The Accidental Explorer

by George Deeb

  Travellor watched as the woman who identified herself as the navigator flew the ship. She touched a graphic on a display screen, which must have controlled the throttle, but there was very little noise or vibration. The ship just slowly lifted up vertically, and then without a change of attitude it accelerated forward. As they neared the edge of the crater, she moved the control again and their altitude increased. The ship easily cleared the edge. The flight instruments had strange markings on them, but the graphic displays were easy to understand. They were very similar to terrain mapping instruments used in aircraft on Earth. Travellor was trying to learn which controls were for which function, but there were gesture sensors that read the movement of the pilot's hands and he couldn't decipher which gesture did what. She was also speaking – giving commands to the ship Travellor believed.

  The alien crew had removed their helmets, but the Trailblazer team had not.

  “Is it safe for us to breathe the air in your ship?” asked Travellor.

  “Yes.” answered Plessa. “I believe you will find it refreshing.”

  One at a time the team opened their visors. When they noticed no ill effect, they started breathing deeply.

  “I hate breathing that tanked air.” said Petey to no one in particular, as he removed his helmet.

  Members of both crews mumbled their agreement.

  “Your ship is amazing!” stated Radio. “It's so big – and quiet!” Her eyes were wide as she looked around trying to take in everything she saw. “And this is just your transport? It's bigger than our ship was. You would not believe how little room we had.”

  “We know.” said the Navigator. “We measured your ship as you neared here. Calculating the average height of your people, we estimated there would be two of you. Three at most. We were very surprised when four people came out of that small ship. Then, when two more came out it was very shocking.”

  “You measured out ship?” said Travellor. “You knew we were coming?”

  “Yes.” said Plessa.

  “How did you know?”

  “When we first discovered your containers, we wondered who they belonged to. As more of them arrived, we realized they were in preparation for the arrival of personnel. This changed our original mission greatly. We did not know when you would come. We monitor all activity outside your planet's atmosphere. When one vehicle acted differently than the others, by continuing to travel into space and on a path to intercept your moon, we knew it was either a satellite or a ship. As you came closer we could tell it was a ship, and knew you were coming here. It was Vaana who followed and documented your preparation and your flight.”

  Mersuul-sil-Vaana had a big smile on her face, as she turned to look at the Trailblazer crew.

  “I have many questions. I was amazed that you would attempt this journey with your level of technology.” she said. “You are explorers, as we have not seen for over twenty tanrha.”

  She looked at the quizzical faces of the Earth crew, and thought about what she had just said.

  “There is no direct translation for tanrha in your language.” she said, as she did some quick mental calculations. “Approximately 300 of your years. You are all very brave to attempt this journey in a ship that is nothing more than an unprotected container.” She turned and looked at the Trailblazer crew with very wide eyes. “YOUR SHIP DOES NOT HAVE A DEBRIS SHIELD!” she stated loudly, with an amazed look on her face. “No one would travel in space without a shield.” she said. Then suddenly the smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a look of shame as she looked at the injured crewman. “I am sorry.” she said, turning around quickly, “We are almost to the ship, and our doctor is very good. She will take care of your friend.” Then in a low voice she murmured as she shook her head, “You are all so amazingly brave.”

  The flight lasted only a few more minutes before the ship slowed down. Mersuul-sil-Vaana touched her sleeve as Plessa had done before, and started talking in her own language. The words she spoke were not being translated. She was answered by another voice over the ships speakers, which also was not being translated.

  “The doctor is expecting your injured man. She will be ready for him when we arrive.” said Plessa.

  “How's Tonio doing, JJ?” asked Travellor in a loud voice.

  “He's alive. But he's in bad shape. He's going to need blood. DAMN IT! I forgot to bring some with us. Radio and you are the same blood type, Commander. We'll have to transfuse.”

  “I'm ready!” snapped Radio.

  “Whatever he needs.” said Travellor.

  “Blood will not be a problem.” said Vaana, now translating her words again. “We have medical blood that is good for everyone, including your people.”

  “Whoa!” jumped in Petey. “You have blood that can be used for everyone? Are you sure?”

  “Yes!” said Vaana. “You would call it artificial blood. It is designed so that anyone's body can use it without any problem.”

  “Holy shit.” said Radio, “...Pardon my French. Do you realize how many lives that could save back on Earth?” she asked, her question directed to Travellor.

  “One thing at a time.” he said. “First Tonio, then the world. That would be something for 361 to introduce as a discovery by one of its companies.”

  The transport stopped and hovered as Vanna again spoke in her language to the ship.

  “There.” said Plessa, pointing out to the window.

