by H. G Ahedi
“I’m good, and everyone made it back safely. Well, everyone we know. What happened to you?”
“Nothing.”
Argon looked at her with his kind but steady eyes. He knew. “Are you coming to the party?”
“I-I can’t go. I have to finish something.”
“Why can’t anyone else do it?”
“Because it’s my responsibility. I should have done it ages ago. It’s my fault.”
“That’s what you said last week. And you can’t beat yourself up for every mistake you make.”
“I know,” Emmeline whispered. “I’m sorry. Let’s meet at Midnight Orchid tomorrow for breakfast.”
Argon smiled. “You’d better show up.”
“I will.”
“Okay. What about the other thing?” Argon asked in a low voice, looking around to make sure they were alone.
“Nothing much, but I’m hopeful.” Emmeline smiled and cherished the feeling that she could share anything with him. “Would you like to see it?”
He nodded, looking excited.
Emmeline placed her right palm on the wall below the bureau. It moved outward and slid to the right. Among all her books, notepads, and space charts was a red bag. She unzipped the bag and handed a sleek black tablet to Argon.
“Wow,” Argon said, touching its smooth surface. “It’s beautiful. I thought this thing was ancient.” He looked at his own reflection in the plaque.
“I thought so too,” admitted Emmeline. “But this is what I found after its rock shell fell off.”
Argon flipped it over and observed an image of the sun rotating anticlockwise. Otherwise, it was blank. “That’s it?”
Emmeline tapped the image of the sun. The plaque beeped. An image of a sun with a face vanished and several nonsensical words revolved around it in a clockwise fashion.
* * *
“Wow,” Argon whispered. “This is amazing, but what do these symbols mean? They don’t look like alphabets.”
“It’s a cipher.”
“Another riddle?” Argon’s shoulders slumped. “Do you know how to decode it?”
Emmeline sat on the chair. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
“Are you sure there’s something on it?”
“There should be.”
“Emmeline, this is fascinating, but I don’t think you should waste your time. You already have so much to do. And you never know. We might need you.”
She bowed her head. “I can’t just let it go.”
“You think the myth is true?”
Emmeline eyed him. “It’s not a myth. They found this plaque in an expedition in the early twentieth century. Then, somehow, it found its way to my family.”
Argon smiled. “Yes, I know, and I also know that your ancestors loved fairy tales.”
“That’s not funny.”
Argon smirked. “I would love to sit with you and hypothesize about this plaque, but we have other pressing matters. The Orias could attack at any time. We need everyone, including you.”
Emmeline’s face turned grim. She didn’t know whether she was needed. She saw that her gloomy mood was making Argon uncomfortable. She reached forward and grabbed his hand. “Tell me, how was it? How did it feel? The battle?”
Argon looked thoughtful. “Exciting and terrifying.”
Titan, Deck 3, Midnight Orchid
Midnight Orchid was a venue with a bar and seating arrangements for over two hundred people. It was spectacular, with windows that curved upward to form half of the roof. The floor was covered with white carpet, and the vast hall was decorated with many varieties of plants and flowers, including orchids. Tables were arranged along the windows, giving the colonists a beautiful view of the heavens and Saturn’s moon, Titan. The lights were dim, the music light and calming.
Anastasia stood with a glass of champagne, feeling like a bit of a phony. She hadn’t fired a single shot, and yet she was being commended. The tribunal of the Imperial Command had praised her and Jacob. While the admiral had taken in all the glory and compliments, Anastasia thought the cadets and the fleet deserved the honor more. She watched as Evan, Adrian, and Cyr mingled and were soon joined by Micah, Clio, and Byron.
“Nice party,” said a familiar voice.
Anastasia turned and tried to give an assured smile to Dr. Kent. She noticed that Emmeline wasn’t at the party, probably being punished for being innovative. Sometimes, Anastasia wished she had some control over the science division. She knew at the bottom of her heart that the friendship between the admiral and Dr. Kent influenced a lot of decisions made in the Crystal Lab. It was politics, maybe. She didn’t know who pulled the strings in that lab. From her dealings with him she felt that Dr. Kent was selfish, shrewd, powerful, and hungry for glory.
“You did a fine job,” Dr. Kent said.
Anastasia smiled. “Where’s Emmeline?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t control my students.”
“Oh, really? Is that observation without bias?” said Anastasia, knowing she was asking for trouble.
“It is. I’m a fair man. But I know Emmeline is a crybaby. All of my students work equally hard.”
Anastasia felt like snapping, but she let the comment slide.
“Frankly, you don’t understand her. You don’t understand me,” said Dr. Kent.
“Tell me, Dr. Kent, what do you want?”
“To be one of the finest scientists and all the glory that comes with it.”
“Emmeline just wants be an astrophysicist.”
“Well, she’s not ready.”
“That’s your perspective,” said Anastasia. Dr. Kent was about to reply, but Anastasia held her hand up. “We’re at war and putting down young people like Emmeline will not help us. Remember, all your distinctions, titles, and glory won’t matter if Titan is destroyed.”
Dr. Kent’s face hardened.
