by David Buck
Samantha flushed for a moment and quietly agreed as they continued to amble along the white beach.
***
The Barus trading ship left hyper-space and idled cautiously into yet another non-descript and small red star system. Omerio again reviewed the confusing sensor data about the earlier strange ship he had detected in further depth. He knew that the ship mostly likely had landed on the planet surface and had left again well before his own ship, and later the Trader ship had entered the system.
Omerio quickly discarded the possibility of a return to the original star system to inform the Traders of this piece of knowledge. To process the data further, he instructed the ship computer to filter for planet lifter configurations and suppress that portion of the data after identifying the race that built the lifter engine components. Omerio then instructed the computer to identify the ship type based upon the remaining signature data.
After several minutes of heavy processing, the computer came up with a short list of race and engine categories for both requests. Omerio stifled an oath of consternation; the normally placid Barus operative was speechless about the implications of what the ship computer was telling him. Hurriedly, he made detailed preparations for yet another hyper-drive jump, one of several more the ship would need to do to get him back to a relatively safe Barus trading station.
Omerio was halfway through preparations when he made an alternative decision to return to the system in question as soon as possible. He knew he would have to unload the incredibly valuable cargo somewhere appropriate and then he could send a secure transmission to his controller. The decision now made Omerio now called up a list of Barus activities and larger ships in this part of the sector.
After verifying the specifications of probable Barus ships on other tasks, he realized that he would not have to travel too far to accomplish his objectives. Omerio also allowed himself a sense of satisfaction as he would most likely see Gindane again very soon as part of the process. With his planning complete, Omerio set about planning the course change he would have to make after the next two jumps. Omerio later considered that the contents of his latest report would have a greater sense of urgency given what he had just learned about the strange ship.
***
Samantha looked radiant in her white bridal dress, with white gloves and veil thrown back, as Steve looked with pride and love at his new wife on his arm. Steve was in his full dress uniform, complete with service medals, for a navy Commander. The happy couple had been joined by Samantha’s brother Dan, and Steve’s brother and sister with their families, plus also a few mutual friends as the bridal party. Several navy personnel, medical team members and assorted cousins rounded out the small wedding reception.
It had been three months since they had taken that walk along the beach. An earnest discussion over a romantic dinner that night had changed into something meaningful between them. The only regrets both Samantha and Steve had, like so many people their age, was that both sets of their parents had succumbed to the Asian flu in the last decade. Samantha waited until they were alone for a moment, before she lent over and gave him a lingering kiss and spoke softly.
“Steve, as I said earlier, I am so happy just with the wedding and the reception. It is so good to see all these people here today enjoying themselves at our wedding.”
Steve beamed at his wife and kissed her back before he replied.
“Well tomorrow we will be busy back getting things squared away from our old lives and setting up our new lives. But I promise I will take you on a decent honeymoon one day when we can.”
Samantha gave Steve’s hand a reassuring squeeze and they turned their attention back to their wedding guests.
The three months had seen further thought by Steve on his ongoing role in the Australian navy as he supervised the refit of HMAS Perth. The navy command office in the Canberra had advised him that after his time at sea he would be transferred to a shore based role for the foreseeable future. Basically he was to be trained both in Australia and overseas for possible flag rank. The small possibility of returning to sea anytime soon was also compounded by another fact. For the HMAS Perth was not due back into service for another eight months at least. By that time Steve was not expecting to be the captain of that ship.
After having good conversations with Samantha about his concerns, he had made some inquiries and this had led Steve to explore another opportunity. Not far from where he stood with his new wife, a one hundred meter survey and oil exploration vessel was moored at a fitting out berth. The sturdy ship was in storage after being declined for ownership a few years previously. The ship had been ordered by a company as an oil exploration and support ship and completed just before the pandemic took place. As a result the near new vessel was going for a heavily reduced price, and Steve and Samantha had managed to scrape together a decent deposit for the vessel.
The Aurora Discovery measured as long as an ANZAC frigate, but had a greater beam to allow for operating as either an expedition or support ship. Steve was hoping to use the ship as the mobile base of operations for their new business, and the ship also had some specialized cargo handling abilities that would come in useful.
Steve and Samantha had no trouble securing the deposit, as both families had good resources, they had easily obtained approval for a loan for the remainder of the ship’s written down value. Steve had later formed a partnership with Samantha and Dan, before going through with the final documentation on the purchase of the ship with a helpful accountant. He had become aware of additional further work in the region for the new venture, and he was feeling increasingly comfortable with soon leaving the navy.
***
Chapter 5
Captain Narindestat glanced over at the engineering reports from the Jerecab ship with continuing annoyance, as he now felt he had cause to regret aiding the Jerecab. The Trader ship had landed on the second planet well over a month earlier to assist the crew of the Jerecab lifter in repairing the damaged hyper drive engine in their ship. From the bridge of his massive winged ship, the captain could see that they still had the Jerecab lifter in three big pieces.
