Just when everything should have been perfect, it was all unraveling. It seemed the five of us argued incessantly. At one point, we considered scrapping the whole idea of buying Shamu, which would keep us in close proximity to one another. But Cap persuaded the rest of us to stay the course, promising that it would all work out, eventually.
It took many weeks before Sparks reconciled his intellectual understanding of my actions with his emotional trauma and forgave me. It was a rough several months for all of us—almost as bad emotionally as our time aboard the Stromvik ship. But when Guido saw that Sparks forgave me, his attitude softened toward me as well.
Eventually we all got through it—with some friendships bruised but fortunately still intact.
* * * *
The negotiations, not only for the purchase of Shamu but also for extensive retrofits and enhancements, were lengthy but productive. In the end, we had our ship at the expected salvage price, plus options. This put the cost to us square in the middle of affordable. It was still well out of reach of most mere mortals, but the five of us together were able to swing it easily from our bonuses.
It was a win-win situation for everyone: The Company got to keep some—a lot—of their bonus cash and got the publicity value out of enabling “five intrepid and valiant explorers” blah, blah, blah, to continue exploring the galaxy. We got the freedom to control our destinies and escape the limelight until it dimmed a bit.
Looking at the bigger picture, other exploration and refinery crews gained the hope that one day they too could strike it rich and buy their own ships. And, the children of Earth were given some new role models and the no-longer-totally-unattainable dream that they might grow up to rocket among the stars in their very own shiny new spaceship. Of course, Shamu was anything but shiny and new, even after we paid disgraceful sums to upgrade many of her outdated systems, but that reality didn’t dull the dream any. Besides, we knew that as the cost of space flight dropped, due to the implementation of all sorts of new and more efficient alien technologies, the dream would gradually become reality for future generations.
There was a major media event the day we five met with the chairman of Saleya to shake hands and sign the transfer-of-title papers. It was exactly one year to the day from when we left Earth to begin our now-historic mission. It felt strange to be Earth-bound for so many months. In the end, I was itching to return to space.
Although Shamu herself couldn’t be on hand for the ceremony—she was orbiting high above Earth in space dock—the audience was shown a holo clip of her in all her glory. I was shocked to see that the patched and scarred exterior had been given a new paint job and a spit-polish and now gleamed in the reflected sunlight. Damn, if she didn’t look shiny and new.
As I stood there, uncomfortable in formal clothes, looking at Shamu, tears came unbidden to my eyes and a lump to my throat. At this moment, I knew we had made the right decision. I couldn’t wait to get into my jumpsuit and back aboard Shamu—to go…anywhere we wanted, anywhere but here. It’s a cliché, but we’d been where no human had gone before, found new life and new civilizations—and we wanted more. Space exploration is an incurable addiction that gets in your blood and makes your life a living hell until you can go back out again.
I tried to explain to my girlfriend Helga that I had to go back out, that once you've explored the vastness of the universe, the wanderlust is unquenchable. “Sweetheart, I’m not cut out for life on Earth, sitting around a pool sipping martinis. There’s nothing on Earth to equal the thrill of seeing new planets, new comets, new stars, or the freedom to go anywhere you want without running into crowds of people.”
That didn’t sit well with her—I probably could have said it better. But I promised that we would no longer have to be gone as long at a stretch. After all, we controlled our schedule now. We didn’t need to spend months prospecting and mining. We could afford to simply explore for the thrill of the hunt—mining if we felt like it and found something worth stopping for, or merely mapping the sites if we didn’t. This went on for days, but eventually she relented.
After the ceremony, there was a long, interminable banquet, with speechifying by the chairman, the prime minister of the Republic of Europe, and various other notables whom I promptly dismissed from memory. Afterward, Tom, Sparks, Cap, Guido and I were left alone to say goodbye to our loved ones. I had never seen Helga look at me that way before, with a mixture of pride and…could it be envy?
After all the hugging, kissing, and crying were done it was time for the “Fab Five” to leave once more. A Company driver took us to the airport where a suborbital shuttle returned us to the terminal at the base of the Odyssey space elevator.
We strode through the ODF with newfound energy and the excitement of children who have just unwrapped the cherry-red bicycles they’ve always wanted. We looked out the viewport at Shamu and grinned at one another, all animosities forgotten. Once again we were a crew, a family—first, last, and always.
Captain Tyrone Gilroy, master of the newly rechristened Independent Ship Shamu—the first of its kind—surveyed his crew. His eyes shone with pride; a broad smile spread slowly across his face.
“Gentlemen, what say we get the hell out of here and have some fun! Who’s with me?”
Four grins were his answer.
We turned as one and strode together up the ramp and into the ship. Our ship.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Terence Chapman is the author of five published novels so far: The Mars Imperative (4.3 stars on Amazon); The Tesserene Imperative (4.6 stars); the award-nominated Sunrise Destiny; the former #1 bestselling Military Sci-Fi novel on Amazon, My Other Car is a Spaceship—also available as an audiobook); and the latest, Aliens Versus Zombies; as well as a self-help book for writers, Frequently Misused / Misspelled Words and Phrases (and How to Use Them Correctly).
