Stepping Up

by Robert Culp

  “Got it, Boss.”

  “Athena, I’m sure you remember Gwen? Gwen, this is my assistant Athena.” Athena and Gwen shake hands and begin exchanging small talk.

  “Mr. Rangee, I want to speak with you and the Chief Engineer in the conference room, please.”

  “I’ll make it happen, ma’am. Ten minutes?” I nod; he turns to his holoCom.

  In the conference room, I lay out my plans: “First order of business is ship integrity, with ‘crew rest’ coming in a very close second. I’m thinking to establish orbit around this planet. If it’s hospitable enough, we’ll rotate the crew down for a few days of open air and fresh game. There are certain to be a few hunters among the Troopers. Arm them up and send them down for some fresh meat. The length of time we’re here will be up to the Engineering department, specifically concerning the condition the engines are in. They’ve just had the dog crap run out of them. Malcolm, put a team together to investigate some R&R spots on the planet. Task who you’d like, but I want to see your list before you publish it. Ginny, when he gets back, I’ll change into my grubbies and give you any help you may need, unless you tell me—and it won’t hurt my feelings—to stay out of your engine room. But I want you to get me a complete picture of our engine status. Any questions?”

  Ginny says, “Respectfully, ma’am, with the entire department working on the drives, it’s going to be crowded. And…”

  “Understood. Like I said, my feelings aren’t hurt.” I go back to the bridge to find Gwen and Athena still deep in conversation.

  Anya calls my perCom, “I hear Gwendolyn is conscious. Is all well with her?”

  “Anya! I’m sorry; my manners left me. Yes, she is back and appears to be herself again. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you. Why don’t you join us for supper this evening?”

  Gwen turns as though she overheard: “Oh, I’m sorry but I won’t be here,” she says. “My family is waiting for me.” She turns back to her conversation with Athena.

  What?? “I never thought we would be faced with that. Well, we’ll worry about that when, and if, we find them.”

  “What do you mean, ‘find them?’ I can talk to them right now. They are waiting for me to shuttle down.”

  “They...they’re here?” It doesn’t look like I can ever catch a break. “The last time I took you off the ship, you were almost lost forever. Or at least I thought you would be. If those are your relatives, they have been without you for years. Another hour or so will not be significant. Perhaps, they would like to ride back with the landing party?”

  “They have already waited too long. I must go to them. Our civilization is dying! I must go to them now!” She has the same tone as a child who is unaccustomed to hearing the word “no.”

  “Stop this, right now. I love you dearly and because I do, I’m telling you that we aren’t rushing into this. The last time I did that was with the disk on Lacus IV. Do you remember how that ended? Remember Azazeel? I understand how you feel. Really, I do. My parents are also gone, and the only relative I have is an uncle. But I’m asking you to trust me. In the great scheme of things…they’ve been waiting for years, another hour is nothing. Will you give me that much?”

  Gwen balls up her fists and closes her eyes. I try to move, and can’t. I am completely immobile. “I am getting really mad! I hate you! I hate you!” The ship begins to groan as if two big hands are wringing the life out of it. In my peripheral vision, I can see hands reaching for weapons.

  Aria says, “I am not sure what is happening, but we are losing structural integrity by the second. We detect no energy emanations from the surface. Seams in the external hull are being stressed, they will fail soon.” Aria is looking into the sensor displays for an answer I already have. It’s Gwen.

  “I’ll tell you exactly what’s happening: A little girl is having a temper tantrum.”

  Gwen looks at me. Tears stream from her eyes but her mouth is twisted in an angry frown. I fix my gaze on Gwen. I have had enough of this. “Oh, you ungrateful little...After all that I’ve done for you, the sacrifices made on your behalf, the risks I’ve taken, and you’re going to do this? Seven Troopers died bringing you back aboard. Did you know that? Do you remember Sherri? She’s dead because she tried to find you. Fine. If you’re in such a hurry to get to the planet, you know where the airlock is. No one is stopping you. Go. Ye’ll want to hold yer breath fer a few minutes.” I’ll meet her tantrum with as steely a gaze as I can manage. “And wear a few coats. Ye’ll likely lose one or two on reentry.”

