Off Course

by Doug Farren

  “It's okay Skipper,” Heather told him as she knelt down beside the bed. “You're in a Keldan hospital. You had a bad concussion and have been out for several hours.”

  AJ seemed to relax, but only a little. His eyes still searched the room. “Keldan?” he said sounding confused. “What happened?” Looking at Heather he added, “What the heck happened to you?”

  Reaching up to touch the dark, purplish bruise on her left cheek, Heather replied, “My face tried to push a pair of binoculars through the cockpit window.”

  “Anyone else hurt?”

  Heather made a fist with her right hand and tapped her left arm. The clear cast covering her forearm made a dull thump. “I broke my arm, Scott had a dislocated shoulder, and Thomas bruised a few ribs.”

  “Do you remember the shuttle being hit by one of the alien aircraft?” Scott asked.

  AJ was quickly coming to his senses. He slowly looked around the room, taking in the details. The doors were slightly shorter than normal but were very wide. The bed he was laying on was oval, nearly circular in shape, and low to the floor. All of the instruments and consoles were located closer to the floor than would be normal for a human hospital. His head was starting to pound so he gently lay back down.

  “I remember the crash,” AJ replied, his voice much calmer. “I must have fallen out of my chair when the ship inverted.” Sitting up on his elbow again he looked at the others and asked, “We didn't kill anyone on the ground did we? I don't want to be blamed for starting the first interstellar war.”

  “No,” Thomas replied through a smile. “The Keldan's have been very thoughtful, though not very informative, hosts.”

  “So that's what they call themselves,” AJ replied. His eyes became unfocused for a second as if he was reliving a memory. A sudden, intense look appeared on his face. “What do they look like?”

  “They're short,” Heather quickly replied cutting off the others. “They stand a bit over a meter tall. The main body is covered in short hairs. They- - -”

  “Oh for god's sake!” Scott interrupted. “They look like giant spiders only with six … Captain?”

  A look of pure horror had appeared on AJ's face as he sat upright. Heather put her hand on the Captain's shoulder. “You're afraid of spiders, aren't you?”

  The thought of being stranded on a planet populated by a race of giant spiders had driven an icicle of fear into AJ's heart. He broke out in a cold sweat as his thoughts ran amok. Ignoring what the others might think, Heather sat down on the bed next to the mute Captain.

  “The Keldans are not really spiders,” she calmly explained. “The Nitnicki are not really cats, but that's how we describe them because they vaguely resemble them. Our brains try to categorize things based upon our experiences but we are intelligent enough to realize that because our brains classify a species as a giant spider does not make them giant spiders. The Keldans have been very kind to us so far.”

  AJ seemed to draw strength from being in close contact with Heather. His jaw muscles loosened enough for him to say, “For many years, starting at a very young age, I've had a recurring nightmare of being surrounded by huge spiders. I would be stuck in their web, unable to escape, and they were coming to eat me alive. I can't stand the things.”

  “But the Keldans are not really spiders,” Thomas said.

  “That doesn't matter,” Heather answered for AJ. “The Captain has arachnophobia and, if you know anything about phobias, it is notoriously hard to overcome.”

  “Well doesn't that just cut the cake!” Scott mused, shaking his head. “How are we going to get the Keldans to help us get home when the Captain can't face up to them?”

  “That will be enough!” Thomas warned.

  “Are they waiting for us?” AJ asked.

  “They left the room after you fainted,” Scott told him in a condescending tone of voice.

  “I said can it!” Thomas turned to face Scott.

  “Enough!” AJ said, sounding more like himself. “What have you told them so far?”

  “We haven't talked much,” Thomas replied. “They know our ship is far from home and we are in need of assistance. We haven't discussed any details. They were more concerned with treating our injuries first.”

  “The shuttle?”

  “Repairable, with a little help.”

  AJ slowly sat up. Swinging his legs over the bed he was surprised to find he could place his feet flat on the floor. Looking Heather in the eye he said, “Now that I know what the locals look like I should be okay … I think. Do you think you can explain the situation – um, my phobia – to them?”

