The Blake Equation- Discovery

by David Savieri

  ‘And?’

  ‘Most get in eventually.’

  ‘Most?’

  ‘I knew of an industrial transport that had to wait once. It had to wait to get up onto one of those bigger platforms,’ Baden described as he pointed to a series of long scaffold- like structures jutting out from the face of the rock as they passed underneath. ‘They couldn’t dock and dropped out of orbit and ended up obliterated by a stray. It didn’t help that the transport was carrying Corin ore.’ Baden elaborated. ‘Corin is a mineral ore they mine on a few of the outer rim planets. It’s highly explosive when compacted under extreme pressure. They were heavily overloaded, trying to make extra credits.’

  ‘By credits you obviously mean money?’

  The captain nodded. ‘See that scoring across the rock face?’ He pointed but didn’t need to as Hayden could clearly see a long, wide blackened sooty gouge on the red-brown surface. ‘The freighter was smashed back against it.’

  ‘We’re much closer now,’ Hayden observed with nervous excitement, changing the subject.

  ‘Docking shortly, young prince,’ Baden announced.

  Hayden tried to ignore how he’d been formally addressed.

  It was above the captain’s chair that he saw something that made him grin widely. On the bulkhead he saw a very familiar old sign made of metal, painted white and with bold red lettering that read -

  PASSENGERS MUST NOT

  STAND FORWARD

  OF THE DRIVER’S SEAT.

  BUS NOT PERMITTED TO DEPART

  UNLESS THIS AREA KEPT CLEAR.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Salar-One was a planetoid floating in an immense asteroid field stretching hundreds of thousands of kilometres around the gas giant Salar-Prime. It was in this satellite that the very old galactic pit-stop had been carved into the rock over a very long time by many thousands of workers originally as a mining company depot for the gas mining of Salar–Prime.

  *

  The landing bay shield lowered and the Copernicus, most skillfully guided by its bus driver, gracefully entered the huge Hanger Bay 3. Once the bay’s shield had secured behind the ship, it hovered slowly across the hanger floor followed by a small ground crew in utility vehicles and on foot. After finding its intended mark, the transport gently touched down with the use of pneumatic landing gear that vented steam in several short bursts supporting its bulk before one final long hiss of relief.

  ‘Well, Hayden,’ Captain Baden announced with a wry smile not unlike his uncle’s. ‘Welcome to Salar-One. Your first alien port.’

  It didn’t take a genius to see that Hayden was very excited. Looking out a side portal and into the hanger bay, he wanted to pinch himself again to see if he would wake from another dream. If it was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up. This was the most fantastical thing that had ever happened to him or, for that matter he supposed - to anyone.

  ‘Come, Hayden,’ his mother commanded quite sternly in fact. ‘We must prepare. ’

  Taking the speedy lift down to the accommodation floor he returned to his cabin, sat down on the corner of his bed and began to continuously tap his foot rapidly against the metal post eagerly waiting for his mother and uncle to return for him. Trying to imagine what sights would greet him, he suddenly thought of Maddy and Monty and of the stories he could tell them of his adventure so far. He thought of his little house and acreage and of Tudor Lane and of Jagged Peak. He even thought of Scott Worcester and his gang of mutants and what they would think of it all but it was the pleasant thoughts of Maddy and Monty he repeatedly returned to. They were his best friends and so they were also melancholy thoughts. He wondered if he was ever to see them again as it would be awfully sad if he couldn’t.

  Hayden was mulling over this when he suddenly realised that if he was as they had addressed him, his mother was a Queen! Quickly that realisation snowballed. What about my father? If my mother was a queen then he would have been a King! King of what? King of where? A further incredible realisation arose in him but before he could think any further on it, the door to his cabin slid aside and his mother appeared hurriedly with her brother in tow.

  ‘If you can’t tell by my sister’s exuberant attitude, we’re ready to disembark, Hayd.’

  ‘Don’t be sarcastic, Jonah.’ Amy said to her brother as she maternally leant down to check on the condition of her son’s new shoes.

