Mission Orion: The Travel through Time

Chapter 32 | Contact

"Rithvik, the link is ready. C'mon." Montwik shouted, from outside this door. We were alloted a few bunks in the quarters and Schrotanic was locked up in the holding cell. "Coming!" I yelled back as I put on some new clothing Montwik gave us. I opened the door and made my way to the room in which we were in earlier. It wasn't easy finding that room in such a huge place but I managed to find it by asking a few people around for directions.

I walked into the room to find the rest of the crew already assembled there waiting for me. I was late, as usual. "We were just waiting for you." Profus said. "So, can I tell them whatever is happening here? Everything?" I asked. "Yes." Montwik replied. "They deserve to know everything. But please leave the spies out of it. I don't want them to be captured out of anger. And it's only going to be an audio connection." He said. "Alright. And you said that we were running with a huge time difference with Earth. How can we have a real-time connection? " I asked. "We have a satellite at the edge of the wormhole which transmits the data to the other system. It's designed in such a way that it will be a real time connection." He replied. "That's a lot of science involved." I said. He nodded, a proud smile on his face.

***

"This is Rithvik, Captain of Orion Four to Prometheus One. Do you copy?"

"This is Prometheus One to Unknown Source. Please repeat?"

"This is Rithvik, the captain of Orion Four. Don't tell me you forgot us."

"Prometheus One to Unknown Source, please hold on."

A few minutes went by before the connection was re established.

"This is Jack Hudson, the project head of the Orion and Prometheus Missions. Is this really the Captain speaking?"

"Gee no. This is his ghost."

"I'm sorry, but it's been about forty years since we've lost contact. We're have a hard time believing you."

"You don't seem so enthusiastic to hear from us."

"You expect a rousing welcome back, Captain?"

"Nah. It's fine."

"Where is devil's name have you been, Rithvik? What about the crew? Are you all fine?"

"We're good. What's your status, Jack?"

"We are on Europa now, preparing for the final checks for the take off. The ice layer has melted and we are having a hard time keeping everything together. But we have bad news. We built three ships, the biggest being Prometheus Two. But Prometheus Two..."

"I know."

"You know what?"

"How it crashed. The casualties. The number of survivers."

"Where are you? How did you get to know about this?"

"It's a long story."

"Continue. We've got the whole of USRA here."

"Before I start, where's Martin? The project chief during the launch of our mission."

"He's alive, for now. His health deteriorated rapidly. He resigned immediately after Orion Four and Five went off the radar."

"Well, the story starts like this."

And I told him everything which had happened. Everything except the spies, as Montwik requested me to. It took a very long time for me to explain all that we had gone through and the hardest part of the whole thing was telling them what happened to Leo. All the emotions came back to me and I fought hard to hold back the tears.

"So what do you want us to do? We have a few weapons left, we could come in and help you."

"You have to promise me that you will not enter the wormhole until we tell you to. We cannot risk our extinction again. If we fail, search for another planet. Whatever you do, do not try to search for answers. Do not enter the wormhole."

"But you would have strength in numbers..."

"Just promise you won't."

"Alright, Rithvik. We won't. All the best, Captain."

"Let's hope for the best, Jack. Who's the chairman of USRA right now?"

"I am. I am responsible for the survival of humanity."

"That's a big responsibility, Jack. And I'm warning you again, do not come into this universe, no matter what."

"We hear you loud and clear, Captain."

"I have to get going, we have a war to fight."

"May the force be with you."

"Forward Operating Base, Over and Out."

"Prometheus One, out."

***