Proxima Adventure

Chapter 22. Understanding.

Chapter 22. Understanding.

The Proxima B had just entered a close orbit around Saturn, one that would take them under the ring system, when Charles, Dave, Beverly and Mary had arrived back at the command deck.

"What's our status?" Charles asked, his eyes searching the main screen for trouble.

"We're safe for the moment," Alice reported. "A robot vessel is just entering the Saturn system. I don't know if it's aware of us."

"Go to silent running mode," Charles ordered. "Maybe they'll miss spotting us."

Alice entered the command to shut down all systems that could advertise their presence or at least go to low energy status. Everyone on the command deck literally held their breath as they waited to see if the robot ship would spot them.

"I think it detected us," Hilary said. "It changed course and is headed this way."

"Can't we make a run out of here?" Vicky asked.

"I doubt we could outrun them even if we activated the faster than light system," Charles replied.

"Is this going to be the end of us?" Hilary asked, her mouth twisted with concern.

Charles sighed. "Maybe it's inevitable. We're not a war vessel and we can't outrun them. The only thing we could do is ram them, but it would probably blow us up with them."

"At least we would stop them from destroying other worlds," Carl said.

"They see us!" Alice cried. "They're powering up their weapons system."

"Shit!" Vicky hissed. "This isn't the way I wanted to go."

Everyone on the command deck agreed.

Suddenly, the robot vessel that was about to destroy them exploded in a brilliant flash of blinding light. The energy blast rocked the Proxima B, but it remained undamaged.

"What the hell just happened?" Carl blurted.

"There's another vessel approaching," Alice reported. "I think it's the robotic vessel that we encountered at the N2 Lupi system."

"They're pinging our communication system," Hilary reported.

"Put them on," Charles ordered.

The robot face that they had seen before appeared. "You revealed the enemy. You will be our search unit."

"What does that entail?"

"When you go to systems, we will follow."

Charles nodded, not knowing if the alien robot would understand.

The communication link ended.

"So, what does that mean?" Carl asked. "Are we going to search for enemy robot ships for them?"

"I think it's a bit more complicated than that," Charles replied. "Evidently, they believe that the enemy robots have a hard on to destroy any planet or vessel that contains living intelligent creatures. I would assume that they will tail after us when we go out to explore the universe."

"Why should we allow them to use us like that?" Vicky asked.

"I don't think we have any choice. We can't get away from them. At least we have them as a possible shield against attack.

That statement didn't go over well, but everyone realized that they would have been toast if it weren't for the intervention of their robot alien buddy.

Later when most of the crew were in bed, Charles was relaxing in his living area, Alice paid him a visit. She was surprised that he had a cat lying on his lap.