DaveKuzminski

"Metallic mass ahead!" the sensor operator reported.

Captain Singleton ordered, "Slow ahead. Remain on course inside the worm hole. We've been given this course exclusively. First Officer, prepare your recovery team."


"There! Ahead of us! That looks like the Ariel Doria!" Ned exclaimed as the ship slowed down within the worm hole it crossed vast distances within.

"God! She's a mess! Guess we better move in closer so we can look for survivors and finish our investigation," Captain Singleton remarked.

"Survivors, sir? In that?" Ned asked.

"It's our job to make sure even if it appears impossible for anyone to have survived," Singleton replied.

"Aye, sir. Moving us in closer," Ned stated.

Over the intercom, Singleton asked, "First Officer, are you ready?"

The intercom squealed. Then First Officer Frost's voice came on. "Yes, sir. My team is standing by."

"Good. We'll be in position in less than five minutes," Singleton stated.


"Recovery team on its way, sir," First Officer Frost reported by radio as he left the ship.

"Sir, what's that over there?" a crew member asked.

"Over where?" asked the First Officer.

The crew member pointed, unsure what to call the direction. The first officer glanced in the direction the crew member pointed at before shaking his head within his helmet as he expressed his lack of knowledge.

"Should one of us investigate that, sir?" the same crew member asked.

Frost replied, "Negative. Our orders are to search the wreck for survivors and determine the cause for it wrecking. Continue on to the ship."

Another crew member said, "That ain't a ship no more. Just a pile of floating junk."

Frost said, "Ah, let's show some respect even if we don't expect to find anyone alive. Remember, our voices are being recorded."

The other crew member nodded without speaking. At least body movements weren't being monitored.


Frost directed his team members to different parts of the wreck. He was startled a moment later to hear a pair of searchers suddenly radio back. "Sir! We've found a survivor! He's alive!"

Frost ordered, "Get him to the ship immediately. I'll follow you over."


Ahead of him, Frost saw his two team members escorting the only survivor found so far. It was a miracle beyond belief that anyone survived, let alone had time to reach a space suit and dress in it. That was without counting all the subsequent miracles that must have taken place between the wreck's cause and their arrival, such as the survivor having enough oxygen. Looking at the survivor's suit, Frost could see that one more miracle had occurred. The radio pack was broken open. The suit's occupant was fortunate that the rest of the suit was intact. One of the recovery team members had his helmet touching the survivor's helmet. From Frost's position, it appeared that they were talking.

Frost asked, "What's he saying?"

"Sir, he keeps saying something about the worm hole. He doesn't make any sense," the team member replied.


Frost entered the air lock and waited patiently for the air to cycle in. Only when the green lights showed did he remove his helmet. One of the team members helped the survivor whose weakened condition was evident from the way the survivor sagged between the two recovery team members.

The survivor babbled incoherently as his helmet was lifted. "We wuz in the worm..."

"Get him to sick bay," Frost ordered. Then Frost went to the intercom. "Captain, I've sent the survivor to sick bay. It might be awhile before we can question him."

"Understood."

Frost said, "I'm returning back to the wreck now."


First Officer Frost was startled when the captain's voice came over his radio almost an hour later.

"First Officer, gather your team and return to the ship on the double! Forget the rest of the investigation!"

Frost picked up on the note of urgency in the captain's voice. Without hesitation, he radioed his team on their frequency and relayed the order. Moments later, the recovery team left the wreck and jetted back toward their ship.


Frost radioed, "Recovery team is aboard, sir," as the air lock hatch closed.

First Officer Frost was startled after the air lock closed when the intercom suddenly announced, "Secure for launch! Launch on my mark in five seconds!"

Frost had never heard the order given with so little time between the warning and actual launch. However, he wasn't unduly alarmed since they weren't leaving the surface of some world where gravity would make a difference. Their weightlessness in space protected them. Their magnetic shoes would keep him and his team in place. The announcement was more of a formality than anything else.

"First Officer Frost report to the bridge immediately," the captain's voice sounded.

"Aye, sir," Frost replied.


First Officer Frost entered the bridge. He was startled to see that the survivor was there instead of in sickbay.

Captain Singleton asked, "Did any of your personnel see the worm?"

"Worm, sir? You're kidding me, right?" asked Frost.

Singleton said, "Ensign Anderson of the Ariel Doria explained it to me. These wormholes as we called them that we use for travel are actually created by worms, it seems. That's what they ran into."

The captain's severe facial expression left no doubt in Frost's mind that it wasn't a joke. Then Frost remembered the strange object his team spotted. Suddenly Frost realized he had seen the worm. Frost said, "Yes sir, I think we did see the worm. Rather we saw what was left of it. I thought it was just some strange space debris at the time."

Singleton asked, "Was it dead?"

Frost answered, "I don't know, sir. We didn't investigate it. Is that what we're going to do now?"

Singleton shook his head. "No, we're returning to home base immediately. This information is too important to risk losing to another accident."

"Another accident? Aren't we safe if the worm is dead?" asked Frost.

Singleton replied, "It's not the worm I'm worried about. It's whatever eats these space worms that bothers me now that we're in an area where the worms can be found."

Frost said, "I think I understand now. This is sure one fine mess we're in then."

Singleton said seriously, "Quite so. Most likely we'll later be sent out on fishing expeditions to get answers after this reaches headquarters."

Frost said, "You don't appear as happy as you usually are when headquarters lets us explore."

Singleton said, "Should I be? In fact, should any of us be happy later on when we're expected to be the bait as well?"

Frost replied, "No sir, I guess not."

butchiesmom

Great story. It could use a little bit of edting here and there to tighten it. I thought the worm in the worm hole idea too cool and something eating the worm fantastic idea.

The quoted above had me groaning, lol, but feel it would be something someone would say in that situation.

Gail

DaveKuzminski

You're right. It does need editing. There's no doubt that time between writing and reviewing can make sore points stand out. I think I wrote this one about ten to fourteen years ago.

butchiesmom

I think it's pretty cool, myself, lol. Scifi movies and stories have been referring to worm holes but I don't remember any of them talking about the actual worm in the wormhole or the larger thing which gets the worm, lol. Kinda makes me think of the early bird....lol.

I remember when I first wrote anything about Eilia. , I thought it the best thing invented since sliced bread, lol. It was written because I'd read something by an established, multi-published author, lol. Being a new writer and told I had talent, I thought I could do so much better. I didn't add anything to it for around fifteen years when I started writing again.

I'm looking forward to reading the revised version of your story, this is really a cool idea.
Gail