Galactic Satori Chronicles: Book 1 - Earth

by Nick Braker

  He stumbled several times in the lower gravity. It always took him a moment to adjust as his mind wanted to walk in the lighter gravity but his body instinctively fought him. He moved like large helium balloons were tied to every part of him. The ship’s gravity was roughly half that of Earth’s with the girl’s computing it down to a more precise number of .52g.

  Eggheads.

  The bedrooms were along the outer hull wall as was the common area, which was a kitchen and an open section with tables and chairs. Of course, the surgical room where so many humans were killed was also positioned on the outer hull wall. Its door opened when he stopped in front of it. The gruesome scene in front of him hadn’t changed. Asher sighed. He would have to deal with the bodies, both human and alien. He intended to give the humans a proper, respectful burial and simply dump the aliens out of the airlock he found earlier. He didn’t know how to explain or deal with contacting the next of kin, so it seemed the best way was to find a nice spot and bury them.

  He moved around the hallway heading toward the interior door that led up to the command section. He walked the short, semi-circular ramp leading up. The command section was slightly smaller than the living area below but was large enough to hold twenty humans easily. It was filled with various electronic systems like computers, a main view screen, a sensor array and many smaller monitors. The rest of the crew were already here. Seph, Zara, Mira and then Weston, Brandon and Greg. The girls were busy trying to complete repairs to the ship. Jules had been able to pull the ship out of its descent and put it into an automatic orbit around Earth but flying it, operating it and maintaining it were all key parts in his plan. It was surreal knowing that the girls were doing so well with this ship.

  “How’s it coming along, Seph?” he asked.

  She was laying on her back with a vertical console panel open and half her body inside it.

  “Pretty good actually. It seems my engineering background has really helped me understand the nuances of this ship’s systems. I feel like I have a handle on it. It just needs some elbow grease and time,” she replied as she brushed several strands of her fiery red hair from her face.

  He was going to offer to help, but really didn’t know what to do so he stood there watching her work. She had obtained some strange looking tools which she used on the components inside the panel. At her station were an assortment of monitoring screens. This station was particularly interesting as it showed the status of power to all of the various systems. The monitor flashed a bright blue on every component of the ship which Seph had explained included engines, coolant, shields, and life support. She had repaired it all to functional status, but she claimed most were glued together. On the left side of her station was a clear glass cover over a single button and small monitor, which appeared off. He shrugged.

  “Seriously, you’re telling me you understand this stuff?” he asked.

  “Huh? Oh, Asher,” she said, distractedly. “We can talk in detail later, but yes, I believe engineering is universal, like math. One plus one is two and no matter what language you use, math is the same. It seems engineering is likewise. Resistance, power, amperage, capacitors, etc. All components designed to-- look, let me work, this thing is falling apart and I need to concentrate,” she said.

  He could hear the fatigue in her voice but, more importantly, her annoyance with him. The lower part of her body was completely visible and he took the opportunity to examine it. Her alien clothes were tight fitting. They left her mid-section exposed, revealing a very flat and firm stomach. She was covered in grease but somehow her stomach had escaped the grime. Seph was extraordinarily well proportioned. Her hips were amazing and her legs formed a perfect ‘V’ where they came together. He wondered if she normally wore green panties to complement her red hair.

  “Later,” he whispered.

  He walked further around the outer section. Zara was seated in front of one of the computer systems. She too had donned the clothes they had found. The aliens had pants and shirts, though no other types of clothing were found. They were exactly the same except for size. Apparently, two of the aliens were a tad bit taller and required appropriately larger clothes. They were all currently dressed in the alien’s dark gray pants and shirts. Jules must have simply kept working, not even bothering to change clothes.

  “How are you feeling, Zara?” he asked.

  “Deja vu is the best way to answer that,” she said.

  “Huh? You’ve seen this before,” Asher asked.

  “Strangely, yes. This computer system is using an interface similar to a keyboard on the systems we have in the labs at MIT. The biggest hurdle is the language, well... was the language. I am also certain I have figured out the numeric system they use. It is based on twelve, duodecimal, and not ten, decimal, like ours. In fact, these keys here at the bottom of what I will refer to as a keyboard are for numeric entry.”

  “Whoa, whoa, slow down. You can read their language already?” he asked somewhat stunned.

  “Almost entirely,” she said.

  “No freaking way.”

  “I am self-taught in languages and I am studying communications from a computing systems side. My real IQ is too high to measure and frankly, I have always had a knack for this sort of thing and a passion to boot.”

  “Too high to measure?” he asked.

  She laughed.

  “Does it bother you?”

  “Hell no,” he answered. “I like an intelligent woman, especially one as beautiful as you.”

  She paused, cocking her head to the side.

  “What is it about you?” she said, blushing.

  “Huh?”

  “There is something about you, something very special,” she said with a quizzical look on her face.

  Asher returned her look but before he could answer, Mira called his name from just around another large computer station. He gave Zara his best smile as he walked away.

  “Keep up the good work. I think it would be more accurate to say that it is you that is special.”

