Proving True: A Sonia MacTaggert Novel

by Robert Culp

  I find out later that she clears the doors and rails by 1.2 meters. Total. On all four sides. That’s an average of 0.3 meters. Thirty centimeters. It’s forty centimeters from my elbow to the tip of my little finger. On Gallagher’s approach, the comLink channel was filled with “Whoa!”s, “Ooo!”s, “Aaaah!”s, and one “Holy shit!” Athena and I oversee the connection of the umbilicals for power and life support and the girder framework to hold the ship in place. The reactor will have to be powered down for inspection and maintenance. My perCom bleeps with a call from DuQuois.

  “MacTaggert, go ahead ma’am.”

  “So you got your wish, you’re free from me.”

  I really don’t need her drama right now! “Ma’am, I’m not looking at it like that. The Captain gave an order to you and you delegated the position and the order to me. I’m following it. It really is that simple. My intent, I’ll even say my ‘desire’ is to return to my initial billet as your assistant with responsibility over some of Star Chaser’s Transit drives. In the mean time, I need two engineers and at least four mechanics. I don’t want to take any from my section. I know them and they’re great at what they do, but—and I say this with all humility—there’s already a substantial shortage in that department with me here. May I suggest personnel from Ned Breedly’s department?” Ned will squawk and no one will blame him, but of all departments on the ship, he can best afford to give up some personnel.

  “You work that out with him, I don’t care. Your biggest concern in that arena is making me look good on the Captain’s report to corporate headquarters. I’m sure we understand each other?”

  “Yes ma’am, we do. But I need to look good on that report as well.”

  “Which is your second priority. Very well, I’ll see that Breedly and Buckles each give you a list of people to choose from. DuQuois out.”

  I run into Shawna as she’s settling in to her new stateroom. “Shawna, I didn’t realize you were rated on ships this size. I knew you were a great pilot, that’s why I recommended you for guiding Gallagher into the berth on Star Chaser. But quite honestly, I expected a few dings, scrapes and/or bumps before you got that big boy into that tight tunnel.”

  “That’s what she said.” She grins at the double entendre. “Thanks, currently I’m qualified on craft up to 600 tons. I do best, as you’ve seen, with craft in the thirty to fifty ton range. Let’s face it: There are two things that I’m very good at. Flying is one of them.”

  “You get no argument from me,” I assure her. “To the best of my knowledge, everyone has walked away from a ship you were flying.”

  “Yes they have. From my other skills as well. Eventually.”

  I laugh and leave.

  On the way to my own stateroom I get a message from Ned. He has eight engineers and a sea of mechanics that have volunteered to transfer to Gallagher. I don’t know enough about any of them to be able to make intelligent decisions. I reply to him to confer with Hal and Roy. Between them I pick two of the eight that will do me a good job and not cut their capabilities too much. I recommend that the engineers pick the mechanics with whom they work best. I know I’d prefer that freedom. On the one extreme you have someone who will fix something before you know it’s broken. On the other, you might wind up with someone who doesn’t know a wrench from a screwdriver. Acoustic or otherwise.

  Athena is waiting in my “office,” a fancy name for a converted stateroom that adjoins mine.

  “A word, Captain?” she says.

  “Of course, XO. What’s on your mind?”

  “My responsibilities, ma’am,” she sits. “What is it you’ll want me to do?” Contractions. I got use to Aria never using them. Athena appears to have decided to give them a try.

  “Oh, is that all?” I dig into my duffle bag for a canteen and take a long pull on it. I sit behind my desk and offer her the seat opposite, which she takes. “It’s been my experience—limited though that is—that the Captain turns eyes outward, the XO turns eyes inward. The ship is my responsibility and the crew is yours. The day to day running of the ship is your realm. As Captain I have the right and obligation to override any decision of yours with which I disagree. You do not have that freedom unless I issue a command that puts the ship or crew in danger. Bear in mind, there may be times, not likely on this cruise, where I have to tell someone to go do something that may cause them to die. But those only happen when the option is to allow the ship to be destroyed killing all of us.”

