Titan Encounter

by Kyle Pratt

  Naomi eyed her carefully. “I do not think of myself as a monster, but I am strong, fast, and,” her voice lowered to a growl, “trained to kill.”

  “Stop it, ladies.” A wry smile crossed Justin’s face. “And I thought I was going crazy. You’re telepathic too.”

  “Yes and telekinetic.”

  “So,” he gestured toward his head, “was it just you communicating with me in the passageway or…”

  “No. To communicate like that we both must be telepathic. And you are strongly telekinetic. When you threw me up against the wall with your mind I could not break free.”

  “What?” Mara asked. “When did that happen?”

  Justin ignored his sister. “I’m not in control of these powers. How did you learn to use your psychic abilities?”

  “Dr. Galen taught me from texts recovered from the Titans. Anu and Enlil and other Nephilim would often watch these sessions.”

  Mara’s eyes fixed on Naomi, “You’ve actually seen Nephilim?”

  “Many times during my psychic training and occasionally during my physical training.”

  “I always believed…we were taught that they were myths.” Mara’s mouth hung open, but for a moment, no words came forth. “It was just a story created by those in power to keep power.”

  “They are real.”

  Justin shook his head. “Apparently not everything taught in the CFS is true.”

  Mara’s eyes widened with fear. “They are so going to hunt us down and kill us both.”

  Naomi nodded. “I think that is so and since I have fled they will kill me also.”

  Justin rubbed his face. First they’ll take DNA samples—then they’ll kill us. “We need to find that jump gate.” And I hope it works and whoever is on the other side doesn’t want us dead. “How long until we arrive at Spitzer?”

  “About forty-six hours,” Mara said without looking at the console.

  Justin rubbed his chin. “I always thought of myself as a Norm.” He glanced at Naomi. “Neither of us asked for this, but we are what we are—Titans.”

  “I do not consider myself a Titan.”

  He tilted his head back. “What would you call yourself then?”

  Naomi shrugged. “Your friend.”

  Justin smiled, “Good enough for now.” He had more questions, but for now that was enough to mull over. “I’ll take the next watch. You two get some rest.”

  The women stared at each other. Apparently neither wanted to be the first to leave. After several seconds Naomi shrugged and departed.

  “Call me if you need anything,” Mara said.

  He nodded and she walked away.

  Justin moved about the bridge, reading the displays and becoming familiar with the location of the various controls. Normally the FTL drive would power all ship systems, but Mara had it balanced to use the absolute minimum anti-matter fuel to maintain a stable wormhole around them. It was only then that he noticed the controls for the small fission reactor. Usually it served only as a backup power supply but, she had it running at maximum. It would not extend their range significantly, but it would help. Good job Mara.

  After several minutes he sat in the captain’s chair. Leaning forward, he rested his chin on his hand. The Navsys showed their progress as they raced toward the Spitzer system, but even with Mara’s good piloting they would arrive low on fuel. We’ll need to find the jump gate quickly. Jump gate? I don’t even know for sure there is a jump gate in the system. He shook his head. Even if there is, it’s hundreds of years old. It probably won’t work. And Spitizer is a white dwarf, there aren’t any habitable planets. Leaning back in the chair, he rubbed his face with both hands.

  Naomi words flashed through his mind, “And you are strongly telekinetic.” He recalled how he held Naomi against the wall with the crumbled gun at her feet. He remembered Ferren hanging in the air.

  Memories of Garrett, the man who had bought him and Mara, the man who had treated him like a son and taught him the salvage business, rolled through Justin’s mind. On that last, terrible, day they had walked down the passageway to the cargo bays.

  “I’ve got to cut costs,” Garrett had said.

  Justin knew that work had been slow and nodded.

  “I’m going to sell several workers, including Mara.”

  “No.” Justin shouted.

  “Remember your place,” Garrett said sharply and picked up his pace down the passageway.

  Justin followed, pleaded and then begged.

