Pegasus Colony (People of Akiane: A Colonization Science Fiction Novel Book 1)

by Phyllis Moore

  If I remembered my Scandinavian mythology, Odin was their chief God, but he also went by Woden, Wotan, or Wuotan Woden. He lived in Northern Europe. He was the God of Battle, Master of Fury, also know as Zeus. When he wasn’t fighting for a cause, any cause, he was grumpy.

  I was grumpy, maybe it was time I fought someone. Might make me feel better.

  I looked around the commons area. No one was drinking, eating, or speaking. Every eye was on me, waiting for my reply. They shifted in their seats. They sat on the edge of their seats. They leaned forward not wanting to miss the next word spoken.

  What would happen if I said no?

  Woden was obviously a rite of passage, a means to prove myself worthy to speak for WSC. Why? Who were these people that I had to subject myself to their primitive ritual? But if I didn’t do it, I’d be stuck here, maybe for years. What was more important, my pride or my escape?

  How difficult could this be? It’s not like they wanted to throw me in a live volcano, swim in a frigid ocean, wrestle a tupilak; or at least I hoped not.

  Whatever Woden was, it was serious. It meant gaining their trust, which I would need before we could start negotiations. What choice did I have? I’d have to comply to their customs. My next decision was important. It would affect the policy of interplanetary relationships. But before I made any commitments, I wanted to know what Woden was.

  I opened my mouth to ask, “What is Woden?” Instead, I blurted, “Okay, let’s do it. Let’s do Woden.”

  The crowd gasped. I got the feeling it was too late to take back my “Let’s do it.” I didn’t even know why I’d said it.

  Nu Venia looked ready to fall off her chair. She silently mouthed, “No.”

  I thought she wanted this, so why was she upset? Evidently, she hadn’t expected me to agree to Woden. Which begged the question; what had I agreed to?

  Adumie’s maroon skin paled.

  I began to sweat.

  I opened my mouth to say, “No, that’s not what I meant. Let me explain,” but before the words could come, a murmur rippled through the crowd. Instead of fear or anger, they now stared at me in awe.

  “Good. When you die, we will send the others back to Earth,” an angry voice said.

  Die? What had I agreed to?

  I thought these people wanted this. Why were they still angry at me? Evidently, nothing I did would satisfy them. Not even Woden.

  Nu Venia stood and left.

  “We leave at first light,” Cameron said.

  What? Leave? To where? I wasn’t going anywhere. Not outside this habitat anyway.

  Then something chilling happened. Something I had not thought possible and I knew I was in trouble.

  Cameron smiled.

  Log of Father Joseph Striken

  Harrie’s Story

  Second year, day 164

  Five puppies came forth today. All are healthy. No one is more amazed and pleased than Faris.

  Coming Forth

  Faris sent word to Father Joseph and Dr. Beasley to come quickly.

  They met as they were exiting the main building and ran together to meet her.

  She was almost in tears. “I don’t understand,” she said. “They were fine, then they changed. All the cocoons have hardened.”

  Beasley knelt down to check one of the cocoons. He unwrapped the vines around it.

  “What are you doing?” Faris demanded.

  “I think they’re getting ready to hatch,” he said.

  “Hatch?” Faris said in wonder. “But it’s only been a week. Shouldn’t it take longer?”

  “My dear captain, your Spitz shouldn’t even be having puppies, or producing cocoons, but she has. As for what should or shouldn’t happen next, I have no idea,” he said. “I would never have thought any of this possible.” He picked up one of the vines.

  Now that it was no longer wrapped around the cocoon, the vine no longer leaked.

  “We will have to wait and see,” Beasley said and unwrapped the other cocoons.

  By now a small crowd was beginning to form around them. No one spoke. They stood in hushed curiosity and watched.

  One of the cocoons wobbled from something moving inside.

  “Shouldn’t we help it?” Faris asked. “Break the shell or something?”

  “I think not,” the doctor said. “This could be the same as when a bird hatches. If we help, it might die.”

  “But you don’t know.” Faris knelt and reached for one of the hardened cocoons.

  Father Joseph gently helped her back to her feet. “I think Beasley is right. Be patient and we shall see what happens.”

  She started to pull away, but stopped. Instead, she unconsciously placed her hand over his and waited.

  Adryel came to stand on the other side of her.

  Without removing her hand from Father’s Joseph’s hold, she slipped her other arm around Adryel’s arm. He stepped closer. She rested her head on his shoulder. It was the first sign of public intimacy between them.

  It didn’t take long for a paw to come scratching through, then a head appeared. As the puppy broke free, Dr Beasley picked it up and handed it to Faris.

  “Now,” he said.

  Faris picked at the shell as the puppy continued to squirm out.

  All five puppies came forth with their eyes wide opened and covered in wet fur. They were the size of three-month-old pups. Within a few moments, they were trying to walk; within an hour, the puppies were running and barking.

  Beasley proudly announced, “They are all female. I might even suggest they are all clones of your Spitz, though I have no idea how this is possible.”

  “I think it is by the divine will of Allah.” Faris smiled broadly and giggled like a little girl.

