Stranded on Haven

by William Zellmann

  I shook my head in an exaggerated manner, to make sure he could see it. “I’m afraid not, Ollie. Adventurer is all but dead. There are not enough supplies to activate life support.” I sighed. “I think perhaps it’s time to go back to the office and talk. We have serious planning to do.”

  Ollie frowned, and I could see that what he really wanted to do was get back to the VR classroom. But he, too realized that there were many questions to be asked and answered.

  “In fact,” I said, “why not go over to Startrader to talk? She has full life support and supplies. I’ll even buy lunch. Oh,” I added, “you won’t have to strip down again.”

  The grin through the visor was wide and merry. “Oh! But then, neither will Heidi!”

  I couldn’t see Heidi blush, but I heard her reply. “Doctor Canva, you’re an old lecher. But I warn you, if you start pinching me, I’ll slap you!”

  We started for the airlock as Ollie protested with theatrical innocence. “Me? My dear, I’m just a harmless old man. Cute, of course, but harmless.” The banter continued, even while we unsuited. I was beginning to think my bodyguard was going to get along with Ollie better than I was!

  Ollie was a bit surprised by how similar Startrader was to Adventurer, despite the 500 years’ difference in their age. I shrugged. “There are many differences, Ollie,” I replied as we crossed the bridge and headed for the Captain’s – er – my office. “But most are invisible. After all, a sphere is a sphere, and a truck is a truck. But for instance, Adventurer carries a comp that was very advanced for its time. But Startrader is equipped with a full-on Artificial Intelligence. Allow me to introduce you. Doctor Ollar Canva, meet Lisa, the brain that controls nearly all of Startrader.”

  Ollie was looking around, frowning, when Lisa’s voice came from the speakers. “Good day, Doctor Canva, and welcome aboard Startrader. As Captain Carver said, I am the ship’s Artificial Intelligence, and I look forward to working with you on the university project.”

  Ollie’s eyes had widened, and a smile slowly spread over his face. “You are a robot?”

  “In the sense that the entire ship can be regarded as a ‘robot’, I can be considered its Central Processor, or ‘brain’. Or perhaps you would prefer to think of me as an advanced computer. However, most humans find it more convenient to simply consider me the ‘living’ part of the ship.”

  Ollie, grinning widely now, clapped his hands. “Wonderful!” He bowed, in no particular direction. “Mistress Lisa, it is indeed an honor to meet a thinking machine!”

  I frowned. “Uh, Lisa’s not really a sentient being, or so I was told in my training. They were very careful to emphasize that, and seemed quite worried about it. Still, during my long voyage, I messed with her programming a bit and well, I have my doubts.” I sighed. “I’ll be honest. I certainly regard Lisa as a person, though one without a body.”

  “Thank you, Captain,” Lisa replied. There was no change in her tone.

  But Ollie was nodding enthusiastically. “She certainly seems like a person to me. Any differences seem irrelevant.”

  I nodded. “I think you’ll find the differences between Lisa and, uh, ‘Erna’ obvious and marked.”

  Ollie’s grin faded. “I believe I already have, although to one from Haven, even Erna is quite remarkable.”

  As we’d talked, Heidi had programmed the autochef and produced caf for me and choc for her and Ollie. She put them on the table between us, and we got down to business.

  “All right, Jerd.” Ollie began in a businesslike tone quite different from his previous friendly one. “I’m happy to say that I have a nearly unlimited budget. How soon can we get the project underway? I’m sure you’ve been thinking about it.”

  I nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot. Let me begin by saying that it will be some time before your university is ready to accept students. And it’s not a matter of money.

  “Actually, there are two interrelated problems that we must deal with first. On the one hand, we cannot bring many people aboard without life support for them. At present, Adventurer is operating on the air and water remaining in her tanks. That’s why you had to suit up to go onto the dorm deck. Before many people can actually live aboard her, we have to get her hydroponics plant running; and that will take months.”

  Ollie was frowning. “Can’t you just refill the tanks?”

