In Death's Shadow

by Robert C. James

  Jason pressed the panel beside the rear entry ramp and opened the interior of the ship to the elements. A wall of heat hit them instantly.

  “Jesus Christ!” Jason cursed.

  Sweat beaded down Marissa’s forehead, and she put on the ratty old brown cap Jason had found and a pair of sunglasses with a slightly broken lens.

  They walked down the ramp and stepped onto the sandy ground of the newly discovered planet. Marissa hesitated and stopped, peering down at her footprints.

  Jason noticed. “What is it?”

  “How long do you think this planet has existed?”

  He shrugged. “Millions of years.”

  “We’re the first humans to step on this world in all that time.”

  “I guess you’re right. I suppose I take it for granted with some of the places I’ve been.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not exactly used to all this.”

  Jason took her hand and waved into the distance. “There’s a lot more to see than this patch of sand. Come on, let’s go.”

  She smiled, and they began their trek. Throughout the flatness of the surrounding sands, Jason led them up a slight incline to the east.

  With the sun beating down on them, perspiration ran down Marissa’s face and soaked through her shirt. She dove into her pack and guzzled some water.

  “Go easy on that,” Jason told her. “We could be out here for a while.”

  She’d have scowled at him if it wasn’t for the fact he was right. Instead, she screwed the top on and placed it back in her bag without protest.

  “Do you think we’ll find anything out here?” she asked, a little shaky on her legs.

  “We have to.” He observed her discomfort and stopped. “Let’s sit for a while.”

  Jason led her over to a decent-sized rock, and he sat her down. Beside them was a small shrub growing from the ground.

  She picked at the dull green piece of vegetation and rubbed it between her fingers. “Has the texture of cactus just not as prickly.”

  “Probably full of water, too,” he suggested.

  Marissa put the plant back and gazed into the distance. Something flashed at the top of the hill. “Did you see that?”

  Jason shielded his sight with his hand and shook his head.

  “I could swear I saw… I’m not sure.” Marissa stood. “Like a reflection from the sun.”

  “Let’s see.”

  The arduous journey continued upward. When they reached the summit, Jason sauntered around, seeing if he could find anything that supported her claim. Then, just as he was about to give up, he stared at the ground. He waved Marissa over without saying a word.

  She joined him and peered downward.

  Footprints!

  Chapter 6

  Unknown Planet

  They were unlike any prints Jason had ever seen. They were something more akin to hooves the size of large dinner plates.

  “It has to be an animal,” he deduced. “One with four legs.”

  Marissa pointed toward the east. “Seems they’ve come this way and rounded back on themselves.”

  Jason nodded. “Are you up to continuing?”

  “Try and stop me.”

  They both guzzled some water and set off following the tracks. Their climb down the other side of the hill revealed more cactus-like vegetation, among some other bushes and shrubs. At the bottom, larger undergrowth blocked their way.

  Just as Marissa was about to push through it, Jason grabbed her by the arm and tugged her back. He shushed her, and they crouched to the ground.

  He pointed through the bush and pulled apart the sizeable leaves ever so gently so as to not make a noise. I knew I heard something…

  Three figures sat on rocks talking to each other, though Jason couldn’t make out the muffled words. They were bipeds, with bodies covered head to toe in cream-colored clothing. Behind them were four animals that were no doubt the owners of the tracks they’d followed.

  “They kind of look like a cross between a camel and a horse,” Marissa whispered.

  Jason nodded. “The real question is, why are there four of them and only three people?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  A coldness touched the back of his neck. He slowly turned and stared down the end of a gun barrel. “I may have an answer to that.”

  “Oh?” She faced him, and her eyes widened. “Oh!”

  The owner of the rifle was attired like the others. He pointed his gun at their own weapons, which they dropped to the ground, and then directed them through the shrub.

  Jason took Marissa by the hand and led her through. The three on the other side all stood and looked at each other in bewilderment as they approached.

  The gunman set them down on the largest of the rocks, and the four figures studied them.

  One shook his head. “My God, they’re human!” he said in perfect English.

  He unraveled the wrapping around his head to reveal a face just as human as their own. The red hair and blue eyes wouldn’t have been out of place anywhere in the commonwealth three hundred light-years away.

  What the hell are humans doing here?

  *

  The trip with their newfound friends on the back of the animals known as zillos, was a lot more pleasant than wading through the sand with one’s own feet. Max, the leader of the group, allowed Marissa to ride in the saddle with him, while Jason hopped on another.

  At the top of the next hill, they reached the summit which overlooked an entire valley. A river system weaved through it amongst a much greener landscape than they’d seen so far.

  The group rode down the hill and approached a settlement. Old spacecraft modules made up the bulk of the structures while more extravagant wooden constructions were dotted throughout.

  As the group trotted through the heart of town, men, women, and children stopped what they were doing and gazed their way in wonder.

  They reached the center of the township and climbed down from their zillos. Max gestured toward one of the wooden houses, and Jason and Marissa followed him inside.

