Free The Search for Gram by Chris Kennedy

2021
    “This is the Gliese 221 system,” said Steropes. “Gliese 221 is an orange-red dwarf starwith about 7 0 percent the mass of your sun, butonly 1 0 percent of its luminosity. The system has three planets, a hot Super-Earth planet at five million miles from the star, a gas giant planet in the habitable zone and a Super-Earth planet just outside the habitable zone.” He looked up and saw the yellow sticky note Calvin had posted at his station. “And there is no sign of enemy activity or anything out of the ordinary. There are, however, allied defenses and ships present in the system.”
    “This is our last outpost in this chain of stargates,” said Nightsong. “From here on, we might find the frost giants at any time. They have tried to establish colonies on the third planet of this system on two previous occasions, but we were successful in making them withdraw both times.”
    “Is that why your defenses are set up here?” asked Calvin.
    “Yes,” replied Nightsong. “There’s a battle station and an extensive mine field which guard the stargate into the system, as well as a minimum of two battleships present at all times.”
    “That’s a lot of Aesir to be on station here,” said Calvin.
    “Not as many as you might think,” replied Captain Nightsong. “The bulk of our defenses are automated, as most Aesir don’t like extended deployments on the battle station. It is hard enough to get personnel for the ships which guard the stargate, much less the battle station.”
    “Sir, we are getting a transmission from the battle station,” said the communications officer.
    “On screen,” replied Captain Sheppard.
    The view screen lit up with the image of a green Aesir. “Welcome to Gliese 221. I am Admiral Valendil,” he said. Unlike other battle stations the Terrans had seen, there were very few crewman in the background. “State your planet of origin and your purpose in this system.”
    “Hello, Brother,” said Captain Nightsong. “This ship is the Vella Gulf from the nation of Terra. Its crew and I intend to go through the stargate to find out what has happened to our ships.”
    The Aesir visibly relaxed. “Good hunting then,” he said. “Be safe; we still do not know what lies on the other side of the gate.”
    “Have you ever known me to be anything other than safe?” asked Nightsong.
    “Yes, I have,” replied the admiral, “Many times.”

Chapter 5
     
     

Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf , Nu2 Lupi System, June 11, 2021
    “System entry into the Nu2 Lupi system,” said Steropes. “The star is a yellow-orange main-sequence star located approximately 48 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Lupus. Nu2 Lupi is very similar to your sun although Nu2 Lupi is significantly older.It s habitable zone is also similar to your sun, from about 0.7 AU to 1.4 AU from the star.”
    He paused and then added, “I do not see any indication of alien activity, nor do I have any unusual readings. There are three planets, all Super-Earths, but they all lie outside the habitable zone.”
    A collective sigh filled the bridge; everyone had been keyed up, expecting a fight.
    “Let’s keep the fighters manned a little longer, just in case,” said Captain Sheppard. “Helmsman, proceed to the next stargate.”
    “Aye, sir, proceeding to the next stargate,” replied the helmsman. “Uh, sir, the navigation records the Aesir provided show three other stargates in this system in addition to the one we came through. Which would you like me to go to?”
    Captain Sheppard looked over at Captain Nightsong, sitting in the observer chair. “Do you have any recommendations?”
    Captain Nightsong considered for a few seconds and then said, “If memory serves, one of the stargates goes to an uninhabited pocket system with no other stargates out. I can’t imagine how anything would have popped up there that could have caused our ships to go missing.”
    “I see that one,” said the helmsman.
    “The other two