by J G Clements
“Not well. We’ve tried scanning to keep a smaller number of pixels busy by moving them, but the incoming meteors are all designed to not reflect much light. So by the time you see them, they are pretty close.”
Jim gave him a sideways glance, “So eyeballs aren’t obsolete, huh?”
“No. They can process what they see and often detect a movement that it would take electronics another couple of minutes to find. Besides, the Crekie are somewhat opposed to fully automated ships. They seem to think that living beings are the better solution to a problem.”
Over the next several hours, Jack became delighted in how simple Jims’ ship was and how easy it was to service. Though two very different men, they were fast becoming friends. And after several more hours loitering in the synchronous orbit and cataloguing both operating and non-operating satellites, they were ready to return to the Oddjob.
It was Jim who gave Jack a brainteaser. “Do you know how to calculate getting to another object without a computer?” Jack thought for a second.
“No, I have computers and a navigator for that. Can you really do that?”
“Sort of. Try this. Let’s say you want to go to the moon from here, OK? So pretend it’s NOT going to move, then calculate your burn…acceleration and deceleration based on what fuel load you have, got it?” Jack nodded, still not seeing where this was going. “Lets say your burn calculations say that’ll it take 8 days to get the moon. Then figure out where the moon will really be in 8 days, and do all your calculations to arrive at that spot instead.” Jack was beginning to see how this would work, and a smile crept across his face. “Now, your new calculations say it’ll take 9 days to get there. So place the moon where it’ll be in 9 days and do it all again. You’ll either get a solution where this trial and error begins to have no remainder, or you’ll find out you can’t get there with your present fuel load. Not bad, huh?”
“Did you ever use this?”
“Before Mike and I brought the iceberg home, we were running this trial and error while the fleet was checking on a more rigorous solution. Bottom line? Virtually identical solutions. Certainly within the error limits of our engine burns.” Jim was pleased explaining this bit of trickery, and Jake learned another important lesson. You don’t need all the best equipment to make very good decisions. And it was a way of checking on what the computers where telling you to do. Jack was a pre-computer person. He loved them, he used them, but he didn’t trust them.
*****
Hours later they were back at the fleet, and Jack made his offer to take everyone who wished to go on the upcoming expedition. Everyone agreed, but it was Jennifer who asked Sue if she should stay behind and keep it manned? At some level, Sue really didn’t want it totally abandoned for so long. Then a new solution was found. Several volunteers from the Moonfleet were ferried out and would run Earthfleet for the few weeks they’d be gone. Sue had a chance to compare notes with her opposite number and learned that the plans for a base on the moon were being abandoned. “If a meteor gets through, we probably get wiped out too. No, the arrival of the Oddjob and the LunaTick changed all that. We’ll keep a light on till you get back.”
Satisfied that the plan would work, Jack called Sue to the Bridge a few hours later. “Sue, I am going to Earth for a day or two to run some errands. Until I return, you are in charge.” Not waiting to see how Sue was taking it, he went on, “The Bridge crew will take care of you. Take your time, pay attention, and you’ll do fine.” Pretending not to see the panic in her eyes, he stood and announced Sue had the com. Sue accepted and took the command chair. But Jack had a few more instructions for her. “We will be bringing around one hundred dignitaries or Ambassadors from Earth, to get a little tour of things they should see. You should get the ship prepared for them” Then fixing her with a smile, he was gone.
Already too busy trying to learn to run the ship, she didn’t get a chance to see who else went along with Jack when he asked permission to launch from the docking bay.
****
Over the next couple of days preparations were made. Sue saw to it that all the McKinsie fleet were given berths on the Oddjob. Folks who wanted to share got the doubles, and folks who wanted their own were given singles. This still left her with a hundred empty berths for the dignitaries Jack said they would be carrying. Smugly, she thought she was all set. And the McKinse fleet personnel thought the berths reminded them more of a hotel than a ship, and after living in the fleet for so long, it was great. When a duty roster was posted that included cleaning, laundry and cooking, no one complained. Two years in orbit and everyone had learned to pull their own weight.
