Journey to Harvest the Moon: Book Two

By Robert Wilton Dale

This, the second book of the trilogy, will stretch the limits of space, time and religion, as we know them. It is an epic journey by this dauntless crew to collect the third, powerful, crystal core before a madman and his followers can get their hands on it.
This sequel takes the reader to our Moon, Mars and the Stars in an effort to find the answers we have sought since the beginning of intelligent thought.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 21, 2006
• ISBN: 9781462844074

Robert Wilton Dale

Robert Wilton Dale is 59 years young. He now resides in a small town in western Arizona, but has had the taste of your big cites. He is a “late bloomer” that is driven to just walk near, not fill, his inspirational source; The late Robert Heinlien’s sizeable ‘Footfall’s’. This first of a trilogy, is a hopeful attempt at reopening the vision of spaceflight as the reality and adventure that it is, and he asked that you remember.... “to let your imagination become your eye’s.”

Book preview

JOURNEY TO HARVEST

THE MOON

BOOK TWO

Robert Wilton Dale

Copyright © 2004, 2006 by Robert Wilton Dale.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

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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

Chapter # 14

Epilogue

For Humanity

Let’s never lose sight of our future:

Creation!

Let Your Imagination Become

Your EYE’S

Let Your Heart Embrace

The Heavens.

Special thanks to Claude L. Hamilton for continued

faith in the dream.

My thanks to Bobby Royal, computer tech.

Prologue

We left Mars in a rush, a madman on our tail Astron, our new ship, is now positioned near the star system Alpha Centauri, just passed Proxima, the triple star systems outer most addition. It is a very small Jupiter sized Brown Dwarf. After our jump, we have so far, detected several planets orbiting all three stars in this system. There is also a huge asteroid belt orbiting between medium Alpha Centauri B, the small sized and Alpha C, the Dwarf star. This asteroid belt contains rocks from the size of marbles up to one that is the size of Earth’s moon. Proxima or Star C has two planets with small moons.

Centauri A, the largest of the triplets, has six planets, most with moons. Then there’s Alpha B with its three planets and their moons. That’s the whole of the system.

Our new goal is to trace down the mysterious space craft that was detected by my weapons officer, Chow, after our rescue mission to save him and the derelict moon Deimos formerly of Mars. We had some awfully close calls but finally Deimos was returned to its original orbit.

Ahead of us an unknown entity and behind us a Muslim madman was secretly gathering an army of misled and misinformed religious fanatics to try to squash the Christian coalition again. We, my crew, are mainly Christians or at least Christians at heart. My father had told me something I’ll always remember about Christianity. He said All Saints may be Christians, but all Christians are not necessarily Saints This holds very true with my, sometimes religiously challenged crew.

NEW SHIPS LOG—Crew Update—Year, 2056—system time 0815 hours—ASTRON.—Maiden Voyage. Mission—Effect search for aliens seen on last voyage and study the Centauri system for possible life bearing planets.

My number one officer is James(Jimmy) Holden. He Is 46—Caucasian—ladies man. Tends to resent authority. He is also one of the best pilots and navigators in the system. I humor his eccentricities.

Carol Baskins is our Medical Officer as well as my mate, lover, friend. She holds degrees in Medicine, Physics, Biology, Psychiatry. She is a master in Taekwondo. You just don’t want on her bad side.

My weapons officer is Henry Chow. Says he’s 54 but I suspect he’s older. I never checked as he is the best Laser Technician in the system. He also has degrees in Mine Engineering and Geology. He speaks broken English but this is mostly a cultural thing, I have heard him speak perfect English at times. He is 5'4"—balding short Grey/ black hair—solid muscular frame, also master at Taekwondo, spars frequently with Carol.

The ship’s computer and tech officer is Edward Jenkins or Chips as we call him. He is a young computer genius and classic geek. Age-29, ht 5'11", 165lbs, blond, short, disorderly hair. He rents a portion of my place on Phobos, one of the two moons orbiting Mars and, now, one center of a thriving commerce in the fast growing population of the solar system. Chips can also pilot pretty well and is under Jimmy’s instruction.

