Children of the Old Stars

by David Lee Summers

  Getting the feel of the differential gravity, Ellis eased his way forward, toward the tiny restroom. As he passed the jump attendant, Ellis’ ear caught faint tinkling music, not unlike that he had heard in Boston. He looked back to see that the attendant was, indeed watching a holo of a male stripper.

  Ellis sighed as he stepped into the restroom and closed the door, bolting it behind him. For a moment, he stood thinking about his own recent experience with strippers. Although the image of the Cluster was still etched in his memory, he felt an even stronger sensation. Put simply, John Mark Ellis was lonely. He missed his comrades aboard the destroyer, Firebrandt. Right then, as he pulled down his trousers and sat on the all-too-small toilet, he realized that he had never been this alone in all the time he had been in the Gaean Navy.

  Ellis thought about the businessman, his head entrapped in communication's equipment. He wondered if such a person ever knew real companionship or camaraderie. At the same time, that kind of person was always tied into the network with many billions of minds. A man in the net was never alone, but how often had the businessman known the kindhearted smile of a friend? The image of Adkins’ warmly smiling face came to Ellis at that moment. He flushed hotly as he felt his penis stiffen slightly. The sensation only lasted a moment, though, as her expression turned to one of fear, in his mind. He remembered her reaction to the sight of the Cluster. Ellis closed his eyes against the sudden onslaught of images of daughters and sons who had lost parents to those horribly reflective silver orbs.

  Finally, Ellis finished, washed up and stepped gingerly back to his seat. It's time, he thought, to find the person who can help me understand this thing. He pulled down a little keyboard from the seat in front. Using the on-board holographic interface, Ellis tapped into the Rd'dyggian directory structure, switching on an automatic translation to English. He then performed a search for the name G'Liat. The computer produced over ten thousand Rd'dyggians whose names could be rendered into generic as G'Liat.

  Ellis looked at the myriad names swirling by on his screen, nodding. He narrowed his search to those, so named who had the vocation of philosopher. The computer softly informed him that there was no one with that name and vocation.

  Ellis growled to himself. Of course there was no one with that name and vocation. Philosophy, as a profession, was practically unknown on Rd'dyggia. By and large, Rd'dyggians only believed in things they could observe. They only ever acted on things that had foreseeable, practical results. “Natural Philosophy” did exist but was translated as “Science.” Ellis cursed himself for wasting his money on a trip to Rd'dyggia on the advice of a whale.

  Running his hand through his beard, which was again growing a bit shabby and in need of a trim, Ellis pondered his next course of action. He had to think like a whale, not a human. Richard had called G'Liat a philosopher. Immediately, Ellis, thinking like a human, had assumed that was the Rd'dyggian's profession. However, whales didn't have professions, they only had interests. More precisely, whales believed that they were their destinies.

  Using that reasoning, Ellis realized that G'Liat could be a philosopher by hobby; perhaps an interest gained by working with other species as a diplomat or military person. That led Ellis to consider his old acquaintance, Arepno. However, Arepno was a privateer. While that was an honorable profession among Rd'dyggians, it was certainly not among many of the planets of the galaxy. The ex-commander thought it was doubtful the Rd'dyggian computer would give an off-worlder any information about privateers. Still, it was worth a try. After all, Ellis’ own grandfather had been a Gaean privateer.

  Entering the information, Ellis was stunned to find that the computer did give him information. It listed Arepno, Commander of Fleet St'rac, Retired. For a moment, Ellis wondered whether or not he had found the right person. After all, as far as he knew, Arepno was commander of a lone ship. Still, Ellis printed out a copy of the information and put it in his shirt pocket. It might, at least, be a lead.

  "Sir,” came a squeaky voice to Ellis’ right.

  The ex-commander looked up, pulled out of his reverie by the jump attendant's voice.

  She wore a wry grin. “The captain will be preparing to dock at Rd'dyggian Station Seven in a few minutes. Please, shut down your computer link and return the touch pad to its upright and locked position."

  "No problem,” muttered Ellis, shaking his head. He'd have to continue his search a little later.

