Flower-of-Sands_The Extraordinary Adventures of a Female Astronaut

by Grahame R. Smith

  ‘You’re not telling the whole story,’ Shields lent close to the prisoner, breathing foul stench into his nostrils. (Alsop retched desperately.) ‘It’s an acid bath for you if you do not speak. Where is the planetoid?’

  ‘It’s close to the fifth outer FTL exit position. I can give you the coordinates.’

  One of the officers came forward with a tablet, which he handed to Alsop, who slowly and painfully punched in the coordinates.

  Shields lent towards the prisoner, his face contorted into a sneer. ‘Why withhold such information? Why? Is it that you were hoping to return and claim the cargo for yourself? Is this a plot that went wrong?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Speak!’

  Realizing that he was still in danger of a terrible death, Alsop began to give faltering information. ‘Okay, something happened. It was not my fault. I beg you, it was not my fault. I tried to stop it.’ Alsop began to splutter, his mouth full of blood. ‘There … there was a mutiny, of sorts … the men, not me – please believe it was not me. They insisted on releasing the cargo, and sampling it.’

  Shield was silent for a long time. When he eventually spoke, it was with unnerving precision. ‘How many?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I thought I was being clear. How many did you release from cryonic?’

  ‘All of them – eventually.’

  ‘All of them, I see. Go on, describe to me what happened next.’

  ‘I tried to stop it, I really did. But they were out of control. What followed was an orgy, in many cases violent.’ Alsop was trembling. ‘Some of the blanks died. I promise you, I tried to intervene, but the men were crazed with blood lust. And then came the attack.’

  ‘I see, you escaped, having, I presume, lost your men. Escaped, leaving the blanks to their own devices – valuable cargo abandoned. Escaped!’

  ‘I thought I would escape and get help. You have no idea, Captain Shields, how fearsome were the monsters that attacked us. Please understand. I wanted only for the best.’

  Shields spoke in a voice that parodied sympathy. ‘I understand. I understand completely.’

  He casually drew his side arm and shot Alsop in the head.

  Shields looked at his men, all of whom were frozen in silence, not daring to even entertain the idea that Shields had acted stupidly by killing Alsop before the accuracy of the coordinates had been verified. ‘They were using the merchandise. That is why Alsop was so afraid. He knew the penalty for such treachery, especially when he was being paid so well.’

  One of Shield’s men raised a hand for permission to speak. Speaking to the captain without permission was potentially punishable by death. Shields scrutinized the man, who appeared to be one of the tech guys, originally kidnapped with family held to ransom. What could such an idiot have to offer? Shields motioned contemptuously for the man to speak.

  ‘Sir, it is possible that the blanks caused the monster attack.’

  Shields looked threatening and snorted condescendingly. ‘Don’t waste my time with such frivolity. The bioengineers conditioned the blanks to complete passivity. They would never take initiative in that way.’

  ‘Under certain circumstances they might,’ the tech-guy ventured. ‘If they were afraid enough.’

  Shields touched the sidearm on his right side. ‘Are you contradicting me, young man.?’

  ‘No, sir, merely trying to help. I have heard things about the blanks.’

  One of the officers raised an arm to speak. Shields reluctantly nodded approval.

  ‘He has a point, sir. The blanks have great telepathic powers. If they were threatened enough, their fear could override their conditioning.’

  ‘You honestly think the blanks hypnotized the crew into believing that monsters were attacking the ship?’

  ‘I think that is possible, Captain, yes,’ the officer said.

  The captain looked thoughtful. ‘It’s the best explanation so far, I must admit.’ He looked down at Alsop’s prone body. ‘Clear this up. Officers, join me on the bridge. We are heading for the fifth FTL exit point.’

  ***

  Clayton lay with his arms under his head, gazing up at the ceiling which he had programmed with a sleep inducing hypno-programme; soft white clouds with undertones of pale green floated about him.

  It was not working. Sleep had come briefly, maybe for an hour, no more; he had even applied a sedative, releasing it into his system through his implant network. Its effect was minimal.

