by Aaron Dennis
His tranquility was something she coveted. “Not a worry in the world, huh?”
Moments eased by during which she also relaxed. She found her eyes growing heavy. There he stands—the great savior—and what does he do? Nothing. I suppose I should just be thankful he saved us, and he is providing a plan of action…. Whatever pessimism had possessed her melted away. In its place sprouted a degree of calmness.
For a moment, her mind went blank; she wasn’t talking to herself, or wondering about the future, or even the present. It was like a daydream, but without fantastical images. Instead, there were physical sensations; her spine tingled, her fingers were warm.
When she realized what she felt, she started trying to dissect the phenomenon; she wanted to think about it, reason it out, but lacked the impetus. Then, the color behind her closed eyes wavered. An intense, pleasing redness wormed its way around. Long waves of energy waned away from her, giving the impression of feeling long, not tall, but somehow stretched.
What she originally thought was fatigue, or the sensations, which came while falling asleep, intensified; she was totally awake, but her body was unresponsive. Scared out of her mind, she fought to stand, but an outside force calmed her. Pressure in the center of her brain drew her attention; something was building up. Then, it released like bubbly effervescence, and the image of the traveler cleared.
She thought she was imagining him, or perhaps remembering him; an image imprinted on her mind, which she was able to isolate and scrutinize, but he opened his eyes, and they weren’t black pools of nothingness; they were all colors, radiating, wafting, melting, but contained. Beyond a doubt, she knew he was guiding her, and she tried to question the experience, but his overwhelming presence turned her around; she saw behind herself, and then a jolt rattled some unknown part of her. It took her a second to comprehend that he hadn’t turned her; he was allowing her to see in all directions.
Instantly, Fitzpatrick felt something break around her, it was like having pierced a barrier, and she knew she was in control. She looked all around the deck; there were aliens at work, ships undergoing repairs, cranes, lifts, and carts were all moving throughout the immense area. Another pang of fear, which culminated in a bodily jolt, brought her back to reality; she was sitting in front of the traveler, only his eyes were closed, and he bore a smile.
“What the fuck,” she said, dryly.
Gazing at the creature, she figured something transcendental had occurred. An imperative need to inform someone possessed her, and she took off like a bat out of Hell. Dancing on her toes while riding the lift back to crew quarters, she began to doubt the experience. I must be losing it…did that really happen? The elevator dinged, and the door slid open.
She went to DeReaux’s room first. Best to get a second opinion before bothering the captain. His door was closed. Rather than knocking and waking up DeReaux’s quarter mate, she decided to sneak in.
“Wake up, Frenchy,” she whispered. Then, she tugged at his sleeve. “Wake up, you ass.”
He turned and looked at her, and grumbled, “What?”
“Get up, you have to come check this out,” she pleaded. He muttered something unintelligible before getting out of bed. She led him to the elevator. He rubbed his eyes, complaining he needed to pee. “I think the traveler was showing me something. I just wanna’ see if he shows you something, too.”
He looked at her with a tiresome expression. He wanted to blow her off, tell her to get some rest, but they had pretty much known each other their whole lives, and he saw the distress in her face and body language. Back in front of the creature, she ordered him to sit down.
“Let me grab a chair,” he whined.
“Sit down!”
He sighed dramatically as though it was an extraordinary ordeal. “Okay, what now?”
“Just relax,” she said.
He shook his head in mock desperation, but figured placating her was the quickest road to getting back to sleep. A moment eased by during which he experienced nothing beyond grogginess. Mental complaints about his partner suddenly seemed distant and disconnected; he felt like he was underwater. The colors and shapes he witnessed behind closed eyes were marvelous, but little more than whatever was experienced after pushing on the eyes. It was a novelty, which made him want to scratch his head, but it took his body an eternity to react.
When it did, it moved incredibly slowly. His eyelids remained heavy, but he focused all of his intent into looking around. He was shocked at the physical sensations plaguing his body. Vibrations and waves of energy shot through him like his heart was pumping electricity.
