The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books

by John Thornton

  “Khin, we will be inside this machine, and the machine will fly us to a whole different world. You understand that, right?” Jerome asked.

  “Yes, yes, yes! Your spirit-ghost said that we can fly. I want to begin now. Do I push these buttons?” Khin leaned toward the cockpit controls.

  Cammarry lunged in and grabbed him forcefully to pull his hands away. “Khin, do not touch anything like that!”

  Khin’s face fell, and his smile departed. “I have made you angry. I apologize. What should I do? You are the wizards, and I am your helper.” He sat back in the passenger seat and folded his hands over his lap.

  “I see there is no question about Khin’s desire to go with us,” Jerome said. “But we must first familiarize ourselves with the operations of this shuttle. Before we do anything more, I am blocking open the door.” He took off his backpack and wedged it into the frame. “The fusion pack in there should stop the door from shutting, but I want something even more stout. Sandie, I know you said it is safe, but I am placing a physical barrier in the door so it cannot shut until we are ready.” He stepped away and started to search the hanger bay for an item to fit his needs.

  “Good idea,” Cammarry said. She realized that she and Khin had been inside the shuttle, and had the door slammed they would have both been trapped inside it. “Also, are there spacesuits anywhere? Those might come in handy. There are six seats in here. We can easily carry three spacesuits, if we can find some.” She shuddered for a moment recalling the dead bodies she had seen in spacesuits.

  “EA-804 has located a cache of items,” Sandie answered. “There were no replacement parts for the shuttle, but tools, gear, and five spacesuits were located in and around the now partitioned Pine 1407. One of the spacesuits is unsuitable, as it is child sized, but there are two medium adult male, and two medium adult female suits. I will have EA-804 bring those here.”

  “This ought to do the job,” Jerome said as he laid a permalloy bar across the opening of the shuttle’s door. “Safety happens in the mind first, and then is lived out in the hands. This shuttle will only fly away when we are in control of it and agree to leave.”

  “I will take a nap soon, since you are not flying right now,” Khin said. “May I make us some food? Then I will sleep on these nice chairs here in the machine that will fly.”

  Cammarry looked to Jerome, and then down at the permalloy bar which he had used to block the door from shutting. “I think we should press on. I know we have a lot to learn about the shuttle, but perhaps eating is what we should do. I am not sure.”

  “We have accomplished much already today,” Jerome agreed. “So we have some food, then press on.”

  They sat in the chairs of the shuttle and shared a simple meal. The water that Khin had gathered from the lavatory supplemented what Jerome and Cammarry were carrying. When they were finished, Jerome asked Sandie, “Can you give us detailed instructions on the non-automatic, or by-hand, operation of this kind of shuttle?”

  “Certainly!” Sandie said excitedly. “Please take your seats in the pilot’s chairs, and I will begin.”

  Khin cuddled up in a ball in the passenger seat and was soon snoring softly.

  “He is certainly excited about flying,” Jerome stated, as he motioned with his thumb back at Khin. “I am rather surprised by that. I would have thought he would have an innate fear of loss of gravity.”

  “I agree. He was so excited about flying in that chamber where the gravity manipulation was broken,” Cammarry said. “He was thrilled with it all. The fire he started also was odd. Khin is more than he appears. Well, Sandie, please begin our lessons. I want to know everything about this shuttle.”

  Jerome’s eyes lit up. “I wonder if there is a physical flight manual for this shuttle?” He reached under the seat and found a small compartment. “There is something in here!” He pulled out a bound volume. It was a printed book, about seven centimeters thick, with a dark green cover.

  “Is that an instruction manual?”

  “No. It is something called, ‘The Unwritten Trilogy Now Written: Sound of His Wings, The Stone Pillow, and Eclipse’ copyright 2029.” Jerome’s voice held awe as he reverently held the book.

  “Jerome, the automacube never assessed under the seats, or the personal pockets or compartments of the shuttle. I had it evaluate the mechanical aspects,” Sandie stated. “I have checked the data base of known pre-Great Event literature, and that volume is unknown. There are not even any references to it in any of the extant works. It is a remarkable find.”

  Jerome was flipping through the pages, carefully looking at each one. “We will need to scan this in for safety. I wonder how it got left here? Perhaps by some former crewmate?”

  “It is a distraction, a ruse, a ploy,” Shadow whispered to Cammarry. “Neither of them want to leave. Neither want to help you. You are being manipulated. They are tricking you.”

  “That is ridiculous,” Cammarry barked at Shadow.

  “The book got here somehow,” Jerome said with chagrin. “A crewman might have left it here. We found it.”

  “Of course you found it. I just think it… well…. We need to get on with the flight lessons. This is not the FTL scout ship, so it is relatively new to us. I know my jaunt in the runabout before was not much of a learning experience. I am sorry for my outburst. I just get so tired of….” Her breathing got tight as she almost spoke about Shadow.

