CHAPTER FOUR : THE ALIEN CRAFT

  Matthew tapped the diagnostic computer on his inner wrist and checked the readout. His oxygen supply was at full capacity and the temperature gauge was steady. The pistol Ramirez had supplied him with was strapped to his hip and his head camera was operational; he turned it's dim light on and looked at his cohorts. They were each in their own environmental suits and equipped as he was. Ramirez also had a plasma rifle while Heather had her kit of tools and sensor equipment.

  "Ready to go?"

  "Waitin' on you buddy boy."

  "I'm good to go. Go ahead Gryph, this is your show." Matthew picked up his own set of sensor equipment and waited patiently.

  "All right team, let's get it on." Gryphon pressed the airlock switch and the inner hatch opened. They stepped into the chamber and waited for it to seal and decompress. There was a hiss and a feeling of sleight discomfort before the outer hatch opened and the surface of the moon stretched out before them.

  Heather walked out first with a giddiness to her step.

  "I've never been out here before."

  "Really?"

  "I've done my share of space walks and I've even gone hiking on Mars and both of it's moons. But I've never been on Luna before. It's so pretty."

  Ramirez clicked the safety off on her weapon and flipped up the targeting sight.

  "I run battle drills down here every once in a while. It's good to have your team trained in every environment possible."

  Gryphon checked his sensors; the lunar landscape was mapped out before him and it showed a large mass set within a small indentation.

  "The ship is just a few hundred feet ahead, let's get this done."

  "Yes sir."

  The soft powder clouded around their steps as they took long strides over dunes and around craters. They crested a hill and caught their first real look at the alien craft.

  It's shell glistened it's glossy black in the pale earth light. It had crashed in a relatively open area and appeared to be intact. They slid down the hill and slowly crept up on the waiting ship. When they reached it, they stood several yards away; afraid even to touch it. It was roughly twice the size of the Jabberwocky; or about sixty feet long and twenty feet wide. The eyes seemed to to glide off the sheik exterior. Ramirez looked at it with a grim appreciation.

  "We could fit this thing in the Shuttle Bay if we can get it airborne again."

  "Let's worry about that later. Matthew, you and Ramirez go left and search for a way inside, an open hole, a hatch, whatever."

  "You got it." Matthew opened took out a hand computer and began to take sensor readings as he and Ramirez walked off together. She had her rifle at the ready as she took point.

  "Heather, see if you can analyze the material that the hull is made from."

  "Aye," Heather opened her pouch and removed a few small cutting tools. She began to work on the hull as Gryphon took out his pistol and started to walk in the other direction. "Man, this shit is tough," she laughed, "this is so cool, isn't it?"

  "Huh?" He turned back to look at her.

  "Being the first people to come into contact with something like this."

  "Yeah, sure."

  "You're not jazzed about this as much as I am?"

  "The Captain just sent us down here because he was too scared to come on his own. Probably just wanted to get rid of us."

  "I doubt that. We're here because he trusts us Gryphon, because we're part of the team and we can get the job done."

  "Sure Heather, sure."

  She sighed and squinted at her readings as she analyzed a piece of the hull she had removed.

  "It looks like some sort of plastic. An extremely dense polymer." Her eyes went wide, "woah; this stuff is carbon-60. No wonder it didn't break up on impact."

  "What does that mean?"

  "A chain of carbon molecules with sixty neutrons in each nucleus. Tougher than diamond; strong, strong stuff. We're having a tough time mass-manufacturing it for it to be of any practical use." Heather looked up and smiled, "this is so cool."

  Gryphon didn't really think so, but her smile was enough for him to agree. His communicator crackled.

  "Yo Gryph, I think we found what you were looking for. About a third of the way around to your left; we seem to have located an access port."

  "We'll be right there. C'mon Heather."

  She picked up her equipment and put her sample in a small plastic bag. They followed the bootprints of their comrades and quickly met up with them; Heather ran her fingers along the hull as she walked.

  "Check it out."

  Gryphon followed Ramirez's pointing finger. They were looking at a large indentation in the hull, as if something had dislodged itself from the ship. "It looks like Vanessa's theory was the right one, this was definitely an escape pod."

