TheTraveler - book 1

by Robin Marienus Miller

  Owsee, "I need to dump some weight." Then I saw a smile on his face as he said to me, "remember what I said about the waste purge control? Watch closely."

  He typed in the command and the ship open five doors, on the port side, to the waste storage tanks. There was a heavy shower of shit as the ship started to rise higher and higher, still spitting out her foul goodbye.

  Owsee said, "and that's the way we do it. Good thing they said they didn't care about the station."

  Kitty was laughing so hard I think she wet herself, as it was truly a once in a lifetime sight.

  When the ship got high enough we docked with it, and headed for the nearest Star gate.

  “Star gate bound”

  Owsee, "have any of you been through a Star gate before?" He asked as he looked at us for an answer. "Well, it’s the thing that will get us where we are going in just two days, without it the trip could take a month. They have built three new ones in the last 20 years. We will be at the first one in a few hours, until then there is not much to do. I have been refitting this ship for the last 10 years, so one person can do the work of a crew of 20, it has been a lot of work but well worth it."

  Kitty asked, "what happens when we get to your world, do we just land or must we ask permission?"

  Owsee, "I will need to leave the ship in orbit while I find just the right place to land it, remember what happened to the station. We will take the other ship down and scout out a place. As soon as we land, I need to pull out all the data chips and put them in protective storage. The same with the small ship in the hanger, except for the one you put that tuner in; to protect the control chips. But for now, past the rum."

  "None for me," she said, "until the children are born. Do you have any milk?"

  Owsee, "of course, in the mess hall, you passed it on the way here."

  Kitty said, "I remember," and she went to get the milk.

  Owsee, "we might as well party while we can. There will be a lot to do when we get there. No telling when we will get another break like this."

  So he put a handful of firepower on the table and we pulled out the jumbo sticks.

  Owsee said, "don't eat the jumbo sticks, they are the only ones not in storage."

  Goo da wa, "what was it you once told me about how your people vote on a new name for the planet?"

  I said, "yeah, what is its name?"

  Owsee, "I don't know anymore. Once every 50 years the planet votes on a new name. The last vote was 10 years ago, so I can't tell you where we are going until we get there."

  When Kitty came back I said, "guess what? We don't know where we're going."

  We all started to laugh, except for kitty that is, who said we all had too much to drink and better not be lost. I was laughing so hard it was all I could do to choke out the words, "Owsee, tell her why we don't know where we are going."

  So Owsee explained it to her and she said we were all still very drunk.

  I said, "how about we name it just until we get there."

  Owsee, "I’m open to suggestions."

  I said, "how about Lore, as in folk lore."

  Owsee, "how do you spell it? L O R?"

  I said, "I think it's L, o, r, e."

  Owsee, "that’s the trouble with your language. You put extra letters on words and say they are silent. It's a wonder any of you learn to read and write at all."

  I said, "some don't."

  Owsee, "some don't, what do you mean by that?"

  I said, "some just give up and never learned to read at all."

  Owsee, "I think that is very said, you have a rich culture, and everyone should be able to read about it. I promise I will not give up on you, even if I have to learn each and every word one by one; it is the most important thing I can do for my world."

  “405-1=406”

  Just then, a light in the table started flashing. Owsee said, "we are coming up on the Star gate. I'll transmit my DNA code now."

  I watched how he did it, so I could do the same when the time came, the screen flashed back negative.

  I said, "perhaps they are pissed about what you did to their android."

  Owsee, "that damn CMA. Push the green button by you to extend the long range antenna."

  Owsee then got through to the corporate mining company that ran the gates. An android came on the line and said, "hello I am 405, can I help you?"

  Owsee said, "yes you can help. My contract gives me use of the gate, transmit the open code or end up like 401."

  The CMA said, "I am sorry, I do not see any contract for gate use for you. You will need to buy a pass."

  Owsee, "is it true that the corporate bosses monitor your transmissions?"

  CMA, "yes, why?"

  Owsee, "and how much do you cost?"

  CMA, "about 100,000 credits, why do you ask?"

  Owsee, "scan this, 200,000 credits for the first CEO that destroys 405."

  The android had just enough time to say, "you don't really think," when a guard walk in and blew his head off with a blaster. He then dragged the android out, and another one came in and sat down, saying, "I am 406. How may I help you?"

  Owsee, "Unlimited gate privileges for the two of us, now! 407."

  "I am 406 sir." Said the CMA.

  Owsee, "not for long if you don't honor my contract."

  The CMA said, "thank you for your communication, the gate is now open to you, have a nice trip."

