the Runner
Page 30
CHAPTER 8
Earth Approach
"Master Kevn?"
"Yes, LIZ."
"The optimal trajectory is such that the maximum distortion induced by the presence of the Earth-sun will exceed K-47 design specifications by 37%. I am afraid that -"
"We'll take it," said Kevn without hesitation.
"But master Kevn, there is documented evidence to suggest that 37% overstress will most certainly -"
"LIZ, I understand. However I have faith in this old girl," said Kevn patting the side of the console. "When do you anticipate this last subspace entry?" He watched the lights flash violently on the console.
"Master Kevn ... we will exit subspace in twelve days, thirty million kilometers from the Earth-sun. We will proceed to ten million kilometers from the Earth-sun and reenter subspace. That is when the near-gravitational field distortions will exceed the design capacity of K-47 by -"
"That's okay LIZ. Then what?"
"We proceed in subspace to the far side of the Earth-moon, leaving subspace at a distance of four hundred thousand kilometers from the moon surface. At that point we will be hidden from Earth. The distortions will be within acceptable limits." The shipcomp paused. "Master Kevn, I feel compelled to suggest -"
"LIZ, sweetheart, I understand your concern - but I have an idea. Just before the subspace entry where the distortions are largest, ten million kilometers from the Earth-sun, we will jettison the landing shuttle and ground-car and all other interior furnishings of K-47. This reduction in mass will also reduce the gravitational distortions. It should be enough ... I'm pretty sure that we can survive the reduced distortions."
Lights flashed on the console. Kevn knew that the shipcomp was calculating. He waited, smiling.
"Master Kevn, the distortions will indeed be reduced. However the maximum stress will still exceed design capacity by 21%. That seems an unacceptable risk."
"We'll take it," said Kevn. "Please adopt that trajectory."
"Kevn," said Sal. "I agree with LIZ. It really is an unacceptable risk. In fact I suspect that any subspace entry within the solar system will result in unacceptable gravitational stresses."
"Why do we have to go ... uh, near the sun anyway," said Gry. "Why can't we just enter subspace far from the sun and come out near the moon?"
"Master Sal is correct," said LIZ. "Any subspace entry within the orbit of Pluto will result in unacceptable stress."
"Pluto?" said Gry.
"The outermost planet in the solar system," said Sal.
"I still think -" began Kevn
"Master Kevn?" asked LIZ.
"Yes LIZ, what is it?" asked Kevn impatiently.
"Can we vote on this issue?" said LIZ, her voice lilting more than usual.
"Good idea!" said Sal with a wide grin. "I vote that we avoid a subspace entry within the solar system."
"I vote that way too," said Gry.
Kevn leaned back in his chair and grinned.
"Listen ... I'm the master of this vessel. I get two votes and I also get to decide in case of a tie. In this case I cast my two votes in favor of a subspace entry - and since that produces a tie vote, guess what?"
Sal frowned and Gry grunted.
"Master Kevn?"
"What is it LIZ?" said Kevn, still grinning.
"Master Kevn, I vote to avoid a subspace entry."
Gry jumped up. "Ha! There you are, master of this vessel!"
"Wait a minute, a shipcomp can't vote. She's - she's -" stuttered Kevn.
"Kevn," said Sal with a chuckle, "if LIZ can testify in a trial, Kriss' trial, then she can surely vote."
"I agree!" cried Gry. "Shall we vote on that too, master of this vessel?"
Kevn slid down into his chair. "Okay! Okay! I'm outnumbered ... we won't risk a subspace entry. Now, wise guys, you figure out how we get to the moon's far side. LIZ, you got us into this mess ... the problem is yours."
Kevn rose and stalked out of the command room. Sal looked at Gry. Gry shrugged.
"Master Sal," asked LIZ. "Do you think that master Kevn is mad?"
"Not mad LIZ, angry ... but only temporarily. Now, what do you suggest LIZ? Can you work on that problem?"
"Yes, master Sal."
"Gry? Can I invite you to the galley for a bowl of greenstew?" said Sal.
"What! We have greenstew on board?" Gry cried, with delight.
"Well, there's a concentrate labelled 'greenstew burgers'. Let's try it."
"That's not greenstew," grumbled Gry. "I designed that concentrate, it's junkfood, for kids."
______________________________________________________
UNKNOWN DIRECTIVE - PLEASE REWORD
TOM leaned over Mayor Humple who was sitting at the keyboard.
"I see that you do not understand the command structure of this vessel," TOM said. The android lifted Humple from the chair and walked him back to the storage room, locking the door. When he returned to the control room Runr was sleeping on the floor, shaking.
The crystals towered above him, shimmering, flashing. Runr looked at the long corridor between the rows of crystal and saw the bright sphere. The crystals collapsed and turned black as the sphere passed. Runr covered his eyes - it was too bright. He opened his eyes, squinted, ran forward and the glowing sphere grew hotter. It was the sun of C-phon3. Runr laughed. Then he saw the small green ball circling the bright sphere. C-phon3. He continued to run toward the light. Around the green ball revolved a tiny white dot. It was not C-phon3. He tried to stop but his feet continued to carry him forward. He screamed as the large glowing sphere grew hotter, hotter. Then he saw the shadow beyond the sphere. It was the beast of C-phon3. Runr shouted, laughed. The beast took the glowing sun in its jaws. Runr jumped and shouted with joy. The beast began to glow, turning from black to a luminous white, slowly forming into a spherical ball. Runr cried with pain. The heat was too intense. About the beast-sized sun the green planet suddenly appeared, then the small moon revolving about the planet. The boy turned to run but could not. The sun was too close - it was too hot. Runr looked at his hands. They were turning into luminous globes, hot and white. He screamed.
