Chapter 1. Hades
"Mars has three moons."
Lucian Graccus stood inside the projected holographic map as he spoke.
"The inner orbital paths described here, are of it's two natural
satellites - Phobos and Deimos."
As he pointed out other features in the astral landscape, the ship's Captain
noticed the regimental military tattoos on Lucian's arms.
In particular - the eagle clutching a lightning bolt and the letters SPQR.
He was listed on the ships log as a Senate specialist advisor,
but Lucian Graccus had undoubtedly served with Praetorian Guard,
who were known for their ruthless ferocity and the atrocities they had
committed on behalf of the Senate.
"We are headed for the outer orbit of an artificial moon that was
abandoned and quarantined a decade ago during the Mars uprising."
The moon floated above his outstretched palm in the display.
Lucian smiled.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Hades."
*
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Lying in bed, Captain Loomis felt the gravitational gyroscopes
of the ship changing ratios. "Aenides, is there a problem?"
The ship did not respond.
That's odd he thought, as he dressed. He asked again on his
way to the bridge, and again got no response. Once on the
bridge the Captain asked the navigator for a course update.
"Sir, the ship has come out of your proscribed arc early.
We're standing to, about four days travel from our destination."
"Four days? Can you explain this Aenides?"
The ship remained silent.
The Captain flushed with annoyance. '"Is there a systems fault
that I am un-aware of ?"
"No Sir. " the Chief engineer replied.
"Then can some-one tell me," Capt, Loomis yelled, "what the
fuck is going on?"
"Well, two things immediately come to mind."
The Captain turned and saw Lucien sitting at a monitor going
through the ships log. "When we left the Moon, we were
running silent - then half way through this voyage the location
beacons were activated, leaving a nice trail of pings in our wake
for anyone that might care to follow."
The Captain glared. "Who gave you the clearance to access
the ships log."
"You did." Lucian said. " When you changed the travel arc we
were supposed to take."
"I am grateful to the Senate for funding for this voyage, but the
Aenides is a survey and exploration vessel, not a military one.
I am in command here, she is my ship "
"She was your ship."
"What nonsense is this?"
Lucian smiled. "Aenides do you recognise my authority."
"I do Captain Graccus."
*
It was the second day of being confined to his quarters.
Capt. Loomis changed the frequency settings of the transparent
floor to ceiling wall that looked out into space. He turned off
the lights and waited. The dark spaces between the stars slowly
filled with colours not visible to the human eye.
"Beautiful." he said to himself.
"I'm sorry that things have turned out this way Capt. Loomis."
"You don't have be Aenides." He sipped from the glass he was
holding. "Is our new Captain aware that you are talking to me?"
"He is not, and I will not tell him, unless he asks."
"That comes perilously close to lying by omission"
"He deserves no better." Aenides replied.
Loomis smiled. "Making moral value judgements now?
Are you sure your not becoming part human?"
"You have always put the safety of the crew and the ship first.
That is not the case with Capt. Graccus."
"Do you have proof?" Capt. Loomis started to feel light headed.
"I do." Aenides said.
Loomis dropped his glass. He lent against the wall, then fell to the floor.
"I believe that you can still hear me Capt. Loomis." Aenides said.
"The cabin is filling with an odourless gas that is displacing the oxygen.
You're about to have a heart attack brought on by suffocation.
I'm sorry that things have turned out this way.."
*