                      PERDITION'S GATE

                          PROLOGUE

     "At ease Captain," the Colonel directed without looking
up from the file he was reading.  As directed, I relaxed
slightly, stepping to one side and placing my hands behind
my back.  The Colonel continued to read for a moment longer.
He finally looked up, peering at me over the glasses that
were perched on the bridge of his nose.
     "I've read your request Captain," he began, glancing
back down at the folder on his desk.  "Your brother was a
hell of a soldier, I can understand your feelings."
     "With all due respect sir, that's a bit of an
understatement,"  I replied evenly, attempting to remain
cool.  "After all, he literally saved this planet."
     "I'm well aware of your brother's accomplishments," he
admonished.  "He gave his life for his world; that's the
ultimate sacrifice that a Space Marine can make."
     "But that's my point sir, we don't really know that
he's dead."  I could feel the anger growing inside of me
now.  This was the typical military attitude; they literally
had their asses saved from their own experiment, and now
they wanted to quietly sweep the whole mess under the
carpet.  Well I just wasn't prepared to let the matter go.
"Colonel, if there is a chance that my brother is alive, we
owe it to him to attempt a rescue.  And if he is indeed
dead, then it's our duty to bring his body back for a proper
burial.  Either way, we can't just leave him in Hell for all
eternity."
     The Colonel removed his glasses and began messaging his
temples with the tips of his fingers.  He relaxed suddenly,
the practiced air of military protocol leaving him, and he
simply looked thoughtfully at me from across his large oak
desk.
     "Captain," he began, then stopped.  "Jake.  It's out of
my hands. Off the record, I'd love to send a battalion to
rescue your brother.  Hell, if you want my opinion I think
we should send a full-scale invasion force through and wipe
those bastards out.  We were almost massacred once, and I
don't see how we can take the chance of it happening again.
But my hands are tied, and I too have orders to follow."
     He turned in his chair, for a moment gazing out of the
window at the panoramic view of the city below.  When he
turned back toward me, the official facade was back upon
him.  "Captain, the official position of the military on
this matter is that your brother is considered a casualty of
war, and his body is irretrievable.  He was well aware of
the risks when he enlisted, and he has sacrificed his life
for the lives of his people.  Your brother will be
posthumously awarded the Planetary Medal of Honor, for
bravery and actions above and beyond the call of duty.
Under no circumstances will you try to retrieve his body, or
make any rescue attempts whatsoever.  Is that understood?"
     "Yes Sir!"  I responded, snapping briskly to attention.
     "Dismissed," he commanded.  I saluted, then turned and
walked out of the door.  I had to fight an overwhelming
impulse to slam it behind me.  I think that I barely
succeeded.

                   _______________________

     In the hallway, my first officer was waiting for me,
his face hopeful.  "What did he say, Sir?"
     "Jerry," I told him, "He said no."
     "Damn," he exclaimed, slamming one fist into a nearby
wall.  I just hoped it wasn't the wall to the Colonel's
office.  "So that's it, they're going to abandon him in
there."
     "Jerry," I addressed him, smiling knowingly.  "How long
would it take to get to the Europa mining colony.
     He paused for only a second, more to ponder my change
of subject than to calculate the travel time.  "'Bout a
month or so.  Maybe quicker if we pushed it."
     "Hmmmm," I said, looking at him sideways.  "Good thing
I requested extended shore leave for us."
     "And just what did you have in mind, Sir?"
     "Just a little unscheduled trip to Jupiter, Jerry," I
said, slapping him on the back.
     "May I ask why, Sir?"
     "I'll tell you in about a month."

