The Sha'lee Resurrection

by Paul G White

  The young astronomer glanced at a sheet issuing from the laser printer and pushed her seat back with her knees. The computer chair rolled back easily on the smooth surface, and she stretched extravagantly as she came erect. “I didn’t realise I was so knotted up, Carl,” she commented, “I don’t think I’ve moved from my chair since before I called you. What do you want, black or white?”

  “American black, I think. C’mon, I’ll walk with you to the kitchen and you can explain exactly what you’ve found out so far. I’ll call in the rest of the team while we’re having coffee.”

  “Good idea, Carl. We’ll need all the help we can get.”

  Terri filled the coffee maker and produced a couple of mugs, and whilst the machine was busily following its program, she gave her boss a detailed résumé of the night’s events.

  Finally, Hanson sighed. “I can’t fault the way you’ve approached the problem. Now I just need to check all the data for errors.” He added with a smile, “Not that I expect to find any, Terri, because your performance over the past year has been exemplary.”

  The young astronomer returned the smile and handed her boss a mug of hot, black coffee. “Thanks, Carl. That’s good to know.”

  But Hanson was already dialling the first of a long list of staff he needed at the facility just as soon as they could report for duty. The only staff exempt from his emergency call-up would be those who were presently on the other side of the world.

  *

  In in top secrecy over the following seven days, telescopes worldwide were avidly trained on the asteroid, 99942 Apophis; and over that period, it became clear that not only would the three-hundred and twenty-five metre asteroid impact with the Earth, but landfall would take place in central Europe. The omens for survival of vast numbers of human beings in one of the most heavily populated regions of Earth were dark indeed; but the extent of the disaster would not be confined to Europe alone. The debris from the impact would darken the skies over much of the Earth, resulting in crop failure and famine for billions of people. Armageddon was a little over two weeks away, and that presented a dilemma of epic proportions: should the populace be told, and if so . . . when?

  Whatever happened, the resulting panic was certain to leave many dead. Governments would fall, anarchy would reign, and riots would scar city and countryside alike. There was insufficient time to carry out the evacuation of more than eight-hundred million souls, and so what criteria would determine who was carried to safety and who would remain to face the holocaust?

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Maya Mountains, 28th March 2013

  Hela interrupted the progress meeting between Captain Lessil, his officers, Hollifal and Cray, Astronomer Shenna and the humans, Mike Carter, Philip Makeman and Hal Kleineman.

  “Captain, I am picking up a large volume of communications from astronomical observatories in many areas of the globe. The subject of the communications is an impending impact by an asteroid that should have bypassed the Earth, but recently underwent a collision which changed its course. The asteroid will impact the heavily-populated continent of Europe in sixteen days’ time.”

  Even the two humans who possessed no hint of telepathic ability experienced a sudden feeling of despair as the four Sha’lee momentarily relived their ordeal of the Late Cretaceous era. The emotional pressure was far more intense on Phil Makeman’s mind and he slumped sideways in his chair against Mike Carter’s shoulder. Shenna was immediately at his side, easing her way into his unresisting mind to smooth out the trauma of the emotional storm.

  After several minutes Makeman’s eyelids flickered and his face contorted in pain. Shenna caressed his mind for another minute until Makeman reluctantly opened his eyes. Weakly, he groaned, “What the devil happened? I reckon I felt all the misery of the world in one instant.”

  “We apologise, friend Philip,” Shenna said, “for subjecting you to our unguarded emotion. As Sha’lee, we have experienced a lifetime of control over our thoughts and emotions, but the mention of another disaster such as befell the Sha’lee so long ago, came as a surprise. We will be more careful in future, until you have learned the control that we have enjoyed all our lives.”

  Makeman grinned. “Don’t mention it, Shenna. In your shoes I’m sure I’d have felt exactly the same. The question is: can the disaster be averted?”

  Captain Lessil was pensive for a few moments. Then, in flawless English, courtesy of intense tuition by both Hela and Phil Makeman, he announced, “We have the crew numbers on board necessary to take the Comora into space to nullify the threat, if we include the human children, but their training is, as yet, insufficiently advanced. Friend Philip, do you believe the humans on board can learn the necessary skills within the next few days?”

  “If they have to learn, they will. Maybe they won’t be as polished as your original Sha’lee crew, but you can guarantee they’ll do what’s necessary . . . even the youngsters. Even someone as set in their ways as I am will do it . . . and we won’t let you down. For the sake of Europe and the rest of the world, we’ll do what’s necessary.”

  “Will every human on board follow the orders of Sha’lee officers?”

  “I’m sure they won’t give you any problems. But I think you ought to call everyone into the main dining hall to explain the situation and let them know exactly what our options are. I’m assuming you intend to use the Comora’s meteor defences to destroy the asteroid? Can they do that?”

  Lessil smiled. “The meteor defence is more powerful than you imagine, Friend Philip, and in space, the full energy of the weapon can be deployed. Our main difficulty will be taking the Comora into space with a makeshift crew.”

  “Then we should see what everyone feels about it.”

  “Hela,” Lessil called softly, “please summon everyone on board, both human and Sha’lee, into the main dining hall.”

