Heirs of the New Earth (11 page)

"I think that's another reason I decided to go. Ms. Smart could have easily stated that it was part of our job to go. I appreciate the fact that you asked, sir.” Yermakov stepped over to the communications station and activated the interface. “You're on ship-wide speakers,” said the mate.

Ellis put his hands behind his back and made the announcement to the crew. He detailed what little was known about the Cluster appearing at Earth. “I am acting in official capacity as a captain in the Alpha Coma Fleet. Ms. Smart has volunteered her services and the services of the
Nicholas Sanson
. First Mate Simon Yermakov, Chief Engineer Mahuk, and Navigator Laura Peters have all volunteered their service as well. I am asking all of you to serve with us, to determine what has happened at the Earth. If anyone is staying behind at Alpha Coma, I need to know in twelve hours so that I may determine which positions need to be filled.” Ellis paused, thinking if anything else needed to be said. “I won't pretend that this will be an easy or safe voyage. You are not a military crew and, as such, you are not required to sacrifice yourselves for Earth. I ask you to come along because you all know this ship better than anyone I can find on Alpha Coma in short notice. Many of you have family and friends back on Earth. All of us are humans and, as such, the Cluster poses a threat to us all. Our job will be to find out what can be done to stop the Cluster at Earth and get back here to Alpha Coma so I can help formulate a strategy to stop the Cluster. I sincerely hope you will help us in this mission.” Ellis reached out and turned off the inter-ship speakers. The captain let out a long breath.

Yermakov put his hand on Ellis’ shoulder. “Let's hope that none of us does have to be sacrificed."

"Amen to that, Simon.” With that, Ellis turned and went to his office to review the status of the repairs for himself.

Over the course of two days, Captain Samuel Coffin and his crew aboard the whaling bark
Pequod
made their way to the center of the galaxy. To them, it appeared that a wind billowed their sails, pushing them through the arms of the Milky Way galaxy. They sailed through a black fog, like a cloud of coal dust and came out in a day-lit world of billions of stars—the galactic bulge. The ship proceeded through stars closer together than any they had experienced before. Elisha Folger stood at the deck railing with Coffin and the navigator, Kumiko Meiji.

"I've heard the phrase, it looks like you can reach out and touch the stars,” said Folger to the other two. “However, this looks like I could reach out, touch one star and put my hand on another."

"You know,” said Meiji, “we should be pulled apart by the gravitational interaction of these stars. There's no way any vessel could make it through."

Coffin looked down his nose at the petite mathematician. “That's the part that bothers you? Not the fact that we're standing on the deck of a ship over a thousand years old with an atmosphere and no obvious force field, flying through vacuum? Not the fact that we've crossed vast distances of space without making an EQ jump?"

Meiji looked up at Coffin and sighed. “I don't know about you, but it's pretty clear to me that we are experiencing an illusion of some kind. I just don't know whether the illusion is technological, like holograms or hallucinogenic in nature. Either way, it's extremely realistic."

Folger put his hands behind his back. “Okay, so why worry about whether or not a ship could really be here? Why couldn't we just be experiencing a kind of theater of the mind? Especially if this is just a hallucination."

"Because it's too realistic,” said the mathematician. “I've spent years of my life going over charts of the galaxy: images taken by TransGalactic ships traveling throughout the galaxy. I've walked through chart tanks made up of photos. I've never seen the center of the galaxy, but I can say with some authority, this is what the center of the galaxy would look like.” Meiji paused and admired the starscape. “Somewhere, somehow, a ship is traveling through the center of the galaxy, taking these images. Somehow, that ship is not being torn apart in the gravitational tide here in the galactic center."

Coffin looked out over the railing. The stars were getting closer together. He pulled a pipe from his coat, packed and lit it. “Are we aboard that ship?"

"Maybe, or maybe the ship is taking these images and feeding them back to us on Earth,” said Meiji simply.

Folger rubbed his chin. “Still, what about the jumps? There's no way a ship could cross the distances we've crossed without making EQ jumps."

"True,” said Meiji, pondering the question. “Still, it's theoretically possible that the ship making those jumps could image the normal space it's passing through. We haven't managed it, but it's possible. It could be presented to us as though we were traveling through normal space."