  Heather squeezed his hand and smiled. “Of course I can. I'll be right back.”

  “Don't bring the whole lot of them back with you,” AJ instructed her.

  Heather gave him a wink and a smile before turning and walking away.

  Chapter 10

  “Before the Keldans show up,” AJ said, “bring me up to date. How did we end up here?”

  “I blacked out for only a second and was the only one conscious after we crashed,” Thomas explained. “After shutting down all nonessential systems I, checked on the rest of the crew. Everyone, except yourself, seemed to be coming around. The computer recommended giving you a shot of something labeled compound six. I guess it's an emergency medication given to someone thought to have had a severe concussion. It helps prevent further damage until medical help arrives.”

  “Sounds familiar,” AJ said. He was sitting on the bed looking around the room flexing his arms and legs. “So what happened next?”

  “The Keldans arrived in force not more than 15 minutes or so after we crashed. I managed to bring us down very close to the airstrip we were originally supposed to land at. I grabbed a couple of long-range transceivers while Heather and Scott carried you out of the shuttle. The Keldans took us here under heavy security. It may not look like it from where you're sitting, but we’re being closely guarded.”

  AJ nervously glanced around the room. He had assumed they were in some sort of medical facility but upon closer examination he could tell they were most likely in a hastily converted vehicle garage. A temporary wall made of the same stuff Earth businesses used to build office cubicles surrounded them.

  “The guards are outside the walls,” Scott informed him.

  Looking back at Thomas, AJ said, “What happened next?”

  “On the way here,” Thomas continued, “the computer informed us that a viable language translation had been established. We've been using the transceivers as a translating device. We were pretty banged up and the Keldans insisted on tending to our injuries before talking to us.”

  “Anything else I should know?”

  Thomas fidgeted with a loose thread on his uniform for a moment then said, “I instructed the shuttle's computer to send a quick update of our situation to the Star-Pulse. Per your order, they were asked not to reply.”

  “No harm in that I guess,” AJ replied, seeing the relief in Thomas's face.

  AJ carefully used his hand to feel the top of his head and winced as he found a tender spot. “Exactly how much damage- - -” He suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, his eyes growing wide as he took in a quick, hissing breath. Doctor Choril had appeared from behind one of the walls. Seeing AJ's reaction, Choril stopped where he was. Heather, who had been walking in front of Choril kept going.

  Fear tried to gain the upper hand as a horror from AJ's worst nightmare stood looking at him. His mind was screaming “SPIDER!” and doing its best to force him to run in the opposite direction. Heather could clearly see the battle raging inside the Captain's mind as it expressed itself in the contortions of his face. She rushed to his side and sat next to him.

  Putting her good arm on his shoulder, Heather squeezed, forcing AJ to look at her. “His name is Choril,” she told him. “He's a doctor – he's NOT a spider.”

  AJ took a deep breath and steeled himself. Forcing his body to obey, he turned his head and looked at Choril. The rese
mblance to a giant spider was close, but there were differences. Sweating profusely and fighting the urge to run, AJ compelled himself to look at Choril.

  The bulk of the Keldan's body was contained in a large, central, ovoid-shaped section to which six legs were attached. The entire body was covered in coarse hairs averaging eight centimeters in length. A large head was connected to the main body by a thick neck. Two, large, reptilian-looking eyes were positioned high on the front of the head. Behind each eye was a short furry antenna.

  Two small ears were positioned on either side of the head. The mouth opened vertically, like a human's. Two feeders – 15-centimeter, jointed appendages terminating in a three-clawed gripper – were positioned on either side of the mouth. Choril's arms were attached to the main body just below and to either side of the neck. At the end of each arm was a hand consisting of six digits.

