SIREN

Chapter Four

'Right,' I said, veering over to my desk. I got to my chair and strapped myself in. I smiled at my collection of trinkets: a tiny Union Jack flag taped to the corner of table, a miniature Spitfire airplane fixed next to the mouse and a red double decker bus riding on top of the computer. I looked into the camera lens above the monitor and said, 'log in: Fletcher, Tommy. Codename: Rain. Activate hands free environment.'

'Voice print identified. Hello, Doctor Tommy Fletcher,' the computer replied, 'how may I assist you?'

I rubbed my chin and felt the rough stubble against my fingertips. 'Condense all recordings of anomaly transmission, "Poseidon" from lift-off to now. Isolate any variations.'

'Processing,' replied the computer. 'No variations found.'

I sat up. 'None?'

'No variations found.'

'So it's still the same three chords? D, E, A?'

'Correct. No variations found.' Two windows on my screen opened. A long green waveform showing the rise and fall of the song filled one square, and a list of recordings organised in chronological order appeared in the other. 'Here is everything that I have been able to capture.'

'And you've analysed it all?' I traced my finger against the wave.

'Correct. No variations found.'

I leaned back. 'Okay. Have you been able to trace the exact origin?'

'Efforts to locate precise origin of Poseidon signal have been unsuccessful.'

'And why's that?'

A third window opened on my screen. I stared at a grainy image of Neptune with a red square, about an inch wide, in the corner. 'It has been confirmed that the signal is coming from this region of Neptune's orbit, but there is a high amount of debris in the area. Visual confirmation is difficult.'

'So, something's hiding? That's interesting.'

'Something could be damaged,' Hoshi's voice came through the speakers. 'You know, like, um, hit with...'

'Asteroids,' I said. 'Okay, so maybe it's a distress call? Hey, any news on that comms link?'

'I... There's interference, but I think I can work something out if you give me a minute.'

'Okay,' I said, 'take as long as you need.'

'I'm not broken,' she snapped back.

'I never said you were.'

'You didn't need to say it.'

'Are you two done arguing?' The Captain yelled.

'Yes, ma'am.' I replied.

'Good,' She said, dropping down beside Hoshi. She pointed at the wall of screens, 'because it's time to take a look outside.'

Every square flickered. Thick lines fizzled up and down and flecks of grey and silver peppered the monitors, but eventually, an image came into focus.

'Okay,' I said, getting up, 'that is a Hell of a sight.'

Captain Maximova gasped. 'We actually made it.'

A giant blue ball with swirls of white and black lay ahead. We all watched it for a minute, not saying a word. The full majesty of the gas giant made my breath shallow and heavy. It looked like God had knocked a marble into space and left it there for us all to marvel at.

'Neptune...' Hoshi whispered.

'How many cameras are operational right now?' The Captain asked.

'The full set. All two hundred.' Hoshi crouched to check her computer. 'Yeah, all... um, yeah, I've put them on an observation cycle, so they'll, uh, they'll keep watch.'

'Wonderful,' Captain Maximova purred. 'Take cameras one through fifty and show me where the Poseidon transmission is coming from.'

'Yes, captain.'

The stream of Neptune and its brilliant azure vanished, and a collection of lumpy brown rocks took its place. They tumbled aimlessly in the void, crashing and breaking against each other.

'This is the origin?' The Captain directed a finger at the stones.

'Yeah, I can't... you know, I can't...' Hoshi itched her ear and made a face. 'It's not precise.'

'Captain,' I pouted, 'there are thousands of asteroids here! We can't see anything. How do you plan on getting through?'

'We'll use the Eagles,' she growled.

'Eagles?' I wailed, 'you think they'll get past all that? It'd be like flying through bullets.'

The Captain spun on the spot and poked my chest. 'What else are we supposed to do? Give up? Fly back home?'

'No, I just—!'

'We will use the Eagles. Sam can remove some of the asteroids.'

'Captain,' I pulled on a handle and yanked my body to a nearby monitor, 'we don't know what's on the other side. An explosion could damage whatever's sending the transmission. Think about it! It could start a chain reaction and knock all of those rocks the wrong way.'

The Captain put one arm across her chest and a finger under her chin. 'Remind me, Fletcher, what's your role on this mission?'

'I know what you're trying to say, Captain, and I—!'

'What is your role?'

I sighed. 'To analyse and translate the Poseidon transmission.'

'And?'

I grumbled and glanced away. 'And, to assist you wherever possible.'

'Good. Do you know what my role is?'

'You're the Captain.'

'Fantastic,' she beamed, 'because for a moment there, I thought you were arguing against me. Rest assured, Fletcher, Sam can handle those asteroids. We'll punch through and--'

'I, uh, I worked out the relay.' Hoshi tapped her fingers against her keyboard and smiled weakly at the Captain. 'We can contact Earth now.'

'Do it.' The Captain slipped into a seat and buckled herself in. 'I wonder who'll pick up the phone?'