Blue Planet Rising (Pebbles in the Sky Book 2)

by Jeffery Bagley

“I just finished a long discussion with Odysseus that may save your finger from being sexually abused,” Brianna laughed. “Do you remember the other night when you were wishing that we had some honey bees to pollinate things here in the green house?”

  Beatrice nodded. “Every gardener’s dream is a box of honey bees beside their garden.”

  Odysseus thinks that if we supplied him the genetic information, that he may be able to grow terran organisms in the regeneration tanks in the main dome. I’m having the information sent from the Data Ark project on several varieties of honey bees as well as earth worms. If we could produce those here, not only would it be a good experiment for the regeneration technology that Odysseus has shared with us, but think of the possibilities that would open up for more plant species.”

  Beatrice nodded her agreement. “That would be great if it works. I looked in on the plant tubers that Odysseus had started in five of the tanks yesterday. He said each of those varieties was considered a main staple of the Barbakath. As soon as they’re mature enough, I’ll plant them and see what happens. He insists that they’ll grow in the soil here. I was resistant to the idea of introducing native Horast microbes into the soil of the test beds, but he insisted that they were harmless to us. According to him, the varieties he is producing are totally benign to Horast life forms also. They do much the same thing our own ground bacteria do in breaking down organic materials and adding nutrients to the soil. We’re going to plant those tubers three valleys over, alongside a stream located there. I don’t want to let those alien bacteria loose in our greenhouse, although eventually, it will happen. It’ll be interesting to see if they co-exist with Earth origin bacteria or one species will replace the other in the same niche.”

  Brianna bent over to look at the squash plants. “Wow, if these little buds develop, we will be eating fresh veggies in just a week or two!”

  Beatrice was always excited to talk about her greenhouses. “We will have squash in two weeks and fresh green beans about two weeks after that. The spinach, romaine lettuce, and broccoli are also coming along very well. Did you see the corn outside? It is almost six inches tall now. We’ll become much less dependent on rations very soon.”

  “I can hardly wait,” agreed Brianna.

  “Speaking of growing, how are you feeling? I noticed that you’ve quit taking the nausea medications,” Beatrice said.

  “I still get just a twinge of sickness in the morning, but other than that I feel fine,” said Brianna. “When Sarah told me she was pregnant, I figured we better save the medicine in case she needs it too.”

  Beatrice laughed. “I think the next time anyone goes on an expedition to the sea, I’m going along. It sounds like it was quite the vacation. Half the women on this planet are knocked up now. I must have missed out on all the fun.”

  “Well, there are two men left that are not spoken for you know,” kidded Brianna.

  Beatrice rolled her eyes. “I don’t think that Donald is interested in what a woman can offer. And Master Chief, well he might do in a pinch, but he’s a little too old for me. Now, when you get big and pregnant and Jason needs some…uh...quality time… maybe I can help him out.”

  “No thanks. He’s spoken for. We’re officially engaged, even though it may be four years before we get married. It seems that no government official has jurisdiction to marry us here. There are other binding and legal problems, also. Our engagement may be the longest in Elpis’s history,” Brianna laughed.

  “Speaking of gestating babies, can you see anything of Odysseus’s baby yet?” asked Beatrice.

  “No, nothing is visible in the re-generation tank, but he assures me the embryo is growing normally. It should be visible to the naked eye in a week or two according to Odysseus,” Brianna said.

  “I just hope that Odysseus is right and it can eat the same vegetables that we’re growing for ourselves. Until those Horast tubers get established, that’ll be the only food source it has,” Beatrice said. “If the first Barbakath infant turns out okay, then he wants to start embryos in all five of the large tanks at once. They would consume all of our food if we cannot produce a supply of their own normal dietary foods.”

