Star Trek: The Original Series - 167 - Elusive Salvation by Dayton Ward

Author:Dayton Ward
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781501111297
Publisher: Pocket Books/Star Trek
Published: 2016-04-26T07:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

The Northwest Passage—Location Classified

August 12, 1985

Wheeler had seen something like this in a movie once.

“That is incredible,” he said to no one in particular as he studied the object extending from the ice. Even the stark clarity of the SR-71 recon photos had not done proper justice to this thing’s size. The exposed portion rose nearly ten feet into the air, and its circumference was at least twice that. Dark metal reflected the afternoon sun, appearing to have been cast in a single piece rather than assembled from individual plates or other components. Wheeler ran a hand along its smooth length, crouching down to where metal met ice. There were several dents and scars marring its surface. The protrusion’s ghostly outline descended into the ice, and thanks to the sunlight, he was just able to make out the silhouette of something larger, several feet below the surface. He tried to picture what the rest of this thing must look like. How close had the computer imagery created from the photographs come to portraying reality?

We’ll find out soon enough, I suppose.

“You’re sure about the radiation readings?”

Standing next to Lieutenant Moreno and, like everyone else, dressed in a bright orange parka, Doctor Kayla Iacovino replied, “Nothing on the Geiger counter, Major. A thermal scan shows some very, very minor activity inside, but our best guess right now is a battery of some kind.” She reached up to push aside her parka’s thick collar and scratch the tip of her nose, which was all that was exposed beneath her oversized goggles.

“Tell me this doesn’t beat stomping around some volcano,” said Wheeler, unable to suppress a grin.

Iacovino smiled. “Depends, sir. If it’s Mauna Loa, I’d be all right with it.”

“I’ll see if I can’t find a reason to send you to Hawaii once this is all over.” Wheeler had read about the volcano’s eruption the previous year after being quiet for nearly a decade. Though Iacovino had not been the one to suggest the eruption might be the result of extraterrestrial activity, she had been the first to volunteer to fly to Hawaii and investigate. Wheeler gave her credit for lodging her request while maintaining a straight face.

A geologist by profession, Iacovino and a number of civilian scientists representing several fields and disciplines had been recruited by the air force to assist in sensitive matters such as the one buried in the ice before them. Though examination and interaction with alien technology had not been her original course of study, Iacovino and other specialists like her had more than proved themselves as invaluable assets to Majestic’s mission dating back to the 1940s. There were those in the higher levels of military leadership who questioned the use of civilians, often expressing worry that they might share secrets with friends or family, but Wheeler had never given much thought to such concerns. Treason and federal prison were frightening prospects to anyone regardless of whether they wore a uniform. In his experience, people like Iacovino were quite

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