Time is an Illusion: The Ptolemy Expedition (Carina Book 1)

by Ruairí Cinéad Ducantlin

  Their head is an inverted teardrop shape and is disproportionately large, relative to their body. A bulbus braincase terminating in a pointy chin. The Other’s entire body was disproportionate by human standards. The ears are low on either side of the head, with small openings and exceedingly small lobes. If you did not look closely, you would miss the tiny lobes protruding from the head.

  The eyes are disconcerting for humans. Humans are not accustomed to eyes without external eyelids. The Others have dark, piercing eyes. Their eyes blink like a reptile. Blink may not be the correct adjective. The eyelids are protected by membranes under the external skin and will flitter, on a diagonal from the top and bottom, to moisten the eyeball.

  The Other who appeared on the bridge was taller than most of the crew expected. Standing about five feet eight inches tall, the Other had the presence of an adult. The most remarkable attribute of the Other’s physique is as disturbing to humans as it is curious. The Other had no visible genitals. If the Other had genitals, they are internal. A small, slight mouth, a small ridge for a nose with two nostrils, and the ears. No other orifices were visible.

  The Other turned in a slow circle, slightly bowing to each of the crew, who all nodded their head in return. When he completed his circle, Corb stepped up to greet the visitor.

  Stretching both hands forward, palms up, Corb greeted the Other. The Other placed his hands on Corb’s hands, and they nodded to each other. Corb smiled and spoke.

  “Yes, we thank you for your assistance. I will speak so my friends may know we are communicating.”

  Corb pauses.

  “Yes, they are willing to allow you to communicate. Telepathic communication is new to Humans, please allow us time to adapt.”

  Corb pauses, laughs and looks around. Janish and Lucinda are laughing also.

  “He said, telepathic communication is not new to humans. It has always been and is being relearned. Patience, my friend, we will strive to catch up to what was and what will be again.”

  The Other bowed slightly, in affirmation of Corb’s confidence in the humans relearning a lost skill.

  “Yes, my friend, these are my companions. Janish, she is wise and possesses a kind heart.”

  Corb went clockwise around the bridge, pointing to each person as he introduced the person. The Other looked to Janish and they bowed to each other.

  “Lucinda, she is also wise and of strong character.”

  The Other looked to Lucinda and they too bowed to each other. Lucinda and Janish both spoke a reply, at the same instance.

  “Yes.”

  It was Linda who explained for the rest of the crew.

  “Our friend asked if Janish and I are willing to remain with Corb and complete the triad.”

  “Yes, we heard our friend, but we cannot hear any of you.”

  Ragnar had responded to Lucinda’s explanation. Ragnar’s response elicited a wave of the hand form the Other. Michelle fainted. Cassandra grabbed her head and started crying. NT was the first to speak.

  “Turn it off! We are hearing everyone’s thoughts, at the same time. Turn it off!”

  The Other, clearly surprised, waved his hand again. The pain the crew was experiencing stopped. NT and Cassandra rushed to Michelle, picking her up from the floor and putting her in a chair. Corb began a one-sided dialog with the Other. The dialog appeared reciprocal, but the crew only heard Corb’s responses.

  “Yes, my friend, we accept your apology. Our progress to relearn our skills will be slow. Please be patient with our company.

  I understand.

  Yes, the triad is the most important thing.

  I understand.

  They understand we can do as described.

  No, my friend, we are willing to learn and take on new adventures. The triad and our friends are willing to go to wherever there is a point of light.

  Thank you for understanding our problem.

  We learn from our mistakes.

  Yes, we are willing to meet more Others.

  Who are the friends?

  Yes, we will meet the friends.

  Thank you, I will wait.

  Your words are helpful. We will arrive tomorrow. If I may request a moment while I confer with my crew.

  Thank you.”

  Corb turned back to the star charts and motioned for Lucinda, Janish, Justin, and Ragnar to join him. Corb was pointing to a star system whose graphical title indicates it was three lightyears from their current position.

  Corb double tapped the star system forcing it to expand compelling the planets to become visible. Pointing the fourth, of twelve planets, Corb spoke.