The captain was well aware that the lifter was meant to be pulled apart and reassembled by a trained engineering crew at a star base for repairs. The fact that the combined repair crew of Traders and Jerecab engineers, all in respirators and warm clothes, had managed to do the same job planet-side was miraculous, and spoke well of the respective crew’s capabilities.
The most crucial part of the repair had occurred two days ago when heavy waldo units had moved the heavy replacement Jerecab pulse module for their hyper drive into position. The repair crew has since then began re-assembling the Jerecab lifter back around the hyper drive section. To one side of the repair work, several of the Jerecab landing ships, really pale imitations of Trader sneak ships, sat in ordered rows awaiting their remounting on the Jerecab lifter.
As payment for aiding the Jerecab ship and her crew in their time of need, the Jerecab captain had returned all the trade goods consisting of the cruiser gun and assorted shields. In return the Jerecab had been given a couple of auxiliary generators that had been grafted into the infrastructure of their ship. Work to re-route energy conduits took place to allow for the transfer of the generators. The hold of the Trader ship was now very full, the Maveen probes and the military cargo took up most of the hold. The heavy research rig, the only large piece of general cargo, had to be slid out to load the extra cargo and then crammed back into the hold several days later.
Not all the reports in front of Captain Narindestat were of the Jerecab lifter, as a small hatch in one of the cramped lower side corridors had been forced open. He knew that two of his crew were now missing with a trail of their blood in the corridor. The captain had sent armed and suited crewmembers to secure the corridor, even as he looked at the other reports detailing a series of maintenance faults with the ship since landing. A series of sensors had been disabled and two of the attached sneak shi
ps also had problems with their internal sensors.
The Jerecab captain was also insistent that three members of his crew must be hiding on the Trader ship as they had not been seen for nearly a week. The captain had returned to his command chair as the Trader ship navigator, his son lieutenant Garendestat, strode with considerable annoyance onto the bridge and threw his respirator onto his console.
‘Father, that Jerecab captain is insufferable…’
The younger Trader fell silent as his father angrily stood in front of his command chair, and glared down from his impressive four metre height. Garendestat considered briefly that he would have to wait a hundred years or so before he caught up to his father’s height as the captain spoke loudly.
‘Lieutenant, you are reminded of the protocols of the ship, and I expect you to adhere to them all times. If you refer to me as anything other than captain on my own bridge yet again you will demoted. Now briefly tell me what that recalcitrant Jerecab captain has been up to this time.’
The lieutenant offered an apology that had the other occupants of the bridge squirming with discomfort, before continuing with his report.
‘Sir, captain, I request your pardon. The Jerecab captain is organising his crew for an armed sweep around our ship.’
Captain Narindestat considered this news briefly, as obviously he would have to keep the lieutenant apart from the Jerecab captain, before replying to the junior officer.
‘Lieutenant, please take two of the junior engineers and check the portside sneak ships for faults in the internal sensors and cameras. I will speak yet again to the Jerecab captain.’
As Garendestat saluted the captain and left the bridge for engineering, he considered how much longer they would have to stay on this miserable cold rock of a world.
***
The Barus professor, his demeanour all business, looked up from his console and stared at Omerio over the video link.
‘Omerio, I understand you are authorised for a special trading concession in this area of space, however I already have had my important research on the former Dradfer colonies interrupted.’
Omerio briefly reconsidered the wisdom of making this detour to the research mission, especially the risk of becoming too widely known by the other Barus. But then he remembered again the warning implicit in the discovery of the unknown ship. Omerio now visibly straightened himself, and put on his most obsequious tone as he replied back to the professor.
‘Learned sir, I just require your private guidance about a recent trade deal in this area.’
The professor stood from his console, and excused himself from the bridge of his research cruiser for his nearby private study room. As professor Elysius entered his private study he arched a very bushy brow and intoned.
‘Now Omerio, we are alone and this conversation is not being recorded, how can I help you?
Omerio reflected that something had the professor wound up before replying to the learned older Barus male.
‘Professor please read the message I am just sending you first, and then I have a request of you.’
Again the professor arched his formidable brow, but in consternation as he read the message. The friendly younger male did indeed have good contacts in the higher reaches of Barus administration, and the attached instructions in the message emphasised to provide complete assistance. Somewhat mollified the professor adopted a more conciliatory but direct tone.
‘My fleet is at your service trader Omerio.’
Omerio continued on again without showing any emotion.
‘Professor I need to discretely unload my cargo into a larger ship attached to the expedition. I need to return to another star system for additional equipment I had to leave behind.’
Omerio was expecting at least token resistance from the researcher, but surprisingly Professor Elysius just kept silent for several seconds, before nodding in agreement and replying.
‘Omerio, we can do better than that for you. We have to take the fleet back to the Cephrit 31 star base as one of my best researchers and her crew are facing trial by galactic authorities.’
