“It's an XO's job to keep tabs on the crew.”
“You're being evasive,” Susan accused.
“Well, that big cameraman of yours is a bit of a hunk. Problem is he's now on the bridge crew, which means he works for me.”
“Like you said, its a small ship, opportunities are limited. If you take away all the people who work for you—I'm guessing that's pretty much the entire crew with the exception of the Captain—and you don't have much to choose from. You've got the Marines, the two scientists and Col Ivan.”
Mention of the last name elicited a snort from Ludmilla. “Sorry, Ivan is thoroughly and miserably married. Not that Russian men love suffering so much that they can't be led astray—I have first hand proof of that—but Ivan is so by the book that even the book finds him tiresome.”
Gretchen nodded agreement. “Yuki is fun to spar with but scientists are not my cup of tea. As for the Marines, first they are all enlisted men and second, the one time I dated a Marine it ended badly.”
“Define badly.”
“I got cracked ribs and he got a busted jaw.”
“OK,” Susan allowed, “that certainly fits the definition of a bad breakup.”
“I'm just going to bide my time. If we get back to Earth and pick up the rest of the crew and passengers there will be a bunch of civilian technicians and specialists to choose from.”
“I don't know, Gretchen. It strikes me that chasing through alternate dimensions after alien spaceships to fight is a deeply dangerous business. Maybe you shouldn't put off the possibility of a little love and affection until after we get home.”
“Maybe you're right,” she said pensively. The conversation had gotten as close to her love life, or lack there of, as she was comfortable with. Turning the discussion in another direction Gretchen said to Ludmilla, “So tell us about that first hand proof you have regarding Russian men.”
Bridge, Parker's Folly, Alter-space Day 2
It was almost the end of morning watch and the Captain was on the bridge, a hot mug of coffee in his hand. Just observing the day to day operation of the ship brought him a feeling of peace, of well being, like all was right with the Universe. The Navy had long held that four hour watches were optimal—long enough for watch standers to settle into their jobs, but not so long that boredom sets in and attention wanders.
But four on and four off without an occasional extended period for sleep was not healthy, so he and Gretchen had been standing double watches. They had been doing so around the clock since the encounter on the Moon. He had started a double watch shift at midnight, “balls to dawn” as the ratings would say, giving Gretchen a normal night's sleep. Regardless, both he and the First Officer were showing signs of the strain.
What was really needed was another officer to fill in the gap. Bear, despite being third officer, was not really a qualified watch stander. Engineer Medina came closest but he had other duties and drafting him only created holes in the engineering watch schedule. Once again, Jack cursed their forced hasty departure.
Personnel for forenoon watch had stared to arrive, including both JT and Gretchen. JT went to his post at the navigation station while Gretchen approached the Captain and spoke the traditional navy phrase.
“I am ready to relieve you, Sir.”
“I am ready to be relieved.” Jack said with considerable feeling. “Nothing much to report, Lieutenant. The morning watch was uneventful. If Folly is correct, we will be utterly bored for the next six and a half days.”
“I've been thinking about that, Sir. I think it might be wise to run some drills on the weapons systems, computer simulations. We have a number of crew that have no training and we can probably make use of several of the Marines as gunner's mates.”
“Good thinking, Lieutenant. Check with the Chief and the Gunny and draw up a schedule. We have some Marines that will need to ease back into PT as well.” Since Dr. Tropsha discovered the bone regrowth stimulators, all of the Marines except Lt. Merryweather were healed and ready to return to duty.
“Roger that, Sir. We are all going to need practice in the new body armor Mr. Taylor and the Gunny are working on. Some zero-g sessions with Lt. Bear might also improve the Marines three dimensional awareness. After all, Bear is the ship's Master-at-Arms and as such, it is part of his duty to train the ship's company in repelling boarders and conducting on-shore hostile action.”
“And it might make Bear a bit happier if he had some playmates to swat around,” the Captain chuckled.
“Aye Captain,” Lt. Curtis said, with a twinkle in her eye.
