Alec's Dream

by Dave Birchbauer

  * * * *

  “So what's the purpose of that back ship section?” Sofie asked as Jessie was going over her plan with Leland.

  “It's like their garage.” Jessie answered glad of the interruption. Leland was relentless, asking tons of questions, cross examining everything she told him. “The front section is where they live. The middle section gives them food and recycles their air and water while the third section contains all their ships. It’s also where they store everything they need.

  “Let’s go over the travel tubes again.” After sleeping for half a day, Leland looked like he was feeling normal, even better than normal. Being safely hidden and with Leland regenerated, they all slept comfortably and were now more than ready to escape this nightmare.

  “What good is it going to do us if we get out and there are a bunch of ships waiting for us?” Sofie asked.

  “The more I think about it the more I feel we could have outrun them.” Leland sat back. “Jessie, you seem to know more about their technology than us… and maybe more than anyone on this ship. What’s your opinion?”

  “I don’t get it either. I know every circuit on this ship and there’s not one plasma screen, LED or microchip anywhere.” Jessie answered.

  Leland nodded. “That’s just what I’ve been thinking. Their technology is primitive. Their ships have powerful rockets, but they don’t have any way of counteracting inertia, or the extreme g-forces of high acceleration. My guess is that their physiology allows them to handle it for short bursts, but not at a sustained level… not like the ALEC’S DREAM can.”

  “You mean you think we could’ve outrun them?” Sofie asked.

  “I’m afraid so. I just didn’t know.” Leland shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault.” Phyllis walked up behind him, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Your job was to protect us. You did the best you could. Anyway, were still alive and well… and… pancakes.” She stepped back to let Jade place a plate of pancakes on the galley table.

  “WOW!” Jessie said. Phyllis laid out the plates, silverware and a syrup-like substance.

  “I scavenged some of the MRE’s, Cheorgh fruit and some other condiments.” Jade answered their unasked questions. “They may not taste home-made.”

  “They’re fantastic.” Leland said digging in.

  Jade’s comment made Jessie think about home. She put her fork down.

  “What’s wrong?” Sofie asked.

  “I forgot to tell you.” Jessie said.

  “Tell us what?” Phyllis asked. They all stopped eating to stare at her.

  “While I was getting ready to find you, mom called me over the radio.”

  “WHAT?” Leland stood, looked around embarrassed then sat back down.

  “She said they’re right outside the ship ready to help us escape.”

  “How can they radio us inside the ship?” Leland wondered.

  Jessie shrugged. “I don’t know. She told me not to talk. She said the Kan-ji can track radio transmitters.”

  “That makes sense. I’ve been wondering how they found us in that crater.” Leland said. “We definitely need to be careful using radios.”

  “What did she say? Was my mom with her?” Sofie asked.

  “She didn’t say. She said ‘we’re here’ where I told them to be.” Jessie recalled. “I would guess that means your mom too. She didn’t want to be tracked so she couldn’t say much else.”

  “You told them to be there? When… how… could you have told them?” Jade caught on to her comment.

  “Well, it’s hard to explain… when I was captured by those priests, they had me tied to a stone altar and put that cone over my head…” Tears welled up in her eyes. She balled her fist determined not to cry again.

  “Never mind, we can talk later.” Jade reached out to her. Jessie sniffed and grabbed a forkful of pancake.

  “Can we call them?” Sofie asked.

  “We’re safe here. I’ve got a feeling that Eugene had put himself in danger to keep them off our trail. I wouldn’t want his sacrifice to be for nothing.” Leland said as softly as possible.

  “Anyway, we should be out of here in no time.” Phyllis said. “Thanks to Jessie’s plan.”