  “Earth was not real keen on having the regeneration of the Barbakath started so soon, but they wanted the advanced technologies that Odysseus could give us. He refused to play ball with them until they agreed, so they had no choice,” Brianna said. “It’ll be interesting to see what they’re like.” She went over to the next row of soil trays and stuck her finger into the male blossom on a squash plant. She took her finger out covered in pollen and then rubbed it on the stamen of a female bloom and giggled. “Human reproduction is so much more interesting than that of squash plants.”

  “Maybe,” said Beatrice. “I’ll ask you if you still think so when you’re in labor in six or seven months.”

  …

  “Are you sure these are right?” asked Jason. He was sticking little labels over switches in the cockpit of the Barbakath space ship as David handed them to him.

  “These are the diagrams of the panels that Odysseus gave us and the labels match. Master Chief said the ones that Odysseus gave him of the excavator were all right on the mark,” David replied.

  “According to the drawings that Odysseus gave us, this panel and its display has all the controls for the fusion reactor. I can’t believe that this is all there is. Evidently, the ship’s computer controlled the entire process and required very little input from the crew. That sort of makes me nervous. What if the computer has a memory hiccup or something? If containment drops on that plasma field then the whole ship can be vaporized,” Jason said.

  “Don’t forget that their computer capabilities are far superior to ours,” Master Chief replied. “Odysseus is a very good example. He even admits that he is not the most advanced computer that the Barbakath had built. Even so, he is decades ahead of anything that we humans have built.”

  “If Odysseus is right, once we re-energize the ships systems, he can update the ships computer so that it will understand English. From the way that the NASA engineers are babbling back on Earth about the artificial gravity technology, you would think that we had just discovered fire,” Jason laughed. Jason applied the last label to the panel. “That looks like all of them. I hope the ships computer is pretty good. I just can’t seem to learn to read these dots that the Barbakath called writing.”

  Jason tapped his PA. “Odysseus, we’ve labeled all the switches. We’re ready to activate the ships systems, with the exception of the power core.”

  “I understand Jason. On the top panel to the left of the pilot’s seat, there are three switches. They should have your labels that read…basic power system, ships computer, and instrumentation. The fourth switch, the one that is labeled engineering systems, you do not want to turn on at this time. After the ship’s computer comes on line, I will update its programming so that you can communicate with it.”

  Jason looked at Master Chief. “Here we go, let’s hope you got the batteries or the power storage device thing fully charged. I still don’t fully understand how they work, but if it works…who cares. Jason reached up and flipped up the protective covers on the three switches that Odysseus had said they needed to activate. He flipped the first switch. A low humming could be heard through the ship. Air started blowing from vents in the overhead and subdued lighting came on. A few seconds later it felt like somebody sat on him.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jason asked as he tried to sit upright.

  “The artificial gravity must have kicked in,” groaned Master Chief. “The Barbakath had a normal gravity twenty percent stronger than Earths. Add to that the fact that we’ve acclimated to Elpis gravity which is another twenty percent lower than that. You flipped that switch and increased our gravity to forty percent greater than what we’re presently used to. I hope we can change that setting.”

  Jason flipped the next two switches that Odysseus said would turn on the ships computer and the
ships instrumentation. The panels around him in the cockpit of the alien ship came to life. The displays showed rapidly changing little vertical lines of dots that Jason knew represented Barbakath numbers and writing. Somewhere above his head, he heard a long series of grunts and whines. “I wonder if that’s the ships computer talking in native Barbakath?” he pondered aloud.

  “Odysseus, can you talk to the ship’s computer?” he asked Odysseus over his PA.

  “I’m in the process of updating the ships programing and speech recognition routines. This may take approximately ten of your human minutes,” Odysseus said.

  “Wow, that long,” said Master Chief sarcastically. “It would take us hours to reprogram and re-boot the main computer on one of the transfer ships. Compared to Odysseus, those things have the intelligence of an ant.”

