Titan Stand

by Max Jager

  "Please come in everyone, it's been a very long time. Forgive me if I don't stand, my legs just aren't what they used to be. Welcome, my name is doctor Summer O'Donnell, and the last human left alive here on Z'ha'dum." Matt stepped forward and gently shook her offered hand.

  "My name is Matt Grainger ma'am; I'm from earth and Durango Colorado not far from old Coryville." The elderly woman studied him for a moment a smile breaking out on her wrinkled face.

  "So Greg made it home after all?"

  "Yes he did ma'am, in fact, I dug his grave and buried him, he told me he came back to die, and that's just what he did." The old woman nodded,

  "As will I very shortly." Gesturing towards several chairs the old woman exclaimed,

  "Please have a seat, Franklin, would you please bring refreshments."

  "Right away ma'am," he replied. After he left the room, Doctor O'Donnell began to speak.

  "Thank you Amber," she began, Greg being Greg, I was never quite sure he would finish his mission. Well I'm the last and I've got a book over there I want you to take and give it to someone who will care for it it's the only complete record of our people and their descendents. I'm aware that Greg took some records with him but this is the "official" record."

  "I gave Greg's records to a man who will take good care of them," said Matt.

  "Very good," replied Doctor O'Donnell, "There is also one other task I would like you to do for me. It might seem rather morbid, but it's the one last request every body agreed on. It's my understanding that back on earth people used to be buried in caskets but right from the beginning here on Z'ha'dum we've always been cremated, the Neistra encouraged it as well. Anyway, while all our people are safely ensconced in a proper tomb I would ask you to return to earth and spread the ashes of all our people at the site of Coryville." Matt looked at Amber then back to the doctor.

  "Yeah we can do that. Could I ask you a question doctor? I asked Greg, but he never really said…Were the people taken from earth treated like slaves?"

  Doctor O'Donnell looked at him for a long moment, then replied.

  "I think that was the original intention of the Neistra but some where from the time they left earth to their arrival here on Z'ha'dum the Neistra realized we humans weren't a bunch of dumb animals. And while we were dumped on this planet with no way to get home life gradually evolved. We simply started over. At first the Neistrian presence was quite heavy, then as the years went by and they saw that we could do the job without their presence we saw less and less of them. We mined their Morbidium and Duranix they picked it up in exchange for supplies and left. Eventually even the four Neistrians's who maintained a small office here left. Oh we still mined and they sent a freighter by every month and left supplies but eventually they stopped coming all together. Somewhere out there are huge piles of raw Morbidium and Duranix ore waiting for a freighter that will never come."

  "So how long have you been by yourself?" asked Ilmi. Doctor O'Donnell studied her for a moment, then said.

  "We had heard for years that there were other races out here. The Neistra would never say very much. Forgive my intrusiveness but what is your name?"

  "My name is Ilmi Ifott, I'm an Lyskandan. As for other races, this galaxy is made up of quite a number of them. Some are good, some, eh, not so good, but we all live within the Loridian Empire."

  "And what is that?" asked the doctor.

  "The Loridian Trading Company covers just about every planet in the galaxy," added Ilmi. "Like its name suggests, it's a vast trading company. If nothing else, they keep the peace."

  "I suppose the Neistra are prominent players in this trading empire of yours," said O'Donnell. Ilmi frowned,

  "I'm afraid the Neistra are no more doctor O'Donnell, no one seems to know what has become of them. Whether by a horrific epidemic or just dying out, they are gone." The doctor sat in her chair for a moment thinking, then slowly moved over to a cabinet pulling out what appeared to be some sort of album. By this time Franklin had returned with a tray, then proceeded to pour a dark liquid into porcelain cups. He passed on Jezang and Amber serving the doctor as well as Matt and Ilmi.

  "I don't know where they got it," explained O'Donnell, "like everything else the Neistra were rather closed mouthed but those in a position to know all said this was coffee. As for me, it tastes pretty good. Matt had to agree, as he wondered if the Neistra had been getting it from earth. The doctor then opened up the album and pointed to a picture.

  "This was taken roughly eighty years ago that is Marl Kek the Neistrian representative, and two of his minions, Cheim Tok and Plish Mek if memory serves me." Everyone studied the photo with Amber nodding in agreement,

  "That is them, they were the Neistra." Matt noted that they seemed to be of average height, were humanoid in physique, light blue skin with what appeared to be a dark blue "Mohawk" type crown on their heads. Their teeth looked as though a cut-rate dentist worked on them not so good. All seemed to be wearing heavy leather clothing. Jezang shook her head as did Ilmi.

  "I've never encountered these people in my life," said Jezang, "And I've been just about everywhere in this Galaxy."

  "I've never seen them either," said Ilmi, "You say they just simply disappeared?"

  "Yes," said the doctor, "At the time some were reporting the crew of the ship that picked up Marl Kek and his people were acting jittery and nervous, now whether that means anything I guess we'll never know, but they are gone."

