Chapter 15: Chapter Three: 3210 Orbit Circle

Chapter Three

3210 Orbit Circle

 

THE ROBINSONS WERE out of bed before sunrise the next morning. Mrs. Robinson was cooking eggrolls in her new Light Speed Nebula countertop oven, and Mr. Robinson was reading all about the previous day’s news on a tablet: the Galactic Research E-Reader. In the center of the kitchen table was a bowl of strawberries and grapes whose taste was not of this world. A small palm tree was before the window, lush and healthy, and Mrs. Robinson understood that it was not native to Australia; actually fancied the notion that it was from another planet.

             The Ross 154 lilies’ glow faded when she pulled the curtains away from the window to fill the kitchen with some much-needed natural light. Her sewing shop remained dark and empty, as there was an important task looming on the horizon, and she was motivated to ensure the Astrophel children did not miss their nine a.m. appointment. The backyard patio had undergone a stellar transformation as well, and Mr. Robinson was enjoying the new look; stainless steel outdoor furniture and a gas fire pit table. The GalReach Explorer 3.7 version too: touch pad, remote control, temperature knob, and flame color morph option.

            Even though Mrs. Robinson had heard all three rise and start their morning ritual, she went to check on them to be sure that they were properly preparing to tour a headquarters building in downtown Sydney.

            They were.

            “Jasmine, be sure to take your good crutches,” Mrs. Robinson chirped, her voice upbeat and laced with a bit of fun. “Ugh, who knows how much walking we’ll have to do, and that reminds me, be sure to wear your peach dress.”

            Jasmine looked up from her laptop and smiled. “I will, I’ve already put the old ones up in the closet.”

            “Scott and Joseph, be sure to wear your blue suits today. I want everyone looking sharp as a pin.”

            “Yes, ma’am,” they both said, carefully choosing their words. 

            Both Scotty and Joseph groaned but decided to not do any complaining. They’d just had a great shift in the direction they were drifting and recognized the value of what was looming out on their horizon. Their foster parents were being cooperative and acting normal for the first time since moving in, probably for the first time in both their lives.

            If devoting their summer holiday to the fun and excitement at a secret spaceport could bring them closer to discovering what had happened to their parents, then they were ready and willing to go; would have caught a flight that morning if they would have been allowed to.

            “I really don’t want them to go with us,” Joseph said. “What if they embarrass us.”

            Jasmine, being a bit braver than her two brothers, stood toe to toe with Scotty to express her concerns; and a little too loud too. “Forget that, what if they ruin our chances of finding mom and dad. Harold said he had some questions to ask. I don’t want him doing that.”

            “Well, we don’t have a choice,” Scotty said. “They have all the power. But they can ask a thousand questions if they want to, one way or the other, we’re leaving here.”

“No, I’m with Jasmine on this. They’re both gonna mess everything up for us. And I’m sick and tired of staying here. We eat like birds, sleep like dogs, and live in fear every day and…”

            Joseph lowered his tone after detecting footfalls in the living room, and he believed that Mrs. Robinson was spying on them. Jasmine thought so as well and was compelled to look up from her laptop, nervousness quelling her ferocity.

            A few seconds later Mrs. Robinson stepped into the bedroom to announce that breakfast was ready. “I want everyone to fill up their bellies this morning so we’ll all be able to walk ten miles, because we might have to walk ten miles.”

            They stopped what they were doing and followed her to the breakfast nook. There were five plates on the table, and each one was full of yummy morning food, and beside each plate was a tall glass full of orange juice. When Mr. Robinson entered the kitchen, he sat at the table next to Mrs. Robinson and seemed happy to be there.

            No one talked about the previous night, but the Astrophel children did have a lot to say about their father and the work he did; had done. They recited a few of the stories he had shared regarding the top-secret areas within the headquarters building and of the oddities that were stored there. Joseph revealed a website dedicated to discussing all the rumors that were floating around regarding Galactic Research’s Exoplanet program and the business the owners had created. Jasmine reminded her siblings that a documentary had been filmed, and twice had been aired on New South Wales Television. It centered on Galactic Research’s Space Exploration program. Scotty was about to tell the story of the day Mr. Astrophel showed him what the Geneware could do when the doorbell rang.

            “Oh my, that must be them!” Mrs. Robinson said, and cleared the table. “Hurry, everyone, to the front door. Harold, go out and make sure they don’t leave.”

            He did, but he took his place in the front passenger seat of the van.

            Ten minutes later everyone else was loading up behind Mr. Robinson.

            The man behind the wheel turned to look over his shoulder. “Good morning. My name is Doctor Roger Stratton. Jasmine, Joseph, and Scotty, it’s nice to meet you.” Keeping his eyes on Scotty, he gave the first of several routine instructions, “I need everyone to buckle up, keep your hands and heads in the vehicle at all times, and never, under any circumstances, leave your seat. It’s of the upmost importance to remain seated at all times.”

            After driving for ten minutes on gravel roads, Stratton found the highway and drove north toward downtown Sydney. The sun was a bright orange ball in the eastern sky. Traffic was sparse and slow, as most of the businesses had just opened for the day, but if they’d left an hour later, the highway would have looked a lot different.