  The creaking and groaning stop and Gwen begins to cry. “I’m sorry, Mommy, I really am. Please forgive me. I just want to go home. My real home.” She releases her telekinetic hold on me. She runs to wrap her arms around my waist, her sobs wracking her body. I wrap my arms around her, patting her back. I kneel to be on eye level with her, trying to be reassuring.

  “I understand, Peanut. And you’re almost there. You just need to be a little more patient. If there’s anything aboard that you want, now is the time to go get it.” She scampers off to our cabin. There’s a collective sigh when she leaves.

  The XO approaches me, a light sheen of sweat on his brow. “The shore party, ma’am.” Rangee hands me his list. I see Jonesy and Troopers Bagger, Des Laurier and Boteler; three I can’t put faces with right now. “And I’d like to send Athena if you’ll let her go.” I add the notation that the local populace may be very strong psionics. I write an admonishment for them to guard their thoughts as much as they can and then I approve the list. I hand it back to him; he takes it and leaves.

  “Navigator, can you tell me where we are and how long it will take us to get to Atlas?”

  “I’m working that, ma’am. The only thing I’m sure about is, we would have to head Rimward for at least seven months just to get back where we were.”

  “Fortunately, we have no need to go there. Very well, coreward ever coreward.”

  Gwen has returned to the Bridge with a bulging knapsack over one shoulder.

  “Hunting team is aboard and launch one is ready to depart,” Shawna reports. I know she’s not the only qualified pilot, but that girl gets more off ship action…

  I nod to Aria, she says: “Launch one, you are cleared to depart. Good hunting and be careful.”

  We watch the launch streak into a lower orbit. Moments later, Shawna reports: “A boatload of life readings. There is a huge settlement on the Southern Islands. That is our destination.”

  “Roger. If you make contact, keep us apprised of your situation.”

  The counters on the chronometer steadily increment. There are hundreds of things happening around me. But I don’t notice them. I’m waiting for a particular report.

  “Night Searcher, Launch one is down and secure.” And there it is.

  “Roger.” Aria responds.

  Within moments, Athena adds to the report. “We are landing near the big settlement. We see two people walking down a road towards us. We will establish communication with them.”

  “They will probably tell you they are Gwen’s family. As such are certain to be psionic. Take Bagger with you as a go-between should telepathy be necessary. Explain to them we wanted to make sure the area was safe before bringing her down and returning her to them.” I am waiting for a “no one is trying to kill us” report from the away team. Hopefully, I won’t have to wait long. The minutes pass.

  “Night Searcher Actual, Athena. We have spoken to them. They describe Gwendolyn perfectly. They say they are her aunt and uncle. They advise that although we may have formed an attachment, it is in our best interest to leave her here. We, and I quote, ‘cannot control her’ end quote.”

  In the back of my mind, I’m trying to remember if Bagger knows Gwendolyn. If they are psionic, they could have pulled her description from his mind. “Athena, Night Searcher Actual. Please let them know they are correct. I understand and support their conclusion. I don’t like it, but I don’t have to. Stand by for a few minutes.” I turn to Ma
lcolm. “XO, did Bagger go aboard the clone ship to rescue Gwendolyn?”

  “Already looking…no, ma’am. He’s in second platoon.”

  Aria supplies: “I do not believe he and Gwendolyn know each other, Captain.”

  I thought not. Damn. “Athena, Night Searcher Actual. Do they want to ride up with you to get her, or would they rather we come down in a separate shuttle?”

  “They prefer she be brought here.”

  “Roger, we will be down shortly. Night Searcher Actual out.”

  On the way to the small craft bay, I call Anya: “Gwen is leaving us. Come down to the small craft bay if you want to say good bye.” It’s a tearful deal all the way around.

  I don’t know who pilots the shuttle down. And at the moment, I really don’t care. Gwen and I spend the ride in silence. As soon as the pilot announces we are down and safe, the door slides open. Gwen bounds out of the ship as soon as she can fit through the opening. I shoulder her knapsack and follow her. I see a man and a woman nearby with Athena. Gwen is running towards them and jumps into the woman’s arms. The man has his arms around both. I walk up to join them. After a minute Gwen lets go and comes to hug me. “Good bye, Sonia. I will always think of you.”