  “In anticipation of your order, Captain, I have already called everyone together and they are on their way as we speak. For your information, there are presently one hundred and eight people on board, including two male and three female children aged between six and twelve years. No one is missing.”

  “Thank you, Hela.” Lessil looked around the room at the humans and Sha’lee. “Shall we go?” As an afterthought, he added, “Hela, please put together a presentation detailing the crisis, for the benefit of everyone on board the Comora, and have it ready by the time we arrive at the dining hall.”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  The human complement of the Comora sat in stunned silence as Hela’s presentation ran towards its conclusion. The Sha’lee crewmembers had been warned telepathically by their compatriots of the threat to Earth, but the revelation had come as a terrible shock to the humans.

  Paul Gossart exclaimed, “Mon Dieu!” when the threat was first outlined, but his shock turned to fierce determination as the presentation ran towards the conclusion that Captain Lessil intended to take the mighty ship into space and eliminate the asteroid.

  Lessil addressed the gathering. “Everyone will be allocated tasks, which the original crew of the Comora would have undertaken when lifting into space. Even those Sha’lee in service positions, such as Traybaren and Dollen our cooks, will learn and perform the necessary skills. Hela will provide tuition aids and the ship’s officers, Hollifal, Cray and myself, will give technical assistance. Firstly, however, each and every one of us should take a few moments to make a record of any skills and qualifications we possess, however obscure or irrelevant they may seem. All that is necessary is for you to discuss your skills with each other, and Hela will make a comprehensive list. If you recall anything later, you will be able to mention it to Hela. Are there any questions?

  Phil Makeman waited in the lengthening silence, for someone to ask the question which he felt was screaming out to be answered. Finally, he stood and looked around those gathered in the dining hall. “There’s something we all need to know.”

  Lessil smiled. He had touched the edge of the
question in Makeman’s mind. “Speak out, Friend Philip.”

  Makeman cleared his throat. “I was informed that many centuries ago in Sha’lee history it was made impossible for AIs such as Hela to assume control of a ship. My question is this: even if Hela has been created utterly unable to physically control the ship, does she still know how to do it, and if so, will she be watching over everyone and guiding everything we do?”

  Captain Lessil’s smile broadened. “Philip is very perceptive. Yes, although Hela is unable to control the ship herself, she will monitor everyone’s actions very carefully throughout our short journey to the asteroid and our return to Earth. In that way, we will ensure that nothing goes wrong.”

  Hal Kleineman entertained the rueful thought that, although it was a short journey from the Sha’lee perspective, it would probably be the longest journey ever undertaken by human beings – apart from long duration tours of duty on the international Space station and, without doubt, would be the greatest distance any human being had ever travelled away from the safety of Earth.

  *

  Immediately following the meeting held by Captain Lessil between the Sha’lee and humans on board the Comora, the Captain called together those who were present when Hela first announced the news of the rogue asteroid. Mike Carter was entertaining doubts concerning the ability of those humans on board to learn the necessary skills quickly enough to enable lift-off before the day of destiny for Europe and the world.

  “I’m really not confident that we can do it,” Carter told the small gathering. “It’s a hell of a lot to ask, especially of young children.”

  Lessil deferred to Astronomer Shenna, accepting that of all eighteen Sha’lee on board, she possessed the greatest empathy with human beings in general, and those on board in particular.

  Shenna explained, “Mike Carter, I have experienced the thought processes of everyone on board over the past few months, and I do not share your pessimism. Apart from the children, all the humans are committed and intelligent. We have scientists and engineers who represent a broad range of disciplines; we have a small number of military personnel, and we even have on board a retired astronaut. And whilst the environment in which we will all be working will be radically different from what we are accustomed to, both for human and Sha’lee, I know we can accomplish any task if we work together as a team . . . as a starship crew. As for the children—” She smiled at Mike Carter, displaying her tiny, even teeth. “As for the children, they are unencumbered by a lifetime of experiences and memories. Their minds are like those of AIs who have only just begun to store and process data, and they will probably experience fewer problems of adjustment than the average adult.”

  Captain Lessil asked, “Does everyone accept the opinion of Astronomer Shenna?”

  One by one everyone, including Mike Carter, nodded. Carter, however, cautioned, “It won’t help if the Comora suddenly takes off and disappears into space without anyone but us knowing we can do it and without an explanation of what we intend to do when we get there. We have to make Minister Hernandez aware of our intentions right now, because the last thing we need is for the world to slip into unnecessary panic and chaos. I’m sure Juan and Prime Minister Hardy will know what to do to.” He took his mobile phone from his pocket and had pressed three digits before he cancelled the call with a sheepish look on his face.

  “Sorry, forgot for a moment . . . no signal aboard the Comora.”

  Seconds later Hela’s voice filled the room, “Minister Hernandez is ready to speak to you, Doctor Carter.”

  “Can you allow everyone to listen?”

  With a trace of a chuckle, Hela replied, “Everyone on board?”

  “Behave yourself, Hela. Of course, not, just those in here.”

  Several people were chuckling as the minister’s voice filled the room. “Juan Hernandez? Is that Dr Carter?”