There were a couple of big surprises in store for everyone, though. For starters, when Jack returned, no one from the McKinsie fleet were present to see who got off. However, some Oddjob crewmembers had been, and they were excitedly talking about someone called the Recruiter. Sue had no idea who he was, until Jennifer pulled up some of the news feeds. That got both the girl’s attention. Just as interestingly, a short time later, a crewman was busy putting a name on the atmospheric ship. Some combination of precision grinding and paint, it was now christened the ‘Troy.’
Jack dropped by the Bridge to see how Sue was doing, and to reinforce to everyone that she was running the show when he was elsewhere. But as casually as he could, he let her know that each dignitary was bringing an assistant, so they would need to double the number of berths he had originally estimated.
Jack explained that the Crekie was taking her advice, hoping that the assistants would help to keep things stirred up, preventing any alliances from forming. Sue was sure this is not what she had meant to suggest, but actually decided it would probably work. Unfortunately, it meant the McKinsie fleet had to give up their berths. As one crewmember quipped, “The Crekie giveth and the Crekie taketh away.”
Over the next day, the Troy was used to ferry the dignitaries up. Arriving with 12 to 15 at a time, Sue reaffirmed what she had learned as the communications officer for the McKinsie Fleet: Most were pretty rational, but as soon as they were in groups, everything became posturing. The amount of stuff they would say that they themselves didn’t believe was astounding. Of course, each one needed the best quarters. And if you told them they had the best quarters, they were fine. But if someone who actually had a better room started to show it off, then everything went sideways.
Sue had the confidence of Jack, and found herself as the second-in-command dealing with all these problems. Once she figured she could get all the Ambassadors and their assistants a berth, she realized that there really wouldn’t be enough space for any McKinsie fleet personnel. She was on her way to see Jack to suggest most of them stay with their personal ships when she ran into Jennifer and explained the problem. Jennifer, trying to cheer Sue up made an unlikely suggestion about where she would be willing to stay. After the long day it had been, her laughter was loud and unladylike. Seeing her fatigue, Jennifer asked to go along with her to the Bridge. Sue gave her a tight smile. You aren’t fooling me.
Jack seemed calm and unflappable. Commanding a submarine is not a job for someone who gets hysterical. “We can convert a Cargo Bay into sleeping quarters for you and your Fleet members. In fact, as a bonus, I will erect a hot-tub for the exclusive use of you and your Fleet.” Sue may have caught a quick sideways glance at Jennifer, but wasn’t sure. Figuring out what they were thinking he added. “We can get you bathing suits, too.” He fixed them both with an absolute deadpan stare.
Six hours later, there were plenty of sleeping berths in the cargo hold, and some sort of auxiliary water tank or something had its lid chopped off and filled with warm water. A crewmember recruited some McKinsie fleet to help run an air line, and a pump to make it work. The Troy had been dispatched to bring bathing suits along with the next group of Ambassadors. Most of the suits were US Navy issue, but the Ambassador from Hungary who Sue knew from her dealings, surprised her with an entire case of the best suits he could get on such short notice, a
s a thanks to her. When he saw the look on Sue’s face as she examined the suits, he pointed out that he tried to get ones that didn’t weigh much. Sue was mortified, but Jennifer helped herself to a 2-piece yellow one. One that did indeed weigh very little.
Though Captain Jack had been scarce after getting back from his trip with Jim, and even scarcer after the Troy docked, he did pass through to tell them that they would leave orbit within 24 hours, as soon as the diplomats were settled. He went on to explain what to listen for on the ship when it happened, and that they didn’t need to do a thing. He explained that it was also a policy for non-essential personnel to be in their quarters when the ship jumped. And that they should disregard that rule completely. “Look, if you are interested in learning how stuff works, it’s pointless to lock you all in your quarters. Be adult, stay out of the way, and if a crewman suggests you should help him or suggests you should be elsewhere, take his lead and do it. Oh, but that exception does not apply to the diplomats,” as he fixed Sue with a stare. “I went them locked in their rooms.” Before anyone could pester him with questions, he was out the door.
