Timothy started to put his hand on Addalyne’s wrist but refrained. Then he said, “I did not mean to hurt your feelings or anger you. It is true that I did now know your doctor, and it is true that I selfishly hoped your marriage would fail so you could join me on the Galileo. I was just commenting on what I found out about you. My partner recently resigned her commission and I will have to find another partner to join me on an upcoming mission. I intended to discuss the possibility of you joining with an Elder and accompanying me on my six-year voyage. Now that I am here on this asteroid, it is obvious that you are happy here and would not wish for such an extended adventure.”
Addalyne thought about what Timothy just said and commented by saying, “First of all, Joshua never asked me to marry him. We were good friends and even lovers, but he never proposed marriage to me. More to the point of this discussion, I am an electrical engineer. The engineering team on the Galileo requires an electrical engineer and a mechanical engineer, not two engineers working in the same skill set.” Timothy looked up into Addalyne’s eyes and said, “I am a mechanical engineer, not electrical. I would need to partner with someone of your discipline.”
Addalyne said, “I would like to have a long discussion with you once we have finished with this upgrade. When the shake down run is complete, I suggest you join me in my quarters for a shower and some rest. During that time, we can discuss your upcoming voyage. I am very interested in getting to know you better and reading the mission statement of the Galileo. The IFTT is an incredible place to learn and perfect my engineering skills, but it is not a good place to find a mate and raise a child: not when one is a True Blood Demords. Raising a child is my long term goal in life.”
Timothy said, “I will send the current mission statement of the Galileo to you right now.” He located the file within his laptop and spoke to the new travel computer. He said, “Computer, can you locate the open file I have on my laptop and send it to Addalyne Yutaka’s message board?” Within seconds, they heard a ding sound come from Addalyne’s laptop. She checked the file and then looked up into Timothy’s eyes. She giggled and said, “Did you have doubts that this new Time Travel Computer could recognize you and follow your instructions?” Timothy laughed and said, “I was just checking.”
Once General Williams completed his final tour of the Galileo, Timothy contacted the IFTT Operations Commander. Once they authenticated the new Time Travel Computer aboard the Galileo, they sent a flight plan. The new travel computer activated the flight plan and displayed it on the commander’s monitor. Timothy stepped into the control room and viewed the plan. Then he pressed the green button on his travel watch to engage the flight. As the Galileo slowly moved away from the Regnieloc Asteroid, it traveled a few kilometers and then moved at high speed out towards Universe Number One.
The Galileo would need testing at hyper-flight speed and there was no better place to test it than in the open expanse between Universe Number Two and Universe Number One. Traveling between universes would also test the jump maneuvers. To accomplish a jump, the Galileo would have to slow down as it approached the singularity and jump out of the universe they had been traveling in. Then they would travel to the singularity for the universe they wished to enter. Once there, the Galileo would again have to slow down, and then jump into the new universe. The travel between the jump points contained no space debris, planets, asteroids or anything else that might impede their travel. The only thing that exists in the primordial vastness of this open space is tiny specks. Those specks are in fact universes before their own big bang had taken place. Once a time travel vessel jumped into a speck, it would enter the universe as it existed then, some universes were fully developed, as was Universe Number one and Universe Number Two, others were yet very primitive. The IFTT had discovered eleven inhabited universes.
Specks are very hard to see because there is very little backlighting in the vacuum of space. Sometimes you would see a tiny bit of light that looked like sparks in the sky around a speck, but that was very seldom. The best way to find a speck’s location was to watch the travel computer’s monitor screen. The monitor showed every speck that was located around them. The speck that the Galileo planned to visit, and that contained Universe Number One, would appear as a tiny flashing red blip on the monitor screen in the control room.
Once the Time Travel Computer had run a self-diagnostic test on its systems and found no major errors, it entered hyper-flight. The Galileo was very fast, very fast indeed. Addalyne realized that the speed advantage was due to the way the Intelligent Design concepts the demordian vessel used. The interface between the Time Travel Computer and the eleventh dimension membrane of the Galileo, used to separate life forms from the extreme conditions of space, was very efficient. The Bahs had also lent their hand at improving the speed of the Demords vessels, including the Galileo.