  “Simple economics,” she says. “It’s better to sacrifice a few for the survival of the majority.”

  “It may be economics,” I reply, “but there’s nothing ‘simple’ about it. As the Executive Officer, you are free to argue and dispute any of my commands or decisions. Privately. On this side of that door, we can go at it tooth and nail. But on the other side of that door, what I say is law.”

  “Literally.” Apparently she’s done some studying on interstellar law.

  “On the good side, the crew you have to supervise is self contained, more or less, and will spend most of their time maintaining the ship or doing science-y stuff. Or sleeping. So they won’t have much time to get into trouble. So you may not have much to do in that arena. For the moment, I’ll direct the engineers to keep the ship flying. At a later time if you have the capacity I may transfer that responsibility over to you.” My perCom bleeps. I look at it. “It’s from Roy. He’s giving us Ross Jenkins and Jose Raines. What do you know about them?”

  “Raines is the brighter of the two,” Athena answers. “Jenkins is a—I believe the term is ‘show off’—but he has proven himself capable.”

  “I haven’t met them,” I muse. “Oh, wait. I think Jenkins helped in getting the reactor hot. He is capable, but I think you’re right. He does seem a bit of a hot dog.”

  “I took the liberty of reading their personnel reports. Is that allowed?”

  “You are the XO. It’s not only allowed, it’s expected. For mechanics we’re getting Will Baumgartner, Grace Tumeric, Orson McPherson and Pedelia Smith.”

  “They all have positive comments in their personnel reports. Additionally they have training in survival as well as data gathering.”

  “Traits that should serve them well,” I note. “Although I hope they don’t have reason to use them. Did I understand we no longer have to use shuttles to get to and from Star Chaser?”

  “Indeed, there are two pressurized umbilical tubes to Star Chaser. There are gravity fields in place. One tube is for foot traffic, single file. The other is wide enough for cargo transfer. It is currently being used to load probes. Gallagher has a weapons turret. I understand that it needs complete reconstruction. What would you like to be mounted?”

  “I would prefer a meson cannon if one is available.”

  “I will coordinate with SGM Call and see what I can make happen,” Athena is starting to sound like an XO. “By my count, we have ten personnel and me. We can house nine more without crowding ourselves. Freddie recommends the rest be troopers with a wide assortment of skills.”

  “Freddie wants us heavy on troopers? Imagine my surprise. I’d like to get a social scientist or two. See if you can get us a forensic anthropologist and an archaeologist. A linguist would be nice too, and of course any other specialty those lead you to that we don’t have already. And I’d prefer Mitra van Suel, if she’s not already on our list. The rest can be troopers. Speaking of which, have you given thought to what will go into the Ship’s Locker?” Every ship has a storage area where gear that could become mission essential but hopefully won’t is kept.

  “I have. I am in negotiation with Star Chaser but what I have asked for is a dozen shotguns, ten boxes of ammo for each with a wide variety of ordnance, ten 9mm autoloader pistols with five boxes of ammo each. I have requested six extra APE suits—each crewmember is authorized and encouraged to bring a personal weapon as well as their own APE or better. Two squad sized first aid kits, two crates of concussion grenades, thirty each, six coils of rope
each fifty meters long, basic climbing gear such as spikes, pitons, carabineers and two accelerator rifles.”

  “Ammo for the accelerators?”

  “One hundred rounds each.”

  “I suspect Freddie had a helping hand in determining what to stow—”

  “Actually not, it’s a standard list from—” she interrupts me.

  “—But I don’t care,” I interrupt her right back. “As it sounds like it’s a lot of stuff that I hope we won’t need, but I’d rather have it and not need it than the converse.”

  “Agreed.”

  “I also want you to take charge of the main computer. We’ll need the operational stuff of course but I want you to get as much information on Dubus III as you can find and as many detailed maps as are available.” We continue to talk. I have no idea for how long. We discuss more equipment issues, personnel issues, mission specialist potential issues. I ask, “Any questions?”