  Leesha-Ha had not joined him as she usually did. Ordering him to bed, despite her being his work subordinate, was usually a precursor to prolonged lovemaking – she would gently reprimand him for so-called misdemeanours, reversing their roles for a few hours, leading to multiple happy endings. Today it was not to be. They were all on edge; intergalactic-drives, Astral-La, and Oblique were missing. It was unprecedented, and it was all on Clayton and his team’s watch.

  A soft chime indicated an intrusion request. He plant-netted permission for entry. Leesha-Ha stepped into the room and walked towards his bed. She was smiling, but nothing more. With disappointment, he noted that she was fully dressed, her body language business like.

  ‘Sir,’ she said. ‘A message has come through. It’s heavily encrypted, but there is an introductory message stating that it is for you and your assistant’s eyes only. We can watch it together in here.’

  Naked, Clayton slid out of bed and ordered a glass of water through his plant-net. A bright glass manifested on a small table beside his bed. He sipped the water and walked into a shower. After a few minutes, he came back into the room dressed in a simple coverall. He looked relatively refreshed and alert and sat down on his bed beside Leesha-Ha.

  She tapped a band on her wrist and a life-size holo sprang into the room. The head and shoulders of a handsome, impressive Rann female appeared. The Rann female gave a short bow, smiled briefly, and began speaking.

  ‘Captain Clayton, chief astronomer and high chief of the new Salvation Primary Space Station. I am Commander Emeka of the Rann Imperial Space Navy. I have vital information for you. Please listen and do not interrupt. The message will answer questions but only after the principle content.’

  Clayton and Leesha-Ha sat in frozen amazement as Rann Commander Emeka proceeded with the main part of her message.

  ***

  Flower-of-Sands and Faithe sat at their stations on the bridge of the vast cargo ship which they now knew by the name of Wily Boy (rough translation from the semi-non-decipherable language of the previous occupants), watching the planetoid recede into the cosmos. Lift-off had been attained with little difficulty. Life support, propulsion, and navigation were running smoothly. The artificial gravity had kicked in and all indications were for a comfortable journey into the system’s interior and third planet.

  Edge and Ninthe sat at the principal control panel. Screens and holos flashed and displayed information and pictures of the outside.

  Ninthe lent back and addressed Flower-of-Sands and Faithe. ‘I have worked out a trajectory and approach to the Marleeseen planet. I have not sent out a distress call for fear of alerting the wrong people. I am also worried that the pirates might have invaded the Marleeseen planet, or at least threatened them; we could be jumping into a tricky situation. It is equally possible that the space pirates have not yet launched an attack on the Marleeseen. After all, Marleeseen space stations are highly complex affairs and might even seem daunting to the untutored eye. They might be studying Paradise from the fourth planet, which is similar in size to Paradise, but much colder with a hostile atmosphere. If this is so, our aim is to warn the Marleeseen of the presence of the pirates as soon as we can make contact.’

  ‘How long before we reach Paradise?’ Flower-of-Sands asked.

  Ninthe stretched her long, delicate neck towards Flower-of-sands and smiled. ‘Good question, Sands. Well, we are not going FTL, as our hyperspace footprint could alert the so-called space pirates and send them our way – something that
may happen anyway. We are travelling well below light speed. I would say three Liberty days.’

  Flower-of-Sands sighed inwardly. She longed to be alone with Ninthe, but Ninthe had maintained a practical and detached manner with just occasional tantalising smiles. She understood this on one level; Ninthe’s primary purpose, to keep them alive and safe, would override all else; nevertheless, despite the relief of being on a ship with full life support and escape capability, she felt left out and insecure. Did Ninthe care for her, or had she been merely responding to some incomprehensible android programming?

  ‘So, we can relax,’ Faithe said as she unstrapped herself from her station.

  ‘No, Faithe,’ Ninthe said. ‘Or rather, only up to a point.’

  Edge interrupted the conversation, all the while looking at the holo displays in front of him. ‘We need to be on the alert all the time and ready to strap down at short notice, in case we are attacked and need to out run a hostile space craft.’

