“Yes, my Princess, though there was little left—the two who fell into the carnivorous plant took their load of kitchen utensils and supplies with them to their doom. I sent some of the guard to clean up the mess from the third. If nothing else, this should impress upon the other servants the importance of keeping up with the column.”
As the Castellan paused a rustling was heard from the nearby woods. The Princess's guards, all warrior bred, formed a defensive perimeter, tilting their massive, boxy heads from side to side in an attempt to site a foe.
The underbrush parted in an explosion of green as a wolf spider nearly three meters across pounced on one of the guards. Knocking aside the hapless warrior's spear, the eight legged predator sank its venomous fangs into her head. The guard's legs buckled and she sank to her knees.
The other guards reacted instantly, rushing the monster spider, skewering it with their spears. The predator tried to back into the underbrush from which it had appeared, but was reluctant to release its prey. Its unwillingness to part with a meal was the spider's undoing, as more warriors joined the fray.
At the first sign of danger the Castellan moved between the Princess and the tree-line, her sword appearing in her right hand as if by magic. Even the common workers crowded around, protecting their Princess with their bodies. This was done not out of love but in response to pheromones Timushi's body released when threatened—fealty was drug induced among the workers. The precautions proved unnecessary as the spider sank to the ground, limbs twitching in its final death throws.
“That was closer than I would have liked, Your Highness.”
“Only a tragedy for the one guard, Castellan,” the Princess replied evenly. “Your warriors reacted well, quickly dispatching the wolf.”
“This will not be the last test of their skills, I fear. In a way good training for what might happen when we reach the capital.”
“Warriors are bred to fight, and live only for combat. They are fulfilling their destinies on this trek.” As hopefully I shall fulfill mine, she added silently.
Orbital Approach, Peggy Sue
Alpha Phoenicis B glowered through the ship's transparent nose, its relatively small size overcome by proximity. As the Earth ship maneuvered for orbit above the companion star's only sizable satellite, the bridge crew kept watch for any sign of danger, though they had detected no indication of technological life on the rocky planet below. Neither had anymore enigmatic neutrino bursts been received from who ever or what ever had sent the original message.
“We are scanning the planet's surface with multispectral instruments, Captain,” reported Mizuki from her station. “There are no signs of advanced technology—no radio transmissions, no industrial pollutants in the atmosphere, and certainly nothing indicating an active T'aafhal artifact.”
“Unless the Peggy Sue was havin' a computer hallucination there's something down there, Doctor. Keep scanning and mapping the surface.”
“Hai. There does appear to be some form of primitive civilization, there are several sizable cities and signs of land clearance for agriculture. Otherwise the surface is covered with vegetation mostly in the form of tropical rainforest. Surface temperature averages 26.7 degrees Celsius, high relative humidity, and the surface gravity is roughly 60 percent Earth normal. The atmosphere is mostly nitrogen with about 36 percent oxygen, one percent H2O, with traces of argon, CO2 and other gases.”
“Sounds like the conditions present on Earth during the Carboniferous Era,” said Samir Hosseini, the science section geologist. “Though given the planet's small size I wouldn't expect as much tectonic activity.”
“If the evolutionary arc is similar to Earth's those rainforests are probably full of giant insects, amphibians and primitive reptiles,” added Will Krenshaw. “It looks like a swampy place, but there doesn't seem to be any large oceans, just scattered lakes and small seas.”
“Small planets build oceans quickly but can’t sustain their water cycle. In a planet the size of Earth or larger, plate tectonics draws water into the mantle and volcanoes return it to the atmosphere. In smaller objects the planet’s water eventually becomes trapped in the mantle.”
“That may be, Dr. Hosseini,” added Mizuki, “but distance from the local star also makes a difference. Look at Earth and Venus.”
“Regardless, we are not goin' to the surface unless we can locate this hypothetical artifact.”
“No desire to parley with the natives, Captain?” asked the First Officer.
“For what? More carved sticks and woven baskets? I'm beginning to think this trading thing won't work unless we find races as advanced as we are.”
“Now you're being cynical, Captain,” said Bobby. “You never know when we'll stumble upon a treasure. Hitch and Jacobs found an alien outhouse filled with gemstones.”
“That's been about the only worthwhile stuff we've found and that was at the start of the voyage. I think I'd rather find some nice advanced ruins to rummage through, pardner.”
“So instead of merchants we are going to be archaeologist?” asked Beth, a bit sarcastically.
“Xenoarchaeologists, Number One.”
“You mean like Indian Jones?” asked Nigel.
“More like Tomb Raider,” added Bobby.
“I'll issue trowels,” said Beth
Mizuki shook her head, waiting for the banter to finish.
“The thick atmosphere and dense vegetation are masking any low level radiation that might indicate a power source,” she said. “I think that, eventually, we will need to get closer to the surface to detect the T'aafhal installation—assuming it exists.”
“You mean lower our orbit?” asked Bobby.
“No, I mean take a small shuttle, loaded with sensitive detectors, and fly a search pattern over the most likely areas at a couple hundred meters.”
“Really, Mizuki?”
