Acarea. A Triumph or Disaster? (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 5): A Novel by Gerry A. Saunders (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy)

by Gerry A. Saunders

  “Henry. Is it possible to assign our current destination as the default on the navigation system, and lock it so that it can’t be changed by anyone but you?”

  “Yes, but what about the other two crews who will be on shift while we’re in stasis? They might need to change course in an emergency.”

  “Well, can you lock the navigation system so that it will always return to its default destination?”

  “Yes.”

  “All right. Do it now and password it twice. One for you, and one for me.”

  “That’ll be dangerous. What if we both die?”

  “No problem, the Acarea will still reach its destination.”

  “I’m impressed. Pretty devious aren’t you?”

  “You’d better believe it, Henry.”

  “OK. I’ll start setting it up now. But it’ll take a few hours.”

  “Right. Call me when you need my password.”

  Paul reached the coupling tube and stepped into it. Selected, Sync with the non-rotating section, on the unit’s control panel. Then it began to slow down to match that part of the ship.

  The coupling system, being something entirely unknown, and, untested by the crew, had worried them at first. As they hadn’t known what would happen if the connecting tube wasn’t able to sync with the habitation section when it rotated to produce gravity.

  In fact, some of them had wondered if this would have left them stranded between the rotating and non-rotating parts of the ship, without anyone ever knowing what had happened to them. Therefore, at the time, Paul had decided that everyone should have a mobile transceiver with them at all times when going between areas.

  When the coupling tube finally synchronised with the stationary part, Paul stepped out of it and climbed the narrow stairway that led up to the two forward Observation Domes.

  Dome One housed the Tracking Telescope, which was 75cm in diameter while a short connecting corridor linked directly to Dome two, in which the 2.5metre Diameter Reflector telescope was housed.

  Domes Three and Four were smaller and were located at the rear of the ship. However, Dome 3 was extendible in height, having been specially designed to enable its tracker telescope to take observations after the vessel had been rotated.

  Whereas, Dome 1’s tracking telescope would be critical in allowing them to assess the situation of the ship when making the final alignment with Pavonis. Then, in ensuring that the automatic landing system was locked onto the designated planet, before the vessel was rotated, one hundred and eighty degrees, to enable the slowing down stage to commence.

  However, after the ship had been turned. The pusher plate would then effectively be in front, and obscuring the view of the planet. This was when Dome 3 would come into its own. As, in its extended mode, it would enable its tracker telescope a view of the planet.

  Then, when everything checked out OK, they would start the sequence of nuclear detonations to slow the ship down.

  Later, when the vessel's speed had reduced enough, the Acarea would be rotated 180 degrees, again, just before landing. Then, as touchdown occurred, they would release the now Radioactive pusher plate, from the ship.

  Paul reached the forward observation domes without mishap and started to set up the tracker scope. He found it easier to operate Dome 1’s small tracking telescope than the 2.5-metre reflector. The other good thing was that its output was displayed on a two hundred and twenty-centimetre monitor, complete with recording facility.

  He set the scopes co-ordinates to Zero: Zero, which was the longitudinal centre line of the ship. Then waited while the telescope hunted a moment. Then settled down on this coordinate.

  Once they had established the reference point, he set the scope to make a sweep that ended at the Pleiades open cluster in the Taurus constellation, about four hundred light-years from Earth.

  He wasn’t sure why people called it the Seven Sisters. After all, they were just a group of bluish-white stars passing through a dust cloud, and probably the remains of stellar disasters.

  Of course, the stars positions, compared to the Acarea would be changing all the time as the ship veered away from Earth’s view of the cluster.

  He heard the connecting tube drop out of sync, then start speeding up.

  That will be John Traven, he thought, as he watched the Pleiades star group slide into view on the screen.

  Then Aldebaran came into view at the bottom of the screen. Aldebaran was a giant star, orange in colour and located about sixty-five light-years from Earth.

  The telescope control system zoomed in a little and stopped, with Pleiades dead centre on the viewing screen.

  They are beautiful, he thought.

  Then pushed the Track button on a small console next to the screen.

  What he saw next made him catch his breath.

  “Seven Sisters, be damned,” he said aloud. Then made sure his recorder was running before zooming in closer.

  Sure enough, he could see what looked like a blue star that was moving slowly across, and in front of the other stars.

  He gasped, realising this meant it had to be much closer to the Acarea than the rest of the stars.

  He looked more carefully at it and saw that it was different. Even though it was a bluish-white in colour, it seemed blurry.

  “How’s it going?” Traven asked as he entered the observation dome.

  “Not sure. Look at this, Captain.” Paul excitedly replied.

  “I think we’re being shadowed. What do you say?”

  John looked at the screen and then shook his head. “No, that’s impossible.”

  “No, not really. Not if this Micky did come from the future?”

  Chapter 20

  Unwanted

  “Can you zoom in on it?”

  “Just about to,” Paul said, as he set auto in the zoom menu and waited for the image to expand then be halted at the best resolution.

