Chapter 17

By the time he and Evan exited the structure they’d been exploring and reached the large crystal building where Martinez had made his discovery, Alex was dripping with sweat. Their crystal planet was muggy, though they had yet to find any liquid water anywhere.

“What is it? What did you find?” Alex glanced around as he approached.

The lieutenant pointed to the wall they were facing. “It opened. We saw into another room and I saw trees. But then the opening closed up again.”

Evan looked at Cummins. “Trees?”

Before the lieutenant could answer, Alex touched the doorway. The sound of Evan’s curse was lost on him as he watched massive crystals suddenly pull away in all directions until a section of wall had become an opening five feet wide and nearly ten feet tall.

Alex moved forward, then turned to address Cummins. “You two, stay right here and monitor our communications. If we’re not back in thirty minutes, and you can’t contact us inside, one of you comes in looking, the other sends for help.”

“Aye, sir.”

Evan stepped through the opening first, preventing Alex from going ahead, then held out a hand, indicating his Keeper could precede him.

Any smart remark Alex might have made was lost the instant he stepped through the opening. No more than five paces ahead stood an oak tree, completely encased in a clear material, and carefully labeled in exactly the same manner as the samples they’d discovered in the wreckage back on Serenity.

Alex blinked, then proceeded through the short corridor and into a massive room lined with row upon row of sample cases, each containing a different plant or animal, frozen in impenetrable suspension. The rows continued further than they could see, and extended up beyond the reach of their lights.

“The mother lode.”

Evan detached his helmet light and aimed it up. “What is this place? It looks like the hold area in that wreckage, only larger.”

“Maybe a storage warehouse. They put stuff here to take out later, or this is where they put the samples they’re through with.” Alex started walking along the cases, looking at each creature and plant. “Or this is their repository.”

Evan stayed where he was, staring upward, moving his light in an attempt to find the top. “If they tried to catalog a specimen of every species, both plant and animal, we could be looking at the collection of just one single planet.”

Alex kept walking forward. “If that’s the case, this room is gonna turn out to be pretty damn big. Unless they stacked them one planet per room, and we’ve only found one room out of potentially hundreds.” He continued moving down the rows, walking slowly. “What bugs me is how we haven’t found one clue of life here. No animals, insects, not even a scrap of garbage on the floor. Not one indication of the species who put these cases together.”

Evan flashed his light around the room until the beam was lost in the distance. “It could take days to explore this room.”

“Exactly. Head back to Cummins and pick out another potential from the scans of the surface, see if he can locate any more of these caverns before we have to head back to the Defiant.” Alex reached up to wipe sweat from his forehead, then remembered he couldn’t reach his face behind his suit helmet. “We’re not finding what we came here for, but I’d like to get an idea what is here, for later study.”

Evan paused, focusing his light on his Keeper. “Don’t touch anything while I’m gone.”

Alex laughed slightly, too tired to make a fuss. “I promise. I’ll stand here and be good until you get back.” He’d love to just sit down and rest for a bit, but there wasn’t anything to sit on.

Evan’s reply was a quick snort as he turned and retreated back up the short walkway

"Wait a minute!" Alex called out suddenly. He focused his light on a specimen case to his left.

An empty specimen case.

"What was in here?"

Evan moved closer, carefully scanning the area with his light. The cases to either side were occupied, to the left by a large plant, to the right by a jelly-bodied creature with three limbs. "The case looks torn open."

"Yeah," Alex nodded. "But from the inside, or out?"

"By the looks of the edges, I'd say something inside was dug out. By our visiting ship?"

"No doubt." Alex pulled a scanner from his envirosuit's pocket and sampled the air, then inside the remains of the case. "Nothing. But that doesn't mean it didn't turn in to something."

Evan quickly scanned the area. "I don't see any other empty ones. Whatever was in here was what they wanted, and they knew it. They didn't even try to open any other cases."

"But what was it?" Alex pocketed the scanner again. "And wanted by who?"

"We're back to square one."

# # #

Alex watched his crew as they left the conference room, their faces a mix of disbelief and confused acceptance. He felt frustrated and sweaty, even after the long shower. When the last of the crew had left the room, Evan closed the door and turned back to the large monitor where Admiral Rickover’s image waited patiently.

“Thank God for instant communications,” the admiral sighed. “All right, Alex. Go over the whole issue once more, only give me the abridged version this time.”

Alex glanced at Evan and had to force back a slight smile in response to the Sha’erah’s visibly irritated expression. “Like I said, this moon seems to be connected in some way to the alien wreck we found on Serenity. They have specimens in a sort of laboratory display area here, and one of those cases was broken in to. We're assuming the theft was by our mystery ship.”

“So someone -- some human -- knew what to find, and where to find it. Among all those other alien specimens?"

“Yes, sir.”

"And just who would possess such information?"

