by Isaac Hooke
“Then it’s a good thing I have a great Chief Engineer to prevent that from happening.” She paused for a moment. “Andy, we have a sun coming at us fast. I’m going to risk it.”
“Very well, Captain,” O’Toole said.
Her comm beeped. “Captain.”
“Captain, we’re aboard,” Steven said.
“Good,” Elizabeth said, “get up here. Out. Helm, ahead flank. Make it snappy.”
“Snappy it is, ma’am,” Adam said.
“Tactical report,” Elizabeth said.
“It’s slowing,” Anna said. “Best estimate I can give you is two minutes to intercept. But we don’t know the range of its weapons, so...”
“Very well.”
“Point four,” Adam Hong said from the helm.
Elizabeth stood and walked to the helm station.
“Adam, prepare to employ the displacement drive.”
“Captain, we’re just coming up on point five.”
“I’m aware of that, Lieutenant,” she said, with just enough censure to get his attention.
“Aye, aye, Captain,” he said.
“Adam, you know what’s coming for us, right?” Elizabeth said.
“Yes, ma’am, and I’m scared shitless.”
“If it catches us, it will do to us what it did to Columbia. I won’t let that happen. Do you understand?”
“Loud and clear, Captain.”
“Good,” Elizabeth said. “If it attacks us, hit the drive. Don’t wait for an order, just do it.”
“Aye, skipper.”
She took her seat.
“Report, number one.”
“I’ve taken the precaution of instigating alert condition one,” Steven said. “The shields are up, for what they’re worth, and all compartments are sealed.”
“Well done, Fish. Hmm, did you disconnect the AI?”
“Damn, of course. That thing will fry it. Disconnecting now.”
Now all she could do was wait.
“Point seven.”
“Tactical, run scans on the sun,” Elizabeth said.
“I’ve done that, Captain.”
“Well, spit it out, Anna.”
“I can’t tell much from my readings, but I am reasonably certain that it is not a sun, as such. I can read little of its interior, but it does have one. My best guess about the corona is that it is some kind of highly advanced shielding. As for weapons, I have no idea what could drain all of the energy from a ship and its crew.”
“Range?”
“She’ll be on top of us in—”
Elizabeth felt sick, then very light. Oh God, no.
“Helm, now.”
The sun bellowed.
Nomad disappeared from normal space. The sickness disappeared and she felt stable again.
“Shit, that was cutting it fine,” Steven said.
“Yeah.” She keyed her comm. “Andy, how’s things down there?”
“Touch and go for a few seconds, but she’s steadied down now. Did you hear that thing?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Very well, stay on top of it. Out.”
“Helm, what speed did we engage the drive at?”
“One point two, skip.”
“Very well.”
How the hell did they find us?
“Captain, I don’t believe in coincidences,” Steven said.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. The chance of that thing turning up to the scene of its last mass murder at the same time as us balks at the percentages.”
“Surely they can’t track us?”
“I don’t know.”
“I guess we’ll find out, in due course.”
“Yeah, next time we transit, I’ll loiter around for a half day and see if it turns up.”
“And if it does?”
Elizabeth thought about that for a good half minute.
“If that happens we’ll never see home again.”
“Yeah, we could never risk leading it back to Earth.”
Elizabeth rubbed her hands over her face. “Damn, I could use a drink.” She examined her first officer. A very attractive man.
“Steven, would you join me in the ready room?”
“Of course, skip.”
The hatch snapped shut behind them.
“Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?”
He smiled. “Yes, I would very much like that.”
“After today I could use a drink. How about you?”
“I’d love a drink. And the good company, of course.”
She returned his smile. The deal had been made.
CHAPTER 6
Steven held Elizabeth in a firm embrace as waves of ecstasy shuddered through her lithe body. Sated, she rolled off him and rested her head on his chest. He savored the feel of her, the warmth of her body. She was unlike any woman he had ever known.
“Nine months and it’s still good. We should have done this sooner,” Steven said.
“Hmm,” Elizabeth cooed.
“Plenty of our crew got a head start on us,” Steven said. “Even Chief Schmitt hooked up with Doctor Isaksen. I didn’t see that one coming.”
Elizabeth rested her head on her arm and stared at him. “On a mission of this duration it was inevitable that the crew would pair off,” she said. “We’ve handled the break ups that interfere with ship efficiency, and that’s better than expecting them to remain celibate for over three years.”
Steven stroked her back then kissed her passionately. Right on cue, her comm beeped.
“Shit.” She keyed her comm. “Captain.”
A few seconds passed.
“Very well, Andy. Out.” She keyed her comm again. “Helm.”
Another pause while she responded.
“Greta, begin reducing speed and prepare to take us into normal space.”
Pause.
“Very well, carry on.”
“The star drive?” Steven asked.
“Yeah.” She checked her watch. “It’s 0520, so we’d better relieve the night crew a little earlier. I’m going to take a quick shower.”
“Great idea,” Steven said, around a lewd grin.
“Why, Commander, such presumption.”