            “So, how far away is the parking garage from the headquarters building,” Mr. Robinson asked. “Mildred and I won’t be able to do a lot of walking, ha, I remember the time when we both went on holiday to-”

            That was all Stratton would let him say about his walking issues. “Parking at Orion Sanctum is something you’ve never experienced.”

            Mr. Robinson moved his gaze from the highway to the biomedical engineer. “Okay, but don’t park in a loading zone, you’ll get towed.”

            “No, he means there’s a valet service,” Jasmine said through a big grin.

            “Nope,” Stratton said. “We just won’t have to park.”

            “Well then, what building is headquarters in?” Mr. Robinson asked, hoping to be done with the no-parking joke.

            Joseph anticipated a high-rise building tour with requests to ride the elevator to the very top and take pictures on the observation deck.

            “We won’t be doing any of that,” Stratton said, “because Orion Sanctum isn’t in a skyscraper.”

            Silence for a few seconds, and then Mrs. Robinson was asking questions. “So, is it underground. If it’s not in a building, then it has to be underground.”

            “Something like that.”

Stratton gave the vague response because he was preparing to hop onto the exit ramp; the Galactic Exit ramp.

            He drove another mile and moved over into the righthand lane. A few seconds later he was driving on the shoulder. Farther and farther, faster and faster, and Mrs. Robinson did not like how a simple road trip had become very complicated.

            “Okay, somebody tell me what’s going on,” Mrs. Robinson said.

            “Once I drive into the Nebula cloud Veil,” Stratton explained, “everything will change.”

            With that, he took his digital glasses from a shirt pocket and placed them on his face.

            “Oh, now, why are you putting on sunglasses? There’s no reason to be wearing sunglasses.”

            “Yes, there is,” he said in a relaxed tone. “I can’t see the exit sign without them.”

            “Ugh, can’t see the exit sign?”

            “Yes,” he said, still sounding calm and relaxed. “I have level four vision mods, and I have to wear special glasses to see the Galactic Exit sign.”

            Jasmine glanced at the spectacles. “Cool. I wanna pair.”

            “This is ridiculous,” Mrs. Robinson said, and extended her arm to the windshield, the sleeves of her peach dress riding up her arms. “There’s nothing in front of us except highway.”

            “No, I see a wall of bright blue light with flashing overhead letters that spell Galactic Research,” Stratton said, and his calm demeanor was beginning to get a little edgy. “So, keep your seats.”

            Both Scotty and Jasmine checked to make sure their seatbelts were tightly fastened.

            Stratton stomped on the accelerator but continued driving on the shoulder of the highway. A bump here and a rattle there and everything seemed normal, especially the sound of the morning air rushing over the van. But that sound suddenly disappeared with the towering buildings and the tangle of bridges and streets, and the lines of cars and trucks were replaced with a white nothingness that was just a little creepy. Had they driven into a fog cloud?

            A few seconds later and they knew for a fact that they had not driven into a fog cloud because the van was slowly disappearing. The top, then the bottom, then the seats and dashboard, and all the glass too. Well, Stratton did say that they wouldn’t need a parking garage.

            A minute later and the sounds of office work was emanating from all around them. Nothing to see at first, but their new surroundings slowly began to present as walls, green swivel barrel chairs, a yellow The Guzzi 2-tier table, a white ceiling with brass spacecraft light fixtures, and a turquoise starburst area rug atop a titanium and brass metallic floor. The jump was a success, and they were now inside Orion Sanctum, the most secretive and well-guarded facility in the world.

A man was standing behind an L-shaped laminate and glass reception desk. At least he looked like a man until he turned and faced them.

            “Good morning, Doctor Stratton. I will be your escort during your tour this morning.”

            Stratton got to his feet and gestured for everyone to follow him to the desk. “Everybody, this is Corus. He’s a communications robot here at Orion Sanctum.”

            The android smiled at them.

            “Corus, this is Scotty, Jasmine, and Joseph Astrophel,” Stratton said, and extended his arm to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. “The adults are their foster parents.”

            Corus walked around the desk and shook hands with everyone.

            “My name is Harold Robinson, and this is my wife Mildred,” Mr. Robinson said. They were both acting like two kids on a vacation.

            “Ugh, we met one just like you last night. His name is Sparta.”

            “Yes, we did. He’s quite the negotiator, he is.”

            “I would first like to thank you for overseeing Michael and Sarah’s children,” Corus said. “I have been especially worried that we would lose them forever, but thanks to you two they are now in the custody of Galactic Research.”

            The Astrophel children exchanged expressions of confusion with Mr. and Mrs. Robinson.

            They had never seen a place like Orion Sanctum. There were no windows in the lobby, and there were no glass doors to use if you wanted to leave. It seemed as if Galactic Research was choreographing an incredibly entertaining live show but had no desire for anyone to see one minute of it.

            “Lots of secrets inside these walls,” Stratton said as they walked into a long accessway that led to a sprawling office area. The carpeted floor below their feet was embroidered with the Galactic Research logo, and the overhead lighting was a very cool laser lighting. “But, Corus, I need to know if their Helixes can be produced today.”

