Discovery (Terran Chronicles)

by Jackson, James

  He shuts off the Kord power cell, walks over to his console and begins to make queries. It does not take him long to locate the massive data file the Gamin have on humanity. He diligently searches the information, looking for anything related to their predicament. Finding nothing, he looks around the bridge, totally defeated. In frustration he slams his hands into the walls. His suit clangs loudly against the solid walls.

  In a sudden moment of clarity, the solution comes to him. He rushes to the infirmary where he is appalled to discover dozens of lifeless bodies laying on beds. Many of these are literally sprouting vines. Grabbing a cloth, he runs it along one of the tendrils, hoping to capture a sampling of spores. Making his way to the heart of the ship’s life support system, he enters the small sealed room.

  “Well here goes nothing.” He says to himself, then waves the cloth in front of an intake vent. The ship’s systems instantly respond to the threat. Even as George watches, the cloth develops brown splotches while the spores die. Walking back toward the medical area, he smiles optimistically as a faint mist visibly hangs in the air.

  Cindy opens her eyes slowly, a pounding headache is making her nauseous. Lifting a hand up to her head brings stars to her eyes. Suddenly George’s face is hovering over hers, she blinks as she tries to get his fuzzy features into focus. George is grinning from ear to ear.

  “Relax, you’re ok. Henry has done every test he can, and you’re cured.”

  Cindy is too tired to even speak, she closes her heavy eyelids, and falls asleep. George looks around the room, his grin fades fast as he looks at the dozens of other unconscious patients. Henry catches his expression, and shrugs his shoulders.

  “Some we saved, and some we couldn’t, as for the others. I don’t know what to do.”

  George’s eyes drift over to a group of people that sit or lay listlessly on their beds. Cured too late, they have suffered irreparable brain damage. Vacant eyes stare back at him over drooling lips. A number of the crew are alive this way, alive in the most crudest of terms. Being almost brain dead, they will need constant care and supervision. Another sixteen, all reactor workers, did not survive at all. George can still see their faces as he and Patrick pushed them down the ramp, and into space.

  George leaves Henry to his duties then heads to his room, he has hardly slept these last few days. He falls into a listless sleep, as he recounts the nightmarish task of decontaminating the ship. Tossing and turning, his dreams take him back to the purging of every plant and contaminated person from the ship. Tossed out like common garbage, a single tear falls from his sleeping eyes.

  Down in the infirmary, Cindy wakes again. Her headache has subsided, she is parched. Spotting Henry makes her feel much calmer than before.

  “Can a girl get a drink around here?”

  Henry walks over with a cup.

  “Don’t worry the water is clean, as indeed, is the entire ship. Took those two the better part of a week.”

  “Tell me, what did I miss?”

  “First, I want to conduct some more tests, then we can have a general meeting with all the survivors.”

  “Survivors? How many died?” She says in alarm.

  “Sixteen died, another seven are severely brain damaged.” He holds up a hand to calm her, “I want you to relax for now, I will explain all I know when everyone wakes.”

  Cindy sits up in her bed. Ever so slowly, she gathers her thoughts and strength. Another two days pass before Henry is ready to share his findings. During this time, the remaining survivors wake to find the ship a much quieter place.

  Less than sixty crew are present in the mess hall, all are very subdued. Henry stands before them, his expression unreadable.

  “To all of you gathered, I will allay any fears. You’re fully recovered. None of you show any signs of brain damage. None of you experienced the last phase of the spore’s life cycle. It occurs quite quickly, and with devastating results. Seven of our crew have miraculously survived this phase. I should say unfortunately survived, as they have very limited brain functions.”

  Henry stops for a moment, to let those gathered absorb the news. Gazing around impassionedly, he then continues.

  “The spores have been eradicated from the ship, which still leaves us with the urgent need to restock our water supplies. In addition to our water issues, we are now down to canned foods only.”

  He pauses again, before reluctantly continuing on. “Cleansing the ship required that we run the Kord supplied power cell, nonstop, for days.”

