Digital Venous (31 page)

The Silent Ships

OVER THE NEXT day, the gravity of the planet acted like a slingshot on the spaceship and they were flung back towards the blinding Sirius and passed by its white heat and immense radiation. Most tried to stay cool in their cabins until the worst of it was over—but the news soon spread when they came into view of their new home, Remus.

As they passed around the green planet, out of the glare and into the shadow, they saw thirty other black eggs hanging in space like tadpole eggs –all the ships of Asia and America. To think that there were other people, other human survivors, supporters, and helpers on these ships—the sense of danger and doom evaporated.

The American ships were slightly different—more angular in design, but in principle, the same.

And there was the Opal. Communication was attempted immediately.

They waited. There was no reply. The ship now being on manual thrust, they sidled up to

It, realizing that no light was emanating from any of the windows—and only very dimly from the Service deck. They received no response.

The same happened with each of the Australian ships—on board all was darkness. After physically approaching ten, eleven, twelve other craft, Shane broadcast the same

message: “This is Shane Wing, Napean commander of the Sapphire. There has been a great calamity—our Service officers and Napean population are deceased. We have five hundred human survivors. Please respond.”

The empty sound of space hissed through the speakers. Shane cranked the volume. Tiny crackles could be heard—interference of some kind.

“There’s something there…” said Shane. “That’s just us,” replied Alex. “Engine noise…”

They tried again—ships 18, 19, 20—finding no sign of life. The mood on the Sapphire sank to a new low.

The ship was maneuvered sideways, forwards, around, and through the remaining vessels, which were set in an orbital arc around the planet.

Shane increased the speaker volume, magnifying the hiss until the sound resonated through every cavity of the ship. Their ears were straining and catching on every little crackle and tick.

Ship 21, 22, 23.

Again Shane made the same announcement: “This is Shane Wing, Napean…”

He was cut off by a male voice that came hammering through the speakers like a machine gun, a barrage of nasally language, incomprehensible to anyone on board. Despite this, the ship erupted in cries and cheers. It was the first “foreign” voice they had heard since leaving Earth four years ago.

“What language is that? Vientan?” asked Alex. “Japanese?” answered Shane.

“Cut in and ask if anyone speaks Contro.”

Shane spoke again. There was a break. Then a sweet voice filled the ship as they were greeted by someone announcing herself as Kumi Subasa. She spoke to them in their language from a ship called the Shonen Blade.

“Welcome to Sirius,” she said. “Am I speaking to Jeffery, Pato, or Magellan?” she asked. A low static hiss filled the air and a chill passed through the people on the Star Sapphire at the mentioning of those names. No one made eye contact. Each waited in private apprehension.

Alex had both hands up to her face and was peering out at Shane from between her fingers. He stared upward, and then downward, and then at Alex.

“You are speaking to Napean Captain Shane Wing. How long have you been waiting?”

“We have been in orbit for fifteen hundred hours. Where is your commander?” The

beautiful sweet voice of Kumi Subasa now carried a certain threat.

“There was a disaster in the Eridani void,” said Shane, “with Nano Enzyme Therapy… I’m the only Napean survivor on this ship.”

Again the delay.

“You have sub population of five hundred. How many survive?”

“Five hundred,” replied Shane.

“We send command module to help your ship. Prepare for boarding.”

The Sapphire erupted in noise. For a moment, Shane and Alex were speechless as they tried to comprehend the implications in the mad rush of panic. People pushed forward, yelling, gesticulating.

“No, no, no,” Alex murmured quietly. Then, more loudly: “This isn’t happening…” Then finally she yelled: “Stop! Everybody calm down!” The noise subsided. Shane looked at Alex and said. “If they know Jeffery, they’ll know who you are…”

“… And you,” she replied. “Let them know. We don’t want them.”

Shane waved everyone quiet and again announced himself on the radio, saying:

“A potentially volatile situation has been avoided on our ship, but please, do not attempt to board the Star Sapphire. Lofty Mountain Napea and the real people of that area have joined forces.”

Hundreds of individual voices on the Sapphire main deck muttered an agreement, culminating in one organic sound of assent. Alex looked around at the crowd assembled; their faces were pensive but intent. There was no response from the Japanese. Then a few seconds later came the voice—Kumi Subasa, in a measured but inappropriately bright tone: “Please use ETP.”

Agitation rippled through the group.

“Don’t do that,” said Alex. “Let’s start out the way we mean to continue.”

“How many other survivors are in orbit with us?” asked Shane, ignoring Kumi’s request for privacy. She responded. “We were the first to arrive—we had no problem,” said Kumi. “But all ships to follow have shown no sign of life—until you.”

Everyone looked out through the windows trying to identify the Shonen Blade. They lay hidden from the white light of Sirius by the shadow of Remus. They looked through the blackness past a number of other dead ships, some egg-shaped, several cylindrical, most completely dark except for dim external lights. Several ships were still faintly lit inside from what appeared to be the control room. Despite the huge loss of life it seemed the entire fleet had arrived on autopilot.

A murmur went round the Sapphire: “There it is. There it is.” Diamond-shaped, but flat in the middle at both top and bottom—the Shonen Blade was appeared closer to them now, moving eerily through the dead hulks. It stood out clearly, bright light emanating from its expansive windows. It was now about several hundred meters away. Many small, silhouetted figures could be seen standing at the windows looking toward them.

Shane spoke: “We wish to work together to continue plans for colonization of Remus but we seek to maintain our independence to make our own decisions.”

There was no reply.

The Shonen Blade loomed closer on the starboard side and Shane said: “Prepare to meet the relatives.”

THE END

Digital Venous
is Richard Gohl’s first novel. He lives in Adelaide, has written for film and stage, and is an English teacher.