  “With that implant I had put in her skull she is worth more than all the other slaves I’m selling,” He stopped and lowered his voice. “Look when things pick up I’ll get you someone, but for now that’s my decision.” Garrett turned and walked into an empty cargo bay.

  Justin waited at a portal as rage boiled within him. I wish you were dead. With eyes fixed on the large bay doors, he imagined opening them. Breathe vacuum. He spit the words out as a curse. Metal creaked and popped. The door blew away. With a whoosh, Garrett shot into the void of space.

  Though he had no idea how he was to blame, Justin announced his guilt to the authorities. They assured him he was not responsible. The bay door was old. The metal was weak. It was all just a terrible accident; he had not murdered the man who, in his will, had freed him and given him the salvage business. In the years that followed, Justin almost convinced himself of his innocence, but now he knew he had killed Garrett with a thought.

  Images of Mara in the escape pod with him years before flashed into his mind. When the alarms sounded he screamed and cried for his mother, but she did not come. When his ears began popping, he knew what he must do. Putting his shoulder to the pod door, he shut it. Moments later, his mother banged at the portal. With Mara, he struggled to open the door. He failed and because of his failure his mother died. He had killed her—not with his mind, but with a bad decision. My decisions are going to cause the death of Mara and Naomi in mere hours. My mother…Garrett…Mara…Naomi. I kill the people I care for most.

  Consumed by his thoughts Justin didn’t notice Mara walk in until she stood before him.

  “What are you doing here? Get some sleep.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t. I’ve got too much on my mind. She sat. “I thought you might want company.”

  Justin could see and feel that she was tense. “Sure. Keep me company.”

  For several moments she stared at the displays. “Will we find the jump gate and get somewhere safe?”

  “Yeah. Sure,” he said with a nod. No. You’ve probably followed me to your death.

  Mara looked at him hopefully, but fear lingered in her eyes.

  “I’m working on some plans and ideas for when we arrive at Spitzer.” It was all a lie, but he had always felt the need to keep his inner doubts to himself.

  She smiled and he felt her fear abate. “I’ll take the watch if you want some food.”

  “Food?” He looked at the table at the back of the bridge. The coffee pot was empty and the counter was bare. “I am hungry. I think the last real meal I ate was the dinner with you and Naomi.”

  “I put our stuff in the private galley.” As he stood, she gestured toward the displays. “You didn’t change any settings while I was gone did you?”

  Forcing a frown he said, “Are you afraid I might have messed up something?”

  “No,” she said unconvincingly, “but I am the better pilot.”

  “That you are,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t touch a thing.”

  Justin first peeked into the utilitarian crew galley, a small gray room with a single, long, table running down the middle, then headed up one deck to the larger and more comfortable private dining room. Walking into the kitchen his stomach growled in anticipation. He sighed at what he found. Ration boxes and crackers filled the pantry. Let’s see. A frown spread across his face. I’ll have artificially flavored soy protein meat substitute. He opened the package and removed a square block that somewhat resembled beef. And radiated vegetab
les and juice and a ration of potato flakes.

  * * *

  Filling, but tasteless. He patted his full stomach as he headed back toward the bridge. I ate rations for years and lived, I guess I can do it again.

  Passing the crew galley he smelled food cooking and poked his head in. Naomi, with her hair pulled back tight, was stirring a pot while keeping an eye on something in the processor.

  He stepped in. “There’s a nicer galley one deck up.”

  “Oh” she said with a start. “Yes, I know.” She looked around. “I felt more comfortable in this one.” Then she quickly turned back to the food.

  Breathing deeply he took in the aroma that filled the small room. “Is that soup? It smells good.”

  Talking over her shoulder she said, “The crew stocked their pantry with some fresh food.”

  Of course, he grinned, the crew would stock their galley first.

  “I’m cooking enough for both of us. I figured you would be hungry.”

  He smiled. Stuffed. “Famished.”