“Pardon me, Captain? Lieutenant?” JT had moved from navigation to the wing of the bridge.
“Yes, Mr Taylor?” the Captain responded.
“Sir, I think I've identified the star system we are headed for. I've been checking the parameters given by the computer against some of the star catalogs in the ship's online library.”
“Don't keep us in suspense, Mister. Out with it.”
“Yes, Sir. The name of the star is Beta Comae Berenices, also known as 43 Comae Berenices. It is the brightest star in the constellation Bernice's Hair as seen from Earth. Right Ascension and Declination are 13h11m52.395s and +27°52'41.4", respectively, and the distance from Earth is listed as 9.155 parsecs. That's 29.86 light-years, right inline with the computer's rough estimate of 30 light-years.”
“And our course when we dropped into alter-space was headed toward this particular star?”
“Yes indeed, Captain. Our last normal space heading was pretty much dead on for Beta Comae.”
“Do your star catalogs tell us what type of system we are going to find when we get there, Mr. Taylor?”
“According to the writeup it is spectral class G0, luminosity class V, and absolute visual magnitude is +4.45. Visual luminosity is 1.447 times Sol and its mass is 1.05 x Sol. In other words, it is a star much like our Sun, just a bit bigger. In fact, the habitable comfort zone would be about 1.2 times as far out as Earth's orbit is back home.”
“Any known planets?” asked Lt. Curtis.
“No Ma'am. At least no gas giants close in. It is possible that terrestrial planets might exist but none have been detected according to the planet search archives. Earth sized planets are hard to detect from this distance.”
“Well, at least we know something about where we are going. Good work, Mr. Taylor.”
“Thank you, Sir.” JT nodded and returned to the navigator’s station.
“Well, Lieutenant. I believe that sums up the ship's status.”
Gretchen came to attention and repeated the ritual words for a change of the watch. “Sir, I relieve you.”
“I stand relieved,” acknowledged the Captain, then turning to leave the bridge. As he left Lt. Curtis announced to the bridge crew. “This is Lt. Curtis, I have the Deck and the Conn.”
Surveying the bridge crew she noticed that Billy Ray had not relieved Bobby at the helm. I wonder what that is all about? No matter, she thought, maybe he just overslept. After all, we are not expecting any hostile action in alter-space.
Susan's Cabin, Start of Forenoon Watch, Alter-space Day 2
Susan rolled over under the covers and pressed her hands against her forehead in a vain attempt to quiet the throbbing in her head. Way too much Shiraz, girl, and I think there were some black Russians in there toward the end. Then she heard the sound of water running in her shower.
Susan sat upright in the bed—the covers falling away revealing her naked torso. My God, what have I done? As dim recollections of the previous night's events slowly filtered through the painful haze of her hangover, the water in the shower stopped running. A tall figure emerged, wreathed in steam. It was Billy Ray, dressed only in a towel and beading water.
“Morning Sunshine! You're looking a might peaked.”
Realizing that she was naked and half exposed, Susan covered her face with both hands, her arms shielding her breasts. “Oh God!” she said out loud.
Billy Ray, all ripcor
d and lean muscle, bent over to pull on a new blue jumpsuit taken from the delivery chute. Every day, the ship provided new clothing for the crew, each suit a personalized fit in the appropriate color. “Hey look, the computer delivered two new jumpsuits, one your size and one in mine.”
Susan started sobbing. If the computer knows then everybody knows!
“What's wrong?” Billy Ray said, taking a step toward the bed.
“No! Stay away,” Susan said through her hands, not removing them from her face. “Please, just go away.”
“What ever I did wrong, I'm sorry,” Billy Ray said, adding softly. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”
“Why did you end up in my room?” she asked plaintively, lowering her hands from her face and crossing them over her chest.
“Because my room is back in the crew section and I share it with Bobby. Your room also has a queen sized bed and a private shower.”
“Everyone will know!” she wailed.
“I told you there were no secrets on board a ship. It didn't seem to matter to you last night.”