  “We are going there.”

  Turning back, the Other was no longer on the bridge. Nick started a banter, and NT joined, a friendly repartee to lighten the mood.

  “Right, right. Somebody said "alien" she thought they said, "illegal alien" and signed up!”

  “We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night... mostly.”

  “I want a full name for my report. I’m not putting in my report that I lost a crew member on a deep-sat expedition to find an alien named ‘Jerry.’”

  “If this translation is right, this alien sounds like an idiot.”

  “That’s something to consider—a stupid alien. Well, they must have them.”

  “We didn't choose this place! We didn't choose these people! They were invited!”

  Everyone was giggling and wondering what was going to happen next. Justin took the challenge from the navigation console.

  “Let’s see… Aliens. Hicks and Newt. Sphere. Hmmm… Barnes and Beth, maybe? And, an oldie but a goodie. Laughlin from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

  “Ding. Ding. Ding. Give that man a cigar! You must have been planning for this trip your whole life. Now, beers on me if you know the last one.”

  NT had laid a gauntlet for the younger Lieutenant.

  “If you mean ‘Give that man a cigar.’ It is origin is carnivals and circuses where you could receive a cigar for winning a rigged game. If it must be a movie, I’m going with First Blood. You know, Rambo?”

  Everyone looked at Lieutenant Justin with new respect. NT responded with fake disgust.

  “Damn it. Because of an egghead film nerd, the beer is coming out of my rations.”

  Nick was roaring with laughter. Between fits of laughing he was able to spit out what he was laughing about.

  “Egghead film nerd. Egg nerd. Eggy!”

  In unison, everyone cheered “Eggy!”

  Rationalizing, and never one to get his hackles up, Lieutenant Justin Nguyen smiled and accepted his fate. At least he won’t be called Turder.

  “Ragnar, Eggy, I sent the coordinates to your consoles. Please confirm flight path.”

  “Confirmed, Corb.”

  “Confirmed.”

  Lucinda watched the crew ready the Jeannette for flight. Musing, Lucinda realized she likes the Captain’s chair. Lucinda never regretted leaving bucolic Western Alberta at eighteen for college and a military career. Lucinda enjoys being the center of the maelstrom.

  “Chief, any reason we can’t fly?”

  “Flight ready, Captain.”

  “Pilot, let’s get going.”

  “Confirm power up.”

  The whine of the anti-matter pulse engines being injected with anti-matter was becoming an expected routine.

  This time, however, Corb nodded, in turn to Janish and Lucinda, who nodded back before Corb spoke.

  “On now… Three. Two. One. Now.”

  The Jeannette merged into the slipstream while at six percent of maximum velocity.

  Cassandra’s observational skills where on high alert, she was the first to recognize the external monitors had stopped updating.

  “It thought you needed more speed to merge into the slipstream? What changed?”

  Corb did not respond but gave the bridge his trademark smile. After confirming diagnostics and idling back of the engines, the Chief c
ontinued Cassandra’s question.

  “Okay, Corb, or should I call you ‘Enlightened One’? What gives? What changed? How did you merge so quickly?”

  Lucinda took up the response.

  “When Corb was answering the Other, whose name is Tarunik by the way, he was also speaking to Janish and me. He told us how to assist Corb with the merge. The ability to merge more efficiently is based on the triad.”

  Cassandra could not hold back, she jumped in the middle of the conversation.

  “I knew it! So many cultures. So many artifacts. All the history in the Mayan vault. The triad is the basis for everything. Did you ever wonder why the number three is so prevalent across history and cultures? Now we know! Did Tarunik smell cookies?”

  Everyone looked at Cassandra like she was confused. Janish bailed her out of the embarrassment.

  “What Doctor Brady is saying is simple. Three, the triad, the trinity, is present in almost all cultures and religions. It is the basis of our new understanding. According to what Tarunik told us a few minutes ago. Combining our abilities, Corb, Lucinda, and myself expands the ability. Collectively our ability is stronger than individually.