The shakedown run took about two hours’ time. The engineers made a few changes in the software to give the Time Travel Computer better interaction with the two Elders aboard the vessel. Addalyne remembered her time mentally connected to her Elder. It was a time of peace in her life; however, she was very young at the time. She wondered if reconnecting to that same Elder would provide the same wonderful feelings of companionship. She knew that her Elder was still on the planet Rowkin. Once disconnected from a True Blood, the Demords would deactivate the Elder and place it in storage. Some Elders remained in storage for centuries before returning to service. An Elder served a full two-thousand year cycle before cycling out of existence.
When the Galileo returned to IFTT Headquarters, the engineers began the arduous task of compiling the documentation and paperwork. Every detail of the interface procedure required documentation. Once the Galileo left IFTT Headquarters, the crew of the Galileo would have to maintain every aspect of their craft. The crew would also be required to make minor modifications in the Predictive Programming code if the computer required assistance. Since the Galileo might not have communications with the IFTT, especially if they were in hyper-flight where communications were difficult at best, the crew needed to be well versed in the repairs of any system that might fail.
With the project complete, General Williams released Addalyne and the two other IFTT engineers from the project. The crew of the Galileo would remain in Regnieloc airspace for the next three days. They would spend that time testing all of the security and life support systems aboard the Galileo one last time. Each ejection door, door security coding, and teleportation function required testing to insure pirates could not force their way past the security systems.
After the crew of the Galileo teleported back to their own vessel, the General gave his engineers three days’ vacation. He knew they had earned the time off. When Addalyne stepped into her quarters and put her laptop case down on the bed, she stripped off her flight suit and underwear. She dropped the garments into a hamper and headed towards the shower. Just as she was about to turn on the water in the shower, someone knocked on the hallway door. She stomped her foot on the floor in a moment of annoyance and grabbed a robe that hung behind the door. When she was covered and looked at the monitor, she saw Timothy standing in the hallway. She giggled and quickly opened the door. When he stepped inside, he closed the door behind him and turned the lock. Addalyne giggled again and stepped up close to him. She said, “You smell no better than I do. There is room for two in the shower, but we will have to hurry. The hot water is on an energy management timer.”
Once they stepped out of the shower and dried their bodies, Timothy stepped up close to Addalyne and said, “I came here to your quarters with the intensions of seducing you. However, while we were in the shower, I remembered that you are a True Blood. I have no protection with me, so I will teleport a clean flight suit from the Galileo to your quarters, dress, and then leave.”
When Timothy’s clean flight suit and undergarments materialized on Addalyne’s bed, she stepped up close to him and kissed him on the lips. Then she began kissing his neck and s
houlder. She could feel his arousal pressing against her bare leg. She stepped back from him, walked over to her nightstand and produced a condom. She held the shiny package out in front of her and said, “With this present, I commit my body to you. I will also commit to a connubial ceremony before I join you aboard the Galileo and join with my Elder, if the offer still holds.”
When they had dressed and headed down the hallway towards the cafeteria, the Time Travel Computer at IFTT Headquarters spoke into Addalyne’s mind. “I have pictures, would you and Timothy like a copy?” Addalyne said aloud, “You bastard. How dare you?” Timothy turned to Addalyne and said, “Excuse me. What have I done to deserve such insults?” Addalyne laughed and said, “Not you, Timothy. The computer just spoke into my implant and offered pictures of us in my quarters.”
Just then, the computer spoke again to Addalyne and said, “General Williams would like to speak to you and Timothy in his office. There is a customer requesting immediate assistance with their Time Travel Computer. Apparently the power supply failed and the software and backup logs were lost.”
Addalyne explained to Timothy about the general’s request. As they headed in the direction of the general’s office, Timothy began questioning Addalyne to see if she was serious about joining the crew of the Galileo. As they talked, she assured him she was very serious.
