Journey to Year 1,000,000,000 Ch. 01

Taylor looked at the two suns. They looked identical. "Are you sure?"

"The image was not entirely clear, and we only had one partial to work from," said Von Windhoek. "But it's a reasonable assumption that this is a time tunnel, and our working assumption is that it doesn't go into the past."

"From the future," said Taylor, his mind racing to consider the implications. "Why would people from 200,000 years in the future want to destroy the Earth?"

"Why indeed?" said Von Windhoek. "They would be destroying themselves. The shockwaves are getting stronger and stronger. Our projections indicate that millions could be dying in a matter of months, and that the planet could be uninhabitable in less than two years. The public is panicking."

That was putting it mildly. It seemed every media outlet had its own opinion on how to deal with the crisis. The World Government and the Survey Service was being flooded with demands to deal with the situation.

"They are putting increasing pressure on us to send a few nova bombs into the Black Box," said Von Windhoek. "They think that will seal the rift."

"Will it?" Taylor asked.

"We have no idea," said Von Windhoek. "Half of the Scientific Branch thinks it will. But the other half thinks the explosion will rebound and destroy all life on the planet Earth. You can see the rather delicate situation we're in."

"Yes," said Taylor.

"Sooner or later, the World Government is going to bow to public pressure and insist we use nova bombs, which will either solve our problem, or not solve it, or destroy all life on the planet." Von Windhoek drummed his fingers on his desk. "I prefer a... less radical alternative."

"Which is?"

"You," said Von Windhoek.

Taylor looked startled. "Me? Me what, sir?"

Von Windhoek leaned forward and stared Taylor in the eyes. "I want you to go into the Black Box with a ship of your own. I want you to go in there, find out what's going on, and save the Earth."

Taylor started to laugh, until he saw Von Windhoek was not joking. "You're serious. You're really serious. What can I do that three other Captains couldn't do before me?"

"I don't know," said Von Windhoek. "But I saw what you did on PR-52981. You survived where no one else could, and you saved your passengers, as well as thousands of other people. Put simply, Lieutenant Commander, you are capable of doing what no one else is. And at this point, you're the only option left to try."

"You're serious," Taylor repeated.

"You will be given command of the USS Devonshire," said Von Windhoek. "It's an older frigate, but a good ship."

"A Lieutenant Commander, in charge of a frigate?" said Taylor. "Impossible!"

"It is now. Commander Gorsky is being reassigned. So is his first officer, Lieutenant Commander Bill Carey." Von Windhoek pointed a finger at Taylor. "You will be the senior officer on the ship. You are in command now, Lieutenant Commander."

"But... what can I do?" said Taylor. "If someone's trying to destroy the Earth, they're from the future, I'll be terribly outmatched and outgunned."

Von Windhoek leaned back and gave a sly smile. "I don't think they're trying to destroy the Earth."

"No?"

"No," said Von Windhoek. "If they are, they're being terribly indirect about it. Why send a shockwave every few weeks? Why not every day? Why set up the Black Box 800,000 miles from the Earth, when at 50,000 miles it could destroy the planet utterly? No, I think these shockwaves are a side effect. I think the Black Box is an invitation."

"Some invitation," said Taylor, remembering the images of the melted crewmembers of the Exeter. "An invitation to what?"

"I don't know," said Von Windhoek. "That's what you'll have to find out."

Taylor thought about it. "But... time travel? We... I... we may never be able to come back home," said Taylor.

"That's true," said Von Windhoek. "If you complete your mission, you may be stranded in the future. All you'll be left with is the knowledge that you've saved twelve billion people, and the entire human race." He paused. "You joined the Survey Service to have a life of consequence. Instead, you've been handed routine cargo runs from Earth to Vega and back to Earth again. This is your chance, Lieutenant Commander. Your chance to make a real difference."

Taylor paused. For a brief moment he thought of Pam. "Can I think about it?"

"No time," said Von Windhoek. "We estimate the next shockwave could strike again in four or five days. You leave in the Devonshire in two. I need your answer now; will you do it?"

Taylor licked his lips nervously. It was a suicide mission. He saw that clearly.

But Earth was in desperate need. And if he didn't try, the entire planet could be destroyed.

Von Windhoek was right. This is what he had joined the Service for. To defend Earth. He couldn't turn away now, he just couldn't.

But Pam....

"I'll do it," said Taylor, even before he had fully convinced himself.

"Good," said Von Windhoek, not sounding at all surprised. He pressed a button on his desk. "Send in Doctor Shaw, please."

A tall brown haired woman in her mid 30's, with her hair in a bun, entered the office. "Admiral?"

"Have a seat," said Von Windhoek. As she sat down, Von Windhoek said, "Taylor, this is Doctor Elizabeth Shaw. She will be leading the science team on the Devonshire."