Carl Mahoney or a.k.a. Mole is from an old Irish background and speaks with a heavy brogue accent. He is the Mine Engineer officer and ships Engineer officer. He designed and built our old mining machine we called the ‘Worm’. It was lost during our mission to retrieve the crystal core from the center of the Mars interior. Mole is in the process of redesigning and constructing a second and better model mining machine along with the help of John Salsa.

Mole is disabled from birth and struggles with some deformities in his spine, but works as hard or harder than anyone else. He is most comfortable in low gravity situations. Age—53, Ht 4'5" hair—red, sports full beard. PhD in Geology.

John Salsa is another of my original crew. He is from Old Mexico, now, a State in the Union. Lil’John, as we call him, is our version of Mr. Fix-it or a ‘Mac Gyver like the old TV show from the late twentieth century. He can produce something out of everyone else’s nothing. Ht—5'0", stocky, blk hair, handle—bar mustache.

Marie—A I (Artificial Intelligence) computer system—control extends to all ship’s systems—has conscious thought processes and is in constant data comprehension update mode. Failsafe—Manual Virus injector to shut all but basic functions incase of insanity. Programmed by our own Chips. Has one hundred terra—bite memory or ‘C’ core located under bridge deck plates.

NEW CREW MEMBERS

During and after our last mission we took on four more crew members.

Doctor Trebor W. Elad, a learned man of science to say the very least. He is second to only one man. The late Stephen W. Hawking. Dr. Elad is the leader in the theory on strings, negative matter, black holes, dark energy, and dimensional level concepts. We had found what he had been seeking his entire career, now he was honing its operation. He has turned out to be a crucial addition and friend.

He is German—Jew by lineage. Age 53, 6'0", stocky—175lbs, hair black—curly—close cropped. Clean shaven—dark skinned. Can hold his own in a tussle. Saved my skin on last mission.

Foga—Genetically altered Female. Changers or Spiders as they’re called, have only been around a short time. They are altered, grown in a birth medium or incubator for space conditions studies. There are only about ten thousand in the solar system, but breeding is increasing their numbers more and more now. They have been given new species status. She has been endowed with an extra set of arms where the legs are normally. She is hairless (by design), age—23, she’s Quadrodexrious, very pretty, has large Grey eyes. She is a good pilot and can run two computer keyboards, accurately, faster than normal individuals do one. Also she can out maneuver any normal person in almost any environment. Chips seems to be somewhat enamored with her, but I’m not sure that its not just member envy–time will tell.

Karen MacVay came to be a crew member because she had been part of and witnessed the abuse Hussein had wrought on his son, Salim, among others, while in the madman’s employ. Hussein did these things in the name of Allah, and she was sick of it. She had converted from Catholic to Muslim but she was now bent on staying Catholic based. She’s a lovely, bright girl of 28 years and is an expert pilot, Irish, crimson red hair, 5'7" tall, 120lbs, medical schooling. I put her with Carol as an assistant. Jimmy has his eye on her for a possible conquest.

In our trek to the interior or core of Mars, we ran across life in an abundance, previously, not thought conceivable. One of the species turned out to be not only a surprise, but sentient as well. Horny, as we call him, is a teddy bat—ht 3'11"—brn furred, wing span—about eight feet, large bulbous eyes, wt—75lbs. He is one of hundreds of his genre. He is undergoing schooling for speech and language. He resembles a earthly flying fox. He’s our very own little Martian.

Salim or rather Salim Mohamad Hussein is the offspring of Ahmed Hussein, the madman and father. He joined us because his father was thought dead in the battle we had with him and his crew beneath Mars, by the underground sea on our last mission. He is a mature 14 with dark skin, dark hair. Ht—5'8"—125lbs—Christian Muslim. He harbors a deep fear of his father Hussein. He is bright and eager to learn. Mother dead. His father knows he is now part of my crew and will stop a nothing to get to him, kill him as well as the rest of us. Needless to say I don’t look forward to the next meeting with the psychopath and his misled followers.

