man needed to survive. Although they were so alien that Humans couldn’t communicate with them, the message came through loud and clear. The Aliens, now called Globes, would fight tenaciously to capture a breeding planet, and whether or not it happened to be occupied made little difference.

Globes came in two stages, the Globes themselves, and a more larvel stage, the Slimers. Slimers were three meter long, voracious killing machines. They were named for the thick blinding mucus they often sprayed at an intended victim. Twelve hard sickle like legs, arranged six along each side of a body shaped like a featureless double ended egg, were nearly one and a half meters long, needle tipped with an inside edge sharp enough to cut through the hardest of materials. The front four and rear four legs could be used in conjunction like pinchers. They were fast, thoroughly lethal, and once on the attack, the only way to stop one was to kill it, and that wasn’t easy.

The Lastchance, and Prosperity Colonies were the first and easiest to overrun and destroy. The next in line, Genesis, had a larger Human population and apparently offered more resistance to the invaders. Although the Humans denied that Genesis had a major problem, the Globes apparently detected it and only seeded it once. Genesis’ aquifer had begun to freeze below the surface and the planet only had a few hundred years left to it as a viable world.

A young twenty-eight year old Hindu-American colonist, and Medic, named Samantha Wilson came to Lastchance on a medical contract just in time to witness the arrival of the invading Globes. Pure luck placed her in position to be the only survivor of the Colony, and to subsequently be rescued by the Star Patrol’s Starship Orion.

Due to a draft clause in her Med Contract, Samantha became Orion’s Medical Officer. She, along with the ship’s crew follow the Globe path of destruction that lead from Lastchance, to Prosperity, to Genesis, and ultimately to the Earth herself. Although familiar places to the crew of Orion, they are all new to Samantha.

After a visit to the Home Planet, Samantha and her Med Tech, Mary Como, are sent on a mission into the Earth orbiting Habitat. It turned out to be a mission that changed Samantha and Mary’s lives forever. The first clue to that change came when they were picked up from the near disastrous Habitat mission by another Star Patrol ship, SS Challenger, and with SS Orion nowhere in sight that change began to rapidly play itself out.

CHAPTER 1

Pegasus

Samantha settled her small frame neatly into one of the more comfortable chairs in Starship Challenger’s lounge. Being a little over five feet in height, she had discovered early in life that she could find comfort in places most normal sized people struggled with. She looked over at her friend Mary Como, apparently asleep, and realized that she also had the gift that the normals simply wouldn’t understand. The Lady was also just over five feet, Italian-American, with wavy black shoulder length hair, and deep dark eyes. Most men, well, most people, would call her pretty, an accurate statement to say the least. She appeared heavier next to Samantha, but she wasn’t fat. More of a solidly built Soldier with a Soldier’s cynical attitude to go along with that muscular frame.

Samantha felt that a new bond had formed between the two of them. Only a few hours ago, Mary had probably saved Samantha’s life when the orbiting Habitat had tried to kill all of them. To be honest about it, the Habitat, a totally inamimate object, didn’t do it deliberately. Someone had set up an extremely powerful explosive device that blew a massive hole in it’s hull, and all of the carefully placed atmosphere aboard tried to exit the big rotating drum all at once.

Fortunately it took hours, and in fact, might still be trying to exit. Samantha and Mary, along with a Squad of Star Patrol Elite Forces Marines had just barely made it to safety. Samantha still didn’t know why anyone would do such a thing, but apparently they had come up against some very bad people that had not only sabotaged the Habitat, they had loaded it with deadly Slimers. Those nasty alien creatures had killed many of the Marines with them, and all of the Human survivors on that mission had been lucky to escape with their lives.

Samantha had been nearly asleep when Challenger’s blonde blue eyed First Officer, Janice Clark came out of the Flight Deck doorway. Okay let’s have it. Mary insisted.

Which startled Samantha, since she had assumed that Mary was sleeping. Samantha pushed her often out of control curly black hair out of her eyes, and looked out at the two totally opposite women. Mary had apparently been patiently waiting until everyone got settled in before confronting Janice.

Have what? Janice asked with an innocent look.

