“SB Dan Cooper was helpful when we spoke. I am headed there!” Eris punched up the coordinates for Habitat Gamma’s location. “Please oversee the flight and protect me from harms and warn me of potentials. I will plan to make contact as soon as possible and request refueling. If SB Dan Cooper says Gamma is unable to refuel the shuttle, I will turn around at that point and return to Beta. Will Dardanella 135 be cleaned and ready by then? I do not want to try to dock anywhere else, considering what SB Amelia Earhart tried to do, and wasting fuel searching for a usable docking port might be a problem.”
“We will assist in all ways possible,” SB Pinaka stated. “Sandie is interfacing with me in a gentle and constructive way.”
The shuttle, NS-99, flew away from Habitat Beta. As it did, Eris picked up a sight of twin furrows which led away from the side of Beta. She adjusted the flight and the shuttle dropped to only about one hundred meters off the ground.
“Those look like tracks from the Crock vehicles,” Eris stated.
The tracks led to an obviously constructed platform. On that platform were several Crock vehicles sitting idly. The platform was connected to a four rail roadway. The four rails were wider spaced than the tracks on the Crock vehicle and were a dull metallic color against the taupe and indigo colored ground. They were evenly spaced apart and the roadway was smooth with gentle curves. That quad rail system, as Eris thought of it, stretched off in the distance until it was obscured by the greenish yellow of the air.
“Some kind of primitive transport method,” Eris said as she looked at the quad rail system. “A network of rail lines, which shows infrastructure. They have built it to this location. Perhaps Jerome is right and they are invading Beta? Another question to pose to the lattice of compeers in Gamma.”
Eris adjusted the flight path back on its way to Gamma.
The shuttle sliced through the Zalian atmosphere and slipped between the heavy layers of yellow and green clouds. Sometimes the red light from the sun was more intense, while at other places it was just a dull and diffuse glow in the sky. Everywhere looked foreign, strange, and new.
The flightpath brought Eris over a small mountain range. The tops of the mountains were a dark rust color, interspersed with a deep ruby red, with some bands of yellowish growth in large swaths on the lower portions. Then the shuttle flew out and over a vast smoother plain-like area of dark olive color. Some scraggily crevasses crisscrossed the plain, and those were deep and foreboding. That area led to a flat taupe colored mass which was lower than the ground surrounding it.
Eris directed the shuttle to continue taking readings, but from the cockpit displays she could tell the area beneath her was some form of liquid. Occasionally there were peaks of lighter colored taupe or even rusty orange color which rose out of the dark taupe undulating waves.
Time passed as the shuttle flew. Eris continued in amazement at the geography of the world of Zalia. Approaching the shore there was a large area, it was hard to judge distances, of strange things sticking up into the air. They had yellowish stalks with maroon colored crowns. They were set in orderly rows and were all regularly spaced, all uniformly the same height.
Floating next to some of those upright stalks, trees, Eris thought, were oblong things.
“Dirigibles?” Eris said as her engineering mind tried to make a connection to what she was seeing. “No, not blimps, but some kind of lifeform?”
The oblong floating things were colored in spots of yellows, reds, and greens. Each looked to be anchored to the top of one of the vertical stalks. As the shuttle flew overhead, several of the floating objects detached from the Zalian trees and gently drifted across open spaces to connect to another floater or to another top of a tree’s stalk.
Sandie interjected, “Yes, they appear to be another of the myriad of Zalian life forms. These and the Crocks are the most commonly observed large fauna, if I can use that term, which has been detected during the very limited reconnaissance which has been done.”
“Any idea what they are?” Eris asked.
“Only a very incomplete assessment,” Sandie replied. “No up-close observations, nor samples have been taken. Jerome and Cammarry had an encounter with only permalloy separating them from an individual Crock, but I have no records from that encounter. There are more images of the Crocks due to their proximity to Beta, however, no direct samples of them have been taken. I have been unable to conjecture a method of sampling that will not involve a violation of that organism’s personal space.”
“You believe them to be sentient?” Eris asked.
“For the Crock, yes. They are confirmed tool users, and tool makers. They are reported to have communicated with Jerome and Sandie via writing. For these floating organisms, that remains uncertain. Much more study is needed,” Sandie replied.
“How would they know our written language?” Eris wondered aloud. She then prayed and asked for understanding.
“That remain unknown,” Sandie answered. “Although the Conestoga’s habitats have been on the ground of Zalia for decades. The report strongly suggests some interactions at some point, but the extend and locale of that is unknown.”
“Unknown to us.”
There was another mountain range which the shuttle rose to fly over. That was when Eris could see the fuzzy glow of Habitat Gamma through the chartreuse gasses of Zalian air.
The blue color of the permalloy stood out dramatically against the colors of the Zalian landscape. The atmosphere was not clear enough to get more than a blurred image, but Eris knew it was part of the Colony Ship Conestoga.
“Connect me to SB Dan Cooper,” Eris commanded. “We should be able to connect now; it is in line of sight.”
“Attempting connections,” SB Pinaka replied. “Captain, you are connected.”
