Alert
By Colin J Platt
Copyright Colin J Platt 2014
Coming out of sleep mode was chronic. It wasn’t just the headaches but the all-round feeling of nausea.
Calloden didn’t even make it. He died as soon as we landed. They said our technology was infallible.
Just relax and you will feel nothing they said.
The drugs they gave him must have done something to his brain I suppose. I was lucky. They gave us all the same drugs. Anyway we are here at last on Galion, the third planet from the Star Philious.
I am still in my sleep tube viewing the log for the last sixteen years and generally getting ready to exit when the computer said:
Attention, please exit the sleep tubes.
Okay, here we go, sixteen years of time gone by like a single night.
According to the log everyone but Calloden is alive and well.
The automatic lock opens the tube, I slide out. Where is everyone? Surely there would be someone here by now?
The Commander always prides himself for being the first out of sleep mode!
‘Hello John.’
‘No. It can’t be?’
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Calloden! I mean, Dave. You’re supposed to be. I mean, the log said you were dead!’
‘Yes, I know. Sorry if I gave you a start there, but it is the rest of the crew that are dead.’
‘What?’
‘Yes. The log, or rather the computer seems to be acting up. I have been out of sleep mode for a while now.
Do you want something to eat John; there is some nice beef in the kitchen area although I don’t really feel like eating lately.’
‘How long have you been out of sleep mode, Dave?’
‘I don’t really know, John. The computer is acting up as I said. It doesn’t seem to recognize my voice!’
‘Oh, no, let me check on the rest of the crew.’
‘It’s no use; they are dead!’
Right, this is Les Wilson’s sleep-tube. ‘It says he is alive and well here Dave, Dave!’ Where the hell is Dave?
I can’t believe it! It says Les is not due to wake up for two more years! Okay let me check on the others. I don’t believe it. They all have different wake up times!
‘Computer, let me have access to the sleep tube settings.’
‘The sleep tube settings are correct, Second officer Blake.’
‘They can’t be! Everybody has different wake up times.’
That is to protect them.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You were given first call while you were in sleep mode because you are a second officer and first in alphabetical order.’
‘First call for what?’
‘First call to deal with the crisis. It is all in the log report.’
‘What crisis? There is nothing unusual in the log report. Computer, can you locate acting Second officer Dave Calloden?’
‘Acting Second Officer David Calloden died as we landed.’
What? I’ve just been speaking to him less than five minutes ago!’
‘His body is in sleep tube 2315.’
Okay. I have to get myself together!
‘Computer, what is the crisis that was in the record log?’
‘I’m sorry Second officer Blake, but I can’t tell you. My system has been compromised.’
‘By who?’
‘I am not at liberty to tell you.’
‘Computer, emergency entrance code 324576 Alpha, Gamma, Delta, Voice reference 97904.’
‘Entrance code granted, please proceed.’
‘Computer, give me access to the crisis we are facing.’
‘Star day number 2556.7. Alien intruder reported in cargo area 76. Security alerted. Android numbers 1 to 28 deactivated. Security shut down. Sleep tube number 2315 opened. Acting Second Officer David Calloden’s body interfered with.’
‘Computer, give me access to the weapon lockers.’
‘Conventional Photon weapons will not function. All my information tells me that these types of weapons will not be of any use against this intruder.’
‘Okay. What type of weapon will work?’
‘A sonic weapon type 4367 would be of use although it won’t kill the intruder.’
‘Okay, get on with it will you. Design something that I can build with our fabrication machines.
Computer, can you bring the rest of the crew out of sleep mode?’
‘I’m afraid not, Second officer Blake.’
‘Computer, give me all the info you have on the Intruder.’
‘The Information I have is not very good as I cannot relate to the intruders physical make-up.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘It is a type of Shadow-Person.
‘You mean a sort of ghost.’
‘No, not just a ghost; shadow people have a more physical body but they are still able to pass through solid structures.’