  He could not believe what he was seeing and hearing. What else could they do? He was certain MIT was not offering courses in alien spacecraft maintenance and operation, so how was all this possible?

  The computer systems along the outer wall and the multitude of monitors on both sides of the aisle blinked with activity. Ahead of Asher, Mira was diligently examining another set of large monitors similar to Zara’s. The monitors were easily five feet wide by four feet tall and were placed side by side. Encased in black metal, they angled down slightly toward her station. Mira was currently seated, looking at one monitor and then the other. Her hands moved over the controls on a dashboard panel in front of her. To the left of her station, just in arms’ reach, was a panel that had one small screen and a single button under a clear, glass-like material. All the panel’s controls were as alien as everything else he’d seen, yet she, like the other two, was now easily manipulating them. Asher stood behind her.

  “I gather you’re not having trouble with this... thing?” he asked, motioning towards everything in front of her.

  “I wanted you to see this. When I examined the command deck initially, I had no clue as to what I should do but when I saw this station, well, I sat down and assessed each individual component. It seemed familiar to me. I am learning as I go and I have more to learn but it is coming quickly,” Mira said.

  “Thing?” Asher prodded again, trying to get her to explain the equipment.

  “Oh yes, it is a scanner, star chart display, and navigation control station. I am not sure what other functions it can offer but I will find out,” she laughed. “Fun stuff,” she paused. “Where are we going, Captain?”

  “Cut that out,” he said.

  “Is that an order, sir?” Mira asked with an impish smile on her face.

  Asher half-rolled his eyes at her but he smiled anyway.

  “Well, keep at it,” he said, walking away.

  He stopped as a thought occurred to him. He
looked over his shoulder at her.

  “I guess maybe we should go somewhere,” he said, continuing to smile.

  Mira returned his grin and yelled across the bridge at the other girls.

  “Seph. Zara. The Captain wants to do some traveling. Shall we pick a destination?”

  Seph turned around and Zara looked up from their respective stations.

  “What?” they said in tandem.

  Seph recovered first.

  “How about Uranus? There is a theory that it rotates on a different axis than the other eight planets.”

  Asher had forgotten that Brandon was even present until he burst out laughing. Weston caught on next and started laughing too. Zara and Mira groaned at the bad joke.

  “What did I say?” Seph said, confused.

  Greg popped Weston in the shoulder with the back of his hand.

  “Figures that you two would be the only ones laughing,” Greg said.

  “Seph, Uranus has never been visited before. I don’t think anyone wants to go there,” Weston said as he started crying tears of laughter.

  “That is correct. It has not. Until recently, humans did not have the means but I assure you there are many scientists in prestigious organizations that would like to go there” she said, correcting them both.

  “No humans have been there? You mean, only aliens have visited Uranus?” Brandon added, and started laughing so hard he too started crying.

  “Oh my, what is wrong with them?” Seph asked. “There are plans by NASA to send probes there but it is still just wishful thinking.”

  Neither of them could speak as they held their sides, still laughing.

  “You... mean...” Weston said, trying to breathe. “NASA wants to send probes to examine... Uranus? What? Hoping... to find... rocks or... alien life?”

  “They’re looking... looking...,” Brandon managed, as he gasped for air. “...looking for... those aliens... maybe the... Klingons?”

  Seph looked at Zara and finally at Greg, totally confused.

  “What did I say?” she asked, a bit miffed.

  Greg covered his mouth and Asher had to turn around to avoid letting Seph see him holding back his own laughter. Zara and Mira glared at them. Mira stood and pulled both her shoes off. She threw one at Weston. He never saw it coming and her aim was perfect even from across the bridge.

  “Ouch,” Weston yelled, as he looked around to see who had hit him.

  “Enough. Both of you. You two are a couple of children,” Mira scolded. “That joke is so incredibly old. I... I... do not know. It is old. Just drop it,” she fumed and stamped her feet.

  She threw the other shoe at Brandon and hit him.

  “Holy crap woman. That hurt,” Brandon exclaimed.

  “Good,” she fired back.

  Asher was barely able to keep a straight face.

  “Okay guys, enough is enough. Why don’t you two get out of here before Seph realizes what just happened?”

  Brandon and Weston took off down the ramp. “Weston, maybe the aliens are using it as a home base,” Brandon said as they eventually got out of earshot. Their voices still carrying into the command section as they continued to laugh and congratulate each other.

  “Greg, what just happened?” Seph demanded.

  “Uranus is a pun, Seph. A bad one and quite old. I gather you’ve never heard of it. The reference to aliens as Klingons is just as bad,” Greg said.

  His eyes looked like he was delivering her some bad news. He seemed concerned that she was about to catch on and when she did, it would go badly. Seph paused as she tried to figure it out. Like a lightbulb coming on, she started laughing.

  “Oh my,” she said, laughing. “Those two...”

  “Wow, you’re not mad?’ Greg asked, surprised.

  She couldn’t answer. Her face turned red and she started laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe. Greg joined her laugh. Seeing her laugh so hard was infectious and Asher started laughing too. The tension on the bridge dropped a bit and Asher felt relief flood through him.

