The Solar Wind

by Laura E. Collins

  “Did you enjoy the tour?” Wesley inquired happily as he greeted her in the dining hall. He seemed relaxed as he smiled at Ava.

  “Yes, your ship is extraordinary! I can’t believe how much space you have, and so much to do for fun. I’m so jealous.”

  “Is your cabin O.K.? If it isn’t to your liking we could move you . . .”

  “No, it’s wonderful. I’m sure I will be very comfortable there,” Ava interrupted. With that the group fell into their familiar pattern of joking, eating and talking about their plans for the weekend.

  After dinner Wesley invited Ava to the recreation room with Naomi and Andre to compete in a virtual reality digital video game played in teams. Ava had only seen these types of games played watching the news back home and was delighted to be able to try one. The object of the game consisted mainly of pairs fighting their way through different jungle levels discovering clues, and weapons that eventually lead to the retrieval of a lost homing beacon which would signal a starship to rescue you. The difficulty rested in defeating the “aliens” that would try and capture or kill you during your mission. If you were captured your partner had to try and rescue you in order to keep moving and progress through the level. Naomi and Andre easily beat Ava and Wesley’s team because Ava kept being captured. After about an hour, Ava was exhausted and a little frustrated because she could not keep up with the others, try as she might. The others appeared to have super fast reflexes, or maybe they were just more experienced at playing the game. She had a great time and after a while it became a funny joke each time she was captured. The game was very active with a lot of running, jumping, climbing, and punching motions. The virtual reality part made it all seem eerily realistic and almost terrifying at times. The aliens appeared especially menacing. They were large, slimy, greenish brown creatures with long extremities and sharp claws. Their shrieking and growling noises started to disturb Ava after a while as she sometimes had nightmares involving aliens.

  When they called it quits on the game Naomi and Andre left Ava with Wesley and they sank down onto the comfy couch to watch the news of whatever local station the ship could pick up. After a while, he escorted her back to her quarters to get some rest. Naomi had promised Ava a full day of shopping while the others completed their assignment. Ava washed her face, changed into her pajamas and set the alarm for 9:00 a.m. as Wesley had instructed her to relax and sleep in because they would not land until 10:00 a.m. The bed, although not much larger than what she was used to, felt much more comfortable. Ava usually had trouble adjusting and resting in beds that were not her own, however this time she found sleep just after her head touched the soft pillow.

  Chapter 10: Capristine

  The next morning Ava showered, dressed, and found her way up to the dining hall with relatively little difficulty. Rowan, Justin, and Ash were eating breakfast. Andre, Wesley, Naomi, and Mia were readying the ship for landing.

  “Good morning Ava, did you sleep well?” Rowan inquired.

  “Yes, very well thank you. How are you this morning?”

  “Wonderful, as always. We’ll be approaching Capri soon. Would you like some breakfast before we have to prep you for landing?

  “That sounds great, thank you. Rowan, is Capri much like Orionis?”

  “Not at all. It’s a bit more sophisticated, and the population seems younger, residents average in their mid twenties to mid thirties.” Ava listened and ate while Rowan continued. “The overall ambience is much happier and less strict than Orionis. I think you’ll enjoy your visit. Oh, we’d better get you up to the observation deck to be seated, Naomi will be looking for you.”

  As the ship slowed in its approach to Capri, Naomi showed the view from the outside cameras to their monitor. Capri, being a smaller and more modern station, did not have the gravity stabilizing rings like Orionis. Ava could see that the station appeared to emit a faint red glow, as if the sun were setting on it.