  “Cammarry?” Jerome said as he saw her clutch at her throat and choke and sputter. He reached for the medical kit, and then realized it was in his backpack, which was still in the doorframe. He got up and grabbed it. By the time he had it out of his pack, she was breathing better.

  “I am over it now,” Cammarry said.

  “It does not matter, I am running a diagnostic.” Jerome took the wire leads from the kit and connected them to the side of her head. He pressed the switch to activate the medical kit.

  A moment later the small display screen read out, ‘Subject Cammarry: Overall excellent health. New since last scan. Primary finding: an alteration in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal inter-working. Secondary finding: altered functions of the hippocampus and amygdala. Catecholamines, neuropeptides, abnormal. Hemodynamics and cardio-pulmonary responses consistent with stress reaction. Diagnosis: extreme stress response. No other physiological findings. Relaxation treatment initiated. Prognosis excellent.”

  Cammarry felt a slight tingling sensation as the medical kit’s wires delivered instructions to her body. Nearly immediately her breathing completely cleared up, and she felt much better. She began to speak about Shadow and explain to Jerome. “When I got hurt, at the ESRC, I had this….”

  Her breathing again got constricted and she huffed.

  The medical kit alarmed. ‘Relaxation treatment insufficient. Place unguent on upper lip for inhalation therapy.’ A small measure of ointment was dispensed and Jerome swathed it under Cammarry’s nose. “Just breathe easy now.”

  “That is better,” Cammarry said. She glanced down at the medical kit, looking for some detection of the implant that had been rammed into her arm. She saw no indication of it. “My arm, is it healed?”

  “Your arm?” Jerome asked with a puzzled looked on his face. “Why yes, it is healed, weeks ago. Does it hurt?”

  “No, I just….” She resisted bringing up Shadow and just took some more deep breaths. “Thank you for helping me.”

  Khin was looking on, but said nothing. After a bit he nodded his head and went back to sleep.

  “Cammarry, you need to sleep now,” Jerome said. “Together we will learn about this shuttle, but only after you rest. I will quietly scan in the pages of this book we found so Sandie has it in the database. When you wake up we will tackle this issue of the shuttle. Coming together to the Conestoga was our beginning; keeping together is our progress; working together now will be our success. We are a team, and you are essential to that, but only if you do not flame out from stress and pressure. I know there is more than
our share of that here.”

  Sandie added, “Cammarry, Jerome is correct. You will be more receptive to learning about the shuttle when well rested.”

  “You both have convinced me,” she answered. “And Khin is setting the example. I suppose if he can sleep, so can I.” She looked at the pilot seat and found a small lever on the side. Using that she could recline. She kept breathing in the soothing unguent which was on her lip, and she tried to relax her mind. She wondered about Shadow, but drifted off to sleep.

  Some hours later, Cammarry awoke feeling refreshed and renewed. She looked over and saw that Jerome was sitting quietly looking at the old-style printed book. A small beam of light was shining down from his com-link onto the pages as he read. He noticed her stirring and closed the book and set it aside. “How are you now?”

  “Rested. Thank you.”

  “I also slept for a few hours,” Jerome replied. “This book is fascinating and I was reading it until you awoke.”

  “I am rested too!” Khin added from behind her. “Mother says, ‘sleep when you may, get well that way’ and I find that to be true. So when can we fly?”

  “Well, I was mentally flying for the last while,” Jerome said and looked at the book. “That is an amazing book. I have it entirely scanned into Sandie’s database, and have read the first sections. Fascinating. The spacesuits were brought here by EA-804, and I wondered if we should put them on now, rather than wait for an emergency.”

  “Perhaps just before we depart in the shuttle,” Cammarry advised. “We still have to learn the system.” She stood up and walked about the small cabin. Opening the rear door, she observed the cargo hold. It had a rear hatch at the back of the shuttle. “That automacube could fit back here. When we go, it might be wise to bring it along.”

  “Yes, the cubie blue knows what to do,” Khin chortled. He got up and walked out of the shuttle. “Do not fly without me, please. I must go for a bit.”

  “The passage back to the lavatory is open,” Jerome stated as he saw where Khin was heading.

  Cammarry made sure Khin was out of sight before she commented. “Do you think it wise to take him along? I know he is eager, and we do have a spacesuit for him, but he has such limited knowledge.”

  “He knew how to burn out that monster’s lair, as he called it. I think it is up to him. Do you remember how John used to say, ‘Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, you will live your whole life believing that it is stupid’? I had to ask what a tree was and what a fish was, and John carefully explained it all to us.”

  “I do remember John, and that story from childhood.” She wiped a tear from her eyes. “I do hope he is alive somewhere and seeing real fish. Those we saw in that Loop River were unforgettable.” She came back and sat down in the pilot’s seat. “Sandie, where do we begin?”

  “The communication system is a good place to start, especially if you will be wearing spacesuits. By the way, I agree that wearing them while in flight is a prudent and wise decision, however, you will need to be able to communicate should you seal on the bubble helmets,” Sandie stated. “Begin by accessing the display in the cockpit, you will see the flashing symbol for communication.”

  Jerome pressed the symbol.