  ‘Well-’

  ‘What’s the problem?’ Hayden asked, his eyes flitting over his family.

  ‘To be honest, Hayden,’ his mother began. ‘I just don’t like this place. It’s -’

  ‘Sis!’ Jonah interrupted, fluttering his hand downward, motioning for his sister to shoosh. ‘It’s Hayd’s first time here.’

  Amy looked at her son again in a very serious way and asked him if he was ready to disembark.

  ‘No -’ he gulped.

  ‘Then you can remain onboard if you’d like?’ she happily suggested.

  ‘Your mother’s right, Hayd,’ Jonah agreed.

  Hayden thought it over for a few seconds more. ‘Well. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be I suppose.’

  Amy looked unmistakably disappointed but knew her son would have to get out there for this was only but a part of his new life.

  ‘I’ve said it before but, please, it’s very important. You must remain by our side. This place has a history of trouble. It can be quite unsafe.’ Hayden heard his mother’s request and he understood but it did nothing to suppress the unbridled wonder and sheer nervous excitement he felt.

  When they let the little cabin, they walked aft toward the engine room and after a few metres came to a large double door with thick clear panels through which Hayden could see a small room. It could fit the several people standing around them. A few metres beyond it he could see yet another double door and through its windows he could see that it was that door that led out to the hanger bay, and onto that other world. It was an airlock they were about to walk into. He thought about that for a moment.

  By definition, an airlock was as an airtight chamber between two differing air pressures. Inside, the air pressure could be altered to match either area. Would the air be even breathable outside? He thought about that apprehensively but looking at other people around him, he noted with some relief that none there awaiting departure with him were wearing space suits or had any sort of gadget to aid breathing in an oxygen poor environment. The very few people he could see working outside in the hanger didn’t seem to need any artificial breathing assistance either and they all appeared to be humanoid in the way that he was. A red light on the ceiling inside the airlock began to flash.

  ‘Stay close to us,’ Jonah repeated and Hayden nodded obediently. ‘Again, you must promise us you will. There are many things out there that you will undoubtedly find very, very interesting but could be very foolish to investigate.’

  ‘I promise, ’ Hayden answered, his heart beating rapidly, his excitement now near to bursting despite his uncle’s words being a touch unnerving.

  After a low whirring sound, the inner door opened and everyone moved into the airlock. The other crew members suddenly were aware of Hayden’s presence and became extremely apologetic about the lack of space. Embarrassed, Hayden just told them not to worry about it. He couldn’t stop looking out the exit door portholes and after a very brief wait there was a short hissing sound and what smelt like air freshener but of an unrecognisable scent enveloped them all. He looked at his mother.

  ‘Antibiotics,’ she reassured. ‘There are inhabitants from many worlds out there,’ she gestured outside with the hand she didn’t have gripping her son’s shoulder. ‘One cannot be too careful when it comes to hygiene.’

  Hayden nodded again but he was distracted by his imminent release onto Salar-One.

  ‘Please pay attention, Hayden.’ His uncle asked.

  ‘I did. I am. Don’t worry. Of course I’ll stay close - you both know this place and I don’t.’

  The red light had stopped and a gree
n light began to flash.

  The Copernicus’ external doors slid open and a rush of alien air filled Hayden’s nose with a pungent earthy smell and he liked it.

  Looking down, an automatic metal ramp was almost fully extended to the stone ground. Ground that had been flattened and polished to a smooth matte sheen by heavy machinery and presumably the movement of countless passengers. Gingerly walking to the end of the ramp, Hayden watched his feet as he stepped off, savouring the sight and feel of his first touchdown to an alien place. He really absorbed the moment. Standing on the hanger-bay floor he turned to his mother and his uncle who comfortingly stood right behind him. ‘Well, that was one small but giant step for me,’ he stated proudly. They and the other crew members made for the far end of the hanger-bay and entry to what lay beyond it. Empty but for themselves, a few workers carrying out duties and some small single occupant craft that to Hayden’s amazement he could now see floated across the floor, the hanger was massive. It easily stood twenty storeys high with a great rough carved domed ceiling with the length and breadth easily that of three football fields. He watched another ship leaving from an adjacent hanger and followed it as it accelerated out into deep space. He couldn’t even imagine where it had been or where it was going or who or what was in it? He felt the same feeling he did when he would stand at the base of Jagged Peak though on an unimaginably larger scale. He felt tiny and very insignificant.