Taylor looked over at her. Shaw seemed a very serious minded woman. "Nice to meet you," he said, extending a hand.

"I wish I could say the same," she said.

Taylor's jaw dropped.

"Sir, may I speak freely?" Shaw asked.

Von Windhoek looked annoyed. "Of course."

"This man... I know this man's record. He is not the proper person to command this mission."

"He isn't?" Von Windhoek said, sounding surprised. Not surprised by the conclusion, perhaps, but by the audacity of the person making it.

"No, sir. He assumed the role of a God. He used women for his own sexual pleasure under the guise of being a God. He killed thousands of people."

"And perhaps you think I'm unaware of this," said Von Windhoek.

"No sir," said Doctor Shaw. "It's just... he's not suitable for this kind of... delicate assignment."

"You're mistaken, Doctor Shaw," said Von Windhoek, with an icy tone. "He is suitable. And do you know how I know this? Because I have assigned him to this mission."

"Yes, sir," said Shaw, sensing from his tone that further argument wouldn't be advisable. A new thought occurred to her. "Sir, Mr. Taylor is a Lieutenant Commander. I hold the reserve rank of a full Commander. Will I be in charge of the mission?"

Von Windhoek gave her a long look. "Of your science team? Certainly."

"And the mission?"

"Lieutenant Commander Taylor is," said Von Windhoek.

"A Lieutenant Commander can't give orders to a Commander," said Shaw.

"Again, you're mistaken, Doctor Shaw." Von Windhoek leaned forward and stared at her. "He can if I say he can. Do you have any other questions?"

Shaw looked flustered, as she turned rapidly from Von Windhoek to Taylor and back to the Admiral again. "No, sir."

"Good. Get your science team aboard the Devonshire. You leave in two days." Von Windhoek turned to Taylor. "Any other questions, Lieutenant Commander?"

Taylor had none.

********

They left the office together. Doctor Shaw looked apologetically at Taylor. "Lieutenant Commander... I hope you didn't take any offense. I didn't mean my criticisms to be taken personally. I'm sure we can work together professionally."

Taylor gave her a cold look. "I'm sure we can too." He turned away at a brisk pace and made for the exit.

********

Taylor regretfully went back to his former ship to collect his things and say goodbye to everyone... but to one person in particular.

His first officer, Lieutenant Jennifer Hale.

Serving on a cargo ship wasn't exactly the best way to advance one's career in the Survey Service. It had been offered to Taylor as a way to assume his own command, but most crewmembers who were assigned to cargo ships were not given a choice in the matter.

Jennifer Hale was the rare exception. She had actually sought out the assignment, which initially confused Taylor mightily.

But Hale knew what she was doing. Few lieutenants in the fleet had the opportunity to be the first officer of a ship, any ship. On most ships lieutenants were given low ranking assignments. But because Taylor had been given a command more senior than his rank, his first officer would enjoy the same benefits.

So Jennifer Hale happily became first officer on a freighter. She didn't see it as a career ender, but rather the opposite. "After four or five years I'll have more command experience than all the other officers of my grade," she said. And it was true. She didn't seem at all worried that she would be trapped in the merchant service.

Even more importantly, she wasn't put off by Taylor's background. She knew, of course, of his notoriety from his experience on PR-52981. It didn't bother her in the least. When she told Taylor that the experience showed he had an "exceptionally creative mind", he immediately knew they would get along well.

And they did. Exceptionally well. They became close, and not just in the professional way. There had been that one time when they had almost crossed the line, when they had crash landed a shuttle and were stranded on a planet together. Nothing had actually happened between them, but things had been said....

"You're really doing this?" said Jennifer Hale. "It sounds like a one-way mission."

"It probably is," said Taylor.

She studied him with her eyes. "What does Pam say about this?"

"Pam... we broke up," said Taylor. That wasn't quite true, however. Pam had broken up with him.

Jennifer seemed to sense the truth of it. "No more Pam?"

"She... she wanted a man who could be with her more," said Taylor.

"I see," said Jennifer. Her pink tongue snaked out and licked her lips. "I'm so sorry, Michael." She hugged him. Taylor enjoyed her firm embrace. Even through their respective uniforms, he could sense the softness of her large, firm breasts pressed against his chest.

When she pulled back, she looked at him searchingly. Taylor suddenly felt bashful.

"So... the ship is yours, Lieutenant," said Taylor. He looked into her beautiful green eyes. He would miss her. He probably would never see her again.

"I don't think so, sir," said Hale.

"What?"

"You're going to need a first officer on the Devonshire, aren't you?"

The Devonshire's XO, Lieutenant Commander Bill Carey, was being reassigned, along with the Captain. "Yes, but-"

"So you're going to need me." She stepped forward until her chest was almost touching his again. She looked into his eyes. "Sir."

This was too intense for Taylor. He took two steps back. "Why, Jennifer? I just told you this is a one way mission. None of us are coming back from it."

