by Jim Laughter
"That's up to you, Mr. Eagleman,” Keith said. "It depends on your choices. It’s your life."
"It sounds so strange to hear you call me that,” Yohan said with a smile. "I've been Yohan Nashar for so long, now my real name seems like a dream."
"Well, whatever you want to go by, Yohan Nashar or John Eagleman, is up to you,” Keith said. "And again, that depends on your choices."
"Guess you're going back to the stars,” Pete said with a frown. "Leave us nut cases here to fend for ourselves."
The other men laughed.
"What are my choices?" John asked Keith.
"Well, you're still in the Service for one,” Keith said. "And that entitles you to certain rights and responsibilities.”
“Not to mention a whole boatload of back pay,” Pete interjected.
“That’s right,” Keith answered. “I also checked before we went out to the airport and you are still considered on detached service on this planet, now that we know you're alive."
"What does that mean?" Pete wanted to know.
"It means that I have the option of staying here,” Yohan answered as his mind whirled with possibilities. “Or going home.”
The fact that the Service had actually rescued him had been quite a shock at first. Yohan had finally resigned himself to the fact that it would never happen. Then Keith and Darrel had appeared and changed everything. Now all he could think about was his family back on Erdinata, even though Keith's comments seemed to hold a hint of something more.
He looked Keith straight in the eye.
"Yes?" Keith asked, still smiling.
"Is it possible for me to check on a few things?" Yohan asked seriously.
"I anticipated that,” Keith said. He pushed up from the table. "And I have the files you might want all ready waiting in the office."
The next day Pete and Yohan stood again in front of their open hanger at the airport. Keith and another man stood by a waiting car.
"I guess this is goodbye,” Pete said sadly as he looked at the car and then back at Yohan. The sound of an aircraft engine pierced the silence that threatened to engulf the two friends.
"That sounds like a school trainer,” Yohan said.
He craned around to find the source. Following the noise of the engine, he walked around the end of the hanger where he could see the runway. Pete followed.
"Hey! That's 24 Tango!" Pete exclaimed, watching the Cessna 150 come in for an acceptable landing. "I forgot Mark had a lesson this afternoon."
They watched the plane exit the runway and roll to a stop on the taxiway, the engine still idling. After a moment, the right door on the small trainer opened and a man stepped out onto the wing. He said something to the boy still at the controls and then dropped down to the ground. Mark nervously advanced the throttle and began to taxi the plane to the far end of the runway.
"Well, I'll be a monkey’s uncle," Pete said in happy surprise while he watched this momentous event unfold before him. "He's on the stick!"
Together they watched the trainer roll to the far end of the field and take its place in the run-up area. The sound of the engine-check before takeoff came back to them while they watched. Finally, the checks completed, the trainer taxied out onto the end of the runway. It paused there for what seemed an eternity before the sound of the engine being advance to full throttle came to them.
The little plane accelerated down the runway, slowly at first. After getting up sufficient speed, Pete and Yohan watched the little plane leave the ground with only a slight wobble of its wings. When it passed overhead, Pete let out a whoop of delight.
"He did it!” he cried as Yohan clapped Pete on the back.
Together the two friends watched Mark make the traditional three solo circuits of the pattern, touching down each time. Finally, the plane landed for the last time and taxied back over to the instructor.
"Well, it looks like you're going to have your hands full,” Yohan said to Pete. They watched the instructor climb back into the trainer. The plane slowly taxied past them and headed to the parking area in front of the flight school.
"And what about you?" Pete asked his friend.
"Heading home, I guess,” Yohan said, looking up at the sky.
"Gonna miss me?"
"Sure will,” Yohan admitted. "Now you better go help tear the shirt off of Mark's back so they can staple it to the wall,” he continued with a grin. "I've got a flight to catch."
With that, the two friends shook hands and parted, Pete to go congratulate his son on his first solo flight, and Yohan to the car that would take him on the first leg of his trip back to the stars.