“Hai, Captain. I extended the signal vector back to the planet and localized where the neutrino beam originated to one of two areas on opposite sides of the planet.”
“Two areas?” asked Beth, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, a neutrino beam can pass right through a planet so the signal could have come from either point where the vector intersected the planet's surface—one on the facing side, one on the back.”
“So how did we detect the signal if it can pass through thousands of kilometers of solid matter?”
“We do not understand how to send messages ourselves or how they are received, just that the M'tak Ka'fek sent such a message at the end of the battle off Sirius. Evidently, there are some peculiar molecular level circuits inside the ship's computer that can detect such messages.”
“Ya know, I really dislike using technology we don't understand,” said Billy Ray, “it makes me feel like a monkey flying a rocket ship.”
At the weapon control console Umky snorted. Heads turned.
“Hey, I didn't say it,” he said with a bearish grin.
Chapter 12
Small Shuttle, Peggy Sue
“Pass me the schraubenschlüssel, bitte,” said Kate, her legs protruding from under the large device setting in the middle of the shuttle's passenger cabin.
“The what?” asked Nigel.
“The—how do you say it in English—the spanner.”
“Right-o,” he replied, handing her the adjustable wrench from the toolbox located on the floor next to the contraption she was working on. The two had been sent to install some equipment for Dr. Ogawa, needed for some kind of recon mission to the planet below.
“Danke,” the woman replied, grasping the tool without coming out from under the equipment. A steady stream of muted German profanity could be heard coming from the technician.
“Let me know if there is anything I can do to help, won't you Ms. Hamm?”
“Ya, ya,” came her muttered reply as she squirmed deeper beneath the mound of boxes, wires and dials. After a few more grunting sounds she exclaimed, “Endlich ist es soweit!”
“Is that that good or bad?” the puzzled Lieutenant asked.
“It is good, I have finished securing the equipment to the deck. Take this.” Her hand held out the wrench. Nigel retrieved the tool and put it back in the toolbox. He then watched with interest as Kate wriggled her way back out from under the equipment.
I can see what Frank is on about, he mused. Even in those shapeless coveralls Ms. Hamm's femininity is not in question.
Clearing the equipment she looked up at him. After a second's pause he offered her a hand up off the deck.
“So, are we squared away for the mission?”
“Yes, the detection device is fastened to the deck, all we have to do is connect power to it and run the self check and alignment sequence.”
“And precisely what does this device do?”
“It is a detector to help locate the T'aafhal artifact. What it detects I have no idea, you must ask Doktor Ogawa.”
“Well I'm familiar with electronics, spintronics, and gravitonics and I can't suss out how it works,” the Englishman said.
“Perhaps it is a machine that goes 'ping!',” Katrina said gravely.
“What? Oh, I get it, Monty Python, jolly good.” The young officer smiled. Who said Germans don't have a sense of humor?
“When do you think we will depart, Lieutenant?”
“Are you anxious to be underway?”
“It is just that things get so boring when we are in space. The last interesting break was on the ice moon.”
“Well it could be any time now. Just as soon as Dr. Ogawa wears the Captain down, probably another hour or two.” Nigel smiled. Frank old boy, evidently you are not keeping your bird as entertained as you think you are.
Captain's Sea Cabin
“It is as I suspected, Captain. The shipboard sensors cannot isolate any trace radiation from the T'aafhal transmitter or its power source.”
“Yer just not gonna be satisfied until you get to go flyin' around down below are you?” Billy Ray said with feigned exasperation.
“Most of the crew would gladly skip their rum ration to get off the ship for a few hours, Dear.” In the privacy of her husband's office Beth relaxed her normally formal demeanor. Particularly when only the four partners were present. Billy Ray shook his head and gave in to the inevitable.
“So how big a crew will you need for this little excursion?”
Mizuki hid a half smile of triumph by bowing.
“I will need a pilot and a technician to help with the sensor equipment. The needed equipment has already been installed on the small crew shuttle.”
Beth cleared her throat.
“Might I suggest Ms. Hamm as the technician and Mr. Lewis as pilot?”
“I thought that I could pilot the shuttle,” said Bobby, speaking for the first time.
“I don't really want half the ship's senior officers runnin' off on a recon mission, Bobby. Don't you trust young Nigel?”
“No, Nigel is a fine pilot,” Bobby muttered, looking down at the table. Mizuki took his hand.
“We will be fine, Bobby. We are not even going to land on the surface, even if we find something.”
Bobby smiled at his significant other, a smile of acceptance not of happiness.
“Besides,” Mizuki continued, “who else could watch the aoi chō while I'm gone?” Mizuki's blue butterflies became very agitated without her and though they had never harmed one of the crew they could be deadly. Only Bobby could really control them in her absence.
Mizuki turned again to the Captain.
“Since we are not going to land on the planet I hope we can forgo the use of suit armor?”
Billy Ray's eyes narrowed. In his experience, sending people out without armor was an invitation to disaster. The only times he had lost personnel they had not been wearing armor.
“You know I don't like sending people out without at least light armored suits.”
“The sensor equipment is not designed to be operated by gloved hands. Besides, we will not touch down and the shuttle provides better armor than a suit anyway.”