"Well, Admiral, in my recent past, I've met a couple of people capable of things I never could have imagined. My guess is someone associated with them is behind this."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

Alex glanced at Evan, who shrugged but said nothing. He didn’t want to believe it, after all they’d seen.

“Truth is, Admiral, we’re not sure. Not exactly, and until we are, I don't think it would help to speculate."

Admiral Rickover nodded. “And you concur with the captain’s assessment, Commander?”

Alex looked at Evan, but the way the Sha’erah was facing the screen made it impossible to see his face.

“I do.”

“All right,” the admiral sighed. “I’ll buy you a little time to work this out. I might have to adjust the explanation of how you came about this information, Alex. I can’t say it’s all that plausible in its true form, no matter how true it is. Or what form. Honestly, I don't even understand what you're telling me.”

Alex laughed shortly. “I understand, sir.”

When the screen went blank, Evan shook his head. “I can’t believe he went along with that explanation.”

Alex crossed his arms and looked at the Sha’erah. “Why not? It’s the truth.”

“At best it borders on questionable.” Evan leaned against a table as he spoke. “Or conspiratorial. You just told him you know who's behind this, but you don't want to say yet.”

“I said we may know, possibly,” Alex interjected.

Evan waved a hand in the air. “You think it was Maker. Or another Keeper and Sha'erah, maybe a Finder like Ian.”

Alex inhaled slowly and deeply, looking for the right words and enough time to speak them calmly. “It's possible. We have to keep an open mind, that maybe -- just maybe -- Maker had a contingency plan in place after all. Or that someone else, some other Keeper out there, has a Sha'erah with the talent to figure something like this out. A Keeper with enough moral decline to pull it off.”

"We know a few people will questionable morals, but a Keeper? What motivation would he, or she, have to unleash a plague on humanity?"

Alex shook his head. "That's a very good question. And maybe I’m wrong. Maybe there's no Keeper behind all this. Maybe it's a fluke, that some random ass hole happened to know there was a planet out there full of alien specimens, and that one specimen could be stolen, and then somehow converted into a plague that could be spread throughout the atmosphere of every habited planet."

“There's only one logical explanation,” Evan shook his head. “Maker set this in motion, in the event of his death, no doubt.”

“We can keep coming up with ridiculous theories that hold no basis in reality, or we can concentrate on what little we do know and try to track down the pilot of that ship.” Alex stabbed a piece of pork and shook his head. "If this does have anything to do with Maker, or another Keeper, I'd just as soon figure it out before Rickover and his people do."

"And if he beats us to it?" Evan asked. "How do we keep it from getting out of hand?"

Alex stared at his coffee. Since the cup was opaque, he couldn’t see his own reflection in it like he could a good glass of scotch. “We could turn this ship around and head out into deep, uncharted space, never to come back again.”

“Just give the order,” Evan replied matter-of-factly.

Alex laughed and looked up. “Don’t think I’m not tempted! If it weren’t for all these other crewmen, and our cargo, I’d seriously consider it.” He sighed again and picked up the coffee. “There isn’t much left of home, after all.”

“Your mother is there,” Evan offered.

Alex sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.

“Is something wrong?”

"Just a headache," he replied. He'd been getting more migraines lately. "Thinking about the irony of it all.” Alex looked up. "When this is all said and done, we still have no proof aliens exist."

# # #

“Captain, I was just going to call for you.” Riddick pointed to the main screen as he flipped a switch. “We’re being hailed.”

Alex looked up as the image of a navy captain’s face filled the view screen.

“Defiant, this is the Brigade. You will slow to in-system speed immediately and establish a following course. Any deviation will be considered hostile action.”

Alex glared at the captain’s image. “This is Captain Marcase. To whom am I speaking and why?”

“Captain Marcase, this is Captain Moorestown. Your crew has been in contact with aliens and you will be quarantined until further notice. Is that understood?”

The little boy inside Alex -- the one that usually won out over the calm, mature man he was supposed to be -- grinned at the thought of a good old fashioned military sparring match. He knew he wasn’t very tall, but he straightened up as best he could and gave the appearance of glancing down at the screen.

“My crew has been completely cleared of any virus, captain.” He glanced around the bridge by moving only his eyes, then glared back at the screen. “There isn’t one man on board with so much as a cold. And I informed the Admiral there were, in point of fact, no aliens on that planet.”

Captain Moorestown put on an equal show of height adjustment. “I have my orders, Captain. You have been exposed to the alien's world. Until we can determine there is no risk, you and your ship will be placed in quarantine until it is deemed safe.”

It was time to get out the rulers. “And just who is in charge of that determination?”

“I don’t have that answer.”

Alex huffed. He turned and looked at Riddick, speaking to the bridge chief while Captain Moorestown was still on-screen. “Chief, get me Admiral Rickover. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”

“Aye, sir.”