Last but not least is Rev. Abdul Jacob Jackson, nick named Toke. Linguist, Cryptologist and master puzzle solver of all kinds of quandaries. Philosopher, theorist in alien cultures, he is just the ticket for our present mission. Also expert chef in old south dishes. His nick name will become evident on this mission. Ht—6'6—Wt—235lbs—African American, was at one time quarter back in the Blast Ball" games. He is a self ordained reverend.

At the moment Chips and Carol are standing watch on the Astron’s bridge. I am heading that way as soon as I finish here. The rest of the crew is either off duty, sleeping or on station in their normal sectors.

The Astron is the largest ship in the system to date with the exception of the freighter that services the outer planets beyond Mars. To explain the ship’s design, I could best describe it as a six hundred foot long pointed Christmas tree bulb, sporting a small stubby wing on either side. Where the threads would be on the bulb, a sphere protrudes. This sphere contains the crystal core Star Drive. The ship is of a bluish tint, lustrous with no ports or windows. Video cameras implanted in the Titanius skin are the only eyes we have. Next to the diamond, the fusion of certain isotopes and titanium ergo Titanius is the hardest substance known. The Astron is over three hundred feet wide. In its belly are two redesigned Ortega torches or plasma ramjet thrusters. These engines are for sub-light travel and maneuvering. They are capable of speeds reaching just under Lights speed. Hydrogen is the fuel acquired from our magnetic scoops or from one of the four internal tanks. Two middle range fusion reactors are the primary power sources. There are twelve roomy crew quarter cabins and a bridge section, weapons section, mess/ conference hall, medical section with specimen tanks, engineering section, two large equipment storage sections, with the Star Drive section aft. My state room and cabin are directly behind the bridge.

We are now entering the realm of Alpha Centauri and its triple stars. We had traveled most of the distance from our emergence point, some million miles back, slowly, and are close to our goal. We could have made a short jump, but the Astron needed a shake-down cruise and the crew needed time to adapt to the new ship.

END LOG—System Time: 0850 hours.

Chapter # 1

Centauri

We are inside the orbit of Alpha Centauri B, named Bantam by my engineering officer, Mole. It is the medium sized star of the three. The larger, A, Carol named Exalter, French for old or High one. Proxima, the small third star has been named Runt. It orbits the furthest of the three stars and is a red dwarf star. We have found them all dotted with planets.

What’s our position? I asked casually as I emerged from the micro-bot screen hatch doorway of my cabin. They spread, permissive of my body, then closed in tight behind me.

Hi darl’n, we’ve just breached the outer system of B she responded as the pilots couch she occupied swiveled in my direction. Thought you got lost.

I just smiled as I approached the center of the u shaped control center. Lights from the many instruments blinked busily as Marie went about controlling the various systems around me. Marie report. I ordered and sat next to Carol at my captain’s station, most forward in the u configuration.

The computer took a moment of processing. All systems nominal, Hawk, we are just approaching two hundred sixty thousand mile mark. she began. Closing on Alpha Centauri B system at one half power. No sign of any traffic at this time. I hope you had a good rest Captain.

Thank you, Marie, carry on. I replied frankly. Oh, switch on the Orrery navigation sphere.

Aye, Hawk. Then the A-I computer went silent, except for the constant clicking of her programs. A second later, just behind us on a pedestal laden with dials, the device in question came to life with a holographic bubble, four foot in diameter, showing all the positions of planets and stars within ships range. ( five hundred thousand miles) Carol and I proceeded to the machine and gazed at its splendor. Our boots rasping slightly from the static fabricated gravity. The star shown white and the planets were reddish dots orbiting. The moons were of a Grey hue.

Chips can you magnify, please. I bid the young computer genius.

Aye Skipper, coming up! he complied, as his hands pivoted on a touch plate.