“I'm with Billy Ray on this one, Mizuki-chan. I don't like the idea of you going out unarmed.”
“Fine. I'll take my katana, just in case.”
“That's not what I mean, and you know it.”
“Bobby, we'll be fine, really. Captain?”
Billy Ray looked at his friend and then his wife. Finding no objection from Beth, he grudgingly acquiesced.
“OK, no suits.” But in the back of his head a little voice said, I got a bad feeling about this.
Fakkaa Flagship
“As we suspected, Admiral, there are other forces attempting to interfere with our plans,” said the voice of the alien leader. “We have detected another ship in orbit around the target planet, a ship of advanced design and unknown origin.”
“A ship more powerful than yours, Wise One?” Raqqee asked. He was already suspicious of the aliens' motives and this latest development fed the fires of his suspicion.
“We think not, but safety is paramount. They have not yet detected our presence, or at least show no signs of such knowledge. A surprise attack will certainly shift the advantage to our side.”
“We are going to attack the ship without warning? Are you sure they are hostile?”
There was a pause before the Wise One replied, indicative of thought or perhaps irritation.
“Yes, the radiation profile of its drives are in our database. It is a type of ship used only by a race called the T'aafhal—evil creatures that have ravaged this part of the Galaxy for millions of years. We have often fought against them but have been unable to eradicate them completely.”
“As you say, Wise One.”
“I would like you to form your ships into an attack formation and adjust your course vector to the one I just sent your computer. We have reason to believe that they will be unable to detect your ships until you are almost upon them. At my signal I want you to attack with missiles.”
“If this ship is that advanced will our missiles hurt it?”
“Probably not, but I will also launch an attack with more powerful weapons that should destroy the interlopers. Your attack will distract them and improve our combined chance for success. Do you understand, Admiral?”
“As you command, Wise One,” Raqqee replied, thinking, If these new aliens are not hostile now they surely will be after we attack them without warning.
Third Deck Shuttle Dock, Peggy Sue
Bobby and Mizuki stood at the foot of the gangway leading into the small crew shuttle. As promised, Mizuki wore her katana strapped across her back, not the traditional way to carry the weapon but more practical than thrust through a sash on her waist within the confines of the ship.
“Promise me you will be safe down there, Mizuki-chan. No impulsive actions—I know how you get when chasing a problem.”
“I promise, Bobby. We are just going to fly a search pattern and try to localize where the signal originated. No heroics, no unplanned landings, just find the artifact and return to the ship.”
“I'll hold you to that.”
“Why are you so worried? We have been apart under more dangerous conditions before.”
“I don't know, sweetheart, it isn't rational but I feel uneasy about this whole situation. Maybe it's because things have been so uneventful for so long—it's like we are overdue for something bad happening.”
He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.
“I'm probably being silly, but remember that I love you.”
“And I love you, Bobby. Now let me go, the sooner we leave the sooner we will return.”
“OK.” Bobby smiled and left go of her hands. Mizuki returned his smile, turned and ascended the airstair into the shuttle. As the airstair retracted, Bobby whispered, “Godspeed, my love.”
He stepped out of the airlock, closing the door and cycling the lock. A hollow thump, almost unheard, signaled the shuttle's undocking. Taking a deep breath, Bobby
headed back to the bridge, repeating to himself something Peggy Sue's first captain used to say: never take the counsel of your fears.
Chapter 13
Small Shuttle One
The night side of the planet passed beneath the small shuttle as it sped toward the day-night terminator. The shuttle cabin was in full transparency mode, the walls, overhead, and even parts of the deck showing the view outside the ship. The planet below was dark but not inky black, being illuminated by the orange giant companion star. The limb of the planet displayed a red diadem created by the M type it circled.
“This is quite something,” commented Kate, seated in the copilot's seat next to Nigel. Mizuki had suggested she take the seat forward to witness atmospheric entry at its most spectacular.
“Just wait,” answered Nigel, his hands on the seat arm controls, eyes scanning the glowing displays that seemed to float in space before them. “When we hit the atmosphere it will be like diving into a fiery furnace.”
“Could we burn up like space junk falling out of orbit back on Earth?”
“No, the repulsor shields keep the plasma cocoon from making actual contact with the hull. Safe as houses, really.”
In the rear of the passenger compartment Mizuki was alone with her thoughts. She kept trying to run through the search pattern in her mind but her thoughts returned to Bobby and his sense of foreboding regarding the survey mission. Though she prided herself on being a scientist—governed by logic, not superstition—she could not shake the feeling that something was out of kilter with the universe.
This is ridiculous, she chided herself. There is no rational reason to think some horrid fate awaits us here. Bobby is often overly emotional, running on hunches and feelings. I guess what they say about opposites attracting is true, we are as different as night and day.
“Dr. Ogawa,” called Nigel from the flight deck, interrupting her moment of introspection. “We are about to enter the planet's atmosphere and will lose contact with the ship for close to thirty minutes.”
“Understood, thank you Lieutenant.”
On the flight deck, Nigel keyed the comm channel to the Peggy Sue.
The Queen's Daemon (T'aafhal Legacy Book 2) Page 11