  As they walked, Jonah caught his arm and spun him around gently. ‘Hayden -’

  ‘I know, I know. Be careful.’

  Jonah looked at his sister with a smirk and then, looking back at his nephew continued. ‘I was going to say Hayden, welcome to a whole new world - your new world. ’

  ‘My world?’

  Amy looked at her son solemnly. ‘I will add that as you don’t know this place, it is very important that your wits remain sharp. You must be very careful. I cannot stress that vehemently enough.’

  Hayden understood. He had to as they’d repeated themselves enough, he’d be a moron if it hadn’t sunk in. He cast his gaze above and behind his family and back onto the Copernicus and saw the man now known to him as Captain Tor Baden through the wide bridge window in the distance. He was pacing back and forth. He was contemplating something.

  To Hayden, the walk across the floor to enter the inner part of the planetoid seemed to take an eternity. A loudspeaker from somewhere echoed in an undecipherable tongue or tongues, the ground crews worked with ant-like feverishness behind them and Hayden’s fascination was utter. A bold brassy armoured door towered in front of them two storeys high at least and as wide as a shuttle-bus. It was made of solid metal of some sort. Hayden tapped on a section next to a tea cup saucer sized rivet.

  Jonah explained that they were fire doors.

  A large panel that looked as if it were made from the same metal and embossed with squiggly patterns was recessed into the rock wall to the left of the door. At head height to Hayden, he soon realised that they weren’t merely patterns but writing.

  He was fascinated by the dots, dashes, straight and wispy lines with their beautiful, almost musical design. Even though they were completely indiscernible to him they had a strange familiarity. He wanted to stay and study the panel but knew that there was far more beyond the doors. ‘It says,’ his mother read to him ‘Welcome all travelers to this place. May all your energies be refreshed.’

  ‘Like refreshment for us and fuel for the ship too?’

  ‘Correct.’ Jonah said as he and his sister closed around their charge. ‘The time, Hayden?’ Jonah asked and his nephew pulled the sleeve back over his heirloom timepiece and held it up to him. Glancing at it briefly, Jonah reached out and pressed a large flat tarnished button with his palm and a neat electronic bell sounded. Two green strip lights as wide as the door illuminated as an unseen mechanism began to crank the door slowly and noisily into the walls on either side. Jonah turned to his sister. ‘The slower the better,’ he whispered.

  ‘It’ll be quite a shock for him,’ she whispered back knowingly.

  With a sliver of light piercing through the cracked halves of the massive doors, the many sounds and smells filtered into the hanger. His pupils widening with excitement, Hayden was now just about unbearably on edge as he was experiencing the curious dual sensations of wanting to both run inside as soon as the door was opened enough and run straight back to the ship and its comparative safety. He was about to see a portion of what his new universe held for him so he waited with bated breath.

  The doors were now one quarter open and he really began to see a slim but incredibly enticing view of what was beyond them.

  A great multi-storied hall larger than the hanger with coloured banners hanging from its balconies and its rough domed ceiling.

  When the doors were halfway opened the smells and sound emanating from within were tremendous. It was impossible to take in everything at once; he had to compress his fervor, his senses were to be contented with one thing at a time - if he could manage it? Eyes jumping from one thing to the next and completely amazed, Hayden was utterly fascinated.

  The noise was incredible! A veritable floating population of life of unimaginable variation with a din of dialects to which Hayden could not figure, how could he? The faces that he saw could only have been the creations of his imagination prior to that day.

