by R J Murray
“Do we have a physicist in the colony who knows this quantum stuff?” Eric finally asked.
~~~~~~
There were two. One was an undergrad and the other her professor at the university. Both had been grabbed in the same net as several other intellectuals who were upsetting the applecart. Both were acting like kids with a new toy over the equations. Neither of them had said more than two words anybody else understood.
“Okay, let’s all settle on using common to talk first and then, answer a very simple question in small words that we can understand. Can you build or modify one of our converters to do this?”
“Yes.” She answered. The undergrad, Martha Yemini Roosevelt, was short and to the point.
She was also short, one hundred and sixty centimeters and almost as wide as a pencil. She was cute in a threateningly intelligent way that held Eric in awe.
“What do you need to do this?” Eric asked, glad he understood the answer.
“Access to the ships computer and one of the converters you have on board. We will also need an engineer familiar with the converters to modify the equipment. It is simply a matter of modifying the existing programming to these specs and adding three modified emitters and few tweaks to the existing emitters. Am I correct Asi?” Martha asked.
“Affirmative. This modification will reduce power output by point seven three eight percent. I recommend using the auxiliary converter in North Bay Seven. It is the least used aboard this vessel. Excess energy would need to be stored or used and the feed mechanism would need to be modified. The metals would exit the converter from the side opposite the feed and would be best carried off initially by a conveyer belt system.”
“When would you like this done and how much time can we have for further experimentation?” Professor Anthony Querinto asked.
“Well, unless you others have any preferences,” Eric paused and looked at the other captains. “You can start now and work as quickly as you need. Any further experiments I would like you to run by Mr. Reed or me before you start. Asi, will you assist please.”
“Affirmative. It will be a pleasure.”
Eric cocked an eyebrow at the added response. Asi was learning human mannerisms.
“Are there no other limitations as to our experiments? The council was always firmly in the negative mode.” Martha asked.
“Don’t blow up my ship and keep me posted on your results. Don’t go crazy on using up our resources since we have no resupply. I can’t think of anything else for now. Do you need any more hands helping you? Not that we have many who could understand what you’re saying.”
They looked at each other and did a little dance. “Unlimited research! Nirvana, we have arrived!”
Eric grinned. “I take it that research was looked down upon back on Earth?”
“Very much so and very limited in so many ways. We were assigned research and it was so boring and very limited. Parameters were set which limited everything we did. You have no idea what this unlimited academic freedom means to us!” The professor answered excitedly.
“No limits perhaps? Mr. Reed, do we have housing available for our new science team?”
“We can get some going easy enough. I would think you would want something close to your lab?” Reed asked. “I have space on level six above the converter that has quarters and space for a lab.”
“Absolutely!”
After Reed had taken the two in hand, Eric looked at the screen and asked the other Captains. “Do you think we have any other science or engineering people who we could use aboard our ships or a base?”
“I think we need to look. We only have a few containers left to bring down before the cargo ships are empty. We could put in a request for records of all persons with a space, science or engineering background and maybe find a few.” Horace answered.
“I thought we did that already.” Lee responded.
“No. We asked for anyone who could help engineer the colony. Different from what we want now. Probably short sighted of us but I have very little experience at setting up an interstellar empire.” Horace said with a chuckle.
“I think that is true of all of us. An Empire of one world, thirteen ships and a tiny population of farmers. Not very impressive yet. We should ask for all records on these people and have our ships computers look then over to correlate for all skills and trades so we know who we have on this planet.” Phil suggested.
“That is a very good idea. Would you mind implementing it for us?” Eric asked.
Phil spoke to someone off screen and then said. “Working on it.”
Eric looked at the other Captains, the Earth ships. “You guys in on this or are you going back to Earth?”
“I’m in.” Hobbs answered quickly. “They don’t much care for mutiny back there. Even if the crew goes back, and they can, I want to stay.”
John answered the same.
Amos was thoughtful. “If one of us went back, say guarding the cargo ships, would that give you any kind of an advantage?”
“It might. What did you have in mind?”
“Hobbs is correct in that if he returns, it will be the end for him. I could take his loony captain back and deal with Earth. Act as a go-between. They probably won’t shoot on sight if I identify myself with a returning cargo of food. I could start by calling control secretly and let them think I am maintaining my distance while playing along with you.”
“You fit in well here. So devious.” Lee said.
“Thanks. It’s always nice to be recognized for my abilities.” He grinned. “I can start anytime with messages to control as long as you all approve. Listening in would be helpful too, so you can get a sense of what they are thinking.”
Hobbs interrupted. “He is a little more stable now. The clean water and lack of drugs seems to be clearing his mind somewhat.”
“Sound good to me. Freighter captains, what are your opinions?”
“Well, I was not looking forward to a return like our outward trip but with the nanobots fixing the ship like they did, it should be a breeze. I would like to help those people back home.” Singe Dai Krupp of the More Ore answered.