  "Did they live near here?" Asked Ilmi,

  "No," replied O'Donnell, "We always assumed they lived somewhere far to the west. In fact, old Jacob and Tucker deceided to find out where they did live. They were gone close to a month and a half returning with nothing to show. Jacob did say that there's a large inland sea out that way and he was pretty sure that's where they lived." Doctor O'Donnell then sat quietly for a moment then looked at Matt.

  "What's the year back on earth?" Matt shrugged,

  "2016, somewhere around the fall I'm guessing." Doctor O'Donnell pursed her lips and sighed.

  "When my great grandparents left earth it was around 1880, has there been much progress since then?" He then listed all the inventions and advanced technology that had occurred since then.

  "So they put a man on the moon eh, how interesting. In a way we were cheated, here we sat thousands of light years from home the first humans into space really, yet after all this time we really have nothing to show for it. All the technology you see around you was given to us, except for a few minor things we as humans never achieved much. When I look at Ilmi, and Jezang, I curse the Neistra for just abandoning us out here. Think of it, we could have been the first human beings to explore the universe." Matt could tell her heart was in pain for all the lost opportunities.

  "Well technically that's not true," said Amber,

  "Don't forget Greg, both of us managed to do quite a bit of exploring on our own." Doctor O'Donnell looked at her,

  "You're right Amber, but I was thinking in terms of a group of people. Greg was the first, and should be honored for it."

  "So who's this Tucker you spoke about?" Asked Matt. The doctor smiled and shook her head.

  "Tucker Gyap, oh he's a wild one." "Stopped by several weeks ago." She then looked at Amber,

  "You know Tucker don't you Amber?"

  "Yes I know Tucker, so he's still around eh?"

  "Well he was a few weeks ago, still as grumpy as he ever was." Then turning to the others, she said.

  "Like Amber here, Tucker is one of the original androids the Neistra brought here."

  "Other than some of the mining equipment, the androids were about the only truly advanced technology we ever saw. One of the original settlers, a Jacob Selkirk claimed him. From what I was told, Jacob had been a prospector, trapper, and Indian fighter who happened to be in Coryville on the wrong day. For awhile he tried to resist the Neistra but to no avail. Then when he realized what the Neistra were after, he went out and located them a sizeable deposit of Duranix about eig
ht miles south of here, did the same with a Morbidium deposit as well. He also found what he claimed was the biggest gold deposit he'd ever seen but since the Neistra had no real interest in gold anything he took out stayed with him. Well eventually Jacob passed on but Tucker carries on, told me that he's covered practically the whole planet and that there is another abandoned settlement well to the south, probably around three hundred miles. He told me that he and Jacob found it a very long time ago but there was no one there."

  "Do you think there's any chance we could talk to him?" Asked Matt, the doctor shook her head,

  "I doubt it, Tucker is a real will-o-the-wisp, he comes and goes on his own schedule, and even if you could contact him he might simply ignore you."

  "So what about you?" Asked Ilmi, what's going to happen to this place once you're gone?"

  "Well once I pass Franklin here will know what to do. I will be cremated and my ashes placed in the monument. Maybe Tucker will take him on, maybe not. Franklin will continue to live here until he malfunctions like all the others have eventually done."

  "That seems so sad," exclaimed Ilmi, "If you like, we could take you back to earth!" Doctor O'Donnell guffawed ending in a coughing spasm.

  "I tank you for your generous offer, but for better or worse this has always been my home. When my time comes, that will be it."

  "Greg knew the exact moment he was going to die," said Matt, "Do you?"

  She looked at him with a twinkle in her eye,

  "I do but it's a very private matter Franklin doesn't even know. All he knows is that soon I will pass and what to do when that happens. It's something the Neistra did to us or for us depending on your outlook. As you near the end of your life cycle, you start remembering the past with a clarity hard to imagine, you in a sense, begin to relive your life. Supposedly, you can make certain changes though how much that corrects for past mistakes is hard to say. You then start to think more and more about a certain time of the year, then it becomes a particular month, then finally THE day then the exact hour. By then you had better have your affairs in order if you know what I mean."

  Chapter 92

  Titan Stand Chapter 92

  No one really knew what to say but having gone through this with Greg didn't doubt her word.

  "If you like ma'am," he began, "We would be happy to hang around until…You know when your time comes make sure you get cremated and take Franklin with us." O'Donnell smiled,

  "Thank you for your offer but that won't be necessary."

  "Well I'm making it because you might start seeing a bunch of raiders showing up here before too long." This confused her,

  "Raiders, who are they?" she asked.

  "They are members of the Vel'Takz and Diyari races ma'am," said Amber, "And they aren't very friendly. Recent events between them, the Malhazar's, and the Ruddorian's might see this planet given to them in exchange for the loss of one of their home planets destroyed by the Malhazar's. Nothing is certain as of yet, but it's a possibility."