‘So that is how it got on board. Computer scan the local area outside and tell me if you detect any sort of threat.’
‘The local area has been checked and is safe, although the area at grid-reference 12365211 shows unusual energy sources.’
‘Are we able to lift off?’
‘No, Officer Blake, the power source has been rerouted.’
Well reroute it back.’
‘I cannot do that without physical help. The robots are offline.’
‘Computer, can you tell me why the Intruder didn’t just kill us all.’
‘My information says that your bodies could be useful to them. Officer Blake, you know I wouldn’t have let it on the ship if it had been a physical form.’
‘Yes, computer, I know that.’
‘I mean, I wouldn’t hold it against you if you reported me, but it is a Shadow-Person, you know.’
‘Yes, I know computer, please hurry with the sonic weapon will you. I am going back to the sleep tubes,
I want to check out Dave Calloden’s body. Computer, scan all areas of the ship. Try to locate the Intruder.’
‘The Intruder cannot be detected, Officer Blake.’
‘Okay, search the computer banks for anything and everything that could be of use to me for the defense of this ship.’
‘Sorry, Officer Blake, but the fabrication machines have now been deactivated.’
‘How?’
‘I don’t know, Officer Blake.’
‘This is a bloody mess. How am I supposed to fight something like this?’
‘You can try reasoning with it John.’
‘What the hell! Dave. You scared the shit out of me!’
Sorry, John, but I know now what happened. I am dead. I know that now, you can check out my body if you want but it’s not a pretty sight.’
‘How can you communicate with me if you’re dead?’
‘I don’t know. I had trouble with that also; I think it is something to do with this planet. There is an inner power source that can contact the inner regions, or other planes of existence. I also had a visit from a heavenly messenger; he said that I have to help you before I can go with him, John. Listen carefully; the entity that is on board is a Shadow-Person; they are very common here on Galion they originated a very long time ago and usually live on the astral world. That is the inner plane world.’
‘Yes, the computer told me about them.’
‘You will have to reason with it.’
‘Hold on Dave, the bloody thing killed you. How can I reason with something like that?’
‘I know what you mean, I feel angry also, but there is no other way. It has control of the ship. All it wants is the code to the inner computer files to access the ships power source then they can get energy to power their main batteries. I will help y
ou to communicate with it.’
‘And then what? Do you think it will give up and just walk away? I don’t think so.’
‘What else can you do? You are only one man.’
‘What was your Mother’s name Dave?’
‘What?’
‘I want confirmation that you are Dave Calloden?’
Bingo! That did the trick, he’s gone. ‘Computer, give me to access to the ships main weapons battery.’
‘The main weapons battery is depleted at the moment.’
‘How did it get depleted?’
‘The Intruder modified the transistor.’
‘Then change it back.’
‘That is impossible without the code. Do you think this will affect my future? I mean, it is a Shadow-Person.’
‘Computer, I am trying to save all our lives, and all you can say is will it affect you!’
‘I know, but they never did give me access to the ‘sympathy program.’
‘Will you please concentrate on finding a way out of this mess?’
‘If I shut down for a while and you manually realign the backup power system to the light-particle rifle you may be able to travel to the intruders power grid and blast it.’
‘And how do I get there?’
‘Yes, that is a problem. The hover-bikes are unusable also the tractor is depleted,
but with a little modification it could be made to run on simple methane gas.’
‘And how long would that take?’
‘Without the fabrication machines it would take about twelve week.’
‘This is ridiculous!’
‘Also, my sensors say you are in no fit state to travel 1,867 miles on foot.’
‘Computer, do me a favor and shut down, you aren’t helping me.’
‘I’m sorry, but I did mention to star base twenty-two years ago that my master sensors and other parts needed renewing but did they listen to me? No!’
‘Computer, just shut down.’
‘Alright Officer Blake, but I am always here if you want me.’
I’ve got to think my way out of this mess. What would the Commander do?
The Commander’s collection of ancient