  End of Harrie’s Story Log

  I tend to lean toward Faris’ hypothesis. These pups are a gift from God, but why I cannot say.

  There is the feeling that they are more important than the captain’s wellbeing. None of this makes any sense. And yet that is what faith is all about. To trust when one does not understand.

  So I will trust that one day God will make things clear.

  Chapter 29

  Rona Montgomery

  Zhoa

  AT LEAST Rona wasn’t on sitting the porch anymore; she was running with the big dogs now. Yea, she’d turned an old southern saying into a pun, but it fit. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she was finally engaged in an almost-real project.

  Rona sat cross-legged on the floor. There weren’t enough tables and chairs to go around, because the dining area took top priority along with most of the tables and chairs. Britannia didn’t have the time to provide the scientists with everything they needed. Many people used the dining tables as workspace. But they had to pick up and move everything before each meal. She and Lu volunteered them to sit on the floor.

  Lu sat hunched over. She snapped her thin plastic computer to her wrist and raised her wrist to her mouth. She said, “On.” Her wrist lit up. “Screen.”

  A holographic screen appeared in front of them.

  She turned to Rona. “How large?”

  Rona considered. “Large enough for both of us to see.”

  Lu nodded. “Fifty-four centimeter screen.”

  The screen disappeared and in less than a second reappeared as a fifty-four centimeter screen.

  Rona preferred headgear. She slipped her computer on her head and touched the mouthpiece. “On.” A second screen appeared in front of her. “Synchronize with Chow Lu.”

  Rona’s screen hesitated.

  Lu repeated the same command to her computer.

  The two screens disappeared and reappeared as one.

  “What should we call the project?” Lu asked.

  Rona shook her head as she shrugged her shoulders. She had no idea. “Dog Project?”

  “I was hoping for something more exotic, more alien,” Lu said.

  “Canine Project?” She grinned.

  Lu shook her head. “OK, we
’ll think of a better name later.” She turned to the screen. “Computer, the project is called. . .” she shot a quick glance at Rona. “Canini Project.”

  Canini was Latin for dog.

  “More clever than a mouse stealing cheese from a mouse trap.” Rona laughed.

  “They make better mouse traps these days,” Lu said.

  Rona smiled and said, “Computer, synchronize with Canini Project.”

  Now any information added to the project, whether from both of them at the same time or one at a time, would be updated on both computers.

  As Lu read the identification number on each sample of blood out loud, the screen recorded the information. She placed the sample in the Blood Analyzer.

  It took ten years to map the first DNA. As technology improved, it took thirteen weeks. Today, it took only a few hours.

  Once programmed, the Blood Analyzer could process thirty blood samples at a time. It read the blood count and check for foreign viruses and bacteria. Every mammal carried viruses and bacteria that are natural to them. A human carries two kilograms of bacteria.

  The Blood Analyzer also separated the plasma, mapped the DNA, and entered all information into the appropriate file on their computers.

  Rona uploaded the digital dog pictures the computer would match the ID numbers to the ones Lu had just read. The HMS took realism digital holographic images. The 3D image was so life-like Rona could see individual strands of fur. 4D showed the interior organs of the dogs, their muscular and skeleton structure, veins and vital organs. 5D showed a detailed image of each organ.

  But blood samples still held the most answers.

  To her surprise, Rona was enjoying herself. A good project was the best remedy for most ailments. She’d known that, but had forgotten. She pleaded temporary insanity. It was good to be back on track.

  The dogs seemed to like the attention. After they’d had their heads scratched and their tummies rubbed, they’d shown their affection by licking faces and hands. Then the dogs were willing to have the HMS analyze them, take pictures, and have their blood drawn. The Lu placed a Blood Scanner on the bottom of their paw. It took no more than a drop and saved it for the Analyzer.

  Rona and Lu decided to start with every adult dog that frequented the scientists’ quarters. They accumulated images and blood samples from 72 dogs. Twenty-eight had adopted a person and rarely left their side. The others often visited and liked to hang around.

  They planned to begin with 120 adult dogs. Then they’d start with puppies.

  There were certainly enough of them. Puppies were everywhere. On any given day, there could be as many as fifty puppies in their quarters.

  Zhoa walked over and sat between Rona and Lu. People had the habit of dropping in to see how a project was progressing. But they’d just started the Canini Project and didn’t have anything to report.

  Rona’s first thought was to ask Zhoa to come back later. She and Lu were too busy to entertain visitors, but when she opened her mouth to speak, she closed it.

  Zhoa’s face was etched with worry. He held his left hand as if it had been injured.

  She signaled to Lu.“Save,” Lu said. The screen obeyed.“Sleep.” The screen disappeared.

  “Would you take a look at this?” Zhoa extended his hand for her and Lu to examine.“I can’t find doctors Mathieu or Lesley. I probably wouldn’t have noticed, but it itches. So I took the sprayed bandage off and found this.”

  Tiny, barely noticeable red bumps covered the inside of his thumb to the middle of his palm.

  Rona ran her fingers over the area. She didn’t think it was serious. Still, it was smart of him to check and make sure. She noticed a thin scab at the base of his thumb. “It looks like you cut yourself.”

