by Ralph Prince
“I don’t mind telling you,” Karen said. “We read poetry together. We talked about Earth, and other things. We sat together on the bridge and Nav-Tac showed me what Earth looks like. It’s a beautiful place; I wish I could really go there.”
“Don’t worry,” Jackie smiled. “If it’s possible, I’m sure Don will find a way of getting you there. If not, he’ll find a way of bringing it to you.”
Reciprocating the smile, Karen leaned back in the chair. For the first time since her entrance, she felt comfortable.
CHAPTER 20: Waiting Out the Storm
“Damn!” exclaimed the captain, throwing his hands up in frustration and turning away from the front view screen. “Nav-Tac, can you estimate the duration of the storm?”
“Negative, captain,” the agent replied. “It is nearly impossible to predict the actions of a natural phenomenon such as this without comprehensive data of similar prior events, or orbital sensors. I’m afraid we just don’t have enough data on this planet to make such a prediction with any degree of accuracy.”
“The storms usually don’t last long,” Karen offered from the normally vacant copilot’s seat. She sat examining the flight suit she wore; a dark blue garment bearing a “USSF” patch and the Space Force emblem on the right breast, and a patch, with her name emblazoned upon it, on the left. Except for the name patch, it matched those worn by the captain and second lieutenant. “But sometimes,” she added, “they last days.”
“Well,” said Will, watching the blowing dust on the front view screen, “we can’t go anywhere in that. If it keeps up much longer, we won’t have time to make it to Karen’s city before nightfall.”
“I’m tired of waiting,” Don said, his patience nearing its limit. “We’ve been waiting all day. Did you get all of the equipment into the air lock?” he asked Will, glancing toward Jackie’s vacant station and wondering why she hadn’t yet reported to the bridge. He hoped she wasn’t still uneasy concerning their earlier discussion. After spending nearly the entire day with her, Karen had only recently emerged from Jackie’s cabin, and had indicated she was in good spirits.
“All of the equipment you requested has been moved to the starboard airlock,” Will confirmed. “We’ll be ready to leave immediately after the storm breaks.”
“I estimate that unless the storm subsides within twenty-seven minutes, you will not have sufficient time to reach the city on foot,” Nav-Tac stated. “We could, however, fly there in a fraction of the time. The ship’s energy reserves are at near full capacity, and we should be able to navigate despite the weather, thanks to the extraordinary effort Will put forth in repairing the sensor panels.”
“No,” Don said after a moment of consideration. “I don’t want to risk frightening Karen’s people by flying in. We’ll just wait it out, no matter how long it takes.”
“Sorry I’m late,” Jackie said, rushing onto the bridge. She also wore a space force flight suit. “I was just freshening up. What’s with the hot water on the ship anyway? This is the second cold shower I’ve taken in the past two days.”
“My apologies,” Nav-Tac offered. “I was conducting maintenance on the water reclamation system.”
“Again?” Jackie asked. “That’s what you said yesterday.” She studied Nav-Tac’s holographic face as the agent stared back with a façade devoid of emotion. It seemed almost as though the image were challenging her to look away first.
“Nav-Tac,” Don said, drawing the attention of both. “Don’t do water reclamation maintenance when people are using the showers. Understood?”
“Of course, Captain Garris,” Nav-Tac replied. “As you wish.”
Jackie muttered something beneath her breath, prompting Nav-Tac’s attention to return to her. A slight smirk crossed her holographic face.
“I have decided on a name,” the agent said, taking advantage of the lull in the conversation. “I wish to be called Iva from now on. I have also completed my new interface.”
Everyone’s attention focused on the hologram, as short dark hair appeared on the image’s formerly bald head. The straight tresses were parted just off center and hung to just below her ears, with wispy bangs, accented with a hot-pink stripe, partially covering her right eye.
As though seeking their approval, Iva’s gaze shifted from Jackie, who regarded her with annoyance; to Don, whose attention was equally divided between her and Karen; to Karen, who watched in interest before resuming the inspection of her flight suit; and finally, to Will, whose jaw dropped in awe.