The features inside the bubble changed drastically as the picture expanded to a clearer, closer view.

What’s our time to the that gas giant? I asked, pointing to the biggest planet.

About seven hours at present speed, Hawk. he responded moving from his console to join us. We going there? he asked, reaching into the hologram, pointing right at the planet with his index finger.

Yeah, we’ll start there. Looks to me like the moons may hold more of our interest than the planet itself, hell, its twice the size of Jupiter. I responded, trying to examine the small moons closer. "Our mysterious alien vessel seems to have come here. At least that’s where our Massive neutrino trail ends.

What if it just popped in and back out again Hawk? Carol suggested.

I don’t think so! a voice blurted from behind us. It was Trebor who must have just woken up, judging from his ruffled looking tunic. He tended to nap in it, cat napping, very rarely sleeping a full rest period.

Good morning Doctor. I returned, peering through the hologram at his unkempt figure, stretching as though to iron out the wrinkles in his tunic from the inside out.

And why don’t you think they wouldn’t jump again, Doctor? Carol bid of the yawning man.

Hmm… because they seem to be curious about us and I believe they came for a reason. he responded while rubbing his stubble laden chin.

You know, that’s possible and lets just hope to God its not some kind of fiendish ambush or the likes. I retorted, considering our delicate position, if that were true.

"No, no, I doubt that very much Hawk. This entity is no doubt very intelligent. Plus, they could have easily smacked Deimos when they showed up before–and didn’t. Trebor explained. I have a hunch they just may show themselves again, soon."

"You think they’re hostile ?" Chips interjected, his eyes widening a little, making his already magnified eyes seem to bulge behind the wire rimmed glasses he wore.

Carol and I glanced at each other quickly, then looked to Trebor for a positive or at least optimistic reply. That reply never came.

Attention! I am detecting a heavy neutrino concentrations coming from the vicinity of Exalter’s sixth planet. Marie’s voice announced over the bridge audio system. It is stationary next to it’s second moon.

Magnify that sector Marie. I ordered.

Magnifying and enhancing quadrant one, next to the area of the sixth planet of Alpha A Hawk. Marie advised.

In the navigation sphere the target area seemed to expand until we could clearly identify the large second moon of the sixth planet. As the image sharpened, the moon appeared as a cloudy, greenish haze that covered all but the pure white polar caps, top and bottom. The readouts confirmed that this moon had one and a half times the mass of Earth’s moon. By astronomy standards it was more of a planetoid than a moon.

I’d like to name this moon if I may. Trebor requested, profoundly.

Well, I don’t see why not. Although we haven’t named its primary yet. I retorted.

Then I’ll name the primary after Demeter, the Goddess of the Harvest. Carol offered.

Hey! Chips interjected. "Isn’t naming planets an exercise in futility at this point? I mean, with this alien bunch around–What I’m saying is this system’s planets and moons may already have names." he finished, blinking behind those wire rimmed spectacles.

Aye! the boy may be right! came Mole’s voice from engineering where he and Lil’John were tinkering with the new version of the worm mining machine in our huge tooling sector of the Astron’s engineering chambers. This part of the Astron was over one hundred twenty feet long down the belly of the ship. On either side, was where the Ortega torch engines were stationed. The best normal space propulsion system money could buy.

"For the time being we’ll name these bodies for easy identification, as we investigate them. Agreed?" I challenged.

Works for me. Chips spouted.

Same here. Carol complied while Trebor nodded his assent as he stood by Chips side. A general consensus for the proposal came over the ships speakers from those who were listening in.

Help!–Son of a Bitch! came a female voice in a rather piercing pitch, over the ships speakers. Get–the–hell off me you little… Karen was exclaiming as we heard a thump and grunting.

Oh Shit! Carol blurted Its Horny–he’s at it again!" she cried as she swiftly made for medical as fast as she could manage under the artificial gravity.

Marie?

Yes Hawk. she replied impassive.

