Stars Fell on Trieste

by M. Alan Marr

  “Can say that again,” Steve says quietly.

  “One of the reasons I kept chartering airplanes was because of the security threats facing your world.” Dev smiles sheepishly and adds, “Plus, I thought it was really cool.”

  “Where does Chaz fit into this equation?” Jen says.

  Dev smiles. “We . . . started dating.”

  “You come from the planet of the gays?”

  Dev gives Jen a look. “I think you’ll find, Jen, Human sexuality on my world is no different than down there. The same set of biologic variables exist wherever Humans are.”

  “Humans are . . . where?” Annette says, somewhat confused.

  Harrison looks at Dev. “Yeah, where else can you find human beings?”

  “We have Human populations on twenty different planets.”

  “Whoa,” Harrison says and then adds, “Wait, are you guys Scientologists?”

  “What? No.”

  “And how do you have all that money?” Jen says in an acerbic tone, for the moment forgetting the whole alien thing and going for the financial jugular. “Did you steal it?”

  “No,” Dev answers. “My grandfather was an Observer back in the 1920s. He opened a Swiss bank account with a shipment of gold that’s worth over a billion dollars today.”

  “Where did he get the gold?”

  “Constellation Hercules,” Dev replies. “It wasn’t stolen.”

  “No, you just subverted the whole financial system of the planet,” Jen says, and then sits down next to Matt. “What about Chaz’s money?”

  “Chaz . . . sort of won that big lottery,” Dev replies uncomfortably.

  “What do you mean sort of?” Jen says, folding her arms.

  “Dev fixed the lottery so I had the winning ticket,” Chaz admits.

  “You—he—” Jen barks. “I bought a ticket for that!”

  “I’ll give you your dollar back,” Chaz replies sternly. “Trust me, we’ve gone round and round on this. He didn’t mean any harm.”

  Jen turns to Steve. “And what about you, Captain?”

  “Me?” Steve says defensively. “They took me into their confidence. They asked me if I thought you guys could handle the truth, and like an idiot, I said yes.”

  Jen frowns. “You left out the little part about Spaceman Dev.”

  “Yeah, well, I figured seeing would be believing,” Steve replies. “It was for me.”

  “What do you mean?” Harrison says.

  “Dev had a situation, and he ended up taking me up.”

  “Up?” Jen says. “Up where? Here?”

  Steve laughs. “No. Way, way, way far from here. He took me up in his fighter.”

  “His fighter?” Matt says.

  “We’ll get to that,” Dev interrupts, tabling the fighter for the moment.

  “So, why did you bring us up here?” Harrison says.

  “Well, for one thing, Chaz and I love you guys. We also have a . . . minor problem.”

  “Here it comes,” Jen says, reclining back on the couch. She speaks to Annette. “This is the part where he dissects us and steals all our organs.”

  “What?” Annette gasps.

  “I’m not stealing your organs!” Dev shoots back sharply.

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “We have a common enemy.”

  “Republicans?” Matt says.

  “I wish it was that simple,” Dev says. “We protect our worlds, and yours, from an aggressive alien species.”

  “Aggressive alien species,” Jen says with her usual charm. “That’s a minor problem?”

  “Okay,” Dev admits, “it’s a larger problem.”

  “Why? What . . . do they do?” Annette says with fright in her voice.

  “They kill people,” Dev replies. “Gruesomely.”

  Jen is persistent. “How come?”

  “They expand their presence in the cosmos through aggression and predation. We’re apparently in their way. And we’ve been fighting them for a long time.”

  “There’s no way to negotiate with them?” Harrison says.

  “None. They don’t operate the way we do,” Dev says. “It’s difficult to explain, but if you were to take your most ferocious animal species on Earth, what would that be?”

  “The honey badger,” Matt offers up. “She don’t care.”

  Jen is frustrated. “Really?”