“Wow!” Will said, leaning closer to the emitter. “The level of detail is amazing, and the movement is extremely realistic. What did you use, a cascading algorithm?”
“Yes,” Iva responded, a hint of disappointment in her tone. “I chose short hair because it was easier to manipulate, aside from the fact that my body ends at the base of my neck. The color was chosen because it was unique among the crew.”
“I like it,” Will said. “My first nanny had short hair.”
“Why Iva?” Don asked.
“After much deliberation,” Iva explained, “I simply opted for an acronym of Intelligent Virtual Agent. It seemed logical, and I liked it.”
Nodding in approval, Don took a long final look at the view screen. “Well, there doesn’t seem to be much left to do up here; I’m going to my quarters. Let me know if there are any changes in the storm.”
“I’ll go too,” Karen said, springing from the chair and hastening to his side. The uniform hugged her curvaceous body like a second skin as she bounded across the deck. “Thank you for the suit, Jackie. I really like it a lot.”
“I never realized how tight these things are,” Don stated under his breath, feeling suddenly flushed as he averted his eyes in failed nonchalance.
“I have,” Jackie cooed, winking and smiling at the blushing captain. Her behavior and demeanor showed no hint of apprehension as she addressed Karen, “You’re welcome, Karen. If you don’t like the color, the cyber-fiber can change to pretty much any color or pattern you like. Now that I’ve shown you how to use the fabricator, you can print you own clothing if you wish.”
“Also,” Don added, “the thermal weave the flight suit is made from will maintain a relatively constant temperature. You shouldn’t have any more problems with being too cold or hot. Karen and I will be in my quarters if you need us.”
Jackie watched as the two receded down the central hallway while Will worked busily at Iva’s terminal. Although the pangs of regret were still there, they were no longer as severe. She truly wanted to be happy for Don and Karen.
“He has seemed happier these past few days,” she mused, trying to convince herself. “She really is good for him.”
“Yeah,” Will agreed half-heartedly, his focus still affixed on Iva.
“Hey,” Jackie said as the captain and Karen passed from view, “about earlier—”
“No explanation necessary,” Will said. “It’s really none of my business.”
“It’s okay,” Jackie said, meandering slowly to his left flank. “I’ve been coming clean with everyone else, and you deserve an explanation too. Besides, it seems to help to talk about it.”
“Okay,” Will said, spinning his chair to face her and giving her his full attention. “I’m all yours. To be honest, I’m rather curious about what happened in there.”
She felt suddenly naked standing before him, although it was her innermost feelings, not her body, she was about to expose. It was not something she was accustomed to doing; she usually kept her insecurities safely hidden behind a wall of humor. She would have preferred divesting herself of her clothing to what she was about to do. She drew a deep breath and braced herself for another round of emotional cleansing. Then, noting Iva’s attentive scrutiny, she balked.
“Nav-Tac, could we have some privacy?” she asked.
The agent just stared back at her and raised an eyebrow.
“Nav-Tac?” Jackie repeated, still there was no response other than a d
efiant stare.
“Iva,” Will said finally. “May we please have a few moments of privacy?”
“As you and Med-Com wish,” Iva replied as the image vanished from above the hologram emitter.
“That thing is starting to aggravate me,” Jackie fumed. “It’s like it’s trying to antagonize me.”
“Nonsense,” Will said defensively. “She’s just trying to assert her personal identity. It might help if you stopped referring to her as ‘it’, and call her by her name.”
‘It’s a machine,” Jackie protested, but the expression on Will’s face told her she wasn’t going to win this argument. He no longer saw Iva as anything less than a living being. “Whatever,” she continued. “About earlier….”
She recounted, in detail, her confrontation with the captain, and her feelings toward him. She explained that it was mutually agreed their relationship was one of friendship, nothing else. She bared her soul as he listened attentively, making no interruption, but nodding in agreement or approval at appropriate times. When she finished, he stood to face her and placed a sympathetic hand upon her shoulder.