You have the helm for a moment, continue present course and steady as she goes. I ordered as I left the bridge to join Carol and Chips who were moving quickly down the port side passageway to medical, not far aft.

We arrived at medical to find Karen on the deck desperately struggling to unwrap herself from the teddy-bat’s undulating lust grasp.

Horny strikes again, true to his name, he was busy showing affection for Karen in his own Martian way, as he had done to Carol in a similar incident by the sea in the interior of Mars. That was when we first encountered the little sex pervert.

Get–this–Freaking thing off of me–before he pokes a damn hole in me where one don’t belong! Karen blurted. We stood at the hatchway, viewing the ruckus in medical. We held back our hysterics, barely, and just waited for Karen to get untangled. Both thought it would be some interesting listening on how this came about. Karen didn’t keep us waiting long. Shortly, a red faced Karen began her profane delivery. Once she was standing again and stable she let go on the little guy, who was quivering by Carol’s side. With a murderous look in her eyes, Karen puffed her incrimination’s.

"You little–BEAST! If you ever try that again I’ll rip that weiner, or whatever it is off, and burn it with my laser pistol, right before your eyes!–Got It?"

Little Horny just stood beside Carol’s legs like an orphaned babe and blinked his bulbous eyes innocently, trembling slightly.

Then Karen’s furious eyes panned around the room, looking into our constrained stoic, beaming eyes and her scowl slowly turned into a crack of a smile as she began to realize the humor of the moment. Then Trebor could hold back no longer.

"I do believe he fancies you." he sputtered as the air was filled with belly bursting laughter.

God–I hate aliens! Karen managed before she joined in the mirth.

This brought on even more convulsions as Chips proclaimed Now that’s what I call a Close Encounter, girl!

Horny looked around, tilted his head in puzzlement, then blissfully bared his canine like grin that we have come to know as a smile.

Suddenly from the ship’s speakers–

We are now within probe launch range on target moon, Hawk. Marie announced calmly, breaking the revelry.

I turned from the levity in the medical lab and headed back forward to the bridge, with those that were clustered at the lab in tow. Coming Marie.

Hawk, I am detecting extraordinary electrical phenomenon in the target moon’s upper atmosphere. I am unable to penetrate to the surface at this time. she continued as we maneuvered up the port side passageway to the bridge, with Horny waddling tenaciously behind the herd.

Put it on the main forward screen, Marie. I commanded as we all emerged from the passageway into the large bridge area. All of the monitors were showing a replica of the larger screen and instrument lights were busy blinking out their patterns.

The main screen displayed the lone target orb hanging in the center with the blackness and a sparse star field behind.

This strange moon had a dense, dark blue, cloud cover. Only the north and south poles were clearly white in contrast.

Within this obscure shroud boiled a teeming and convulsing electrical storm. It rampaged throughout the entire atmosphere below, except of course, the poles.

Magnify Marie. I ordered as we all stood before the mysterious manifestation.

I can only magnify one more degree at this range. the computer replied as the moon swelled in size a little more.

"Christ, the things alive with electric energy Skipper!" Chips remarked as he dropped into his acceleration couch at his station and began adjusting controls.

Aye! Mole exclaimed. She looks like a bloom’n Christmas tree, a flash’n like that. As he tilted his head a little at the awesome sight.

Jupiter has some big storms but nothing like this! Carol remarked, peering at the turmoil on the screen.

How close you going to get, Hawk? Trebor queried as he kneaded his chin.

Without answering the last. Where does the neutrino trail end Marie? I asked of the computer.

Four hundred miles from the moons outer atmosphere, almost standard orbital range. was the compliant reply.

Any sign of our alien ship? Jimmy injected.

Negative! Chips responded a moment later, after scanning his instruments. "Anything that big would have shown up easily."

Ok Marie, steady as she goes. Put us in a standard orbit. Jimmy, you take over when we’re in. I directed, then swiveled in my couch, looking around at my crew’s faces.