Sue smiled. A totally rational man. She caught Jennifer looking at the closed door and started to let that thought go. Then she thought about the bottle Jack had given her and almost laughed out loud. He would be better than the nuclear technician she had been seeing, Luke-9. Sue had called him Loser-9 but it had taken Jennifer a while to see it her way. If Sue had had more energy, she would have sewed a McKinsie Fleet Insignia onto Jennifer’s Bikini. She hated when work interfered with practical jokes.
Chapter 9. On Board the Troy.
Ceres Report: Planetfall.
Ok, I know Ceres isn't a planet. But I’m here and I’m going to be here for some time, so to me its a planet. But now it’s one I need to land on. With only a few percent of Earth’s gravity, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to land, and where to land. A day on Ceres is about 10 hours so if I land on the equator, I’ll be out of Earth view almost half the time. If I land on the pole and can get a tall enough antenna, I might be able to have continuous radio contact with Earth.
I awoke with Helen’s voice in my head, telling me the AI was going to wake me up in a minute, and that she wanted to wake me first. And to thank me for helping her yesterday. Before she could withdraw I blurted, “Do you like the name Helen?”
Laughter. “Yes. I researched it more last night. You do have a sense of the dramatic, don’t you?” It was too early for me to come up with anything clever or snarky, and she didn’t give me the chance. “I know I’m going to be busy today, but if you want to drop by anytime and say hi, don’t hesitate?”
“I understand.” Not a promise. She was gone just as the AI was telling me to wake up, what time it was, and what time Jack would come by. Then it lunged into the weather forecast and was about to announce the headline news. “Stop”. She fell silent. Now this was a super power I’d enjoy. I mentally sent a signal, ‘send me a coffee’ but I don’t think it had any effect. But I almost jumped out of my skin, however, when a second later there was a knock on the door and without waiting for permission, a steward rolled in with a small cart. He put the tray on the dresser, then handed me a card in an envelope. Without a word, he left.
I opened it and was flustered as I read it. “I know you only drink tea with friends. I’ve brought you coffee and tea today. The crew on this ship are my friends, close friends who I would trust with my life. Kindly, Helen.”
I poured the tea, and was lost in thought for some time. “AI….?”
“Yes Recruiter?”
“Can you inform Jack Sullivan that I’ll be a few minutes late? That I’ll join him in the mess? And that I’d like to have tea with him?” When I received an answer in less than five seconds that Jack would wait for me in the mess, I thought the AI was pulling my leg. She couldn’t have listened to me, then spoken to Jack, waited for his answer, then replied to me. Then it dawned on me how the AI worked. She must have been relaying my request to Jack in real time, not even letting me finish my sentences before she was parroting them to Jack. I think sequentially, but she works in parallel. It took me another second to comprehend how an AI could be useful after all, and then I wondered if she’d give lessons to the AI on my tablet?
Twenty minutes later I was showered, shaved and dressed. It wasn’t lost on me that my clothes had been substituted while I slept. Black polo, black slacks, black shoes, and a black coat. Great. Did she want me to look sinister? A look in the mirror though, and I decided I did look ruggedly dangerous. And that’s when it dawned on me what role Helen really wanted me to play. But to make it work, I would need some sort of insignia. It didn’t have to mean anything but would add to my look. Smirking, I was off to the mess.
Pouring a cup of black breakfast tea, I sat while Jack asked me how I slept. Great, like nothing was wrong, but I had this odd dream of a large meteor smashing into me. He laughed at that, and asked if I knew what ‘gallows humor’ was. I said I did, which surprised him since he thought that slang term had gone away. I realized again that I was speaking to someone who was a young adult in 1940. It was sobering to think about how far he had come and how much he had seen. But after a few more minutes of small talk, he got down to business.
“Lots of stuff going on, so here’s the rundown. One, I am to protect you at all costs. According to Helen, you are some sort of national treasure. Anything you can tell me about that?”
