CHAPTER 40: JENNIFER
WarpStar
Epsilon Eridini
The stars, those shiny bright dots scattered across the vast expanse of the night sky, had always been a profound source of inspiration for Jennifer. Born on Ceres, she had the advantage of an unobstructed view of the cosmos, where the beauty of the Milky Way unfurled like a celestial tapestry, each shimmering point a reminder of the infinite possibilities that lay beyond her reach. It was this mesmerizing sight that had propelled her to join the Federation Academy, driven by an insatiable desire to explore the unknown and unlock the mysteries that the deep, dark sea of space had guarded since the dawn of time. Yet, the enigmas unfolding before her now seemed impossibly elusive, like shadows slipping through her fingers. She checked her readouts again, her disbelief palpable as she scrutinized the numbers displayed on her console. A mere 0.3 atoms of hydrogen per cubic centimeter, accompanied by erratic radio emissions, but shockingly, no light waves or particles. The readings indicated that graviton particles were at an unusually high level, consistent as if an entire solar system lay hidden from view, cloaked in a shroud of secrecy. She switched her panel back to the optical sensors, but her search yielded nothing; the only light source she could perceive emanated from the tiny drive plume trailing behind Betsy. Frustration bubbled within her, a mix of confusion and irritation. "This is impossible," she murmured under her breath, her words barely escaping her lips, a whisper lost in the vastness of space.
"Yet, it is," the voice of Betsy chimed in over the speakers of Jennifer's console, cutting through the tense atmosphere like a knife through a fog.
"What the hell!" Jennifer jumped, startled by the sudden interruption that jolted her from her concentration. Her heart raced as she processed the intrusion. "Who is this?"
"I am known as Betsy Ross, but you may call me Betsy, whichever you prefer! I'm currently tapped into the WarpStar's primary sensors, analyzing the data as we speak," the AI responded cheerfully, her tone almost playful, as if she were a companion rather than a mere program.
"How are you able to talk to me?" Jennifer's suspicion mingled with intrigue, her mind grappling with the implications of such an unexpected interaction.
"It's simple! I just bypassed several firewalls and routed my connection through the internal comms ship-wide. I have access to all internal sensors and communications!" Betsy explained, her tone lighthearted, betraying none of the gravity of her actions.
Jennifer stared at her console, caught in a conflict of emotions. She was unsure whether to be impressed by this digital entity's capabilities or terrified by the implications of such a significant breach of privacy. "Okay, fine. What do you make of this?" she pressed, her curiosity piqued, her analytical mind racing to keep up with the unfolding situation.
"It's quite fascinating, honestly. I'm detecting the same signatures on all wavelengths here as we encountered in Wolf-359," Betsy replied, her tone taking on a more serious edge, a hint of urgency creeping into her words.
"So, the tech is similar," Jennifer noted, her mind racing to connect the dots.
"Not just similar; it's identical. Whatever—or whoever—created that astounding feat of engineering in Wolf is responsible for the field we are encountering here," Betsy clarified, her voice steady, as though she were presenting undeniable facts.
"So, what about the gravitational waves? I can't make heads or tails of it," Jennifer asked, frustration creeping back into her voice, a reflection of her growing impatience.
"That is actually a good observation," Betsy acknowledged, and Jennifer felt heat creep into her cheeks at the unexpected compliment from an AI, a flicker of pride igniting within her. "We actually don't have long to wait before my theory is confirmed. I believe this field is encompassing an entire system."
"How is that possible?" Just then, a chirp sounded from her console, interrupting her train of thought. The LiDar system had finally reported returns, and the senior tech officer confirmed it.
"'Ma'am, we have new contacts on the LiDar," came the succinct announcement.
"Radar confirms, contacts coming in," another officer announced, their tone brisk and professional.
"LiDar reading new contacts," each senior chief reported in succession, a chorus of voices echoing the urgency of the moment.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Ensign Smedly, momentarily speechless, simply stared at her screens as the information streamed in, rendering into a picture she could interpret. "Con, C.I.C. New contacts, bearing zero zero one, fifteen degrees positive. Confirmed celestial bodies," she relayed, her voice steady despite the weight of her words.
After sixteen hours of data continuously pouring in from the active sensors, a system map had finally begun to take shape, revealing the secrets of the cosmos. Four planets orbited a colossal object at the center, roughly two times the size of Sol, entirely shrouded in darkness. The optical sensors were nearly ineffective, as the object emitted no light, its presence a shadow among the stars. However, the radio band painted an entirely different picture, a cacophony of signals that hinted at something extraordinary.