  Waiting for them was a man staring out a window behind his desk admiring the view of the nearby river. He shook his head in amazement at their arrival. “Never did I dream I’d see other humans again.”

  Jason smiled. “And never in my life did I ever think I’d see the crew of the spaceship Scorpius.”

  Marissa raised an eyebrow. “The Scorpius?”

  “I had my suspicions when I saw the modules outside.” He pointed up to a small nameplate sitting on a bookshelf among a plethora of old ship components, to the side of the room. On it in bold black letters was: SCORPIUS. “But that confirmed it.”

  “So I assume you’re not a rescue party sent to find us?” the man said.

  “As far as everyone back home is concerned, the Scorpius is still on its way to the center of the galaxy.”

  “Hold on,” Marissa piped up. “Can you fill me in on all of this?”

  The man smiled and stepped out from behind his desk. “The Scorpius, my good lady, was a science vessel that left Earth over fifty years ago with the intent of studying the galactic center. With the recent development of the Mark III drive, it was to be a six thousand year round journey.”

  “Six thousand years?”

  The man nodded. “Let’s just say we were a very determined group of people. I was the ship’s executive officer.”

  “And the captain?

  “Captain Tran died.” He frowned. “My name’s Zachary Tobias. Leader of the Scorpius Colony.”

  Jason stepped forward and shook his hand. “I’m Jason Cassidy, and this is Marissa Caldwell.”

  Tobias regarded their red-headed friend. “Where did you find them, Max?”

  “A craft dropped from the sky on the opposite side of the Milky Mountains. These two tracked us back to our camp.”

  “So, your ship crash-landed?” Tobias asked.

  Jason nodded. “We were traveling past this star system when somet
hing pulled us toward the planet. We tried to break free, but whatever had hold dragged the ship down. On entering the atmosphere, we lost all power.”

  “A story not unlike ours.” Tobias frowned. “The Scorpius was on auto-pilot while we were asleep in cryo-stasis. An alert awakened the command crew to the vessel veering off course. We did everything we could to break free of the force luring us to this world, but it was all in vain. In June of 2194, we crash-landed not that far from here.”

  He walked over to the bookshelf and contemplated the many reminders of the lost ship. “That was twenty years ago.”

  Jason let the thought sink in. “And you built this settlement and survived in these harsh conditions for all that time? And without any power?”

  “We’ve done what we had to do.”

  Marissa glanced up at the bookshelf and then returned her attention to Tobias. “Have you ever discovered what brought you here?”

  “No.” The colony leader shook his head. “Our technology was obsolete, so we concentrated on developing different ways to survive. We lost many good people. But our ingenuity ensured we had the opportunity to thrive. We’re now a community. A colony of humans beyond the stars. Max was the first human born here.”

  “Are there any others back at your ship, Mister Cassidy?” Max asked.

  “Five more.”

  “If I may ask,” the younger man continued, “if you weren’t here to rescue us, what were you doing in this region of space so far from home?”

  Jason chuckled. “That’s a long story, but suffice to say, FTL technology has progressed in leaps and bounds of late.”

  “A conversation for another day,” Tobias interrupted before his suspicious junior could ask more questions. “I’m sorry to say we’ll have many more. Unfortunately, Mister Cassidy, you and the rest of your crew are stranded here with us for the rest of your lives.”

  Chapter 7

  Cargo Ship Argo

  Ouch!

  Aly threw the drive coil out of the maintenance junction, and it launched across the engine room deck, clanging into the bulkhead.

  She twisted her hand around. It was only getting sorer. She rested her head against the inside of the junction and closed her eyes. The image of her hand being cut off and the blood splattering all over the floor continued to haunt her.

  She pulled herself up and gazed across the messy workspace surrounding her. She sat atop the maintenance console and put her head in her hands, wanting to bawl her eyes out.

  But she didn’t. Maybe I have no tears left.

  Instead, Aly picked up her toolbox and rummaged for her electro-screwdriver. Or I’m just not as strong my father says.

  Aly found the tool and gripped her new hand around it. She wondered if she’d ever get used to losing a part of herself. A wave of guilt washed over her thinking about Doctor Tai. I can’t really complain.

  From beneath her, a light glowed upward. Then another. She furrowed her brow and jumped from the console. It was activating. Data scrolled down the monitors while everything else around her booted up with power.

  What in the world…?

  She placed her hands on the keypad, but before she could press in any commands, the power blinked back out. She was about to pound her fist into the console but thought better of it, not wanting to destroy Doctor Tai’s handiwork.

  “Aly.”

  She turned to her father’s voice from the hatchway. “Jason and Marissa are back,” he told her.

  Thank God…

  She followed her dad through the corridor and onto the bridge where everyone, including Kione, awaited their return. But it was the man who stood beside Jason that surprised her the most.

  “This is Max,” Jason introduced him to everyone. “He’s a representative from the Scorpius Colony.”

  Over the next thirty minutes, Max recounted the story of the spaceship Scorpius and what happened to it and its crew over the past twenty years.