After their shower, their long passionate shower, Steven returned to his quarters—that he hadn’t seen in four days—to don a fresh flight suit.
Back on the bridge, he relieved Lieutenant Zielinski, took his seat next to Elizabeth, subdued a smile, and ran a quick systems check.
“Captain, my console is showing green across the board. Deceleration is proceeding normally.”
“Very good, number one.”
***
Elizabeth still felt the afterglow of their love making and fought the urge to sigh with contentment. Being so close to him didn’t help the situation. Steven really was a lovely man, and a very pleasing bed mate. They had a mature relationship, not love, but a firm affection for one another. It could be no other way between Captain and First Officer. For the moment, Elizabeth was more than satisfied with the arrangement.
After leaving Columbia behind, Nomad spent the last nine months venturing deeper into the galaxy, on course for their final destination. During their forays into N space, no sign of the killer sun had been detected. For that fact she was more than relieved. They still had a mission to complete and being dogged by that monster would be a definite hindrance.
In two weeks they would reach Kappa Delphini and hopefully find a race of sentient beings with the technology to fight the killer sun. She continued to wonder if they would ever see home again. The thought of dying in the cold darkness of space, alone, had prompted her decision to take Steven as her lover. They worked well together, both at work and play. She liked him and knew she could trust him.
For now, that was as much as she could hope for.
CHAPTER 7
Seventeen months after leaving Earth, Nomad entered the Kappa Delphini solar system, ninety-eight light years from home. Although the harmonics problem w
ith their star drive continued, the ship had performed far better than the sims predicted. However, the crew were nearing exhaustion.
Captain Elizabeth Millard was also feeling the strain. Thank goodness she had Steven to lean on. Together they had done everything in their power to maintain crew morale, but the sad truth remained. After seventeen months of unrelenting pressure, the crew needed to rest. Perhaps she could grant shore leave if things worked out at their destination.
“Helm, report,” Steven said.
“On course, sir, we’re at full ahead and should be at the planet in six and a half days.”
“Very well.”
Elizabeth’s comm beeped. “Captain.”
“I have lunch for two, Captain.”
“Very well, Chief.”
“Join me for lunch, Commander?”
“Yes, thank you, Captain.”
Chief Petty Officer Belski had already set up the table and chairs and was preparing to serve their meals from a heating element on his cart.
“Coffee?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes, thank you, Captain,” Steven said.
From the corner of her eye she saw Belski shaking his head.
Having set the table, Belski left. They sat and began to eat. Steak today, but not for much longer. Supplies were running short and they would need to restock upon their arrival on the planet, if they could.
“I think Belski’s onto us,” Steven said.
“I don’t think he’s the only one,” Elizabeth said.
“I guess we shouldn’t have expected the secret to last forever.”
Elizabeth touched his hand. “We’ll deal with it.”
He smiled and nodded.
The meal proceeded in a relaxed manner. “I’ve been thinking about first contact and I have decided that I will represent the UFP.”
Steven placed his knife and fork onto his plate. “For the safety of my Captain, I cannot agree to that. As First Officer it’s my duty to ensure that the situation is contained and safe for you.”
She smiled. “I’m not making a suggestion, Steven. I’ve made my decision.”
“Then I’ll come with you, to cover your back.”
“Nope. In case things turn ugly, one of us must remain on the ship. You know the protocols.”
He sighed. “I know better than to argue with you when you’ve made up your mind. But please, be careful.”
“Careful is my middle name.”
“Really? I thought it was Jane.”
***
Nomad made seven orbits of the planet, each time making extensive scans of its surface. Professor Juan Fuentes and his teams of science specialists labored day and night for a week, sifting through the mass of data before he convened a meeting. In the ready room Elizabeth sat at the head of the briefing table, with Steven to her right and Juan Fuentes to her left. He began, as he usually did, without preamble.
“The planet has an eight percent larger circumference than Earth, with a gravity of point eight of Earth. The atmosphere is oxygen nitrogen but thinner than Earth standard, so don’t over exert yourself. Hmm, I’d like to send a probe into the atmosphere to double check.”
“Very well, Juan,” Elizabeth said. “When can you have the probe ready?”
“My people are programming it now. Should be ready by tomorrow.”
“Good, please continue.”
“There are sixteen distinct land masses, including the polar regions. As far as I can tell, the indigenous species have a similar biology to us. They are bipeds, whose average size is around five feet tall, with a very robust, stocky build. Their society is technically up to Earth standard from around the mid twentieth century. Pollution levels on the planet are low and they appear to live in harmony with their environment and their neighbors. Oddly enough, they have only one religion that they call the Savior. Details about who the Savior is are shrouded in mystery and ancient folklore.”
He took a long sip of coffee and topped up his cup.
Elizabeth hid a sigh. Mid twentieth-century tech. No chance of advanced weaponry here.
“Language?” Steven asked.
“It’s an odd mix of interconnected dialects. The translators should be able to interpret it. I would suggest that we communicate with them by radio and see if we can build some common ground.”
