by Les Broad
CHAPTER 6
Nikki decided against setting people to work immediately. Tomorrow would be soon enough. For now she was happy enough to stroll round, occasionally suggesting that no-one went too far, taking in the sights. She walked to the river, quite narrow and slow-flowing, and watched it join the sea. The current seemed to sweep the river water away to the south, but not too strongly. The sea, some half a mile distant, had a sandy beach with odd rocky outcrops. Nikki sat on the beach in the sun, gazing out to sea.
She was dimly aware of someone sitting down next to her as she watched others enjoying the freedom that had been denied to them for so long.
"Shellfish. Seafood.” Fiona Ormond pulled off her shoes and wiggled her toes in the sand. "We'll have to check that it's safe, of course, but we should be eating fresh food in a day or two."
"You'll see to it, won't you? Now we're here I seem to feel tired, somehow. I thought I'd be full of enthusiasm for getting everything organised, but I'm not. All I really want to do is to sleep in the sun."
"I can't really say I blame you, Commander. You've been on duty 24 hours a day for 39 months. No wonder you feel tired now that you can relax for a few hours. I'll give you an example. When was the last time anyone addressed you by name, rather than as Commander?"
Nikki chuckled quietly. "I suppose it must have been Sarah, before we left, or maybe Bryn. I don't remember. I wonder if they're still alive back on Earth."
"There's nothing we can do, whether or not they've died yet, except make a success here. I'm going to have Christine look at you, young lady, and make sure you get treated as your position deserves." Fiona got up without waiting for the objections that she knew would come. Nikki couldn't be bothered to move, being quite happy to sit looking out to sea, watching the sun sink slowly towards the horizon.
She was allowed peace for a little while longer before Christine Murray found her.
"Everybody is fine except, it seems, you."
"Honestly, Christine, I'm just tired. I'll be fine tomorrow.”
"Even a Mission Commander has to listen to her doctor. You'll sleep for as long as you can tonight and tomorrow what you're going to do is delegate. Tell your teams what you expect of them, then let them get on with it.
"After that you take time off to sit and watch the waves, OK?"
Nikki listened to what was said and as she walked back with Christine she considered the advice. All I can do, she thought, is to try.
The following morning everyone assembled, at Nikki's request, to make a start on turning the site into a home.
She stood and looked at the faces in front of her, full of enthusiasm and no small amount of skill.
"We have a lot of work to do," she said, "and you will all be grabbed by the three sub-commanders for their teams. It is very much up to those sub-commanders, of course, but as I see it the priorities are, firstly, to get pens built so that our livestock can be accommodated. Bryn's engineering team will liaise with Fiona to see what needs to be done. Secondly, the chemists among you can tell us whether the river water is safe, and set up a source of drinking water. Thirdly, I want to know, since it appears that there may be fish in the sea, if we can eat them and how we catch them. Fourthly, if people with the right skills can be spared, I'd like the immediate area north of the river mapped, say up to two or three miles out.
"Finally, I know that those in command positions will be given whatever respect they may deserve, so from now on nobody is to be addressed by a title. Bryn, Fiona and Louise will just have to accept that, and if anyone calls me Commander instead of Nikki I'll ignore them. I'm under doctor's orders to take a back seat for now, so I'll just muck in and help whenever Christine's not looking. Let's get to it, and enjoy being pioneers."
The limited range of tools they had available were put to good use and, together with the prefabricated penning that had been used on board KonTiki, a large amount of fencing was erected during the course of the day. The livestock was allowed out into natural daylight for the first time since they embarked on Earth, and for many animals that had been born in space it was their first experience of daylight. The chemists had also been busy, confirming that the grass, although different to that on Earth, would offer good nutritional value to the livestock. Cows, pigs, sheep and chickens grazed and pecked their way round their pens as construction work continued over the next few days, fields being created to supplement the first pens.
The water supply was arranged, with solar powered pumps and purifying plants, and the first few shellfish were caught, examined and pronounced safe with one exception that turned out to be mildly poisonous. During the first week on the surface, fish were seen both in the river and the sea, those in the sea ranging in size up to four feet long. Success in catching them was rare, but those that were caught were pronounced safe to eat. Cartographical expeditions by Louise's defence force went further and further from Gifford Base, bringing back samples of fruits and berries for analysis. These expeditions were asked to look out for any animal or bird life, but consistently reported none. Nikki continued to take life at an easy pace but did notice that a few relationships were beginning to form. This time she merely watched carefully, not objecting to them as she had during the journey. This started her wondering how such relationships should be formalised, as the feeling expressed in her survey was that family-type units should be created. She thought that an opportunity to raise this without appearing intrusive would arise before long. For now it could wait.
It didn't wait long. Nikki was walking on the beach (she told herself it was to see how further analysis of the rock outcrops was proceeding) when the geologist working there stood up at her approach.
"Hello, Debbie, any problems?"
"No, but I think this might take a bit longer than I thought." Debbie Carter was young, just 20 when they left Earth, and keen to learn as much as she could about the planet.
"Well, time is not really a problem. It's better that we get right answers than quick ones."