  “I will always remember you, too, Gwendolyn.”

  The female of the couple holds out a necklace that has three emeralds on it, each the diameter of my thumb. “This is not a substitution,” she says to me, “but we are grateful for all you have done for our niece.” They speak a few more words and the meeting is over. The man has taken Gwen’s pack. The three of them walk hand in hand towards the village. I can’t look away.

  I suddenly realize Athena is talking. “…and they tell us that provisions, water, just about anything but weapons or ship components can be purchased roughly one kilometer from here in the village. The woman says to tell anyone there that Lunia said ‘give them anything they need.’ The implication is we could buy at a significant discount.” So she really does have an Aunt Lunia. I hope she’s not in the cyborg business.

  I watch them until the terrain masks them. “I’m going back to the ship. Athena, coordinate with Aria. If we need anything the village can supply, buy it. Otherwise, we’ve a long way to go.” Fortunately she’s an android. I don’t have to worry about offending her. Nor do I have to worry about her asking me what’s wrong or why I sound cold. I don’t feel cold. I don’t feel anything. Nothing. No, I do feel something. I feel empty.

  I board the launch and instruct the pilot to take me back to the ship. “Would you care for the side seat up here, ma’am?” he asks. “The padding is a little better.”

  “No. I’ll ride back here.” I call Engineering on the way back to the ship. “Unless it’s an emergency that can only be repaired here, we won’t be making this our pit stop. If you need any parts, pass your list on to Athena. If she can find them, she’ll buy them. If not, maybe Viggo can fabricate a useful substitute until the real deal can be acquired.” Ginny agrees with me and tells me he already has a few projects.

  When the pilot announces the shuttle is secure on Night Searcher, I go to the Bridge to address Malcolm and Aria. “You have the ship. We will conduct no shore leave operations here. Get the other launch and personnel back as soon as practical. As soon as everyone’s aboard, we continue towards Atlas. If you need me, I’ll be in my quarters. Try not to need me. Spend some time in the sensors. Find us a habitable planet at least a week away. Assign it to the navigator and as soon as possible lay in a course. Get us underway.”

  “As you wish, ma’am,” the first officer responds.

  On entering our—my—cabin, I see Gwen left her teddy bear, Mr. Snuggles, on the bed. There’s a note beside him. I think you’ll need him now more than I will. Once I’ve stomped out all the brush fires I can think of, I curl up on my bed—with the bear—and cry myself stupid. Maybe two hours later, my clerk knocks on the door. If she chimed, I didn’t hear it. “Captain? Chief Sergeant Call and Lieutenant Landers are here. They won’t leave.”

  I do my best to wipe tears from my eyes. “Let them in.” I step into my ’fresher and splash water in my face, then look at myself in the mirror. It didn’t help that much. I try to be chipper. “So what do you slackers want? Nothing important needs your attention?”

  “No, ma’am,” Freddie replies. “Nothing more important.”

  Shawna speaks up: “We thought you might need help crying.”

  “Because…well, you have a habit of screwing things up, y’know?” Freddie adds.

  You got that right, sweetheart. I can’t even get it out. I thought I was all cried out. I just fall into Freddie’s arms. Shawna joins in as best she can, her arms around the two of us. I’m surrounded by two of the best friends I’ve ever had. And I miss a third terribly. And I haven’t known them much longer than a year yet.

  Aria announces Transit. But I barely register it.

  A week later, I’m at breakfast with Avi when my perCom chirps. “Engines are secure, ma’am,” Aria reports. “We have established orbit.”

  “She’s on her way.” Avi says into my perCom. I don’t know how she does it, but anytime something important happens, I’m usually in the middle of a trivial but unstoppable task. Today is no exception. I’m still chewing when he hands my perCom back.

  “Thanks,” I mutter around a gravy-laden piece of biscuit.

  “No problem. It sounds to me like we’ve both got to go to work. I’ll see you later, ma’am.” He knows I hate it, but we are in a public area and appearances must be maintained. Besides, whatever we had must have fizzled out. Neither of us looks at the other the way we used to. I still wear the ring—if for no reason other than to remind me of what we had. He goes to the medical bay, I go to the bridge.

