Solar Warden by Jakob Waechter (best authors to read TXT) 📕

“Let's go we have a job to do.” Ryan looked back at the team. With the virtual identifier the name was shown. So it was possible to recognize them without being able to read the name tag. But it needed near field communication or any other wireless link to work.

“Affirmative,” came back from the others.

Then Ryan took the lead and the others followed. With two stealth probes as satellites they had no GPS like signals. But the system they used was also as effective and showed the position on the display of the bike. Ryan headed straight to the river where he knew they could travel much faster. They landed not very far from it. So it took not long and Ryan accelerated to 160 kilometers per hour. More than the 120 that were expected. It would go even faster here over the river. But that was not necessary. Ryan thought just no danger using that speed.

“The other teams are on their way now, too,” Clark reported.

The Captain had the satellite view on one of the tactical tables on the bridge and was following Ryan's team. There were three tactical tables there. One of them with the space surroundings of the ship, displaying the sensor information on a volumetric display, which the other two couldn't. Another one was focusing on the target site. At least one officer was stationed at each table.

Clark's corner had a main screen and one more on each side. He had a keyboard and a mouse like interface which wouldn't fly away in zero gravity. On his screen there were icons to click at the top and left side. At the bottom there was a field for entering text command. He also had a voice interface that worked more or less.

Watkins continued taking probes while Taylor assisted her. SW-4 had checked the nearby area for animals but found none. So they left Watkins in the protection of Taylor and the fighter pilots which observed from above.

Ryan reached the end of the canyon. On each side of the river a forest was to see. They followed the river further six kilometers then decelerated much and went into the forest to meet their destination. It was a quiet trip except the wind noise. But here slowed down in the forest the silence came more to perception. Also Newman wondered a bit. They had seen no animals nor heard bird sounds. He looked to the wind shield in front of Owens. There were no splashed insects.

“We lost track in the woods. We only see Watkins and Taylor now,” Clark informed.

“There must be some signals of infrared or other signals that can be detected as unusual sensor reading. Get a team to investigate this if we can at least have some motion or life sign detection out of this,” the Captain ordered.

“Affirmative,” Clark immediately informed the analysis team in the offices. One of the members at this operation was Max. She and the others started at once to work on it.

Ryan and his team were close to the target site. They stopped the bikes and let them slowly get to the ground. Then they sneaked to the border of the forest. A huge building was at sight. All walls seemed to be curved. The entrance they saw now was in the smaller part of the building. This structure part had had a height of 5 meter. There was no upper level to see. Connected to the entrance part was the tower part with a height of about 50 meters. At the top was a bigger part with a dome structure on it. The bottom part of it was not flat. It went also curved into the oval tower center. Then behind the tower was also a structure without edges. The top of it was about 20 meter and took much larger area then the entrance structure.

The distance to the entrance from their position was about 200 meter. There seemed to be a garden and different trees on their left.

Newman used his binocular to check it.

“There are fruit trees and bushes. Looks very similar like on Earth,” he reported not using nearfield radio.

“Let me see,” Ryan replied. Newman gave him the binocular.

“Hmm, well I expected to see something else. But without taking probes we cannot tell too much. Maybe Watkins can update us later about her analysis. Now we have to figure out how to enter undetected. At least I see no visible cameras.” Ryan gave the binocular back.

“Well, except the building, here everything looks like on Earth. If this is a biological research post they might not have security at all,” Samuel suggested.

“Did you notice that we had no insects on the wind shield. I wonder how this works with the fruit plants. I mean you can guess that the building must be the source for this plants and we saw or heard no other animals yet. So maybe there is no need for cameras. I could use a drone and check out the surroundings,” Newman suggested.

“No, we should stay passive till the others are here or at least closer,” Ryan objected.

“Good, then I do a passive high resolution scan of the building and surroundings.” Newman set the digital binocular into scanning mode.

Watkins was done with taking probes and went with Taylor back to the shuttle. After going through the airlock procedure they let the boxes with the specimens in the airlock. Then Taylor made the preflight checks. Watkins joined her in the cockpit. Finally, they lifted off and flew in low altitude away. Escorted by two drones and a fighter, they went to the backside of the planet. It took a bit longer then their extreme landing maneuver had taken.

Arriving at the Icarus they had at once the support of the other scientists to get the probes into the lab. While Watkins and Taylor did the decontamination procedure to get out of the suits. An additional team took care of the shuttle cleaning.