"Thanks, Nikki. Can I talk to you about something?"
"Of course, that's what I'm here for." Nikki settled herself on the sand, rested against a smooth rock.
"It's a bit awkward, really. You know while we were in space you really discouraged relationships?"
"I felt I had to at the time, but it's different now. Go on."
"It's just that, well, you know Nick Harris?"
"I do, he's a competent chemist, as far as I know."
"And you know Zoe of course."
"Zoe Hill?"
"Yes. We've been talking, and we want to start a family unit, the three of us. We know there really should be another and in a little while there might be. If you approve, I wondered how we went about it. It's not as if we can have a wedding, is it? But we do want to make some sort of commitment to each other."
"A three way commitment, is that it?"
"Yes. Can we do it?"
"I'd be delighted! I mean, really thrilled! It's exactly what I want to see happen, and it's what we had planned two years before we left Earth. I don't really know what form the commitment, for want of a better phrase, should take. Since you three are the first, why don't you work out what it is you want to say in the commitment then I'll look over it. If I think it's OK as a model for everyone to use we'll arrange for some sort of ceremony with a ritual signing, or something like that. It's great, Debbie, really great, and tell Zoe and Nick how pleased I am for you all." Nikki stood up and left Debbie to her work, walking back along the beach feeling that a real community was starting to take shape.
She returned to Gifford Base to see some excitement around one of Louise's mapping expeditions. They'd camped away from base the previous night and seemed to have returned with something out of the ordinary. Louise was there, trying to calm them and find out what they had discovered. The expedition had been led by Andrea Toyne, with the botanists Claire Jeavons and Tina Smith.
"Now tell me again," Louise was saying, "you
were walking on the edge of the wood and saw what?"
"It didn't register at first," Andrea said, "but then it dawned on me we hadn't been there before. So it couldn't have been us who had flattened a small area of grass. We looked around but couldn't see any tracks, but once we started looking inside the wood we could see that the odd tree trunk had been marked, fallen twigs had been snapped, things like that. It was definitely an animal, but probably not too big. I'd guess about the size, say, of a small sheep."
"Did you see any droppings or notice any strange smells?" Louise was obviously intrigued.
"No, but we weren't looking for them really."
"I think there was a smell, Andrea," said Tina, "it was only faint and I noticed when I knelt down by that last tree. Sort of sweet. I haven't noticed any smell around the trees before, have you, Claire?"
"No, none at all except a hint of pine, but I wouldn't call that sweet."
"So we might have animals here, after all." Louise looked a little concerned. "We should be careful with our own stock if these beasts are nocturnal. They might take a fancy to a chicken dinner. I'll have a chat with Fiona and we'll organise a couple of people to patrol the fences at night from now on. Good work, girls."
Louise noticed Nikki's presence, and took her to one side.
"It suggests one or two things to me. This place might not be as safe as we first thought, and if the are animals of that size on land there could be others, perhaps bigger. Should we emphasise care from now on?"
"I think there's a case for it, yes. Earlier Debbie Carter was working alone on the beach, so we might think about insisting that people double up and keep their eyes open. How about increasing the size of your expeditions?"
"Yes, I should. I'll send out teams of at least five instead of three and before any more go out it might be sensible to ask Bryn if his people can make us something to defend ourselves with."
"I think that would be wise. I'll talk to Bryn for you."
"Thanks, Nikki. How are you feeling now? I've hardly been able to talk to you since we got here."
"I'm feeling good. A few weeks of doing nothing much seem to have put me right. Unfortunately you, Bryn and Fiona have got everything organised so now there's nothing for me to do."
"Well, that can be put right. The three teams are busy, but not necessarily always pulling in the same direction. You could chair weekly strategy meetings so that we all help each other. It would be good to include others from the groups as well because we'll need another tier of management before long."
"OK, Louise, I'll see to it. I mentioned Debbie earlier, and she raised the question of family units. She wants to go in with Zoe Hill and Nick Harris. I hope it works, particularly if they find a fourth. She thinks they will."
"How do you feel about it?"
"The idea or being the fourth?" Nikki smiled as she said it.
"The idea. They're not your type."
"I'm delighted. It's what was planned back on Earth."
It was a day or two later when Debbie found Nikki again.
She had talked to Zoe and Nick, and they had now agreed that the fourth member of their family was to be Tasha Purlovskya, one of Christine Murray's medical assistants. She had a draft document which, once signed, pledged the four of them to the family unit, to live together and raise children. Nikki thought that it served its purpose well.
"This seems excellent, Debbie. We are starting to hold meetings between the community managers, or whatever the collective title for Fiona, Louise, Bryn and myself may be. I'll put this document to the meeting and see if anyone wants any changes. One of the four of you should perhaps attend. Approval of the people in the family unit isn't necessary - if you four think you can make it work that's good enough. We'll organise Gifford Base's first, first what? wedding? as soon as we can, and we'll put a construction team at your disposal to build a house so you won't have to live aboard with the rest of us. How does that sound?"
"Great! I'll tell the rest of the family." Debbie rushed off, leaving Nikki with a pleasant, warm feeling inside. It was all going to work, she thought, wild animals or no wild animals.