            “It should not be a problem.

            With that, the Robinsons appeared a bit more confused.

            “But we need to start now.”

            Corus walked fast for an android and with no weird electronic sounds too. He stopped at all of the work centers and provided a brief explanation as to what sort of work was occurring inside; mainly to impress all three Astrophel children, but the Robinsons were excited too. They were greeted with friendly smiles from scientists working in the quantum technology area, the alien element research office, and the next-generation cybernetics office. Could Fossil Crater actually be operated by Galactic Research? Did they really have an Exoplanet program and a Cybernetics program? Had they actually been accepted into something this cool? If Scotty hadn’t had access to his parents’ Geneware, he would have laughed at the notion. He was now surrounded by scientists and their greatest achievements. What more evidence did he need anyway?

            “We should go in and say hi to everyone,” Corus said, stopping at a set of metal double doors. “The new cyborg tech examination test center. We have moved far ahead of the old mechanical cyborg technology.”

            It was a sprawling two level laboratory. The big metal doors had no windows, and they were covered in warning signs: A radiation area sign. A hearing protection sign. A notice sign regarding the presence of magnetic waves. A notice sign warning against the wearing of certain types of clothing. And there was a defense condition notice sign – new and larger than the others – and it appeared as if Galactic Research was in Defense Condition Charlie. Scotty couldn’t help but wonder if they would be in danger inside that part of the facility. However, Stratton felt safe enough to pull open the doors and gesture for everyone to enter.

            It met all the expectations of a science fiction fan. A large corridor speckled with desks, computers, toolboxes, fire extinguishers, computer chairs, trashcans, landline telephones, and a vast array of control panels surrounded a large room where experiments were being conducted and their results studied. The air was cold and held a cocktail of odd lab odors. There were large windows for viewing the equipment that was inside the containment area; the glass was an inch thick. They considered the camera with its massive lens and wondered what it could possibly be taking a picture of. At the far end of the corridor was an illuminated sign that read: Reactor ON.

            The laboratory was illuminated by a long row of fluorescent light fixtures. Two women were standing before a desk and transcribing notes from a computer’s monitor. One was wearing a green tactical vest over a black uniform, and the other was wearing a utility belt with leg platforms. An instrument technician with three lanyards draped around his neck was peering through a glass window and hand jamming notes onto a piece of paper. He was an older gentleman with a lot of grey hair; David Beauregard was his name. Everyone turned their attention to Stratton and his guests; every one of them was wearing a ballistic helmet.

“Roger, who do we have here?” David asked. “Did we find Michael and Sarah’s children?” Then he leaned in to whisper. “I hope one is Scott. We need help with the Cybernetics program.”

            “Yes, David, we have their children,” Stratton said. “They don’t know it yet, but they’ll be joining the Galactic Cyborg Corps, and in addition to that training, they’re going to be helping us with this summer’s spacecraft recovery assembly.” Then he gave Scotty a gentle push. “This one is the Geneware developer.”

            That was all the researcher would allow.

            “Icy rings of Saturn!” David said. “Please tell me you’re not joking!”

            Suddenly, every scientist and technician walked away from their workstation to say hi, and a large semi-circle formed before Corus and the Astrophel children.

            “This is no joke,” Stratton said, smiling and laughing. The smiles and laughter were to remind everyone that they had been searching for them for a long time and were very happy to now have all three in their watchful custody. “Thank our lucky stars,” he said, and it appeared as if his eyes had sheened over with a run of tears.

            David stepped forward and shook hands with them. “Congratulations, your lives are about to change.”

            A silence flowed across the cool air until only the low hum of equipment was heard.

            They hadn’t expected the special attention. Adults who were employed as scientists were smiling at them and asking important questions. Mrs. Robinson was blushing.

            The woman in the black uniform said, “I want to be at the top of the list for a modification so I can transfer to a different star system.”

            “I want your autograph before you leave.”

            “A group picture for me.”

            “You’ll love what we do on the spaceport.”

            “Well, I hope we’re involved in the Exoplanet program,” Jasmine said. “I love astronomy.”

            “And I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut,” Scotty said.

            “Well, you are getting involved in the right business,” Corus said.

            “Yeah, and I’ve always wanted to learn how to moonwalk,” Joseph said.

            The metal double doors opened, and an android walked in.

            “Cornelia,” Corus said, and gestured for her to walk to where everyone was standing. “Doctor Stratton, Cornelia will be at the spaceport in a few days. She has been transferred to help with the spacecraft recovery.”

            She walked to the group and stood before Corus.

            “Cornelia, I’d like you to meet the Astrophel children. All three will be at the spaceport during the spacecraft recovery assembly.”

            “Congratulations,” she said in a pleasant tone. “I am a boomerang propulsion research robot, and I can write computer code too.”

            They took turns shaking hands with her, and Scotty’s curiosity was getting the best of him. “So, what do you use your builds for?”

            Mrs. Robinson took Scotty’s shoulders in her hands. “He’s just curious, that’s all.”