∞∞∞
"Ok, honey,” Leatha called out from the control seat of the Aurora. "Set up the scan."
"Scanning now,” Stan replied from his station at the detector equipment.
He was glad he was doing this job with the enhanced capabilities of the Aurora. The fast attack recon ships had better detection equipment than standard patrollers and he would need every advantage he could muster. Detecting the energy trail of any ship wasn't easy, but finding one from a ship without a transponder was almost impossible.
As the equipment started its sweep, Stan again wondered why his friend would be out here anyway. Delmar was supposed to be resting back on Erdinata. Stan knew his friend had a restless streak, but when he heard Delmar had taken a ship and left the planet, he’d been dumbfounded.
An act of theft like this was so out of character for Delmar that Stan found himself wondering about his friend's sanity. It made a little more sense when he heard Ert's theory about Delmar wanting to go to Panay to see Abby. Even with that, it was a fool thing to do and would probably cost Delmar his command.
The cabin of the Aurora remained silent while the enhanced detectors reached out into space for any trace of a passing ship. Long minutes passed, punctuated only by the occasional beep as each sweep completed its cycle.
"Nothing,” Stan sighed. "I'm calling Ert.”
He swung around and reached for the computer keyboard.
Ert? he typed onto the screen. Seconds passed while the signal relayed back to Mica to the Horicon computer. Finally, the screen went blank.
HELLO STAN, Ert answered. I EXPECTED YOU WOULD CHECK IN ABOUT NOW. ANY TRACE?
No, Stan typed back. Double check our location with your estimates, he added.
CHECKING.
The screen again went blank for a minute. Stan could imagine Ert somehow using their signal to pinpoint their location in space. How the sentient computer was able to do this from Mica, Stan could only imagine.
LOCATION CONFIRMED. AND I DOUBLE-CHECKED MY FIGURES AS WELL. THE DAYSTAR SHOULD BE CROSSING OR HAVE CROSSED YOUR LOCATION BY NOW.
What is the error factor? Stan typed back. And is there another possible route he could have taken?
THE ERROR FACTOR FOR THIS ROUTE IS ONLY 4.2 PERCENT, Ert replied. AND ANY OTHER ROUTE WOULD HAVE CARRIED TOO MUCH RISK OF DETECTION TO BE PRACTICAL.
So we missed him somehow, Stan typed.
"What does Ert have, honey?" Leatha said, coming up behind Stan. She set a sandwich beside him.
“He double-checked and we're at the right place,” Stan replied dejectedly. "But he's not here or anywhere near here from what the detectors read."
"What about moving back along his projected path?" Leatha asked. "Maybe he stopped for some reason." Stan typed the question to Ert.
THAT WOULD NOT BE PRACTICAL. IT WOULD INCREASE THE ERROR FACTOR UNACCEPTABLY. Stan let out a sigh.
"What about going to where we think he is going?" Leatha suggested. "That way, even if he took some route we didn't think of, we stand a better chance of catching up to him if we're right. He has to show up there sometime!"
"Good idea!" Stan said as he typed the suggestion into the computer. After a moment, Ert replied.
THAT IS A GOOD SUGGESTION, LEATHA. YOUR LOGIC IS SOUND. GO AHEAD. I WILL CONTACT THE WATCHER DETAIL FOR PANAY AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT DELMAR AND
TO EXPECT YOUR ARRIVAL.
"So we're off again,” Leatha said. She climbed back into the control seat. While she readied the Aurora for a speed run to Panay, Stan added a message to Ert.
"We're headed to Panay,” he typed. "But consider that Delmar might not be acting rationally. He could be headed somewhere else that isn't logical."
I WILL CONSIDER IT. IF I DISCOVER ANYTHING, I WILL INFORM YOU IMMEDIATELY. GOOD LUCK.
