“I do not know,” Number One replied. Sgt. Massey looked at Number Two and he shrugged his shoulders in agreement.
Sgt. Massey turned to R-1 and asked, “Why was the Doctor exiled to the Kuiper belt? Do you know R-1?”
“No comment,” R-1 replied.
“What does that mean?” Sgt. Massey asked.
“I am not authorized to tell you, Sgt. Massey,” R-1 said flatly.
“Why?” Sgt. Massey asked now becoming annoyed.
“Doctor's orders,” R-1 replied.
“The Doctor is dead,” Sgt. Massey said.
“No comment,” R-1 replied.
Sgt. Massey's questioning of R-1 went on for several minutes. The little robot refused to divulge any information. Mental sparring with a machine as advanced as R-1 was a waste of time, Sgt. Massey came to realize. The two stared at each other for a few moments in silence. Sgt. Massey thought he could detect a tiny smirk on the little robot's metal face. He was obviously enjoying himself. Sgt. Massey finally gave up and asked in exasperation, “Can you tell me where the stasis chamber is at least?”
“Yes, that I can tell you. Better yet, I can show you. Follow me,” R-1 replied happily. The little robot turned and led Sgt. Massey toward the rear of the shuttle. Number One stood up and followed close behind them. Sgt. Massey stripped off some of his armor as he walked. R-1 came to a stop near the exit ramp. The little robot turned to the right and placed his hand on the wall. A hidden doorway slid open silently revealing a tiny closet sized room. Inside was the coffin shaped stasis chamber standing on its end. The chamber did resemble a coffin Sgt. Massey thought, except the lid was clear. R-1 stepped inside humming a little tune to himself, as he worked the control panel on the left side of the stasis chamber. The door to the chamber slowly opened outward with a hiss. Sgt. Massey removed the rest of his armor and stood in his under garments ready to enter the chamber.
“Okay, Sgt. Massey, the stasis chamber is ready when you are,” R-1 said.
“As soon as we get the life support system repaired we will awaken you, Sgt. Massey,” Number One said as Sgt. Massey turned around and backed into the chamber. He made himself comfortable as the lid closed him in.
“Okay thanks, see you soon,” Sgt. Massey said from inside the chamber. Sgt. Massey closed his eyes and was flash frozen in seconds.
“Sleep tight, good buddy,” R-1 said. R-1 examined the stasis control panel for a few moments intently. When he was satisfied that everything was in order, he returned to the front of the shuttle. Number One lingered for a short while familiarizing himself with the stasis chamber's controls. Then he also returned to the front of the shuttle. He arrived to find R-1 sitting in his chair at the shuttles controls. He looked down at the little robot quizzically. R-1 returned his stare and asked, “Are we there yet?”
Afterward
(On the bridge of the enemy battle cruiser above RD-3 Omega)
“Commander, it appears that several shuttles have jumped to hyperspace. The prototypes may have escaped,” the first officer reported.
The battle cruiser's commander was prepared for this eventuality. “How long before pursuit craft can launch?” he asked casually.
“Three minutes, Commander,” the first officer said.
“Very well,” the commander said.
The commander's infiltrator teams had been combing this region of the Kuiper belt for months looking for the hidden research facility. The team’s small landing craft could maneuver in among the asteroids undetected. Their search had been long and difficult. To insure the battle cruiser was not detected by long range scans during the search, it had remained well outside the Kuiper belt. The infiltrator teams were to locate the facility and destroy its communications array. Then the battle cruiser could approach safely without fear of enemy reinforcements being called in. Unfortunately, a hyperspace jump over such a short distance of space wasn't possible for the larger cruiser. So the battle cruiser had to approach at full speed instead.
“Commander, we will have conformation of the prototypes location shortly. Infiltrator Team Five is preparing to enter the lab now,” the first officer said.
“Very well,” the commander replied.
(With Infiltrator Team Five outside Research Lab Number Three)
An explosion rocked the corridor as the door to the lab exploded. Infiltrator Team Five entered the lab in their tattered red and gold armor. They spread out cautiously looking for any signs of the prototypes. “Click” The team leader turned to his second in command and asked, “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what, sir?” his second in command asked.
“A clicking sound, you didn't hear it?” the team leader asked.
“No sir, I didn't,” his second in command said.
“Never mind. Are there any signs of the prototypes?” the team leader asked all of his team members.
“Over here, sir!” One of the other team members said. He was standing at a locked door in the back of the lab.
“What is it?” The team leader asked as he approached.
“I am detecting a faint power signature inside this room,” the team member said. “Should I blow the door sir?”
“Yes, use compact charges. I don't want to damage anything inside,” the team leader ordered.
“Yes sir,” the team member said. He placed the small charges on the door and stood back. A low muffled explosion blew the door loose. The team pushed it out of the way and quickly entered the small room. There were two empty alcoves in the center of the room and no sign of the prototypes.
“Click” The second in command turned to the team leader and said, “I heard it that time, sir. I wonder what it.....”
The small ten megaton explosive device located inside the vacant alcoves detonated. Infiltrator Team Five was instantly vaporized along with Research Lab Number Three. RD-3 Omega was blown completely apart in an instant. A blinding white light could be seen from the bridge of the battle cruiser. Several large pieces of RD-3 Omega traveled outwards in the blast wave. One of the larger pieces impacted the battle cruiser. The impact was so violent it ripped the ship in half. The two pieces of the ship separated, slowly venting atmosphere and debris into space. Unable to maintain their distance from the Kuiper belt, the two pieces merged with the many asteroids and became one. Slowly they moved through space in silence. Then after several long moments a single tiny ship emerged. It quickly cleared the asteroid belt and entered hyperspace on a pursuit course.
The End
Prototypes
Copyright 2012 by Jason R. Martin
Author's note:
This ebook has been a work of fiction and is an original creation by the author. The author reserves all rights to this publication.
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