To Touch the Stars (Founding of the Federation Book 2)

by Chris Hechtl

  While in transit Wally and Anita formalized their bond. They had the captain marry them in a ceremony in the rec room. The ceremony was attended by those who could while broadcasted throughout the ship's video network as well as recorded for those on duty who would miss it.

  So was the reception. Cookie managed to make a small cake. Keeping with tradition, the mischievous Anita took her small piece and rammed it into her new husband's mouth. “She practically got it up my nose!” he complained, wiping at his face as people whistled, clapped, and laughed.

  When it was his turn, she shirked away. He grinned at her with feral intent. “Don't waste it!” Cookie scolded. “That's all I've got!”

  “You know what, I won't,” Wally said, moving to eat it himself. His newlywed wife flung herself at him, intercepting it. They kissed as they both bit, giggling as they horse played. She even caught his hands to lick them clean. That got some wolf whistles as Wally blushed.

  “No Viagra needed here,” Doctor McDaniel ribbed him.

  “Nope,” Anita said, stroking her lover's cheek lovingly, then dropping her hand down past his chest until he intercepted it. “What? Just checking,” she teased wickedly.

  “Save it for later, dear,” he growled.

  “More blushing groom then bride,” the captain teased Wally. Wally snorted softly. “You two have my sincerest congratulations. But I want professionalism on duty!” he warned.

  “Aye aye, sir,” both newlyweds said in unison.

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  From HD 52089AB Icarus caught the bridge there south to HD 81188 B inside the Patais 8 nebula. Again they were forced to drop out of the bridge in order to make additional repairs and refuel. “The old girl has definitely seen better days,” Chief Roak said, shaking her head.

  Isley hit on the idea of sacrificing some of the cleaner robots to rebuild some of the power room bots as well as some minor systems. The remaining cleaning bots would have to work twice as hard, but they had people to back them up. An electrical fire caught the drive watch crew off guard. Fortunately it was contained immediately by Nike and the compartment vented.

  When they reentered hyperspace, they searched until they found another hyperbridge. It was clear the star was a junction or strut, the bridge extended in either direction, north and south. Fortunately it was going south in the direction they needed to go.

  They hitched a ride in the right direction and exited less than two weeks later. “Captain, that's it,” the chief said during the following meeting. “The old girl has had it. We can't handle another bridge transit,” she said, shaking her head.

  “We won't have to,” Wally said with a grin. The others looked at him in anticipation. “We're in Porcyon folks,” he said triumphantly. The skipper and XO sat up straight, eyes blazing. “That's right,” the navigator said, nodding excitedly. “We've exited 11.46 light years from home.”

  “Now we just have to get there,” Chief Heart said.

  “Good news then,” the skipper said with a nod. He put the news out on the PA system immediately, as well as the ship's net news for those who were asleep to read later. The crew was exhausted but ecstatic.

  “Now that's what I'm talking about!” the XO said, grinning.

  They still had to refuel and then set into the nineteen week journey for home. It took a week, but when they were finished the chief engineer reported they were as ready as they would ever be.

  The captain surveyed the bridge crew and then nodded to himself. They were ready. There was one last thing to do before they jumped however. His thumb stabbed down on the intercom button.

  “All hands, this is the captain,” Captain Peck said, sitting comfortably in his seat on the bridge. He saw Magnus out of the corner of his eye. He probably wondered what he was about to say. “We are about to leave Porcyon AB for a little G class star nearby,” he said with a slight smile of whimsy. “We're not going to let a measly eleven light years stand between us and home. We're going home,” the captain said during a speech before they jumped. “This is our last jump. Let's make it a good one,” he ended, then clicked the intercom off. He flushed slightly when the XO stood and clapped. Others clapped and cheered.

  He let it go for a moment then nodded. “As you were. We still have a job to do, people. Let's not blow it this close to the end zone shall we?”

  “God, you would remind me of football,” Magnus grumbled, taking his seat. “I've got a lot of catching up to do.”