Mary scowled at her. Okay, okay. Janice said. Just after you two boarded the Habitat a runabout made a break from the docking bays at the other end. Orion and Dragon took off after him.

Did you see the runabout? Mary asked.

No, why?

Just curious. Mary said absently.

So where are they now? Samantha asked.

The runabout jumped, Orion jumped after him. Dragon had to turn back.

Wait a minute. Mary said. The runabout made a low speed jump?

That’s right. Janice answered.

Where to? Samantha asked.

Now that I don’t know.

Genesis. Answered a man’s voice from the Flight Deck.

Samantha turned to see a man with close cut blonde hair and piercing blue eyes standing in the doorway. Captain Richter had a sharp featured Arian look about him, and he often acted like he appeared, but Samantha and Mary both knew him well and both suspected he only did it for effect.

Where are we headed? Mary asked.

First the Space Station to drop off the Marines, and then you two will accompany us to Genesis and Orion. Richter answered.

About three days. Janice added.

I think I could sleep for at least three days. Mary said relaxing back into her seat.

Right here. Samantha added with a yawn.

They actually didn’t get to sleep until after they left the space station.

I think Lieutenant Poole likes you. Mary kidded as the station became lost against the dazzling blue and white sphere of Earth.

I think he was hitting on me. Samantha said.

Mary studied Samantha’s beautifully delicate dark East Indian features with bemusement. Of course he was. The man is, well, he’s a man.

Samantha couldn’t help thinking about the new love of her life, Orion’s Executive Officer, Bill Allen. I hope they’re alright. She said.

Mary didn’t have any trouble following the thought. You know, they can get along without us. For a while at least. She said.

I know, I just can’t help worrying a little.

Me too. Mary admitted.

At twice the size of SS Challenger, SS Orion was one of the larger of the Starship models being used by the Star Patrol. The one hundred meter diameter disk had quickly become home to Samantha. She already missed Orion’s crew, and even though the romance had only been going on for a short while, she mostly missed Bill.

Samantha didn’t sleep for three days, but when she finally wandered into the lounge, Genesis’ green and brown face filled the view screen.

We have new orders. Richter told her. We will be dropping you off at Genesis. Your orders are to get back to Orion. I’m afraid ours are secret.

So Orion’s at Genesis?

No, she’s not here, and before you ask, I don’t know any more than that. He said apologetically.

Samantha watched the Spacetown landing field grow larger as they dropped into the atmosphere. She still worried about Orion, which of course translated to worry about Bill. Mary was right, they could get along without them, but that thought didn’t help much.

Challenger lifted away almost as soon as they were clear. The Explorer Starship had been the one that dropped her off at Lastchance and she had a definite feeling of déjà vu watching the silver disk rise up and then rapidly move off at an angle that would take her back into space. Not to mention a quivery flash of being surrounded by deadly Slimers with no hope of surviving the next night.

They first visited the unusually crowded Star Patrol offices where things hadn’t exactly turned out to their satisfaction.

So what exactly did he say? Samantha asked.

Mary had engaged in a somewhat short conversation with the Officer behind the desk. He said he thought Orion had headed for Centaurus, but he couldn’t help us get there. Then he said that we should go over to the Transit Terminal and try to make arrangements there.

Solid crowd noise and people as far as they could see greeted their senses as they entered the terminal building.

"What is going on?" Mary asked as she looked at the virtual sea of humanity.

I guess we’ll have to get in line and find out. Samantha said locating the end of one of the lines.

Okay, you stay here, I’ll be right back.

Before she could ask, Mary went up to the counter. In a few minutes she had gotten the attention of a man who apparently knew her. They spoke for quite awhile after which Mary wrote something on a piece of paper and then walked back towards Samantha.

Well it’s not good. She began. The best we can do here is get on a list for the end of next month.

That’s it?

Yeah, there aren’t any ships down at present, and there won’t be any here until the end of the week.

Don’t tell me, they’re all booked. Samantha guessed.

Booked solid, but that’s not the worst of it.

It gets worse?

There aren’t any accommodations, anywhere. People are sleeping in doorways, and camping out in the parks. Mary said.

What’s going on? Samantha asked looking around.

One of the news broadcasts ran a big expose’ on the water situation. Mary said.