Frightened, he rose to his feet as if his muscles were made of molasses; everything was slowed, even the sounds in the ship; they were elongated. Focusing on the sounds was like choosing portions from a recording and playing it back. He knew the traveler was showing something of monumental importance; he recalled a similar sensation while fighting on Sahagun, and what he was experiencing was the ability to take all the time in the world to observe whatever he chose, whatever he saw with his eyes, heard with his ears, touched with hands. They were all separate events for him to witness.
He brought his gaze to the traveler, whose eyes were closed. An order to move, to walk around and explore, pressed him. Though he managed to pick up his pace, there wasn’t any way to move at a normal rate of speed; he knew it wasn’t his muscles he was using, but some vibratory force, some base energy lodged deep within.
He sluggishly reached out to touch Fitzpatrick. Before making contact, DeReaux’s brain was flooded with sensory input. He saw all her angles, every possible way she might move, and he knew where to strike, or trip her, or maneuver around her. Then, the elevator dinged in an drawn out fashion. Ever so slowly the door slid open, and a Thewl ambled out like he was on slow motion, instant replay. With a crack, time caught up, and everything was back to normal.
DeReaux blinked rapidly; his eyes were dry. The Thewl who had stepped from the elevator nodded to him before shuffling off to do inventory.
“What the Hell was that,” DeReaux gasped.
“What did you see,” Fitzpatrick was anxious.
“Everything was slow, I, I don’t know.”
“Could you see everything around you, like move around, like, like, you’re just a pair of eyes or something?”
“What? No! Is that what you got,” he asked. “I didn’t get that at all. Everything was just slow, but I guess, I felt like I knew how to do…whatever needed to be done, like before on the battlefield only I was in control this time.”
“I’m glad it isn’t just me then. We should tell everyone,” she declared.
They returned to the quarters deck and attempted amassing the crew by running excitedly from door to door. They pounded while screaming about the traveler. Korit and some Thewls joined up when Fitzpatrick started a hurried explanation. DeReaux followed up with his version. For a moment, they all looked at each other.
“Perhaps these are gifts,” Korit finally ventured.
Adams and Franklin exchanged a trademark glance.
“What do you two know,” Swain asked.
“Surprisingly, nothing,” Adams answered after a pause.
“Although,” Franklin began.
“What?” Fitzpatrick demanded.
“Well… No. I don’t know,” Franklin said and looked down with a furrowed brow.
“Okay, this is the first time either of you have been at a complete loss. Now, I have to know,” O’Hara chuckled.
“Guess we should all get down there,” Day suggested.
****
Humans and Thewls surrounded the traveler. One-by-one, they all relaxed. A similar undertaking enveloped the Humans.
Nandesrikahl was shown how to interpret any language and signal. In the distance, across the loading zone, he listened and heard Thewls talking about the inventory. They were saddened by the loss of a friend in the last battle and were bickering about whether or not they had enough parts to fix the ships without ha
ving to scrap their friend’s ship. Anything he heard broke to down to a core vibration, allowing him to distinguish meaning and intentions.
Swain was able to feel his way through machines and equipment. If it had components, he was able to enter them, unravel how they functioned. The nearest machine was the elevator. He visualized, like x-ray vision, the vertical, conveyor track to which the cab was hooked. Then, delved into the buttons, and he saw how each created a circuit in the cab’s mechanisms.
Adams and Franklin were shown that there was nothing to offer them. The cybernetics and gene augmentation they had received during their training with The Bureau had created a barrier within them. They accepted the fact; there was no alternative, yet the creature shared with them a bit of the old culture and history. It was like living among the travelers, if only for an instant.
Thewlian DNA was different than Human DNA, and the travelers had never examined it, or mastered it, as they did with their Human creations. The two species were overly dissimilar, so the traveler was unable to open their minds to give them gifts. Humans, however, all had a special, reserved potential. Their pineal glands were the same as the traveler’s gland, but Thewls were different, so he taught them meditation techniques designed to help them reach their potential on their own.