  His eyes wander over all the crew as the ramifications of his last statement hit home. Cindy quickly interjects, before anyone else has a chance too.

  “To George, Patrick, and Henry, I thank you for saving our lives. If the power cell runs out, then so be it. We’re alive and still a lot closer to home than we expected to be.”

  A few curt nods and murmurs of ascent trickle through the crowd. Cindy smiles as she continues.

  “Now, let’s find some water, and get back on our way.” While we still have a crew, she adds to herself grimly, as she scans the faces of those gathered.

  Feeling very drained Cindy retires to her room to rest. Her thoughts drift to the many events that have reduced their impressive food supplies. The early loss of the refrigerated foods, and the more recent destruction of hydroponics reduced the crew’s food choices. As a final blow, the giant sacks of flour and rice were destroyed due to fear of contamination from the spores. Subsequently, the crew is now relegated to eating canned foods and military ration packs. Even with all of this on her mind, she falls asleep quickly and sleeps well.

  Water, Water Everywhere

  Cindy feels tremendously refreshed as she steps onto the bridge. Gazing around, she is pleased to see the four main command chairs filled. John is at his station on the left, piloting the mighty Terran. On his right, sit Andrew and Joe, the two Australian astronomers. She smiles as she recalls some of their humorous anecdotes. The far right chair is occupied by Peter. Though he is a self admitted Russian sleeper agent, he is a trusted companion. Glancing to the left, she sees Radclyf and Hayato quietly talking. Turning to her right, she can’t miss the bulky suit that encompasses George. Taking her centrally located command chair she feels a renewed sense of pride. So much has happened, and yet through fate and fortune, the command crew is all safe. Watching them work, reflecting on each of them, she feels very fortunate. We’re going to make it home! The thought comes unbidden to her, and adds to her happy demeanor. John is looking away from her, obviously trying to hide a smile. Cindy wonders what he is up to, and asks curiously.

  “What do we have John?”

  He turns around to look at Cindy, a broad grin spreads across his face.

  “We have a surprise for you.”

  Turning back to his controls, John taps his console, the stars rotate as the Terran slowly rolls. Cindy’s breath is drawn from her as an amazing world swings into view. Puffy white clouds partially obscure sparkling blue waters. The land masses are large, and even from this distance, forests, rolling hills, and expansive fields, can be discerned. Andrew turns to Cindy, he too is grinning.

  “This planet is almost Earth like in every way, except for its unusually low levels of metal elements, and lower gravity. The lack of metals may explain why the locals have few major settlements. They should not pose any threat to us at all. Their technology looks to be at a pre-industrial level.”

  Cindy frowns, “locals?”

  John gets up from his chair, still grinning.

  “Let’s take the shuttle and check them out while we scout for a suitable water source.”

  Cindy grabs her Kord translator, John’s eyebrows crease in surprise.

  “You want to talk to the natives?”, he asks curiously.

  Cindy feels the best she has in a long time. “I have a great feeling about this planet.”

  She hesitates, then taps her chair’s console.

  “Emma, meet me at the shuttle, and bring your survey equipment.�
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  The lone Gamin shuttle makes the hangar bay appear even larger than it is. The missing shuttles, equipment, and stores, are a stark reminder of all they lost when the Effen Raiders attacked.

  Standing next to the open ramp are Paul and Henry, two of Radclyf’s men, both are armed to the teeth. Each carries a powerful looking rifle, a small backpack, and a number of holstered pistols. Cindy realizes that Paul is pretty darn handsome, she never noticed this before, even when he was on the bridge. She gazes at both men for longer than she means to, but is saved from embarrassment when Emma shows up. She has her own backpack, and lugs a heavy looking suitcase.

  Emma stops before them, puffing. Regaining her breath, she points to the gear.

  “We lost almost everything when the raiders attacked. But I still have my old portable set.” She smiles proudly.

  Cindy’s eyebrows raise up. That’s her portable set!

  “Let’s get the show on the road.”