  Matt responds plainly. “Honey badgers are aggressive, use tools, and are capable of problem-solving. They are tenacious, can be very dangerous, and are impervious to cobra venom.”

  Dev points at Matt. “Imagine if the Honey Badger was the dominant species on Earth and evolved from using tools to building ships and traveling to other worlds. You think they could be negotiated with?”

  “I dunno,” Harrison says. “It’s hard to believe anyone could advance to the point of space travel and still just be a wild animal.”

  “That’s because you’re processing that idea through a Human brain. We’re hardwired for compassion and emotion and reason. Generally, we have a pretty enlightened view of the universe. Our enemy has none of those qualities. They only seek to preserve and procreate their species, eliminating anything that stands in their way. Harrison, you’re right, they’ve developed technology and space travel, but the comparison ends there.”

  “And-a you people, you stop-a them attacking the Earth?” Milo says poignantly.

  “We do,” Dev says simply. “And despite Earth’s proclivity for violence and self-annihilation, we all come from the same origins. We hope one day you guys will be able to grow from your own confines and join the larger community of Humans out there.”

  Harrison leans forward. “I’m still unclear . . . why did you bring us into the discussion? I mean, you could have just continued to fly around in your jet and we’d be none the wiser.”

  “I’m telling you this, because I need your help.”

  “You can’t have my organs,” Jen says.

  “For God’s sake, Jen, your organs are safe,” Chaz says.

  Dev looks at the group and speaks very seriously. “We recently suffered a major series of attacks. We were hit hard, and we didn’t see it coming.”

  “What happened?” Franz says, compassionately.

  Dev takes a deep breath. “It was an unusually well-coordinated offensive spanning several constellations. It’s not so much how it happened, as what it’s done to our defensive capability. We lost warships and even entire outposts. We’re having to spread out our fleet to protect our remaining assets. As such, we can no longer protect Earth as effectively as we need to.”

  “So you’re just going to cut us loose?” Jen says.

  “No,” Dev says, “we’re not.”

  “That’s where we come in,” Chaz says, standing up. “We have a plan to protect Earth from within.”

  “Chaz came up with the idea and presented it to the Admiralty,” Dev says. “It is brilliant.”

  “You’ve been there?” Harrison says to Chaz.

  “I have. I’ve also met the enemy face-to-face. Trust me, you don’t want to let them anywhere near Earth.”

  “What’s your plan?” Matt says to Chaz.

  “Listen, it may have been my idea, but Dev did all the work. He should tell you.”

  Dev sees all eyes on him now. “The plan is to train a group of carefully selected Earth pilots to fly TransAtmospheric Crown fighters. The plan calls for an Earth-based squadron charged with the protection of the planet, all its inhabitants, and surrounding star systems.”

  “Earth pilots?” Jen says, then looks at Chaz. “You mean us?”

  “That’s the plan,” Chaz says. “You’ve all been handpicked specifically for this job. Steve was the first. He started out as our charter captain, and earned our trust. The rest of you were screened from a lot of potential candidates. Jen, it’s true, we picked you over the other person because you were losing your airplane, but after watching you fly and getting to know you better, there is
no doubt we made the best choice.”

  “Well,” Jen grumbles, “I guess you didn’t pick me for my plucky personality.”

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Chaz jokes, “half the time we want to choke you, but the other half is something pretty special.” He gives her a sincere smile.

  “Wait,” Harrison interjects. “So, Dev, what is your real name, and what do you actually do?”

  “My name is Dev Camelopardalis Caelestis. I’m a Flight Commander in the Crown Defense Force.”

  “Camelopardalis,” Matt says, “like the constellation?”

  “Exactly.”

  “How do you know that?” says Jen.

  “Yale,” Matt says smugly. “Camelopardalis is a constellation shaped like a—”

  “Camel,” Jen fires back.

  “A giraffe,” Matt corrects her. “A camelopard.”

  “Jesus, the Yale thing is for real.”