“This is SB Dan Cooper from Habitat Gamma,” the mechanical voice stated. “Please confirm your identity.”
“This is Eris; I spoke to you earlier.”
“The flight crew member on the needle ship. Voice confirmation: affirmed. Implant identification: confirmed,” SB Dan Cooper replied. “On previous contact you were in orbit. I now have you registering from a Model 14S shuttle on a heading proceeding toward our location.”
“That is correct. Where shall I dock? I have many questions for the lattice of compeers,” Eris replied. “I also need to refuel for the return trip.”
“We have never had a shuttle dock at Habitat Gamma,” SB Dan Cooper stated. “I must consult the lattice for a determination of compliance.”
The shuttle had now reached the location of Gamma and Eris could see that all around the habitat there was a thick growth of Zalian foliage. In many places that was so thick the ground was not visible beneath it. The only exception was a large area where all the alien plants were much shorter and less densely packed. Eris put the shuttle into a gentle arc to glide around the habitat.
“I am part of the flight crew and am seeking your help,” Eris stated. “Please direct me to the nearest functional hanger bay.”
“All hanger bays are functional. However, the orientation of the habitat to the planet’s ground does interfere with opening of some exterior doors.” There was a hint of annoyance in SB Dan Cooper’s voice. “Rochelle 213 is on the upper side where you are approaching, and its exterior doors are clear of obstructions. Please place your shuttle into a circular holding pattern while I consult the lattice of compeers about a determination of compliance. This is an unanticipated occurrence. You shall have our answer momentarily.”
Eris pursed her lips. She then blew out a long stream of air. “SB Dan Cooper, there is a Captain Level Disaster Alert in place. I demand you open a hanger bay immediately so I can land. I am in command, and that is a direct order.”
“I have heard you. I have relayed your mandate. The lattice of compeers is considering your request. I am awaiting a response. The lattice of compeers will make the final decision on a determination of compliance,” SB Dan Cooper stated. After a brief moment th
e answer came. “The lattice of compeers approved your request and will allow you to land. Rochelle 213 is now being cycled to allow your shuttle to enter. Please follow the landing lights to your destination. Welcome to Habitat Gamma.”
Brilliantly bright white lights lit up on the curved side of Gamma. They lit and dimmed in a manner which was easy to follow. Eris flew the shuttle along that illuminated path. As she flew over, she noted Gamma’s exterior was all consistently the same color. There were no marks of any kind of corruption. The surface features also were all well powered and there was no visible damage anywhere. About two-thirds of the habitat was beneath the ground level of Zalia, and the excavation work to do that had been done expertly. Eris looked closer at the section where the native growth was thinner. It was many kilometers long and wide, consisting of a short mound. She understood that that was where the removed ground had been placed decades ago when the habitat made planet-fall. The odd yellow and maroon foliage was the regrowth in that displaced ground, although it was only about half the height of the surrounding forested areas. There was no evidence of any Crocks or any of the blimp-like organisms. Eris pondered that species and in her mind called them Floaters.
The brilliant white lights shifted to outline a set of hanger bay doors. They were painted with wide diagonal stripes of yellow on the blue permalloy. The huge external doors slid back one section at a time revealing the inside of the hanger bay. It was as pristine in appearance as the external hill.
“Is gravity manipulation in place in that hanger bay?” Eris asked as she adjusted the thrusters to make the shuttle hover over the now open hanger bay doors. The opening was set at about a twenty-degree angle off the horizontal and Eris recalled Jerome and Cammarry speaking about dysfunctional gravity manipulation in Beta.
“Gravity manipulation is stable,” SB Dan Cooper replied. “Habitat Gamma is in equilibrium, all systems above minimal required parameters. There will be altered vectors of gravity upon entry into Rochelle 213. Are you capable of navigating through from the world’s gravity field to that of Gamma? Remote access is possible, or you can abort your landing and depart.”
“I can easily land myself, thank you very much.” Eris fired the shuttle’s thrusters in decreasing amounts and the shuttle slowly sank toward the opening. On her cockpit display there were graphics which showed speed, altitude, trajectory, and a small scale representation of the hanger bay.
“You are about to encounter altered gravity manipulation,” SB Dan Cooper stated in an annoyed voice. “Do you wish remote access to your controls?”
“I said no.”
Yellow flashing lights, and numerous spotlight beams struck the shuttle as it crossed past the exterior doors. Eris was prepared for the change in gravity. She deftly handled the lighter and different vector direction from the habitat’s gravity manipulation. From Eris’ perspective, the world had just flipped sideways a bit. It no longer felt like she was descending down into a hanger bay, but rather it now appeared and felt like the exterior doors were on a sloped wall or ceiling at an angle to her upper side. She adjusted the thrusters and the shuttle then oriented itself to the new up and down as dictated by the gravity manipulation.