Day was told that her time was nigh. All she needed was patience. The final lesson was for the captain.
All outcomes occur at all times, but the ability to choose one outcome over another is the key to survival, to success.
He taught O’Hara to silence his mind. With no thoughts or distractions he was able to focus wholly on the task at hand. It didn’t mean knowing the exact outcome of every situation, but quieting his mind allowed him to feel the push and pull of the universe. It flowed like a river. One might walk along side it. One might walk away or towards it. One might get into the river and try to swim against it, or across it, or with it. O’Hara was able to create a moment in time wherein he decided which of all those was best and when to utilize such decisions.
Chapter Nineteen
A knock on the door woke Day. She looked at the door, then around the room. Flem had already left. She rolled out of bed to open the door. Captain O’Hara was on the other side. He greeted her with a smile.
“Morning, Captain,” she said and snapped a salute.
He returned it, saying, “Right, join me for breakfast?”
She furrowed her brow and smiled, “Sure. Everything okay?”
A smile flickered across his face. The two walked to the mess hall, passing Thewls along the way. To their amazement, they found new, shorter tables and smaller chairs had been set out. Smaller plates and utensils were also available.
“Anyway, we’ll arrive at Soft Light soon, and then who knows. Every time we go anywhere, we run the risk of being attacked. I just wanted to take some time and tell you how much I appreciate your friendship. You’re not just one of my crew. You’re my friend, and I cherish that,” he said as he stared into his food.
She placed her hand on his and laughed. “Geez, thank you; that was probably hard for you”
“Yeah, emotions were never my strength,” he said and looked into her eyes.
He realized that she really was beautiful. Somehow, he had forgotten how much he liked her. While there was no doubt that being professional was the proper course of action, the truth was that they were flying through uncharted regions of the galaxy as far away from Navy standards as possible. He kissed her softly on the cheek.
“Before this is over, and we go back to the colony, I want one night for us,” he whispered.
Her eyes were glossy with newly forming tears. She held them back as she nodded and grinned.
“Me, too, Riley. Me, too.”
They finished their breakfast in silence. A few minutes passed before the remainder of the crew filed into the mess hall, where they joined their compatriots. That day, the final jump landed them in the Carina-Sagittarius arm. They traded glances before erupting into conversations about the traveler.
“While a far less impressive feat, he gave me loads of information,” Adams said between bites.
“Yeah, I spent the night trying to archive all the data,” Franklin commented.
“Cool. I tried to use my new vision thing,” Fitzpatrick added.
“How did it work out,” DeReaux asked.
“Not well. Whatever I can do has eluded me. I thought I was getting it, but I felt like I couldn’t move past the room,” Fitzpatrick replied.
“You guys are making me envious,” Day complained. “All these cool powers, and what have you…I got nothing!”
“So, he didn’t show you anything at all,” O’Hara asked.
“He said he’d show me later, I guess….”
“Well, that’s a shame. I’m sure he has his reasons,” Nandy shrugged.
“What about you,” Day asked him.
He smiled with fork poised before his mouth. “He showed me ‘ow to understand. If that makes any sense,” he replied and laughed.
“Wow. Good joke, Nandy,” the captain fired back, sarcastically.
“How do you understand? I mean...what does that mean,” DeReaux was perplexed.
“Communications, of any sort, really, are just vibrations. I can derive the meaning within.”
“You mean you can decipher speech,” Fitzpatrick asked.
“Not only speech, any form of vibratory communication. O’ course, it comes and goes,” he responded.
“Know what you mean. I was looking through some ship components here on this vessel. Sometimes, I know exactly how they work, how they connect, you know, but sometimes, I’m just me,” Swain added.
“What about you, captain,” Day asked.
O’Hara thought for a moment. He looked at the ceiling above him as he chewed. Whatever the traveler had bestowed onto him wasn’t a power or an ability, but something else.
