by JB Penrose
“So, when am I going to meet this – Iscar?” Reider wanted to know.
“He’ll be here right after sundown,” Kerroon told them. “I’ve spent most of the afternoon helping him disassemble the grids from the warehouse,” he admitted. “I was hoping you’d agree; there didn’t seem to be time to ask upfront – since the warehouse would be closed by the end of the day. Iscar was going to load them in a truck and pack his things; he said he’d stop by Control and process our launch papers as well.”
“So, he’s already starting to earn his pay,” Reider nodded approvingly. “I’m going to like this guy!”
“I’ll like him a lot more when he’s loaded all the grids into the cargo bay. At least you didn’t pay upfront for these things – I’d be worried you might have been conned by this guy.”
“No, he seems genuine – and he was just as glad to see me. Remember he’s the one who was out of a job at the end of the day. Dayln, are you cool with all this? You’re a member of this crew as well.”
She nodded. “I’m fine with someone buying their way into the crew. It gives them an immediate investment into the future of all of us. Just as long as he knows--”
“One for all and all for one,” the crew said it together and finished in laughter.
“Alright,” Reider said. “Let’s get back to work. We need to be ready to install those grids by sundown.”
They were just finishing when the truck pulled up outside the port dock. They had worked without a break, fueled by their excitement of becoming a stellar grade cargo ship. No one really knew it was dark until Kerroon went outside to greet Iscar.
He returned in the company of a dark hair stranger, bearded, brown eyes, and long hair – quite the contrast from the brothers in the Orygin’s crew. But Iscar’s smile, thin and deceptive, made Dayln cautious from the moment she met him. She tried to hide that feeling, and hoped their friendship would grow into something solid; after all, they were going to live and work like family.
“I come bearing gifts,” Iscar told them after the introductions.
“It’s not a gift to us, but to the Orygin and our future together,” Reider said. “Be welcome,” he said. “Just know that we operate as equals here, and everyone is expected to do their share of the work.”
“I am grateful to have found work – especially after my last position closed out.” Iscar nodded to Reider, and then to Kerroon. “I have also filed our launch plan with Control. We’re cleared for launch by sunrise-plus-one,” he told them.
“How could you know when we’d be ready to launch?” Pierzon asked. “We won’t have these grids installed by morning; and we’ve been working all day and could use some rest first.”
“Forgive me, please,” Iscar bowed quietly. “I know of a cargo job available on the third Tiran moon, but to get to there in time we need to launch right away. It won’t require the full installation of all the grids and we can do that on the way – but Kerroon mentioned to me you didn’t have a job lined up, so I took the liberty of accepting something that I knew was available.”
“In the future, Iscar, you’ll find that’s the captain’s prerogative,” Reider told him.
“Of course,” Iscar agreed. “But this job needed an answer right away, and I hoped you wouldn’t mind that I accepted before they found someone else to transport the irridiam to Belara. It pays well, and I know the shipping manager.”
“Well, I think we can overlook the decorum just this once.” Zebede pat him on the back and brought Iscar further into the ship’s bridge area. “Let’s take a look at those grids you brought us. We can get started on a few tonight – I know I don’t feel like sleeping.”
They split the shift into half working and half sleeping so they would be ready for launch as scheduled in the morning. Reider, Dayln, and Zebede were awakened by the ship’s clock in time for a few bites of breakfast, and then went to the cargo bay to check the evening crews’ progress on the grid installation. All the grids had been set into place, and one-by-one they had integrated the power into the ship’s system for use. With Iscar’s help they had accomplished more than expected by the launch hour.
“We can start with this,” Reider told them. “I’ll get the Orygin ready for take-off; you guys grab a bite to eat and a few hours of sleep. You deserve it.”
“I’d like to be on the bridge for launch if you don’t mind,” Iscar told Reider. “After all, it’s a new beginning for me and I’m not exactly ready to sleep just yet.”
“Sure! I understand completely,” Reider clapped him on the back. “It’s a new beginning for all of us.”