  The lights came on around the gate. Owsee told me to hit the green button again to retract the long range antenna. We moved through the gate and whoosh, we were in hyperspace. Then Owsee showed me how to lock onto the next gate.

  I said, "200,000 credits was a lot just to make a point.”

  Owsee, "we left two of them on the moon, and they did away with another one for me. At 100,000 credits apiece, I think only 200, 000 for all three was a fair price. It also sent a message, we will not be having any more problems with our Star gate contract."

  “Going where?”

  Owsee told us that when we came out through the next gate the engines would shut down, so we don't miss the space station that is near the gate. He said that we might as well look the place over while we are out here.

  Kitty came back, from getting her milk, to find the three of us keeping the party going; Kitty just drank her milk. It had a strange smell to it, like chocolate, so I tried it and said it was very good. Kitty said she thought I only liked the taste of rum. I said that on my planet that is called nagging, and it’s not very nice, but that I forgave her for the remark. She said she was sorry and I said she was right, that I had been drinking a lot of rum.

  Then Goo da wa said, "and we will drink a lot more before we get to Lore."

  “Lore?” said Kitty.

  “Yes,” replied Goo da wa, “We decided to call it Lore.”

  Owsee, "now we know where we are going, ha ha ha."

  We all joined in laughing, and Kitty said it was somewhat funny.

  “A stop on the way”

  Next thing we knew, we were stopping on the other side of the gate. Owsee got on the communicator and was directly to an outside dock. Dock control locked onto our ship and extended a large tube to connect to our hatch.

  Owsee, "you two go look things over, I want my teacher and I to talk to the dock master."

  And so Kitty and Goo da wa went to look at the shops while Owsee and I went to see the dock master.

  Owsee said, "this is a transfer station. Ships from all over the system come here. The CM brings goods in each month, but never too much water, they like to keep the cost up."

  Owsee asked a worker to show us to dock control. He asked us if we had any water. Owsee pulled out a bottle of water from his bag and gave it to him. The man took a drink and tried to hand it back, but Owsee told him to keep it. With that the man thanked him, and showed us to the dock master's office. When we got there the worker lifted his bottle toward us and said to the dock master, "these two want to talk to you."

  The man said,
"you have water?"

  Owsee, "I take it you're out."

  He said, "just about, and another week before the CM drops off."

  Owsee, "how would you like a thousand units of clean h2o?"

  The man asked how much, and Owsee said, "I will leave that to my teacher here."

  Owsee then turned to me and said to be generous. So I asked the man how much it was going for here. He told me 300 credits per unit.

  I said, "200 credits a unit, screw the CM."

  The dock master said, "I'll take a thousand at that price."

  Owsee said it's a deal and that he would show his worker where to tap in. The man gave Owsee a credit chip and he said to me, "I just got my 200,000 back and screwed the CM at the same time."

  We showed the worker where to tap into the ship's water, and when we reached 1000 units we disconnected and locked it off. Owsee and I then went to the promenade to find Goo da wa and Kitty.

  They were sitting on a bench near a holographic fountain, eating a pastry on a stick. Kitty shared hers with me and said she saw a dress that was nothing like any she had, and wondered if it was all right to buy it. I told her to buy anything she liked, so she went into the dress shop while the rest of us looked around a bit. Goo da wa wanted to see what the bar looked like, but we left moments afterwards. The music was so loud we just couldn’t stay it. The restaurant seemed to be a nice place but we didn’t get anything. Then Kitty caught up with us and said she was done shopping, so we all went back to the ship.

  After we were away from the station Owsee put me behind the controls and told me how to set up for the next jump. It was easy to do, and there was no problem with the gate this time. Owsee said it would be a few hours before we were out of hyperspace again, and that he was going to take a nap. He then laid down on a sofa, on the far side of the room and nodded off.

  I asked Kitty if she would like to see the room I had picked out to use for the trip, and she said yes. So leaving Goo da wa with a sleeping Owsee we went to my room. It was just below the lounge and had a great view. We laid down together to take a nap.

  She said, "are you sure this planet is the right place to go?"

  I said, "I have the other ship and the use of the Star gate. I could run cargo if I wanted to. With free gate use I could make a lot that way. But let's see what this planet has before we make up our minds."

  I was half asleep when I felt a shudder. I got up and said I was going to the bridge. She said I’m coming too.

  When we got there, we could see we were out of hyperspace and coming up on another station. It looked just like the last one.

  Owsee said, "take us in," and looked at me. So I got on the controls, and set our course for the dock they gave us.