Coffin snorted, blowing smoke through his nose. “Not even the Titans have managed that trick."

As the three watched, the stars around the ship began to thin again, as though a vast wind had swept the stars away. The ship listed to one side, seemingly caught by a powerful current that was going to carry it into the stellar clearing. “Straighten your helm!” called Folger over his shoulder. In the center of the stellar clearing was blackness—blacker somehow than space itself. The blackness was roughly spherical, surrounded by a whirlpool of glowing matter. The blackness seemed wrapped in a crystal ball, light from stars behind it was warped and twisted. Folger, Meiji and Coffin all gasped at the sight.

"The galactic core,” said Meiji in a hoarse whisper. “We've made it."

"You're saying that's for real?” asked Coffin.

"Take a good look gentlemen, that's as real as you're ever going to see the black hole at the center of the galaxy."

Later that day, John Mark Ellis sat at his desk, reviewing the
Sanson's
manifest, making sure that the ship had sufficient provisions for the return journey to Earth. Kirsten Smart sat, across from him, reviewing a list of potential crewmembers, in the event that anyone decided to leave the ship. The list had been provided by Herbert Firebrandt and was made up of members of the Alpha Coma military who had some experience with mapping vessels.

Both looked up at a rapping on the door. “Come in,” called Ellis.

Natalie Papadraxis entered the office wearing a brightly colored flower-print sundress. She held her hands in front of her and her eyes were wide. “I came to say that I'm sorry I passed out while I was on duty."

Kirsten Smart stood up and took Natalie's hands and led her to the chair next to the one she had been seated in. “Natalie, how are you doing? We've been worried about you."

"It was a shock to lose contact with the Earth so suddenly. I still don't feel myself,” said Natalie, her voice faraway, almost dreamy.

Ellis smiled, sheepishly. “I know what it's like to have a shock like that and pass out on the bridge. That happened to me when I was in command of the
Barbara Firebrandt
. It's how I was booted out of the Gaean Navy. No one understood.” Captain Ellis stood and moved around to the front of the desk and sat down on the edge, looking into Natalie's eyes. “Natalie, I understand what it's like to have the Cluster hurt you."

"Thank you, sir,” said Natalie, voice soft. She looked from Ellis to Kirsten and back to the captain. “Sir, I heard your address to the crew. I know the twelve hours are almost up, but I wanted to let you know that I would like to stay with the ship."

Ellis looked at his watch, and then rubbed his eyes. He hadn't realized how long he'd been working.

"Are you sure?” asked Kirsten. “You've had quite a shock. No one would hold it against you if you stayed behind."

"I know,” said Natalie, simply. “But, I want to find out what's happened. I want to help if I can. Will you let me?"

"Of course,” said Ellis. “You're a valuable member of this crew."

Natalie smiled. “That means a lot to me. Thank you.” Natalie tapped her head, indicating her communication's implant. “I've been getting messages from around the ship. The entire crew wants to stay on as well. A lot of them are scared, but they can't let the ship go home without them."

Kirsten smiled reassuringly. “We're all scared, Natalie."

Ellis nodded. “The Cluster is intelligent and it likes humans. I don't think we can overestimate the danger."

Natalie sighed. “I can't help but wonder, though, why it cut off communication with the home system. If it wants to help humans, why won't it let us talk to those people it's helped."

Ellis swallowed hard. “That's why we need to go.” The captain stood and moved to the wall. “Have you been in touch with the ship yard? How are repairs progressing?"

"They say we're on schedule. We should be able to leave orbit in just a little over 24 hours,” reported Natalie.

Ellis nodded, satisfied. He looked to Kirsten. “That should be enough time to get the provisions on board. If you'll approve the list—I'd say it's time for us all to go and get a good night's sleep, so we can be ready to leave tomorrow night."

Kirsten gave a thumbs-up. “Sounds like a plan to me."