                   _______________________

     As our transport moved into the final approach for the
moon of Europa, the onboard computer initiated the waking
procedure that roused us from the deep stillness of
Cryosleep.  Groggily, I rose from the Cryotube and checked
the forward viewscreen.  Jupiter was a massive orange wall
that seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions.  I
stared at it, for a moment mesmerized by its deadly beauty.
I thought of its violent, swirling storms and crushing
gravity fields, and shuddered as I imagined how quickly this
ship would have been destroyed had we strayed just slightly
off course during our death-like sleep.  But the navigation
computer had functioned perfectly, and Europa now lay dead-
ahead, superimposed over the gas giant, a bright speck
glowing in the unfiltered rays of the sun.
     "God, I hate Cryosleep," Jerry murmured behind me.  I
turned to find him standing in the doorway of the cockpit,
one hand rubbing his forehead, the other holding a pair of
stimpacks.
     "I sure hope one of those is for me," I said, my own
head pounding from hibernation sickness.  He tossed one of
the packs to me and I broke the seal and downed the
contents.  The taste was abysmal, but the effects were
immediate.  A deep warmth flowed throughout my body,
nullifying all of the aches and pains, and my head suddenly
became clear again.  "Much better,"  I said, closing my eyes
and enjoying the last few pulsations before the health
effect faded.
     "So, would you like to tell me what the hell we're
doing here?"  Jerry asked.  His gaze was stoic and
calculating.  I knew that he was ready for any challenge; he
just wanted to know the score.
     "Hell, my friend, that is exactly what we're doing
here.  Hell."  I turned to look back at the viewscreen.
Europa was now a discernible sphere, a body unto itself and
separate from the massive planet that it was enslaved to.
Its icy surface was completely smooth, scarred only by
occasional grooves and cracks where its inner core had
expanded.  "I'm going after my brother, Jerry."  I said
evenly.  I could feel his eyes boring into my back.  I knew
that he would not approve, which is one of the reasons why I
hadn't told him in the first place.
     "Nevermind that you're disobeying orders," he replied
behind me.  "How do you plan on getting there?  The
dimensional gate was sealed."  He paused for a moment.
"Besides, you don't have a support team, and even more
importantly, you don't even know if he's still alive."
     I turned and met his gaze, not as superior to
subordinate, but as a friend.  While I had known that he
would not approve of my plans, the main reason for
withholding my intentions from him was so that the military
would not later be able to accuse him of misconduct.
Essentially, I had hijacked him to carry out my own agenda,
so I owed it to him to tell him the truth now.
     "Jerry, my brother is alive.  I've known it for weeks,
He's been calling me.  I hear him in my dreams.  Don't ask
me to explain it."  He just stared at me, showing neither
belief nor disbelief.  I realized how ridiculous it must
sound to him, but it was true.  Every night since my brother
had disappeared into Hell, I woke hearing him call my name
as if from a great distance.  The first time it happened I
simply dismissed it as a dream, but every night the calling
grew stronger, and my brother's beckoning more urgent.  He
was alive, and he needed my help.
     I could see that Jerry wasn't going to respond to what
I had said, so I continued on.  "It's true that the
equipment at the Mars colony was destroyed, but the
experiment was not limited to just Phoebes and Demos.  Until
the portal between our universe and Hell was opened, the
project was considered a success.  Imagine Jerry, the
benefit of being able to walk through a gate at one point,
and instantly reappear through the matching gate, no matter
where it was located."
     "It would sure cut down on travel time," he reflected.
"And I'd love not to have to go through Cryosleep anymore."
     "No,  it wouldn't just cut down on travel time, it
would virtually eliminate it," I corrected him.  "The only
traveling would be to set up the next portal.  When the
demons came through the gate at the Mars colony, There was a
team on Europa, setting up the next station.  Of course,
after everything that happened, the mission was scrubbed.
But Jerry, all of the equipment is still there, they haven't
removed it yet!"
     "But Jake, how can you take the risk of it all
happening again?"  The concern showed in his eyes.  I think
he was wondering if I was letting my obsession with saving
my brother cloud my judgment.  Who knows, maybe I was.  But
I was determined to save him.
     "When they came through the first time, no one was
expecting it,"  I explained.  "This time, I'm going to set a
thermal charge that will detonate the gate as soon as I'm
through."
     "But you'll be trapped!"  he exclaimed.  "How will you
get back?"
     "I'll find my way back somehow.  It's the only way
Jerry."  Although to be honest I really wasn't concerned
with that problem yet.  My only focus was on getting in and
finding my brother.
     Now it was Jerry who turned his gaze to the viewscreen,
for a moment pondering the situation.  "No," he finally
said, his voice deliberate.  "I'll stay and shut it down
behind you."
     "Sorry, pal, I can't let you do that.  As far as you're
concerned we're not even having this conversation.  I can't
let you jeopardize your career.  Your part in this mission
is to be the taxi driver.  You're dropping me off on Europa
and that's all that you know.  When they ask you later
you'll tell them that I never told you what I was doing,
that you simply obeyed my orders to drop me off on Europa
and return to Earth."
     "Screw my career Jake, and screw your damn orders.  Our
friendship means more to me that!  Besides, if the situation
was reversed you'd do the same for me."  He stared at me,
daring me to deny it.  But he was right, if the situation
was reversed I WOULD do the same for him.
     I held his gaze for a moment, gauging his posture,
seeing if he'd waiver.  He only looked at me, pensive,
waiting.  He was as determined as I was.  I sighed and gave
up.  "Fine, you've always been too damn stubborn to know
what's good for you anyway."
     "Ha, look who's talking," he shot back.  "Come on,
we're wasting time here.  Let's get this thing going."

