“We did it.” He almost whispered.
“Who are you?! What are you doing?” A voice bellowed from behind them.
They whirled around to see a man glaring at them.
He wore a blue uniform, piping around the cuffs and the collar, a belt around his waist, the buckle showing a globe with continents, latitude and longitude lines. Tremain paused just a beat before his face lit up and his smile filled his face.
“We’re friends who just saved your collective lives!”
The uniformed man stared at Tremain for a moment, then up at the screen. His eyes, already wide open, grew wider as he took in the sight of the star.
“We were heading into the star?” He pulled himself to a jump seat and strapped in. Clicking a few controls, he waved at the smoke, reading the events of the past few minutes. “You did save us.” He turned to Tremain. “But who are you?”
Tremain held out his hand to the man.
“My name is Tremain. This is my nephew, Christopher.”
The officer stared at them, looking as if he were waiting for more.
“How did you get on board?” His face grew stern, “You’re not stowaways, are you?” Then he looked away, his brows knitting. “No, that can’t be, it’s been too long, I think.” He rubbed his eyes. Tremain unstrapped himself and motioned Christopher to follow.
“I think a cup of coffee is in order.” He motioned to the hatch. “We can compare notes.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
The heady scent of strong coffee filled the galley area. Both Tremain and the officer held steaming mugs of the black liquid. Christopher sipped some hot chocolate. Tremain motioned to the officer’s stripes on his collar.
“You’re a commander?”
The man nodded as he sipped.
“Commander John Frasier.” He set the mug down. “I’m first officer here on the Mayflower.” He looked back and forth between the two. “Now, do you mind telling me how you got on board?”
Tremain placed his hands flat on the table and leaned in a little closer.
“I’m not sure you’d believe me if I told you. But I can tell you that nobody is more interested in the success of your mission than we are.”
Commander Frasier’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“How do you know about our mission?”
Tremain shook his head and waved a hand
“That’s not important. Frankly, we’re not important either. You and the colonists are. We were just happy to have been of some help.”
There was a bleep from Tremain’s lab coat pocket. He pulled out the circuit board. The light was bright and shining. Commander Frasier pointed to it as he took another gulp from the cup.
“What’s that thing?”
Tremain’s eyes were bright, his mouth turned up in a half-smile. He glanced at Christopher, showing him the remote.
“This, Commander, is our way home.”
The Commander looked out the windows, craning his neck to look around as far as he could.
“I don’t see any other ship docked to us.” He turned back to Tremain and Christopher. “What way home?”
Tremain just shook his head again.
“You couldn’t really understand if I tried to explain it. It’s rather . . . complicated, right Christopher?”
Christopher sat straight up and nodded.
“Yes. It’s complicated.” He wished he could say more, but he felt it was better to just follow his uncle’s lead. The Commander nodded a little.
“So, you’re just good neighbors who just happened to steer us back on course.” He sat back, crossing his arms in front of him. “Okay, say I buy that. What is it that you want? What did you come here for?”
Tremain looked confused, then, understanding lit his face.
“Oh I think you have it all wrong, Commander. We don’t want anything. We’re just here to help. We didn’t come on board to try and steal or salvage anything. We aren’t stowaways. We are truly friends.” He maintained eye contact with the officer. Eventually, the Commander nodded.
“I guess I have to believe you. I can only imagine what the Captain will say when he hears . . .” His voice trailed off. Tremain winced a little and raised his hands.
“That’s another thing you need to know.” He played with his hands as he spoke. “You’ve been in cryo-stasis for quite some time since your accident.” He cocked his eyebrows. “Were you awake when it happened?”
The Commander nodded.
“Ah, then, maybe you can tell us more about that?”
Commander Frasier sat up and cleared his throat.
“Well, something hit us. We didn’t see it coming so we couldn’t avoid it. Could have been dust, could have been something larger. At any rate, it hit us in just the right spot to rupture one of the Xenon tanks. We weren’t even halfway to our target speed, either.” He clasped his hands and looked down. “It was hard on the Captain.” He looked back up. “The decision to shut down the drive was his. That way we could have some fuel in reserve should we need it. Looks like we did.”
Tremain fiddled with the cup in front of him, the coffee now cold.
“Yes, well, I think it’s important you know that those that chose to remain awake took to living part time in the gardens.”
The Commander raised his eyebrows and made to stand up, but Tremain stopped him with a raised hand.
“It’s been generations.”
He let that sink in. The Commander sat back down slowly. Tremain continued.
“How many, I can only conjecture, as there hasn’t been any record keeping, but it seems that over the years, they had taken to spending less time in the ship proper and living mostly in the ring. Eventually, they completely forgot that they were on a ship at all.” He looked apologetic as he spoke. “They’ve . . . regressed, I suppose you could say.”
The Commander looked shocked.
“They’ve regressed? What do you mean?”
Tremain stood up and motioned to the hatch.
“Perhaps it would be better if you saw that for yourself.”
Leaving the coffee cups behind, they moved to the hatch that separated the galley from the gardens. The Commander looked through the glass into the trees.