When Addalyne knocked on the general’s office door, she heard him tell her to enter. As she and Timothy sat down on the guest side of his desk, he said, “I have received an emergency call from a customer. Their Time Travel Computer failed and they need our best engineers to assist them.” Addalyne did not like the way the general avoided her request for the customer’s name. She finally stood up in front of the general’s desk, looked him in the eyes and asked, “General, who is the customer?” The general looked into Addalyne’s eyes and said, “The customer is Jill Yutaka aboard The Empress,”
Addalyne sat back down in her chair. Her insides were shaking with anger. She finally said, “General, you must understand that I do not want to help her.” May I suggest that I program a new Time Travel Computer here in the engineering department and then have it teleported to Trish Wilson, the Chief Engineer of The Empress? She is quite capable of installing it.” The general sat thinking and then said, “Please get the new computer ready for delivery. I will take one of the engineers from your department and two security officers with me. If we have questions, we will contact you and work out the problems. I really do not want you to board, The Empress.”
Addalyne and Timothy headed to the engineering department. As they walked down the long hallway, they discussed the mission of the Galileo and its crew. Addalyne slid her arm under Timothy’s and said, “I think I should ask for a couple weeks of vacation. We could travel to Rowkin and spend some time together. That amount of time together should give us an idea if we can partner on a long voyage.” Timothy said, “I like your idea. You could join with your Elder during that time and see if you are comfortable with the joining. It has been a long time since you have had someone looking over your shoulder every moment.”
Once the engineering department had completed downloading the new files and Predictive Programming software into a new Time Travel Computer, Addalyne located the last backup logs of The Empress and downloaded them into the computer. When Addalyne was certain she had done all she could with the new computer, she connected the Time Travel Computer to a simulator and allowed the programs to run. An hour later, after she and Timothy returned from the cafeteria, everything had tested okay. Addalyne contacted the Communication Engineering Department and asked to have the Time Travel Computer on her workbench teleported to The Empress, with a note that read, “When times are tough, family sticks together.” Addalyne then signed the note with her name.
When the Time Travel Computer arrived in the ready room of The Empress, the IFTT engineer that had traveled with the general and his two security guards began the installation. An hour later, the communications department contacted Addalyne through her implant and explained that The Empress was once again operational. The department head explained that Trish Wilson had sent along a message. He asked if he should read it to her. When she agreed, he said, “the message reads:”
“Sometimes friends need to listen more and react less. I am truly sorry about firing you. I wish I had shut my mouth and given you time to explain about how you discovered your relationship to Ronnie Yutaka. I understand why you sold the patent rights for Predictive Programming to the IFTT. I am also to blame for that turn of events. If I had acted as your skipper instead of pushing your buttons every chance I got, you might have allowed Jill and I access to that information. As it stands now, all I can do now is try to make amends to you and to my partner, Jill Yutaka. Jill and I have not spoken since I fired you. I hope that you will not hold my stupidity against Jill. She is your brother’s Daughter and loves you. Sorry for everything. Trish Wilson.”
After Addalyne cleaned up the engineering department and put all of the tools away, she turned to Timothy and said, “If you are still prepared to escort me to the planet Rowkin, I will take this time to discuss a two week vacation with General Williams.”
Timothy pulled Addalyne into his arms and said, “I am willing to escort you if you are willing to become my legal mate through a connubial ceremony before we begin the mission.” Addalyne giggled and said, “I would like that. I do not want to spend the next few years as just your lover. I want to be your legal mate so our child can call you, Father.”
Addalyne walked to the general’s office and talked to his receptionist. The woman smiled and said, “The general will return in just a few minutes. He stepped out to purchase a birthday gift for his mate. If you can wait, I am certain he will see you. You seem to be on his most favored list at the moment.” Addalyne laughed and said, “I hope the man remembers how much anger I felt when he asked me to help out the crew of The Empress. When he asked me the question, I had to control myself to keep from stomping out and slamming the door to his office. Then I remembered that I was not angry with the crew of The Empress or the general, only Trish Wilson. The crew of The Empress deserves better of me than to abandon them in their time of need.” The receptionist said, “The general discussed the situation with me before he called you to his office. He knew you would be angry and feared you would refuse. I am proud of you for doing the right thing.”
