Free Mission Origin View (Final Days Trilogy) by Barry Knox

really, Captain. It’s just that neither of us has ever had a mission like this.” The admiral paused and leaned into his video camera. “Frankly, as I mentioned, we might want to share need-to-know information that we may not want the scientists on the Stephen Hawking or here at Mount Mitchell to know.”
    “ Very good, sir,” Mary said, though she didn’t quite buy his explanation and decided to let it go for now.
    “ All right. I’m transmitting the encryption keys now. Have your Anna receive it and verify it with my Anna,” Admiral Frank said as he reached for and selected a holographic switch on his display.
    “ Anna, receive the encryption keys being transmitted on this channel and verify authentication with Admiral Frank’s Anna,” Mary requested.
    “ Yes, sir,” Anna said. A second later Anna added, “Received the encryption keys and have authenticated with Admiral Frank’s Anna. It is operational.”
    “ I received and authenticated the encryption keys, sir,” Mary told Admiral Frank.
    “ Excellent, Captain. That’s all I have for you now. Let me know if you need anything.”
    “ Thank you, sir,” Mary said, and the communication was terminated.
     
    ***
     
    Admiral Frank leaned back in his chair after the communication link was terminated. Deep in thought, he reassured himself that the secure communication channel was needed, and he would use it when he thought the time was right.
     
    SRS Stephen Hawking
    1530 —February 15, 2372
    The crew, scientists, and marines began their training schedule by familiarizing themselves with the ship. In groups, their Anna led them to every compartment aboard and explained its function. Duty stations were noted during normal work and during emergency situations.
    After the ship orientation training, the enlisted marines and sailors headed back to their designated areas of the ship. The marines and sailors met each other in the ship’s main corridor that extended from the bow of the ship to the stern.
    Joseph was trailing behind a group of sailors, looking at the corridor walls and ceiling, and noting how the plastanium hull was engineered. He recalled what he had been taught about repairing such material. As he looked and walked, he strayed into the middle of the corridor and didn’t see the marines coming.
    Gunny Xia was leading the marine team and couldn’t avoid Joseph when he stepped in front of him. The big man hit Xia and knocked Xia to the deck.
    “ Sorry, Gunny!” Joseph exclaimed as he reached down to help Xia up. “It was my fault…I, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
    Xia pushed the big man ’s hand away and stood.
    “ You’d better start watching where you’re going, squid!” Xia yelled as spittle flew from his mouth. “You ever run into me again, or even touch me, and I’ll make you wish you’d never set foot aboard this ship.”
    Xia star ted to walk away, stopped, and turned. “How could a dumb, useless, backwoods ancestor of slaves ever be assigned to a mission like this anyway?”
    Joseph ’s jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. He looked at Xia and said, “Like I said, Gunny, I’m sorry.”
    “ Just stay out of my way!” Xia yelled back and stormed off with the rest of the enlisted marines following him. The marines laughed at Joseph as they walked away, and even some chuckles from the sailors could be heard as they continued on their way.
    Joseph waited a few seconds before he followed as tears welled up in his eyes. He didn’t want anyone to see and wished he had a friend aboard he could talk to.
     
    ***
     
    The enlisted marines arrived at their quarters a few minutes later, and Xia was still mad. He told his men they were going to have an inspection in an hour and they’d better be squared away. A second later Xia left and stormed down the corridor.
    “ What’s wrong with him?” Gault asked the other marines.
    “ He’s always had a short fuse,” Sergeant Mucha started to explain. “Plus he’s