Anastasia continued, “In other words, if Titan falls, you fall with it.”
Anastasia was relieved when Dr. Kent left. She didn’t completely understand the story between Emmeline and Dr. Kent, but she knew he was punishing her. She knew why? One year ago, Emmeline conducted an experiment without authorization which led to considerable damage to the lab, engineers and computers on the bridge. It was wrong of her. But it made no sense to her that Dr. Kent was punishing Emmeline for being innovative. His own career was full of taking risks, defying orders and working harder than anyone else. How could he not see that Emmeline had the same qualities? He was young once.
She shook her head and walked to the window. As she watched the sparkling sky, she felt a shadow over her shoulder. She gulped. She had been formal. She had been avoiding him, but she couldn’t anymore. Now that he was back, she felt she was losing control again. The past never vanished, nor did the memories of your first love. She turned to look into Mykel’s soft eyes. He always looked at her that way. Why wouldn’t he stop?
“Hey. Good to see you again. How are you?” he asked.
“I’m well. How are you?” she replied, trying not to pay attention to her beating heart.
“Good, good. And your daughters?”
“Doing well and with their father on Earth.”
“That’s good. How’s Martin?”
“He’s well,” Anastasia answered. He didn’t know. Maybe it was best not to tell him. This wasn’t the time. It was for the best. “How was your trip?”
“Oh, long. You and I need to take a day off to discuss it. I have so many stories you’re going to love.”
Anastasia tried not to blush, “As the captain of Prometheus, you will be debriefed.”
“That wasn’t what I meant,” Mykel replied.
Feeling her discomfort rise, Anastasia changed the topic.
* * *
The doors opened, and Argon stepped into Midnight Orchid and joined his friends. Born and brought up together on Titan, they were thick as thieves.
Micah was the first to speak. “Hey, man. Great shooting!” M
icah was heavier than the rest of the party and had short, curly red hair and round blue eyes. He was a playful young man who spent most of his time in nightclubs or gambling. He never took life too seriously. Argon was sometimes envious of his carefree life.
“Thank you for supporting me,” said Argon.
They all raised their glasses. Argon, Micah, Byron and Clio had been there for each other as long as he could remember. Of course, Byron was his best friend, but Micah and Clio were people he could depend on, rely on, and he trusted them with is life.
“What’s with the maneuver?” said Byron.
“We had to try it,” said Micah.
“It was dangerous and unnecessary,” said Argon.
“We got two ships at once,” Clio replied, “And we proved that it can be done.” Clio was a skinny young girl with long red hair and steel-blue eyes.
“One for the history books,” Micah said, raising his glance to her.
Argon bit his lips. He could sense a growing friendship between the two, and he was happy for them. “Just don’t do it again.”
“Look who is talking. You defied the admiral’s orders,” remarked Clio.
Micah glanced at the admiral. “Be careful of that guy. People say he’s gone a bit . . .nuts.” His voice was almost a whisper.
Argon didn’t know where Micah got his information.
“Oh, yeah, that’s true,” said Clio. “He hates it when people don’t listen to him.”
“I think that’s normal,” stated Byron.
“No,” said Micah. “They say he takes it as a personal insult.”
“Guys, I think you’re wrong. Admiral Donavan is one of the most respected, most decorated, and bravest officers in the fleet,” Argon said.
“No one denies that,” Clio whispered. “But he has turned . . .”
Argon was confused.
“We don’t know the entire story, but the bartender is friends with one of the officers on Freedom. He says the long space trips have taken a toll on him.”
“Really? I thought it was because his wife left him,” said Clio.
“That happens. Long distance relationships rarely work.” Byron shrugged.
“Yeah, you and I are mature enough to understand that,” mocked Micah.
“Okay. Stop.” Argon said raising his glass. “Today was a day that changed our history forever. Over eighty people died, and I honor their sacrifice for their home. But I am glad we all made it back. To friends forever!”
They bumped glasses and finished their drinks. The group of young people had known each other as long as they could remember. If one got in a fight, they all got in a fight. If one was struggling, all of them reached out to offer support. They planned trips together; they ate together; they were inseparable. Until recently, when Argon had expressed his wish to fly into open space and Byron wanted to go to Earth.
Titan, deck 3, Midnight Orchid
Long after everyone had left, Dr. Kent and Jacob sat together and had a drink, just as they always did after one of them had been away for a while. Usually, it was the admiral, but Dr. Kent didn’t mind.
“I’m glad you made it back,” said Dr. Kent.
“Thank you,” Jacob answered, but he didn’t feel right. Something was off. Since last year, everything was off.
“How’s your wife?” Dr. Kent asked.
“Still wants a divorce.”
“Sorry.”
Jacob shook his head. “She knew what I was when we got together. It’s been forty years! Forty years! Doesn’t time matter to people anymore? Why can’t things stay the same? It’s sad that people back down on their word. It’s really terrible, and there’s no law to prevent it.”
“Jacob, out of forty years of marriage you have been away most of the time. What’s the point in staying with someone you don’t care for? The question is, does she love you? Do you love her?” asked Dr. Kent.