  It was a somber notion that a ship full of brilliant minds hadn’t been able to figure out a solution to their situation and had no choice but to come to terms with settling on the dreary planet.

  “Mister Tobias has invited you all to Scorpius Colony,” Max said to them. “We offer you shelter, food, and community. All we ask in return is that you work for the betterment of the colony. Tonight, we’ve organized a dinner to welcome you to your new home.”

  Everyone on the bridge was silent. While Max lay in wait, Aly couldn’t help notice his preoccupation with Kione. She hardly blamed him. She remembered what it was like meeting an extraterrestrial for the first time.

  “Well,” Jason began, “I think I speak for all of us when I thank you for the offer. But we’re not ready to abandon the Argo. Not just yet. However, we accept your invitation to dinner this evening. We could all do with something to take our minds off the last few days.”

  Max filed out and left them to their own devices. When Aly got a moment alone with Jason, she led him to the engine room and explained what she’d seen before he’d returned.

  Jason ran his hands over the console. “And you’re sure?”

  “You believe I hallucinated it or something? I’m not the idiot that went out in that heat. There’s no mirages in here.”

  Jason smirked. “What do you think caused it? If there’s an EM field, how can the power wink on and off?”

  “No idea.”

  It didn’t seem to be the answer Jason wanted to hear. “If it happens again, let me know.”

  *

  Scorpius Colony

  “The first few summers were the hardest.”

  Marissa strolled through the farming area on the outskirts of the colony, entranced at the color among the sands, while Tobias recounted the history of their settlement.

  “We developed an irrigation system along the river, turning a dry patch of land into a blooming oasis. With the seeds we carried with us from Earth and a lot of hard work, this was the result.”

  She stopped and kneeled next to a little girl who was helping her mother pull vegetables from the ground. “You’ve done an amazing job here. It’s as if you’ve carved out your own Eden.”

  Tobias smiled. “We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

  “What do you do for meat?”

  “Many of the people born here are vegetarians. However, us older ones accustomed to red meat back home, feast on zillo.”

  Marissa stood in shock. “You eat your horses?”

  Tobias escorted her to the center of the colony. “Please don’t think ill of us, but the zillo is the only animal we’ve come across on this world. They breed in large numbers and are a brilliant source of protein. By the time us old fossils die off, I’m sure our children will let the beasts roam free again.”

  “I suppose I can’t blame you. I was never one to pass up a well-cooked steak.” She walked up to the largest of the hand-built structures at the town center and circled it. It reminded her of something from an old African safari film with a porch all the way around it.

  She placed her hand on a wooden beam. It was rough but soft at the same time. “An unusual texture.”

  “It’s from a tree called a boki. It weathers anything the sun throws at it. This was the first building we put together when we arrived. It acts as our community hall and communal eating facility.”

  “Stunning.” Marissa’s vision blurred, and she grabbed hold of the beam to stop herself from falling.

  “Are you okay?” Tobias asked, putting a hand on her arm.

  She rubbed her face. “Just a bit lightheaded. The heat’s getting to me, I guess.” She refocused and looked past the community hall toward the river. “What’s down there?”

  “Uh…”

  She didn’t give him a chance to answer and strolled off down the hill and around another building. Scattered across the field in rows were dozens of white pickets sticking up from the ground.

  Tobias caught up to her and waved his hand over the solemn scene. “These ar
e where our dead lay. We lost several during our landing and many more in the following years as we tried to acclimate to this land.”

  He ambled over to one grave in particular. “We recovered Captain Tran’s body from the wreckage in several pieces.” He frowned. “Everyone lost someone. Friends, colleagues, husbands and wives. While it’s not traditional anymore on Earth to bury the dead, we did it as a reminder of what we’re fighting for and who we lost along the way.”

  There was a passion in his voice Marissa was hearing for the first time. “I’m sorry, Mister Tobias.”

  He gestured back up the hill. “Come. Let’s visit the kitchen and see how this evening’s meal is coming along.”

  Chapter 8

  The atmosphere was vibrant. Everyone was friendly. And the laughter of young children filled the community hall with the sound of delight.

  On Jason’s plate, the vegetables were green and the meat moist. He picked up his fork and dug in. It was fresh. Fresher than anything he’d eaten in a long time. To think they achieved this on such a lifeless world.

  He stared across at his crew mingling amongst their hosts. Everyone except Aly made the trek with Max on borrowed zillos. They were a stubborn animal but one that became easier to ride once you were used to their quirky personalities. Though with the way Kevin struggled, Jason wondered whether the ace pilot had met his match.

  He wished Aly had come but understood she had plenty of work to do. He knew how miserable she’d be leaving the damaged ship behind regardless.

  “How are you finding the food?” Marissa sat beside him while he chewed the delicate meat.

  He noticed a distinct lack of it on her own plate. Vegetables were piled up on it instead. “Why?” he asked curiously.

  “It’s a zillo.”

  He picked up the closest napkin and deposited the half-chewed animal flesh in it. “That’s disgusting!”

  Marissa laughed, and Jason caught Tobias out of the corner of his eye chatting with some other colonists.