  "Well I'm certainly not going anywhere," she exclaimed. Matt started to protest but Amber gently touched his arm and shook her head.

  "Pleas take this album along with my historical record," said O'Donnell.

  "Also, you're welcome to any medical supplies although most are dated. There's a portable analyzer set up for humans. The Neistra gave it to us a number of years ago…Still works." Matt picked up a box that held a large roll of green cloth.

  "Take it," said the doctor, you just cut however large or small a piece that you need and place it over the wound. Stops the bleeding and the wound is healed completely in a day or two. There should be some antibiotics over there as well, help yourself." Before leaving, he took several pictures of the doctor with his cell phone camera, one with everyone in the picture.

  "I will make sure the right people get these books," he told her. "I can't make any promises, but we'll try and get back here and take Franklin with us."

  "I will then inform him that you might show up and that he should go with you," replied Doctor O'Donnell. Before leaving Amber "spoke" to Franklin before walking out the door. They walked back down the main street, Matt feeling a bitter sadness for all that these people could have accomplished but were prevented from doing. In a very short time they would all be gone, the generations of faces and names now contained only in this record and perhaps at the monument the doctor spoke of. Ilmi sensed his sadness so didn't bother him while Jezang carried the analyzer. As they walked along, Matt snapped a number of pictures of the old town for posterity.

  Back aboard ship, they discussed what to do next. Matt wanted to check out the other mining area the doctor had mentioned; Amber and Gandric were all for leaving, but Jezang and Ilmi came to his defense.

  "I'll have to agree with Matt," said Jezang. I'm interested in finding out if this planet is being used by the raiders, if so then there could be problems."

  They then headed south coming across an even larger area scared by mining, although the recovery here appeared to have taken a better hold, or as Ilmi had suggested, had been mined out long before humans were brought here. As they neared the site the scanner began to report two spacecraft on the ground in a nearby sandy area.

  "We need to investigate this," observed Jezang, "But it might not be wise to attack those ships. Let's set down somewhere they won't spot us and sneak over there."

  Amber managed to find a large overhang of massive Jemmon trees that offered the perfect canopy. Once again, Gandric stayed with the ship although Amber warned him to lock up tight. Slipping down the ramp, Matt and the others moved cautiously through the forest towards the two ships. Both Amber and Jezang were on full alert, two "Tharg's" doing what they did best. Both he and Ilmi stayed back constantly watching their back. As they neared the first ship Amber and Jezang announced that each would take one ship and that after each ship was cleared, they would notify the two that it was all right to join them. Both Matt and Ilmi watched in fascination at the two androids swiftly darted to the two ships and quickly entered them.

  "Everything clear!" announced Jezang, with Amber's announcement coming moments later. He headed towards the ship Amber had taken only to find her standing in the crew area with a puzzled look on her face.

  "There's no one here," she exclaimed, "The ship is empty. The circuit buss has shut down the engines which can only mean that whoever was flying this ship left the engines running possibly in cloak mode. Jezang then called to report the same thing including the engines automatically shut down.

  Suddenly Gandric called, reporting that the scanner was showing someone moving towards the ship.

  "Make sure that hatch is doubly secure," replied Amber, "Whoever it is might know how to override the locking mechanism."

  "Whoever it is is still coming," said Gandric, the scanner is now showing it to be an android."

  "That's got to be Tucker," said Matt,

  "Gandric, activate your external speaker, I think that's Tucker, tell him we are friends and have been to see Doctor O'Donnell. Tell him we are not his enemies. Tell him to meet us over here at the two ships." As a precaution, everyone collected in one ship as they waited for a response from Gandric.

  'The android has stopped," he then reported. "And is now moving your way."

  "Everyone out front," exclaimed Matt, put your weapons away and hold your hands out away from your sides."

  "You talk to him Amber, he might remember you." Moments later, in a hushed tone of voice, Ilmi said,

  "He's watching us just inside the woods, see him over there?"

  Amber then spoke up,

  "Tucker! Is that you? What are you doing over there? It's me, Amber, don't you remember me. We have just come from visiting with Doctor O'Donnell who said you might be out here. Come, don't be shy, come and meet my friends." Long moments passed, and then slowly the android emerged from cover cautiously looking all around. No one made a move as Tucker slowly approached finally standing before them still maintaining a surveillanc
e of the area.

  "Slowly, a wan smile appeared on his face as he held out his hand. Amber then gently extended her arm touching his hand with hers.

  "Amber, you have returned, who are these people?"

  "Well this is Matt Grainger from earth. Do you remember Greg Tate?" Tucker gave off with a noise Matt had come to know as the android equivalent of a snort.

  "Yes I remember Greg, what happened to him?" Well after we roamed the galaxy for awhile he began to feel that his time was near. We then traveled to earth where he passed. In the process, we met Matt here who helped bury Greg." Then this is Jezang a "sister" of mine and a fellow Tharg. And this is Ilmi who is an Lyskandan."