  His uncle commanded him loudly, sternly and predictably ‘Stick by us, Hayden!’ As Jonah had expected, his nephew only answered with a small nod. Hayden wanted to speak, to ask a billion questions but he couldn’t. His brain was in overload as they moved slowly through the bizarre new world that was Salar-One. He was rendered mute.

  Where is he from? Where is she from? Where is that from? What IS that? He thought in absolute exploration.

  They made their way gradually, safely through the milling crowds of oddities and with the glances the Copernicus’ crew were receiving, Hayden realised he was as much an alien to the other races as they were to him and everyone but him seemed jaded to the experience.

  Soon they came to what could only be described as a piazza, a public square. The floor of this space consisted of great grid pattern cuts in the polished rock floor. Those cuts had been filled with thick glass mosaic tiles in myriad hues that refracted light from the large lights that hung high above them. It gave the pleasant effect of many massive slabs of terracotta bordered by shining jewels. Hayden turned his attention to strange, slender dark blue trunked, yellow fronded succulent type plants that grew well taller than the tallest of humans. Planted in large, multi-coloured glazed pots bigger than Hayden that were placed at symmetrical intervals around the grand square.

  Sitting around the base of a large round fountain that shot staccato jets of water up several metres then back onto a swoopy stone sculpture carved from the planetoid itself, were three of what could only be described as Squid-men. Their bulbous rearward tapering opaque heads with large round pearlescent silver eyes were filled with enormous deep black, wet pupils.

  ‘Their language is silent. They communicate via crypsis,’ Jonah explained, again observing his nephews obvious interest in them.

  Hayden was not able to take his eyes off the very strange beings. It was how he’d imagined an alien to look but at the same time was nothing like how he’d imagined one to look. ‘See how they change their pigmentation?’ His uncle pointed out. ‘It’s a type of sign language for them.’

  ‘Crypsis, like cephalopods at home?’

  ‘Exactly. Just like a squid, an octopus or a cuttlefish.’ Jonah again glanced seriously at him. ‘Please be careful.’

  Hayden took in their wondrous weirdness.

  Five protuberances, as tentacles on a squid, hung like long moustaches from beneath where noses should have been with a further five hanging lower, spreading across their barrel-like chests like fleshy beards.

  ‘Be careful?’ Hayden queried, having just registered his uncle’s warning. Suddenly, the largest of the mollusk-men rose on its four te
ntacle legs and started wildly changing colour. It went from off-white to a vibrant red in an instant. Its silvery eyes now looking very fearsome against the pulsating crimson it had become. The creature next to it and in front of one of the strange plants seemed to disappear! It’s iridophores worked to change its colour and blend into the background. Hayden, quite the amateur expert on most things, marveled. As quickly as it had become angry, the clearly dominant alien seemed to calm, returning to a seated position when the lesser creature flashed a series of Morse-code like signals, revealing itself and letting its superior know it had ceded. The bigger one returned to its original shade of off-white.

  ,Hayden pulled on his uncle’s sleeve. ‘Where are they from?’

  ‘Devonia. They’re called Sepians-’ he paused and covering his mouth added with a whisper ‘ - and they are very bad news indeed. You stay as far away from them as possible. ’

  ‘Devonia? Like the epoch? The age of fishes?’ Hayden referred to the period on Earth hundreds of millions of years ago.

  ‘Yes. Almost a parsec away if we had to travel conventionally but thankfully it’s far enough out of our way. ’

  Hayden was thunderstruck and not just because he was in the presence of all these weird creatures but for the fact that seeing these aliens meant that he was so out of his element, so far from home and that he could now travel such vast distances! How? Hayden’s mind raced for what seemed the thousandth time. Why hadn’t he even thought to ask the question before?

  ‘A parsec being the standard interstellar and intergalactic measure. A parsec is equal to 3.262 light years with one light year being equal to nine trillion, four hundred billion, seven hundred and thirty million, four hundred and seventy two thousand, five hundred and eighty point eight kilometres!’ Hayden recited immediately. Amy looked at Jonah. ‘The definitive distance of one parsec.’ Hayden felt a little giddy.

  ‘That worked well then,’ Jonah remarked.