CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle One ∞ 3: A Shard Of Code

100 ∞ Behind the Clock

Day 00011 Mission Nilex


Gareth awoke at his usual time, more fatigued than the day before. Not only did he feel like he hadn't gotten enough sleep, his muscles reminded him of their sore existence at his every move. Swinging his legs to the floor, he sat up on the edge of his bed, wishing he'd set the alarm for later.

He cleared his throat. "Report, Canaisis."

«All systems green, no change of status, Captain,» responded Canaisis in his mind. «The ships we're monitoring have not changed course. A large ship within the asteroid belt has changed vectors to intercept them when they arrive at Jupiter. I'm detecting neutrino emissions from Neso, one of Neptune's moons. The emissions match a controlled nuclear reaction. Other than that, all appears to be normal.

«Our guests stayed up late in discussion last night. Ayla requested to know if you were available, but I informed them you had retired.»

"Why didn't you inform me?" He rubbed his face with both hands, but the graininess in his eyes refused to budge.

«Did you wish to talk to them, Captain?»

"No, but that's not the point."

«Correct. The point is you needed to rest, and I acted in your best interest. Need I remind you, Captain, that although you may not feel it, your body's still healing? If you don't allow yourself that time, I'm going to have to be insistent until you do.»

Gareth waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Alright, Canaisis, duly noted. No need to get annoying about it."

«Hmmmpph,» was the response as he stood up to head for the bathroom.

"You said 'controlled nuclear reaction'. How large of a source?"

«By my calculations, it's a power generation plant now going to production, Captain. I see a base there, with radio dishes and telescopes oriented to observe outward from the solar system.»

Gareth turned on the tap and splashed his face several times. His mind snapped awake with the rush of the cold water hitting his skin.

«New or existing?» he thought over the purling water as he prepared to shave.

«The structures were there on our arrival, but I detected no power source at that time.»

«No ships of any kind? Any traffic to or from the base since we've arrived? Any of those ships we're watching headed there?»

«No ships visible, Captain. No traffic of any kind since our arrival. None or all of those ships could vector towards Neptune after slinging around Jupiter—it's too early to tell.»

Gareth thought about it as he finished shaving and moved on to his dental routine.

«Can we include the base when the pulsar wave hits?»

«We can, but I don't know how useful it will be. It's one thing when a ship is alone in mid-space between planets. It's another thing entirely with both a planet and multiple moons involved. Too much radiation, magnetic and gravitational distortion.»

«Well, it was worth asking. Do the best you can, Canaisis. Keep an eye out for anything else, and from now on alert me at once, even if I'm sleeping.»

«Aye, Captain.»

He donned his ship clothes in the bedroom. With his jacket buttoned, he was strapping on his holster belt when he paused, the monitor on the wall catching his attention.

It was a picture he'd never seen before. A three-masted sailing ship keeling over, the rudder barely touching the water, angry storm clouds filling the sky. One sail was shredded, and the other two were straining from the sideways-rushing wind. Men hung on the ropes like ants trying to furl the sails, and one man in the crow's nest pointed at the storm ahead. Tall, white waves and heavy rain threatened to swamp the ship, but it was the water spout directly ahead the man was pointing at.