  Harrison dismisses the tit-for-tat. “So, you’re a military officer, and you want to train us to fly this ship?”

  “This? No, this is just a reconnaissance ship. I want to train you to fly fighters.”

  “I’ve been up in one,” Steve says. “It’s the coolest thing you’ve ever seen.”

  “Wait a minute, that was a few months ago, wasn’t it?” Harrison says, putting it all together. “You disappeared for two whole days.”

  “That was it,” Steve says. “And Chaz is right about the enemy, they’re as bad as it gets. If they get through, Earth is finished.”

  “What exactly is your plan?” Harrison says to Dev.

  “Well, if you all agree, then we’ll fly this ship out to the Crown and get started.”

  “Oh my God,” Jen says. “This is what’s behind the whole five-month odyssey.”

  “Correct,” Dev says. “We took every step we could think of to make sure your absences go unnoticed.”

  “How long does it take to get there?” Jen says.

  “Three or four days, depending on flight conditions.”

  “That’s it? Do we have to be frozen or anything?”

  “No, Jen.”

  Jen purses her lips. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Um, sir, what about us?” Franz says, referring to the flight attendants.

  “Well, we were rather hoping you would want to participate,” Dev says. “You won’t be able to train as pilots, but it would be helpful if you became familiar with our technology and provide mission support.”

  Franz and Milo look at each other and nod.

  Annette looks at Harrison and smiles widely.

  “Just out of curiosity,” Jen says, “what happens if we say no?”

  “We’ll take you back and ask that you keep our secret.”

  “That’s not very menacing,” Matt says.

  Chaz jokes, “We’ll fire you out the airlock.”

  “Better.” Matt smiles.

  “And steal Jen’s organs.” Steve laughs.

  “Everything does not have to be a joke!” Harrison all but yells.

  “No, it doesn’t.” Dev agrees and then speaks from the heart. “I have been charged with the protection of Earth. I believe in this project. So much so, I’ve staked my commission on it. I really, really, need you guys.” He pauses. “I’m offering all of you the opportunity to do something bigger and more important than anything you ever thought possible. It’s not without danger. In fact, it is extremely dangerous. We’ll be the first—and last—line of defense. But I will give you the tools and teach you the skills you will need to protect your world.”

  While that sinks in, Chaz offers some perspective. “Guys, I was a naval officer,” he says. “I swore an oath to protect and defend the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic. I put my life on the line long before they repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I could have been thrown in Leavenworth. I could have been dishonorably discharged. But I did my duty for something bigger than politics and self-preservation. So you each have to ask yourself whether or not you are willing to risk your life to protect something far greater than any one of us. Our home is at risk. Everyone down there is in jeopardy.” Chaz looks around at the group. “It’s not easy. It’s a huge responsibility. And, it’s a lot to measure up to. I want you guys to give this some thought before you decide.” Chaz looks at Dev. “We’re not in any immediate hurry, are we?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Why don’t you show them the better view?”

  “Perfect idea.” Dev says, smiling. “Come on, guys, this way.”

  The group starts to follow, but they are a bit confused.

  Jen murmurs to Matt in a singsong voice, “He’s leading us to the airlock.”

  Dev overhears her. “No, just a better view.”

  “There’s a better view than this?” Annette says. Dev gives her a wink and ushers them up the half spiral to the upper observation room. They climb the stairs and marvel at the unspoiled view of the Earth. A chorus of oohs and ahs lasts a few minutes as they file around the circular couch.

  “This is better,” Annette gushes.

  “Guys,” Chaz interjects, “Dev and I are going to go below and give you some privacy. We won’t go anywhere until you decide, though—promise.”

  Dev and Chaz leave the group to go check on the systems below and make sure they will remain clear of any orbital traffic. Steve stays topside with his crew in the canopy room. No one really says anything. They are all captivated by the view and are quietly trying to process everything they just learned.

  Steve breaks the silence. “You guys all right?”

