Distant Point of Light

Posted on Mon Feb 3rd, 2020 @ 10:42am by Brigadier General Kaden Ross

1,319 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 103 - In The Darkest Days...
Location: Vox's Ship
Timeline: MD3 After Aquae Sulis - part 2

Vox sat at the helm and began to get the ship ready to leave Earth. Once the prep was completed, he took the ship slowly upwards, retracting the landing gear once he had the ship high enough of the ground. It wasn't long before the ship had left the confines of Earth and was back out in the cold of space. Setting a course for Venus he engaged the engines to full impulse. Time to Venus 45 minutes.

"OK folks sit back and relax. Won't take long to get to Venus. " Vox announced.

Freya relaxed back in her seat and pulled out a PADD she’d brought with her from the station. She wanted to keep a journal of her adventures for future reference, things she could look back on in years to come. She smiled as she looked across at Kaden.

Kaden propped his feet up on the tactical console interlacing his fingers before leaning back in his seat. "Thanks for bring me and Freya along, Vox." He turned his head to look at him. "Or do you mind if I call you Rae for short?"

"Sure, most people do. " Vox replied. He then brought up some images of the statue which had the inscription on its based upon the viewscreen to have another look at them. "Hang on folks, look at this. " he zoomed in on the base below the inscription. "There's more writing. It's worn but it seems to read 'Dignus est enim unus de devine scientia.' Which roughly translated means 'Worthy is one of the Devine knowledge.' What do you suppose that means?" Vox asked.

"We sacrifice, Varena, in the name of a god?" Kaden replied in a joking manner.

"Ha ha ha ha" Vox laughed. "Seriously no. I don't really know. Another thing, why does the map have information in Latin? Does it mean that whoever created the Chalice knew Latin and been to Earth? Just suppose for a moment that the creator of the challis was human and a Roman but somehow left Earth around the 7th century. Interesting. " Vox was cut off in mid-thought when a claxon sounded.

"Oh, we are approaching Venus. " He said getting back into the seat the helm.

"Already?" Freya looked at Vox surprised, "That was quick!" She was looking forward to finding out what was going to happen next. "Do you think the two of you could knock off the arguing though!" She looked at Varena and Kaden. "It's getting pretty annoying now."

"Tell that to your husband Princess!" Varena grinned. "He's the one who's arguing, not me!"

"Sorry but Freya has a point. Let's work together, hopefully, find the challis and then when we get back to Starbase 400, I can lock you both in a room and you can argue to your heart's content. How's that sound?." Vox replied, bringing the ship into orbit around Venus.

Kaden turned his head to face the group near him. "Varena, that 'Princess' has a name and I would appreciate it if you used it." He moved his legs off the console onto the floor. "Treat her with a bit of respect and we may get along decently on this trip."

Varena sighed. "Very well, let's just get on with finding what we came for!"

"OK. We are in orbit of Venus and I still have no idea what either of the inscriptions mean. Anyone got any ideas? Wild suggestions are acceptable at this point ." Vox stated.

"What was it? Worthy is one of Devine knowledge?" Freya paused. "It sounds like one of us has to prove ourselves worthy of something. Question is...what?"

"Exactly. Do you know what's bugging me? That symbol on the statue and on the map. The wavey line the middle between two open square brackets. Mind if I try something that's definitely a wild stab in the dark? " Vox asked.

"By all means" Varena smiled. She knew Vox's strengths and his hunches were normally pretty spot on.

"OK. Teneran, using the map store in the database, send a wideband subspace signal using the symbol found on the map. "

#OK Rae, standby whilst I set up the message. Message created, sending a message now.#

They waited for a few moments. Then, a claxon sounded on the main console. "Woah, we are picking up an energy signature coming from what appears to be a large lump of rock that is in a wide orbit of Venus. The energy is increasing rapidly. " Vox reported.

A beam of blue light enveloped the ship for about 10 seconds, then everything went back to normal. The group were about to react to what had just happened when Freya vanished in a blue flash.

"Holy crap. Where did she go?" Vox asked.

#Rae, I have received co-ordinates at the same instant that Freya left the ship. Perhaps this is where she has gone. A message accompanies the co-ordinates it reads 'Thou are worthy, come forth'# the voice of Teneran advised. #At maximum warp, we will reach the destination is approximately 3 days 2 hours and 28 minutes.#

Vox rapidly tapped the co-ordinates into the helm and engaged the ship at maximum warp. She jumped to warp.

The second Kaden watched the love of his life vanish he had bolted out of his seat to try and save her. His fingers barely touching the molecules of where her hand had been. Before grasping at thin air he hadn't moved since still in shock Freya was taken away.

"Dammit Rae!" Varena shook her head. "We should have expected something like this!" She looked to Kaden. "Don't get your knickers in a twist Ross, she'll be fine! Most likely taken in exchange for the location of the Chalice, she'll most likely be where we're heading."

Kaden didn't say anything honestly he didn't know what to do instead just plopped himself down onto the floor staring at the seat Freya was sitting in. He certainly was worried about her why shouldn't he be? Freya after all was the love of his life and was carrying his child if anything terrible happened Kaden didn't even wan't to think about it.

"How would we have meant to expect something like this?" Vox said turning around in his seat. "There's little we can about it till we get there. I can't push the engines anymore than they already are. So I suggest we sit tight and just hope Freya is ok. " Vox added.


~ Meanwhile at the coordinates ~

Freya materialised in a clearing, looking round she saw nothing but jungle. "What in the hell?!" She tapped her comm badge but nothing happened. "Great!"

She wasn't alone for long as people started warily emerging from the forest canopy, one stepped forward and looked her over before turning back to the others.

"She has come! Venus has returned to us!!" He turned to look at her. "Fear not, come, we shall celebrate your return." He motioned her forward.

Nodding Freya had little choice but to go along, her First Contact knowledge was going to be critical if she was to avoid damaging the beliefs of the people she'd just encountered.

"It was written long ago that Venus, the goddess of fertility would return to us. That she would foretell the coming of others seeking to claim the Chalice." He walked her towards a village, people gathered along their route as they walked. "Only those worthy may claim the Chalice and the heart of Venus."

Freya could only nod she didn't know where to start with her questions.

"Please" Her guide motioned to a tent like structure. "You will stay here, you are with child are you not? You must be tired." He noticed her surprised look at his statement. "Your arrival was foretold, Venus would come bearing a child." He smiled and stepped out leaving her alone to rest.

Sitting down there wasn't much she could do but take the rest she'd been offered.

{OFF}

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