Mission: Conquest

by M. Mehler, Gloucester High School, Gloucester, Virginia

18:14, 25 December 2790 A.D.

I sit alone in the dark. Cold and trembling, I stare into vast blackness. I reach down to the grooved titanium beneath me. It, too, is bitter cold. I run my flaking fingers over the rigid metal, groping blindly at the rough floor. Then, suddenly, I start shaking. My hands twitch violently and my neck wrenches. I'm thrown to my side, mouth quivering. The room around me seems to tremble, and I'm unable to control these brutal motions. The next moment, my head is thrust into a sharp beam. Blood trickles down my forehead and coagulates on my swollen cheek. Finally the convulsions fade, and I fall limply to the deck of my ship.

I wake hours later to a deep, throbbing pain in my chest. It is difficult to breathe, but I stand up. The circular light in the ceiling seems to have regained some of its power. It flickers on and off, casting dancing shadows about the cargo bay. I stand solitary in the center of the cavernous room, my breath floating in clouds around me, wondering what has occurred to bring me out of stasis.

"Back to the bridge," I mumble, and step awkwardly through a large portal.

The control room of my ship, the Conquest V, is aglow with the gleaming neon buttons of the flight panel. I sit down at the helm and peer through the forward view screen. The display sputters, and it is apparent that heat loss has become rapid. "Only a matter of time," I think to myself, waiting anxiously for Ceres to come into view. My ship's fuel meter reads below 'empty.' I realize that with potential loss of power to the auxiliary engines, this could pose a serious threat to the success of the entire convoy. If my ship is unable to reach its destination, the mission will ultimately be compromised. "We'll just have to hope for the best," I mutter.

Seconds later, I hear a high-pitched beeping noise corning from the panel. I look down and hit the button that is flashing. A message scrolls down across the view screen.

All Europa Water Retrieval Mission Personnel:

Following is a transcript of the president's National Address yesterday:

"Upon notification that the American outpost on Ceres was obliterated, I sought and was granted permission from the Eurasian Alliance for our fleet, originally scheduled to rendezvous at Ceres, to seek safe harbor at the Kiavakar Observatory on the Jovian moon Callisto. The Alliance has been gracious in their hospitality and has even vowed to assist us in completing our mission. In return, the United Nations of America will grant the Alliance the use of our Eclipser device to retrieve a sufficient supply of water from Europa's surface to provide for its own colonies on Mars. Jupiter's moon contains substantial amounts of usable, fresh water that will be dramatically utilized in our transformation of the surface of Mars so that massive Refuge Colonies can be built there. Our planet Earth has failed in recent decades to support its growing population with adequate supplies of clean, compatible water, and the time to act is now.

"Our Conquest V team, headed by Lt. Jackson Willard, will drill into the surface of Europa using our cutting-edge Eclipser device, and will then initiate the deployment of the final tubular ring triggering the activation of the Hydro-transportation module. If current budget projections are accurate, this sub-spatial system of moving water from Europa to Mars will prove to be a cost-effective, well-functioning configuration and will certainly help insure that humans are around for many more thousands of years. To the mission forces, we, the people of Earth are in your debt. Godspeed."

"If we get there," I hoarsely spit out. "Let's not put the cart before the horse, Mr. President."

I sit up abruptly, examining frosty residue that has built up on a nearby secondary power grid box. I sweep my hand over the creased metal, and a white slimy substance rubs off onto my fingers. On closer examination, I find that the filmy liquid is a result of pulse cannon emissions exposed to the air through a fracture in the hull. "This ship has been attacked," I whisper. "It's falling apart."

My attention is suddenly diverted to a beeping siren coming from the control panel. I look up and am made aware that my ship has reached the Kiavakar Observatory. Relieved that my ship will be refueled and repaired, I quickly prepare the ship for docking.

With no complications, my ship is docked and I make my way to the stasis chamber to wake my crew. It is only a few moments before the three of them are reanimated, and we prepare ourselves to exit the ship.

As we walk down the exit ramp, the Chief of the Eurasian Alliance warmly welcomes us.

"Hello. Lt. Willard, is it?"

"Yes, that's right. You must be Chief Haroqe. It's good to be back on solid ground. Any idea what happened out there? I should have a good rest- my head still throbs from the hit."

"We'll talk about that later. Right now you need rest and medical attention."

"You're probably right. Say, has the rest of the convoy arrived yet?"

"No, no they haven't. I was hoping you would know their coordinates so we could plan for their arrival."

"I'm sorry, I haven't heard from any of the other ships. I've been a little busy."

"I'm sure they'll turn up. Follow me."

The chief turns sharply, and walks briskly down a closed corridor. My crew and I hurry to keep up. Two hooded figures dart for our ship, just behind where we had been standing.

"How lovely," I thought, "they even carry our luggage."

The hallway is narrow and winding, plated in chrome-tinted alloy. Several moments elapse before we are finally in another open area. The room is sizeable, absent of furnishings.

"These... are not our quarters, I presume?"

"How right you are, Mr. Willard," the Chief scowls. "This is the execution chamber. It is now time for you to die."

Confused and angry, I look at him in disbelief.

"I'm sorry? I don't think I heard you correctly."

"This is not a joke! Do you see me smiling, Willard? This is where it all ends for America. Your reign will come to a close in but a few moments. The Hydro--transportation devices from your ship have been seized by my officers, and now you will be eliminated."

He waves his hand in the air, and the officers begin filtering out of the chamber.

"What? Where are you going? What are you talking about?"

"Mr. Willard, the Alliance has now taken complete control over this mission' and we will not submit to your country's eventual pleas. Without the ability to transport water, your colonies will fade, along with your existence on Earth. You have poisoned your once pristine planet. Our biological weapons will finish the job, and the Alliance will prevail, living prosperously on Mars."

I stand there silently, staring into his dark eyes, and realization dawns on me.

"You madman! You're the one who attacked our ship. The message, it must have all been part of your little game. If you insist on having it all end this way, so be it. Just know that I'm gravely disappointed that such a vile act could have been committed by one of our most trusted allies. I am saddened most of all at the idea that an entire civilization will fall because of your selfishness. Are you not human?"

"The rest of the world has faltered for the past eight centuries while your nation became immersed in its own self-importance and wealth. Now you will pay for what you've done."

"But we've done nothing except better the world. Now, we try and save it from certain self-destruction and you claim we are selfish? We strived to obtain water so that the entire world would have a future."

As tears form in my eyes, Haroqe makes one final motion of his hand, and his men vanish. The room is suddenly filled with a hissing noise, and out of nowhere, the chamber is opened. My crew and I are sucked outward, toward the coldness of space, and we see the ground beneath us fade away. The moon's atmosphere cannot hold onto us, and our bodies drift endlessly through fields of greenish-copper asteroid remains. My crew perishes first, freezing and breaking into fragments. I am the last to expire. I am alone in the dark.