by Jay Toney
I printed a copy of the section of the star map we had compiled and began working. I compared it to the fragment we obtained in the memory crystal. It was easier than I thought to locate stars in a line that would line up with Antares. Antares should be where the three plot lines intersected.
Persephone laughed, "I know that you are trying, but it is not as simple as that. It would be if the stars were on a two-dimensional plane, but they aren't. This is why I do most of the teaching with our daughter. Let me show you the proper method:
Persephone brought up a holographic image of the same section of the map I was looking at and added my plot lines in red. It looked identical to the map I just drew.
"If space existed on a flat plane, this would be correct, but it doesn't." I knew that. I often had to adjust the ship's course adding in inclination or declination to our heading. Persephone changed the map adding in its height. The flat image she showed me was now in a three-dimensional cube. None of the plot lines were even close to touching or intersecting. Seeing the map in three dimensions, I knew my mistake and knew what I had to do, or so I thought.
Persephone wasn't done with her lesson. "Even a three-dimension representation like this isn't accurate enough. We also need to allow for time. We can measure how far the stars are away from us by calculating how long its light takes to reach us. None of the stars we see is where they actually are, but where they were long ago." I remembered a lesson I had in astronomy where the instructor said something along the same line. "To correct for this we need to calculate the distance for each star in our star map and make the corrections." The holograph changed again. Persephone added a series of a dozen intersecting plotlines on the map. "This is where Antares is." The lines crossed in a location that was devoid of stars.
We had the location, it was enough. I tried standing but was stopped by Persephone's hands. She wasn't done with me yet. "The stars are in constant motion. The spirals in our galaxy are orbiting a super black hole in the center of the galaxy. Gravity from each star has a slight effect on the paths that every star travels." I didn't see any changes in the hologram.
Persephone created a mirror image of the star map I was looking at. "To reach Antares, with any accuracy, plotting a course to where it is, isn't accurate. We need to calculate for its galactic drift, and time to determine where it will be when we come out of hyperspace."
"That is why we come out of hyperspace in deep space. Our calculations are not accurate enough. Every object in the solar system is affected by their motion, gravity, and time."
"You get to move to the top of the class." That wasn't saying much, the class consisted of only one student. Persephone was smiling though. If she was happy, so was I. We knew where Antares was and would be. Our fleet had its next course.
"Nugget notify the fleet and give them our new course. Enter hyperspace when ready."
Antares
Warning lights flashed on our consoles, alarms sounded, and I fought to keep my seat. The inertia dampers and anti-gravity struggled to compensate for the gravitational forces pulling on the ship. The ship shook and shuddered violently, keeping Nugget and Persephone from being able to stay on their feet.
Persephone reversed our course. I couldn't see anything on our viewscreen. I switched to the tactical screen, we were alone. There was nothing are sensors could detect, but our engines were struggling against something.
The comms were overloaded with traffic from our crew calling to find out what was going on. Even our private channels for the department heads were busy. I ignored them and silenced the alarms.
The violent shuddering became shaking, then even that faded as the ship's computers found the proper formula to apply to our inertia dampers. "What in the hell is happening!"
Persephone fed me the information directly through my neurochip. I was able to see and feel the waves of gravity pulling on our ship. The waves of gravity originated from an area that was completely devoid of anything. If it wasn't for the remains of the neighboring solar systems orbiting the black hole, I wouldn't have been able to see it. I still couldn't see the black hole itself, but I could tell where it was by looking at its event horizon.
Gas and dust spun in orbit around the black hole, orbiting faster, nearing the speed of light as it got closer to the black hole. In the center, there was a disk-like circle of blackness. Nothing escaped it.
"Where is the rest of the fleet?"
"They can be anywhere or anywhen."
"Anywhen?
"The closer we get to the black hole, the more we will experience the effects of time dilation. The fleet is in another wave, experiencing time differently than we are. They can be just ahead of us, and we would never be able to see them, they exist in another dimension where we no longer exist."
"How can we rejoin the fleet?"
"We can't."
I hated the idea of abandoning my friends, but I saw no other choice. A decision needed to be made now. "Get us out of here!"
"I can't. We are already at maximum power."
There was something she wasn't telling me. I could feel it. I made a connection with my neurochip. "What aren't you telling me."
"I didn't want to scare you or Nugget." She showed me the data. Our engines would run out of fuel in two days at the rate they were burning through it. When they failed, we would be pulled closer to the black hole.
"Closer? Not into it?"
"Yes closer. As far as I can tell, nothing crosses the event horizon into the black hole and nothing escapes it. The closer we get to it, the faster we will go and the more time will slow down until it stops, but not for us. You and I will be stuck here forever. I'm working on a theory to get us out of here, but it will be dangerous."
"What can be more dangerous than being sucked into a black hole?"
"We won't be sucked into it. We will orbit it forever with no hope of escape."
"That's worse."