  But here’s the key. The strength of three is not linear. Two people are not significantly better than one person alone. Something about the third person exponentially expands the abilities. Also…”

  Janish contemplated then finished her commentary.”

  “Tarunik smelled like Jasmine.”

  “Whoa, nelly. NT if you weren’t afraid before you should be and I’m right there with ya mate. Our lasses are exponentially expanded.”

  Everyone snickered at Nick’s comment. Janish smiled, shook her head, and continued.

  “I was saying, the triad, it gives us the ability to move through the negative-mass as if we, as if the vessel, has no mass. We will arrive in orbit in…”

  Janish stopped and looked at Corb, who responded.

  “…about twenty hours.”

  Wide-eyed with happiness at the end of the journey being so near, everyone stared at Corb, disbelieving. Lucinda broke the silence.

  “Minimal duty roster for the next ten hours. Then all hands to make ready for arrival. I think there is something else happening. Tarunik smelled like warm maple syrup over hot pancakes. Corb?”

  “Tarunik appears to each of us as we want to perceive kindness in others. Aromas and smells have a strong association with memories. Individually, your mind invoked an aroma from a past association with kindness or a gentle person. There is much more, a lot more, but now, we need to plan for arrival. Lucinda, is correct, let’s make ready for arrival.”

  Before everyone could leave the bridge, Lucinda tossed out one more order.

  “NT, I’ll be looking for my beer in about an hour.”

  Cheers of “Me too.” Erupted.

  NT shook his head and walked away mumbling something about “I’ll have no credits left.”

  Of course, Nick heard NT’s grumbling and twisted the barb.

  “Sod off. I reckon you have been saving your credits. A few beers are a pittance. Now let’s get on with the drinking.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ground Control to Major Tom

  “Friendship is a horizon – Which expands whenever we approach it.” – E.R. Harlip

  “Finally.”

  Cassandra’s anticipation dial was turned up to eleven. The Jeannette had dropped from the slipstream and was nearing the orbital plane of the fourth planet.

  After weeks of confinement in the Jeannette, Corb’s assertion of arrival in twenty hours turned everyone’s anticipation dial to eleven. The entire crew worked to prepare for arrival. Work and anticipation creates mental exhaustion and fosters impatience all the livelong day.

  Commander Moody had been escorted to the bridge and was sitting in an observation chair, handcuffed to the safety rail. Lucinda, from the command chair, began issuing orders.

  “Standard flight profile, Chief.”

  “Standard flight profile. Aye.”

  “Eggy, how long to reach the planet?”

  “Captain, the computer indicates thirty-six hours, twenty-five minutes to achieve orbit. Assuming we are given permission to orbit.”

  Eggy’s add-on commentary stopped everyone. Lucinda, paused, considered, then continued issuing orders.

  “Eggy, increase the velocity profile in the models, let’s see if we can shorten the arrival time.”

  “Calculating. Aye.”

  “Corb, do we have permission to enter orbit?”

  Corb did not hear the question and did not look up from his console.

  Michelle reached across and knocked on Corb’s shoulder.

  “Ground control to Major Tom? Can you hear me Major Tom?”

  Turning to Michelle, Corb smiled.

  “Yes?”

  “The Captain asked you a question.”

  “Oh. Sorry. I was communicating with Tarunik. Captain, what was the question?”

  “Do we have permission to enter orbit of the fourth planet?”

  “Oh. Of course. Yes. I hope we have permission.”

  Lucinda took a deep breath before responding.

  “Corb, are you losing a step? First, you did not know which planet we need to visit. Now, you don’t know if we have permission to orbit the planet. Is there anything else we might want to consider before we blindly step in a big pile of… what did he say… oh yea… a big pile of Richard the Third?”

  Everyone smirked but no one laughed or snickered. The question was serious.

  “All I can tell you is no one will not be harmed. We are not in any danger. From anyone, including the Others. Yes, we can enter orbit, we need to ask permission. A vessel’s captain must request an orbit profile. No one else is permitted to ask. It is a cultural thing. Complying with cultural norms is why I was not listening to you. I was getting direction that Lucinda was supposed to receive. Instructions for the Captain of arriving vessels.”