Edmund Swan felt like a nine-year-old child strapped into a seat that was too big for him. He faced a round command console. Hovering over the command console was a holographic projection that looked like a transparent honeycomb. Each cell of the honeycomb-like display held its own three-dimensional projection. Some cells showed space as it appeared around the ship. Others showed exterior and interior views of the ship itself. Still others flashed Rd'dyggian words so quickly that Swan felt he wouldn't have been able to read them even if they were Terro-Generic. Three Rd'dyggians sat at other chairs around the console, their massive six-fingered hands simply rested on smooth plates on the console's surface.

On human ships, there was constant noise as humans shuffled to and fro and various machines performed their tasks. For over twelve hours, the only sound Swan heard was the gentle breathing of the Rd'dyggian warriors. On human ships, care is taken to add design elements and artwork that catch the eye. The command center of the Rd'dyggian ship was like sitting inside an absolutely smooth metal egg. The floorplan was roughly trapezoidal, but there were no sharp corners. The walls flowed into the ceiling, floor, and each other. Swan had fallen asleep and awoke a few hours later to an unchanged tableau.

Finally, Arepno lifted his hands from the console and looked at Swan. “We are nearing Saturn and executing a scan of the system.” He touched a thumb to his control plate and one of the honeycomb cells expanded. He saw the great, golden planet Saturn surrounded by its glistening rings. As Arepno held his thumb on the control plate, the view zoomed in and showed the rust-red moon, Titan. “It appears that there are no Clusters out here by Titan."

As Swan watched, the view started showing different wavelengths. On the red end of the spectrum, it became apparent that the moon—the capital of the known galaxy—was surrounded by a halo of glowing dots, each one representing a space vessel. “You would think the Clusters would be interested in reuniting with the Titans if what Firebrandt told us was accurate,” mused Swan.

"Indeed,” said Arepno. “However, this does lend credence to Ellis’ hypothesis that the Clusters are no longer interested in the Titans.” The Rd'dyggian pirate captain turned back toward the console, lifted his thumb from the control plate and pointed to the display. “What also seems interesting is that ship activity appears normal. I see no evidence that ships have been damaged or are being interfered with. A ship from Zahar has just arrived and it would appear that the Titans have launched a probe."

"Meaning the Cluster is not afraid of what ships will do,” said Swan. “So, why would the Cluster block communication, but not ship transport?"

"That is a very good question, Brother Swan,” said Arepno, his mustache wriggling. He placed his thumb on the control plate again and this time the view changed to one of the Earth. “I am only registering two Clusters in orbit at this time. Apparently two are elsewhere."

"Or they're hiding,” mused the deputy sheriff.

"It would be impossible for them to hide from Rd'dyggian sensors,” said Arepno. Swan thought he detected a hint of indignation from the large warrior. “We will be landing on Earth in about thirty of your minutes presuming we are not challenged by the Clusters."

Swan swallowed hard, wishing desperately for something to drink. Suddenly he had an urge to get up and find the restroom. However, he didn't know anything about how or even if Rd'dyggians ever needed to relieve themselves. With a deep breath, he sat back and did his best to enjoy the ride. Arepno placed both his hands on the control console and fell back into silence. The honeycomb cell that showed Earth shrank and morphed back into its place in the larger structure.

The deputy sheriff did his best to follow the ship's progress on the displays. In two, the Earth seemed to remain the same size. In three others, the Earth grew closer until light seemed to fill the displays. Once that happened the displays flashed briefly, replaced by the strange, flashing Rd'dyggian alphabet. Judging from the displays, Swan guessed that they were entering the atmosphere. However, he didn't feel the telltale rocking and bumping that usually accompanied a ship during re-entry. As a result, he was startled a few moments later when Arepno lifted his hands from the control console and looked at Swan. “We have landed,” he said simply.

This time, placing one of his fingers on the console, a hole appeared in one wall and a tunnel congealed and extruded itself toward the ground. Swan unbuckled the harness, stretched and stood. “I presume this means we weren't challenged by the Cluster."

"Indeed we were not,” said Arepno. “Most odd."

The deputy sheriff started toward the tunnel but looked around when he realized that Arepno was not following. “Aren't you coming along ... to get information about the Cluster and its activities."

"We are accumulating information,” said Arepno in a monotone.

"Where are we?” asked Swan.