His publishing credits (as Mark T. Chapman) also include a nonfiction book about the OS/2 operating system (OS/2 Power User’s Reference; 1995), a coauthored book about IBM servers (Exploring IBM Server & Storage Technology, 6th Edition, 2005), a coauthored IBM manual (IBM eServer x440 Technical Information Guide; 2001), articles about writing and investing in nanotechnology for The Motley Fool investing website (www.fool.com), plus various white papers on the subjects of Microsoft Windows, Linux, and server technology.
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FREE CHAPTER FROM SUNRISE DESTINY
If you enjoyed The Imperative Chronicles, you might also like my EPIC Award finalist paranormal/detective/alien-abduction novel, Sunrise Destiny. Here is a sample chapter to give you a taste:
Chapter Fifteen
“How the hell did they find us?” I demanded.
“I do not know. At the moment, does it matter?”
“Guess not. We’ll be right there.”
We barely had time to throw on some clothes before Keldor hurried us out the door and down to the waterline. Karsh had called us from aboard Galla, where he, Kannara, and Allara waited.
We dove into the sea. Shari and I were still at a disadvantage when it came to swimming, so Essin took my hand and Aboro took Shari’s and towed us out to Galla. As soon as our threls had insinuated themselves into our airways, we dove.
It took less than six minutes from the time we awoke to when we squeezed through the tube and into Galla, and that was almost too late. Within seconds of launching, we felt the first energy pulse concussion from one of the three
pursuing ships. Galla heeled over to port and then righted herself. She veered further to port and dove for deeper water.
I showed Shari how to open a slit and access the “jetway” running from the rear of the ship to the command center, where Karsh coordinated things. We arrived seconds later to find Karsh and four other Azarti in the same H formation as the last time we were under attack: One pair of Azarti on each side of the chamber clutched the wall with one hand and interlocked fingers with the other. Karsh floated in the center, gripping one of each pair by the shoulder.
Shari and I hovered at the rear of the room. I called out softly, “Karsh, can we do anything to help?”
I sensed the strain in his mental voice. “I do not know. Can you? I do not think the same trick we employed previously will work this time. Our pursuers are closer and more numerous.”
Galla shuddered and bucked as two blasts rocked us, one after the other.
“I fear Galla is not swift enough to elude our pursuers.”
I turned to Shari. “Follow my lead. Open your mind to the ship. Take everything in. Become part of the gestalt. I’ll help you.”
I sensed her uncertainty, but she nodded her agreement. I figured the Azarti technique was good enough for us, so I gripped the spongy chamber wall with one hand and Shari’s hand with the other.
As before, I focused on the texture of the wall, the feeling of warmth, the power flowing within. Within seconds I saw the ship as a whole, and everyone in it. I reached out to Shari’s mind and shared with her. She gasped as the whole of the ship was revealed to her.
Seconds more and I took in the entirety of the battle, with three ships chasing and trying to outflank us. Galla was doing her best, but it was an impossible task to elude three heavily armed ships blanketing the seas with energy blasts. It was amazing that she’d avoided being killed so far.
I expanded my consciousness to take in the other ships. I found I could listen in on their conversations. It was tough to keep everything straight in my head, but it was essential. Besides, it was time for me to try out some of that power I supposedly had.
“Karsh, you have to trust me on this. Let me assume command of Galla and steer.”
“I cannot do that. Allara must tell Galla to obey you.”
“Ask her. Please!”
“One moment.”
I overheard their conversation, and then Allara telling Galla that she should do what I told her.
“It is done,” Karsh said.
“Okay, good. I’m going to listen in on the three captains’ firing orders. I’m going to try to steer Galla through the holes in the pattern. Hearing the firing orders should give me a split-second’s warning where the next shots are aimed.”
“Can you do it?” Shari looked nervous.
I shrugged. “All I can do is try.”
She smiled back at me. “Okay.”
I had to hope that Galla could understand what I wanted. She was semi-sentient, but I wasn’t sure how well that translated into understanding instructions from a human. I asked her and I sensed confirmation, but I was betting all our lives on this gamble.
Taking a deep breath, I began.
It was tough going. I had a split-second each time between when the captains gave orders and when the gunners fired. If I delayed too long in telling Galla where to go, she wouldn’t have enough warning to be elsewhere. Eventually, the captains might change tactics and use a pattern that would be harder to avoid, but that was the best plan I could come up with on short notice. I kept hoping a brilliant idea would occur to one of us eventually. Not having weapons to fight back with really reduced our options.
There were far too many close calls. Sometimes two captains gave orders almost simultaneously, and I had no time to figure out where to be to avoid both shots. So some of them nearly clobbered us. Fortunately for us, Galla had the resiliency of youth and there was always a hole or two in the pattern.