“This is Creepy Crawler. We are willing too. Captain Hauser is in engineering under a gravity plate at the moment but he said yes.”
“Rick Harper, Weekender, yes.”
“Bertram Suzuki, Ton and a Half, yes.”
“Dom Little, Shit Creek, yes.”
“Gerde Cooper, Brass Monkey, yes.”
“Where did you get those names?” Lee asked.
“Those were the original names of the freighters. We heard it was bad luck to change them.” Dom answered.
“Colorful. Glad you are with us. Consider this your home fellas. You do understand that they will probably send out another load of rejects like us with you after you are unloaded?” Eric asked.
“I sure hope so. It’s nice not being the only weirdo on the planet. Then we can get another colony started on the other side of this planet and maybe we could ask for fishing boats too. There seem to be a lot of life in the oceans.” Bertram responded.
“Fish? Fish never even crossed my mind. Keep the ideas coming people. I have not eaten fish since I was a kid.” Eric shook his head. There was too much to think of and not enough people to think about how to start a civilization without any experience. Maybe he could find a reference in the library.
“We can’t have any nanobots free in the ship when we reach Earth. Can we ask them to hide somewhere if we get boarded?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. Your computer can ask them to get in a small container and you can drop it before you get to Earth orbit then pick it up on your way back out. You all need to download the nano control programs if you haven’t done so. We won’t be there to tell them what to do this time.” Lee answered. “If they give you crappy containers like before, you are going to need them.”
~~~~~~
The oceans were full of life and most were quite edible if not tasty. They decided on which w
ere ones tasted good by trial and error. The Asgard drug a net for several days, capturing creatures at assorted depths and returning them to the colony for testing then cooking and tasting. The best was a large armored species almost three meters long that lived at a hundred meters and more near coral covered shelves. A single fish contained almost thirty-five kilos of firm white meat that flaked just like fish did back home. A squid variation with a long spiral shell was second favorite with dozens of other species following. The nasty ones were also armored but lived on the bottom much deeper than four hundred meters. There were monsters spotted in the deeps up to seventy meters long but those were avoided for now. Mollusks and shellfish of many types were abundant close to shore and a fishing colony was established by two hundred couples. Nets were fabricated on site and hand lines were included in the cargos. A flitter was donated until they could build wooden boats or more flitters, assuming they could get the metals.
~~~~~~
“Team three to base come in please.” Ash called once more.
“Base here. Go ahead Team three.”
“The mine is open. Are you getting our video feed?”
“Affirmative. What am I looking at?”
“Metal. There are tons of processed metal ingots in a dozen different chambers about half a kilometer under the main entrance. It looks like it was stored here until needed and there is a converter in another chamber but it is not operational. It looks very old and I had to scrape the rust off before I realized it was a converter.”
“Good news Ash. How do we get it out of the mine?”
“Flitter it looks like. I see piles of rust at the head of this chamber where they had a lift at one time but even the opening to the surface is gone now. The ingots are covered in dirt and they may need to be reprocessed due to age and corrosion.”
“Still faster than processing raw ore though. Alright, we will send one of the new flitters over with the Ryu Akai. Load him up with as much as he can carry. We’ve set up one of the new converters on the base in orbit since that is where we are going to build those things and we will get one on site in a day or two. As soon as they get more flitters going, we will build a few for you just for heavy loads.”
“Roger that. See you soon.”
~~~~~~
“We need more space crews. We are short handed, we keep sending out more and more of our crews to do work nobody else have skills to do. Hell, I’m not even sure I could lift right now with the number of men I have aboard.” Horace complained to Eric.
“Do they need to be men?” Eric asked.
“Huh?”
“You are so eloquent. Do you want men or will a mixed crew do as well? Half our population is women you know.” Eric continued. “They all are not farmers either. You should check the skills list in the computer.”
“Never thought about it. Women are fine as long as they have skills we need. Of course, the same holds true for men, doesn’t it. Men or women will do.” Horace finished.
Chapter 10 Earth
“Star Gazer to control, come in please.”
“Star Gazer, we read you.” The voice was different, not anyone Amos recognized. He wondered if Derek had gotten into trouble for his actions and his habits.
“We are two hours from lunar orbit with six freighters of grain, metals and rare earth elements following. Are we clear for standard orbit?”
“Negative Star Gazer. Assume far polar orbit at thirty thousand kilometers. Advise when you arrive.”
“Affirmative control. Polar at thirty thousand confirmed. Will advise when we are in orbit. Please advise as to disposition of Captain Thornton.”
“Will advise after orbit achieved. Out.”
“That was brusque. Think they’re mad at us?” Amos asked Harrison, the navigator.
“They probably didn’t think we would make it back and now they don’t know what to do with us. That and they are scared to death we have alien plague among us.”
“You have a point.”
“Pick a spot a few million kilometers out and set up a micro jump. Do everything but hit the button, just in case they decide to launch a nuke at us. Pass it on to the freighters.”
“Yes Sir.”