  I shook my head. “We could have special, high-pressure tanks made that could be attached to one of the workboats, but even so, it would take hundreds of trips to refill those tanks, and it would probably take every lander we have to keep it supplied. Even ignoring the expense, we would have to devise a means of scrubbing CO2 from the air. In the same amount of time, we could have the hydroponics plant producing food as well as oxygen, and absorbing the CO2. Get the air farm working, and you can handle at least 5,000 people for as long as necessary. After all, it supported your ancestors for years.”

  Ollie smiled. “Yes. Nearly ten years, as I recall. And the other problem?”

  I shrugged. “Decontamination. You saw how difficult and inconvenient it is. Imagine trying to do it on a regular basis for hundreds or thousands of people.”

  Ollie’s smile had turned to a concerned frown. “Yes, of course.” He paused, frowning. “Jerd, when I am confronted by a difficult problem, I often find it useful to back up and reduce it to basic concepts. I’m a biologist. I’m no stranger to clean rooms and sterile labs. Why are such elaborate procedures necessary?”

  I shook my head. “Ollie, I’m just a cargo monkey. Dumb muscle. During my training, the decontam procedures were drummed into our heads until they became second nature.” I smiled. “Luckily, though, we happen to have an expert available. Lisa, tell us about the decontam requirements.”

  Chapter 8

  “The present decontam requirements are the result of an Imperial decree in 3604AE," Lisa began in a pedantic tone, "as the result of the tragedy on Acqueon. In that case, a plague was brought to Acqueon, apparently by a tramp trader. Despite the Empire’s best efforts, less than 5% of the population of Acqueon survived. The planet was abandoned and the survivors were relocated. The requirements have been updated occasionally to conform to scientific developments, but they are still universally applied. No planet will risk a chance of infection”

  Ollie’s frown was back. “But what about passenger ships? Or ships that ground? Surely they can’t follow these procedures.”

  “That is true,” Lisa replied. “The requirements Captain Carver learned are for orbit-to-orbit ships, typically freighters, with limited planetary contacts. With their small crews, it is a simple matter to impose extreme requirements. Liners use the same procedures as other orbit-to-orbit ships, but perform them in the boarding areas of starports, before the passengers board the shuttles. Din-class and below ships, those capable of grounding, use a different procedure. Before grounding, cargo holds are sealed off from the ship’s life support, and the hold’s atmosphere vented to space, if indeed they haven’t been in vacuum throughout the voyage. This permits the loading and unloading to be done on-planet. The holds may also be vented to space after lift-off, so the planetary air can be replaced with ship’s air and crews can tend the cargo.

  “Decontam procedures for crews and passengers of grounding ships involve routing personnel through airlocks or rooms containing inert and sometimes poisonous atmospheres while they breathe through face masks.”

  Ollie nodded. “Does that method involve stripping the passengers naked?”

  “No, doctor Canva. That is a procedure typically used in orbit-to-orbit ships to ensure that it will never become necessary to decompress the entire ship. I should note that the inert atmosphere procedure is far less effective against microbial pests and disease.”

  Ollie nodded. He turned to me with a satisfied expression. “There, you see? Adventurer won’t be going to any other planets, and all the people boarding will be from Haven. We needn’t worry about plague contamination. We can require med
ical certificates to prevent disease getting aboard. We’ll be concerned mostly with making certain no small insect pests, such as lice, fleas, bedbugs and the like get aboard; and I’m certain we can do that with the inert atmosphere procedure. We can do the same thing with their luggage.”

  “I might also recommend a ban on plants, fruits and vegetables to ward against poisoning of the atmosphere farm,” Lisa put in, “However, in these circumstances, the procedure you describe should be adequate for your needs. The airlocks on the landers and both ships have the capability to provide inert-atmosphere decontam.

  I was getting excited. “Yah! I’ve been worried about bringing crews to activate the hydroponics farm, but all we have to do is build a room over the main airlock, with another pressure door on the other end. We fill it with inert atmosphere, and give everyone a breathing mask. We send them into the room for a few minutes, and send them out the other airlock door into the ship. We collect the breathing masks on the other side. Easy!”

  Ollie nodded. “That leaves the hydroponics problem.” He shook his head. “I’m afraid hydroponics is more theoretical than actual on Haven. It is growing plants without soil, is it not?”