  Corb stopped talking, unconsciously nodded, and looked at Lucinda.

  “Yes, Corb, I am receiving the instructions now. Let me code them into to navigation console.”

  Everyone waited in silence for Lucinda to complete her task.

  “Eggy, Ragnar, please check the numbers.”

  Eggy was first to respond.

  “On it, Captain. Stand by.”

  “Calculations confirmed. Velocity profile confirmed. Ragnar?”

  “Confirmed. Using this profile, we will arrive at the planet, and enter orbit, in one-hundred and twenty minutes.”

  Cheers from the crew were silenced when Lucinda raised her hand.

  “Chief, any reason we can’t fly.”

  “Flight ready, Captain.”

  “Eggy, let’s go.”

  The whine of the engines increased, and the Jeannette was moving at a tangential arc toward the fourth planet. Nick was watching the monitors and required an explanation.

  “Why is it the lines do not intersect? The Jeannette’s flight path is green, right? The planet’s orbital path is red, right? Why does the flight path not intersect the planet?”

  Janish took up the response.

  “Pyaara, you are missing the obvious. The objects, the Jeannette, and the Planet are moving in three-dimensional space. Our trajectory is plotted for where the planet will be when we arrive.”

  Feeling sheepish, Nick was self-effacing.

  “Bloody ‘ell, that was blinkered. It must be all of NT’s beer affecting my brain pot. Hey, what did you call me?”

  Janish, blushed and ignored the question.

  The crew went silent with individual, internal, contemplation regarding what they were about to experience.

  “Slowing to orbital velocity Captain.”

  “Thank you Eggy. Okay, Corb, now what?

  In an obvious response to Lucinda’s question to Corb, Tarunik appears on the bridge. Tarunik appears next to Commander Moody. Turning to Lucinda, the other nods in response to Lucinda’s no
d of affirmation.

  “Captain Turner, please take the handcuffs off Commander Moody.”

  “Captain, is this a good idea?”

  “Captain Turner, it is an order. However, to answer your question, yes, it is a good idea. Tarunik has assured me, Commander Moody will not be a problem.”

  Turder removed the handcuff from Commander Moody’s wrist and left the other end attached to the safety rail. When Turder returned to his console, Tarunik ‘speaks’ to everyone.

  “You have reached high orbit of the planet K’an. Congratulations. You are the first of your species to arrive without assistance from the K’an council. You are welcome on our home. There are many rituals and formalities to follow, I will guide you. Before we leave this vessel, are there any questions?”

  Cassandra was about to bust with questions but waited politely until asked. At Tarunik’s request, Cassandra erupted with questions.

  “How do we refer to you and others like you, do you have a title?”

  “Title? If you mean an honorific name, no, I am Tarunik. Tarunik is my name.”

  “Thank you Tarunik. You referred to the planet as K’an. I know this word. It is a Mayan word from our home planet. It translates to ‘precious’ in the most classic Mayan dialect. Is my understanding correct?”

  “Yes, Cassandra, this planet is K’an. It is our home. It is precious. All homes are precious.”

  “You referred to Corb as ‘The Enlightened One’. It is an honorific title for human and considered most high. Why do you use the specific title of Enlightened One when speaking to Corb?”

  “Cassandra all will be revealed. You have many more questions. I will assign an instructor to you. Are there any other questions?”

  NT pushed through the fog of too many beers and spoke in response to Tarunik’s offer. Sensing Tarunik was something more than a messenger, or a guide, NT spoke with reverence.

  “Yes, thank you Tarunik for your patience. We are a primitive culture, but we are willing to learn and adapt. My question is simple to ask but may be difficult to answer. Are there defined protocols we should follow when we are greeted on K’an?”

  “NT, thank you for your consideration. Yes, there are many protocols and cultural formalities. You will learn them easily. Today, do not worry, no one here will judge you harshly. You will be thought of as children. Children learning many new things. People, my people, respect children. Everyone is willing to teach children what they must know to grow and become a citizen.