“I have assisted in the development and assembly of the newest models of Centaurus spacecraft as an artificial intelligence platform architect. That program is in the Beyond phase. Gene buildout is an emerging field that is quite interesting, but I do not have too much experience writing those builds.” She smiled again, and there was a lull in the conversation as new information downloaded to her CPU.

“Ah, you are in the Cybernetics program. That training will keep you busy, but we will interact during the spacecraft recovery. I have to download an entire gigabyte of data before I depart, and the flights launch in thirty-five hours and ten minutes.”

            David and the other researchers were once again talking to Stratton and the Astrophel children. They had a few more questions to ask, but Corus wouldn’t allow them to keep him from restarting the tour. There were more important places to visit.

            “We are running behind schedule,” he said, “We have to issue their Helixes before the passes expire.”

            The two women hugged Jasmine and shook hands with Scotty and Joseph, and Corus escorted them back into the long accessway with the laser lights. He turned left and led everyone to a junction chamber.

            “This place is incredible,” Mr. Robinson said, his eyes wide with curiosity and wonder.

            “Ugh, what do you guys think about the robots?” 

            Joseph gestured for everyone to look at Corus. “Do they all act like adults?” 

The android somehow managed to smile. “We are programmed to help ensure the success of Galactic Research, enhance mankind’s existence in the universe, and assist in the galactic custodial endeavors. The survival of life in the Milky Way is job number one, and so far, we have discovered a lot of extraterrestrial fauna and flora that are in dire straits.” He paused for a few seconds to gather his thoughts. “There are quite a lot of systems that are nearing an emergency level. All the star systems in close proximity to the Red Rectangle Nebula should be evacuated. Unfortunately, our logistic capability is not at that level.”

Robots? A nebula that can be dangerous? Very cool, but Scotty was the most intrigued with the idea of extraterrestrial life. Was it true, or was Corus the android stretching the truth just for fun?

            When they reached the junction chamber, Corus gestured for everyone to enter.    

They did.

He extended his arms and uncoiled his fingers, and when he moved his hand in a fluttering motion an elaborate Helix buzzed into existence. Corus placed his fingers atop a keyboard and typed a line of code into the administrators’ terminal. The moment he touched the enter key a bright green light sprang up around them, creating an electronic wall for both privacy and protection. Five seconds later the light curtain disappeared, and they were inside a lower and much larger area of the headquarters building.

            “Everybody, this is the alien artifact storage facility,” Stratton said. “Also known as the petting zoo among the researchers.”

            A ripple of excitement fanned out from the Astrophel children, and the Robinsons were struck with a wonder they’d never experienced. Scotty and Joseph walked straight to a glass exhibit case and peered at the Tau Ceti fish fossil. It was a stone imprint of a finned fish that had once lived in a shallow sea on an Earth-like world in the neighboring star system.

            Colossal florescent lights, which appeared to be thirty feet above the floor, were hanging from the ceiling and illuminating all two hundred and seventy-three display stands.

            “There are a lot of interesting and thought-provoking items for your viewing pleasure,” Corus said. “The alien artifact repository is a place of fascination, education, and fun.”

            Jasmine and Mrs. Robinson walked up the main aisle, looking at the display stands as they went. There was a lot to see too: Casts of bivalves, recrystallized sea anemones, agatized coral, and gastropods. They were drawn to a display with a large sign containing a lot of information. The name of the fossil was The Wolf 359 Monster. Inside the glass case was an ironstone outcropping that had an impression of a mysterious creature that the astrobiologists hadn’t yet been able to identify. It was believed to be an invertebrate that once roamed the desert regions of a planet in the Wolf 359 star system over two hundred million years previous.

            “It looks like a big tarantula,” Jasmine said. “Very cool.”

Scotty and Joseph had crossed the facility to look at five display stands packed with petrified wood. Large pieces, small pieces, square chunks and long spiny fragments, and it was all laced with beautiful red, orange, and blue colors. Each display stand had inspiring visual aids complete with an artist’s conception of the extraterrestrial life form, the environment it had lived in, and a description of what the fossil had been and how it had lived.  

            “Look at that one,” Stratton said, pointing to a piece at the far end of the aisle. “It has petrified bark.”

            Joseph moved his gaze around the facility. “Another boring museum if you ask me.”

            Both Scotty and Jasmine hit him with mean looks but said nothing.

Corus was standing before the entrance to another room. He dropped the green light curtain, and everyone followed him through the doorway.

“Ten robots work in here,” Corus said as they crossed the sprawling element research room. There were androids peering at samples through powerful microscopes, androids cutting through stones with lasers, and androids studying the results of radiocarbon dating tests, magnetic field change tests, and radiometric dating tests. Every one of them looked up from their work as they walked up the aisle. They stopped at another light curtain, green again, but with words floating near the top.

Alien Technology Research Laboratory

The brains behind the designs.

“I told you there are a lot of secrets in here,” Stratton said.

An android dropped the light curtain for Corus, and everyone followed him across the white floor of the long corridor. To the left and to the right were glass doors, glass walls, metal doors, and walls with lead and copper shielding. Everything was white and blue but for the array of letters and numbers; all of those were black. Fifty additional androids worked there; designing cybernetics, writing builds for the designs, overseeing the piecing together of those designs, and inspecting and testing everything they created. There were thirty rooms inside, and each room served a different purpose. From reviewing blueprints of new technological wonders to testing the final product and everything in between.