Omerio stifled an oath as he did some parsing, but not a look of consternation, as the professor paused to look him over critically before again explaining his situation.
‘Look Omerio, I may be old but I am not blind, you indeed know Gindane well. Now a respected independent Barus trader as a mediator in the trial will both ensure that the trial is as fair as possible, and strengthen your own trading reputation out here.’
All thought of Omerio had of immediately returning for his cloaked probe he left behind was promptly abandoned. The professor gave Omerio a quick overview of the tragic events of Sol 3, also known as Earth several years earlier. The young Barus listened with growing concern as he realised that Gindane and her crew were in a very treacherous situation when they rejoined the fleet in a few days time. A Tilmud frigate squadron had been dispatched to guard the research ship back to the Cephrit 31 star base and was expected in the next day or so.
Omerio gave his assent to the professor’s request instinctively, and quickly steered the professor back to his own requirements at not being interdicted by the same squadron of Tilmud ships. The professor eyed the read outs for the Barus trader ship and then looked over the status of his research cruiser.
‘Omerio, I do not want to know about the contents of your small ship. Now we have two atmospheric research landers that I can empty out and send to the smaller research ships for docking….’
Omerio listened as the professor continued to explain his plans with growing respect. The senior Barus would make a credible smuggler. Shortly afterwards, the two research landers undocked from the cavernous main hangar of the research cruiser and nonchalantly flew over to each dock at two smaller research destroyers stationed nearby. The main hangar was cleared of all Barus crew and Omerio carefully guided his slender trading ship to a stop inside the main hangar. He noted that roughly a third of the ship was still outside the hangar, and he kept the trading ship hovering on manoeuvring thrusters as instructed. Several large cargo waldo units now came forward slowly and gently kedged the ship around ninety degrees to allow the main hangar doors to close. The main hangar of the cruiser featured two side hangars that when opened made the hangar considerably wider than deeper.
The sleek trading ship settled onto shortened landing struts, then Omerio shut down all power to the thrusters and the hangar controller re-pressurised the main hangar. As Omerio went through his ships systems, several additional waldo units streamed out of the side hangar laden with assorted packing crates and engineering spares. The crates and spares were stacked in an orderly manner between the trading ship and the main hangar external doors. Omerio paused momentarily to consider his situation, before he made the irrevocable step of powering down completely, and fail safing the fusion reactor at the heart of his ship. The step was long term, as he knew he would need the facilities of the engineering team at the Cephrit 31 star base to initialise his reactor again.
Omerio now left his ship via the main rear ramp and nodded to two Barus crew members standing guard at the foot of the ramp. He was joined by Professor Elysius and the engineering chief of the research cruiser, a taciturn Barus with fading fur. The three Barus conferred with a makeshift readout atop a pile of esoteric Barus archaeological equipment on a trolley wheeled by the engineering chief. The professor grunted sarcastically as he looked at the readout.
‘I never thought that I would be using my planet side research scanners to scan my own research ship. Omerio, I hope the contents of your ship’s hold are worth the trouble, and you know I will hold you to your word about mediating in the trial.’
For the sake of the engineering manager, Omerio grimaced before casually replying to the professor.
‘Elysius, my trade goods are very valuable and I appreciate the assistance of you and your crew, I really do.’
Satisfied that the readings would shortly be beyond detection unless by a direct
inspection, the grizzled engineering chief now turned to leave, muttering sourly under his breath.
‘Young fools that tweak their drives to danger point, and then are too rude to remember his rescuers proper rank and title are beyond my time.’
Omerio and the professor risked a quick conspiratorial glance at one another, and the senior researcher then led the Barus trader through to the crewed decks of the research cruiser.
***
Steve stood in the rear deck control station he had taken over as his temporary office and with considerable frustration again considered the fitting out plans for Aurora Discovery. Fortunately the key components of the seven thousand ton ship were already installed earlier, and he had managed to recruit a small but competent crew. He decided he would have had real problems if the twenty five knot engines, the eighty ton crane, the bridge electronics, and the auxiliary generators were not commissioned.
The other concern, a personal one, was that the working honeymoon with Samantha was not working out too well. Samantha had even been a little circumspect with Steve as she focussed on her own role in the new partnership. A decent honeymoon would have been great, but they both knew they would have been even further behind if they had left the fitting out of the Aurora Discovery too much longer. Steve then looked over to inventory documents associated with the plans, and he turned to the dock supervisor to politely frame another question.
‘Surely Bill, the balance of the cable drum assembly was included in the transfer of ownership, can you please check your storage areas again?’
The portly and affable young dock supervisor gave Steve a glance as he looked over the inventory.
‘Well Steve as I mentioned earlier we have ongoing issues in providing spares, and we are desperately short of trained staff to complete the fitting out. We have had to scour Australia for what we have already supplied and I will have to go and make some further enquiries.’