∞∞∞
John Eagleman stood at the edge of the same forest where so many years ago he had waited for a shuttle to pick him up after spending a year on the surface. Keith stood beside him and watched the Trooper-First look around him as if expecting something terrible to happen. Both men were dressed in civilian clothes. But knowing that John was in fact a seasoned veteran of the Service made Keith just a little nervous.
“How much longer until the shuttle arrives?” John asked.
He cast his gaze again over the surrounding countryside. There was just something about this place he didn’t like. He knew what it was. He just didn’t want to admit it.
Keith looked at his wristwatch and noted the time. “Another five minutes more or less, if they’re on schedule”
John looked at the younger man. He was grateful for his rescue, but for some reason he was wary of Keith. He felt like Keith wasn’t telling him everything. As a matter of fact, he was sure of it.
“You’re not leveling with me, Keith,” John said without preamble. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
Keith looked John squarely in the eyes and nodded his head. “Yes sir, that’s correct. There is more. But I’m not at liberty to discuss them with you until we get to the mothership. I hope you understand.”
Now it was John’s turn to nod. If it was bad news, he could wait. If it was good news, he’d have something to look forward to.
Just then a hum filled the air. John and Keith looked up just as an Axia shuttlecraft descended from a low cloud overhanging the small valley. John watched the craft swing around the curve of a hill and land in a small clearing.
That’s exactly where I was supposed to be picked up last time.
Using a small pocket comm, Keith signaled the ship. “Watcher unit Zeta standing by.”
“All clear,” a voice from the unit said.
After checking their parameter once more with his wrist detector unit, Keith and John started across the small clearing toward the waiting shuttlecraft. John suspiciously watched the skies around him, fully expecting native aircraft to swoop down and strafe them like they’d done fifteen years ago.
It took only a minute to reach the shuttle. John’s long strides forced Keith to quicken his step since he stood head and shoulder taller than him. Upon reaching the craft, Keith again signaled the pilot of the shuttlecraft and the hatch swung down to admit the two travelers.
John Eagleman looked around the small ship. It seemed alien and unreal after so many years on Earth. Seated throughout the passenger compartment were a dozen other people of every description. Most wore casual civilian clothes while others wore business attire. Only two were in Axia uniform, apparently members of a ground crew going to the mothership for one reason or another. There was even one man wearing the blue service uniform of this country’s Air Force.
He was no expert on their rank insignia, but he thought the double silver bars indicated he was an officer of some rank, probably a lieutenant, or perhaps a captain. A lady sat beside him dressed in a similar uniform. She wore her insignia on her sleeves.
“Two stripes,” John said to himself. “I wonder what rank she is?”
John and Keith found two seats near the back of the passenger compartment. John looked around and observed that everyone was strapped in securely. He reached for his safety restraints but for some reason could not remember how to work the simple mechanism.
“It’s been a while, huh?” asked Keith.
“A while,” answered John. “I guess I’m a little out of practice.”
“Watch me.”
While John watched, Keith crossed the lap belt over his legs. Attached to the side of the seat was a protruding nub with a simple flip-catch locking device. Keith slipped the end of the belt over the nub then flipped the catch down, locking it securely onto itself. He then reached for a second set of straps that protruded from the back of the seat near the top. These would hold his upper body in place. Keith repeated the process, bringing the straps in an X-pattern down across his body, attaching both ends to similar flip catches on the front of his seat.
“See?” Keith said. “Simple.”
John nodded his agreement and reached for his own lap belt.
“Just a bit out of practice, huh?” the Air Force officer said.
“A bit,” John answered.
“How long have you been on the surface?”
“Fifteen planet years,” John answered.
Conversation throughout the cabin stopped and everyone turned to look at John. It was obvious none of them had ever heard of an assignment lasting fifteen years.
“Fifteen years!” exclaimed the lady in uniform. “That’s incredible! I’ve never heard of such a thing!” She looked at the officer sitting beside her. “Have you ever heard of a fifteen year assignment?”
