Eridani:

N21 Chronicles

Chapter 1.1

It has been nearly twelve hundred years since our problems with Willem’s hologram, for which I am very thankful. That was a very frightening time. Certainly, in our search for the rest of the sister ships of Centaurus, there were times that were more frightening, but something changed in me that day when my sister’s family was destroyed.

I would never let this happen to another person if I could help it. Not ever!

Before I get to the main part of this story, I must tell you something that happened shortly after Marc’s antivirus cleaned our system and Caesar’s hologram was evicted.

While several people cautiously boarded Fomalhaut IV to see what had happened there, I wat in the briefing room, glaring at the commander of the ship. We sat across the table from each other, and I believe that if looks could kill, we would both be long gone.

“John,” I told him icily, “I am second in command of this ship. I should be there.”

“Rose,” the commander, who was also my husband said just as icily, “This is not Star Trek. The second in command does not command an away team. ”

We were both fans of ancient shows, especially science fiction.

“I have experience in archaeology.”

He looked at me like I was insane. “Aside from the fact that your experience is from studying media, this is not a dig! We have no idea what we are going to find, so you are staying here until we know more.”

I glared.

He got up and came around the table to sit down beside me. I wanted to move away; to show my displeasure, but I refused to do that. At one time, I would have, but I was determined to stop wearing my emotions on my sleeve. Whether I was mad at him now, was not an issue. I respected his decisions, and I loved him to death. I was mad now, but I knew I wouldn’t always be.

He sighed heavily as he sat. “I know you’re hurting about Paula, and you want to keep busy. I understand that, Rose, but I can’t take the chance that you’ll be hurt over there.”

I looked at him, and my expression softened. I leaned over and gave him a sensuous kiss, then said, “Oh, John. I know what you’re saying, but can’t you trust that I can take care of myself? I’m a big girl, you know.”

He gave a small chuckle. “I know you are, my dear. However, when it comes to Willem, I’m not trusting that anyone can take care of themselves around him.”

I was very tempted to glare again, but I held off. I truly did know what he was saying, and why. I didn’t have time to glare at him, anyway. Bob Grissom, our head of security, contacted us about then.

“Commander, There has been a war on board Fomalhaut.”

“Like on Centaurus?” John asked.

“I’m guessing, sir. I wasn’t on Centaurus when they had their problems, but this is definitely a war zone.”

Something in what he was saying just didn’t seem right to me. I stood up and told John, “I’ve got to get over there. Something isn’t right.”

He looked at me for a long moment, then said, “All the more reason to not let you go.”

“John!” I began, then changed tack. “Alright, you go with me.”

He glared at me this time. Probably over a minute, we faced off, then finally, “This is very important to you, isn’t it.”

“It is, John,” I told him, nodding.

“Okay. On one condition.”

“Yes?”

“We go together, and you stay with me.”

“I can live with that,” I told him. I tried not to smile for having won, but it was really hard not to.

He saw the flicker of a smile, and as we were going to the lander pad, he commented, “You can be so infuriating, my dear.”

“Really?” I asked as I let the smile out. “There will be dire consequences tonight for that remark.”

“I can live with that,” he told me as we entered the lander.

We walked onto the upside of Fomalhaut IV and something just felt wrong to me. I wasn’t sure what it was yet, but it was very real. I wondered why no one else felt it, but perhaps it was my intuition? Maybe.

We entered a bay, and I realized what it was. “You’re right, Bob. This is a war zone, but it shouldn’t be.”

“Huh?” he stared at me.

“What do we know about Centaurus?” I asked him.

“They went to war.”

I shook my head. “No. They didn’t”

“Rick told us they did,” John objected.

“No, John. He didn’t.” I hurried on before they could argue. “What he said was everyone was for his or her self.” I looked around. “That’s not what we see here.”

I walked over to look between two buildings, at a barricade straight out of Les Miserables. “They would never have erected a barricade like this if they were all alone in the fighting. They would be trapped with others.”

John looked at the bay, then back to me. “You’re right,” he told me. We have at least two groups fighting here, possibly more, but they were groups. They had to have been.”

Bob was nodding as well. “I’ve got to agree, Mrs. Carlson.”

One of Bob’s detail came running into the bay. “You’ve got to see this,” he told us.

We followed as he hurried to a ‘U’ tube and started to the downside. We passed the ‘J’ tube that led to the command deck and where we should have entered the downside ring, there was another barricade.

“All of the ‘U’ tubes are like this.”

I could see no light through it the barricade. I wondered what was on the other side.

John put voice to my curiosity. “I want to see the downside.”

“Yes, Sir.”

It took about an hour to remove enough of the barricade to see through, then another half hour to get to where we could walk through. I started toward the opening, but John stepped in my way.

“Not yet, Rose.” I glared, but John would not back down. “Bob,” he addressed the security chief, not taking his eyes off of me, “send two of your men in to see what’s up.”

Before they could enter, however, an old man made his presence known. He was holding a white flag in front of him. “Who are you?” he asked.

John whirled around at the strange voice. The old man continued. “You’re not from our ship, our you?”

I stared. I had never seen anyone so old before! He was probably in his fifties!

John stepped forward, “We’re not here to harm you. We’re here to help if we can.”

The old man looked suspicious. “That’s what they said.”

“Who?” I asked. John looked like he was upset, but then he glanced at me and nodded.

I took it as permission to step forward, but he put his arm in my way again. It seemed as though if someone was going to be shot, he was determined it wouldn't be me.

“The people on the upside,” the old man explained.

“There are no people on the upside,” I told the man.

“Willem?!!?” the old man called.

There was no response.

“Willem!” he called again.

“He transferred to our ship, but we were able to eradicate him. He’s gone now,” John told him.

The man’s eyes grew wide. He seemed elated, but cautious. “How can I know you’re telling the truth?”

“I don’t know, but let me introduce myself. I’m John Carlson, and this is my wife, Rose. We’re from Neo22.”

The old man seemed to consider things, then he turned and motioned. About thirty other people appeared, all around the same apparent age.