  ‘We could do with a Rann escort,’ Flower-of-Sands said wistfully.

  ‘Careful what you ask for,’ Faithe teased.

  ‘Very funny, Faithe.’ Flower-of-Sands unstrapped and began walking towards a lift-platform that was the ship’s primary transport to and from the bridge. Faithe and Edge followed her.

  They showered, exercised, and showered again, each of them indulging the luxury of being on a functioning, well ordered, hi-tech ship. Each was aware that it might not last, that their temporary half-bliss was on a knife-edge. All they could do was to enjoy the moment.

  Later, Flower-of-Sands sat at a table in the canteen area munching an enormous three-part sandwich that she had created from her Earth food memories, looking across at Faithe and Edge who regarded her with thoughtful amazement. About ten blanks stood near, watching without expression.

  ‘I’m worried about the Marleeseen,’ Faithe said. ‘They have such complex, delicate habitats, and so varied, like different life forms. Their space stations are like works of art. In fact, they are works of art. Have you seen them? They are living organisms afloat in space. Their technology, if one can call it that, is like life itself. The thought of the space pirates invading them is dreadful. Let’s hope we are in time to warn them.’

  ‘Even if we are, what can we do?’ Flower-of-Sands asked.

  ‘The Marleeseen are very resourceful,’ Edge said. ‘No one knows the full extent of their capabilities. We may be worrying for no reason.’

  ‘True.’ Flower-of-Sands bit into her triple sandwich. ‘I wonder if Clayton realizes we have disappeared.’

  ‘Probably, by now, yes,’ Edge replied thoughtfully.

  ‘What will he do, if anything?’ Flower-of-Sands asked.

  ‘He will send a search party,’ Faithe said. ‘There are many possible perturbations in this little drama.’

  A group of blanks came into the café area. Except that they were not blank at all, but manifesting as children, adults, and families in coloured, holiday mode clothing. The crew were dumbfounded.

  ‘How?’ Flower-of-Sands silently mouthed.

  A blank from the group that had been watching them eat spoke. ‘They have taken images from happy memories from each of you –mostly from your childhood, but with no special desires or fixations.’

  ‘That’s a relief.’ Flower-of-Sands said wryly.

  ‘We have learned to respond to special desires only on request,’ the blank said as it too changed into a seafaring youth with golden hair and blue eyes, possibly Edge as a boy.

  Flower-of-Sands shook her head. ‘This ship, this situation, this universe, is crazy.’

  The holiday mode blanks acquired several types of food and beverages from the food delivery stations around the canteen area, simultaneously involved in animated chitchat, voices like tinkling bells echoing across the canteen. A life-size holo of a seaside resort grew around them.

  Ninthe’s voice came through the ships general intercom. ‘Crew to bridge immediately. Blanks to your quarters.’

  ‘Oh no,’ Flower-of-Sands said. ‘Something is up.’

  The threesome reluctantly began to uncurl from their various positions of relaxation and loafing.

  ‘Now!’ Ninthe’s voice rang out across the ship, alerting the blanks, causing the threesome to rush to the nearest lift-platform.

  ‘Now!’ Ninthe’s voice rang out again. ‘Emergency.’

  As they entered the bridge, the unwelcome sight of a Rann-type ruffian in holo confronted them. A fierce, untidy group of compatriots surrounded him. It was obvious that they were not in a mood for negotiation.

  Chapter 17

  ‘I am Captain Shields of the of the Militia Zohar. We are taking over your ship. We command you to cooperate and allow us to board without incident and reclaim our cargo.’

  Edge slid into his place on the control panel.

  ‘I’m afraid we cannot assist in illegal trading,’ he said. ‘The cargo, as you insist on calling them, is a group of free individuals and is protected under the Confederacy of Liberated Worlds. They need to be cared for, educated, and set free in an environment of their choosing.’

  ‘They have no rights. They are our property. Resisting our request will result in your deaths.’

  ‘These are sentient beings deserving of every protection. We cannot allow you to enter.’