“That must have been rough,” he said. “I was sure there was something going on between you two, but both of you denied it. I’m sorry it worked out this way. Just so you know, I appreciate the fact you confided in me; no one has ever done that before. If you ever need to talk again, I’ll be here for you.”
“Thanks, Will,” she said. “Thanks for being a friend.”
“If it’s any consolation,” he said, “I think the captain’s making a mistake. I would have chosen you over Karen.”
“How sweet,’ Jackie replied. “You’re lying to me to make me feel better.”
“No, seriously,’ Will insisted. ‘I think you’re pretty, and I like you.” He paused, carefully considering his next words. “And,” he continued, “I would like to have sex with you.”
Jackie shook her head in exasperation, shrugging his hand from her shoulder. “Does that line ever really work?” she asked. “Granted, you’re not bad looking, and it has been awhile, but I’m not rebound girl. Just because Don doesn’t want that kind of relationship, doesn’t mean I’m going to spread my legs for the first person who asks. Save it for your socialite girlfriends back home.”
“But—” Will protested.
“Excuse me,” Iva interrupted, as her image reappeared above the hologram emitter. “I have the data you requested, Will. That is, if you’re still interested.”
“Yes,” Will said, welcoming the interruption. He smiled feebly at Jackie, trying to read her expression, but failing. He took his seat and turned back toward the projected display screen.
“Still working on your game?” Jackie asked.
“No,” he answered, glancing over the screen’s contents, and shaking his head in disappointment. “Just doing a little research. You were right about the captain’s record being classified,” he said. “There’s hardly any information here at all, aside from his military background. Wow, look at all the commendations: a Medal of Honor; two Space Force Crosses; three Silver Stars; a Purple Heart with four silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters; and a Distinguished Flying Cross.”
“You’re checking up on Don?” Jackie asked, looking over his shoulder. “Why?”
“I was curious,” he explained. “How do you earn that many awards and not rise above the rank of captain?”
“Look at his disciplinary action report,” Jackie said.
“Wow,” Will said. “Six counts of insubordination; striking a superior officer, twice; eleven counts of disorderly conduct. How do you get so many disciplinary action reports and stay in the military?”
“I guess one offsets the other,” Jackie suggested. “Don commented once that captain was as high a rank as the Space Force would ever assign him, and that was contingent upon him remaining on the Nova.”
“Why does he even stay in the Space Force then? Look,” Will said, pointing as a new screen of data was displayed. “It says here he scored twenty-eight seconds on the Isao Machii test. I scored nine seconds, and am in the top ninety-six percent of everyone tested.”
“Isn’t that the test where you have to predict the location of three dimensional objects moving through space over time?” Jackie asked. “I took that at the academy.”
“Yeah,” Will replied. “It measures your predictive sensory index. It’s no wonder he’s such a great pilot with scores like that. During his time as a combat pilot, he had over four-hundred confirmed kills.”
“That’s not counting the ones he got with the Nova,” Jackie stated. “Vic was keeping track and it was over two-hundred last I knew. I personally think the control ship should have counted for more than one.”
“That’s amazing,” Will said, shaking his head in disbelief. “So, what score did you get on your test?”
“I’m not sure,” Jackie replied. “I think it was a twelve. I guessed on most of them.”
Will looked up at her incredulously.
“Relax genius,” she laughed. “I was kidding. I got a four.”
“Wow!” the junior lieutenant exclaimed. “According to this, he’s got the third highest score ever, and I’ve never heard of anyone scoring as high as he did. I wonder who … that’s peculiar.”
“What?” asked Jackie, leaning closer, and putting her hand on his shoulder for stability.
“The two people who beat him are also named Garris,” he said, momentarily distracted by the closeness of her face to his. Clearing his throat, his attention returned to the display. “There’s a Daphne Garris, and a Daniel Garris. Both are listed as having been killed in action on the same date. I wonder if they were related to the captain?”