  I nodded. “Yar. It’s the best method we have for atmosphere plants. Of course, it takes a very large farm to support a colony ship. The one aboard Adventurer covers one of her largest decks. The plants make oxygen, which we mix with other gases to make breathing mix. They also remove CO2, and still manage to provide fresh fruits and vegetables. Adventurer probably contains seeds specially developed for hydroponics use and oxygen generation, and if she doesn’t, I’m certain Startrader does.”

  Ollie clapped his hands in delight. “I love it! A biological answer to a biological problem!”

  I shook my head. “Yar, well, don’t get too excited. We’ll still have to bring up nitrogen and other trace gases.”

  “Perhaps not,” Lisa added. “Adventurer is almost certainly capable of generating nitrogen and some other gases from human and plant wastes.”

  I grimaced. “I don’t want to hear about it. Take it up with the biologist, here.”

  Ollie chuckled. “The biologist, here, has a few hundred years’ worth of catching up to do!” He frowned. “Well, Dallen, down at the University of Cornwell, has been doing some work in hydroponics, I think. But he’s a pompous ass. Hmmm.”

  Suddenly he smiled. “Of course! Turlow! Young man. Brilliant. Can’t hold his liquor, and he’s lousy at poker, but brilliant, nonetheless.”

  Our discussions ran on through dinner. Ollie was enthusiastic about the new foods, despite the fact that some of them had ‘old’ names. In 500 years, livestock and even crop plants had had plenty of time for selective breeding and mutation to appear. I was beginning to think I was going to need to make up new names for most of the offworld dishes.

  “Well, Jerd,” Ollie finally said in his "business" voice, “I guess my first order of business is to move onto the Zone and begin hiring staff.” He sighed. “That will mean a lot of traveling, and I do not fly in airships.” The hint was unmistakable.

  “Well,” I replied, “I’ll be happy to lend you a few of my ‘assistants’. Of course, they’re all really spies for the various nations, but their covers are being my assistants and taking care of my clerical and administrative work. All of them can take dictation, and all are qualified radio operators and telegraphers.”

  His smile blossomed. “How many of these spies do you have?”

  I sighed. “Seven. Two each from Westin and Refuge, and one each from New Home, East Brent, and Cornwell.”

  “Gods! The man has a harem!”

  I shook my head and sighed. “Everyone keeps telling me that. Actually, of course, Heidi is the only one I can really trust, and all the others are willing, but only to make their spying easier. Frankly, it’s wearing.”

  Ollie chuckled. “My heart bleeds for you.” He sobered. “Well, I don’t anticipate doing anything I’d like to hide. Why not loan me two of them on a temporary basis? Very temporary; only until I get my own organization set up. I must admit, having spies underfoot would be a bit unnerving.”

  I smiled. “Sure. I’ll be happy to let you have Paula Cordo. She’s from Cornwell, and she blames me for the death of her sister agent in the Cellian attack. Then you can have Terry Havens. She’s from Refuge, and she’s a real take-charge, leader type. She’s very impressive, but I already have one take-charge type, and I keep expecting war to break out. Besides, Refuge will still have an agent on the job to watch me.”

  “You’ve already got your office. If it won’t meet your needs, let your girls know. Oh, yes,” I continued, “There’s also this.” I handed him one of Adventurer’s tablets. I showed him how to use it to access Jane, Adventurer’s comp. Or, in his case, “Erna”.

  Adventurer's tablets are about the size of one of Haven's books, about 18 by 23 cems. Most of their face consisted of a flat screen, and providing access to all Jane's unclassified capabilities, including advanced education. Startrader's on the other hand, are smaller, convenient for hand or pocket carry. They don't require the screen of the older models. Images are projected as holograms, larger than the tablet itself. Both communicate via ultraradio, and are untappable by Haven technology. Of all Haven's people, only Heidi currently had the later model, so she could talk with Lisa.

  “Now,” I said, “about travel. I’m afraid that’s a rather sore subject for me. I’ve wanted very badly to be able to visit Haven’s cities and mingle with the people. But I’ve been too afraid of kidnap.

