by Steve Simons
Maria says, "The doctor told us that it could be dangerous if you remember too much too early. None of us know exactly what happened to you out there."
Ed turns on Richard and says, "That's not exactly true is it Unc? I kept in touch with you whilst I was out there and you know what happened and who was involved, don't you?"
"Ed you know that I can't lie to you, but your Mum is right, the doctor has advised the family that you are best remembering things slowly, at your own pace, otherwise you may become ill again."
Ed can see that Richard is sincere in what he has just said. He cannot however, let things rest there, he says, "OK, let's take it slowly then, here's what I know. A craft disappeared, I saw it with my own eyes, or at least I believe it disappeared. I can't remember its name, I also know that whatever its name, it had launched escape rafts, so knew it was in trouble. The rafts however, ended up disappearing along with the craft. I have a strong feeling that lots of lives were lost that day. I have a strong feeling of helplessness and not being able to do anything to help them. There were others with me, but I can't remember who they were and why we did nothing. That's my dilemma, what actually happened and who else was involved. I cannot rest until I know."
Richard looks over at Maria, finds no help in her face, if anything it still says, 'say nothing.' However, that is not Richard's way, so he says, "We don't know any detail either, but I do know....." he is interrupted as Maria exclaims, "Richard!"
Richard glares back at her and says, "Trust me!" then continues, "Ed has admitted that he knows some of the negative aspects of what happened."
"Oh well done, now you have confirmed some of what he thought he knew. Shut up Richard, you will make things worse, not better."
Ed says, "Let him continue Mum."
Richard waits for another outbreak, but is surprised when there isn't one. He resumes, "I have found from my research that you and the crew of the Cosmos 3 were heroic and managed to rescue most of the passengers and crew of the other craft. The escape rafts that you recall going with their ship, were the stragglers that could not escape whatever was out there. From the logs and subsequent reports that I read, it appeared that there was some sort of anomaly involved, rather than another craft, which was contrary to what we had suspected. There is, still however, no indication as to what is kicking off such an anomaly. We need to observe one up close, with appropriate instruments, but as they are not predictable, it is impossible to send a research craft to one of these things."
Ed is silent for a bit, then asks, "How does Kevin Yardley fit in to this?"
Richard says, "Well no-one knows for sure whether he was even there, you mention him in your logs, but of course we don't have access to the other craft's logs."
~~~~~~~
Chapter 16 - Determination
"They are stone walling me Jenny." complains Ed.
Who, your Mum and Dad?" Asks Jenny.
"No the company. I asked for information about the incident, what the other craft's name was and whether Kevin was involved."
"As you well know they can't let that sort of information out about passengers." replies Jenny.
Ed says, "So what do you know about Kevin then? What was the name of the craft? You know don't you? Richard was lying about the records, you all know that Kevin was there and that he perished with that craft, don't you?"
Jenny could not prevent turning red. Although she denies knowing anything. Ed knows from the fact that she blushed, that she is lying. He decides to let it drop, he knows her well enough to know that she thinks she is still protecting him. Instead he thinks along the lines, that it is highly likely that Kevin had been there and had disappeared with the Geshbelhaus. That's it, the name of the craft! Ed fetches his comms unit and starts tapping away.
Jenny pleads, "Don't contact them again, you'll get yourself in trouble, they are just doing their job."
Ed suddenly sees something in the log records of the device, he wonders why he had not thought of doing this before. Although someone had taken the trouble to delete the comms messages, they weren't skilful enough to delete the comm logs themselves. Here it is, a series of text messages between himself and someone on the Geshbelhaus. No doubt if he dug around enough, he could identify the other device id and confirm that it was indeed Kevin Yardley. There were a few interchanges, quite rapidly at first, then more infrequently at the end, including several un-established links, so un-established that there's no id of the receiving unit or units, but the destination was the Geshbelhaus.
Suddenly memory of an exchange about waving to each other come back to mind, the messages signed off as KY, Kevin, that's the way Kevin always signs off, KY. So he was there and presumably he did go with the Geshbelhaus into that anomaly. Is he dead, are they all dead? He must find out what happened to..... Jason has also disappeared, it's all flooding back now, there have been several of these disappearances. Ed was there, actually there, he saw the Geshbelhaus as it slipped away into that thing. They cannot stand by and let this thing get away with this, it has to be stopped.
Ed taps away at his comms unit, as Jenny nervously looks on, not know what to do or say.
Richard answers. Ed asks if it is convenient to talk, Richard says he'll call back in five.