I left Persephone to work on her theory and headed to sickbay to visit Doc, Amber, and Jewel. I wanted to see them while I still could. Doc stopped me in the reception room.
"Haven't you hurt them enough?"
I didn't know what Doc was talking about. I didn't and wouldn't do anything that would intentionally cause them harm. The gossip circle was spreading the events that led up to them getting hurt. None of the gossip had me involved in their latest accident.
"I've heard plenty from the rumor mill. Even if it isn't all true, enough of it probably is. There are just some things that are not possible for the human body, alien, or sexbot. They need rest and time to heal."
I didn't know what Doc heard. I didn't pay any attention to the rumors about us. However, I knew the source. Most of the rumors about us came from Nugget and Astrea.
"Persephone, Nugget, and I were on the bridge when they were injured. I have witnesses and the ship's recordings to prove that I wasn't involved."
"Nugget said that you would say something like that. He showed me how the security records could be altered or faked. He also told me that Jewel and Amber would say anything to protect you, and Persephone would do her part to protect you."
"Damn Nugget!"
I headed to my cabin and met with Persephone. She was still concentrating on finding a way for us to escape the black hole. The ship would be out of fuel soon, and we would be drawn in closer to the event horizon.
"What about making a new universe that we all could live in? According to my ancestors the Lord of Creation made this one in just six days. We don't need one as large or as fancy."
"They got it completely wrong. Time didn't exist when he started working on this universe. That was another creation of his that came much later. The truth is, he spent over 14 billion years creating it. After he got things going, he created the Titans to help him maintain it. Our creation came much later. The universe isn't finished yet, he is still tinkering with it, making changes, and adjustments. Besides, I am only one goddess. It would take me much longer than the time we hav
e left."
"I can help."
"I'm sorry, It would still take us to long. We only have 14 hours remaining. The engines and shields are using more power and fuel than I estimated."
"Maybe the other gods can help."
"This is even beyond my father's capabilities, but I have an idea. It will be risky. If I fail we will all be lost forever, even you and me."
****
The next morning Persephone made several holograms of obelisks covered in mathematical equations. She spent her time reviewing the equations and feeding instructions into the navigation computer. I had never seen most of the symbols on the obelisks. I would say they were Greek to me, but thanks to my Medusa fighter I was able to read Greek, ancient or modern.
"Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?"
The ship changed course. We were no longer fighting the pull from the black hole. We were accelerating towards it. We were moving incredibly fast. Time appeared to freeze around us. Everything stood still and became silent as we approached light speed, except for the two of us.
I moved to Persephone's side and held her to me. We were gaining infinite mass, speed, power, and time. The ship accelerated faster.
"Stand by... wait... a little closer." We were at the edge of the event horizon. Any closer and we would be inside of the black hole. "Wait for it... now!" She engaged the hyperdrive pouring all of the power we gained, from our approach, into it.
Time froze, even for us. Then we were back in real space. But where? I saw a group of ships ahead of us on our viewscreen. They weren't just any ships, they were our ships. The Persephone disappeared. I activated our comms, broadcasting on all channels, "Abort! Abort! Abort!"
"Nathaniel, what in the hell is going on? How did you get over there?"
"We can't go to Antares. It doesn't exist any longer. The sun went supernova long ago leaving a large black hole in its place."
"How do you know that?"
"We were there, at least the Persephone was. I'm not sure how we got back."
I was ready to leave. Anywhere was better than where we were. We used most of our reaction mass in the Antares System. It looked like the next closest star system that looked promising was Epsilon Hydrae. We set our course for that system and entered hyperspace.
****
The sun that shown on our viewscreen was not as promising as I hoped. It was a hot yellow sun, on the cusp of being classified as a giant. Only one planet had the conditions necessary for life, the fifth planet. It would be another desert world. We needed water, or other hydrocarbons that we could use to convert to fuel. The Persephone's reactors could supply the ship with power for millennia to come. What we needed was something we could use as reaction mass for our engines. Our tanks were just about empty. We didn't have the fuel to move on from this star system.
Amber would normally be feeding me the data I needed if she was here and not in sickbay. Persephone was doing her best, but it took time to monitor all of the ship's systems. I would help her, but she already told me that my interference would only slow her down. With both Jewel and Amber gone, she was working both the communications and sensor stations on top of monitoring the ship.
She explained that monitoring the ship was easy for her. She had a lot of sub-computers to help her and time didn't work the same way in the computers. She could do in nanoseconds what took seconds, minutes, hours, and sometimes longer to do in real time.
The work stations that we used on the bridge were different. They were designed to be operated in real time. There was no other way to do it. For example, she couldn't hold a conversation with Red in cyberspace. However, she could easily record and send him a message through the comm network in just a few nanoseconds.
I waited patiently for her to finish with the long range scans.
"The planet is dry. There is no ice at the poles and I can't find any source of water below the surface." That meant we would have to look elsewhere. Persephone wasn't done yet she was still scanning. "The seventh planet looks promising. Its rings look like they consist mostly of water ice."