  “Good.” Her face seemed to glow. “Sit down. It will be done in a moment.”

  Naomi laid before him a tray with bowls of fresh salad, soup and mixed vegetables. Beside it, she set a dish of identical square blobs of mystery meat.

  “It looks very nice.” I just wish I wasn’t full.

  “The meat is the cheap package stuff, but I made the soup from fresh carrots, celery, beans—anything I could find really.”

  Justin let his eyes linger on her face. “Great.”

  For several minutes Naomi dug into her food while Justin nibbled, smiled, and lavished compliments.

  “What did Dr. Galen tell you about the Spitzer jump gate?”

  “Nothing, really.”

  “Where it is in the solar system?”

  Mouth full, she shrugged and shook her head.

  Justin slowly let his breath out. “I was afraid you would say that. Our lives depend on finding an old jump gate that somehow is still working. I’ll need to get Mara to plot a search pattern.”

  She swallowed then said, “I think Mara is afraid of me.”

  He agreed.

  “I am glad that I do not frighten you.”

  Poking at the lettuce, he said, “I know you’re not going to hurt me.” That came out wrong. “And besides, I can take care of myself.” That didn’t sound right either.

  She shrugged. “Does Mara believe I will hurt her?”

  He tapped his hand on the table several times. “She accepts that you were made from Titan DNA.” He paused. “Everything we know says they were an idea that went badly wrong. Hundreds of millions died as the war went on.”

  “But she is not afraid of you.”

  He sighed. “I’m not sure that she believes I’m a Titan.” I’m not entirely sure that I do. “But she knows me like, well, a sister—even though we’re not.”

  She nodded.

  “You don’t seem surprised.”

  “That she is not your sister?”

  He nodded. “We’ve never told anyone the truth.”

  “You showed me the truth that day in the passageway. Remember, just before you threw me up against the wall…”

  She had stared at him and suddenly memories flashed through his mind. “That was you?” He wiggled his fingers over his head. “What? You probed my mind?”

  “I had to know the truth.”

  “How much did you learn about me?”

  She smiled coyly.

  His face flushed.

  “I had to know for sure that you were not a Nephilim or….” She let her sentence die.

  Oh, this is so unfair. Desperately he recalled what had passed through his mind. He remembered imagining Naomi in the dress that Mara wore to dinner and staring at her when she was first brought in, unconscious. He cringed. “Do you remember everything?”

  She giggled. “My recall of your memories will fade over the next few days, well, most of them will.”

  His face was still hot as he remembered what had flashed through his mind. Yeah, I can imagine which ones won’t be fading. His heart pounded in his ears as he sat in silence. Desperately he wanted to change the subject. “So, other than embarrassing me, what did the Nephilim plan for you?”

  Her eyes drifted to the table. Her demeanor sobered. “Over the years they told me of several missions they wanted accomplished.”

  “Such as….”

  Without emotion in either face or voice she said, “My first standing order was to kill any Titans I encountered.”

  Chapter 10

  Justin’s muscles tensed. “Uh…you can understand how that statement might make me a bit nervous, can’t you?”

  Naomi nibbled at her food. “Because you believe you are a Titan?”

  Sensing no malice from her, he nodded. “My abilities pretty well establish my ancestry.”

  “You’re not like any Titan I’ve ever read about.”

  He tried to smile. Neither are you.

  “That day you nearly killed Ferren, I thought....” She smiled and shook her head. “It was silly but, I thought you were a Nephilim.”

  Justin managed to grin. “You only had two choices, Nephilim or Titan, why is one choice sillier than the other?”

  “The Nephilim seemed to avoid me. Usually they were so far away I could barely sense their presence. On those rare occasions when they came a little closer, all I could sense was cold darkness.”

  Justin pushed the now empty plate aside. “What do you mean?”

  “Unfeeling maliciousness and their minds seemed old. Older than anyone I’ve ever met.”

  “How old?”