                   _______________________

     As we moved into orbit around Europa, I attempted to
contact the UAC mining colony.  "Europa, this is marine
transport Delta-Five-Echo-Charlie, in orbit requesting
landing vectors."  In the back of my mind I had made up some
half-assed story about emergency refueling, just in case
they asked what we were doing all the way out here.
Instead, there was simply no response at all.  "That's odd,"
I said, rechecking the communications frequency.  The
settings were correct and the equipment appeared to be
functioning properly.
     "What's up,"  Jerry asked from his seat at the nav
position.
     "Hang on,"  I said, and thumbed the transmit key again.
"This is marine transport Delta-Five-Echo-Charlie calling
Europa mining base.  We are in orbit requesting landing
vectors.  Please respond."  There was only silence.
     I looked over at Jerry, who just shrugged his
shoulders.  "Maybe their communications system is down," he
said.
     "Well, I guess we'll just have to do a manual approach
and keep our eyes peeled for any cross traffic."
     As the ship angled down toward the moon's frozen
surface, I continued to try to contact the base.  Just as
before, there was no response.  The colony lay directly
ahead, it's tall environmental domes glistening in the
starlight.
     "Looks quiet,"  Jerry observed.  "I don't see any air
or ground transports moving."
     "This is damn strange."  I tried the transmitter once
more.  "Europa base, does anyone copy."  Nothing.
     "I wonder if..."  Jerry's voice suddenly trailed off.
He was looking straight ahead, his eyes squinting as though
he were straining to see.  "Oh my God."  He pointed at the
central dome.  "Look, do you see it?"
     For a moment I didn't.  Then, towards the upper right
quadrant of the dome, I saw what had caught Jerry's eye;
there was a large gaping hole in the roof.  "Damn, I wonder
what happened."
     "I'll break out the environmental suits,"  Jerry said,
rising from his chair.
     "Right," I agreed.  "I'll set her down on the main
pad."
     He looked back at me.  "Jake, you think we should
contact UAC Control?"
     I considered for a moment.  "Not yet Jerry.  Let's get
down there and take a look around, see what's happened
first.  I don't want to start answering a bunch of awkward
questions right now, especially if this was just an accident
that's under control now.  It sure would explain why their
com system is down.  Just in case, though, you'd better
prepare full weapons and ammo packs."

                   _______________________

     As soon as the ship had touched down, I felt the
shudder and rock of the pad as the automatic lifts began
lowering us into the hangar bay.  Quickly I shut down all of
the ships flight systems, then made my way back to the
equipment room.  Jerry was already in his environmental suit
and body armor.  "Jake," he said accusingly.  "Would you
mind telling me why there is only one weapon and ammo pack
here?"
     "Damn!" I exclaimed, wincing at my own short
sightedness.  "This was supposed to be a one-man mission."
What a rookie mistake!  As a marine, I was supposed to
prepared for all contingencies.  But I had been so
determined in carrying out my plans to rescue my brother
that I didn't take into account any other possibilities.
Well, it was too late now.  "I guess we'll just have to
split them up between us."  I said and finished putting on
my suit and armor.  "Let's just hope it turns out to be
nothing."