Corus escorted everyone to the Helix laboratory.

“Good morning,” Corus said. “The Astrophels are here to order their Helix.”

An android got to his feet and walked to where they were standing. He wore a white lab coat over a black uniform. He shook their hands and introduced himself. “Hello, my name is Helios. I will be happy to begin your Helix journey. The Helix is custom made for all researchers. It enhances your existence.”

Mr. Robinson’s face fell, as he was a bit confused. “The what and where?” 

“The Helix,” Helios said, peering into Mr. Robinson’s face. “And it is made here and at Fossil Crater.”

Mr. Robinson scratched his head for a moment. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.” Then he lowered his voice to a whisper and mumbled, “How can Mildred and I acquire one?”

Both androids said nothing.

“Roger,” Mr. Robinson said. “I’d really like to know what the Star Nexus is and why we need a Cybernetics program.”

“And why we have an Exoplanet program,” Stratton said without looking his way. “And a top-secret spaceport.”

“Yes, and that too.”

Stratton considered that for a moment. “Well, I’m afraid I can’t answer that, Harold.”

A rumble of displeasure rippled away from the Astrophel children and Mrs. Robinson was involved in the protest too.

Then Corus turned and faced Scotty. “We are at a critical stage during the development of our Cybernetics program, and we need the best cyborgs on the team.”

“Well, that’s us,” Scotty said, and smiled, a big happy camper smile.

You are reading story J.C. Warren: Scotty Astrophel and the Star Nexus at novel35.com

Mr. and Mrs. Robinson laughed at his wit.

“We will have to go to the control room,” Helios said. “An upgrade has been created, and we have not found the time to move the builds.”

Stratton’s eyes widened at that. “Great, I’ve always wanted to visit my control room.”

“Well, everyone will tour it today,” Corus said. “It will not be a problem.”

He ushered everyone out of the Helix office and allowed Helios to guide them to another junction chamber. Once inside, Corus energized his Helix and typed a code into the administrators’ terminal. He touched the enter key, but this time a multicolored wall encircled them in addition to a blaze of light and color that flowed just over their heads, and the floor was transformed to a sparkling carpet that moved with the walls and canopy. Everyone watched it intently because it appeared as if they were flying through space. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson didn’t know what to think. They felt the sensation of moving; down, then forward, sideways for a few moments, then backward, down again, and a final forward movement that went on for nearly a minute. The sparkling lights and creamy colors flowed in the opposite direction each time they moved, making Mrs. Robinson a little queasy.

Joseph was a little uneasy each time a giant flaming star dashed by or a massive galaxy floated a little too close, but he never once took his eyes off the mysterious kaleidoscope. Once, Jasmine thought she’d spied a white dwarf and followed it with her eyes for a few seconds, but Scotty pointed to it and insisted that it was a neutron star.

“I always get those mixed up,” Jasmine shouted over the noise of the junction chamber.

“Don’t feel bad,” Joseph said. “I used to get brown dwarfs and gas giants mixed up.”

They were bouncing around and exchanging expressions of wonder and admiration when the space explorer display stopped and the light curtain disappeared. Mr. Robinson had to help Mrs. Robinson walk into the narrow corridor; she almost fell twice.

Helios ushered everyone to a small light curtain. He extended both his arms and placed his hands near the door. It silently slid out of the way, and everyone entered the control room. Inside were rows of server racks, banks of batteries, and giant columns of communications and computer equipment, all atop perforated cooling tiles that created a raised floor, and every square inch of the room was a dark blue color.

“Well, the research laboratory is quite interesting,” Mr. Robinson said.

That was interesting? They had just toured a cyborg tech examination center, an alien artifact repository, an element research suite, and were inside a massive control room. It shouldn’t have gotten much better than that, but Mr. Robinson was an artesian, so it did make sense that he decided the workshop was the highlight of the tour.

Helios escorted everyone to an office.

“The Helix is a product of our Cybernetics program,” Helios said. “So, I will need to copy each researcher’s deoxyribonucleic acid code.”

“Wait, stop. Their what?” Mr. Robinson mumbled.

“Their DNA code,” Corus and Helios said together.

Mrs. Robinson smiled at her husband’s expression of uncertainty. “It’s okay, Harold, they’re robots.”

With that, Helios powered up a computer and copied the Astrophel children’s DNA code by shaking hands with each of them. The information was then broadcasted to the Geneware servers where a custom-made Helix would be created for Scotty, Joseph, and Jasmine. Then he turned to Corus. “Now, back to the Helix office.”

That garnered a stifled flurry of requests from everyone, but Jasmine was the loudest. “Can we fly through space again?”

“Yes, via Sagittarius A* this time,” Helios said.

*

After a long-drawn-out electronic transport with more eye-popping scenes from around the galaxy, they were back inside the Galactic Science Research laboratory. Scotty had no way of knowing what interesting things would happen now that they’d surrendered their DNA code. They didn’t need to know how a Helix operated or what it was used for to know they had just been shown the results of over sixty years of research and space exploration. More than their new teachers could ever show them.