  “Actually one,” she says, “Lieutenant Landers says that I have one unspoken duty that is essential to the welfare of the crew.”

  “Did she?” This could be anything. “And what would that be?”

  “To see that you sleep from time to time. While it is true that we had much down time in the bio lab, it has been twenty-six hours since we left that room. Of those, six of them have been in this conversation. You need to sleep. Ma’am.”

  I start to ask if we have really been talking for six hours. But she wouldn’t have said it if it weren’t true. Athena has a sense of humor—well, she understands humor anyway—but to my knowledge she has never said anything that wasn’t true. And even if she has, I’m certain it was an accident.

  “Very well,” there’s no point in arguing with her. “Good…what time is it anyway?”

  “If we are continuing to synch our time pieces with Star Chaser it is 0423.”

  “Wow. I had no idea. Get the personnel moving from Star Chaser to Gallagher. I want to have an all hands brief. Let me know when.”

  “I will, Captain. It will not be prior to 1300. Sleep well.”

  Good to her word, Athena isolates me from Gallagher in general and Engineering in particular so I can get some sleep. I sleep until I wake up. My clock reads 1345. But even though I slept hard, there really is no rest for me. My first call is to Athena. “I’m up. I’d like to have that briefing within the hour.”

  “As you wish, Captain. I will have all hands in the theater at 1445. Will that give you time for your morning routine?”

  Some stretches, a shower and breakfast—brunch—1445 should work. “I believe so. I’ll be there beforehand.”

  It has not been a challenge for me to remember this is a science ship. While most starships have a theater for morale purposes, Gallagher has one so the scientists can share what they’ve learned. While this room would do for briefings—it would more accurately be called a lecture hall—it is also good for discussions. There’s even a round table. Some of the troopers try to stand behind their squad leader, Corporal Goodfellow, but I’m not having it, as there are enough chairs for all of us. And there’s always a chance one of them will have something to contribute. Athena starts with me and proceeds around the table introducing everyone. When she gets to Goodfellow he explains why he is here and Freddie isn’t. “I made the command decision to exercise his sleep plan, Captain.” Looking closer, I see the forming of a black eye on his left side. “He’d been up to long. He was getting stupid.”

  “Prolonged consciousness will do that. How many of you did it take?”

  “Three ma’am.”

  “If we can get on with the matter at hand…” Athena finishes the introductions.

  “There is no expectation that anyone here,” I say, “aside from Athena, will remember everyone else’s name. That will come in time. Don’t worry about it. Everyone knows that Gallagher is currently berthed inside Star Chaser. We will stay in such a configuration while Star Chaser Transits to the Dubus III system. At that time, Gallagher and a fuel processing ship, the last I heard it will be Oedipus, will exit Star Chaser and we will begin our mission. Star Chaser will depart and continue her mission. We will stay at Dubus in the company of the fuel processing ship. The two ships will remain on station for five months at which point Star Chaser will return for us. Ideally, we’ll have our Transit engines online by then and we will continue with Star Chaser back to Atlas. If we have had no luck with the engines, we will berth back in Star Chaser. Our mission, as some of you already know, is to collect samples of any botanical, zoological and/or microbiological species we can identify as unique from others. You’ve all either heard of or met the aquatic mammal in the tank in lab 047 starboard. Our plan, pending her approval, is to release her in the oceans on Dubus III.”

  “Excuse me, ma’am. Dr. Thomas Turnbull, xenobiology. Did you say, ‘pending her approval’?”

  “Indeed, sir. She is aboard Gallagher through neither fault nor desire of her own. To be fair, I don’t yet know why she was brought aboard to begin with, but she can’t stay here. She will not survive in the oceans of this planet. Our hope is that we can learn her point of embarkation and the circumstances surrounding that from the database. Or from her if she’s willing to share them. But it would be unethical for us to continue to hold her.”

  “I understand she needs an ocean, but…” Turnbull says.

  “It may not be suitable for her. She realizes the stakes. It won’t be a trivial decision. If there’s a reason she can’t stay on Dubus, she’ll stay with us until we can get her to somewhere that is more suitable. Or make suitable arrangements in that area.”