“Hard to say. It was more of a message he gave me, or maybe it’s a trick.”
“Like what those two got,” Fitzpatrick asked with a motion of her head, indicating the agents.
He shrugged. “Maybe it was more of a lesson. Whatever it was, I’ve been feeling pretty good about our situation.”
“I went back to see the traveler. Just to see if anything was different,” DeReaux stated.
“Me too,” Fitzpatrick added.
“And,” Swain asked with a cocked eyebrow.
“It just seems easier to focus around him,” she answered.
“Must be something with the aura he produces,” Nandesrikahl suggested.
“What aura,” O’Hara inquired.
“We all give off a sort of life energy. It’s logical to believe his energy affects ours,” Nandesrikahl clarified.
The final consensus was that they all had an easier time concentrating while in the vicinity of the traveler. Swain and Nandesrikahl gleaned snippets of info on occasion, but their focus faltered. DeReaux and Fitzpatrick were always able to initiate their ability, but lacked the proper control. Day liked hearing them talk about their abilities.
Suddenly, the Carrier’s navigator erupted over the intercom, stating that all energy signatures were clear. Glances went around the table. It was time to gear up.
Phoenix Crew amassed on the bridge, where Thewls scanned for disturbances. Everyone expected the Lokians to come barreling out of the blue, but there was nothing unusual. Instead, Thewls discussed the Rhauss system, explaining it housed only four planets. Images were brought onto the display screen for everyone to see.
“Rhauss has degraded to a Brown dwarf. It is unlikely that any life was ever sustained here,” Lam-Yung reported.
The captain turned to Admiral Yew. “I think our friend doesn’t support your theory.”
“This former sun has been inactive for an extremely long time,” Lam-Yung interjected.
“Even so, the traveler was discovered frozen in ice on Sahagun. He might be able to survive anywhere,” O’Hara replied. “Come to t
hink of it, he didn’t have a space suit….”
“Yes. At any rate, we’re heading for the second planet in this system,” Lam-Yung said as she brought it to the forefront of the display monitor.
It was a tiny, yellow-brown planet. There was nothing remarkable about it; a speck floating amidst the stars. The admiral spoke then.
“Only a few hours, men; be prepared, and stay alert.”
The crew marched to the elevators then proceeded down to the Explorer. The traveler was already on board and amidst some friendly faces. Korit, Flem, Jor-Tune, and two others. Jor-Tune gave a Human salute to the captain. He chuckled and returned the greeting.
“Good to work with you again, O’Hara,” Korit said.
Jor-Tune extended his hand to Swain. “Excellent, excellent. Glad to see you again, friend,” Swain said, excitedly
“What’s the plan? No one gave us any instructions,” O’Hara told Korit.
“Apparently, the traveler already provided our navigator with coordinates.”
“It’s a simple task this time,” Fitzpatrick snarked. “What could go wrong?”
Scans indicated Soft Light was rich in Ammonia and Sulfur. There were also caverns, which ran thousands of meters beneath the crust to water, and geothermal activity kept temperatures from falling too low. Atmospheric composition scans showed a thick layer of Carbon Monoxide. The gravity on the planet surface was 1.8 times that of Earth; for all intents and purposes, it was capable of sustaining life, if beneath its surface.
The Explorer navigated through dense clouds of gasses. Once visibility hit zero-zero, the ship’s outer lights came on. Hours of slow exploration drifted by before the ship arrived at its destination. All they witnessed were flat expanses of brown rock speckled with yellow flakes. Every once in a while, electrical currents set gasses aflame, giving off soft lights.
“Probably why it’s called Soft Light,” Nandy mused.
“Sure, sure,” Swain said. “Hey, Cap, check this out.”
He unpacked a mini gun from a large, black case. The two looked over the new toy. While they were eager to test new firepower and ammunition in the field, they weren’t looking forward to another Lokian attack.