And that caused all of this? Samantha asked shaking her head.

I think it’s been a series of things. Jeff didn’t have time to go into it, but I got the impression that a lot has come down this last two weeks or so. Mary said. Whatever it is has people really pissed off at the Patrol as well as the Government. The upshot of it is that a lot of people have decided to leave.

So what are we going to do? We need to find somewhere to stay. Samantha said.

I was coming to that. It all depends on how badly you want to get off this rock and find Orion. Mary said.

You have a plan. Samantha surmised.

How much of those millions are you willing to spend Samantha? Mary asked in a dead serious tone.

Samantha had to think about it. She still couldn’t shake the feeling that her recently discovered inheritance wasn’t her money, but looking around at all of the people she realized they would have to do something.

What ever it takes. She answered finally.

Good, you stay and get us on the list in case this doesn’t work out. I should be back in half an hour or so. Mary said.

Before she could answer, Mary walked quickly away. There wasn’t anything for her to do but wait. The line moved slowly and after a while the noise of hundreds of people echoing through the building, and the small groups of children running rampant through the crowd began to wear away at her nerves. Not to mention that in all the time she had been standing there she had only moved a few meters. There was also something that had begun to worry her. People were grumbling, some of them getting angry and rather loud. More than once she heard the words damn Star Patrol. Finally She spotted Mary coming through the door looking excited.

Come with me. She said breathlessly.

But I haven’t gotten our names on the list yet.

We won’t need to do that. Mary answered.

They left the Terminal and turned towards the warehouse section.

Where are we going?

To the junkyard. Mary answered.

Samantha realized that she wasn’t going to get anything more from her until they got to where ever they were headed. That turned out to be a place called Grimaldi Salvage Yard. As they stepped inside the front door Samantha grabbed Mary by the arm.

Now will you tell me what we’re doing here? She pleaded.

You’re going to by a ship. Mary said with a defensive grimace.

A spaceship?

A CA-2300 to be exact. Mary answered.

Samantha looked blank, she had no idea what a CA-2300 might be.

Show me. She said.

Let’s go talk to Mr. Grimaldi first.

Is it that bad? She asked thinking about the price.

No she’s in good shape, really. Mary said.

Samantha began to get that anxious feeling. Once, when she worked at the Med Center, she had thought about buying a small ground car so that she wouldn’t have to ride the rail transit to work everyday. Half way through the process she got that feeling. In spite of the salesman’s insistence that she sign now, before someone else buys the car, she went home to think about it. After thinking about how much it would cost, she hadn’t gone back, and had to avoid the man’s insistent calls for more than a month.

She couldn’t help thinking about that as they walked up to a door with OFFICE printed on it. Mary knocked lightly and then opened the door. A middle aged dark haired man looked up from a computer screen on the desk in front of him.

Miss Como, and this must be Miss Wilson. He said. Anthony Grimaldi at your service. He stood and extended his hand. Miss Como suggested that I verify your finances while she went to get you.

It should be okay. She said.

Grimaldi looked at Mary, who smiled and shrugged.

Oh it’s more than okay. He said.

Mary smiled at Grimaldi. If the twenty-three hundred’s as good as you say then we probably have a deal.

Well then I’ll start the paper work.

Excuse me. Samantha said. Could I see this 2300?

Good idea. Mary said.

The daylight had shifted to afternoon shadows as they walked into the big yard behind the building. Samantha saw several runabouts and a larger dull brown colored ship.

Don’t tell me. It’s the one in need of a paint job. She said.

That’s a special electro chromic coating, It’s off right now, but when it’s on you should see it in full daylight.

What about that one. Samantha asked pointing to a sleek, bright silver runabout.

Too small and it can’t jump. Mary answered. Even if it could, it would be like going to Centaurus from here in a car. Samantha looked blank. Two weeks without being able to get out of your seat, and no restroom. Samantha grimaced, Mary nodded.

As they got closer to the bigger one she could see that it was round, thirty meters, or so, in diameter, and maybe seven or eight meters thick. Rather than disk shaped, the top area had slanted sides that rose up approximately seven meters from the rim and then rounding over to a convex top. Just below the rim was a convex bottom, without the curved sides. Two big rectangular windows defined the front. She sat somewhere around three meters off of the ground on three equally placed slanted struts that levered down from openings in the bottom. The inside surface of the front strut had steps that lead up into the interior.