In the two hours it took to reach orbit, all ships prepared for emergency actions and then waited. They sat in orbit for the next six hours.
~~~~~~
“Think they decided to save a few nukes and just bore us to death?”
The crew in the bridge of the Creepy Crawler laughed.
“I think it’s working Sir. At least my butt has died. Permission to stand and stretch for a few?” Orrin asked.
“Yeah, go ahead, just make sure your finger is in reach of that jump button at all times.” Zion answered, standing up and stretching himself.
“Control to Star Gazer, respond.” The voice made everyone jump. Orrin’s finger missed the button by millimeters. “Well shit. Almost jumped us out to the ort cloud.”
They listened.
“Control, Star Gazer here.”
“Maintain orbit. Mules approaching. Stand by for message.”
“Message from who I wonder?” Zion asked.
“Star gazer, this is Committeeman Rudolph Hazer. Why is Captain Thornton with you?”
“Sir, his crew mutinied and we took him in, rather than abandon him to the others. They remained behind with the colony. We sent a message back to that effect and were ordered to return him to Earth.”
“Where is the other ship, the Avenger? Did they also mutiny?”
“No Sir. We decided to leave them behind to keep an eye on things at the colony. Control wasn’t sure we could trust the original survey teams.” Amos answered.
“Has the Captain been allowed access to the rest of the ship? Has he associated with the crew and officers aboard?”
“No Sir. We were advised to keep him in isolation level six. We have maintained him there, allowing voice and video contact only. Foods were dispensed according to protocol.”
The crew looked at each other, wondering what was going to happen to Thornton.
“Space him and the isolation chamber. We will deal with him.”
“Yes Sir. Should I wait until we have unloaded?” Amos asked.
“Negative. Immediately.” They could hear the click as he broke contact.
“Yes Sir.” Amos said after the fact.
“This is control. Eject the chamber with sufficient force to clear all ships to recommended distance of one hundred kilometers within ten minutes. Do you understand?”
“Affirmative. We will need to attach a thruster pack to the chamber. Give us fifteen minutes to comply.”
“Fifteen minutes to ejection. Understood. Control out.”
“They’re gonna kill him.” Orrin said in a whisper.
“Looks that way. Remember what we decided before we left. None of us have been off the ship or had any contact with the original teams. We arrived at the planet, got in orbit and stayed there. Any slip up and we could get a nuke up our ass.”
~~~~~~
Amos stood next to the isolation chamber looking through the window at Thornton. He pressed the com button and spoke.
“Bill, you heard the orders.”
“Yeah. I heard. So kill me already. Put the pack on and shove me out the airlock.” Thornton was quiet in his response. He was almost normal again now that all the drugs were out of his system.
“Do you want to have a change of heart? Join us and live?” Amos asked.
“But the committeeman, he ordered you to eject me.”
“Yeah, he did. So what? This is my ship and I decide what happens aboard.” Amos said angrily. “Those people sent us all out here to die and they are still ready to blow us away even after we do as instructed and bring back what Earth needs. Why should I listen to them any longer? Why should you?”
“I don’t want to die, not like this. I will join you.”
“Good. For now, we are going to leave you in there and hide you from sc
anners. We have a second chamber with the thruster pack already in the cargo airlock so just sit tight for a few days and we will see what happens.” Amos smiled and headed back to the bridge. He didn’t want to die like this either.
Amos got back to the bridge as the empty chamber reached one hundred kilometers, where a missile with a tactical nuke warhead intercepted it.
“Shit! Shields up!” Amos yelled.
“Never dropped them Sir.” his first officer answered. “Can’t trust those bastards.”
Amos dropped into his chair, hands shaking. “Keep your eyes open people. We have mules out there plus whoever fired that missile. Be aware that we will be scanned soon and they will ask us to drop our shields. Not much we can do but obey at this time, not if we want to get any of the goods we need for the colony and ourselves to survive out here.”
A few nodded and the com officer keyed the all ship com to repeat everything to the rest of the crew.
~~~~~~
“Why should we need to pay for goods from our own colony? What possible reason could you have?” Overseer Chang asked. He was a second level civil servant, only one step and a lot of luck removed from the planetary government. He was currently in charge of incoming materials from Luna.
“Not my reasons Overseer. These are the requests made by the colony. They feel the need for additional materials in order to insure the proper grain shipments can be made in a timely manner. They felt that this harvest was too small and that the metals and other items could have been procured more quickly if they had these additional machines. The household items are needed so they do not have to take the time away from the more important tasks to manufacture these items themselves.”
“What about these entertainment items? Surely they could not make procurement any faster, if the colonists are sitting around watching vids or dancing away their time?”
“Those are for the ships Sir. Six months one way is a long trip and we have little aboard for the crews. By the time we return another harvest will be waiting for us. We will be hard pressed to get it loaded and back to Earth before they have more ready. We have no time to waste in orbit you see, but the trip itself, six months in FTL, well . . .”