Everyone but Chow had come to see the strange moon, from one place or another around the ship.

Foga was just joining Chips at her station next to his. Salim was standing just behind Horny. Salim must have been napping as he looked lethargic and his, usually, straight black hair was unkempt, sticking out like spikes. He stood there behind the teddy-bat, rubbing his eyes groggily.

Chow finally appeared from the starboard passageway, scratching his head and looking like a small oriental Buddha, still wearing his night clothes.

What going on Hawk-san? I was having good geisha dream. It better be good. he complained, then stood stark still as he directed his gaze at what was showing on the big plasma screen. "What that?"

That, my friend, is a phenomenal moon, one of many we will likely encounter in our various travels. I responded with a grin at his choice of clothing.

We’ll be close enough for orbit in about three hours skipper. Jimmy reported from his pilot console.

Eringes! Salim spouted all of a sudden.

E—what? Foga asked, turning her head from her console.

Eringes, you know, the ‘Mist Walker’ or the ‘Fury’–Eringes! That’s a great name for this curious moon. Salim explained. Don’t you think?

Trebor turned to the boy. "Well, its damn sure misty and its sure as hell a fury!–What’s say Captain, is that a good name?"

Make a note Marie, Demeter’s second moon will be known forthwith as Eringes. I said in response.

Name filed and noted Hawk. she replied.

I looked once more at the distant moon we were on course towards, then addressed the crew. We have a couple more hours before orbit insertion so lets get back to work or sleep, whatever your shifts status calls for. I directed while motioning Carol to follow me with my hand.

Captain? Mole spoke up quickly as I walked passed him. There’s some components I just can’t make here, nor can LilJohn. Ya know what that means. he said with some apprehension.

Yeah, I do, I have figured on a return to Mars eventually. I said, Checking my forward motion and facing the shorter, hunched man. We need to try a contact first, if possible. Give me seventy two hours after we reach this moon. If, by then, we come up empty–we head back to grab supplies and whatever you need. How’s that?

Aye skipper, that’ll do by golly. he said, patting my back.

Besides, I have to try and clean up that chaos we left behind. I confessed.

"We, Compadre, all of us were there and responsible, equally, for any problems back home." LilJohn interjected from Mole’s side.

"Well, at any rate we will be going as soon a we can." I responded firmly.

I wonder if my father is going to start another war? Salim said out of nowhere with a downcast look.

Ah, me boyo, even if he did, it wouldna’ be yer fault. But the man is a bit crazed over the way things turned out at our battle beneath ol’ Mars. He’s sure to do something irrational, I’m sorry to mention. Mole offered, sympathetically.

What’s say we try to concentrate on finding these–outlanders, or whatever they are and let the cards fall where they may, for now? I said quickly shifting the subject.

"Maybe they will find us." Trebor said somberly, looking over at me, then at the small, energetic moon hanging alone in the three dimensional main screen, flashing, alive like some glittering deep sea creature in the dark depths of a sparkling ocean.

Could anything live under those conditions? Karen asked frankly, staring steadily at the peculiar moon.

"We have found life in very exotic environments on Earth and Mars. I, for one, wouldn’t be surprised at anything at this point." Carol responded in truth.

True… Very true. Look at our little friend here. Chow said, patting Horny’s fury, bulbous head affectionately. Even underground life persists.

Karen looked over her shoulder at Horny and just rolled her eyes cynically.

We’ll do our best to find our elusive friends out here this time and refit to whatever we lack when we return home. I said emphatically. As a matter of fact–Chips, Trebor, Foga and Jimmy, you need to start crunching the numbers with Marie, for our jump back to Earth’s realm from this sector.

Marie has been programmed to make those calculations as we proceed Hawk. Chips reported.

Affirmative, I am adjusting computations on a micro-second premise. Marie confirmed.

"Good, good, if we need to make a quick retreat I want it to be to somewhere known." I retorted, looking soberly around the bridge.

The faces that stared back were a mixture of reflection and concern. From that to a kind of wonder radiating from the newer addition’s of my crew.