            “I can begin processing the builds now,” Helios said, ushering everyone back into the Helix office. “You can move around freely. All I ask is that you do not leave in a junction chamber and that you do not touch any of the equipment in the rooms off the hall.”

            “And don’t be scared to ask questions,” Mr. Robinson said. They must have wanted to discuss a few things in private with Corus and Helios, so Scotty left the Helix office with Joseph and Jasmine.

            The laboratory was four narrow corridors that formed a square with office areas on both sides. The first one they entered was the shield development office. There was an android standing before a vast array of computer monitors. He was wearing a white lab coat over a black uniform. “New members?” he asked when they entered the room. “My name is Tarsus. I am a shield development robot. Please, feel free to look around.”

            In the back of the office was a vast array of equipment that was flanked on both sides by long stainless steel counters, and both were littered with a great assortment of testing equipment. They walked to where Tarsus was standing and took turns peering around his shoulder at the information in the center monitor.

            “I am conducting a temperature measurement test on our newly modified shielding technology.”

            “Because outer space is freezing cold,” Joseph mumbled, and immediately wished he’d kept his mouth shut.

            Tarsus smiled and said, “Yes, because it is very cold in space, but it is very hot in close proximity to stars, so we have to protect our spacecraft, equipment, and the elements and biological life we return to planet Earth.”

            They remembered the alien element repository and exchanged expressions of both wonder and excitement.

            “Are you assigned to Fossil Crater?” 

“Yes, we leave tomorrow,” Scotty said.

“Ah, well I…” Tarsus said, and then abruptly stopped. The light in his eyes flickered, and a series of electronic sounds emanated from somewhere within his CPU.

            “Are you okay?”

            There were more electronic sounds, and for close to a minute Tarsus never moved, but the broadcast’s final stage was marked with a series of awkward robotic movements that Joseph and Jasmine believed were hilarious.

Then a voice was emanating from his CPU: Galactic Research, our future is out there. Astrobot version, eleven point three.

Tarsus suddenly lunged clumsily into the worktable, and his cognitive abilities quickly returned, because he was talking again. “I apologize for that. The programmers have been trying to download a weapons systems upgrade all day. Actually, a series of upgrades that will enhance my weapon development capabilities.”

            “And your dance moves,” Joseph said. He was helpless not to.

            “Well, whatever it is you witnessed, just remember, our dance moves have come a long way,” Tarsus said, and extended his arms to a small metal desk.

            Then Joseph experienced an upwelling of admiration as a 3D holographic photograph wandered into his line of sight. It was one of Tarsus and two other androids beneath a massive canopy of palm trees performing a Hula during a luau. The hologram was floating above a stainless steel worktable next to a Big Kahuna desk sign.

“So, have you read Introduction to Exoplanetary Science?”

            “No,” they mumbled together.

            “The authors name is Doctor Patrick Reuven, an exobiologist and the director of space sciences. Was he on the researcher interview board?”  

            “No,” Scotty said, becoming increasingly uncomfortable during the conversation.

            “We haven’t been interviewed,” Jasmine said.

            An expression of admiration fell onto Tarsus’s face. “Oh, I see. Well, the three of you must have done something really good to be invited based on your merits.”

“Our dad used to work here,” Joseph said.

“Oh, well, I am sure it has little to do with your father’s employment.”

“He used to be a cellular scientist and programmer for GalReach,” Scotty said. “He and our mom disappeared one night.”

“Ah,” Tarsus said. “I understand now. Michael Astrophel is his name. A lot of strange rumors surround your father. He was helping with the development of a very important program, and that program was nearing the end of beta testing.”

“Our parents created Geneware,” Scotty said.

After a short pause, Tarsus said, “Yes, but Michael was deeply involved in an important program. One that is known to only a few researchers.”

There was another lull in the conversation, but Scotty broke the silence with this. “Well, what’s the program called?”

“The Star Nexus program,” Tarsus said. “Oh, I have probably said too much now.”

“I don’t think you have,” Jasmine said, low and careful.

“The work we do is very important, and a lot of bad players want the technology we create.”

They said nothing.

“When you arrive at Fossil Crater you will find yourselves in an esoteric reality. That spaceport is the epicenter of space science, space exploration, and research. It is full of elements from around the Orion Spur. It is full of biological life from our neighboring star systems. It is full of secrets and mysteries, and the Star Nexus is the key to locating it all, to include your parents.”

Scotty, Joseph, and Jasmine were left speechless.

“What program are you assigned to, by the way?”

“The Cybernetics program,” Scotty mumbled, feeling overwhelmed.

“Terrific, that will quickly become our most important program,” Tarsus said. “It will help us reach the most distant stars.”

There were voices in the accessway, and Scotty, desiring to end the conversation anyway, took his brother and sister by the shoulders and moved away from the android.

“I think its best if we visit another office,” he said, “it’s almost time for us to leave.”

“I understand,” Tarsus said. “Be careful during the spacecraft recovery.”