  Ellis watched her move toward the front of the cabin, her narrow hips moving in a forced sway. There were several gentle nudges and he felt his weight shift from slightly behind him to more directly under his seat. The ship was decelerating. The shift was so subtle, he doubted the businessman, still absorbed and adorned in his flight-approved communication's gear, even noticed.

  The jump attendant fastened her shoulder restraints, just as a singsong voice came over the microphone. “This is your captain, speaking. Please fasten your lap belts and shoulder restraints, there will be a momentary lessening and ultimate loss of gravity for a few moments until we move into the station docking bay, where we'll be under the influence of graviton generators.” Ellis felt his jaw tighten at the jovial sound of the “captain's” voice. Still, he did as commanded and fastened in.

  "Oh God,” moaned Ellis as he felt the seat drop from beneath him. The loss of gravity was a little less momentary than Ellis was comfortable with. Soon, though, he watched as the jump attendant, then the business man were pulled into their seats as the ship moved into the Rd'dyggian station. Doing so, the station's graviton generators took hold of the ship section by section. Within a moment, Ellis felt a more natural, uniform gravity take hold of his own form. The ex-commander grimaced, missing the simplicity of establishing planetary orbit, then merely climbing into a launch and descending. Even so, he consoled himself with the thought that it was now only a matter of going through customs at the station and then catching a launch to the surface.

  Soon, there was a faint nudge followed by a bump. The ship had docked at the station. When the jump attendant undid her restraints, Ellis knew it was safe and undid his even before the “captain” came on the intercom to tell them they had arrived.

  The captain reminded the passengers that they had docked at a section of the station designed for human habitation. Any sensitive people going down to the surface of the planet would want to purchase breathing apparatus while still on the station. Ellis shook his head as he retrieved his lone flight bag from the overhead compartment, thinking a seasoned space veteran has no need for breathing apparatus in perfectly breathable air. So what if the soil had a high sulfur content, giving the air a rotten-egg smell. It would be invigorating, thought the ex-commander smugly. He looked forward, in time to see the thin, pallid businessman leaving the ship, looking vaguely like an android or cyborg out of some cheap science thriller. Ellis laughed inwardly as he retrieved his overcoat from the seat.

  The jump attendant spoke her overly rehearsed good-bye and wishes that Ellis would please fly with them again. Fat chance, he thought initially. He had only taken this particular jump to Rd'dyggia because it was cheap and relatively fast. However, he had to be concerned about his finances. It was sad, he thought, how his family's fortune was coming to an end so abruptly, especially when he hadn't squandered any of his wealth. So, he would probably be back, whether or not he wanted to be.

  The trip through customs was comparatively painless. A six-foot tall, dumpy Rd'dyggian in a gold uniform, wearing a breathing mask, scanned his bag. The Rd'dyggian's purple mustache-like growth wiggled under the clear plastic mask. Soon, a mechanically synthesized voice spoke. “Are you just doing business on the station, or do you plan to visit the planet?"

  "I'm planning to visit the planet,” stated Ellis. “Can you direct me to the shuttle bays?"

  The Rd'dyggian nodded in a simulated human gesture. “How long will your stay be?"

  "I plan to visit an old friend.” Ellis shrugged. “I really hadn't thought about it. Indefinit
e, I suppose."

  "Your visa is good for a month,” said the Rd'dyggian flatly. “If you stay longer than that, you will need to get it renewed at the human embassy.” Without another word, the Rd'dyggian pointed down a bare metal corridor toward some booths where shuttles could be hired to go to the surface.

  Ellis made his way down the strangely empty corridor and stood in front of three booths. Two were empty. The lone human attendant was sound asleep in a large padded chair behind the counter. Ellis approached and knocked on the shiny metal counter top.

  The attendant was an elfin woman with brown hair cropped close to her head. She opened one eye. “What do you want?” Her voice was drowsy.

  Ellis gritted his teeth, still used to being a commander. “I want to go to the planet."

  The woman grinned petulantly, seeing his annoyance as she opened the other eye. “A lot of people think they want to go to the surface,” she said smugly. “Usually they take one breath of the air, turn around and get back aboard my ship, begging me to bring them back here where they can do business over the hologram. Rd'dyggia's not a pretty world by human standards."