The stony silence is too painful for Jenny, but what can she do or say? Is Ed alright? The doctor had said they had to be careful and they have been until now. The doctor also said that Ed would remember things in his own time. He seems quite calm, he hasn't slipped back into the staring, he seems to be purposeful in what he is doing. What to do for the best, what to say? Jenny feels totally helpless. She thought that Ed would be alright, when Mrs Glaceons asked if it would be alright for her and Edward to pop to the store, Jenny thought that she and Ed would be OK. It started out OK, watching a musivid, then he started on this stonewalling tack. Now what is he up to, what is he going to ask Richard now? Should she contact Maria? What can she do? She'll be all the way out to the store by now.
Jenny feels totally helpless, useless, unable to stop whatever Ed is up to. She thought things were going to be alright.
The comms device makes its voice call noise, it makes them both jump.
Ed taps the screen, Richard apologises for the delay and asks in his cheery voice what he can do.
Ed says, "Unc, I know what happened, now it has all come back to me and we can't let that thing get away with this, we just can't stand by and do nothing. We have to stop this thing. To do that we need more information about it. Have your people come up with any form of patterns now?"
There's a pause, then Richard says, "Who is with you Ed?"
Ed replies, "Oh don't worry I'm not cracking up, I'm built of sterner stuff than that, I am of the Glaceons clan. Jenny is here, Mum and Dad have just popped to the store. What do your people know Unc?"
Richard says, "OK I believe you Ed, they have found a pattern, the disappearances occur whenever there are two craft crossing in close proximity. They think it is something to do with emissions from the engines of the craft, creating a particular energy pattern that seems to trigger this thing off. Believe it or not, with all the flights happening, out there, these close cross overs only occur every so often. Don't know why we didn't spot it before, probably didn't have enough occurrences. We're planning to set up a dummy cross over, to prove that the theory is correct. In the meantime, we have banned all such cross overs achieving it by delaying some flights and pulling others up a bit earlier. So far it has worked, there haven't been any more since the Geshbelhaus."
Ed says, "I want on one of those craft, I must find out what is happening. I must find out if they have survived the trip into that anomaly, I won't rest until I do."
Richard protests, "It's too dangerous Ed, we're operating this mission on a volunteer basis only, as it is suspected that it is a no return mission."
Ed says, "But if the way in is survivable, there must be a way out again. I
just have to be in on this. No doubt you're going?"
Richard pauses then says, "Well, actually, I er."
Ed interrupts, "You aren't? That does surprise me."
Richard, never one able to let a fellow member of the family have the last word, unless it's Maria of course, replies, "I am on it. Like you I felt I had to try and find a way in and back out again, but it's too dangerous Ed, your parents would never allow it."
Ed says, "I'm an adult now Richard, I can make my own decisions and I have to do what I can to get Jason, Kevin and the others out of there, if it is humanly possible."
Jenny, pleads, "You can't Ed, it will be suicide!"
Ed replies, "It would be suicide to stay here and do nothing, my conscience would eat away at me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself."
Jenny says, "Look what happened to you last time, you cannot risk that again."
"This time Jenny, I am prepared, this time, I know what I am facing. It may be the invisible foe, but nothing is that invincible, everything has its weakness and this will be no different. I have to join in the fight against that thing, Kevin and Jason won't be giving up that easily and if there's a way back, they will be trying to find it, I have to be there to help them make it. The more we can understand about this thing, the more chance we have of defeating it."
~~~~ Later ~~~~
"Your Mum will never forgive me for this." says Richard, "But hey it is great to have you on-board."
"I know that if we survive this she'll kill us both!" They both laugh at the latter comment. Ed goes on to ask, "So what's the score are we both passengers?"
"There are no passengers on this trip Ed, you're signed on as a pilot and I'm intelligence."
"Ah so you had a brain transplant then before the trip?" asks Ed, with a big grin across his face.
"You, young man are not beyond being given a clip behind the ear!" protests Richard.
"I don't think it will go with my hair." replies Ed.
"What are you going on about?" asks Richard complete with confused look on face.
"You said you were going to give me clip to put behind my ear and I said I didn't...." Ed doesn't get a chance to finish his sentence.
Richard says, "Don't be such a smart alec young man or you'll find yourself with some pretty unsavoury duties."
Ed protests, "Hey come on, putting up with you is unpleasant enough for anyone."
"That's not what Sylvie...." Richard stops himself.
Ed, never one to turn down an opportunity asks, "What you and Sylvie?"
"What do you mean?" asks Richard, then trying to cover things up he says, "We have an ace team coming with us."
"Sylvie one of them?" asks Ed, full of mischief making, he senses he's uncovered some thing here and is not prepared to let it go.
Richard says, "No Sylvie is not on this mission."
"I'd have thought that if there were any intelligence involved in this caper, she would be an ideal person to have along. What does she reckon to you going then?"
Richard silent for a while, then in low voice, moves in closer to Ed and says, "Alright, say nothing to Mum and Dad right?"