  John pilots the shuttle with great efficiency. Cindy stares out the view port, mesmerized. The shuttle breaks through the clouds, revealing fields and farmland that stretch off into the distance. They fly onward, over rolling hills, along pristine rivers, and crystal clear lakes. A few settlements are dotted here and there across the landscape. Skirting around them, they continue to explore this beautiful world. Emma crams herself between the two, enjoying the scenery as it rolls below them. She points at yet another distant small settlement. Like the others, it consists of wooden buildings, none more than two stories in height.

  Flying low over another expanse of rolling hills causes herds of four legged beasts to scatter in all directions at their passing. John’s squints, then points at something else in the distance. Something large and out of place. Cindy’s smile fades as she spots the remote object. Her delight is replaced with unease as they get closer. The upward spires are almost fully overgrown with vines and covered in moss. But the shape of the Gamin construction dock is unmistakable. One of the upper most points has broken off, the ground below is littered with rubble. Cindy glances at Emma and John nervously.

  “The Gamin visited this world, and a long time ago it seems.”

  John gulps as he begins to understand what has happened here.

  “The Gamin mined them out, they took all the metals they could, then left the inhabitants to fend for themselves.”

  Cindy feels a twinge of sadness.

  “Without metals, this civilization has little to no chance of advancing.”

  Emma’s jaw drops, she is numbed at the concept.

  “An entire planet mined out! That’s inconceivable, but explains a lot.” A planet mined so heavily its very gravity is affected.

  John circles the old construction dock, it appears to be pitted and worn by the elements. Cindy interrupts his thoughts.

  “Let’s see if we can find a major settlement. I want to learn more about this world and its people.”

  John nods, then pilots a course for a distant river, which they follow downstream. They are rewarded with an unexpected find. Not only have they found a large settlement, but it seems the inhabitants do use metals. A number of structures are clearly designed with metallurgy in mind. But what surprises them even more is the large number of crumbling buildings beyond. From above, the area simply looks like another hillside covered in trees, vines, and grass. But from the side, the cityscape is unmistakable. Nature reclaimed this metropolis long ago, but even so, many of the buildings still dwarf the settlement’s wooden structures. A gathering of locals stare up at the circling shuttle, they are not afraid, and seem to be waiting. John shrugs his shoulders as he looks downward.

  “Seems they are expecting us to land.”

  Cindy is a little confused by the reaction of the people below. She studies them as they circle the collection of wooden buildings. Glancing back at the derelict city, she sighs. Not going to learn anything more up here.

  “Well, they have two arms and legs, a long torso, topped with a hairless head.” She passes her observations along. Humanoid species seem to be pretty constant. Wonder if there is some genetic connection? Perhaps it’s just evolution at work? The way most beasts of burden have four legs. She leans forward to look at the locals again.

  “I don’t see any guns, or pitchforks. Let’s say hello, shall we?”

  John tilts his head in her direction, nods, then lands the shuttle a short distance from the growing crowd.

  Emma calls out a little nervously.

  “We need to sample the air before…”

  She stops midsentence as the ramp opens before her.

  Cindy pats her shoulder, caringly.

  “It’s ok. The shuttle automatically tests the outside environment before the ramp opens.”

  Emma sits there speechless, images of spores, viruses, and worse, fill her mind. Cindy grabs her translator, hangs it off her shoulder by its strap, then walks down the open ramp. She takes in her first breath of the alien air. It is thicker, heavier, almost humid, but without the moisture. The sensation is odd, but not unpleasant.

  John stays at the controls, ready to raise the ramp and take off. He, along with Paul and Henry, are prepared in case the inhabitants turn out to be hostile. Emma gets to work setting up her equipment.