  Ellis tapped his foot impatiently. “Look, I just want to get down to the planet, so I can meet up with an old friend. Now, will you sign me up for a shuttle, or do I have to go somewhere else."

  The woman looked first at one of the adjoining booths, then at the other. “Seeing as I'm the only game in town, I suppose I'll give you a ride."

  "I could always get a flight from the Rd'dyggian part of the station,” said Ellis, trying to match her biting sarcasm.

  The woman sighed, her grin becoming more sincere. “Sorry,” she said, her tone softening. “I'm always grumpy when I wake up. Besides, the company of Rd'dyggians doesn't do much for my mood.” She shrugged and looked at Ellis with wide, dark eyes. “Sure, I'll give you a ride to the planet."

  "So, you're both the pilot and ticket clerk?” Ellis softened a bit himself.

  "It pays the bills.” She gestured toward the nearly empty room. “And, as you can see from our teeming space port, I need all the money I can get."

  Ellis nodded and paid a fare. She informed him that she would take the shuttle to the surface in about an hour. “There's another passenger ship coming in then, we'll see if anyone from that ship wants to go down."

  "You don't sound too hopeful."

  "Hey,” she said with a wink. “I've already gotten more business today than in the past week. Maybe I'll get lucky."

  "With your attitude,” grumbled Ellis, “you'll need all the luck you can get.” With that, he turned to locate someplace to grab a bite to eat. He didn't see the gesture she waved at his retreating back.

  * * * *

  As it turned out, Ellis was the only passenger aboard the shuttle. Thus, he was able to sit in the cockpit of the tiny shuttle along with the pilot, whose name turned out to be Guadalupe Cordova. “But you can call me, Captain,” she said with a smug grin as she powered up the engines for the decent to the planet. Ellis groaned and rolled his eyes in response.

  His stomach's rumbling, trying to digest Rd'dyggian food, did not help his mood. Ellis shook his head and sighed, thinking it had taken him years of working his tail off in the military to even make lieutenant, and eventually commander. Guadalupe Cordova had only needed to buy a shuttle.

  Even though he was perturbed, Ellis was glad to be sitting in the cockpit. The passenger cabin did not have windows. This way, at least, he would get to see the planet as they approached.

  Once she was given clearance, Cordova detached the ship easily and spiraled away from the Rd'dyggian space station. After being in the nearly deserted human sector of the station, Ellis was surprised to see that there was actually quite considerable traffic in orbit.

  Cordova turned the ship to give Ellis a view of the planet below. The ex-commander caught his breath. No inhabited world in the galaxy could match Rd'dyggia for sheer abstract grandeur—at least to a human's eyes. Vast red and green continents, streaked purple with vegetation jutted out of vivid turquoise oceans tinged with dark yellow highlights. A gossamer ring, sparkling ruddy silver encircled the planet. As the shuttle moved around the planet, Ellis noticed that the world was wrapped in a shroud of atmosphere dispersing the orange light of the local star.

  As they rounded the planet, Ellis caught sight of a vivid blue star. The star seemed a little too big and disk-like. Ellis realized that this must be the system's other inhabited planet, Tzrn—not a star. The peoples of Tzrn and Rd'dyggia had discovered space travel within ten years of one another. Upon their mutual discovery, war began devastating the surfaces of each planet. The war was only ended by the intervention of the Titans. Unfortunately, the peace process did not go as planned. The spider-like Tzrn and giant orange Rd'dyggians united their forces against the highly advanced Titans. Fortunately, the Titans were able to stop the suicidal assault of the two primitive peoples. It was then, the Titans vowed never to interfere with primitive cultures again.

  Cordova turned to Ellis. “So, where do you want to go?"

  "I thought that was obvious,” said Ellis, pointing out the window to the planet. “Drop me wherever you normally take passengers going to the planet."

  "Since you're my only passenger, the field's open. Name your pleasure."

  Ellis retrieved the slip of paper from the pocket of his cotton shirt and unfolded it. “Do you know anything about the Fleet St'rac?"