  “I don’t know. You did not ask them questions—you obeyed. The Nephilim are supposed to be the saviors of humankind, but all I ever sensed was coldness and once…”

  “What?”

  “Only once did one ever get close enough for me to see into their mind. It radiated evil like a fire.” She reached out, took his plate, and set it on her now empty one. “I have never sensed evil from you. It was silly of me to think you were Nephilim.”

  “Well then I guess I’d rather be a young, good Titan.” He Stared into her eyes and was glad she was there. “So, when you fled from the Nephilim, it was because you didn’t want to kill Titans?” I hope, I really hope.

  “No.” She took in a deep breath. “The idea that I am made from Titan DNA is disgusting to me and I could have, would have, completed my mission to destroy them.”

  Deliberately repeating himself he said, “You can understand how that might make me a bit nervous, can’t you?”

  She looked confused

  “So, would you kill me? Apparently, I’m a Titan.”

  Frustration covered her face, but sadness filled her voice. “Our common DNA gives us abilities, but it is not what makes us Titans. They were a badly carried out plan, a hateful and cruel creation that attempted to enslave the human race.” Staring at the bulkhead, Naomi paused. “There is no hate in you, no cruelty. You’ve protected Mara. That is why I asked to come with you. I knew you would help me.” She took a deep breath. When she continued, anger tinged her voice. “I fled from the Nephilims for many reasons, but when I did, I stopped obeying their orders.”

  Dinner was finished in silence.

  * * *

  Suffocation. Just before they crossed the event horizon Justin gulped air, but it didn’t help, it still felt like drowning. Disorientation and weightlessness immediately followed. Suddenly slammed into the harness he gasped for air. I hate FTL travel.

  The image of Mara seemed to exhale and then smile. “We’re back in standard space. All systems normal.”

  Justin hoped that the contents of his stomach would remain where they belonged. He breathed deeply. “Let’s find that jump gate.”

  Naomi looked down at a panel. “Starting sensor sweeps.”

  “Which of those search patterns you told me about will work best?”

  Mara spoke up, “I can put us in an elliptical or
bit that will allow us to search the system using no fuel.”

  “How long would it take to complete the search?”

  “Just over thirty-two years.”

  He grinned “I’d like to find it sooner than that. We’ll need to use the little fuel we have left.”

  Mara shook her head. “The two planetoids are on opposite sides of the system. We don’t have enough fuel to reach all the planets.”

  “Then we need another plan. NavSys on.” Justin watched intently as the various planets, asteroids and comets appeared before him. Slowly he moved around the display occasionally pausing to stare at some point in space. With the image of the gas giant before him he stopped. After several moments he gave a nod. “If I were going to hide a jump gate this is where I would do it.”

  Mara stepped beside him. “A ringed gas giant, a dozen moons…”

  “An abundance of sensor targets,” Naomi added.

  He folded his arms across his chest. “And plenty of Lagrange points.”

  “Lagrange points?” Naomi asked.

  “Places where the gravitational pull of the star, planet and a moon balance out.” He grinned. “The jump gate would stay in a fixed position.”

  “Oh. In the empire they are called libration points.”

  “Whatever you call them,” his eyes darted between the women, “we need to find and scan those spots.”

  * * *

  Justin tapped the display. Location 39 negative. He rubbed his tired eyes. Twelve more to check. With the many large moons around the gas giant it had taken hours just to plot the locations and it was taking much longer to scan them all.

  Naomi snored softly in the corner.

  Maybe there is no gate. He walked to the food table and selected what, hours ago, had been a muffin, but now was as dry as a cracker. He washed it down with lukewarm coffee.

  Naomi snored loudly and turned on her side.

  Mara appeared in the center of the bridge. “Mmmh.” She stared intently as her head slid closer to the sensor console.

  “Did you find something?”

  She stared at the panel for a moment then hesitantly said, “Yes.”

  Justin walked casually toward her. Why does the hologram of Mara stare at the console?