  ‘We require you to comply without question,’ the captain screamed with rage. ‘What is more, we order you to place the creatures in hibernation. If you do not give proof of this within the hour, we will enter the ship, destroy you all, and take our chances with the cargo. My sponsors and I have already lost enough money over this expensive asset. Pay attention, we will destroy you rather than see you go free.’

  ‘And who are your sponsors?’ Edge’s question was out of place under the circumstances.

  The holo image of the captain and his assorted crew disappeared. Edge turned to Ninthe. ‘What happened?’

  ‘I have cut communication. They will not attack full on, at least until they have tried other methods. The so-called cargo is too valuable.’ Ninthe looked askance at Edge and then the others. ‘I too wonder who these sponsors are.’

  ‘There must be some sort of illegal trade flourishing here, undetected by our Liberated Worlds,’ Faithe said.

  Flower-of-Sands sighed. ‘Confederacy worlds boast thousands of years of peace. But there will always be factions that seek an easier route, who cannot accept peace, who want power for its own sake. It’s an old story. The Liberated Worlds Confederacy has been naïve, believing its peace to be imperishable.’

  Edge swivelled around and surveyed them with a stern eye. ‘This is not the time for moral debate. What are we to do? Ninthe, can we outrun them?’

  Ninthe drummed fingers on the control panel. ‘We could try going FTL. But that would take time and they could intercept meanwhile. The blanks could create an illusion. But the fact that the pirates asked us to put them in storage probably indicates that they are aware of that possibility. If we give in, they will kill us as soon as they enter the ship. Our only course of action, frankly, is just that – action. We must fight.’

  ‘But how?’ Faithe asked with a trembling voice.

  ‘A pre-emptive strike. Dangerous. But they will not expect it.’

  ‘Strike with what?’ Flower-of-Sands asked.

  ‘This ship has weapons. Whilst you lot were sleeping and refreshing yourselves, I was investigating the weapons systems. Someone discharged most of the weapons during the hallucinatory battle, but not all. There are three unused missiles. I took the liberty of priming them. They are ready to launch, and I have managed to cloak their presence. Shields assumes we are harmless, ineffective militarily, non-combatants. When he realizes that is not the case, it will be too late for him to do anything about it.’

  ‘That is a big hope, Ninthe,’ Flower-of-sands said.

  ‘We play innocent and then release the missiles. Is that what you are saying?’ Edge’s voice was surprisingly steady.

>   ‘That is precisely what I am saying.’ Ninthe said crisply. ‘And we must move quickly before they suspect. Surprise is of the essence. Now listen, this is the plan.’

  A few minutes later, Edge turned on communications. Shields’s form loomed before them. ‘You are playing a dangerous game,’ he said threateningly.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Edge said politely. ‘We needed to discuss how best to place the blanks in cold storage. They are hostile to the situation, but we have persuaded them to do as requested. As we speak they are making their way to the cryonic wing.’

  ‘I will need much more than your word, you Confederacy coward. I need read outs and holographic representation proving …’

  There was a silent thud and the image of Shields disappeared. The Edge crew gazed dumbfounded at a large screen hanging above the control panel that showed a brilliant white-orange explosion over the engine area of the pirate ship, expanding like a flaming balloon. Shortly, a second explosion occurred further along the pirate ship, and a few seconds later, a third.

  At the same time, Edge manoeuvred the star ship away from the pirate ship’s trajectory, effectively heading back towards the asteroid belt. He increased speed; bringing the ship close to FTL. Around them, space began to bend and fold as the ship neared the FTL threshold. The bulkhead, which had been weakened in the battle with the imaginary monsters, groaned and stretched with the strain. This is dangerous, he thought, as he tried to steer the ship away from the pirates.

  Three small craft launched from the pirate ship. They came in fast and firing small projectiles that exploded close to the hull, causing the ship’s decks to shudder and creak. Small fires broke out in the propulsion area. Edge strained to control the shuddering ship as another flurry of torpedoes exploded across the hull, the flames licking towards the bridge.

  Ninthe connected to the ship’s maintenance ensemble and activated an army of robotics, some sliding across the floor, others flying about like insects.