  “It’s still blurry.” Paul then tried different settings, but the object still remained as if it was slightly out of focus.

  “Do you think ‘it’ could have seen us, Paul?”

  “We’ve no way of knowing.”

  “Whatever it is, I hope it keeps its distance. We’re helpless, that’s for sure.”

  “You’re right, and I’ve no way of checking its size. No reference to work with.”

  “What about its motion?

  “No, Captain. The only reference I have. Is that it’s four hundred light years away.”

  Paul pondered a while. “No. All I can say for sure is that it’s not a natural phenomenon,” he added.

  “So, is it a ship of some sort?”

  “That’s anybody’s guess.”

  “Whoa. Wait a minute,” John cautioned. “Something's happening to it, see, it’s elongating…. Wow, it’s gone.”

  “How on earth…?”

  “It must have generated a wormhole. Yea, it has to be that!”

  “Then we must be doing the right thing in changing our course.”

  “I agree. It must be from an advanced alien race or species to be able to generate a wormhole.”

  “Yes. That would make sense. And you said yourself that you believed Cedrick’s version of events were correct and this Micky supposedly came from the future.”

  “But what, or who was that? If who, were they the goodies or the baddies?”

  “Trust you to think like that, Captain,” Paul said, smiling slightly as he answered.

  “Well, okay. I suppose if we believe in Micky then they must be the good guys.” John decided.

  Paul looked at him, long and hard. “Captain, is that what you really believe?” He asked.

  “Yes, I’m sure of it.”

  “Thank goodness for that,” Paul replied.

  Captain Traven remained silent for a moment as he studied the image of the Pleiades star group on the screen.

  Yes, thank goodness indeed, he thought to himself. Now I’m one hundred percent sure we’ll succeed in getting to Pavonis.
Then turned away from the screen.

  “Paul, when you’ve done, copy it to the data crystal and let’s show the rest of the crew what we’ve witnessed.”

  “Good idea. It should reassure them that we’re actually committed to the right course.”

  “Yes,” John thoughtfully replied. “We all have to believe this is the right path that we’re taking.”

  Paul stood, quietly thinking about the situation, for a while.

  “You don’t think that blue thing will return, do you?” He asked, his voice sounding worried.

  “I’m not sure. Maybe it, or they, will keep an eye on us from time to time, Paul. After all, if they are the Good guys. Then they’re probably just as interested as we are, in making sure that we’re still travelling to the correct future.”

  “Let’s hope you’re right then, and they aren’t the bad guys.”

  “Yes. Well, I’m off now, Paul. See you later,” and, with that, he left the observation dome and returned to the control room.

  “Captain, I’m ready to lock the ship’s destination now. Can I have your password, please?” Henry asked as Traven walked in.

  “Ok,” Traven acknowledged then typed it in where Henry indicated.

  “I’ll enable the security lock now, Captain.”

  “Excellent.”

  “Everything all right up there?” Tommy asked, seeing a strained expression on the Captain’s face.

  “Yes. It was just frustrating waiting for the interconnecting sections to sync.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “Destination’s locked, Captain,” Henry advised.

  “OK, Henry. Now put out a general call for a meeting. Here, in fifteen minutes.”

  “Not another change, sir?”

  “No, just more information to impart to everyone.”

  Henry put out the call. Then, moments later, advised the captain that Trisha and Jeff hadn’t acknowledged it,

  “Try again.” Still no answer.

  “I’ll go and see what’s up, Captain,” Joe said, sounding irritated.

  Jeff Jackson had been down on one knee, tending the Hydroponic trays, when Trisha walked in. He stood up and looked at her. Then saw that the light, from the two side illumination units that were used to assist plant growth, was shining right through her lightweight work suit.

  This stirred memories of the time when Tricia had lost control and exposed her body to the men. Then, how her husband Joe, had done nothing to help her. Leaving him to be the only one to offer her help.

  He remembered the episode well. Trisha had been horrified to think that she’d lost it. Then finally realising what she had proposed, had burst into tears.

  Then he. Not Joe. Had stepped forward and helped her up, handing her suit to her as he did so. He remembered gently ordering her to put it back on. Then had noticed her staring intently at him as she did so.

  It was obvious to him that she’d been sizing him up.

  It had been then that he had realised she must have feelings for him. He had seen it on her face again when Captain Traven suggested separate cabins. He remembered her looking shocked at Joe’s lack of reaction to the idea.

  The he had suggested that she could always come and stay with him, and, of her replying that, she might take him up on that.

  “Well. How are the little fellows?” she jokingly asked, bringing him back to the present.

  He looked at her again. Trisha was extremely attractive and quite a bit younger than he was, and probably didn’t realise that, with the lights shining through it, her lightweight suit had become virtually transparent. Allowing him to see her body.

  He watched it, almost mesmerised with every movement she made. He started to sweat.

  What did she mean, the little fellows? He wondered while feeling sure that she was coming on to him.

  “What’s the matter, Jeff? Anybody would think you hadn’t seen me before.”