  “I’ve completed a data download to the ship’s computer. It is in the process of re-configuring its command and speech recognition programs. Be aware that the ships computer has much more limited analytical and problem solving capability when compared to my own abilities. It will not be able to retain all the human reference materials that I’ve been supplied with. So, I have just transferred the most appropriate for the defined application of the computer’s functioning. Even so, I believe it will meet your needs in the operation of the ship,” Odysseus informed then.

  “Are you bragging about your intelligence, Odysseus?” Jason asked.

  “I am not sure I understand the term, bragging,” Odysseus said.

  “Never mind, Odysseus. It was a human attempt at humor”, Jason laughed.

  They sat in silence staring at the shifting displays around them. They were both startled when a feminine voice spoke and said, “Ship’s computer on line.”

  “Odysseus, why does the ships computer have a female voice?” asked Jason.

  “I have found multiple references in human literature that indicated that ships are commonly referred to as a female. I assumed that a female voice would be appropriate. I can alter the voice if you prefer,” answered Odysseus.

  “Whose voice is that Odysseus, it sounds familiar?” Jason asked.

  “It is a…mix… or a combination of all the human females on your expedition crew,” Odysseus stated. “It was the most efficient way to produce a unique human female’s voice.”

  Master Chief laughed. “I guess that is why it’s so familiar then.”

  “So where did you get your male voice, Odysseus?” Jason asked. “Never mind, let me guess, it’s a mix of our male voices?”

  “That is correct,” said Odysseus.

  “Ok, Odysseus, how can I communicate with the ship’s computer?” Jason asked.

  “You may talk to the ship the same way that you talk to me. Your reference is not correct, however. The ship is who you are talking to. When you communicate with me…I am the entire site…everything that is here with the exception of the excavator and the ship,” Odysseus explained.

  “Ok, let’s give this a try,” said Jason. “Ship, my name is Jason. Do you understand me?”

  “Hello Jason. My programming and communication matrix has been re-programmed to interact with and accept human commands,” the ship answered from a hidden speaker somewhere that Jason could not localize.

  “Ship, do you have a name, other than ship that is?”

  “My designation given by the creators would not…could not be produced by the human sound generation organ,” the ship replied.

  “Then you need a human name. Since you have a female voice you need a female name. Ship, can we call you the “Amelia Earhart” when we refer to you?” Jason asked. “We can also refer to you as Amelia, to make it easier if you like?”

  “What reference is Amelia Earhart?” asked the ship.

  “Amelia Earhart was a famous female pilot that disappeared in the Pacific Ocean while trying to fly around our planet. You have traveled farther than any other spaceship that I’m aware of. So, I thought it might be a good name,” Jason told the ship.

  “I have accepted the classification of Amelia Earhart and Amelia as human references to this ship,” Amelia stated.

  Jason grinned at Master Chief, who was rolling his eyes sarcastically. “Amelia, can you reduce the gravity by about forty percent here in the ship?” He sighed with relief as the weight upon him reduced to about that of the planet Elpis. “Amelia, you can maintain this gravity as a normal gravity in the future unless we request otherwise.”

  “Reference to standard gravity updated,” Amelia said.

  Jason rubbed his hands together. “Now, we’re getting somewhere,” he grinned. “This is going to be fun!”

  …

  Kristy finished her daily communication update to Alpha control. The information and technical explanations that Odysseus had transferred on fusion reactors, artificial gravity, advanced physics, and a myriad other subjects had helped calm the uproar back at Alpha Control and NASA when it had been announced that two of the expedition’s females were now pregnant. She had caught a big load of crap from Alpha control about the pregnancies. But, what the hell had they expected by sending a mixed crew here for four years? There was now some serious discussion taking place back on Earth about how they were going to get a handful of children aged anywhere from one to three years old off the planet in four years. The challenge of getting small children into orbit without hurting them had thrown a big wrench into the return mission planning.

  All in all, Kristy was actually in a pretty mood this morning. Her expedition crew was healthy and getting along very well. The greenhouses would be producing food in about two weeks and the information they were gleaning from Odysseus’s data banks would advance human technology in many areas from fifty to one hundred years. The only black mark on the expedition so far had been the accidental death of Frederick. On a personal note, the slowing evolving relationship she had with Albert was keeping her from getting so stressed out all the time.