  “You and me both,” the captain replied with a smile. “Rig for jump,” he ordered.

  “Rig for jump, aye,” the AI replied. There was a warning whistle over the PA that hit a few of the wrong tones. The captain winced. “All hands, rig for hyperspace jump,” the AI said over the intercom.

  “Rigging complete,” the AI reported to the bridge.

  “Very well. Take us home, Click'ck'a,” the captain said.

  “With pleasure,” the dolphin replied as the ship's hyperdrive began to open a rip once more.

  Chapter 39

  September 2197

  Icarus shocked the solar system when the ship returned to Sol decades earlier than anticipated. Returning after fifteen years showed they hadn't gotten to where they were supposed to go, which led to some speculation about the ship having to turn around for some reason. Most likely she hadn't been outfitted properly. Early speculators dropped Lagroose stock, selling short in anticipation of a nose dive. When the full story hit, it rebounded in seconds to unheard of numbers before finally leveling off.

  Some in the conspiracy community speculated it was all a hoax, but the crew vehemently denied it. Lagroose put a lock down on the information about the hyperbridge for the time being, though word got out anyway. The company did manage to lock down where each of the poles were. When the other corporations, scientists, and even national governments demanded their location, Jack held firm. For the time being, they would remain a company secret.

  He rammed an NDA on the crew not to divulge the jumps. Since only the navigational team knew the specific stars and locations, the remainder of the crew just shrugged such warnings off. A few crew members reported bribe attempts by shady characters, but since they didn't know anything specific, there was nothing for them to sell.

  The ship also brought home the bitter news of Daedalus's demise and her approximate location. That story quickly overshadowed the nagging questions about the hyperbridge.

  Miss Cole arranged a press conference and dumped the entire recording from Captain Locke and the crew to the media after giving the families a heads up and copy of their family member's last record.

  The recording was listened to by a somber group in the press room. The reporters took notes, Miss Cole assured them their media outlets were getting copies of the transmission for further analysis.

  Daedalus had sent their transmissions in the clear, which would be independently verified in three hundred years. That was an amusing side note and dig at the conspiracy nuts.

  The media of course picked the recording apart, cherry picking various bits to support their own version of the story. Some used it to attack the company; others used it to showcase the crew's heroism. Psychology papers were written about the demise of the crew, how they had started out with such high hopes and then devolved into fear and dismay.

  The recordings also reignited the manhunt for Descartes. There was some speculation that he would go the way of Jack the Ripper, never brought to justice. The authorities saw things differently. Politicians vowed to pass laws to go harder on cybercrimes. Many of the bills stalled in committee. The rest were torn apart since there were already statues, laws, and punishments on the books for the past century and a half.

  The recordings from Doctor Kathy Castill reporting that she and the command crew had put the crew to sleep to spare them and then herself turned her into a pariah in some quarters, while others whispered she had no other choice. The debate opened some wounds on the grieving families.

  Jack considered sending I
carus or Prometheus to jump to Daedalus's rescue, but he knew it was years too late from the contents of the last transmission. The rescuers would just find a ghost ship, though finding it would shut up the doubters or at least mute them a bit. Besides, Icarus had to be re-certified for flight and the initial surveys were not good.

  If they could get it back … he frowned. The ship itself was a major investment. He nodded to himself, staring at the view on the wall screen with unseeing eyes. But finding Daedalus was like a needle in a hay stack. It was a very big void to be lost in, even with directions. Very dark, he thought. He shivered.

  “You are thinking deep thoughts,” a familiar female voice murmured to him. He turned slightly as soft arms wrapped around his waist from behind in a hug. He felt a face touch his shoulder. “Worried about the future?”

  “I'm wondering about Daedalus and where we go from here,” he rumbled.

  “Ah,” Aurelia replied. She rubbed his tummy briefly then reached up to rub his shoulders.

  “Hey, that's my job, lady,” he protested with a slight hint of amusement in his voice.