“I was drunk last night,” she sobbed, tears starting to run down her cheeks, “and everyone will be talking about us.” I can't believe I let this happen, and right after Gretchen told me I should!
Billy Ray wanted to hold her and comfort her, but he sensed that trying to do so would only make matters worse. She needed time to get a grip on her emotions.
“I gotta go,” He said softly, “I'm already late for my watch. I don't know what I did wrong, but if I hurt you I'm sorry. That was never my intention. I thought this was what both of us wanted. I'll stay away until you want to talk.” With that he slipped out the door and was gone.
Then the tears came full on, violent sobs wracking her body. Why did I sleep with him? Even worse, why did I just throw him out? The one guy on the ship I like, who seemed to like me back, and I've just totally screwed it up. On top of that, Gretchen and Ludmilla are going to think I'm some kind of barracuda, using Billy Ray and then throwing him out like trash. What few friends I have will disown me!
Billy Ray had paused outside the door. He heard her crying and shook his head sadly. I wish I knew what I did wrong.
Crew's Dayroom, Lower Deck
With the main lounge closed, most of the crew and Marines had collected in the crew's dayroom next to their quarters on the lower deck. The attached mess offered breakfast, snacks and sandwiches all day and a hot meal in the evening, but the biggest attraction was that crew were allowed to draw either two beers or two glasses of wine a day.
The Gunny and JT had just come down from the engineering lab on second deck, where they were working on the design and fabrication of body armor for over the standard spacesuits. Bobby had joined the deck crew in hopes of picking up some interesting scuttlebutt.
“Hey, Bobby,” said Jon Feldman, “What's with your buddy Billy Ray? I saw him on forenoon watch and he looked like someone had killed his dog.”
“Not his dog, I think he has lady problems,” Bobby answered. “But you're right, he is one morose mother fucker.”
“Watch your tongue sonny, there are ladies present,” the Gunny scolded.
“Sorry Ma'am,” Bobby apologized, blushing bright red.
“Don't Ma'am me, I work for a living. Call me either Sergeant or Gunny. And I was referring to Hospital Corpsman White.”
“That's right,” chimed in the slightly inebriated PFC Davis, demonstrating why he earned the sobriquet ‘Two Can.’ “The Gunny ain't a lady, she's a Marine.”
“Two Can, you are going to get some extra hand-to-hand time with Lt. Bear for that crack,” the Gunny said, giving him the disapproving eye.
“Do we really have to mix it up with the bear, Gunny?” asked LCpl Reagan, rubbing his left hand over his still healing right arm.
“That we do, Captain's orders. We need to learn how to fight aliens and the Master-at-Arms is the closest thing we got to an alien to practice on. Don't worry, he'll have mittens on his claws, Ronnie. Besides, he jumped on my separated shoulder during the tussle in the cargo hold and I want some payback.”
“Don't worry, Reagan,” JT added. “Lt. Bear is OK, once you get to know him. Plus, we hope to have some of the body armor ready to go by tomorrow. It will provide some extra padding.”
“Hey JT, I heard that you ID'd the star we're headed for.” said Steve Hitch, changing the subject. “What's the skinny?”
“It's called Beta Comae Berenices and it's in the constellation known as Berenice's Hair. Seen from Earth, Coma Berenices is sandwiched between the Hunting Dogs, Canes Venatici to the north, Virgo to the south, Leo on the west border and Bootes on the eastern border.”
“What kind of name is Berenice's Hair for a constellation?” asked Washington.
“It was named by the Greek Konon of Samos, some time in the third century BC, after the hair of Egyptian Queen Berenice. She was the wife of King Ptolemy III Euergestes. The story goes that when the King went to war Berenice promised her long beautiful hair to Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love, if her husband returned safely from the campaign. After the king's return Berenice kept her promise though she took the loss hard—evidently the Queen was proud of her hair. In light of her sacrifice, Aphrodite herself placed the hair among the stars, thus creating the constellation.”
“Nice story, JT,” Betty commented. “Do we know anything about the place other than myths?”