  This is going to work out very nicely.

  The laughter continued a bit longer. Each of them seemed thankful for the diversion but several glances between them finally ended it and they all returned to work. Asher sat down, propping his chin up in his closed hands.

  “Why the look, Asher?” Zara asked.

  He walked over to her station and pulled one of the nearby chairs next to her. The ship’s chairs bothered him. When he tugged on it, it immediately released and slid along the floor, gliding across the surface. When he let go of it, the chair affixed itself in that position and stayed. He looked down at it and half-rolled his eyes.

  “Yeah, I want to get one of those at home,” Zara said, pointing at the chair.

  “Are all the chairs like this?” he asked.

  “Yes. Computer assisted control,” Mira answered, joining them.

  She leaned over the front of Zara’s station.

  “Anyway,” Asher confided. “There are some things troubling me. Where is the shock? Where is the grief of loss? Why aren’t we behaving or reacting normally? We just killed three aliens and each of us nearly died several times. More importantly, we have three dead human bodies in a room right below us. Please forgive me when I say this and I can speak for all the guys, none of this is bothering us as much as I think it should. We’re not cold and I know my friends grew up in one of the worst parts of town. I didn’t live in those areas but we’ve been friends most of our lives and they’ve seen horrendous and brutal killings and experienced tragic death on a scope much greater than what happened yesterday--”

  “As long as I can remember,” Greg interrupted, joining them.

  Mira’s eyes grew wide but she recovered quickly.

  “I am sorry to hear that,” she told Greg.

  Greg shrugged.

  “--even so, we’re not reacting normally,” Asher continued. “The only difference is this time it included aliens from another planet. So I guess what I’m asking is, how is this possible for you? Why are you four able to cope? Frankly, how are we all coping so well?”

  Zara and Mira exchanged glances. Mira nodded to her.

  “We are certain this is not an accident. We believe that someone or something has provided us with a means to cope with this situation. More specifically, while we are all aware of the deaths, we do feel them deeply, there is a layer of--”

  “Toughness--” Mira interjected.

  Greg’s left eyebrow raised slightly.

  “Toughness, yes. We have had it as long as we can remember,” Zara continued. “Please know that all four of us have been friends since we met at MIT.” She motioned with her hands to the area around her. “Until recent events occurred, we did not have enough information to draw a conclusion. We talked a great deal while getting these systems up and running and we believe each of us are here for this purpose. There is much we still do not understand but, one thing is certain, our intelligence is no accident of genetic chance.”

  “I believe the four of us are quite literally the most intelligent women on the planet,” Mira added.

  “And apparently the most humble,” Greg added, snickering. “But wait a second, Zara. I need to get this off my chest. I get the feeling you two, correction, you four, have been dumbing down your dialog and your conversations with us since we met.”

  “Interesting. Why do you think that, Greg?” Mira asked.

  “Because, I believe it when you say you four are the smartest women on the planet. When you talk to us, well, I just get a feeling is all,” he said.

  “If it were not for our intentional precautions to hold back and educate ourselves privately while working within the education system we would not be free women today. Each of us came to the same conclusion, separately, years ago. Our lives would be under the control of some government body or private organization. Need I go on?”

  “I guess not but let me reiterate anyway. You four intentionally laid low during your child
hood, learned as much as you could your whole lives, got put through the education system at an accelerated pace and were able to do so without undue notice. You accepted the offers to MIT, ended up in the same sorority and now serve aboard a ship created by aliens from another planet. In addition, you witnessed an alien butchering your sorority sisters and watched as we horrifically killed the aliens, and you want us to believe you’ve been equipped to handle it?” Greg said, “Even I’m a bit freaked about everything that has happened recently and almost nothing affects me.”

  “That is because you--” Mira paused as an alarm from her console beeped several times.

  “Just a second,” she said as she returned to her station.

  Asher followed her.

  “Small meteors incoming,” Mira said.

  “Shields up, Seph,” Asher told her.

  She activated the shields without looking at him.

  “Are we in any danger?” Greg asked.

  “None. As long as shields hold, they will get deflected away,” Seph said.

  “Wait, aren’t we always getting pelted by high speed meteors even if they are tiny?” Greg asked.

  Mira studied his face.

  “Yes,” she smiled. “Micro-meteors plague all satellites in orbit around Earth and are a danger to any spacecraft.”

  Seph walked up behind Greg, put her chin on his shoulder and pressed her body close to his. He stiffened but she ignored it, pressing even closer.

  “This ship has what I call navigational shielding. Low power shields that deflect all of the small sized space debris. They are constantly up and come with backup power and shield generators scattered strategically around the ship. They do not have enough power to stop the larger meteors Mira mentioned but they constantly protect us against the small stuff as long as they are not too numerous.”

  “I bet it hurt to say the word stuff for you, Seph,” Greg laughed. “Didn’t it?”

  “I would have preferred a more technically correct term but you two do not really want to hear how we talk with each other,” Seph said. She whispered softly in his ear. “Now do you?”