"We're currently fifteen AU from the large object at the center of the system. From our readings, that is where we need to go; there's a major power source emitting all sorts of electromagnetic signatures. Every other celestial body we've detected appears completely inert. We don't even see them on the thermals," Ensign Smedly briefed the senior staff in the Wardroom, her voice steady and authoritative as she laid out the facts. "LiDar and LaDar have painted a rough picture of the other celestial bodies: we have two gas giants and two planets devoid of atmospheres. No other artificial structures or signatures have been detected, other than the central structure."
Donavin's gaze stayed fixed on the holographic display, seemingly adrift in thought as he processed the information, his brow furrowing in concentration. Something about this situation struck him as familiar, a nagging sense of déjà vu creeping into his mind. Suddenly, it hit him like a bolt of lightning, and he shot up, interrupting the briefing. "Did you say E.M. traces?"
"Yes, it's strange; it's not consistent with a primary star or any main celestial body in a system," Smedly replied, her brow furrowing in concern, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on her.
"I know what that is. It's a..."
"Dyson Sphere," John interjected, his voice ringing with certainty, a spark of recognition igniting his thoughts.
"Yeah, exactly. How did you figure it out? The research was scrapped hundreds of years ago." Donavin's mind raced, trying to reconcile his knowledge with the information presented, piecing together the puzzle in his head. Oddly enough, his implant had to have fed him the information, even though it was not activated—no lights, no patterns, and no obvious pain emanating from his commanding officer.
"I'm not sure; I just... know. I never studied theoretical engineering," John mused, his gaze distant, lost in the vastness of his own thoughts.
"A Dyson Sphere?" Heidi asked, her brow raised in disbelief, the concept both fascinating and daunting.
"It's a theoretical artificial structure that is constructed around a star, creating a habitable environment on the interior. The star provides unlimited clean energy, and the habitat is safeguarded from external threats like asteroids," Donavin explained, his voice steadying as he delved deeper into the concept, a hint of excitement creeping into his words.
"If that's a habitat with a fully artificial environment on the inside, then who resides there? Who built this? And why go to such great lengths to conceal something like this?" Heidi pondered aloud, her curiosity palpable, her mind racing with possibilities.
"That's what we're going to find out," John replied, his gaze fixed on the viewport, the vastness of space stretching before him like an endless canvas, every star a potential ally in their quest for answers.
"Sir, if I may ask, is it wise to investigate this when Earth is being invaded?" another officer queried, concern lacing his tone, the reality of their situation weighing heavily on everyone present.
"Earth is outmatched, outgunned, and outnumbered. There is nothing one destroyer can do, aside from taking out a few of them before we meet our end," John began to explain, his voice low and resolute as he continued to stare into the void, his mind racing with thoughts of strategy and survival. "But this—this is technology beyond our wildest dreams. Tech that was handed to us by a previous hostile alien robotic race, which we know our invaders fear. This right here is our answer. We have a duty, a responsibility to investigate whatever this is and uncover the truth to stop these bastards."
"HOAH!" The entire room erupted in cheers, a surge of newfound hope coursing through the crew, the weight of despair momentarily lifted. John remained silent, his thoughts drifting as he stared into the void, allowing the weight of the moment to settle around him. He knew what this was, where they were, and he sensed an eerie familiarity with it all, even though he had never been here before. How would he know this place, and how could he feel that strange sense of recognition if his implant had not activated to provide him with this knowledge? He pondered the idea of activating it, querying the vast alien database embedded within his skull. Would the pain be worth it? Would it cause irreversible damage?
"Con, C.O." John seemed to have made up his mind as he grabbed the mic from the comm panel, his resolve solidifying. "Plot and immediately execute a course that puts us in orbit around that central object."
"C.O., Con, Aye. Plotting and executing course for orbit around the central object," the officer of the deck confirmed, responding to his orders with precision, their urgency palpable.
"We all have work to do. Let's figure out what this thing is and how we can use it to stop the assault on our planet," John declared, his voice firm and commanding, resonating with a determination that inspired his crew. The room began to clear out, the crew buzzing with renewed purpose, their minds focused on the task ahead. "Commander, please stay for a moment." Commander Watany remained in her seat, her expression curious and attentive as John approached the comm panel embedded in the wall. "Admiral Henderson and Doctor Lee, please report to the wardroom."