“Communicate with who?” Steven asked. “Do they have a world government, a single body that speaks for the whole planet? Or do we have to land on the White House lawn?”
They chuckled at the thought.
“No world government, but they do have an organization that appears to be something like the United Nations. But their UN actually works. I’ve discovered no indication of wars on this world. They’re a very grounded and eminently sensible race.”
“So these sensible beings aren’t likely to shoot down our shuttle?” Steven asked.
“It seems unlikely. But of course this is first contact, so...”
“So we contact them and state our peaceful intentions,” Elizabeth said. “Does their UN have a communications network?”
“I believe so, but my people are still working on the details.”
“Health risks?” Steven asked. “I mean for both species. We could sneeze and wipe them out, or they could do the same to us.”
“The probe should give us those details, but we still have to be cautious. There are so many unknown variables.”
Juan rubbed his reddened eyes and yawned.
“Oh, by the way, there is a moderate amount of seismic activity. Nothing serious, but best to let you know about it.”
“Very well, Juan,” Elizabeth said, “for the time you’ve had that is an excellent briefing. So we tread carefully and see what develops.”
“I just hope they don’t fancy the taste of humans, Captain,” Steven said.
“Or Fish, Commander,” Elizabeth quipped.
“Give me a break, you two,” Juan said. “Yes Captain, indeed Commander. Really?”
“What?” Steven said, with the innocence of a choir boy.
***
Elizabeth piloted the shuttle into the planet’s atmosphere. The world was called Sanctuary and the only indigenous race was called the Blessed. The Blessed of Sanctuary. At least the translator interpreted it as that.
In the week since her first briefing, every t had been crossed and every i dotted. Communication with the Sanctuary Congress, their UN, had proceeded with remarkable ease. The Blessed were a remarkably affable race. The few bugs with the translator had been worked out, making communication effortless.
Elizabeth brought the shuttle down onto the specially reinforced landing pad, atop the Congress roof. She shut down all the systems and stepped into the cabin.
The small science team looked like a pack of enthusiastic children awaiting a puppet show. Even Juan had caught the bug. Only Chief Schmitt seemed unfazed by the excitable academics. Like her he wore a dress uniform, though his showed a slight bulge under the left shoulder. The Blessed appeared to be happy to meet them, and most likely were, but Steven had insisted that the marine accompany her. She agreed, but instructed Schmitt to keep his pistol concealed. No provocative action to mar first contact. Grabbing her bags, she exited the shuttle with Schmitt on her heels.
Three of the natives awaited them. Short and stocky, as expected, huge blue eyes, angular faces, three digit hands. The first stepped forward, a broad grin on his face, and said something. Elizabeth nodded, held her right hand before her, stepped forward and pinned the translator to the shoulder of his jacket.
“Hello,” she said, “I am Captain Elizabeth Millard, of the First Contact Federation ship Nomad, representing the United Earth Foundation. We come in peace.”
“Welcome, Captain Millard,” the short Blessed said. “I am Counselor Glen of the Forest Fortitude. We are honoured to have you as our guests.”
“It’s good to finally meet the man behind the voice, Counselor. We are delighted to be here,” Elizabeth said. “May I ask if .
..”
The pad began shaking as a tremor rumbled through the city. It passed quickly. The three Blessed appeared to be unfazed.
“Counselor, does that happen regularly?”
“Our written history goes back nearly a millennium, and there are no records of seismic activity. It started about three weeks ago. It is most puzzling. Still, the Savior will provide.”
Three weeks. Hmm.
“We have prepared a banquet in honor of your arrival. If you and your companions would accompany me?”
“The honor would be ours,” Elizabeth said.
A case of translators was unloaded from the shuttle. The Blessed were more than happy to have the devices fitted to their clothing. As well as officials from the Congress a large group of scientists attended. While Elizabeth took care of the first contact directives, the human and Blessed academics engaged in animated conversations.
The food was different but on the whole, delicious.
Two more tremors shook the building during the banquet.
“Excuse me, Counselor?”
“Please, call me Glen of the Forest.”
“Glen for short?” she ventured.
His forehead creased. “Why would I do that?”
“Ah, never mind. Call me Elizabeth.”
He smiled and shook his head. “I mean no offense, Elizabeth, but you humans have most peculiar names.” He chuckled. “I expect you are having difficulty with our names.”
“I suspect that we have much to learn from one another.”
Having met the Counsel President, Morning Star Brightness Droflet, she couldn’t deny that it would take time to adjust.
“What can I do for you, Elizabeth?” Glen of the Forest asked.
“I need to check in with my ship, so I need some privacy.”
Glen of the Forest rubbed his chin. “Come with me.”
With Schmitt remaining as her shadow, she followed him to a nearby balcony that overlooked the city.
“This is Haven’s Door,” Glen said, spreading his arms wide. “The largest, most sophisticated city on Sanctuary.” He smiled. “Enjoy the view. Ah, and the privacy.”
She returned his smile. The city reminded her of old photos of New York City from the nineteen fifties, except for the mountain in the near distance.