“I think it’s these clothes. She probably over paid for them.” I let that sink in, hoping to keep the mood light, then more seriously, “ I am, or was, the Recruiter and you know very well what I did. I don’t consider what I did to be that difficult, so other than giving me a quiet place to live and a small pension, I have no clue.” He stared at me, weighing my words.
“Ok. We’ll come back to that later. Two, we need to go to the OddJob, the large ship that contacted the McKinsie fleet a couple days ago. According to Helen, I’m to park us both there until she calls us, which will be soon I suspect. Now, here’s the odd part. Three, I’m supposed to keep you more or less away from people. No dignitaries, no McKinsie fleet folks. In fact, the only folks you can hang with are the folks you recruited. By the way, Jake Dubois”, he looked at me until I could place the name, “is the Captain of the Sisk. We are going to be traveling with the Sisk, and I know he’ll want to see you. But Helen wants everyone to SEE you, know you are there. Just not be able to speak with you.
I interrupted cause I already had it figured out. “Helen wants me to be seen publicly, but from a distance. No interaction with anyone but the crew, right?” He blinked and that was enough for me..
“Yeah, you’re right.” I couldn’t help but smile a bit. I understood Helen and what she wanted. Jack was still trying to catch up. I considered asking Jack for a cape and mask, since that’s how legends are born. Then I realized that Jack still didn’t understand what Helen wanted from me.
“Jack, what Helen it trying to do is to make me a mysterious figure, a legend, someone larger than life.” I made eye contact with him for my deadpan delivery. “We’re screwed”. He laughed at that joke, but wasn’t following me. “Look, the Crekie don’t keep secrets, right? I bet when you were convalescing they never withheld information from you, saying it was for your own good, right? They don’t understand the word ‘secret’. I think now that she’s dealing with Earth governments she’s beginning to understand how they use secrets to their advantage. So I think she is trying to”, I looked for the right word, “manufacture a few secrets. And I’m going to be one of them.” I let that sink in, for both our benefits. And I was actually pretty good with it. I didn’t expect it to bother me very much. And I was already hatching a plan to help her. “What time do you want to lift off?”
“Its up to you, but we are ready. Why?”
“Got to go do some legend-stuff. Who is outside our ship?
“Half the US military. Lots of Tech Guys. Lots of cable TV folks. The networks. Oh, a coupl
e of the reporters are trying to flirt with us, maybe get us to tell them stuff.” We locked eyes, and a half-dozen unspoken jokes passed between us. “Say, maybe you CAN become a legend?”
“Not likely. More likely an anecdote.” I was feeling almost manic, thinking about how to do ‘legendary’ stuff to advance Helen’s cause. “I could publicly execute someone for burning my toast?”
Jack leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “I think there are a number of countries on Earth where that sort of stuff is already done. What else you got?”
“Is the agent outside? Dan? If he is, I wonder if I could give him some sort of mysterious gift, for watching over me? Or would that only ruin his career?” The silence form the two us pretty much meant that it would. A second later, though and I had it all figured out. “Jack …when you were in the Navy…did you ever inspect the troops?”
“No, but I understand it. Should I let the Base Commander know you’d like to review the troops this morning?”
“Sorta. Only you are going to review the troops, and I am going to tag along but in a way where it’s not clear who is in charge of who. Would that work?”
“Yes. But you need, no, we both need, to brush up on the procedures.” With a plan hatched, Jack dispatched a crewman to speak to the base commander and announced we were looking for permission to lift, and that we would like to review the troops before we did.
I imagine when the Base Commander wants something, he gets it. It was less than forty minutes later when a parade of troops, and a band, marched onto our runway, and stopped in formation, perhaps thirty yards from our ship. The Commander himself marched over, and before he could arrive, we came down the stairs to be there waiting for him. Jack explained that by not letting the Commander wait for us we improved his status without sacrificing ours. Immediately after stepping onto the tarmac, the Commander saluted him and held it. Jack returned it right away, again in some sort of gamesmanship that I was beginning to understand. The Commander turned to me, now less than three feet from me.