Outside the shield development office, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson asked them if they were hungry. Everyone voted yes to raid the Space Explorer Café.

Scotty was unusually quiet as he ate a Martian cheeseburger and Saturn rings. He chased it all down with Venus fruit juice; Joseph and Jasmine enjoyed identical meals.

“Ugh, is everything okay?” 

“I guess,” Scotty said, his voice tense with a bundle of emotions. They visited the Artificial Intelligence office before leaving the laboratory. Tarsus was there, and he was whispering to an android while hitting Scotty with dirty looks.

“Doctor Stratton, what’s the Star Nexus? Two robots have admitted to it to my face.”

The biomedical engineer shook his head in both confusion and aggravation. “It’s just another top-secret program we operate. Nothing to get upset about.”

“I’m not upset. A robot in the laboratory said there were a lot of rumors surrounding our dad and his job.”

“Probably, but that tends to happen to everyone after they’re kidnapped. Especially inside walls such as these, where everything is top secret and everyone has a security clearance. No one in the test center treated you bad or acted weird when they saw you guys walk in. Corus here doesn’t feel anything negative towards you. Another thing, guys, if your parents had actually done something wrong, the three of you wouldn’t have been invited here.”

“Tarsus, the robot in the laboratory, told us that Fossil Crater is full of secrets and mysteries,” Jasmine said, as she crutched ahead of everyone.

“Well, the spaceport in the Outback is a highly classified facility and there are a lot of secrets within its walls. He probably threw in the mystery part just for fun,” Stratton said. 

“So, what do you do for Galactic Research?” Joseph asked.

“Lands, you guys are full of questions now,” Stratton said. “I’m the director of technologic development and a biomedical engineer, I develop things that help the animals at Fossil Crater.”

Scotty bounced ahead of everyone and moved his gaze to Stratton’s face. “You keep endangered animals at a spaceport?”

“Something like that,” Stratton lied. He had to, after all, he was part owner of Galactic Research, and he was inside the headquarters building. “We’re on our way to your father’s office.”  

His desk and work area were still vacant inside the Extraterrestrial Fauna Laboratory. There were no androids inside this office, only humans, and they all knew Stratton, but his colleagues seemed a bit confused. Eleven researchers, both men and women, formed a semicircle around him and his guests. There were a lot of questions, but he didn’t have too many answers, and the interaction seemed to create only more questions regarding Mr. and Mrs. Astrophels’ disappearance. The final consensus was something out of a science fiction movie.

“I’ll address all of this in the coming weeks,” he said. “We don’t have much time left on our pass.”

Mr. Robinson wouldn’t allow Scotty to touch anything. The workstation was adorned with four large computer screens, a tower with an external hard drive, a keyboard, mouse and mousepad, several office decorations, and a framed picture of Mr. Astrophel and his family. Even though the monitors were powered off and displaying only a black square, there were other monitors in the office displaying a lot of information. Scotty, Joseph, and Jasmine recognized most of what they spied, and they believed it was quite possibly the coolest thing they’d ever seen.

Large blocks of code spilled down the administrators’ command terminals. Bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, mosaic charts, spider charts, scatter plots, functions plots, and functions maps were scattered around in the thirty or so monitors. Several monitors had 3D Graphs floating in the bottom right corner. Two monitors had a holographic image of an animal floating in the top right corner. The monitor closest to Jasmine boasted programmer code of builds for an insect: Sticky claw feet, glow in the dark antennae, and night vision bug lenses.

Corus ushered everyone out into the accessway.

“Helios has confirmed that all three Helixes have been broadcasted to the Astrophels,” Corus said, smiling. “Now we have to visit the all-knowing Naxos. He is a legacy robot, bad-tempered and stubborn, so please keep an open mind.”

They followed him to the end of the hall to a large work area. Black letters over the door read: Cybernetics Engineering Laboratory. Building the Future of the Galaxy. A picture of a double Helix was in the center of the white door, but the imprint of the old title could be seen, it read: Mech Repair Station.

It slid out of the way with a cool whooshing noise. The office was a large room with two examination tables to sit on, and those were adjacent to a metallic table. The walls were white and unadorned, and the tiles under foot were a grey color. A haunting odor of disinfectants and alcohol lurked in the air, and Joseph and Jasmine felt as if they’d walked into a hospital where a lot of experimental procedures were occurring. They chose to stand close to Scotty and just keep quiet for a change, as there was a lot of medical equipment and toolboxes scattered around the office. The flickering florescent light in the very back of the office and the icy air in here conjured up primordial fears they were not familiar with.

“I will be with you in a moment,” someone spoke with an odd electronic voice. It wasn’t a human-like voice as with the other androids, it was an eerie noise, and the words did not match up with the lips of the android. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson stiffened at the sound, and Joseph and Jasmine had trouble hiding their fear and uncertainty. 

An android was standing in a doorway at the very back of the office, his electric eyes glistening like stars in the outer wall of darkness.

“Naxos,” Stratton said, “the Astrophels are here to test their Helix. It’s very important that we do this here.”