  “Last stop before home”

  Owsee said, "offer the dock master the same deal we did at the last station," so I did it over the link. He went for it right off, and after we were secure to the dock I stayed behind to open the lock to the water. The rest went to check out the station. After the water unload I locked up and went to find them. They were at a farming supply shop with many tools and different kinds of seeds, fruits, and vegetables. There was one with a talk in design that said, "try one, guaranteed not to offend your taste buds." It was a small white berry with no taste at all. The shop was interested but the only thing we bought was a big bag of poppers. They looked like popcorn but tasted like cheese. We had finished the whole bag before we were done looking around.

  "Take a good look," Owsee said, "there are no other stations between here and our new home."

  We got another large bag of poppers before we left. Owsee put me on the controls again and showed me on the chart where we were going.

  Once again, there was no problems with the gate and we were on our way.

  “Hyperspace tripping”

  Owsee talked about how it was good that I had that thing that would protect my translator. As it would still take a while for him and the rest of them to learn my language.

  I wrote down another poem for Owsee to practice sounding out.

  "To be awake yet still to dream, mind’s eye still catching a few scenes.

  So fantasies that are explored, are welcome as an open door.

  Yet soon -- I'm sure that I will wake, and cast an eye on scenes that take; away delights of mourning dreams, at least that's how it all dose seem".

  Owsee worked on reading it, and did well. Especially sense it was not your standard, first time readers, practice sentence.

  But I still said, "I think before we teach anyone else we should change the rules. No more silent letters and everything spelled the way it sounds, at least to start with. Of course there are going to be a lot of words that I only know how to spell one way. But we can work something out."

  He said, "yes, let's make it easier."

  Kitty, "can you teach me to read?"

  I said, "I'll teach Owsee, he can teach you, and the both of you can come to me on the words you don't know."

  Then Kitty said, "I'm going to the room to try on this new dress I bought. I'll be back shortly." And off she went.

  Goo da wa asked, "how long before we come out the next gate?"

  Owsee said, "I think it will take most of a day, but so far we are making better time than I thought we would. This old ship has more to her than I had hoped for. Guess I did a pretty good job on fixing her up. But then I did have plenty of time."

  Then he reached in his bag and pulled out six mushrooms he had been saving and said, "the best trip you will ever have is to trip while in hyperspace."

  And with that, we all started to eat the mushrooms and washed them down would ale. We put fire powder in our shots of rum and made toast after toast to things we would do on the New World.

  Kitty came back wearing a red dress that sparkled with thin cut crystals interweaved. It was low over the shoulders, came down halfway past her waist, and had a split up one side. She said, "what do you think?"

  And we all said very nice, it’s your color. I think I may have added a, “oh my - oh my,” but I’m not sure.

  I was just finishing my second mushroom as she said, "how many of them have you eaten?"

  I said, "we all had two."

  She said, "I'm going to get myself some more milk." And walked out of the room at a brisk pace.

  I said, "what's wrong with her?"

  Owsee said, "maybe it's hormones."

  Goo da wa, "maybe it's because she can't have any."

  After a few moments of silence I said, "look outside, all those colors seem to come right inside and dance around."

  Goo da wa, "you're wasted."

  Owsee said, "so are you and I."

  Goo da wa, "well I hope so. We all ate two mushrooms each. We should stay high most of the way there."

  Then I said, "hey, let's test our memories. Try to remember this poem."

  "Seek ye now the dark side, all controversy put aside. Loveliness and delight, can't stir the soul like a good fright. Let your mind just fade away, to secret places none can invade. They inspired shall ye be, more than by all that's pretty. Dragon's breath and darken holes, stir deep regions in one's soul. Fire’s illusion is its light, let your fever burn as bright."

  Owsee said, "you picked a fine time to teach me a new poem. I can't remember it. But I like it very much. How about you Goo da wa?"

  "Yes, I like it," said Goo da wa, "but I am not good at remembering things like Owsee. That's why I mark them down if I need too."

  I said, "you have a written language?"

  Goo da wa, "no, my people write with pictures and marks that reminds us of things. We mostly make it up as we go."

  I said, "that's how language started on my planet. We drew pictures until enough of us got together and started to name things. That's why there are so many words. Each part of my world will name things differently. On earth it's good to speak two or three languages."

  Owsee, "well I think we stick with just one for now. And when we get to my planet I wa
nt to find a big cave, and write all your poems on the walls so they will never be forgotten."

  Goo da wa, "if the cave is close to a town I can set up my bar there, if it’s big enough. Maybe we call it, "The Poetic Drink." After I learned to read I can tell people the stories on the walls. They will come for the poems and stay for a drink."