  "We can probably get inside through here. Did you guys find a switch or control panel."

  "No, we thought we'd wait for you two."

  Gryphon looked at Heather and nodded at the door; she took it as her cue to begin examining it. With another look, he ordered Ramirez to stand in front of what appeared to be their best chance at an entrance. Matthew stepped back and smiled, finding it amusing that the women were sent into the greatest areas of danger.

  "There seems to be a computer terminal here sir. Would you like to look at it or do you want me to try and bypass it?"

  "I'll try a crack at it." Gryphon stepped up as Heather got out of his way. Her blue eyes watched him as he tried to decipher what he believed was the keypad. He tapped a few buttons and watched a readout appear before him. "The ship still has power," a few symbols danced before his eyes, "this is not in any language I recognize."

  "Well don't mess with it, who knows what it will do."

  "Don't worry Heather, no one would design a computer that could easily be harmful and place it on this part of the ship. No, this is purely for access inside." He pressed a few more buttons and studied the figures that appeared. Gryphon compared them with the symbols printed on the keypad and began to do calculations in his head.

  "What are you..."

  "Shhh," Gryphon smiled and touched a few more keys and looked at Ramirez, "you ready?" She nodded and he touched a last button and stepped back. The ship vibrated for a moment, a vibration that caused the dust to quiver around them. And silently, the door opened.

  Nobody breathed.

  Ramirez inspected the interior, aiming her rifle at potential targets. It was dimly lighted and fairly metallic, but nothing caught her eye. Matthew stepped forward and brought up his scanners.

  "Hmm."

  "What is it?"

  "I don't read any life forms present, but I do read a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere just beyond the threshold."

  "You mean it's not decompressing?"

  "No, there seems to be a field holding it in place. In addition, the O-2 content is a little low by our standards, but it is breathable Gryph."

  "I'm not rushing to remove my helmet thank you."

  Matthew shrugged.

  "Ain't no shame."

  "So if there's a force field, how do we get in?"

  Heather put out her hand and pressed it forward. Gryphon's eyes went wide, but he was too late to stop her as her fingers passed through the barrier. Static surrounded her wrist as the field was interrupted, but offered no resistance.

  "Heather," she looked at Gryphon with her smile, "why did you do that? It could have been a lethal barrier."

  "For the same reason you kept fiddling with the control panel. Why would anyone put something that dangerous in an escape hatch?"

  Ramirez looked at her with a slight scowl.

  "To keep intruders from entering once the pod has been launched."

  "Oh, I didn't think of that."

  "Luckily nothing came of it," everyone looked to Gryphon as he spoke, "Ramirez, go ahead and take point. Matthew follow with your sensors. Heather, you and I will bring up the rear."

  "Yes sir." Ramirez stalked her way forward. She swung her plasma rifle around corners; she kept expecting an automated defense turret to activate but she was continuously disappointed. The walls were painted in a reddish light as the apparent lamps shed the dim illumination. The walls were smooth and the floor was made of a rubberlike material that was cast in a bizarre design of lines and circles. Tubing jutted out of walls only to disappear into the flooring after sharp right angles. Matthew was amazed at the readings coming from his sensors.

  "This is so bizarre. The energy readings are fluctuating erratically. They tip over the high end of the scale for one moment and then dips to almost nothing."

  Gryphon looked over at his shoulder.

  "Where are they emanating from?"

  Matthew turned a few steps to try and gain his bearings.

  "Over in that direction." He pointed towards what they believed to be back of the ship.

  "That would probably be the engine room. C'mon, let's check it out."

  Ramirez stepped back in front and crept at her slow pace. A single drop of sweat dripped down from her forehead, the cool air in her environmental suit chilling it's path on her face. Her communicator buzzed, giving her a light start, and she heard Gryphon speak again.

  "Easy now. Is that a door up ahead?"

  Ramirez turned and nodded. She brought her rifle up against her chest and waved Gryphon forward. A small light was blinking next to a control panel and he scanned the buttons, looking for familiar symbols. He pressed a few and the door slid open.

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