  “Next time, lover,” she said as she continued to rub. “Talk it out,” she said.

  “It's … it's not just bringing the bodies home. Hang the expense. Salvaging the ship …” he closed his eyes. “But it has risks. I'm worried … if we find the ship.”

  “Finding it is bad?” She asked when he paused for too long.

  “If we find the ship will we trigger another virus attack on the rescuing ship?” he asked her.

  Her hands stilled. “Oh,” she said after a moment in a different tone. “I see.”

  “We can inoculate the rescue ship. Take steps to protect it. But what about trying to bring the ship home? Can it come home?” he asked.

  “Questions that don't have answers unless someone is there, on site to take a look at the damage,” Aurelia reminded him.

  “True. Then there is the board. The expense,” his nostrils flared. “And time involved.”

  “Hang the expense. We owe it to the families,” Aurelia said. “I hate how they are turning Kathy into a pariah. It's not right. She deserved better than that.”

  “They all did,” Jack reminded her. “But she chose the most painless death she could for all of them. I can't blame her for that, nor should anyone else.”

  “I know that. You know that. But the rest of the human race …” Aurelia sighed, hands dropping to his arms.

  “The other problem …” he cleared his throat. He was distracted by a blinking light out near the yard. He finally realized it was a tug. Hopefully one not in distress he thought.

  “Yes?” She asked when he again delayed too long. “Problems plural really,” he said as she rubbed his biceps. “One, they have to get to the ship. I understand the ship got picked up by the hyperbridge or current or whatever they are calling it this week,” he said making a face. “It got chewed up, so we're not sure if it will fly. Getting to it safely may not be possible.”

  “True. But again, they have to see it first. They can bring spare parts, right?” Aurelia asked.

  “True,” he admitted, turning to look at her. He pulled her into his arms for a hug. She greedily hugged him back. She no longer took the simple things for granted with him anymore. “The ship,” he rumbled. “The second thing I was thinking of … If they do think it can come back they'd have to put a prize crew on board her. What if something goes wrong? What if the virus strikes again?” Jack asked.

  “Then we'd lose two crews,” Aurelia said softly, nuzzling his chest.

  “Yeah,” he sighed, letting out a deep exhale. “Yeah. What a mess,” he murmured, nuzzling her hair with his cheek.

  “So, what are you going to do?” she asked, looking up at him.

  “Put the decision off for a while. Icarus has some downtime for a resupply and refit, and Prometheus isn't in the system anyway. There is time,” Jack said.

  “Good.” Aurelia told him. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled his head down for a kiss. When the kiss broke he let out another sigh, this one of approval. Her lips curved in a sexy smile. “But until then, we'll take it one day at a time. So, let's go eat lunch,” she said.

  His stomach rumbled right on cue. He couldn't help it, he laughed. “Always got me wired like a Pavlovian dog don't you?” He asked.

  “Don't knock it, bub,” she mocked, poking him as she dragged him out of his office.

  “I'm not, I'm not,” he chuckled as they left.

  “Good answer, boy,” she said with a smirk they drifted into a couple's embrace as they walked, arm in arm.

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  Captain Peck and the crew were received as heroes by many throughout the solar system. A few of the crew did talk circuits while others tried to have quiet reunions with friends and family. Isley was caught on camera by Mars News when she landed at the space port to a gathering of Irons family members. The tears and hugs had flown freely. Also the scolding since she hadn't told her family until the last minute that she had joined Icarus's ship company.

  Some of the crew had trouble adapting to the breakup of their tiny community. Others broke speed records getting to where they wanted to go, which was as far away from the stifling ship as possible. Most wanted wide open spaces and lots of alone time. The Captain did his duty with the media for a time before he retired to Earth for a long overdue fishing and camping trip.