Bryn had fashioned some machete-type knives as well as the wood cutting equipment that he'd created, so Louise could now send her teams out again. Despite their rather basic armaments, she initially told them to return to Base each night, but to seek out any signs of life. She ensured that there was a biologist or zoologist with each team now.
Nikki organised the first of the weekly team leader meetings, as she had chosen to call them. For the first one, Debbie attended as her family was to be discussed, and she listened attentively to the rest of the business that was discussed first. What impressed her more than anything was that the tone of the meeting was very pro-colony - individual wants were suppressed for the general good. Finally Nikki spoke about her family proposition.
"I am absolutely delighted to announce the creation of our first family unit. We all know Debbie Carter, Zoe Hill, Tasha Purlovskya and Nick Harris. They have put forward a model 'family document' for approval - are there any comments on it?" Bryn and Fiona shook their heads.
"It's a first class piece of work, just what we need. No amendments," said Louise.
"OK, it's approved then. I also want to set a precedent here, which unfortunately will fall on your team, Bryn. As our people create family units, we will build a house for each unit so that they can move out of the cramped quarters on KonTiki. Slowly we will build up a proper settlement that way. I know Debbie is here and is directly interested, but any comments you have should nevertheless be forthright."
"I really think it's about time we started building, and this is as good a spur as any. I'm with you."
"Thanks, Fiona. Louise?"
"Fine. You've started me thinking about who I might join up with!"
"Good. Bryn, you're quiet."
"Well, Nikki, it might be a day or two early, but I'd been thinking about KonTiki's power plant. With that and solar power, as well as building a house I could, I think, provide a reliable power supply if we can use the deep space engines to generate electricity. We're still working on it, but my people think I'm right in saying it could be done. The first few houses will be away from both the river and the sea, of course."
"I know what you're thinking, Bryn," Louise said. "You want to see what it's like in the winter here, don't you?"
"I do. The growth rates of plants suggest we arrived in late spring - not a bad deduction for an old engineer, I thought - and I don't want to put any construction near the sea or river just to see it lost to bad weather."
"Great," said Nikki, "we're really moving forward here. Do you think your electrical generation will be enough to power a small town?"
"If we can devise a way of creating enough solar panels it will, yes, and once we can start taking batteries out of KonTiki we can build electrically powered transports. I can give you a reliable range of a hundred miles just as soon as I can get at the batteries, and moving people into houses is the best way to end the reliance on the on-board batteries."
The meeting eventually broke up, it having been agreed that these would now be held every seven days. Debbie went away happy that her family was going to be housed and Nikki slept that night better than she had in all the weeks they had now spent on the planet.
The long, hot summer passed quickly as several houses were built and families of four moved into them. The honour of the first pregnancy fell to Tasha Purlovskya, and she was stunned when it was pointed out to her that she was the first human being to conceive a child away from Earth. She was promised the best attention that the doctors in the community could provide.
The planet's winter, at least in the near-equatorial area where Gifford Base was located, proved to be wet with a few torrential storms, but mild. Bryn expressed himself happy to begin construction of houses nearer to the sea since there seemed to be little danger of weather damage. Wind speeds rarely rose a
bove what on Earth would have been called a stiff breeze, and the mood in the small community was extremely good. Everyone was positive about their new home and its almost idyllic setting. There had been sightings of a small boar-like creature which seemed to be the one responsible for the effects that Andrea Toyne had reported, but it seemed to prefer to stay in woodland and was very timid. The creature appeared to be vegetarian and showed no interest at all in the community's livestock even when their field system was extended close to the edges of the woods.
Bryn had managed to use a combination of solar panels, which generated power even in the gloomier days of winter, and KonTiki's deep space engines to establish a reliable power supply to light houses and drive tools, both small and large. True to his word, he was then able to remove some of the batteries from KonTiki and use these to power a small fleet of four wheel transports which, just as he had promised, gave a range of about a hundred miles before needing to be recharged. It had been agreed that exploration would be curtailed during the winter months, which were used for testing of the new vehicles.
A profusion of flowers heralded the arrival of both spring as the temperature rose again and Tasha's baby. There had been reports of other pregnancies and the confirmation that Tasha's had run its full course perfectly normally, producing a healthy little girl, increased the feeling of optimism about the future. At one of the weekly meetings it was agreed that exploratory trips should start again, using Bryn's new transports. These had a carrying capacity of six people and at Bryn's suggestion teams of six were despatched in two transports so that all could return to base should one of the vehicles be damaged.
The first expeditions of that spring remained within twenty miles or so of Gifford. They confirmed much of what had been learned in the previous summer and autumn and were able to return with a new crop of previously unseen fruits and berries for chemical analysis. Once these had been declared safe plantations were established so that these could be harvested near the base, with the cereal and root crops that had been brought from Earth.
Gradually the range of the expeditions increased, returning with new information which enabled the cartographers to extend their maps accurately, in turn permitting better planning of expeditions as time went by. It was one of the expeditions sent to the lower slopes of the high hills thirty miles or so to the North that returned with a report that was to change the community for good.