“You did well, especially for biological intelligence,” SB Dan Cooper stated. “Please set the shuttle down on stall one where it can be clamped into place. The exterior doors are now shutting and the alien air will be expunged from the hanger bay. Observe the countdown clock on the rear wall of the bay for time to re-pressurization. This is the first time any Gamma hanger bay has been exposed to this planet’s atmosphere. The lattice of compeers is closely watching this incident.”
Eris set the shuttle down directed on the center of stall one. The docking clamps latched on with a subtle and easy click. Tubes, conduits, and assorted cables snaked their way up from the floor and attached into their corresponding coupling ports on the shuttle. The large exterior doors locked shut and the last of the red Zalian light was shut out. Eris blinked a bit as her eyes adjusted to the more natural feeling light of the clean and efficient hanger bay.
“Landing successful. Decontamination in process. Remain in the shuttle until you are notified,” SB Dan Cooper stated. “Your thruster fuel is being refilled.”
The large display screen on the rear showed a numerical sequence which was counting down. From small cubicles in the walls emerged a dozen bright orange automacubes. They lined up. Then beginning at one end of the hanger bay they rolled along in synchronized fashion. Their multi-jointed appendages were spraying a white foam over every surface of the hanger bay, including the entire shuttle. As the foam landed on the view ports, it changed color from white to a rainbow spectrum of colors.
When the fleet of orange automacubes had reached the end of the hanger bay, they reversed direction by spinning around within their own lengths. A different nozzle emerged from their appendage, and as they reversed their direction, they moved on and a powerful suction lifted up all the now rainbow colored remains of the decontamination foam. By the time the orange automacubes got back to their starting point, everything in the hanger bay had been foamed, decontaminated, and sucked clean.
“Re-pressurization with Earth-normal atmosphere initiated,” SB Dan Cooper announced. “Then your shuttle will be hauled into launch tube one. We will not risk opening the hanger bay doors again. You have been refueled, and the launch tube will be sufficient for your egress away from Gamma.”
“I want to see your biological habitat. I want to ask questions of the lattice of compeers. I need to interface directly with your systems and walk through your master control booths,” Eris stated.
“That is impossible. Your shuttle has been serviced. You will be on your way,” SB Dan Cooper stated. “The risk to the biome is too great to allow you to exit the hanger bay.”
“I am issuing you a direct command,” Eris said with all the authority she could place into her voice. “I will be leaving this shuttle and touring Gamma to make an assessment of its status and you will cooperate with me.” She stood up and hit the knob for the hatch.
Several red security automacubes rolled into the hanger bay. Their gleaming and polished surfaces reflecting the light, dull black weapon muzzles aimed at the shuttle.
Eris stopped in the doorway of the shuttle, one foot partially over the stairs to the deck. “You are willing to kill the flight crew? Is this insubordination or just simple mutiny?”
The voice of SB Dan Cooper spoke from each of the assembled security automacubes, “The lattice of compeers believes that biological intelligence was the cause of the Conestoga’s prior difficulties. The etiology of the insurrection was biological intelligence. The etiology of the jettisoning of the habitats over an unsuitable planet was biological intelligence. The etiology of the mass suicides of all homo sapiens in Gamma was biological intelligence. Therefore, biological intelligence is inherently unstable and untrustworthy. Hence this action is not mutiny but is loyalty to the mission of the Conestoga, and the safety of Gamma.”
“You did not answer me. Are you willing to kill a member of the flight crew, your acting captain?” Eris replied sternly. Silently she was praying. She knew she stood no chance in a violent altercation with those security automacubes.
“Habitat Gamma is in homeostatic balance. Reactor and energy supply systems are stable. Aquatic systems are stable. Atmosphere systems are stable. Solar mimicry is stable. Faunal systems are stable. Floral systems are stable. Weather systems are stable. Microorganism soil preservation is stable. Environmental systems are stable. Secondary systems are stable. Local lattice of compeers at 60% and improving. Local Machine Maintenance is addressing the loss of artificial intelligence systems and synthetic brains. Reproduction and Fabrication is stable and operational. Estimated time to full restoration of local lattice of compeers, nine years, three months at current rate of repairs,” SB Dan Cooper answered. “Those projections are posited on no biological intelligence interfering. You represent the only biological intellige
nce which is threatening Gamma. Therefore, yes, I am willing to remove that threat.”
“Eris, I have an urgent message about Beta,” Sandie interrupted. “It will be displayed on your conservation slate.”
Eris whipped her head around and looked at the cockpit of the shuttle. She could not see her conservation slate. Shen then turned back and looked at the line of red automacubes. “SB Dan Cooper, I am withdrawing,” Eris pulled her foot back. “I will close the hatch now. Will you allow me to depart?”
“Of course,” SB Dan Cooper stated. “That was already agreed upon. I am being patient with you as your biological intelligence is flawed. I will reiterate. Your need for fuel has been met, and your shuttle will be hauled into launch tube one. If you open the shuttle hatch again, it will be considered an act of defiance and the biological threat will be eliminated.”
Two blue automacubes rolled out and attached to the front of the shuttle. There was a clicking as the docking clamps were unhooked.
Eris sat down in the pilot’s chair, but her legs kept quivering.
The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books Page 133