  Cindy walks toward the gathering of locals, holding her arms wide, in what she hopes is sign of peace. They are tall, at least a head taller than John, Cindy looks up to make eye contact with the closest one. They have pale, almost opal colored skin, covered with a loose fitting garment tied at one shoulder. From what she can see, they are hairless, a stark contrast to the Kord who were practically covered in hair from head to foot. One of the locals steps toward Cindy and opens its arms as well, its large hands have six long digits. Cindy stares into the creature’s large, oval, pearl colored, eyes. Below this pair of huge iris-less eyes, a skin flap lifts, then falls, as the alien breathes. It’s ears, if that’s what they are, also look like loose skin flaps, one hangs off each side of its head. Without warning, the alien blinks, eyelids closing from above and below. Cindy makes a small bow, then speaks, not expecting any of them to understand.

  “My name is Cindy. I am from a distant place called Earth.”

  After a few seconds, the alien replies. Cindy jumps as a voice comes through her implant, just as it did when Golward spoke. The translator is working! She involuntarily glances at the unit that rests against her hip.

  “I am Jux, chief greeter to sky people. As has been handed down to me from my father and his before. Welcome to Oglan, you have been away a long time.” Jux spreads his arms wider. His small mouth opens a little, revealing two rows of small pearl colored teeth in the process.

  Cindy is thunderstruck. How do they understand me? Away a long time? She ventures on, her curiosity building.

  “We come in peace and wish to learn more about you.”

  Jux hesitates, looks to his people, who simply seem to urge him on.

  “Sky people know all there is to know. May our humble story please you.”

  He beckons for Cindy to follow. She glances nervously at the open shuttle, then making her decision, bravely follows. She is lead past a number of stalls, each is filled with a variety of colorful produce. A nearby pen has dozens of small four legged creatures within it. They look like white, tailless pigs. They also have a pair of eyes, devoid of any obvious iris. Though the sight is unsettling, it’s not really frightening. Walking behind Jux, she examines her surroundings carefully, wondering where he is leading her.

  John sits up in his chair, his apprehension grows when Cindy is lead inside a small wooden dwelling. The minutes pass by slowly, one by one. Paul and Henry wait patiently, observing everything they can from the shuttle’s doorway. Emma is busy taking air and soil samples. Finally after half an hour, John can’t stand it anymore. He is about to get up and find out what’s going on, when the doorway to the dwelling opens.

  Cindy is laughing and smiling as she chats with the half dozen aliens that dwarf he
r. It’s only when she is aboard the shuttle, that John relaxes. Cindy grins widely at them all.

  “Do I have a story for you. Let’s get back to the ship first. This has to be shared with the rest of the bridge crew.”

  Emma quickly secures her equipment. They take off smoothly, John swings the shuttle around to make a close pass of the decrepit city. Cindy points to a distant group, they are riding a wagon filled with odds and ends. A pair of beasts, like those that scattered earlier, pull the heavy looking load.

  “That’s a salvage party. The Oglans send teams into the ruined city in search of metals.”

  John nods, then gains altitude so as not to scare the creatures. Passing over the city, it is clear that many buildings have been reduced to piles of rubble, yet countless more remain. This was once a massive metropolis, home to millions, judging by its size. He wonders what Cindy has to say, and quickly flies back to the Terran. It is not until they are on the bridge, that Cindy shares any more information. Once there, she grins even more as she relays her news.

  “The Oglans are an ancient race by our standards. The Gamin used this planet thousands of years ago, perhaps as long ago as ten thousand years.” She pauses to let that number sink in for a moment, then continues on. “About seven thousand years ago, the Gamin up and left. These people used to be a fairly advanced civilization, but without a ready supply of base metals, they were unable to sustain their society.”

  Andrew whistles in exclamation. “So, they reverted to a farming culture? Just like that!”

  Cindy nods her head. “They’re a peaceful race, leaving them few options.”

  The bridge crew sits silently as they digest the notion. Cindy continues on excitedly.

  “Anyway, back to our needs. They are more than happy to trade us. Food and water in exchange for metals.”

  Almost everyone on the bridge grins at the logic of the request. Cindy tilts her head, giving George a sideways glance.

  “There is an ancient construction dock, but it’s taboo to them. Jux, their chief greeter, has no qualms with us going there. After all, we are ‘sky people’. So let’s reclaim as much of it as we can.”