When the general signed the vacation papers and the travel orders, Addalyne hurried to Timothy’s quarters. When she knocked on the door, Timothy said, “Come in, Addalyne.” She pushed the door open to find Timothy with his back to her, typing on his laptop. She shut the door after she entered and then sat down in a chair, not wanting to disturb him while he worked. After a moment or two, he said, “Addalyne, come here and help me word this message to the Demordian Council. I am trying to explain that you will be joining me for a connubial ceremony, rejoining with your Elder, and collaborating with me on our upcoming mission. I have written this message three times and cannot get the wording so it makes sense. I think the problem is that I am in love. My male body is flooding my brain with hormones and preventing me from thinking about anything but you.”
Addalyne stepped up behind Timothy and put her hands on his shoulders. She tried to read the words he had written, but her eyes would not focus. When a warm tear dripped on Timothy’s neck, he turned to her and realized she was crying. He stood up and pulled her into his arms. He said, “I hope these tears don’t mean you have changed you mind about joining me and becoming my mate.” Addalyne kissed him hard on the lips and said, “No. These tears mean I love you more than you will ever know. I never dreamed I would find a man I loved this much. Timothy, I do truly love you.”
When Addalyne had dried her tears, she sat down at the laptop and helped write the message to the council. Then she picked up the computer and walked around the room as she read the message aloud. When they were both satisfied with the wording, Addalyne said, “Before you send this mes
sage, could we send it to the printer. I may need this along with the formal resignation I will write to the general, if things work out as I hope. I cannot just send him my resignation; I will need to break this news personally. The general is a best friend and I would not want him to hear of my connubial ceremony and resignation while reading my resignation letter.”
Once Timothy sent the message, he helped Addalyne pack some clothes. She intended to wear her IFTT flight suits whenever they were outside of the Galileo. On the planet Rowkin, being associated with the IFTT would promote many favors. Besides, Addalyne was proud of her education and her job with the IFTT. Living on the Regnieloc Asteroid always caused wonderment in the people around her. Most could not conceive living in a stone built building perched on top of an asteroid with no sun to warm it. Most could not conceive how the digesters produced not only fuel for the boilers, but also fertilizer for the growing gardens. People could not understand how living in never ending near total darkness on the asteroid would be exciting. Only those whom had ever lived on the asteroid truly understood the wonders of existence there. It truly was a miraculous place to live and work.
Chapter 10 – Addalyne Returns Home
When the Flight Commander welcomed the Galileo into the air space of planet Rowkin, Timothy spoke to the man and then began a conversation about the new Time Travel Computer aboard the Galileo. When Timothy told the commander that he had brought the designer of Predictive Programming with him, the conversation abruptly ended. It was three or four minutes later before the commander returned to the radio and said, “I just checked your flight plan, Timothy. The woman with you is Addalyne Yutaka, the Sister of Ronnie Yutaka, have I got that information correct?” Timothy began to laugh over the commander’s words, but he did not key the microphone. There was another moment of silence and then the commander came back on the radio and said, “Timothy, within your flight plan there is a formal document that lists you and Addalyne as having requested a connubial ceremony, is this information also true?” Timothy continued to laugh over the direction the conversation had turned. Finally, Timothy keyed the microphone and said, “Yes sir, the information is true. Addalyne and I intend for Father to join us. We will be traveling together on the Galileo on its next mission. I hope you approve, Brother.” Timothy heard the squeal of a female voice beside him. He turned to Addalyne and saw her with her hands over her mouth. She lowered her hands and said, “Sorry about that noise. Discovering you were talking to your brother was a surprise, to say the least.”
The Chronicles of Addalyne Yutaka Page 12