  “How long have you known about this?” Jen says stubbornly.

  “Just after we moved to Atlanta.”

  “You could have told us,” Jen says and then reverses herself. “Well, no, maybe not.”

  “Harr?”

  Harrison looks at Steve and shrugs. “I guess I’m okay. I mean, it’s a lot to take in, but . . . why not?”

  “Matt?”

  “I never thought for a second we were alone in the universe. I didn’t think there would be other human beings out there, though. That’s actually pretty cool.”

  “So the seven of us are the only ones who know about this?” Harrison says.

  “Eight, counting Chaz,” Steve says.

  “What about their bloodsucking lawyers?” Jen says.

  Steve shakes his head. “They have no clue. They just think Dev is a cash cow with a Swiss account.”

  “We have to do this,” Matt says to the group, plain and simple. “How can we say no? I mean, it’s our world we’re talking about.”

  “Franz? Milo? Annette? You guys have been pretty quiet,” Steve says.

  “I’m not serving drinks in space,” Annette says plainly. “I love my job on Oasis, and I will happily keep it, but if we’re going to do this, I want to do something meaningful.”

  “Look, we talked about sending you three on a round-the-world cruise for the next couple of months, but Dev and Chaz wanted to keep us all together as a crew. They will train all of us, and we will have the most important job on Earth, because without us, there may not even be an Earth.”

  “This enemy you guys were talking about,” Harrison says, “no bullshit?”

  Steve takes a few moments and stares at the tabletop. “We all know Dev to be a very cool customer. Nothing we’ve ever seen fazes him. But that night he called me, he was completely unhinged.”

  Jen looks at Steve. “Why did he call you?”

  “Chaz was flying.” Steve looks at everyone. “Dev called me at midnight almost frantic. I had to fly him out to . . . to where he hid his fighter.”

  Harrison has an epiphany. “Oh my God, it’s in a lake!”

  Steve is shocked and looks at him. “How do you know that?”

  “The Beaver. You had to fly Dev to some body of water to get his fighter, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah, but how . . . ”

  “Because for two days, no one could find you. I we
nt out to the airport and saw Dev’s Range Rover. The 7-6 was empty and the Beaver was gone. I didn’t think anything of it, except I didn’t know you were rated for floats.”

  “I wasn’t,” Steve admits. “And landing one on water, at night, with no training was not what I would call fun.”

  “You’re not supposed to land on water at night!” Jen barks. “You could have killed yourself.”

  “I know. But Dev remotely switched on all the lights on this ship and lit up the lake like a runway.”

  “This thing was in the lake too?” Harrison says.

  “It’s a decent-size lake,” Steve replies.

  “What happened next?” Franz says.

  “Dev was almost in a panic. After I landed, he jumped out and ordered me to leave, but I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. None of us would have. He took off across the shoreline to a spot a thousand yards away, and before I knew it, his fighter was rising up out of the water. Anyway, I jumped in with him, and we ended up in a dogfight like a trillion miles away from Earth.”

  “He knows how to fly?” Jen says.

  Steve looks at Jen with absolute certainty. “Dev can fly circles around all of us. He handled that fighter like it was a part of him.”

  “These enemies,” Harrison says, “they have fighters too?”

  “Yeah. Good ones,” Steve confirms. “Their ships are full-on lethal.”

  “And you guys were alone out there?” Harrison adds. “No backup?”

  “None. It was either them or us.”

  “So you could have gotten killed, and no one would have ever known,” Jen says with irritation in her voice.

  “Yeah,” Steve says. “That’s pretty much what we’re up against.”

  “That’s great,” Jen says, then pauses to consider something new. “What about our families?”

  “What about them?” Steve counters. “What happens to our families if and when these aliens attack Earth?”

  “I can’t believe we’re seriously talking about alien invasions,” Jen says.

  Matt rolls his eyes. “Look around you, honey, you’re in a spaceship.”

  “I’m gonna brain you.”