“Beta Comae is a main-sequence G type yellow-orange dwarf star about 1.05 times Sol's mass, and about 110 percent of its diameter. It's a little bit hotter and whiter than the Sun—about 40% brighter. It appears to be more enriched in elements heavier than helium, what astronomers call metals. For instance, it has between 1.05 to 2.29 times Sol's abundance of iron.”
“What difference would that make?” asked Kato Kwan.
“The composition of a star is an indication of the stuff that went into making up its whole solar system. Lot's of heavy elements means there could be terrestrial planets orbiting the star. There don't seem to be any stellar-mass companions or closely orbiting gas giants, which bodes well for the presence of Earth-like planets.”
“So there could be inhabited alien worlds orbiting the star?” Bobby was into anything involving aliens.
JT shrugged. “Beta Comae is given pretty good odds of having an Earth-like or Mars-like planet in the habitable zone. One study suggests that the star may be about 4.4 billion years old, another suggests that its age may be 10 percent younger than Sol, around 4.1 billion years. In either case, if there is an Earth-like rocky planet in the habitable zone it is possible that life could have developed there, just like back home.”
“Great!” the Gunny said sarcastically. “So we may have to take on a whole planet full of alien hostiles when we get there. I think we need to advance our training schedule.”
Main Mess, End of First Dog Watch, Alter-space Day 2
On a Navy vessel, the captain usually has a private mess where he can either dine alone or with a few invited guests. This precludes the need for the ship's other officers to be on best behavior in the wardroom and also cuts down on informal petitions to the Captain during a meal. Since Folly was a private yacht, not a Navy vessel, such accommodations had not been included.
Captain Jack had a choice of eating alone in his sea cabin or taking meals in the guests' dinning room, which doubled for the officers' mess or wardroom. He was just finishing a light dinner, preparing to relieve Gretchen for second dog and evening watchs, when Ludmilla approached his table.
“I beg your pardon, Captain, but might I have a word?”
“Certainly, Doctor. Please take a seat.”
Ignoring the Captain's invitation to sit, Ludmilla continued. “I would like to apologize for my earlier behavior, my disbelief of your explanation.”
The Captain pushed his chair back from the table and looked Ludmilla in the eyes. “On reflection, it was unfair of me to ask you to accept so much fantastical information so soon a
fter your ordeal on the ISS. Your reaction was quite understandable.”
He is trying to let me save face, Ludmilla realized, this will not do. “Captain, I spoke ill of you before other members of this expedition. I even questioned your sanity in front them. As a medical doctor I should never have done such a thing.”
Jack wrinkled his brow in thought. This is no perfunctory apology, she is really serious about this. Very well. “Dr. Tropsha, I accept your apology, think nothing more of it. We can move forward as though it never happened.”
Relief softened Ludmilla's features. “Thank you, Captain.”
“And now that that is over with, I would count it a favor if you would resume calling me Jack when we are alone.” Jack motioned to the empty dinning area with a sweep of one hand.
Ludmilla looked around, surprise registering on her face. “They have all gone!”
Jack placed his napkin on his plate and standing, moved next to her. “I must stand the next two watches tonight, but tomorrow my evening will be free. Would you join me for dinner, if I promise no new unbelievable revelations?”
“Yes, Jack,” she said, her pale blue eyes looking deep into his, “I would very much like to take up where we left off.”
Chapter 15
Cargo Hold, Afternoon Watch, Alter-space Day 3
The cargo hold was under zero-g, its cavernous space filled with bouncing, grotesque figures in graphite black. At first glance they moved randomly—like ping pong balls in a lottery machine—ricocheting off of the bulkheads, deck and overhead. Upon closer observation, they were also bouncing off of each other.
More specifically, all the smaller figures were concentrating their attention on a single outsized individual. The large grotesque was swatting its tormentors away like flies. It landed on all fours and came off the ceiling at fairly low velocity, allowing two of the smaller ones to hit it from opposite sides simultaneously. The triad of figures cartwheeled, throwing the two smaller ones off in new directions while the central figure tumbled end over end.
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