Commander Knight and his team were arriving at the location of Ryan's squad.

“Commander we found several spots at the building were some covered things like sensors or weapons could be behind. Some of them are on the bottom side of the towers top in periodic intervals. But also some near the door. With our passive scan options, we are done now. So we have to get active,” Ryan informed Knight.

“With sophisticated infrared sensors they should have already spotted you or our approach to the mountains. Still we spotted no structure then this one. Go on with active scanning but stay here. We will fortify further up to this garden. So we are in front of the door,” the commander replied.

“Newman send the drone. Set it to active scan especially for these cover plates,” Ryan ordered. The cover plates had the same color as the building in a dark green.

“Yes, sir,” he replied. The route for the drone he already entered. With pushing the start button on the touch screen the anti-gravity drone lifted off and went away. He could do further active scanning with the binocular but the drone had the same sensors and could get closer.

The drone went around the facility and made a detailed area sweep. Then it concentrated on these cover plates at the top and around the door. Finally, it checked the door itself.

The door opened. Everyone was focusing there. It was no one to see. The drone went away, to the landing zone while the door closed.

“Seems to be automatic on nearby motion,” Ryan guessed.

Newman was now transferring the data.

While Commander Knight was joining them. “What do we have. We saw no one in there.”

Newman made a quick check.

“The cover plates we could not penetrate. Maybe with x-ray but we don’t have that. Here is the view of the interior. No life sign with infrared. There is a corridor leading to the tower. Also some cover plates are in there. That we can at least reach. Maybe we can get access to their system over there. The electromagnetic check showed also nothing. That means either they are good shielded or they use something else like optical wiring,” Newman told.

“It's your choice Major. My team is in cover position. But the others seem to be still on their move,” the commander noted.

“Good. Caine and me take the lead. We go in and cover the corridor. When we enter, Newman and Archer will follow. Newman does the cover plate investigation. Archer searches the entrance hall for symbols and other stuff to analyze. Then assists Newman if needed. Owens gives also cover from here. We come back when Newman is done. Let's go.” Ryan took the lead. Caine followed. They walked to the door, it opened. Ryan went in first and cautiously moved to the corridor while Newman and Archer ran not too fast to the door. They also went in as Caine and Ryan were already in position. There was no one to see. The corridor let to another hall at its end. Another corridor was on the opposite side of the hall.

Newman reached the plate and removed it. He found fiber optic like cables connected to a device. He used a scanner for further analysis.

“This will take some time at least five minutes,” he told Ryan which was close to him.

“Good. Go on I check the next hall. Caine you hold position.” Ryan turned his head so both should hear him. Caine signaled him to go on. Then Ryan stepped forward.

The entrance hall was completely empty. No tables, seats or decorative stuff. It made not much sense to Samuel. There were even no windows as they already seen from the outside. Samuel expected some semitransparent walls but nothing. Also there were no symbols. There was a dim light source at the top, out of reach. After finishing his inspection, he joined Newman to assist.

Ryan was at the end of the corridor. The hall there was bigger. There were other rooms. He could not see what’s in there. The doors were open or there were none. This he could not make out from his position. Here at the top there were windows which meant they were semitransparent. They saw them as cover plates from the other side. That could mean at the top of the tower could be the same hiding cameras or be just a window. As he had checked everything he could from his position, it was time to move back. The helm camera had recorded all so they could check it out later on a saver location. Reaching the corner to the entrance hall, he went to Newman. “Status?”

“This looks like a service panel. Behind it there is also one for the power. There seems to be both, the data link and the power leading to the door. That means they know when the door opens or even have a camera there. I have done all scans. For spying on the signals I must do some analysis of the scans. We can go back and return when I know how to do it,” Newman reported and put the cover plate back in position. Then stood up.

“OK. Let’s move back.” Ryan commanded. He and Caine went to the door as Archer and Newman went out. Then they covered the door entrance on each side till the others reached the forest. After that they sprinted back knowing Knight's team had their eyes on the door.

After transferring the records to Newman's laptop Ryan went to Commander Knight for an update while Newman and Archer did the analysis.

Watkins was in the lab. The faster analysis was already running and she prepared the longer ones.

“Dr. Watkins we have all the results now,” one of the other scientists reported.

“Good, give me a second then I come,” she replied and put the prepared labeled specimen into the analysis device. Then started the process. She left the lab and went for the next free terminal. Other Scientists were already