  Choril held his place while AJ scrutinized him. After a moment, he held up a human-built transceiver and spoke into it. “I am Choril.” The voice came from the transceiver sitting on the bed. “I’m a doctor. It’s my understanding that my species resembles a life-form from your home world that you fear. I hope this will not cause you any distress. If so, I can arrange for you to be placed in a private room.”

  AJ picked up the transceiver and keyed the mike. “I am Captain Arnold J. Zak,” he replied, his voice slightly shaky but clear. “Your concern is greatly appreciated. Until I can overcome this irrational fear I would very much appreciate being allowed to stay in my shuttle.”

  “I’m sure that can be arranged,” Choril replied. “I am, however, concerned about your continued recovery. Will you be comfortable staying inside your ship?”

  “I will be fine.”

  “Very well then. I will let you know when transportation has been provided.”

  “Thank you. I’m sorry. I hope this will not affect how you perceive our species.”

  A very human-like smile appeared on Choril's face. AJ experienced two opposite emotions which caused him to become momentarily confused – fear from the flashing of Choril's teeth, and amusement at the fact that a spider could smile.

  “It may have actually improved things,” Choril replied. Before the very confused humans could respond to that surprising statement, Choril added, “If it is permissible, I would like you to meet Councilman Goeglict.”

  Heather leaned over and whispered, “He’s a member of this planet's governing body.”

  “I would like that very much,” AJ said.

  The moment Choril was out of sight, AJ's tensely held body relaxed and he fell back onto the bed. “Holy crap!” he said, running his hand down his face. It came away wet with perspiration.

  “They're not spiders,” Heather reiterated.

  “I know that!” AJ angrily replied, upset with himself. “I'm going to go down in history as the galaxy's worst first contact ambassador.”

  “Did you see the way he kept looking at me?” Scott asked. “I swear he was more interested in me than anyone else.”

  “You do kind of stand out,” Thomas told him.

  “Because I'm black?”

  “Precisely,” Thomas replied. “They’ve never seen our race before. Your skin color sticks out like a sore thumb. Even though you’re human, they’ve got to be wondering if you’re another species.”

  Sitting up, AJ asked, “So which country does this Councilman represent and how many countries are we going to have to deal with?”

  “Apparently,” Thomas replied, “this planet is ruled by a single governing body.”

  AJ slid forward and gingerly stood up. While doing so he said, “I don't believe that for an instant. They're lying in the hopes that we’ll deal exclusively with them.”

  Heather helped AJ steady himself. “There might be a way to find out,” she suggested. Seeing AJ's raised eyebrow, she went on, “The ship's computer should have figured out how to interpret the Keldan transmissions. Why don't we ask it?”

  Thomas needed no prompting; he picked up the transceiver, keyed the mike, and said, “Computer, respond.”

  “On line,” came the instant response.

  “The Keldans have told us that their planet is governed by a group of individuals known as the council. Can you confirm?”

  “The statement is true,” the machine replied.

  AJ stuck his hand out and Thomas gave him the transceiver. “Specify how you arrived at that conclusion,” he ordered.

  Instead of detailing the exact analytical tools that had been employed, the computer summarized its effort for benefit of its human audience. “Through an analysis of the Keldan radio and television broadcasts – specifically, the news.”

  AJ nodded to himself and lowered his arm only to quickly raise it again. Keying the mike, he asked, “Have you any information as to why the Keldans are building a fleet of ships in orbit?”

  “No reference concerning the reason for the construction of so many ships has been identified. However, there does appear to be a specific deadline for the completion of the last ship.”

  “A deadline? Specify.”

  “In human terms, the last ship is scheduled to be completed 53.86 years from today's date.”

  “Fifty-three years?” Thomas said. “What are these people doing?”

  The sound of multiple feet approaching caused everyone to put the conversation on hold. Councilman Goeglict rounded the corner and, as if he had been warned about AJ's condition, stopped a considerable distance from the group.