  “You’ll find that the people here are much livelier than what you are used to. There is definitely more entertainment for the general public here,” Naomi commented. “Capri does not have the clear cut levels like Orionis. They are all interconnected and divided into districts. They are organized around the central shielded nuclear core, which supplements the solar power. However, like Orionis, there are oxygen gardens and farming gardens located on the outermost perimeters of the station. The largest sports stadium in the galaxy resides here. The people who live here aren’t as poor as they are on your station because of the stadium, it is a big tourist attraction and provides a lot of jobs for the residents. The ITO strictly monitors visitors from the other stations, so you’ll be asked to show your ID a lot. They will scan it when we land, each time we pass through security, and again when you leave. Like Orionis, their security system monitors for visitors that have not checked out within two weeks, to protect their census levels. Many people who come here want to stay and live here. They often have to hunt down unauthorized people who fail to leave as scheduled or intentionally try to stay. Don’t be surprised if you witness some bizarre manhunts or chases when we are walking around. The Capri authorities work closely with the ITO and they are authorized to shoot to kill anyone who attempts to evade them or who are attempting to hide. All of the stations have such delicate ecosystems that sometimes brutal force is necessary to maintain the balance. Overcrowding can be catastrophic to a station’s overall well-being. I think that Earth II will be no different when it’s completed.”

  “How many space stations are there?” Ava inquired. “When I applied for transport with the ITO, the only places that I was allowed to apply for were Orionis, Capristine, and Antares.”

  “There are officially seven if you count Earth II. Their names are Sceptrum, Polaris, Orionis, Zaniah, Antares, and Capristine.”

  “Have you been to all of these stations?”

  “Yes, we’ve had business from all of them from time to time,” she said softly.

  “Do you have a favorite?”

  “Right now it’s Capri, because I love to shop. I’m looking forward to seeing what Earth II will have to offer. . . I know what Wesley’s favorite station is.”

  “Which one?”

  “For a while now it’s been Orionis,” she teased. Ava laughed.

  “It must be so nice to be able to travel about freely from place to place and not have to stare at the same four walls all of the time.”

  “I suppose so. However, space travel is not without its risks. Here we are, get ready for your first view of Capri.”

  The ship glided effortlessly into the hangar and landed gently. Naomi and Ava unbuckled their safety restraints and headed back to their quarters to get their IDs and small backpacks to spend the day shopping. Next they headed up to the flight deck to say good bye to Wesley and Andre.

  “Enjoy your shopping this morning. Stay close to Naomi, she knows her way around, and she has a PCD so she can contact any one of us at any time. We’ll be done transferring the cargo about 2:00 p.m. or so. We’ll meet up with you after lunch and show you around some of the more interesting things to see here.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you later then. Thank you!” She gave him a quick hug before leaving with Naomi.

  Naomi and Ava walked down the ramp into the busy hangar and waited in line at the ITO to be cleared for admittance. After a few minutes Naomi led Ava through several avenues to the nearest tram station where they boarded and were on their way to the shopping district. Ava remained silent for most of the trip, trying to take it all in. The environment differed a great deal from Orionis. The temperature felt warmer and the oxygen saturation was higher. The more energy efficient lighting system provided much brighter and more natural light in comparison to Orionis. People seemed to be everywhere. After a few minutes Naomi and Ava exited the tram and continued to the shopping district on foot. The stores were arranged down avenues meeting at angles with large circular common areas which housed many of the restaurants. Some of the common areas even ha
d small bio-domes in the center with plant life and even colorful blooming flowers. Ava stopped to observe one for a few minutes. She rarely saw fresh flowers in bloom, how beautiful and uplifting she thought.

  Naomi took Ava to a few of her favorite stores and the two of them had fun trying on clothes and browsing at all of the merchandise. Naomi bought a few things for Andre and a couple of outfits for herself. Ava found a few new clothes for herself and was happily surprised that the prices were somewhat lower than the stores on Orionis. Next they stopped for lunch at a small bistro and sat “outside” on the patio area so that Ava could observe the environment and the people walking by. Naomi wanted to have her hair cut and took Ava to “Gemini.” It had been a while since Ava’s last hair cut so she decided to treat herself and had a few inches trimmed off. Her hair was so long now that by removing even a few inches the cut made it feel much lighter and refreshed. Naomi’s PCD beeped as they left the salon.