  Magnus Templeton got smashed on a bottomless pitcher of beer and a deep dish pizza at a favorite hooter bar and restaurant in Laughlin. He ended up with a massive hangover, a vague memory of a marriage ceremony, and a ring on his finger and another in his rather sore nose. When his head started to clear, he realized his left hand was handcuffed to the frame of the bed above his head and his right arm was wrapped around a lightly snoring woman asleep on his chest. He blinked in surprise, and his body started to react to the memory of the woman that had caught his fancy in the bar. But to his shock and dismay he found he'd married not the buxom blond he'd first hooked up with but a woman with a face of a dog and mousy brown hair. He'd been horrified until she'd woken up and climbed on top of him for round two.

  While the crew had been gone, Mount Rainer in the state of Washington had a long overdue Lanar. The mudslide of water and rock had devastated the communities in the area and disrupted the ports and entire state for nearly a year. Clean up was still ongoing. To some the constant drills had been a life saver. Over a century of drilling finally vindicated. The loss of life had been light. Unfortunately not enough for some, Chief Heart and Sheriff Rogers both lost a cousin due to the mudslides and flooding. They bonded over the loss.

  -*-*-^-*-*-

  Hannah and Bret mourned Jamey and Kathy's death all over again when the news about Daedalus broke. They talked quietly about Kathy's choice. “It obviously wasn't an easy decision to make,” Hannah said, voice rough with emotion. She'd had a few crying jags but seemed to be working her way through the various stages of grief quickly. Having gone through it before helped a little. “I'm a doctor. She proscribed to the Hippocratic oath. To do that …” she shook her head.

  “People are going to hate her. Even though she had no other choice,” Bret murmured. He looked away, tears stinging his eyes. “All I can say is, at least it was quick. And painless,” he said.

  “Definitely,” Hannah breathed.

  They did a bit of small talk during the second memorial for Daedalus. Both of them ignored the dark looks shot their way by other mourners. Jack Lagroose put in a brief unexpected appearance to give his condolences once more to the families. He passed on his personal condolences to Hannah and Bret as did some of the Irons family in attendance. That seemed to mollify some of the grumbling people.

  Hannah hadn't talked to Isley yet, she wanted the woman to enjoy her time with her family uninterrupted. She had sent her an email welcoming her home however.

  She enjoyed her job, but it was growing stale. She was increasingly getting the itch to travel, to explo
re. Now that Icarus was back, she was sorely tempted to take a position with one of the new ships. Unfortunately the colony ships were being held up. There were problems with the hibernation but also the idea of going so far from Sol. She put her own plans for the future aside as she listened attentively to her dad.

  Bret admitted he was dating a bit. Hannah's eyes widened in surprise and approval. “You go, Dad,” she teased, bumping him. “So, am I going to expect a sibling soon?”

  He laughed, running a wrinkled hand through his hair. “I doubt it.”

  “Are you going to retire? The two of you go find a beach somewhere?” She teased.

  “Hell with that,” he said laughing softly. “I would have brought her along, but she couldn't get the time off,” he said making a face. “We both love our jobs. With anti-geriatric treatments like the telomere treatments, we'll stick to what we've got. We both have a lot of leave time coming up though. Don't be surprised if we are incommunicado for a while,” he warned.

  “If you two plan on eloping, I want in on it,” Hannah warned with one finger under his nose. He looked cross-eyed at it which broke her stern mood only slightly. “I mean it,” she warned. He pretended to grab the finger. They did a bit of wrestling for it until he tickled her. Her soft shriek of laughter got a reproving look from one of the other mourners. That made them quit and settle down.

  “I still want to see her. Before you two get married. And VR or a com doesn't cut it, Daddy,” she warned. “You want my blessing, those are my conditions,” she said.

  “Okay,” he sighed and then shrugged. “I'll see what I can do.”

  “How goes the yard?” she asked as they got in line for the food.

  “Slow,” he said, looking about. “We got pulled off the colony ships to work on the LGM terraformer ship and that science vessel for Mars U,” he said. “Then back again when the ship's architects and clients insisted on a change. I swear,” he said, shaking his head. “We're taking twice as long to finish as we should. Three times as long.”