The glaring face of Captain Moorestown was immediately replaced by a view of the stars while the chief tried to establish contact with the admiral. A few minutes later, the Rickover’s face appeared on-screen.

“Marcase! Good to see you boys back. I’ve got teams of white-coats itching to get their hands on those recordings you brought back from the moon.”

“They’re all yours, Admiral. Just one problem. Seems there’s a Captain Moorestown of the Brigade who says we’re to be quarantined. He’s out here now, huffing and puffing about following his ship under threat of retaliation.”

The admiral’s eyebrows knit together momentarily as he consulted someone off-screen. “Ah, yes, well there’s just a little matter of exposure. We have to be sure, you understand. Can’t take any chances.”

Alex opened his mouth to argue, but Riddick caught his attention before he could speak.

“Sir, the Brigade is arming her cannons.”

“Won’t take but a few hours, Captain,” Admiral Rickover added. “We’ll have you docked and happy in no time.”

Alex held back his angry response. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't put a finger on it, or finger the Admiral about it, in front of the entire crew. “Chief, fall in behind them. We’ll play along to get this over with.”

“See you soon, Captain.” Admiral Rickover nodded as the screen went blank.

“Stay in the path of the Brigade, Chief. Call me if there’s a problem.” Alex left the bridge without waiting for a reply.

He made it all the way to the cargo hold before having another coherent thought.

“They think we’re a bunch of first timers or something!” Alex stormed around the boxes and crates, then came face to face with a large silver globe floating six feet from the floor.

Evan was standing on the opposite side of the stacks of sample crates, reading a scanner. “What are you talking about?”

Alex leaned against a box marked Biohazard and started twisting his ring. “Damn military, that’s what. We’ve just been bullied into sneaking back to Scotian with our tales between our legs so we can sit in quarantine until they deem us non-lethal.” The ring on his finger spun happily in an attempt to calm his temper. “And don’t you even try to tell me this is all reasonable!”

“We've just found potential evidence of the plague's source, and we're bringing back air samples from a moon which could potentially still be incubating that very virus, or variations of it.” Evan didn’t even look up from his scanner as he spoke.

Alex pointed a finger at the Sha’erah. “Don’t start! I don’t wanna hear it.” He huffed in frustration. “They’re acting as if we have no idea what we’re doing! We knew full well we had to test our own atmosphere before returning to the Defiant. Riddick and the others ran every test available, and there was nothing on that planet or this ship.” He touched the ring with his thumb and began spinning it around his finger again, moving away from the stacked crates to pace the cargo hold.

“Do they think I’d risk my crew?”

Evan looked up at Alex. “And they’re just following proper procedures to protect what’s left of the population.”

“Oh shut up.” Alex kicked a crate, then stared it down in anger. “Why can’t you just let me be mad when I want to?”

Evan laughed shortly and turned off his scanner. “I don’t keep you from being mad. You’re very good at doing that with or without my input.”

“You say that, but then you’re always trying to point out some logical reasoning behind everything.”

“That would suggest there was a logical reason behind everything that makes you angry.”

Alex held up a finger. “That doesn’t mean I don’t have the right to be pissed.”

“I never said it did,” Evan shrugged.

“In fact I seem to recall the day we met, you were pretty damn angry.” Alex smiled slightly, feeling a small semantic victory at hand.

Evan paused for a moment, then shrugged again. “Yes, I was. And the reasons behind that anger were neither logical nor calming. Knowing why I’d been left there feeling angry would only have made me that much more so.”

Alex crossed his arms in conclusion, but Evan wasn’t finished.

“So, are you trying to compare Spencer’s motives for faking his death with those of a military trying to insure the safety of what's left of the human race?”

Alex threw his arms out in frustration. “You see! This whole ball of crap has me so off center, I can’t even manage a logical argument!” He glared at the Sha’erah. “Not one word from you.” He started for the door, feeling completely frustrated and disgusted with himself as well as his current situation. “Nothing’s right anymore.” Nothing seemed to fit.

“Of course nothing’s right anymore.” Evan followed behind him through the hatch and into the corridor. “Humanity isn’t right anymore. And we haven’t found all the answers.”

Alex turned. “Yet. We haven’t found all the answers, yet. ” He nodded toward the cargo bay they’d just left. “What did you make of those samples on that moon?”

Evan shook his head quickly and looked down at the scanner in his hand. “Not much. The material encasing them is strange, I couldn’t get a good read through it.”

“Which means our unidentified visitor knew exactly what he was looking for before he came. Or knew how to read through the encasement.”

“That seems right. And it seems to be pointing to another Keeper and Sha'erah who could figure that out, or knew about it before hand. But there's more to it than just that.” Alex stopped just outside the door to their quarters. “Somewhere out there is another race. Alien, sentient, and way the hell smarter than we are.”

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