  “Where are we, Aria?”

  The navigator answers first: “Archives call it ‘Dabria,’ ma’am.”

  Aria finishes the report: “A class M planet, approximately seventy percent water, breathable atmosphere. We have detected no artificial structures. We have detected numerous herds of large life forms on land and in the seas.” Did she just shoot the nav a dirty look? I didn’t think androids could get offended.

  “Earth without people? Nice. Send down a reconnaissance party. This may be where we take our well-needed rest.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Captain, Engineering.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Will we be here a while, ma’am? These drives are way overdue on several services.”

  “That’s the idea. When the recon team gets back, we’ll make some firmer plans. In the meantime, do what you can with what you have, but do not take the drives off line. Be advised, we have detected no industry. Viggo will be doing plenty of fabricating. Captain out.”

  An hour later, “Night Searcher, Athena. We have detected no threats. All indications are that the biosphere is compatible with human life. I recommend foraging parties be sent down as soon as practical.”

  “Athena, Night Searcher Actual. Roger, out.”

  I have Ginny get the engines as secure as possible for the near term, and everyone gets a 24-hour period off the ship. If Night Searcher were smaller, we’d land. But she’s way too big and not streamlined for atmospheric travel. We could land once. Maybe. But we’d be here for eternity. Athena and Aria are able to operate the ship in a station-keeping configuration for the short time we’ll be ashore.

  On the beach, Ginny runs down her plan to service the engines. “And, ma’am, if you can and will, we would certainly appreciate you making unskilled labor available.” And it’s literally a beach. The recon party established an outpost on the coast in a warm spot. The ocean sounds soothing and looks inviting.

  “Consider it done. Get with Commander Rangee about how many and for how long. I know once upon a time I said I would help with such an effort…”

  “Respectfully, ma’am, you have a lot on your plate.”

  That’s not really true, but I don’t feel like arguing with her. I
consider going back up, but I get a COM from Rangee asking permission to start shuttling people down for shore leave, which I approve.

  The shuttles start landing within minutes, with crewmembers spilling out as fast as the doors will let them. It’s almost laughable. As soon as they drop their rucksacks, most of my crew is shedding their clothes and diving into the waves. No, it is laughable. I can’t stop myself.

  A party of six Troopers goes hunting. Within an hour, they have called for a large GMV to recover them and supper. They bring back an animal that looks like a buffalo but is the size of an elephant. A large elephant at that, it would practically be a mastodon. Between the cooks, medical staff, and the soldiers the beast gets approved, butchered, and cooked. It will never qualify as haute cuisine, but it beats FieldRats any day. Fortunately, they only kill one. Even so, it makes a lot of steaks.

  At the end of two weeks, we’ve run through as many services to the ship as we can. Lacking finished materials, we have to get very creative a time or two for fabricating replacement items. It isn’t pretty, but it will fly. Viggo keeps making reference to “baling wire, tissue paper, and snot.” I’m not certain what he means, and I’m probably happier that way.

  The day comes when I pass the recall command. The break has been good for morale. Very good if the rumors of four pregnancies are true. But no one argues about staying. We all want to get home.

  Our flight back to Ramaris passes without incident. It takes a bit over thirteen weeks. We settle into the tedium that really is at the heart of interstellar travel. One hundred and seven days have passed since Gwendolyn left the ship. I am on the bridge receiving a status report one morning when the navigator announces: “We have arrived at the Atlas System. We are one hour from orbit.” It’s almost like waking from a dream. A very long, not always pleasant, dream.

  “Mr. Rangee, take us into Atlas orbit. Dry dock is preferable if one is available. Unless I am mistaken, we are due a major overhaul. Prepare all ship’s craft for shore leave operations; every swingin’ Richard and swayin’ udder will be dirtside for two weeks minimum. I don’t care when it starts, but you will devise a method for each crewmember to maintain communication with you, and you will maintain contact with me, or my successor, as I am likely to be relieved. I’ll be in my cabin if you need me. Aria, make contact with the Academy of the Ancients and then the Admiralty. Please confirm we are to pick up Captain Dane. Prepare all ship’s logs for upload to wherever they need to go. Join me when that is accomplished.”