As they walked around to the rear, I don’t know a lot about spaceships, but shouldn’t there be a Hyperdrive shunt back here? Samantha asked.

Mary pointed out a well hidden set of panels just above the rim. These open up to form the protective cowling as the shunt impeller slides out into position.

Once inside Samantha could see what Mary had been excited about. It’s not exactly a Starship, but I like it. She said looking around.

She. Mary corrected. And she is a Starship. These ships were the first Explorers.

They had climbed up the forward strut’s stairs into a large open lounge area with a counter at the rear and four plush looking recliner type chairs. On each side of the lounge sat a comfortable looking three position sofa. The interior had a sort of leather and wood grain decor that felt comfortable even though the temperature was fairly cold.

A door on the forward bulkhead lead to the Flight Control Deck. Samantha could see pilot’s chairs and instrument consoles with the two big windows beyond them. The bulkhead at the rear of the lounge had three doors, behind a counter that extended to just short of the the doorway at each end. The doorway in the middle lead to a darkened Galley. The openings at each end of the bulkhead were the entrances to corridors leading back into the ship. Although the Flight Deck and lounge area was a single deck, Samantha could see that the living quarters area aft of the lounge split into two decks.

Grimaldi had followed them outside at a discrete distance. She’s ready to fly. He said. Mary turned around and gave him a thumbs up.

Okay, how much? Samantha asked.

Five hundred thousand, they’re all the same price. He answered.

She felt a little better, she had been off by at least a million. She looked questioningly at Mary who nodded vigorously.

Okay Mr. Grimaldi, you’ve sold one CA-2300. She said.

Good. He said. Let’s go back to the office. We’ll get the paperwork together and transfer the funds.

Samantha’s insides were fluttering.

So. She said as they walked back towards the office. We have a ship. I certainly hope you know how to fly her.

I do. Mary answered. In a week you’ll be able to fly her too.

What does the designation CA-2300 mean? Samantha asked.

Chang Aerospace. Mary answered.

2300 wouldn’t be the year would it?

Not exactly. Mary said. I mean she’s not one hundred years old if that’s what you mean. She’s more like sixty-five or seventy. Twenty three hundred is the model line. This one’s actually a 2300-D, one of the last of the twenty three hundreds made.

Seventy years old?

Anthony said she was part of the package deal for the Runabouts, but she hasn’t been in space the whole time. She’s a moth baller, decommissioned 40 years ago.

How do you know that?

It’s in the log. Mary said.

After signing the papers and transferring the money they walked back out into the yard. Samantha had insisted on putting Mary’s name on the ownership papers, figuring they were in it together.

Well she wasn’t as expensive as I imagined. Samantha said looking at their new spaceship.

It’s not over yet. It may take another half million to do this right. Mary said carefully.

I’m really too tired to protest right now. Samantha said. Maybe later I’ll realize just how much of Daddy’s money I’ve spent and go into shock, but right now I just want to lay down somewhere and sleep.

Later for that too. Mary said. I’ve got some heavy shopping to do. You need to go back to the Patrol Office and get our stuff, bring it back here, and get the ship’s systems up and running.

Samantha looked at Mary’s surplus fatigues. Our stuff consists of Envirosuits, and a couple of Med-kits. We’re lucky we were wearing underwear. She said.

In that case, go to the store and pick up the essentials, including food.

I can do that with the cash I pulled this morning. Samantha said. But how are you going to buy anything?

I’ll need your bank card. Mary said with a smile.

Samantha grimaced as she handed over the card.

Don’t worry. Mary said as she walked away. I’ll go as easy as I can.

How do I get the ship running? Samantha shouted after her.

Mary turned around. There’s one Flight Deck terminal up now. Type STARTUP PROCEDURE, it’ll tell you what to do. She said.

Great, something else to tell me what to do. She mumbled to herself as she walked back towards the office.

Mary came back through the door. One more thing. She said. Call Professor Murakami, he’s at the Science Institute. Make an appointment to see him as soon as possible, do not take no for an answer.