  Not almost naked, he thought to himself. She wants me; he decided and felt his body react, fast.

  Then Trisha noticed the movement, down low in his pants.

  “Jeff Jackson,” she triumphantly said. “You’ve got a hard on.”

  He started to say, “I…” as his face reddened with embarrassment, knowing that she caught him out. Nevertheless, the urge to have sex with her, together with the added excitement of knowing she was married, overrode all reason.

  Christ, he thought. What am I getting into?

  She took a step closer and was in touching distance.

  “Jeff…,” she slowly said, her voice sounding husky.

  He couldn’t stand it any longer. He had to do something, and it was going to be her. He suddenly grabbed at Trisha’s work suit, unclipped it and pulled it down over her shoulders, then all the way down to her knees. Exposing her naked body as he did so

  “Jeff! Stop it,” she softly cried. At the same time feeling vaguely surprised that she had almost whispered her objection and wasn’t screaming at him.

  He pushed her hard back against the edge of a bench and held her there while jerking his trousers down with one hand. Then grabbed her arms, pushing them back and up over her head. Then, holding them there pressed his body up close, and began thrusting his hips, slowly and rhythmically, back and forth against her. Surprising himself with how easy it had been. While Trisha, couldn’t believe she was letting him do it.

  Even though she pretended to struggle a little to free herself, she knew he would have been strong enough to force her into submission anyway.

  “Jeff. Please don’t do this,” she pleaded, while thinking that sounded false to her, and probably, to him.

  “I could see your naked body in this light. What did you expect?” He replied, as he tore a piece of tape and put it over her mouth.

  Why aren’t I trying harder to fight him off? She wondered. Then resigned herself to the fact that Jeff was going to have her no matter what and started to relax.

  Jeff, breathing more quickly now, ripped her suit right off, sending a shiver through her. Then quickly unclipped his own suit, and dropped it down. He pulled his suit off, then pushed himself hard up against the front of her again. Trisha panicked suddenly realising this was for real, and he was actually going to go through with it.

  She had an urge to get her hands free. Then suddenly stopped all resistance. On seeing her response, he whispered into her ear, “So, you do want me. You could have just as easily pushed me off if you had wanted to.”

  It was true. She couldn’t help herself, she wanted him. Wanted to feel him make love to her.

  He moved in, his legs now touching hers all the way up. As he did so, Tricia made a pathetic pretence of struggling to push him away as she felt him enter her. Then, once he started his slow rhythmic motion, she forgot about feeling guilty, and of the possible consequences.

  She knew it was wrong to allow this to happen. But, Joe wasn’t going to be part of her life now. So, to hell with it, she was going to enjoy it.

  Then, she started gasping with pleasure, the sound being muffled somewhat by the tape over her mouth, as she felt his rhythmic thrusting increase in intensity, each thrust sending pulses of ecstasy through her body.

  “Keep going,” she mentally pleaded, “Harder.” The rhythmic motion continued. She wanted to grab him, but couldn’t. After a while, she didn’t know how long, both of them groaned at the same time as they climaxed. Then the ecstasy slowly ebbed.

  He was still moving slowly, in and out, and the sensation then made her desperate for more. She wanted him to keep doing it. To do it again, and again.

  She couldn’t believe she’d actually wanted him to keep going, and yes, she even wanted him to push it in harder, to make her squirm with pain, no, not pain as such. Or perhaps, that feeling of being ravaged was what she really desired.

  However, that wasn’t going to happen. Even though Jeff was still in her, and she felt hot like never before. Jeff stayed with her for a moment longer, his hand moved slowly up her
body and he gently fondled her firm young breasts. Then with a sigh, slowly withdrew from her. She closed her legs and tried to speak, as a shiver ran through her body again.

  “Wait, let’s put our clothes on,” he softly suggested.

  Trisha slid off the edge of the bench and stood naked in front of him, a cheeky smile on her face. Then, pointing at the tape on her mouth, said, “You’ll have to take this off first,” her voice still muffled by the tape.

  “Sorry,” he murmured as he removed it. Then they both started dressing.

  She put her suit back on. All the time, knowing that she should be swearing at him. But she couldn’t. She had enjoyed Jeff’s forceful handling of her. Joe hadn’t touched her since they were married, and that hurt her.

  “Did you enjoy me?” She asked him.

  “Err, yes,” he nervously replied, expecting the worse. “What are you going to do?”

  She didn’t answer. She could only keep thinking of how much she had liked having him inside her.

  They heard a noise coming from far down the corridor.

  Then a voice called out, “Trisha.”

  “Damn. Joe’s coming,” Trisha, said her voice sounding anxious.

  Jeff caught hold of her arm. “I’m sorry Trisha. I saw your naked body through your lightweight suit… Then, when you said, how are the little fellows? I thought…, well you know what I mean.

  “So you thought you’d screw me?”

  Joe was getting closer to them by the second.

  “Yes. I thought you wanted me to. You are gorgeous. You know how I feel about you… You feel the same. I saw it on your face when you looked at me. Remember, after your, uh…, display.