Dayln felt right at home at the navigator’s console. She was familiar with the equipment for stellar class ships from her experience on the StarFire with her family, but the upgrades that Pierzon had installed were user-friendly and she had no trouble adjusting to the technology.
Iscar made himself comfortable at the communication bench while Reider and Zebede started the preflight check off. Just as they were ready to power up, the comm-light activated.
“Orygin! Orygin! Come in, Orygin.” The command came from the control tower. “Orygin, you are requested to stand down your launch.”
“What?” Reider paused the sequence and looked at Zebede. “What do they want?”
Iscar turned off the comm-speakers. “I’d launch as planned, if I were you,” he told them.
“And if you weren’t?” Reider demanded to know. “What is going on? What do you know?”
“They may be looking for those power grids,” Iscar told them calmly. “And you probably don’t want them to know they’re here.”
“I thought you paid for those grids,” Zebede stood up. “What have you done?”
“You might say I just took what was mine,” Iscar told them. “And you won’t want Control to confirm they’re installed on this ship – you might all look guilty.”
“As guilty as you are! What have you dragged us in to?” Reider demanded to know.
“You can’t be convicted as thieves if they can’t confirm the grids are on this ship.” Iscar urged Reider to continue the launch. “If you launch now you’re only guilty of leaving without consent, but if you let them board for inspection, then we’ll have other troubles on our hands.”
“We didn’t have any trouble until you came aboard.” Zebede told him hotly. “And this isn’t what we bargained for.”
“One for all and all for one,” Iscar replied. “And once you’re launched the rest of the solar system is yours to explore. Who’s going to care about a spaceport on
Bi’atra-4?”
The sound of sirens approaching only served as urgency to the situation building inside the cabin.
“What’s going on?” Kerroon and Pierzon stepped on to the bridge from the stem-lift. “Are those security sirens?”
“It seems your friend here didn’t really take care of the paperwork,” Reider said. “At least, not the part about paying for the grids.”
“But they’re installed now,” Pierzon said. “It will look like we stole them.”
“What are you doing to do, Reider?” Kerroon was anxiously looking from the captain to the culprit. The sirens were closer.
There was a moment of hesitation; all could hear the deep breath from Reider. In the next moment, he flipped the switch to start the ship’s engines started and the sirens were muffled in the budding energy field. The security vehicles came into view on the launch screen and Zebede turned off the screen. Once liftoff had started, the crew was committed to their decision.
It wasn’t the new beginning any of them had planned.
* * * * * * * * *
When history returns to the Beginning, the Beginning turns into history; when the Spokesmon returns to the Source, the world returns to God.
Like a breeze felt but never seen
I know you in my heart.
You enfold me ever in your Love
And guide me through the dark.
We believe in T
hee.
We believe in Thee.
A star that’s lost in morning’s sun
Is always in the sky.
A never sleeping dream each night
You call me to your side.
we believe in Thee.
We believe in Thee.
Gather together our hearts, our minds, and our souls,
that we may become as One Fire.
Acting as One, let us always do God’s Work, learn the Masters’ Lessons, and manifest the Spokesmon’s Dreams.
THE DELPHI COUNTDOWN
Trilogy
Volume 1
DAYSTAR chronicles the 10 days before the Aurora’s launch on a galactic mission to discover the source of a new light in the sky. Peter and Rachel remain on Earth with a mission of their own, to discover the destiny of the Spokesmon.
Volume 2
DREAMSTAR takes place in Delphi, a city hidden for centuries inside the Himalayan Mountains whose citizens are all psi-talents led to Delphi through their dreams. This is where duty meets destiny. The grand homecoming, the arrival of the Spokesmon, has finally happened. The only problem is – she’s not sure she wants to be there.
Volume 3
In HEARTSTAR the world is on the brink of war, fighting over possession of new technology, and the perceived threat from the group of psi-talents following the Spokesmon. Finally, the Aurora returns, with more than answers about the DayStar.