  “Wesley and the others are on their way,” she said as she looked at the device. “We’ll meet them at a nearby intersection one level up.” She pressed a few buttons quickly to communicate this with them and they were on their way. Ten minutes later the group was re-united again. Ava observed as they discussed what they wanted to do with the rest of the afternoon and for dinner. Suddenly, the group’s conversation came to an abrupt halt and each member of the crew looked sharply to their left as if they sensed something. Ava followed their gaze and saw a brown haired, blue-eyed man of medium build and height approaching casually. She watched as Wesley, Andre and Justin exchanged quick glances. Naomi, who had been standing a few feet away next to Andre, seemed to have drifted to Ava’s side. The group deliberately resumed their discussion and nonchalantly moved positions so that they faced the stranger with Ava and Naomi at the rear. The man smiled widely as he came to stand a few feet away from Wesley.

  “Captain Robinson, I thought I saw your ship in the hangar. How nice to see you again, it’s been years.” The stranger had a smooth, pleasant voice.

  “Bryant, my old friend, how have you been? It has been a long time. From the looks of things I’d say you are doing all right,” he replied politely.

  “Yes, quite. Well, it looks like a family outing. Everyone is here, even Naomi is here.” His eyes serially rested on each member of the crew, then lingered on Naomi, and finally on Ava. An ever so slight puzzled expression appeared briefly on his face.

  “What brings you to Capri, Bryant?” Andre asked matter-of-factly.

  “I’m staying on the station for a little while on business. I imagine I’ll be here for at least a few more weeks.”

  Wesley and Andre along with a few of the others continued to converse with this stranger. Ava observed that everyone was calm, however there seemed to be some slight tension in the air. Naomi turned to Ava and mentioned that she forgot to buy one of the spices Rowan asked her to get today and asked her to come with her quickly to get it.

  “What about the others?” Ava asked.

  “It’ll just take a few minutes, the store is right over there, I remembered as soon as we passed by it on the way here. They will be talking for a few minutes anyway,” she said lightly.

  “Who is that man?” Ava inquired as they walked away towards the store.

  “Oh, that’s Bryant. We’ve known him for some time. He used to be part of the crew a long time ago, but I wouldn’t exactly call him a team player. Anyway, to make a long story short, he and Wesley had a falling out and Wesley ordered him to leave. I’m not sure what he’s been up to ever since.”

  “He seemed pleasant enough.”

  “Yes, he’s quite polite. Flattery is his specialty.” She paused. “Don’t worry Ava, he won’t make any trouble for us here. He’s probably curious to know what we have all been doing over the past several years. Oh, here it is,” Naomi found the spice and pulled the small container off of the shelf and walked over to the clerk to pay for it.

  When they walked back to the group, the stranger was gone. “I’m sorry about that interruption Ava, are you ready to see more of Capri?” Wesley smiled minimally as she and Naomi returned. He looked at ease, as if nothing had happened however kept a cool distance from her.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “They have a nice Earth Museum on the other side of the station and it’s close to The Lacerta Bistro, where we all agreed to have dinner, if that’s okay.”

  “That sounds great, I went to an underground museum once on Earth when I was little, but I’m sure there will be more interesting things here.” She smiled at him and wondered if his coolness towards her had anything to do with the stranger that had disappeared. She shrugged it off, she was having a great time seeing the sights on Capri. At any rate, it sure beat the routine weekend activities on Orionis and she felt thankful for the company of her good friends.

  As the group moved away, they did not indicate an awareness that they were being watched, but they knew. Mia and Ash chattered amicably, engaging Ava, while Rowan and Justin carried on their own conversation. Naomi and Andre walked in silence. Bryant’s curiosity about the group’s seemingly new member intrigued him. His ability to maintain invisibility worked for only short variable periods of time, long enough this time for him to follow and observe his former friends as they disappeared into the crowds of people. Wesley walked ahead of the group and did not talk much to anyone on the way to the tram. The group had planned to split up for the evening, but now felt it would be safer to stick together tonight, in case Bryant continued to stalk them. Wesley did not want to give a visible impression that Ava meant much to him. The thought that this unpredictable loner, one of his kind, had seen him associating with a natural born human was suspicious enough, because it was something he never did.