“No, I haven’t,” he answered. “And I have a feeling he hadn’t either before he got here, right mister?” the captain asked John.
John just looked at the odd couple and fumbled with his safety straps. Keith stepped back into the conversation.
“You’ll have to forgive my friend here,” he said. “He’s the lone survivor of a shuttlecraft crash over fifteen years ago and has been in hiding ever since. He hasn’t spoken Axia Standard in quite a while, so his language skills are a little off. He doesn’t mean to be evasive.”
“What has he been doing for fifteen years?” the captain asked.
“Flying. Teaching,” John answered. “Harvard University.”
The captain nodded and leaned back in his seat.
“Incredible,” he said to the military lady seated beside him. She nodded.
It seemed like an eternity before a voice came over the inner-ship speaker system.
“Unless you folks want to get out and build a campfire, I suggest you help Trooper-First Eagleman fasten his safety harness so we can get out of here.”
In only a moment, Keith had taken John’s straps from him and had them securely fastened.
“Why do we need safety straps?” John asked. “The repulsion field should dampen the inertial affect when we take off.”
“That’s correct,” Keith answered. “It’s a recent safety requirement in case we’re attacked. Once we break orbit, we’ll be free to move around the cabin.”
John leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. This is going to be a long trip.
With absolute silence and seemingly no motion, the shuttlecraft lifted from the ground. John looked out through a porthole and watched the forest fall away rapidly beneath them. Then the ground disappeared completely to be replaced by high clouds.
In only a moment, they were in the upper stratosphere and John could see the twinkling of stars in the distance. Then it happened. The small ship broke through the upper reaches of the planet’s atmosphere and into open space.
“This thing sure takes off faster than my biplane,” John said to Keith, leaning over to gaze out at the stars.
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Keith answered. “Just wait till he gets out of the yellow zone. Then you’ll see some speed.”
“How far out is the mothership?” John asked.
“It’s still within easy reach of this solar system,” Keith answered. “She’s stationed on the far side of Pluto.”
“Oh yeah,” answered John. “I’m very familiar with Pluto. I saw him a couple of years ago at Disneyland.”
Keith looked at John who sat there with a mischievous grin on his face.
“You’ve been on that planet too long,” Keit
h said. “I’m sure you meant to say you remember passing Pluto on your way to Earth fifteen years ago.”
Keith looked again at John who leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
“Whatever you say, boss,” John answered. “Just wake me when we get there.”
∞∞∞
Delmar twisted around a bit to get comfortable in the worn control seat. Beside him, Ontak handled their navigation. Although the DayStar was woefully inadequate when it came to charts, Ontak retrieved a set from the damaged Robin Murrin. Using these, he plotted the most direct course to an Axia location. In this case, it was one of the general repair motherships a couple of star systems away. That had been the easy part.
The difficult part was keeping the DayStar on course. With his navigational beacon inoperative, Delmar had previously made note of her tendency to drift. But now the ship was acting completely different. Maybe it was the extra mass of the Robin Murrin now fastened to the side of the DayStar. Maybe it was something else. Delmar fervently hoped it wasn't another system failure on the old patroller. That was one problem they didn't need.
At least with the power available from the Robin Murrin's power supply, they were able to make almost a quarter light speed. The repulsion field from the DayStar's drive wrapped itself around both ships and acted on them as if they were one. Although ungainly in appearance, he hoped they could fly some distance this way.
On another front, Dez had attacked the old food synthesizer on the DayStar by salvaging a main processor and duplicator from the synthesizer on the disabled ship. To everyone's great relief she was able to coax a better selection of edible food than the tomato juice and bread that had been Delmar’s diet.
"Come right three degrees,” Ontak said from where he was studying the navigational readings.
"Got it,” Delmar said tersely.
He adjusted their course with a gentle touch of the axis ball. Ever so sluggishly, the DayStar changed course.
"At this rate we could be there in another day or so,” Ontak said evenly.
"If we hold together,” Delmar answered.