Ed is now slightly embarrassed at this turn of events, he didn't expect there to be this sudden confession, although he had suspected that there had been something afoot between Richard and Sylvie, although neither gave anything away. Ed had gained the impression that there was a certain something between them when they had all met up at the temples of Jedhaed, all those years ago.
Richard confirms that he and Sylvie have been together for some years. He said that there were still close colleagues who knew nothing about them being partners. It did make it difficult when they were working apart, but it was great after their missions were completed to get back together.
Ed said that in one respect it was the same for him and Jenny, they both had their separate careers, so weren't into playing 'housey housey' all the time. It was great when they had time off though and could spend time together.
Richard says, "Now for some people this sort of lifestyle wouldn't suit them. I suppose it's different when children happen along."
"What thinking of starting a family?" asks Ed
Richard protests, "Leave it out, we're both too old for that, no we're happy just being us and being together when we can."
Richard glances at his Comm device and exclaims, "Ah, she'll be here shortly."
Ed asks, "But you said Sylvie was somewhere else and not coming along."
Richard only partly listening says, "Eh? Oh no Sylvie isn't coming, it is our captain, apparently she's on her way up here, just been dropped off by one of our transports."
~~~~~~~~
Chapter 17 - Trouble
Richard suddenly exclaims, "Ah here's your new captain."
Ed turns around and walking towards him is a tall woman, probably in her early thirties, shortish brown hair, very stylish cut with colourful and attractive clips just peaking out from a captain's cap, she has green eyes, a charming smile, she is wearing the usual company uniform and as she walks closer to them, Ed can see that she has quite high heels on, totally unusual for flight staff. She holds out her hand towards Richard and says, "Hello I am Captain Fedioaux Meniorkes, Fedioaux to my friends. I believe you are the sponsor of this trip?"
"Well sort of, its actually financed by the joint administrations of the eastern spiral arm. I'm Richard Glaceons and this is my nephew Ed, he will be one of your flight crew, works for your company, so you may know of each other?"
Captain Fedioaux, turns to Ed and says, "Ed Glaceons, weren't you on the top 10 academia list? The name rings a bell for something like that."
Ed blushes and admits that she was correct first time. He extends his hand and they shake. Captain Fedioaux says, "Welcome aboard Ed, I may call you Ed, may I?"
"Er, yes of course Captain." replies Ed, still somewhat embarrassed.
" Fedioaux, please, lets not have this Captain nonsense. OK its a title, but I'd rather we worked as a team that got on well rather than concentrate on titles and rank. Yes we've each got our jobs to do, but at the end of the day, we're a team." she smiles and that smile puts Ed at his ease. Whilst Fedioaux has requested this informality, she still has about her an air of authority, that made you feel that you knew she was in-charge, yet you somehow also felt relaxed.
Ed asks, "So what type of craft have they given us?"
Fedioaux says, "Mystery to me, just hope its not your standard interstellar class B, I just don't get on too well with those, they seem so small and claustrophobic and the controls are so archaic. We'd best check in and find out what we have, do you know the docking port number Richard?"
Richard, glances at this comms device and tells Fedioaux that they have been allotted port 107 and that it is actually a class D craft that has been refitted and the company were a little reluctant until the consortium told them how much they were underwriting the loss of the craft for. The name of the craft is The Jasteritan.
Ed says, "So we're travelling in the lap of luxury then. I've just finished a tour on a class C and that was neat enough, I've heard about the class D's. Pretty sub-zero by all accounts."
"A Class D, oh no. I hope you live up to your reputation Ed, I don't want to be known as the captain who was responsible for a dent in the fender of a class D." Fedioaux smiles at Ed.
Ed replies, "If its dents you want, my mate Keiran was always best at those, still paying for damage to a port at Hescidian."
"He wouldn't happen to be our second flight, would he?" asks Fedioaux
Ed says, "Hardly, he was swallowed up by the last anomaly."
"Oh sorry I didn't know." Fedioaux reaches out an touches Ed's arm, then retrieves her hand as if regretting the action.
Ed says,"That's OK you weren't to know. It's one of the reasons why I'm along for the trip, I have to know what happened to him and if I can get him back it's something I just have to do."
"I quite unde
rstand, I would feel the same way, well I do feel the same way. I want to do something for all our friends who have been lost to this thing or things." replies Fedioaux.
Ed smiles and says, "Nice to know that we're all on the same script and almost the same page."
Richard prompts them both, saying, "We'd best get a move on, the rest of the team will be assembling and wondering where we have got to."
"So where is Sylvie now?" asks Ed.
Fedioaux asks, "Who?"
"Sorry just continuing a conversation that we had started before you arrived." apologises Richard, then he continues, "Not sure, she had shot off somewhere to investigate some lead or other on another case that we are working on."
"Just too many things happening at the same time eh?" asks Ed.