  Once the tram was in motion, the group resumed their normal jovial behavior. The rest of the evening excited Ava. She found the Earth Museum fascinating, and also sad. It grieved her to see some of the artifacts and explanations displayed with them of how life, and the planet Earth, used to be. One day soon, Earth will no-longer be inhabitable for the human race. She was comforted by the recent news that her old friend, Alexis, and her family will be migrating to Antares. Ava’s success on Orionis convinced Alexis and her husband, Marc, to apply for migration, and since he specialized as an orthopedic surgeon, they were placed near the top of the list as they were in high demand there. Ava was disappointed that they were not migrating to Orionis and wondered if Wesley might be able to take her to Antares to visit them one day. Later, after a leisurely dinner, the group made their way through the ITO security station at the hangar entrance back to the ship for the night. It was late and the crew pretended to separate and call it a night, only to reconvene in the common room after Ava fell asleep.

  “Well that was certainly unexpected,” Justin commented.

  “I had no idea that Bryant was here. I should have sensed his presence as soon as we stepped off of the ship this morning, but I didn’t. I’m not as strong yet as I was before,” Naomi commented, disappointed in herself. “Either that or he’s gotten better at concealing his energy.”

  “It’s Okay Naomi, no-one blames you for anything. None of us sensed it either. Besides, Bryant is harmless, what could he do with all of us around?” Andre said as he wrapped his arms around her playfully.

  “What now?” Rowan asked.

  “We could pretend an assignment has come up and take Ava back to Orionis early,” Ash suggested.

  “That’s not a bad idea, at least we know Bryant won’t follow us there, he hates Orionis,” Mia added. “What do you think Wesley?”

  “I think we are going to continue with our plans this weekend,” Wesley said quietly. “If we leave now, Bryant will become even more interested. You know how he can’t keep his mouth shut and that he also loves to meddle in other people’s business. Besides, Ava would be disappointed, I know she’s having a great time. It’s taken so long to build her trust in me, I don’t want to let her down, or give he
r a reason to think something’s wrong.”

  “We’ve all sensed Bryant’s energy today, we should be able to feel it if he comes near us again,” Andre added.

  “That’s true,” Naomi agreed.

  “I’m not worried about Bryant attacking us. I’m more worried about who he’s friends with these days,” Wesley said.

  “You don’t think he would mention something like this to Xavier do you? We haven’t seen him in over ten years, who knows what he’s doing now. What if he found out about Ava?” Justin said.

  “I doubt Bryant would purposely seek him out. If Xavier was around I would certainly know about it. We simply can’t let him find out about Ava, that could be disastrous.”

  In the end, the group decided to continue their plans for the remainder of the weekend, keeping out a vigilant eye and awareness for Bryant. Wesley decided it would be best to keep Ava away from the shopping district in case Bryant decided to look for them there again. He would stay with Ava, along with Mia, Ash, and Rowan while Naomi, Andre, and Justin would go about their own business, looking out for their unwelcome former crewmember.

  In the morning Ava met some of the group in the dining hall for breakfast around 9 a.m. “Good morning everyone.”

  “Morning Ava,” Mia replied. “Are you ready for more sight-seeing?”

  “Absolutely, Capri is so vibrant and interesting compared to Orionis. I think I will be sad to leave. What are the plans for today?”

  “Be prepared for lots of walking,” Rowan said cheerfully as she sat Ava’s breakfast down in front of her.

  “Thank you Rowan, I could have gotten that.”

  “No problem. First we are going to see the Capristine Art Gallery. They have all kinds of artwork from Earth’s most famous artists over the centuries. After that we will be heading to the theatre district to see an opera. They are usually pretty good on Capri. Finally we will all meet up for dinner at Crescent Moon, one of the more romantic restaurants this station has to offer.”