CHAPTER 17: SABOTAGE AND ATTACK

EDEN

WEST ARBORETUM

Martin leaned against the tree in the huge arboretum. There were two such places on EDEN, most of them used for getting away and trying to feel like you were back on Earth. Martin held the tall bottle of cold beer in his hand, his eyes on the data pad. He was going over the training schedule for the next week when he sensed the additional person moving up behind him. The Master Chief was not trying to sneak up on Martin as he carried a six pack and plopped down next to his boss.

Martin grinned." Whats up Chief?" He asked.

Master Chief Tony Brown held out the cold beer. "I figured you might like the company Skipper. "He spoke.

Martin smiled and downed the partially warm beer he had before accepting the ice cold one. He cracked open the bottle and took a long pull. "You smuggled this back from earth didn't you?"

Tony's face took on a look of innocence." Skipper I'm hurt. Me smuggle back illegal booze?"

Martin couldn't help but laugh as he took another pull of the beer. Almost all alcoholic beverages were banned on EDEN, but Martin knew many of his team smuggled back some stronger beverages from time to time. He and Tony had been together since the first day of their inception. Along with Dan and Julie, they were the very first genomes in their batch, and that fact alone made them very close friends.

"That the schedule for next week?" Tony asked.

Martin nodded. "I figure well have to pull some transport duty to fix quite a few satellites after this comet passes, so Im factoring that into our work load."

Tony nodded and looked up to watch the huge comet that filled the clear plexisteel canopy over their heads. It was now almost all the way between the moon and earth, and its tail carried a myriad of colors and streaking lights to it. The actual comet didn't appear to be any larger than the moon itself.

"Did you and Commander Peterson make peace?" Tony asked turning back to his friend and commander.

Martin nodded as he set the pad aside. "We know where each other stand in the scheme of things."He said answered. "Admiral Wallace might be right. She could be a very good officer if only she wouldn't be so damn arrogant and uptight. Well see if we cant change that while shes up here."

"I hear shes got a pretty wicked tongue. One of the med techs in the lab said she can cuss you in four languages if you piss her off. "Tony spoke.

Martin chuckled." Yeah well having a four inch tongue might give her a gift with languages. "

Tony's eyes widened, "Four inches! Are you kidding me?"

Martin shook his head. "Not in the least Tony. I thought I was going to choke when she shoved that thing down my throat."

"So you have"

Martin nodded." It was a long time ago. He replied in a soft voice. But it was definitely a very good night and one I would like to have again if the opportunity presents itself."

"So Yuri isn't the one then uhu?" Tony asked.

Martin looked at him and shook his head. "We enjoy each others company and the sex is great but there is something about her that I cant place. Her scent is weird and she holds back whats in her head quite a bit."

"You could probe her you know?" Tony spoke.

Martin looked at him. "We agreed not to do that unless it was absolutely necessary Chief."

Martin, Danny and Julie had discovered at a young age that they were telepathic, and could communicate with their minds even over long distances. When they made the decision to save the rest of their team, a side effect of this action was that now the entire team could speak to one another telepathically. This was something that only they knew and they shared it with no one. It had taken many years for them to learn to control it and not abuse this skill, and Martin had beat down three team members for doing just that at one point. It was a skill that had saved their lives on more than one occasion, and as they got older and stronger with this skill they found themselves using it more and more.

"I was just kidding Skipper. "Tony spoke.

Martin smiled." Even if I wanted too shes got some really strong shields". He said, "Strong enough that I can detect them without trying to read her mind."

"Thats odd."Tony spoke.

Martin looked at him." Well we ain't exactly normal Master Chief Brown". He spoke with a grin.

Tony chuckled as he looked into the sky again. He lifted the beer to his lips and it stopped halfway up when his keen genome eyes detected something. He lowered the beer and focused his eyes more intently.

"Skipper I thought all RAPTOR's were grounded."

Martin looked at him. "They are, why?"

"Then I must be seeing things Skipper". Tony said getting to his feet. "Cause I see a RAPTOR heading directly for the east landing pad trailing smoke and flying like the pilot is drunk."

Martin got to his feet and stretched out with his enhanced eyesight until he too saw the RAPTOR off in the distance. The RAPTOR was being buffeted by powerful unseen gravitational forces being exerted by the comet, smoke pouring from its rear section.

"What the hell! "Martin gasped reaching up and tapping the transmitter under the skin of his jaw." Control this is Commander Hunter! Im seeing an unauthorized RAPTOR trying to make an emergency landing on the east pad! Can you identify it?"

"No RAPTOR's are currently up Commander." The reply was immediate.

"You think I'm busting your ass? "Martin exclaimed. "I'm watching the damn ship right now! It's oh shit it's going in! Sound General Quarters! Get damage control"

Martin and Tony could only watch as the RAPTOR plowed into the east pad and skidded along the metal surface before smashing into the side of the control module. The resulting explosion sent huge gouts of flame rising into the air and Martin and Tony staggered from the shockwave that rippled through the station even from their distance a mile away.

"Holy shit!" Tony shouted as the floor they were standing on began to vibrate madly causing them to lose their footing.

"Command, what the hell is going on?" Martin screamed into the com unit.

The techs voice was nearly drowned out by blaring alarms in the background." Station integrity has been compromised! The explosion destroyed the inertia dampening field over that section of the compound! Were feeling the effects of the comets gravity as it passes between the earth and moon! The tech screamed. The explosion weakened grid thirty-seven and its losing power rapidly!"

"Can you reroute power to the grid? "Martin barked.

"Negative! All controls east of section thirty-seven have been severed! Who the hell was that Command Pilot? All our RAPTOR's are accounted for!"

"Get damage control teams moving to their posts, "Martin ordered. "I'm heading to section thirty-seven!"

"Shit! There it goes! Fuck!" The tech yelled just as Martin and Tony were flung to the floor once more, only this time considerably harder. Commander, its having a cascade effect! The next grid is losing power rapidly! It will fail completely in three minutes twenty seconds! We have to stop the cascade before it reaches the east power core or the whole station will go!

"Talk to me!" Martin screamed, scrambling to his feet.

"Section thirty-four sir; we can stop it there if you can reach the power conduits and transfer power to the reactor core!"

"Section thirty-four, "Martin yelled. "We cant stop it before that?"

"Negative sir; that last explosion took down all power to the next two sections! Im activating emergency evacuation protocols for those two sections!" The tech replied. "Can you get there Commander?"

Martin looked at Tony. "Were on our way!"