"Nugget, set course for the seventh planet. We will fill our tanks there."
****
We made high orbit. To move from orbit, we would either have to drain water from our drinking water supply or transfer fuel from our other ships. The ice we were about to harvest should hardly be noticeable, looking at the rings. We would be taking the larger chunks, leaving the thin dust-like particles that formed most of the rings.
All twenty-eight of my transport shuttles launched. The pilots began the search for ice they could readily collect and bring back in their cargo holds. Crewmen and women were waiting in the shuttle bay for our ships to return. When our shuttles got back they would be unloaded, the ice melted, and our tanks filled. The shuttles and our crew would be busy for days repeating the process.
****
"Cad, women beater, he ought to be taught a lesson," were just a few of the comments that were said behind my back and they were the nicer ones. I endured these and more on my way back to my quarters from the shuttle bay. The rumors about me were circulating faster than Persephone's gossip. They wouldn't stop until Amber and Jewel were free from sickbay and able to set the record straight. No one believed me.
I wasn't safe, even in my own cabin. Persephone and her mother were both there waiting for me. "The refueling is coming along good. We should be finished in about three days."
"I've heard all of the rumors. If you ever hurt Persephone like you did the mortal girls, you will wish I turned you into a spider. I may do it anyhow!"
"None of the rumors are true. I was with your daughter when they got hurt."
She ignored me and continued, "It would be a simple matter to heal them but they are much safer away from you. You need to be much more gentle with mortals."
That gave me an idea. I knew how to get Nugget and Astrea back for the rumors they were spreading and begin repairing the damage. "You're right. I will go see Doc right away. I haven't been myself lately and have been much too rough with the girls." Persephone looked confused.
I left the two goddesses alone in my cabin and headed to sickbay. I was sure Doc had just what I needed in his medical supplies.
"I'm still not allowing visitors. Amber and Jewel are healing just fine. They don't need any roughhousing from you."
"That is what I came to see you about. I've been getting a little too rough with them lately. I need something to tone me down, something to reduce my libido."
"I'm glad you finally admitted that you have a problem and came to get help. I have just the thing. Jewel started taking these pills a week ago. She told me she was starting to get a little too playful herself. If you hadn't come by and admitted that you had a problem, I would have believed what you told me earlier. Some of the things I heard in the rumors about you are just not physically possible. I was starting to believe the gossip instead, but now I know the rumors were true." He handed me a bottle of pills. "Take one of these a day with your evening meal. If they don't work, come back and see me. We will try something else."
"Thanks, Doc. It is just what I need. I'm sure they will work just fine."
I headed back to my quarters. With a little help from Persephone, things were going to get interesting between Nugget and Astrea.
"Nathaniel, you don't need those pills."
"They're not for me, they are for Nugget. Can you make sure he gets one in each meal?"
"You are absolutely evil!" Persephone laughed. "Of course I will and I can replicate as many as we need so Doc doesn't find out."
"I need you to do just one more thing. Can you slip Astrea a couple sex pills in her meals or drinks?"
"Goddesses do not need sex pills."
"It's not about need, it's about desire. I want her as interested in Nugget as he is frustrated in his own ability to satisfy her. After a week or two we will switch the pills."
"I love it, and when rumor spreads about his problem... L
et us say justice will be served for what he did to us. There are others who have treated you harshly. I will see to it that they receive the same medicine."
"We need to do something with your mother, something that will keep her occupied and take her interest off of me."
"Like what?
"I don't know, maybe find her a boyfriend?"
"She doesn't have a very high opinion of men. That is why she never remarried and I don't have a sister. It is also why she hates Hades and dislikes you."
"If not a boyfriend, how about a girlfriend?
Persephone had that far away look she got when she was in deep concentration. "That just might work, but who."
****
We finished filling our tanks, with water, on schedule. I got even better news. Doc released Amber and Jewel two weeks early. They were still on restricted duty until they fully mended and had strict orders to rest and no roughhousing. Doc was sure they would be safe now that I was taking pills to lower my urges. Only it wasn't me taking the pills.
My day just got better and better with every passing hour. Nugget was frustrated in more ways than one. It seemed he was having problems satisfying Astrea at night. Persephone and I listened to them all night. I didn't mind missing sleep to eavesdrop on them. They both wanted to have sex but Nugget wasn't able to perform, even after changing forms. The liar, he told us he stayed in his neutral form.
"I think it has been long enough. Time to switch Nuggets and Astrea's pills."
"What are the two of you up to?" Amber asked.
"We are just having a little fun with Nugget."
"The two of you need to stop playing your games before one or both of you get hurt."
"We will be careful."
There was no way I was going to stop messing with Nugget. It was too much fun. I was sure he felt the same way about me.
"Where are our children?"
"Demeter is watching them while the two of you are healing. She has them in the park."
"What park?"