"Runr?" said TOM. "Are you having a dream, a nightmare?" The android pulled the boy to his feet. Runr awoke and stopped screaming, staring at TOM.
"TOM," he said in a whisper. "We are moving toward a sun, a planet - it is not Home." The boy began to whimper.
"Young man," said TOM. "We are headed for Home planet. Come and I will verify that the vectors have been set for Home."
Runr stopped crying and watched TOM sit at the keyboard.
verify vectors
VERIFY VECTORS ... ONE MOMENT PLEASE
VECTORS SET TO HOME PLANET/WAISER-SECTOR
"See, Runr?" said TOM. "There is no need to worry about heading for another sun. We are heading for the binary suns of Home."
Runr stared at the text on the monitor.
"TOM? If the vectors are set does that mean we are going Home?"
"Certainly my boy. You see, a vector has a direction and you have seen that the direction of the vector is pointing to Home planet. This ship computer has just confirmed this."
"TOM? What is a vector?"
"Well, there are many type of vectors my boy. In this case the vector is a velocity vector - it gives the direction in which this vessel is travelling through space and this direction is clearly toward -"
"TOM? Did the ship computer say it was the velocity vector that was set? Is there a chance, maybe, another vector was set and ... "
The android wasn't listening. He turned on the screen and studied the image of the black void which was displayed. In the center of the screen was a glowing sun. It was approaching rapidly.
"Great Mother Earth!" cried TOM. "That is not a binary star system. We are approaching a star - an unknown star." He typed on the keyboard:
identify star on viewscreen
SOL ... SUN OF PLANET EARTH
<
br /> "Great Mother Earth!" cried TOM rising to his feet.
"TOM? Why do you say Great Mother Earth ? Is it not true that Earth is polluted and - "
"Sonny, this is no time to discuss the contradictions inherent in humanoid phraseology. We must not land on Earth!"
______________________________________________________
The four sat silently at the table eating algae burgers. Captain Cruder was the first to speak.
"If thou dost really wish to land on earth with this ship, then we will be glad to assist thee. We fully understand thy lack of trust, but we assure thee that -"
"Captain Cruder," said Kevn slowly, "what kind of greeting could we expect from Earthlings if we just landed, just plopped right down beside a city? Wouldn't they assume we were unfriendly or do they always let alien vessels land, unharmed, unchallenged? How close would we get to Earth before they simply fired defensive weapons?"
"They will not if we were able to speak with them first. Our name is well known in many sectors."
"You mean," said Gry, "that you'd say ... uh, this is Captain Cruder and they would believe you, and let us land safely?"
"Yes Gry, that is what we mean."
"Well," said Sal, "we have few alternatives. I vote we try it."
"Wait a minute. No more voting," said Kevn. "Besides we still don't know how to find TOM. That's what we're here for, isn't it?"
"Captain Kevn," said Cruder, "Mayor Humple has thy android. We will show, to the earth authorities, that he is an evil man. We will describe his attempt to take our life. Then we may enlist the aid of the authorities to recover thy android."
"Sounds reasonable, Kevn," said Sal. "Besides, as I said, we haven't had much success in coming up with alternatives."
They watched Kevn as he scratched his chin, frowning.
"Master Kevn?" said the shipcomp.
"Yes LIZ, what do you want now?" muttered Kevn.
"There is a space ship ahead. It just exited subspace."
"Let's go to the command room," said Kevn. "LIZ, put it on the televiewer."
When they reached the room the screen displayed a sky full of stars. Midscreen was a small white image. "Magnification," said Kevn. The image enlarged. It was clearly a vessel, disklike, with rotating periphery.
"The Andromeda!" cried Captain Cruder.
"LIZ! Prepare lasercannon, and put me in voice communication with that vessel!"
"Done, master Kevn."
Kevn leaned forward and spoke loudly: "Andromeda! This is Kevn, master of the transworld vessel K-47 from Home planet! We request that you stop immediately to allow us to send a boarding shuttle - else we will be forced to fire our lasercannon!"
There was a static chatter, then silence, then they heard a voice:
"Let's see ... this must clearly be the voice communication device - an obsolete audio-activated capacitor microphone. Hello? Hello?"
Kevn looked at Gry. "That sounds like ... uh, it can't be ... can it?"
"TOM? Is that you?" asked Kevn.
"Master Kevn! How good to hear your voice. May we offer you some brandy?"
Gry jumped and laughed. Sal collapsed in a chair and rolled his eyes.
"TOM ... how did you - where is - uh, -" stuttered Kevn.
"Never mind that," said Sal. "Let's get him back here and head for Home. We're already too close to Earth."
"TOM! Stop your vessel. We'll send a shuttle. Open your shuttle bay, we'll bring you back to K-47. Captain Cruder is with us. He will take over Andromeda and continue to Earth. Then, we'll head Home!"
"Master Kevn," said TOM, "there is one small problem." There was a pause. TOM continued.
"I do not understand the command structure of this vessel. I will not be able to stop it, or to open the shuttle bay. I am afraid that the command language syntax is at variance with the syntax described in the ship manual. After considerable -"
"Captain?" said Kevn, turning to Cruder. "You can help; tell TOM what to do."
Jacob Cruder leaned forward, looking for the microphone.
"You just talk, Captain," said Gry. "LIZ will look after the rest."
Kevn, Sal and Gry left to prepare the shuttle.
"TOM," said Jacob Cruder, speaking into the air and hoping that he was being heard. "There is a keyboard. You must type the commands at this keyboard. Dost thou see the keyboard?"
"Yes, Captain. I have attempted to communicate via this keyboard but -"
"Mr. Android, it is our ship. We have modified its command structure to suit our needs. Now, type what we say."
"Please proceed, Captain Cruder," said TOM.