“That doesn’t matter,” Jacob argued. “In my view, once you commit to something, you stick with it, no matter what!”
“Okay. How was your voyage to Proxima Centauri?” Dr. Kent asked, changing the topic.
“It was great,” said the admiral, and began sharing stories about his voyage and the challenges he’d faced.
An hour went by, and then Dr. Kent began talking about Phoenix, an experimental particle ray that he wanted to set up in the Crystal Lab, which used up considerable power.
“That’s impractical and very dangerous, Chris,” Jacob told him. The truth was, he was scared to present the project to the Imperial Command. They needed something tangible, a working design, not something that wasn’t based on facts. He also thought that Chris sometimes used their friendship to push his projects forward. That was selfish of him.
“I think we can do it. I’ve run some simulations, and I think we can control the power flow,” said Dr. Kent, showing the admiral his new design and data. “With everything going on, it took me six months to develop, but I think it will work. “
Jacob went through the designs and data. He had to admit to himself that it looked good, possible. Chris was an excellent scientist, but he was unrealistic. He wanted things to move fast, but Jacob felt it was time to slow down. “Looks similar to your previous design,” he said without interest. Why wasn’t Dr. Kent interested in discussing his problems? All he ever talked about was this stupid experiment. Scientists never changed.
“It’s different,” said Dr. Kent. “Now I can explain to the science committee and arrange for a demonstration.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Jacob said warningly.
“There is always risk in trying new things…”
“You do not have a reliable power source. It might damage, Titan. We need Titan, especially during this time.”
“Agreed. But we also need powerful weapons. If this works, it can be used to defend our world. You can convince the Imperial Command.”
The admiral looked thoughtful. “I don’t think we have time for scientific experiments.”
“Come on,” said Dr. Kent. “We need to think out of the box. And we’re friends, and you promised you’d help me out.”
“Yes, we are friends, but I can’t be biased.”
“What is the problem?”
“We do not know if it will work.”
“I can put up a demonstration to show that Phoenix works,” argued Dr. Kent.
“But you don’t have any data except that dreadful incident a year ago. It might have costs us a lot you know.” Jacob replied. He started thinking of a way to redirect his friend. He couldn’t approve of such a nonsense project. It would hurt his reputation. Dr. Kent was a fine scientist, and his student Emmeline was good enough, but Jacob was a better judge of what was right and wrong. He was a better judge of everything, it was up to him to make sure his friends and those under him did not make mistakes.
“Jacob, I helped you map your voyage and upgraded the science lab on Freedom, and we’ve given priority to analyze all your findings,” Dr. Kent said. “Without our help, your ship wouldn’t have the latest technology.”
“The Imperial Command approved that.”
“You are not making any sense. You want data. I can’t get that without a demonstration, and you won’t get me permission to do one. It feels like you don’t want my work to go ahead.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Chris,” Jacob scoffed. “You can’t get attached to a project.”
Dr. Kent’s face turned gloomy. “Fine. I’ll reach out . . .”
“Okay. Okay,” Jacob caved. He couldn’t let Dr. Kent reach out to the science committee himself. That could be disastrous. Staying in control was everything. “I’ll speak with Vince. And you should focus on the war.”
Titan, Cargo Bay 16
Emmeline couldn’t rest. The alien debris haunted her like a bad dream. After work, she returned to her quarters to get some sleep, but she couldn’t. So, she made a decision, despite knowing the risk she was taking.
She pressed the code
s on the panel to open the doors of Cargo Bay 16. As soon as she stepped inside, the lights turned on. She found herself surrounded by enormous pieces of debris standing on large stands. She felt as if she had landed on an alien planet with huge, strangely shaped buildings.
It reminded her of her childhood. The first time her grandpa took her for a hike. It was in the northern hemisphere, and she could still feel the cold and remembered deep and dangerous trenches. The mountain was enormous and looked welcoming during the day. But once they had to hike at night, and the rock above her looked somewhat like the debris. She shook her head dismissing the memory, grabbed her scanner and got to work.
She had no idea what the time was when she heard the door open. She hid, remembering that she was here without authorization. Dr. Kent would be mad at her. Anastasia could send her back to Earth.
“Who’s there?” asked a familiar voice.
Emmeline peered out and spotted the chief engineer of Titan, Lieutenant Cyr Storm. She knew Cyr wouldn’t be that mad. “Hi,” Emmeline said in an embarrassed tone.
“What are you doing here?” asked Cyr.
“Ah. Ahem. Err,” Emmeline replied, stepping away from the debris. “I was doing some preliminary scans.”
The engineer was shorter and more muscular than Emmeline and was a proud Asian woman. She was hot-headed and blunt, and she ran the engineering department with military precision. Her staff both feared and respected her.
Cyr checked her pad. “You’re not assigned to study the debris.”
“I’m not assigned to anything.”
Cyr stared at her. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I know. I just thought . . . It doesn’t matter.”
She was about to leave when Cyr said, “How long have you been here?”
Emmeline looked at the clock and balked. “It seems all night. I thought the faster we got the information, the better. What if they come back?”