  Heather could feel AJ's muscles tense up. She tightened her grip on his arm in case he needed the extra support. “I am Councilman Goeglict,” he introduced himself. “I was glad to hear your injuries were not life-threatening. I deeply regret the incident with our drone that caused your ship to crash. I represent the governing council of our planet and I welcome you to Ashnib.”

  After introducing himself, AJ said, “I’ve been told the damage to our shuttle is repairable. Do you know what caused your drone to lose control?”

  “Not entirely,” Goeglict skirted the truth. “We are still reviewing the drone's flight data.”

  “It is my understanding that you are aware of our situation. Is this correct?” AJ asked, choosing not to dwell on the crash.

  “I’ve been told your ship has been damaged in a collision with an asteroid and you are seeking our assistance in repairing it. Seeing that you are more technologically advanced than us, I’m not sure how we can help.”

  Alerted by Scott's previous remark, AJ was paying close attention to where the Councilman's eyes were looking. Goeglict was a good speaker and made a point to look at the person to whom he was talking. When he wasn't looking at AJ, the Councilman's eyes almost invariably shifted towards Scott – the others received only a cursory look.

  “The ship has sustained significant damage that will take our robots a very long time to repair. The work is not technically complex and you might be able to help us especially since you seem to have some experience in orbital construction. If not, we can continue the repairs ourselves. We’re not an exploration ship and our presence here is purely an accident. We were very excited when we discovered the system is inhabited and we wanted to introduce ourselves. You are only the fifth race to have been discovered.”

  “How far away is your home world?” Goeglict asked, not really expecting a correct answer.

  “Several hundred light years I'm afraid,” AJ replied, glancing up at the ceiling as if he could project his mind into space to see the dim glow of Earth's sun. “An accident took us far off course and we were making our way back home while searching for fuel when the collision occurred.”

  “How can we help?”

  “Other than the extensive repairs that must be done, our greatest need at the moment is fuel. Our ships are powered by large fusion reactors which burn deuterium. We have equipment that can cleanly extract the deuterium from seawater. It would be much easier to extract it from your oceans than from the surface of a hostile moon.”


  The two, small appendages on either side of Goeglict's mouth began to move, stroking first his upper then his lower lips. Seeing this caused AJ's fear level to shoot up. His legs became weak and, if it hadn't been for Heather's firm grip, he would have fallen to the floor. Feeling the sudden weight, Heather gently lowered him to a sitting position on the bed. In the back of his mind, AJ filed away the fact that she was a lot stronger than she looked.

  “Are you feeling okay?” Goeglict asked, genuinely concerned.

  “I guess I'm still a bit shaken up from the crash,” AJ lied.

  “If I understood you correctly, I believe you are asking for our permission to mine our oceans for deuterium; to park your mothership in an orbit above our planet; and, because of the time required for your repairs, to allow your crew to visit our world while you repair your ship. Is this all true?”

  AJ was impressed. This was one smart spider! “That’s exactly what I’m asking,” he replied, then added, “Of course, we are willing to compensate you for the trouble.”

  “What sort of compensation?”

  “We get along very well with the other races we’ve encountered and trade with them on a regular basis. Although it is not my decision to make, I’m sure Earth, as well as the other races, would love to include your planet in their trade agreements. In the meantime, I’m sure we can find something of value to offer you for your hospitality. But we should assess your current level of technology before I make any suggestions.”

  AJ saw a change in the Councilman's facial features and the little appendages next to his mouth started twitching. AJ had the distinct impression that his last sentence had alarmed the Councilman. Thinking he may have said something wrong, AJ quickly said, “We couldn't help but notice that you’re building a large number of ships in orbit. May I ask what they’re for?”

  Goeglict was silent for an uncomfortably long period of time. While he waited, AJ watched as a range of indecipherable emotions seemed to flow across the Councilman's face. AJ was about to repeat his question when Goeglict finally said, “You are standing on a doomed world. About 40 years ago, our astronomers detected a slow-moving, wandering brown dwarf star heading for our solar system. In less than 60 years it will annihilate this planet. The ships are our only hope of survival.”