"All the more reason for me to go," said Hale firmly. "I joined the Survey Service to defend the Earth. Not simply to deliver foodstuffs to Vega. If I don't step up in Earth's most urgent time of need, what kind of officer am I?"

"But Jennifer...." His voice trailed off. "What about Michael?"

Jennifer's husband was named Michael. The same name as Taylor. That grated on him constantly.

"Michael... Michael will understand," she said, and suddenly her face became unreadable. "He knew who and what he was marrying," she said. "You need me, sir. Don't make me sit this one out."

Taylor thought for a long moment. Ultimately, the decision should be hers. He nodded. "All right. Place Lieutenant Talent in command, and get to the Devonshire by 1400 hours tomorrow."

"Sir, yes sir. Thank you, sir," she said, saluting him. As she stood erect, her breasts stood out in her tight Survey Service uniform.

Taylor had thought he would miss that; as it turned out, he wasn't going to miss it at all.

********

Taylor was surprised again when the Westerner's medical officer, Doctor Bill McCrae, came by to say his farewells. He was an older man, a southern gentleman in his early 50's.

"It sounds like a crazy dangerous mission you're going on, Michael," said McCrae. McCrae was the only one on the ship who could call him by his first name. McCrae had never asked for permission, he just did it.

"Yes," said Taylor, trying not to think about it as he packed.

"A crazy dangerous mission that probably you'll never come back from," said McCrae.

"Yes," said Taylor, feeling his pulse jump. What was the point of this conversation?

"It sounds like just the sort of mission I should be going on."

Taylor looked up at McCrae for the first time. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I think I did. And now my next question is-"

"Why?" McCrae smiled for the first time. "I did a little research on your new crew. The Doc there is brand new. 20 years my junior. It isn't right that he should have to go into early retirement."

Taylor looked at McCrae. McCrae had never volunteered for anything. But now.... "Are you sure about this?"

McCrae nodded.

"All right then," said Taylor, closing his suitcase. "Be on board by 1400 hours tomorrow."

********

And then, back at his temporary living space in Survey Service barracks, Taylor was treated to yet another surprise. An unfamiliar face came to his door. "Michael Taylor?" he asked.

"Yes?" Taylor looked up to see a tall man wearing a Survey Service uniform with Lieutenant Commander bars on them.

"I'm Bill Carey," said the man, extending a hand. "First officer of the Devonshire."

Taylor shook his hand, with confusion in his eyes. "You were notified that you were being detached, correct?"

"Correct, sir," said Carey. "But I'd like to stay on."

"Stay on?" said Taylor.

"As your first officer," said Carey.

"I already have a first officer," said Taylor. "My first officer, Jennifer Hale-"

"Has never commanded a warship. And neither have you," said Carey. "You have never commanded this class of ship. You have never even been assigned to this class of ship. You have no familiarity with the crew. I do. You need me, sir."

Taylor considered. Carey's logic was impeccable. He looked up at him. "But... you know how dangerous this mission is likely to be. Three ships have already been lost. Why...."

And then he gave the answer that Taylor knew he would. The same answer that Jennifer Hale had given him.

"Because Earth needs me, sir."

And so Lieutenant Commander Bill Carey, temporarily reduced in grade to Lieutenant, became second officer on his own ship.

********

"Yes?" said Pam, as she flung the door open.

Taylor could see the expectation in her face. She knew he would only be coming back for one reason. To announce that he was leaving the Survey Service to be with her. He was about to disappoint her.

"I... I came to say goodbye," said Taylor.

"Oh," said Pam. She turned and went back into her apartment. Taylor followed her in.

"The admiralty has assigned me to deal with the danger to Earth caused by the Black Box," said Taylor.

"Oh," said Pam.

Oh? I'm about to risk my life to save the planet. Is that all she can say?

"If it were anything else, anything else at all, you know I would be there for you," said Taylor desperately. He tried to reach out to touch her, but she pulled back. "Pam," he said, with pain in his eyes.

"You don't have to explain, Michael," said Pam. "I haven't been living in a bubble for the past four months. I've felt the quakes. I know the Black Box has to be dealt with. My only question is, why do you have to be the one to do it?"

"Because the Service asked me to."

Pam stepped forward and pressed her body against his. He felt the warmth of her hard melons against his chest. "I also asked you for something, Michael."

He looked into her eyes. "This is about saving the planet Earth."

"Let someone else do it," she whispered. She reached out and kissed him. He felt her soft lips press against his. It felt glorious.

"I... I can't," he said.

Pam stared at him for a long moment. Then she slowly nodded. "And I was a fool. A fool, to think you ever could."

"Pam-" he reached out for her.

"Go!" She said.

"Pam-"

"Go now!" said Pam. She pointed to the door.

Taylor turned and left.