“Don never mentioned having siblings,” Jackie pondered. “Vic told me he didn’t have any living family. Maybe they were extended family. What does his service record say?”
“Nothing. Even his birthplace and the names of his parents are classified,” Will said, shrugging his shoulders. “Why would they do that?”
“How should I know?” she asked, standing and stretching her back. “They might have been in the intelligence division or something.”
“It’s just strange,” he said. “I wonder if they classify his shoe size?”
“Thirteen, average width,” Iva said. “It isn’t classified; however, I fail to see why anyone would wish to ascertain such trivial data.”
“It was kind of a joke,” Will explained. “I was trying to be sarcastic because I don’t understand why they would classify this information on the captain. None of it has any real significance.”
“On the contrary,” the agent contended, “it has immeasurable significance. I, however, am not at liberty to disclose anything specific in that regard, as it is classified.”
“Classified?” Will echoed. “I have a Top-Secret level clearance. Are you telling me your security rating is higher than mine?”
“As a matter of fact,” Iva said, “it is. It’s sensitive compartmented information.”
“Ouch,” Jackie said. “It must hurt to know the machine you built has a higher security rating than you.”
“What division?” Will demanded, ignoring Jackie.
“I’m sorry,” Iva said. “I’m not at liberty to elaborate.”
“A clue,” Will begged, “any sort of a clue. This is going to drive me crazy if I don’t get some kind of answer.”
“If your sanity is in jeopardy,” Iva said, “perhaps this will help. It’s all the information I’m willing to give, and far more than I’m supposed to.”
The screen blanked, except for one line, which expanded to twice its normal size and lengthened with the addition of several new characters.
Will’s confusion grew as he stared at the line. It read simply: “G.A.R.R.I.S., Captain Donald Benjamin.”
“His name is an acronym,” Jackie said, her interest piqued. “It isn’t his real last name.”
“What does it mean?” Will asked, trying to me
ntally fit words into the puzzle. He pondered a number of possible meanings, but came to no conclusion.
“The captain requires your immediate presence in the air lock,” relayed Iva, breaking his concentration. “I informed him the storm has nearly subsided, and he wishes to depart as soon as possible.”
“Your mystery will have to wait,” Jackie said. “We better not keep Don waiting.”
“I will monitor your progress from here and will report anything out of the ordinary,” Iva said as the crewmembers hastened to the exit. “As you humans are fond of saying, good luck, and be careful.”
PART 2
CHAPTER 1: Stalked
The unrelenting heat of the afternoon sun was taking its toll on the three Terrans, despite the thermal equalizing fabric of their flight suits. Their goggles protected them from the brilliant light, by automatically darkening to filter out the dangerous rays. Only Karen seemed unaffected by the heat, having, through necessity, acclimated to the hostile climate. Her flight suit merely gave her a level of comfort the others hadn’t experienced since leaving the ship. The goggles, which she claimed not to need, she wore out of utter fascination of their photo-reactive properties.
As they reached the base of the rocky rim, which surrounded the crater Karen referred to as the Sands of Doom, they stopped to rest in a spot of shade.
Don’s attention turned toward the cloudless sky. “At least we’ll be traveling along the shaded side of the ridge,” he said, surveying his weary crew. “It should make it a little cooler.”
“Yes,” Karen confirmed. “Once we are out of the sun, the heat will not be so great.”
“You called it ‘the sun’,” Don observed. “That’s what we call the star Earth orbits. It’s interesting that you would call yours the same thing.”
“Are you all right, Will?” Jackie asked, drawing the captain’s attention. A pained expression marked the young lieutenant’s sweat-dappled face. “You look a little unsteady.”
“I’m okay,” Will replied, straightening his stance and wiping the sweat from his brow. “I’m just not used to this much heat. It’s hotter today than it was yesterday. I didn’t think that was possible.”