  “Yes, Juan, thanks for allowing me to speak to you at such short notice.”

  “Did I have a choice? All the other telephones somehow failed, and only this one was live.”

  “I suppose that was Hela’s way of getting your attention,” Carter told him ruefully, “because it was vital that you know exactly what has happened and where we stand.”

  “Stand? Why, is there a problem?”

  Carter took a deep breath and launched into his explanation. “Have you heard any rumours about the near-Earth asteroid, 99942 Apophis?”

  Hernandez was non-committal. “Rumours?”

  “Yes, concerning a change of orbit.”

  “I understand there has been some Internet chat about it over the past twenty-four hours or so, but it has not yet reached official levels.”

  “In that case, what I am about to tell you may come as a shock,” Carter informed him. “Earlier today, Hela picked up Internet traffic between several observatories, the core of which is that Apophis has suffered a collision with another asteroid and is now set on a course to impact Central Europe on Friday, thirteenth of April instead of serenely flying past the Earth. Hela has intercepted the data transmissions between the observatories and has confirmed the projected new course of the Asteroid.”

  The room was silent, and then Hernandez breathed, “My God, the death toll will be in billions. I’ll have to make enquiries to confirm what you have told me. Once I have done that, what is it you wish me to do?”

  “I think I should let Captain Lessil explain, Minister. After all, the Comora is his ship and we are all members of his crew.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Our captain will explain. Captain Lessil?”

  Lessil seemed a little more relaxed now that a course of action had been worked out between his Sha’lee crew and their human friends. “Minister Hernandez,” he began, “you will accept that as an experienced Captain of a Sha’lee starship, I am accustomed to assessing events and circumstances and arriving at viable solutions?” The minister said nothing, but merely waited for Lessil to continue. “Though I was never a military commander, nevertheless I understand what is needed to make the crew of a starship function – I believe your expression would be ‘like a Swiss watch’. At this moment, aboard the Comora, I have a total of one-hundred and eight people, both human and Sha’lee. I have made the decision – with no detractors – to subject everyone to an intense period of training, in order to mould them into a starship crew capable of taking my ship into space to remove the threat from Earth once and for all.”

  The minister’s disembodied voice said, “Assuming you can do what you say to train the crew, can you actually do that? I mean, can you destroy the asteroid so that it can never return?”

  The strain in Lessil’s voice was evident as he replied, “The Comora’s meteor defence is more powerful than you can imagine, Minister. If we had received sufficient warning of the asteroid’s approach so many millions of your years ago, we would have prevented it from reaching your planet. This current threat is inconsequential by comparison. However,” he was unable to hide his emotions as thoughts of the disaster echoed through his mind, “I will never again permit such a tragedy to befall us.”

  Hernandez was silent for almost half a minute, before he replied, “I understand, Captain, thank you. And I’m sorry for reawakening thoughts of your tragedy. I will make the necessary enquiries and I’m sure that Prime Minister Hardy will pass on the good news to as many governments as he can. I know it’s not of material assistance, but I wish you all the best of luck and God speed.”

  Shenna added, “May the gods of Sha’lee’an smile on us.”

  And Phil Makeman finished the prayer with a heartfelt, “Amen!”

  Captain Lessil placed his small, four-fingered hands on his desk and rose to his feet. “Thank you, everyone. My officers and I now have much planning to do and much training to arrange in order to mould the crew together. I would like Philip Makeman and Hal Kleineman to help us with the planning.”

  Carter’s expression changed very little, but he was unable to hide
his unvoiced questions from an accomplished telepath such as Lessil.

  The captain continued with no apparent pause. “Mike Carter’s talent for the moment is in liaising with the rest of the site and the outside world. Once Hela has apprised Dr Carter of all the skills and qualities required for the task ahead of us, if Mike believes that anyone beyond the walls of the Comora should be invited on board, I will accept his judgement without question. Are you agreeable, Dr Carter?”

  Carter smiled, “I’ll talk to Hela right away and then see who else might prove to be an asset.”

  “Right away is exactly what is required,” Lessil announced. “We lift off in seven days, so time is of the essence.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  During the three days following the decision to destroy the asteroid, Mike Carter worked tirelessly to assess as many site personnel as possible, finally selecting six candidates. The first potential crewmember he interviewed was Palo Lopez. Carter had been highly impressed with the levels of skill and adaptability of the young Puerto Rican and the way he had deftly, almost intuitively, controlled Sha’lee lifting machinery. Lopez ascended the ramp alongside four young male engineers and a solitary female, Helena Wightman. Wightman, although still a student, had displayed great flair when required to assume control over the re-siting of the Mayan ruins and had performed the unexpected duty with distinction. Carter was confident that the young archaeological student would be an asset to Captain Lessil’s makeshift crew.

  With the exception of Palo Lopez, who had been aboard once before in order to help clean up the wreckage of machinery and stores in the warehouse, everyone constantly looked around them as they stood before the three transporters. None of the other five had ever dared entertain hopes that they would be allowed on board the mighty starship, and their eyes were filled with wonder. The central box opened noiselessly and James Weddell, a site electrician, whistled at the manner in which the wall of the huge compartment seemed to melt away.