  “But I’m tired of being afraid. I’ll tell you what, Ollie. I’ll fly you around in the gig, as long as I can come, and bring Heidi and another bodyguard.”

  Ollie’s answering grin was wide. “Of course! Bring all the beautiful women you like!”

  It was a relief to send Paula and Terry to ‘assist’ Ollie. Paula seemed glad to get away from me, though Terry wasn’t as happy. Actually, I’d expected both of them, as well as their spymaster bosses, to be glad to get agents close to Ollie; but then Terry was from Refuge. I never knew what to expect from them.

  That left me only five spies. Then I had to select a second bodyguard. Heidi and I discussed it at length. Rebecca Towne, from East Brent, had been almost embarrassingly grateful to me for using the lifeboat’s med cabinet to treat the wound she’d received in the Cellian attack. At first, she’d been frightened of dying, and once reassured, frightened of losing her well-trained body. Rebecca, who now wanted me to call her ‘Becky’, was delighted that her tanned athleticism had been unimpaired. Now, she was the most enthusiastic "assistant" I had. Becky was strong and fast, but we hadn’t actually seen her in action. She was also the only one I could be sure was interested in me for other than business reasons. But I wasn’t willing to abuse her gratitude, either.

  The other serious candidate was Ellie Fergson from Westin. Despite Heidi’s misgivings about Westin’s empire building, I had a lot of confidence in Ellie. She’d shown herself competent and effective in the Cellian battle. Her only negative was her dynamic, whirlwind take-charge manner. Bodyguards are supposed to be inconspicuous. Finally, I decided to ask her opinion.

  “Becky,” she said instantly. “I haven’t seen her in action, but I’ve watched her practice. There’s also the fact that she practically worships you now. I’m not certain she would even obey an order from Duke Richard that she thought would hurt you. With Becky and your Cellian killer you should be well protected. Andrea and Cara are too young to spot trouble before it starts, there’s too much attraction between you and Jess, and I’ve got too big a mouth.”

  I was uncertain about giving Becky a star weapon. After all, she was a spy. Finally, though, I relented and gave her my blaster and three power packs. I decided I couldn’t trust her with the secret of the comm bracelets, though. Her skills with the large hand weapons they called ‘revolvers’ would serve as well with a blaster, and it was a close-range weapon to supplement Heidi’s longer-range laser. Beside
s, a blaster cratering a man’s chest is a great diversion. I watched her closely to make certain the blaster didn’t disappear, though.

  So, my first venture into the cities of Haven was to Tarrant, the capital of Westin, so Ollie could recruit ‘young Turlow’, his hydroponics specialist. I’d hoped to be inconspicuous, an idea which made Heidi snort and Ollie chuckle. He’d been flirting teasingly with Terry. She seemed irritated, but when he wasn’t looking she wore a pleased smile.

  “Every time one of your landers lifts off,” he said, “the news is flashed across the continent by radio and telephone. And maybe even Telegraph, I don’t know. Everyone with a pair of binoculars hopes to catch a glimpse of ‘the star man’s boat’. From our course, they’re probably already expecting us in Tarrant. They were disappointed when you didn’t land last time.”

  That worried me, but of course, it made sense. I’d been so wrapped up in everything in the Zone that I’d forgotten I was the ‘Star Man’; the bringer of miracles, and arguably the most famous civilian on Haven. My worry level went up. No matter how I tried to handle this, we were going to get mobbed. I had thought about just dropping onto the roof of the building housing Turlow’s lab; but that would have people cramming the building and tie up traffic for hours. And now, I was concerned about security even at the airship port. As for trying to get to Turlow’s lab …

  Finally I decided to stop guessing and call the people who would know most, though I was worried about using radio that could be overheard by practically everyone.

  “Tarrant Air Traffic Control, this is Startrader’s gig. Please respond, over.” I knew the air control frequency, of course. Well, okay, Lisa knew the frequency.

  After a long minute or so, they responded. “Startrader’s gig, this is Tarrant Air Traffic Control. Please identify yourself, over.”

  “This is Jerd Carver aboard Startrader’s gig. I am approaching Tarrant, ETA, uh, ten minutes, over.”