  In front of them the ground lifted up a few feet and then split in two, the sections moving in opposite directions. Light came from the gaping opening that was made, illuminating the surrounding darkness. Slowly Vaana moved the transport over the opening and lowered it into the hole. The shuttle dropped quickly down a man-made shaft – and kept dropping. Travellor tried to figure out how far they fell, and guessed it was at least five stories down. As the transport's windows dropped below the end of the shaft they could make out the large transport bay, with another ship parked at one end. The bay was huge, with enough room for at least two other transports.

  They touched down, and with a few words and a swipe of Vaana's hand all the displays went dead and the transport became completely quite. Seconds later the door opened, and two crewman came in followed by a tall authoritative woman who pointed to Tonio and gave instructions to the others. Before the Trailblazer team had a chance to get out of their seats, they were gone.

  “Toisae-sil-Blin,” said Plessa. “our doctor. She will take care of your... Tonio? Do not worry. She is very good. You should all get out of your suits. We have more suitable clothing for you. Then I will take you to the doctor.”

  “JJ, Radio, you two go with Tonio. We'll relieve you as soon as we can.” said Travellor. They both moved out before he finished talking. Plessa looked surprised at first, then understood.

  “That is not nece...” started Plessa, then realized he would have done the same. “Of course. It will not take long for you to change. I'll show you to the spare rooms.”

  As Travellor, Petey and Dal followed Plessa, their heads were constantly turning as they scrutinized the ship they were in. As the structural engineer of the team Dal was especially interested. He wondered how big the ship was. How fast could it travel? How many people lived aboard? What kind of engine powered it? How far could it travel without refueling? Lost in his thoughts, he almost tripped as he walked in his clumsy suit.

  2

  “Analyzing physical structure.” said the computerized voice coming from the array of medical equipment in the operating room.

  Toisae-sil-Blin had been an accomplished medical practitioner on her home planet – what the strangers called a 'doctor'. She had won the accolades of her colleagues and her profession. Then her chosen lifemate had died at far too young an age. What made it worse was that he died of injuries that were so bad he was dead before the rescue personnel could arrive on the scene. They couldn't do anything for him. With all her knowledge and skill, she couldn't do anything for him. Dead is dead. 'Even with all of
our technological capabilities,' she thought, 'we still cannot overcome death that can take you in an instant.' That had only been a few decitans ago, and she still felt the pain. A short time after his death she developed a powerful wanderlust, and decided she wanted to see more of the universe that was still unfamiliar to her. Even in these modern times there were still amazing things out there that no one had encountered yet. She took employment with the mining company, because mining companies were the ones who explored the unknown reaches of space in their search for natural resources.

  She looked down at her naked patient suspended in the air in front of her, and watched as the medical analysis computer scanned his injury with high frequency sound and radio waves. The energy field around his injured leg made it look like it was wrapped in thick translucent gauze. This field kept the injury sterile, and stopped blood loss from the damaged tissue. She had seen worse injuries, but what amazed her the most was the briefing she received about these Earth people. They had traveled here with technology that was so old it was astounding - except that it wasn't old to them. To them it was the newest available – even if it was only slightly more than a metal can with some insulation on the walls. Her own ancestors had first explored space travel with similar vessels – and many of them had perished doing so.

  “Circulatory vessels scanned and mapped.” said the instruments voice, as it continued its analysis. “Connective tissue scanned and mapped.”

  Blin prepared herself for the prognosis. There really was nothing to worry about. The man had been stabilized as soon as he arrived, and blood substitute continued flowing into his body. The injury looked terrible to the untrained person, but this kind of damage could easily be repaired, once the computer knew how to put the limb back together again. The man would live. There really was no doubt about it. He was in good physical condition – 'Very nice physical condition.' she thought, looking at his naked body - and would recover very well.

  “Skeletal structure scanned and mapped. Comparing to intact limb.”

  The computer mapped the intact leg, to use as a design model for the damaged one.

  “Analysis complete. Ready to begin reconstruction.” said the computerized voice.

  “Verify blood, nutrient and mineral flows.” commanded Blin.

  “All reconstruction materials available in the required quantities.” replied the computer.

  'Good.' thought Blin, looking at her patient. 'Luckily for you we are not short on medical supplies.'

  “Begin reconstruction.” said Blin, noticing for the first time the two members of the Earth crew watching through the viewing panel.

  3

  Marisa Herrera Delgadillo, known as Radio to her team, closed her eyes and leaned against the wall of the shower stall, as she let herself get lost in the soothing massage of the hot water that pulsed onto her body. It was wonderful – real hot water. She hadn't expected to know another shower for at least a year. On mission launch she had mentally prepared herself for minimal cleanings with chemical wet towels. That was the only thing that would be available to the team as they established the first human colony on the moon – the first secret human colony. For a short while she had thought it would be more correct to consider it the second secret human colony. But after seeing Tonio's leg be rebuilt (regrown?) she started to think that maybe these people were not from Earth.