  A crackling noise came from the cockpit, and a deep male voice followed that. “…..now. You know this is the only way you can get there. You can pay the bill, or remain where you are. Those are your two options. Payment must be made before you can be taken over to the other place.”

  Both Cammarry and Jerome stared at the cockpit controls. “Sandie who is that?” Cammarry asked.

  Sandie’s artificial voice carried a mixture of excitement and surprise. “I believe it is a transmission from Zalia. I had heightened my listening ability. I began by using the scout ship’s communication equipment in our search for the Dome 17 signals. I did that by trying it into the needle ship’s old equipment. With your proposed excursion, I also linking that to this shuttle’s communication system. I am enhancing the signal reception.”

  “Transmission from Zalia?” Cammarry asked.

  “Yes. It is confirmed. We have picked up a transmission from the surface. I am zeroing in on the signal’s location using the shuttle here, the array on the needle ship, and the scout ship as reference points. There should be more of the signal available. Please manually boost the reception on the cockpit controls.”

  Jerome made the adjustments on the display. “This old interface is just like that in the runabout.”

  There was more crackling, but then a different voice came on. It was of a scared female. “You guarantee safe passage out of Beta to that paradise you described?”

  “Yes,” the deep male voice replied. “You must pay the Ferryman first, and then I will dock and take you to the Elysian Fields. This is a one way trip only. No coming back. Each passenger is allowed twenty kilograms of baggage, but remember, at the Elysian Fields you will not need much of anything by way of material goods.”

  The female voice responded. “I just want my children to have a better life than here in Beta. There will be plenty of water at that other habbie?”

  “Of course there is, not like what you are used to. It is gorgeous. I must sign off now. Power sources in my ferry are limited, and I still have a distance to go to reach the docking bay. If you do not pay, I will not dock. So either quit or pay the Ferryman. I do not have time to fool around, I must get back there myself.”

  “I am paying right now. Please do not leave without us!” The woman was nearly hysterical.

  A third voice came on, this one a different male, “This is the Ferryman. She has paid, please dock at Dardanella 5600. I will bring the passengers there now. One adult, three children.”

  “Affirmative. Docking initiated,” the deeper voice replied.

  “They are using shuttles!” Cammarry exclaimed. “They are flying from one habitat to another.”

  “They certainly sound better than those slave traders in Wolf City. Sandie where are they on the surface? Are they part of that Habitat Alpha? We only saw a small bit of it.”

  “Correlating data,” Sandie replied. “They are not at the Habitat Alpha location. I have plotted their position on the planet. They are some 7,329 kilometers away from Habitat Alpha’s location.”

  “That female said Beta. She called the place they were leaving Beta. That must mean Habitat Beta. We should contact them,” Jerome said.

  “We should just go there, not contact them,” Cammarry said. “If we contact them, they might be like those crazy slave traders in Habitat Alpha. If we go there, to Beta, we can dock, find the Reproduction and Fabrication center of that habitat and get our data sticks fixed. Avoid speaking to them until we have what we need.”

  “That would give us the advantage of surprise. We could also get normal food ration bars made.” Jerome pondered and cupped his hand over his mouth. “Sandie, how far out is that shuttle away from docking?”

  “I can determine the signal’s origins, to within a two hundred meter radius,” the AI Sandie replied. “However, the two signals are not further apart than that. I have confirmed three times the location of those signals. They are close to each other. It is possible the tracking I am using is being distorted by Zalia’s exotic atmosphere, but I conjecture that kind of interference is a low possibility.”

  “Within two hundred meters? So that shuttle is alongside the habitat, or that pilot has already docked,” Jerome said. “Perhaps that is how he always operates, and it takes him time to ease into docking?”

  “Or the pilot is lying to that woman with the children,” Cammarry said. “Even more reason not to contact them. Who knows what he might do if he knew we were coming. I would like to be able to track that other shuttle and learn where the Elysian Fields are located. How soon can we launch? I say we fly there now.”

  Khin spoke up from the doorway. “I am ready to fly again.” His laugh was infectious.

  “We will need to p
ut the spacesuits on, and familiarize ourselves with those. Then I think Sandie can assist us in learning the operations while we fly.”

  “Alright Jerome, Khin, we put on the spacesuits and go!” Cammarry said.

  “Flying again.” Khin laughed and laughed and laughed.

  Jerome and Cammarry secured their backpack, weapons, and other gear in small nets which were hanging on the sides of the shuttle, or in the limited spaces under the seats. Khin saw what they were doing and carefully packed all his belongings under the passenger seat beneath where he had napped. They stepped out of the shuttle and found the spacesuits that EA-804 had delivered. Each was a drab green color, with three main pieces. The leg section, the trunk section, and a clear permalloy bubble helmet. Jerome slipped into the legs of the suit and pulled them up. His feet slid into the connected boots. “This is all self-fitting, and really basic technology.”

  Khin looked at him and tipped his head to the side. “I need to wear that to fly? I was flying in the other place without fancy clothing.”