Are we going to run from these aliens? Karen spouted indignantly.

"It wouldn’t be a question of fear, if that’s what your thinking. It’s a question of advantages over disadvantages. We don’t know their intentions, nor do we know their strengths or weaknesses. Hell, all we know at this point is that they exist! If size means anything here, their ship is about a hundred times bigger, or more, than ours. We may have a God-damned war behind us at home and we sure as shit don’t want to start off on the wrong foot with these–beings or whatever they are. I am simply saying I want this ship ready under any conditions, so we can stay alive to try again if necessary–understood?" I finished, inviting comment.

There were only nods of agreement from all except Horny, who blinked and gave out a low pitched hoot, adjusting his wings in a gesture I couldn’t guess the meaning of.

I turned to my engineer. Mole? How much hydrogen in our back-up fuel tanks? I bid, changing to ship’s business abruptly.

Three quarters full at me last check Skipper. Want I should fire up our scoops and fill’er up?

Yeah, lets top her off to be on the safe side. I agreed.

Aye Capt’n, I’ll get right to it!" Mole replied, turning to his task at his forward engineering station.

Everyone else carry on, you’ve all done a great thus far. Once again, I’m lucky enough to have the best crew a Captain could hope for. Jimmy, you have the helm. I finished, having relayed my pride in my people.

They all went one way or another throughout the ship repairing to their assignments. Carol joined me in my cabin.

I passed through the micro-bot hatchway first, having a small lead on Carol. I made it to my desk and sat, swiveled in my chair toward the doorway just as Carol entered.

The grayish micro-bot screen parted, allowing for her figure to pass, feature by feature. Of course her ample breasts appeared first along with a shapely left leg, covered by the ship’s silver blue tunic. Then her angelic face emerged through the shroud of molecule sized robots as they gently spread apart to allow her full body mass to advance into my cabin. On that stunning face shown concern, her eyes were draped with question as she maneuvered quietly to my bunk, next to my desk, and sunk down gracefully. Her gaze hypnotically locked on mine as she reclined on her left side, leaning up on her elbow, tilting her head so the soft saffron hair rolled down over an exquisite left shoulder.

What? I finally said after a moment’s torment under that scrutiny.

She lowered her eyes and brushed a wrinkle from the bed clothes absently. You think there’s going to be another war, I can tell you are worried.

"Its been a tenuous peace at best since the last one–you know that. If there was anything that could set off a war, the things that transpired back there at Mars… is it. The radical Muslim factions have never been happy and never will be till they get their Mecca–their Holy Mecca."

"They want power, Hawk, I don’t think religion, in their case, figures into it as far as Hussein is concerned. Madness maybe. I suppose, and you know he wants a crystal core–the Star Drive. He won’t stop until he gets one, one way or another. Don’t you see?"

Yes, yes. I said, raising a hand in resolve. "I suppose I want to think the best, but you are right in all fairness. I just hope… no, pray we can still repel them. These factions with Hussein are strong, all over the system. In some ways they have a large advantage this time, just as they once controlled the oil of the Earth, now they control a great deal of the mining commerce. They also have ties to other consortiums close to the government. Christ, they have people in high places all over the freaking system!" I retorted with some trepidation.

What can we do to change the tide Hawk? God help us if he ever gets his vicious hands on, or gets control of a Star Drive core. Does he have a chance?

I have estimated seventeen possible harvest ready cores in our solar system alone. Marie’s voice interrupted, surprising both Carol and I. I had forgotten the A I computer was still on line in my cabin.

After the surprise passed a thought prodded my cortex. "Uh, Marie? What is the next immediate body from Mars worth harvesting?"

The closest crystal core after Mars is Earth’s moon. she replied unemotional.

Ooh shit! That’s just freaking great! That’s less than two weeks from Mars using full power! I exclaimed in desperation.

This information was in the files stolen from Deimos Labs Marie reported.

"But Hawk, they’d still