  “Yes, yesterday, while I was butchering meat,” he said.

  “It looks like you may have a little infection under the skin because of the cut,” Rona said.

  “I washed my hands right away. Vong sprayed a bandage on it.”

  “Once the skin is cut, Zhoa, any number of bacteria can get in. Looks like a rash,” Lu said.

  “I’m not usually allergic to anything,” Zhoa said.

  “It happens. Most people are allergic to something, even if they don’t know it. It’s normal,” Rona said. “We’re on an alien planet. No telling what any of us might pick up, or have brought with us.”

  “That’s why we were so thoroughly decontaminated when we arrived,” Lu said. “We shouldn’t have brought any new diseases, but no matter how careful we are, there’s always something.”

  “I guess.” Zhoa didn’t sound convinced.

  “We have some cream,” Lu said. “It’s simple, but it should help. You’ll know soon enough. Mathieu and Lesley will reappear and they’ll have something stronger,” she said. “It’s best to let the doctors treat you.”

  Lu pulled a small white tube out of her medical kit. She squeezed ointment onto his thumb. Zhoa rubbed it over his rash. Rona sprayed a bandage over the area.

  “There, right as rain. It’s old tech, but sometimes the old methods are best,” Rona said. “Check with the doctors when you find them. You should be okay until then.”

  “Thanks. It feels better already.” Zhoa wiggled his thumb checking Rona’s handiwork.

  AKIANE LOG

  Faris Assetti

  Year 4, day 52

  I am no longer captain.

  This day, we are no longer an Earth colony.

  From this day forth, we are “Endurance” for we have endured much and have survived. We will continue to prosper without help from any other, but ourselves, and Allah.

  A Ship Comes

  Faris, along with many others, stared up through the glass dome ceiling in wonder and could hardly believe her eyes. A ship was passing overhead.

  Like so many others, she ran outside to witness this monumental event.

  A ship from Earth was here. A wave of relief swept over Faris. They had not been forgotten after all. At the same time a sick feeling rose up from her stomach.

  Did this mean she would have to leave? She was a captain in the WSC Space Force. If she was ordered to return, she’d have to obey, but did she want to?

  The ship landed a kilometer away.

  All hurried to welcome those who disembarked.

  The drawbridge slowly descended, but no one came out.

  They waited. No one appeared in the doorway.

  Father Joe left the crowd and walked up the drawbridge and into the ship.

  Faris knew she should go with him, but her feet would not move. She held her breath in anticipation.

  After fifteen minutes, Joe reappeared. He stood for a moment, then said, “I checked the logs. There are no crewmembers. The logs say WSC didn’t have the money to send a crew, but they didn’t want to abandon up, they set this ship full of supplies.”

  “What kind of supplies?” Faris asked.

  “Frozen food. Blankets…”

  “Blankets?” Faris demanded.

  “Building material …”

  “Anything important?” Faris asked.

  “Seeds for farming. DNA for livestock,” Joe said.

  “Is that all?” someone asked.

  “There’s no one on the entire ship? How is that possible?”

  “It’s robotic,” Faris said. “They set it on autopilot and launched her.”

  “But why? What did that prove?”

  “It proves that no one is coming for us,” Faris said. She realized she was glad that there was no one to order her back to WSC Moon Base but, at the same time, she knew this empty ship was not a good sign.

  “It proves,” she continued, “that we are on our own.”

  “No reinforcements from WSC?” someone asked.

  “We are masters of our own fate. We no longer belong to anyone.” Her voice rose so all could hear. “We are no longer a colony. This day we declare our independence from WSC, for no one provides for us, but Allah.”

  It took only seco
nds for the crowd to rally behind Faris’ words.

  “The ship is programmed to take anyone who wishes to, to return to Earth,” Joe said.

  The crowd behind Faris became suddenly silent. Even the smallest of them knew something was wrong and quieted to a whisper.

  “Does anyone wish to return to Earth?” Faris asked.

  Two years ago, there would have been plenty who would have said yes. But that was then. They’d been through so much together. They’d accomplished so much.

  They’d become a community that had survived together against the odds.

  No one spoke.

  “Can I take your silence as a sign that all of you want to stay?” Faris asked.

  She received a resounding, “Yes.”

  Last entry of the day

  A WSC ship arrived today. No one was aboard.

  We are unsure as to what WSC meant by not sending personnel reinforcements and only offering to take us back as if we are failures.

  WE ARE NOT FAILURES!

  There is much pride in being the first humans to leave the Solar System and become residents of a different star system.

  We have accomplished much in four years. Only the strongest of us have survived after a devastating beginning and under harsh conditions.

  We will not return with our tail between our legs.

  We will stay and prosper. In a thousand years we will have built several major cities full of Akiane natives.

  We will see who is the failure then.

  Today, we celebrated our independence and all we have accomplished.

  Chapter 30

  Lieutenant Jessica Hewitt

  VS

  Admiral Grossman

  “YOU’LL BE a hero.”

  If I’m dead, who’ll care?

  Admiral Grossman was agreeing to Woden. He was ordering me out of the habitat on an expedition across a frozen planet. “When you return, you’ll be able to have any job you want, anywhere on Earth.”