This continued for an hour, and then two. I was running out of energy. This mental warfare stuff was exhausting, especially on little sleep. I sensed Galla’s strength flagging as well. She couldn’t keep this up forever.
Then the shooting stopped.
I was confused at first, but the senior captain had given the order to cease firing. I listened in on his discussion with the other captains.
“We must let the ships rest. This continuous firing is exhausting them. Keep the rebel ship in range, but do not engage for now. We will consider alternative tactics for when we resume the attack.”
I closed my eyes and sighed in relief. “Karsh. She’s all yours. The bad guys are taking a breather. I need one too.”
Shari squeezed my hand. Within seconds, I was fast asleep.
* * * *
Someone shook the bed. “Just another five minutes, Ma.”
“Sunrise!”
I awoke to Karsh’s urgent prompt, still floating in the command center and groggy from lack of sleep. It felt like I’d been out for only a few minutes. “Huh? What?”
“They are firing again.” Galla rocked from the blow.
“Uh, right. Okay. Same routine, everyone.”
As before, I listened in on the captains’ conversations and directed Galla’s movements. The captains were doing a better job of overlapping their firing patterns. We continued to slip through ever smaller gaps in the patterns, but we couldn’t continue this way forever. Sooner or later, Galla would tire or be injured. We needed to lose the bad guys somehow.
“Karsh?” I called out. “Is there anywhere Galla could hide where the other ships couldn’t follow?”
“Perhaps. There is a volcanic region containing many interconnected caverns and lava tubes less than an hour from here. If we reach that, we may be able to elude the other ships. However, the caverns are unstable, due to active volcanoes in the area. It is extremely dangerous.”
“So is being shot at by three heavily armed ships. We have to do something.”
“Very well. Try to keep us heading in this direction….” He projected an image of a map showing the direction we were heading and where the caverns were. “…as much as you can while avoiding the weapons fire.”
I tried to project confidence, but Shari sensed my doubts. She squeezed my hand. “You can do it honey. I know you can.”
I smiled and squeezed back. “We’ll get out of this. I promise.”
She smiled behind her threl. “That’s better. I’ll hold you to your promise.”
“Cross my heart and hope to— Never mind.”
The next fifty minutes or so were tense, to say the least. We went through periods where we avoided everything the other ships could throw at us and then two or three shots would get uncomfortably close, sloshing us around inside Galla. I knew the longer the chase lasted, the greater the probability a lucky shot would get us. Poor Galla was taking a beating. We had to find a way to end the impasse in our favor.
“Sunrise!”
“Yes, Karsh?”
“I detect two more ships at extreme range approaching from starboard.”
“Tell me they’re your ships.”
“I am afraid we have no other ships in this area.”
“Damn it. We can’t seem to catch a break. How far are we from those caverns we’re aiming for?”
“At least four minutes. The other ships will be within firing range before then.”
“Can we possibly get any more speed out of Galla? I know it’s a lot to ask for after all she’s been through, but if we don’t reach the caverns before the other ships get here….”
“I will see what I can do.”
“Let her know that if we reach the caverns safely and lose the other ships, she’ll be able to rest.”
“I will.”
I don’t know how much difference Karsh’s urging made, but the other two ships joined the fray with a bang. Literally. They announced their presence with a salvo that ripped my grip loose from Galla’s wall. I sensed a tremendous burst of pain from Galla as she cried
out mentally. Our speed slowed dramatically. But then we were in the first cavern. I sensed Keldo attempting to heal Galla with his hands placed on the inside of her external “wall” near the site of the injury.
With my attention split among five ships’ captains, I couldn’t also take the time to visualize multiple caverns at a time to get a “big picture.” I had to hope I was steering us through the maze and not into a dead-end. At the very least, the meandering lava tubes meant that the pursuing ships couldn’t surround us. They had to follow through the same chambers. Some chambers were immense and the ships could spread out and more than one could take a shot, with Galla swooping and jinking to avoid being hit. But then they had to converge to pass single-file through the narrower opening to the next chamber.
Even though Galla was forced to limp along at less than half speed, the twists and turns of the passages precluded faster travel anyway. Even better, we were out of direct line of fire much of the time. Instead of nonstop firing, the Brotherhood ships were limited to occasional shots. Plus, once we reached the heart of the maze, they lost sight of us. The ships were forced to split up to cover all the possible directions we might have taken at certain junctures.
A rumbling reverberated through Galla’s walls. “What’s that? Another sort of weapon?”
Karsh signaled in the negative. “Seismic activity. I told you these caverns are unstable.”
Great. One more thing to worry about.
Eventually, three of the ships headed off on wild goose chases down irrelevant passages. That left two pursuers nearby. One was hot on our tail, and the other in a more-or-less parallel chamber that would intersect ours not far ahead. There was nowhere for us to exit before then. If we didn’t get past the intersection before the other ship got there, we’d be trapped between the two. That didn’t bode well for us.
The Imperative Chronicles, Books One and Two: The Mars Imperative & The Tesserene Imperative Page 66