  They still had to build the colony, but until then she was going to enjoy every second of this shower. She found it surprising that so many basic daily needs of an alien people from another planet – from another galaxy she was certain, because scientists on Earth knew enough about our own to be aware of another inhabited solar system (didn't they?) – were so similar to her own human species. Could our scientists have missed that she wondered? Our galaxy was unfathomably big. Perhaps another inhabited solar system did exist without the human race knowing about it. No, she was sure something would have been detected from the activities of a planet of space traveling aliens. If they were from another galaxy, the technology that allowed them to travel such unimaginable distances had to be far ahead of ours. How long did it take them to get here?

  What she had seen so far also confirmed that their technology was far in advance of Earth's. She had watched through a window into the operating room of the medical bay, as the tall woman doctor not only stopped Tonio's bleeding, but also regenerated the damaged bone and tissue in his leg – like an unbelievable magic trick. Hell, he had regained consciousness before the procedure was over! He showed no signs of any pain. He was even talking to the doctor as she finished the procedure - was even flirting with her while she worked on him. She had watched as the torn muscles and ligaments came together, and Tonio's skin sealed itself. She was so enthralled with what she was seeing that it wasn't until her throat felt raspy that she realized she had been watching with her mouth gaping open in astonishment.

  Some of the ship's crew had helped her and JJ take off their spacesuits as they watched Tonio being treated, and it wasn't until the suit was off that she noticed the odor coming from it – and from her and JJ. The stress, running around, worry, and danger of the mission had caused her body to do what any normal human body does. Doing that in an enclosed spacesuit meant the body odor had no place to go. She had noticed that the ship didn't smell like a locker room though, and she had seen a group of the aliens sweating hard as they manhandled some large equipment. Surely the alien's bodies also required regular hygiene. She was certain there had to be some way to bathe on this ship. She just hadn't dared believe they would have hot showers available. Hot showers also meant that these aliens came from a planet with abundant water. A planet like the Earth perhaps.

  It was about thirty minutes after arriving on the alien ship that Mission Commander Travellor, Dal, and Petey joined them, all wearing clothing supplied by the aliens. The garments didn't fit very well on them, but they were probably scrounged up from the ships crew. Beggars can't be choosers. They were all also wearing a black wristband with a graphic display. They brought one for her and JJ, and as soon as it went on her wrist, the communications device proved to also perform as a translator like the ones they had attached to their helmets. These were different than the helmet units. Instead of converting the translated speech to sound, these wrist comms sent the translated speech through a persons nervous system as electrical impulses, and directly to the brain, bypassing the ear completely. This made the translation much faster, and the slight time delay for it all to happen was barely noticeable. With these bracelets the conversations between the Trailblazer team and these strangers was almost natural. She looked at it now, and watched the water dripping off of it. The crewman who showed her to this room had said it was waterproof, so she was determined to test that to see just how good their equipment really was.

  After they had all talked to Tonio, who seemed like nothing had happened to him except for the fresh hairless pink section of skin on his leg where he had been injured, she and JJ were relieved of their watch detail by Commander Travellor and had been guided to their quarters to get cleaned up. That was when she first realized that she was walking normally – as in walking like she would have on Earth and not the careful skipping they were doing when they landed on the moon's surface. This ship had its own gravity. The aliens knew how to create gravity! Scientists on Earth barely understood what gravity was. That was a stunning realization, and she wondered what else they were capable of.

  Everything had happened so fast. It was less then two hours ago they had landed, thinking that Tonio might be the first victim of the mission. Now she was enjoying the hell out of a hot shower, and Tonio was trying to make time with an alien women from another galaxy. That thought brought to her mind the question of whether human and alien anatomies were alike. She smiled thinking that maybe Tonio could be in for an anatomical shock. But they did look human. They had two eyes, and two ears, and a mouth, and head, and arms and legs, all in the correct places. The women had breasts where breasts should be, an
d from what she could see of some of the male crew it was obvious the men had their equipment in the right place also. This wasn't turning out like the scifi movies she had grown up with. Weren't they supposed to be green, with a big bulbous head and large eyes that could rotate in opposite directions. 'I know!' she thought humorously, as she let her imagination wander, 'They're wearing some kind of electronic device that makes them look human but they are really big gelatinous blobs with eyes all over their bodies.' She laughed at her thoughts, and then admitted to herself that she had seen several very handsome alien men that she wouldn't mind getting to know better.

  Her bracelet toned, and the sound broke her mental wanderings. At first she wondered if the waterproofing wasn't as good as advertised and the device had failed. Then Travellor's voice came from it.

  “Radio? This is Travellor. Are you there?”

  “Water off.” she said to no one, and the shower spray stopped at her command. “Yes commander, I'm here.”

  “I really like these things.” he said, obviously referring to the communicators.