Why do we need to see Murakami?

We have to charm him into modifying our drive linkage so we can jump at low speed. Mary said.

Samantha thought about it as she again watched Mary run off. Even though she didn’t know a lot about ships, she knew that low speed jump capabilities would definitely be a plus.

Until recently all ships with Jump capabilities had to accelerate to near light speed to make a Hyperspace Jump. The Star Patrol’s head of the Scientific Research Division, Nickolas Murakami, had just discovered a way to allow ships to Jump well below that speed, cutting weeks off of a trip to another Star System.

As the little ship’s systems came up and the inside lost it’s chill Samantha started to feel better. Her insides quivered every time she thought about the monumental step she had just taken. Bad enough that she had spent, and was probably still spending at this very moment, an unthinkable amount of money that she just didn’t feel belonged to her. She finally just had to close off the thought and tell herself that the money belonged to her and it had been necessary to spend some of it.

After nearly half an hour of going through the Institutes’s antiquated phone system she managed to contact Professor Murakami.

Things are quite hectic here Samantha. He said. But how may I help you?

His image on the video screen looked tired.

Could you make time to meet with Mary and I tomorrow morning?

I’m sorry. He said. I will be tied up for the next several days then we will be leaving for Centaurus. Before Samantha could answer. I have an idea. If you and Mary could come to my home this evening for dinner, we could talk then.

It would be a pleasure Professor. She said wondering if Mary would be back in time.

Good, I’ll send a car for you. Say around seven local time?

She checked the time, a little over three hours. Still time to go shopping for the essentials Mary had mentioned.

Fine. She said. We’ll see you then Professor-San.

All right, and by the way, my friends call me Nick. He said.

The shopping took a couple of hours, and she returned to the ship nearly exhausted. Before she could worry about Mary she saw her walking across the yard towards the ship.

Okay. Mary said falling into one of the big lounge chairs. It’s all taken care of. Our new drive field generator will be here about mid morning, along with a few other things.

New field generator?

Yeah, from next door. They have a whole bunch of stuff salvaged from some damaged Explorers, and they’re real anxious to sell as much of it as they can. She answered.

I’ll bet. Samantha said.

No really, there are some persistent rumors that the Government is going to take drastic steps to keep people from leaving. Mary said. So I went down to the Patrol Office and filed a flight plan. We leave in four days. Now tell me that we can see Murakami.

Nick, his friends call him Nick.

You got him. Good, but right now I can’t think straight. What time tomorrow can he see us? Mary said stretching her arms out towards the ceiling.

Samantha looked at the clock above the lounge view screen.

Later for sleep. She said. It’s tonight or not at all.

Mary sat up straight. Tonight?!

Tonight, there’ll be a car here to pick us up at seven. Samantha said.

Mary’s eyes suddenly widened. Seven! Jeez I hope the hydro spray is working.

It is. Samantha said.

Well since you’ve already showered you can go get us something to wear.

Making it Samantha’s turn to panic.

In spite of the last minute flurry they were ready when the car drove up in front of the ship. At least they didn’t keep the driver waiting too long while they tended to last minute details.

A medium tall man with black hair and faintly Japanese features greeted them at the door of a single story ranch style house that seemed to extend quite far in either direction. Professor Murakami turned and introduced a pretty Japanese woman just behind him as his wife, Taeko. Unlike the Asian women that Samantha had been familiar with she did not hold back from the evening’s polite conversation. In fact they discovered that she held several degrees in Science.

After dinner Nick and Taeko lead them into a comfortable room and they were served a sweet tasting liquor in small glasses. Samantha couldn’t help noticing that they were real glass, probably crystal.

Now what can I do for you? Nick asked as they settled into some very plush chairs.

We have orders to rejoin Orion. Samantha replied.

And we intend to carry out those orders. Mary added.

That could be difficult. Nick said somewhat carefully. She has not made contact and no one seems disturbed by it.

That’s good isn’t it? Samantha said. I mean it’s not like they’re expected to make contact.

It’s encouraging. Nick answered. The general consensus is that Orion is on some sort of secret mission.

We have a ship. Mary said breaking the ensuing short silence.

Oh?

"Yes, a CA-2300. Samantha bought