  "What?” Cordova shrugged. “You think this is some kind of quiz?"

  Ellis heaved a deep sigh. “It will help answer where I want to go."

  "It's an inside joke.” Cordova smiled showing teeth that seemed too big for her small features. “St'rac is an animal a little like raccoons on Earth, except they're feathered and can tear the arm off of your average human. They have a reputation for stealing food and just about anything else not nailed down."

  "I see,” said Ellis slowly. “So, someone with Fleet St'rac is a thief ... a privateer, perhaps?"

  "Perhaps,” admitted Cordova. “They use it to throw off outworlders. So you want to see a privateer?"

  "Retired,” admitted Ellis. “He's a friend of my grandfather's."

  "Your grandfather has some interesting friends,” said Cordova suspiciously. “You ain't transporting any stolen goods?"

  "In that bag?” Ellis gestured to his tiny traveling bag strapped next to him.

  "I've seen some pretty dangerous explosives in even smaller bags,” said Cordova straight-faced. “So, now that I've answered your question, where do you want to go?"

  "I just have some coordinates and info I copied from the computer on the transport."

  "Hand them over,” sighed Cordova, growing slightly impatient. She scanned the slip of paper and then entered the coordinates into her computer. Some words appeared on her console. “Your grandfather really does have some impressive friends,” whistled Cordova.

  "What do you mean?” asked Ellis, all innocence.

  "Those're the coordinates for the home of Arepno, the hero of Sufiro. You sure you want to go down without an invitation?"

  Ellis blinked a few times. He grew curious about how the Rd'dyggians viewed Arepno. “Hero of Sufiro?"

  "Yeah, you know that little backwater planet out on the far edge of the galaxy? The one threatened by the Cluster? Arepno was there. They say he saved it from certain destruction.” Cordova shook her head. “Don't you read the papers?"

  "I guess I missed it,” muttered Ellis. “Anyway, yes, that's Arepno, friend of my grandfather's."

  Cordova told the computer to implement the coordinates she had entered. The tiny ship spun on two of its axes and began to move toward the planet. Ellis saw that they were en route to the reddest of the continents. The descent through the atmosphere went smoothly. They careened through dark gray, almost green, clouds. Soon, they were swooping over tall, unmoving purple vegetation. The mountains, made of oxidized iron, looked almost soft by comparison. Within minutes, Captain Cordova settled the s
huttle gently to the red ground.

  Ellis craned his neck, looking through the windows trying to discern where they were. They were sitting on an empty patch of red ground in the middle of a grove of purple trees. The trees were vaguely reminiscent of palms, but more arched and foreboding.

  "Where the hell are we?” asked Ellis.

  "We're right outside Arepno's compound."

  Again, Ellis peered through the glass trying to find evidence of any sort of habitation. “The nearest city must be miles away."

  "You really didn't do your research, did you?” asked Cordova. “Rd'dyggians don't have cities the way humans have cities. They have family compounds, spaced as far apart as possible. They don't like intruders,” she cautioned at last.

  "You don't recommend going up and knocking on the door then,” asked Ellis, tugging on his beard.

  "I'd use the teleholo in the back to see if your ‘friend’ wants to accept visitors,” recommended Cordova.

  Ellis did as suggested and stepped back to the rear of the shuttle, where the teleholo console was. The ship's computer had found the number of the compound based on the coordinates fed into the flight computer. Soon an image, like a Grecian bust, shimmered and appeared on the dais in front of the ex-commander. The head had the familiar orange skin, black eyes and purple mustache. Still, the features were not as worn as he remembered, nor did this Rd'dyggian have Arepno's trademark eye patch. Ellis took a deep breath. “May I speak to Arepno, please?"

  After a moment, the “mustache” moved. A second later, words issued from the speaker. “Who, may I ask, is calling?"

  "Commander John Mark Ellis. Arepno and I met at Sufiro."

  "One moment please.” The head shimmered as the person who answered the holo stepped out of view.

  After nearly two minutes, another head appeared. This one had the wrinkled brow, slight twinkle to one eye, and an eye patch over the other, which Ellis remembered. “Young Ellis,” boomed the speakers. “How nice to see you."