“It’s grown so much.” He looked at Tremain. “Generations? We’ve been asleep for generations?”
Tremain nodded and motioned to the hatch. They entered the gardens.
A few steps into the grassland and the hatch disappeared. Christopher noticed the view changing to a continuation of the field down to a row of willows and more pine trees. They walked on a little further. Rounding a bend, they could see the lake glimmering in the holographic sunlight. The Commander stopped and took in the view.
“I never spent much time in here. The engineers did a great job. It looks so much like home.” There was a path worn into the grassland that Christopher hadn’t noticed before. He thought that maybe it was made by the Mehdi, who seemed to take their trips to the “Godswall” often. Sure enough, they came upon a group of three making their way towards them.
The women stopped when they caught sight of the three of them, pointing to Tremain and Christopher. Excitedly, they turned and walked as fast as they could, back the way they came. They moved faster than Christopher thought they could, and soon they were out of sight. The Commander would have run after them, but Tremain stopped him.
“Let them go. They’ll tell the Ka-tahn, the descendant of your Captain, that we’re back.”
Commander Frasier looked to the scientist.
“You were here?”
Tremain nodded.
“Ka-tahn?”
“When we arrived here, we thought this was . . .” He stopped, catching himself before he said too much. “Well, it doesn’t matter now. Suffice it to say, we did spend some time down here. The words over time have been slurred. Captain became Ka-tahn.” They continued on, past the lake, into the trees, following the path to the village. As they approached the first hut, Comm
ander Frasier stopped and admired the construction.
“They built these. To live down here. And the crew quarters were only a few hatches away.” He shook his head. “Lead on.” He motioned down the path. Soon, they came to the central fire, where the Ka-tahn stood formally, some others behind him. The Mehdi women were standing apart from the crowd. Tremain couldn’t read the Ka-tahn’s expression. Jamis and another man were standing in their way, spears crossed to block the path. The atmosphere was thick with tension.
They approached the crossed spears, Tremain holding up his hands.
“Really?” He asked, “Are we going to keep playing this game?” He looked past the men to the Ka-tahn. “Don’t you think it’s time you knew the truth about your people?”
The Ka-tahn hesitated for a moment, then nodded his head.
“Let them pass, Jamis.” His reedy voice sounding more tired than before. The spears removed, the three walked to the old man. He looked at Christopher, a smile on his face, then to Tremain, his face growing more troubled.
“I am not sure we are well met this time, stranger,” he said. “Marla told me about the portal.”
Tremain nodded, noticing Marla in the background, staying well away from him. He half-smiled.
“I was a little hard on her, I admit, but it was for her own good.” He waved his hand in the Ka-tahn’s direction. “For everyone’s good, actually.” He shuffled his feet a bit, not sure how to proceed. Christopher felt bad for his uncle, but, as he’d started to realize, sometimes the best way to do anything was the direct way. He stepped forward, pulling the Commander along with him.
“Ka-tahn,” his voice cracking a little. He cleared his throat. “This is Commander Frasier.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tremain start to intercede, but then he stopped. “He knew the original Ka-tahn.”
Commander Frasier stepped forward, coming up to the older man, towering over him. Their eyes met. Christopher didn’t know what to expect, but then the Commander did something that brought a huge smile to his face.
He saluted.
“Captain,” he said, formally. “May I have a word with you?”
The old man, taken aback, clumsily returned the unfamiliar gesture, but recognizing the respect.
“Of course, young man.” He turned to go back to his hut, but the Commander stopped him.
“No, sir, on the bridge. It would be best.”
There were murmurs in the crowd. Christopher could hear “Godswall” and “portal” whispered around. He saw Dorin and Tika in the crowd. Dorin wore a black look on his face. Christopher walked over to them, but Dorin ignored him. Christopher shook his head. Some people will never change.
“Things are going to be different for your people now.” He said to Tika, her eyes full of questions. He indicated Dorin. “He’s going to have to get over himself, I think.” They both giggled at that. Dorin, annoyed, walked away.
“What will change?” She asked. Christopher looked around, not seeing the sky as he did before, but beyond it to the ring, rotating majestically around the hull.
“Basically, everything.” He looked in her eyes. He wasn’t tongue tied anymore. “This place was only a temporary home for you. There’s so much more out there.”
She clapped her hands and giggled. He turned away, looking for Dorin.
“Some of you won’t like the change, I’ll guess.” He looked down and scuffed away some dirt. “But I think you’ll be okay.”
She squealed and hugged him. Taken by surprise, he hugged her back.
“Christopher,” He broke free from Tika’s grasp to see his uncle, clearly amused. “If you’d care to join us?” He gave Tika one last look, then followed his uncle.
They walked with the Commander and the Ka-tahn though the trees heading to the portal. The airlock, Christopher corrected himself. In moments, they were climbing up the ladder to the hub. The Ka-tahn was frightened of the wall and the weightlessness, but with the help of the Commander, soon overcame it, floating down the corridor to the bridge.
He stared out the screen at the vista before them.
“So our entire existence has been a lie?” His voice was so soft, barely audible. The Commander spoke gently.