  Kristy’s PA beeped. When she tapped it to answer, Odysseus spoke to her.

  “Kristy, I am using the algorithms that your meteorologists provided as well as those that I am developing from historical data. If the data provided by the weather station and my own sensors is correct, then there is a seventy eight percent chance of moderate to heavy rainfall for the next three days. I would have to recommend that the expedition to the three nearby seeding probe impact sites be delayed until after this period of rainfall.”

  “Thank you for the information, Odysseus. We don’t want anyone going out and getting stuck in a flash flood,” Kristy replied.

  “You’re welcome, Kristy. I have also prepared the data and engineering drawings for the geo-thermal differential power generator that provides most of my power into human engineering terms and units. I can transmit this to Alpha Control whenever you wish.”

  “That’s great, Odysseus. I just sent the daily update so let’s wait and I’ll send a message that we will transmit that data tomorrow,” Kristy told him. She shook her head in amazement. At first, they had been very leery of Odysseus’s intentions, but he had eventually just become one of the expedition members. He was always awake and working. When they were sleeping, his sensors were constantly monitoring the environment and he had become very proficient at predicting weather patterns up to three or four days into the future. They had become very dependent on him and he had yet to let them down. His understanding of human behavior kept improving and he altered his own interactions with the humans as he came to understand them better. In return, they accepted him as just another person, albeit a very intelligent one. Since it looked like they wouldn’t be making a field trip for the next couple of days, she walked over to the Barbakath space ship to see what kind of progress Jason and his team were making with the alien ship.

  Chapter 52

  July 21st, 2047

  Macon, Georgia

  Jessica was at the DNA Ark project to study some of the details of the regeneration tank technology that had been shared by Odysseus, th
e artificial intelligence caretaker of the alien site on the planet Elpis. Brett, Jessica and their bio-engineering team had been struggling for years with how to create an artificial cell matrix that their digitally stored DNA could be inserted into. Now, the techniques that the alien Barbakath had developed had given them the breakthrough they needed. They only had to make some small alterations in the process to account for the differences of native life between the Barbakath’s home world and Earth’s. With the information that Odysseus had given them, they had the capability of using the Ark’s DNA archive and bringing back to life any of the stored Terran life forms that it contained.

  At the moment, Jessica was finalizing the plans for a re-generation tank that was based on the design the Barbakath used. The team at the DNA Ark project had previously been successful at creating some embryos from stored data and then transplanted those embryos into surrogate animals. The ability to create and grow animals in a re-generation tank would be a scientific breakthrough that would revolutionize genetics and bio-engineering. No longer would a womb be necessary to provide nutrients to an embryo.

  Jessica’s research was interrupted by her PDA’s soft chiming. The guard at the entrance station was calling her.

  “This is Doctor Driskall,” she answered.

  “Doctor Driskall, I have a visitor named Benjamin Greco who’s requesting to speak with you. He isn’t on the appointment or notification list,” the guard said.

  Jessica raised her eye brows in surprise. Benjamin, now that was someone that had played a major role in her life. Neither she nor Brett had seen Benjamin in person in over twenty years. Jessica frowned. Although Benjamin had been a benefactor to many of their projects over the years, he had also caused them some major headaches. She couldn’t help but remember the international uproar that Benjamin’s immunization campaign and his preemptive terraforming project of Elpis had caused.

  “I’ll come down and meet him,” Jessica told the guard over her PA. She took off her lab coat and took the elevator down to the entrance lobby. When she walked up to the security station, she was taken aback. The withered old man in the wheelchair there didn’t resemble the tall and robust Benjamin Greco that she remembered. Jessica could him looking at her and accessing her as she walked up. His body may have started failing him, but there was still intelligence and cunning in those eyes.