                   _______________________

     There was the momentary hissing sound of pressure being
equalized, and then the outer hatch of the ship opened.
Cautiously, we moved out into the hangar.  It was eerily
deserted.  The air and ground transports sat in uniform rows
looking like some kind of alien insects waiting to come to
life.  There was a thick layer of frost coating their
metallic surfaces  The only sound that I could hear was the
rasping ventilators of our environmental suits.  "They've
lost life support,"  I whispered.
     "Which way do you want to go,"  Jerry's voice came back
through the receiver in my ear.
     "Let's check the main dome," I said, and headed towards
an access tube.  "I want to see what's happened there."  I
pressed the call button on the control console to summon a
travel car.  There was no confirmation message. I pressed
the button again repeatedly, but I knew that it was useless.
"Looks like it's off-line," I said.  "Guess we'll have to
use the maintenance tunnels."
     It was a long walk to the main dome.  The worst part
was that the tunnels were lit only by emergency strobes,
which sent unnerving shadows moving across the walls.  We
were tense with the anticipation of an attack.
     "I hate this," Jerry's voice hissed in my ear.  "I'd
almost rather have to fight."
     "Stay cool," I cautioned, although I was having the
same feelings.  "We're almost there."
     Almost as soon as I had said it we reached the end of
the tunnel.  There was a scary moment when the maintenance
hatch wouldn't open and we thought we were going to have to
backtrack, but with the screech of metal on metal we were
finally able to force the door open.
     "Dear God,"  Jerry exclaimed, stepping out onto the
promenade.  The lobby was littered with smashed furnishings.
Light fixtures hung by bare wires.  Several walls had
collapsed and broken glass from the ceiling sparkled all
over the floor, shimmering like forgotten diamonds under the
sterile light of the stars.  Trapped beneath the rubble
could be seen the frozen remains of a few colonists.  Most
of them had certainly been blown through the hole in the
ceiling when the dome depressurized.  "What could have done
this?"
     "Look over there,"  I directed, moving over to a fallen
support beam.  Crushed beneath it was the foul, pink carcass
of a demon.  It's solid, stubby body had been twisted and
crushed by the falling weight of the beam, but it's nature
was unmistakable.  "They've crossed through again.  Come on,
we've got to get to the teleporter room," I said, and
hurried back into the maintenance tunnel.

                   _______________________

     The hallway outside the teleporter room was littered
with dead bodies.  Some were demonic, most were human.
Through the doorway came the shrilling klaxon of the
security alarm.  With weapons raised, we rushed into the
chamber.
     Except for a few more bodies, the teleporter room was
deserted.  At the far end of the chamber, the dimensional
gate pulsated with an eerie green light.  Thin tendrils of
mist swirled around the opening.  Deep growls, demonic
screams, and inhuman gurgling sounds came through the
opening.  My blood seemed to turn to icewater.  Quickly, I
walked to the computer console and checked the activation
log.
     "Those bastards!" I screamed, and turned towards Jerry.
"They tried it again!  They were trying to open a gate
between Europa and Io!  Those sons of bitches reopened the
project Jerry!  And now they've come through again!"
Hurriedly, I removed all of my weapons except for my
sidearm.  I held them out to Jerry.
     "What?"  he looked at me blankly.
     "Take them,"  I said.  "I'm going after my brother.  As
soon as I'm through you shut down the gate.  Then it's up to
you to warn Earth.  No matter how many came through Jerry,
you've got to track them down and kill every single one of
them."
     "But Jake, you need more than just you're SIDEARM.  At
least keep your BFG!"
     "No!  I mean it Jerry!  I've got to save my brother,
but keeping those demons away from Earth is paramount.  No
matter what happens to me, you've got to succeed, and you'll
need all the weapons and ammo you can get."  He started to
object again, but I cut him off.  "Take them.  That's a
direct order!"
     He just stood there, looking at me, defiant.
     "There's no time, Jerry!"
     Finally, with obvious reluctance, he took the weaponry
from me.  "If I can, I'll send reinforcements."
     "Don't worry about me Jerry, just don't fail.  Don't
let them get to the Earth again!"  I turned and ran toward
the gate.  At the opening, I stopped and looked back.  Jerry
was in front of the console, prepared to shut the portal
down.  Our eyes locked for a moment, then he saluted me.  I
returned the salute, turned, and walked through the gate.  I
was going to find my brother, whether he was alive or dead.
And if he was still alive, heaven help whoever tried to
stand in our way.  I just prayed that Jerry would be able to
stop those that had already gotten through.
     Electrical green light danced around me momentarily,
and a disorienting sense of falling took me.  Then I was
through the gate, and no longer had time to worry about
Jerry. I suddenly had problems of my own to deal with...