“No, sir. Not a lie. You had just forgotten.” He held the Ka-tahn’s arm in support. “I will help you remember. We will bring everyone to our new home.”
The old man looked at the Commander, then pointed out the screen at a blue-green disk in the center.
“Our home is that little speck out there?”
“It’s only small since it’s still so far away. There is a lot we need to talk about.”
Tremain touched Christopher’s arm and they removed themselves into the corridor.
“I think it’s time we went back home.” Christopher felt his own excitement rise.
“Home? Is everything alright now?” In response, Tremain held up the circuit board. The lights on it still lit.
“It would seem so.” He raised his eyebrows. “Unless there’s someone you wanted to say goodbye to again.” He winked.
Christopher blushed.
“Let’s go, Uncle.”
Tremain and Christopher pulled themselves back to the hub.
“I’d feel better if we went back to the meadow where we arrived.” Tremain said as he started moving down the ladder. “It seems fitting, doesn’t it?”
Christopher nodded, not really caring where, as long as they did get home.
They avoided the village as best they could once they arrived at the gardens. They didn’t see the figure that silently kept pace with them.
The meadow was as peaceful as it had been just a day before. Had it only been a day? Christopher could swear a month had passed. They reached the center of the field and Tremain held out the circuit board.
“Here goes.” He held his breath as he pressed the button. There was an answering beep. Christopher watched as the world shimmered before him.
Tika ran out into the meadow where, just seconds before, the blazing pyramid of light had just been. She stomped at the dirt, expecting to see some indication of what had happened, then looked up and spun in a wide circle, her eyes wide open.
“Gods . . .” she whispered.
EPILOGUE
Back in the lab, Senator Marcus whirled towards the door, in a near panic. It faded for a second, before a bright light burst from behind him.
The transmitter whirred back into life.
He turned to see the platform glow brightly as Tremain and Christopher appeared. As the light faded, they stepped into the lab.
“I never thought I’d be happier to see this place.” Christopher said, smiling. Tremain noticed the Senator staring.
“Ah, Marcus! So good to see you’re still here!” He chuckled at the look on his friend’s face. “Yes, we’re back.”
“You . . . you just left, and the machine . . .” he pointed to the transmitter. Tremain patted him on the arm.
“Worked like a charm. We had a great, grand adventure, but I’m very glad to be home.” He looked to Christopher. “You know, Christopher, something you said earlier just occurred to me.”
Christopher sat down heavily on a stool.
“What?” He asked.
“When we were talking about your comparative philosophies class. You said there was one theory that the Gods came to the colonists to show them the way to their new home.”
Christopher’s eyes widened.
“You don’t think . . .”
Tremain nodded.
“Oh yes.” Tremain’s eyes gleamed mischievously, “We were those Gods!”
Christopher laughed, a little uncomfortably. Tremain patted him on the back. “I think it’s time we went to see your mother. I have more apologizing to do.”
The Senator, not sure what was going on, left the lab in a whirl of confusion. Tremain and Christopher walked through the lab door, Tremain calling for the lights to turn off. They dimmed as he locked the lab behind them.
&nbs
p; The transmitter made a popping sound, hissed and fell silent. The platform tick, tick, ticked as it cooled.
The Message
Tremain sat at his desk, toying with a plate of food. The only illumination in the lab came from the smart wall to his right which showed a series of images of a blue-green planet that sparkled like a jewel in the blackness of space.
Earth.
Original Earth.
He set down his fork, sighed, ran his hands through his already unkempt hair and began to pace alongside the long worktable that ran the length of the lab.
The problem running through his mind had bothered him since he and his nephew had returned from … well … call it what it was, the past. Since then, he had this burning need to re-establish contact with mankind’s mother world. Did they even know their colonists had not only established a foothold on another world, but had thrived?
The crux of the problem was one of distance. Light had a finite speed. The remoteness between original Earth and New Earth meant that any communication between the two would take many hundreds of years. A transmission, if it had been sent upon the colonists’ arrival, would possibly only now be reaching the mother planet. The reply would take yet another few hundred years to make the return trip.
Not an ideal way to have a dialog.
The worktable, not ever quite getting cleared of clutter, showed its usual state of controlled chaos. Between the piles of wiring, trays of less identifiable components and the occasional dirty dinner plate, it made for a formidable sight for those less familiar with the scientist and his organizational style. Tremain picked through the clutter as he passed, not even noticing what he touched while his attention focused inward.
Hitting the end of the room and turning back, he stopped at a hulking form, dark against the lab wall; his transmitter. He caressed the side of the framework, his thoughts drifting.
His eyes snapped to his desk as a sudden flash of inspiration hit him.
Would it work?
Grabbing a few cables from a box on the side of the transmitter, he spliced them into his tablet, which he then linked to his computer. If they could use the transmitter to travel through space and time in an instant (or at the very least, what seemed like an instant), a simple signal should cross the vastness of space just as quickly, well … taking an interdimensional detour or two in actuality, but the idea was still sound.
The Adventures of Tremain & Christopher BoxSet Page 9