“I know, Doctor Stratton,” he said. “Scotty, Joseph, and Jasmine have received a Helix with the latest updates. It is a bit complicated, but I am sure you will master it in time. All of the medical complications have been addressed, and every level four issue has been eliminated, but we still need to cycle it once before you are turned loose.”

Naxos walked into the bright light of the office, and Scotty hoped he wouldn’t move too close, as he had a very strange appearance.

 “Having said that, the Helix is produced in a number of different packages, and that process has nothing to do with me or Galactic Research. The type of Helix that blossoms into existence will be an extension of the researcher and a possible sneak peek of the cyborg they will someday become. To say the process is complicated does it no justice. Just remember, you decide the type of Helix that is generated.”

Naxos walked to within a couple of feet of the group. Scotty could see a bit of circuitry behind his eyes. Joseph and Jasmine noticed that the skin-like material covering his arms was old and tattered.

“So,” he said, “each of you looked at the DNA double helix as you walked in. I want you to reach out your dominant hand, point your palm to the ceiling, and picture what you spied on the door floating atop your hand.”

They did, and they watched with a primordial awareness as a Helix GUI crackled and buzzed into existence and then seemingly float at eye level. Jasmin’s was a lime color, Joseph’s was a sapphire color, and Scotty’s was a burgundy color.

“You can put your hands to your sides now,” Corus said, and Naxos moved his gaze to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson for a moment and then continued with the lesson. “Without moving around, I want you to picture the word type or typing.”

They did, and a keyboard appeared before each Helix, and once again they were struck speechless.

“Now type my name into the screen and touch the enter key,” Naxos said, and spelled his name out. “And do not misspell my name.”

They followed his instructions again and watched as a Helix buzzed out of hibernation before the android.

“Now, you see, even advanced technology can be simple. But that is just the tip of the spear,” Naxos said.

All three immediately examined their Helixes; scrolling through lists and pages, typing on the keyboard, memorizing the operating system and components.

Joseph suddenly conjured up a great question. “What’s the power source?”

“You are the power source,” Naxos said. “Your cells are mini batteries.”

“So, get plenty of sodium and potassium,” Stratton said.

“You will not have much time to learn the Helix at Fossil Crater,” Corus said. “So, use it often after you leave here, you have a couple of days before the flights depart.”

Naxos shot him a look and kept his attention on him for a few seconds.

“Yes, well let me see exactly what you three have been issued,” Naxos said. “He walked to within inches of Jasmine and took a good long look at her Helix. “You have been issued an astrobiologist Helix. Great if you enjoy caring for extraterrestrial plants and animals.”

Jasmine seemed to appreciate that and met his gaze with a smile.

Then he moved on to Joseph and his Helix. “You have been issued one of my favorites, a space exploration Helix. Great if you do not mind being exposed to the elements while out and about searching for artifacts.”

Joseph smiled at that and turned to make sure Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were paying attention. They were.

“Now, what do we have here,” Naxos said, as he sidestepped to Scotty and his Helix. He gave it a good long look, took it in his hands, and scanned a cool-looking icon with his eyes to gather more information. He seemed to be impressed. “Well now, another one. Congratulations, you have one of the novel galactic combat Helixes.”

Both Jasmine and Joseph turned their attention to Naxos and their brother. They didn’t understand why anyone would need such a thing.

Mr. and Mrs. Robinson felt the same way.

Stratton approached Scotty and his Helix and took a good long look at an icon floating in the display. “Well, I’ll be darned. This is where Michael installed the clone.”

“Mystery solved,” Corus said.

Naxos appeared to be a little annoyed. “It will only complicate his life.”

There were a few moments of silence as Stratton and Corus examined the icon.

“An astrobiologist Helix, a space exploration Helix, and a galactic combat Helix. Remember, this has nothing to do with me or Galactic Research. The three of you must be very talented. I expect to learn of your success in the Cybernetics program. The three of you have a lot to offer Galactic Research, and you will help support all of its endeavors no matter how simple they may appear, and no matter how dangerous they may become.”

Mrs. Robinson took them in her hands and grumbled when the Helixes disappeared from sight. They bid farewell to Naxos and followed Corus out of the Geneware research station. He escorted them back to the reception area and the green swivel barrel chairs. They only had one minute left on their pass.

“The flights to Fossil Crater will leave tomorrow evening at nine,” Stratton said. “And the flights leave from the Galactic Terminal. I’ll arrange for a cool ride to take the kids from the main entrance to that terminal.”

“Ugh, tomorrow night at the Sydney airport,” Mrs. Robinson said, and took her seat next to Jasmine.

            “Please, remain seated,” Stratton said. “We’re departing in three, two, one…”

It was early evening, and the sun was setting in a dark blue western sky. They watched carefully as the van blossomed into existence all around them, and the barrel chairs morphed into leather seats, and the glass returned, and the radio returned but they could not receive a signal, and Stratton’s hands were on the steering wheel…and, and. Bump, rattle, they turned to look over their shoulders at the noise and spied Orion Sanctum boasting a futuristic architecture that was indeed breathtaking. They wanted to gaze at the facility until they were back on the highway, and Scotty and Jasmine spun onto their knees on the bench seat, but they drove through a light curtain and a second later there were only skyscrapers and streets before them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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