  “Has anyone considered World 457?” World 457, also known as Ardurantes, which means “clear water” in the language of the native Shraku, has no significant land masses. While it has a few islands scattered here and there, it is essentially one giant ocean. It’s also the planet on which the Darkor, Lord Gerard Collins, settled centuries ago. And for that very reason it has never been—nor will it ever be—colonized.

  “Of course, but it’s a far cry from here. We’ll pass many planets with oceans on our way to Atlas. But if we must continue to World 457 from there, we will. Unless the Academy of Ancients or the Atlan government dictate otherwise. Any other questions?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Leka speaks. “Are we expecting opposition?”

  “I trust you are referring to the troopers,” she nods. “I have learned it is better to have them and not need them than it is to need them and not have them. The answer to your question is ‘no,’ but bear in mind: we have a secondary mission of establishing an outpost with a communications relay system here as well. They will crew that. If circumstances remain ideal, the military and the scientific will only meet in the chow hall.” She sits. If not satisfied, she’s at least mollified.

  “Along those lines,” Lance Corporal Goodfellow says. “Fuelers and science ships are typically unarmed. Is that the case here? Could we get a fighter or destroyer detailed to stay with us as well? To use your words, it would be better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.”

  “No argument from me, Lance Corporal,” I answer. “I assure you, the question has been asked and the answer was ‘no,’ however, we did get a few weapon systems to install on the turret aboard this ship. It appears it was something else before it was reclassed as a science ship.” Goodfellow keeps his face neutral. Some of the other troopers roll their eyes and mutter under their breath. Hard to blame them. “If there’s nothing else, let’s get back to work.”

  The day comes when Gallagher is delivered of Star Chaser. Shawna pilots the smaller craft out of the larger without a bump or a scratch. Had I not been on the bridge watching, I would have believed we had just been released from an umbilical rather than from a dry-dock type structure. “Captain,” Athena announces, “Gallagher is clear and free to navigate.”

  “Very well,” I respond. “Have we heard from Oedipus?”

  “Star Chaser has relayed that Oedipus is due to be
discharged in approximately six hours. Apparently there are some logistical issues being worked out. We are being hailed.”

  “Oh?”

  “A shuttle from Star Chaser requests permission to board. Captain Pipper is among the passengers.” Why now? He could have walked on and off a few moments ago. And he would have, he’s never demonstrated a need for pomp and circumstance before.

  “Allow them access to the shuttle bay. I’m on my way. You have the bridge.”

  “XO has the bridge.”

  The walk to the shuttle bay is not far, for a starship. It takes me a few minutes, but I get there before the shuttle’s engines finish spooling down. Captain Pipper and a few of his practically ever-present straphangers dismount. As is customary, he speaks first. “Captain, may we come aboard?” The irony is that I would be completely within my rights to deny him permission and tell him to get the hell off my ship. Part of me wonders if that’s ever been done. I certainly won’t be the first.

  “Of course, Captain Pipper. It is my pleasure to welcome you and your party to Gallagher.” I honestly can’t remember if he’s been aboard before or not. I err on the side of caution. “May I interest you in a tour of the ship?” I gesture towards the corridor and we begin walking.

  “If it’s convenient,” he says falling in step to my left. “But it’s not tantamount. My intention is that Star Chaser remains in the area until Oedipus begins fuel-processing operations. If the information I have is accurate, that will be in just under eight hours. In truth, I came over to wish you well and, if you’ll allow, provide a gourmet dinner. I took the liberty of bringing a chef. And a talented, well equipped one, at that.”

  “Of course, sir. That will be quite welcome. As it happens, there are still some very elusive defects in the automated systems and the closest I come to a cook on board, excluding my executive officer, believes that a hot meal consists of a slice of ham on toast.” Captain Pipper smiles, the chef looks scandalized. I wave down a passing trooper. “Please be good enough to escort this gentleman,” I indicate the chef, “to the galley.”