Inadvertent Adventures (39 page)

It was very late in the ship's evening, but Ann and Sterling were in the wardroom waiting when they arrived. "Anything significant?" Ann asked as soon as she saw them.

"No, Ma'am. We knew the planet was geologically active, and we found geysers to prove it. We only saw one large animal, if you call something the size of a Pug dog large. Lots of insects. Kat filled all hundred of the sample containers she brought before we'd been there two hours."

"What's that for, Thom?" Sterling asked when he saw the wood Thom was carrying.

Thom grinned. "You can't see it right now, but this wood has a beautiful grain structure. I saw it when it was wet. I'm going to try sanding and varnishing it to see what it looks like." He chuckled at Sterling's puzzled expression. "Granddad Peter was a carver. The things he created in wood would amaze you. I'm nowhere near as good, but I do well enough. This wood reminds me of a special type of ironwood from Old Earth. The trees are extinct now, and the surviving samples are worth more than their weight in gold. If it's as pretty as I think it will be, we'll have an export item."

Ann smiled and shook her head. "You continue to amaze me, Thom."

Sterling was sitting forward in his chair now. "I'd like to try carving it as well," he said as he tilted his head to the side.

Thom smiled and replied, "Thought you might," as he put one of the pieces on the table in front of Sterling.

Sterling lifted the wood and his eyes widened at the weight. "You're sure this is just wood?" he asked as he looked at the piece in his hands. "It's much heavier than any wood I've ever encountered."

"And harder as well," Thom agreed. "I tried cutting it with just a knife and could hardly make a scratch. It's every bit as hard as the Titanium-Aluminum alloy the hull is made of."

Ann reached out and tried to scratch the wood with a fingernail. She didn't leave a mark. "This is harder than the stone you usually carve, Sterling. You might need harder tools."

"We have high-speed tool steel in the machine shop," Thom reminded her. "I was planning on using mostly the metal-shop equipment to cut this." He smiled. "Good thing the Navy outfits every ship with at least a basic machine shop."

Ann shook her head. "You boys worry me. Well, it's late and the children are home." She flashed a smile at Mandy. "I'm for bed."

"Right behind you," Sterling replied, picking up the wood and nodding to Thom. "Thanks for thinking of me, Thom."

"You're welcome, Sterling. We'll see what we can do with it later." Then he left the wardroom.

Rauld was the last one to leave the room, and the lights automatically dimmed behind him.

* * *

The next morning saw the shuttle launch right after breakfast. Denise was piloting, and Olaf was right beside her. Balder was going along again, and Doctor Persoon and Mijon Jooste filled out the group. Dihandri had just shaken her head when she was invited along.

The Larsson Continent was well into morning when they landed on the east coast. Denise had chosen a spot that would let them reach the Jooste Sea easily. Olaf had scraped together the gear to make a basic fishing pole, and they were going to see what he could catch.

Denise set the shuttle down and was allowed to lead the way out. She walked to the end of the ramp, then turned and held her hand out to Olaf. When he joined her, they stepped as one onto the surface of Frisland.

Balder was the first to voice what everyone was thinking. "It smells better here."

Olaf raised his head and sniffed. "Still a bit stinky, but nothing like you described from before."

Mijon pointed toward the sea. "Wind is off the water. It is possible that the smell is that of the land flora."

"Possible, but that's for someone else to determine," Doctor Persoon replied as he knelt. "This plant looks different from the one in the catalogue."

"It is," Balder agreed, then pulled out a sample container. "Grab a bit for Kat to play with, but put on some gloves first, Doc. Can't have you infected with something exotic."

Zamar looked up at him for a moment, then just grinned and put on some exam gloves before pulling up a few spears of the groundcover and placing them in a sample container. Then he noticed something in the soil he'd disturbed. "Balder, give me another container. And a trowel. There's a creature in the soil." Balder did as he was asked and the doctor scooped up some dirt, then dropped it and poked around with the trowel. When he again saw the creature, he scooped it up and put it in the container, then examined it.

"It looks like a grub of some kind. From what I can see it was feeding on the roots of the ground plant."

Denise shook her head as she laughed. "Oh, Kat's going to love this. A live specimen. All right, gentlemen, let's look around some more. Olaf, what are you going to use as bait?"

Olaf chuckled. "Some of that meat Sterling brought back. That's why Dihandri wouldn't talk to me this morning. I told her what I was going to do with her supplies."

Denise shook her head. "You'll never learn."

"Nope," Olaf agreed, then all of the laughed.

In accordance with Ann's orders, the group stayed together as they headed for the shore. Olaf was preoccupied with his gear, but everyone else was busy collecting samples and taking pictures.

The first thing Olaf noticed was an abundance of seashells, but they were like nothing he'd ever seen. "Denise, look at these," he said as he pointed with the tip of his rod.

Denise bent over but didn't reach out toward the shells. "Pretty. I wonder what makes them?"

"Something for the marine biologists to discover." Olaf reached out toward the shells, but Doctor Persoon's shout stopped him.

"Don't touch those!"
The doctor walked over and stood beside Olaf. "Some of the most virulent toxins known to man come from shellfish. The shuttle's medical facilities are insufficient to treat even something we know the composition of. A totally new, exotic toxin could make you the first person buried on Frisland."

Olaf stood and reflexively brushed his hand against his leg. "Nice to know, huh?" he asked Denise.

"Nice to know
before
you get poisoned, you mean. Doc, you want to collect some samples or leave it to the marine science team?"

"Leave it, I think," the doctor replied. "While Katrina and I might be able to determine if something is poisonous, the researchers are going to be better prepared and more knowledgeable in the field."

Denise looked at Olaf, and then walked away toward the bushes along the shore. Olaf walked to the water's edge and cast his line into the low, rolling surf.

The group spent the entire day on the shore, collecting samples and examining the area. Several new plant species were discovered, and Denise found a beautiful purple stone that looked like it was infused with gold when the light hit it just right.

As the evening approached, Olaf gave up and pulled in his line for the last time. He'd lost several pieces of bait, but had never felt a tug on the line. He was shaking his head in disappointment as they walked back to the shuttle. "I guess this proves the old saying, doesn't it?"

"Which old saying is that, Olaf?" Balder asked.

Olaf smiled sadly and replied, "There's a fine line that separates fishing from standing on the shore like an idiot." He fingered the thin line he'd wound on his improvised reel as the others laughed.

* * *

The shuttle excursions continued at the pace of two a day from then on. Katrina stayed on the ship for the most part, only leaving one more time to explore the Von Rubenstein Islands. To absolutely no one's surprise, Bart only left the ship when she did.

The situation remained the same for eighteen days. Then the
Narcissus
arrived.

"A
DMIRAL ANN'S REVENGE
, THIS IS HARRIET
Fairmont on the cargo ship
Narcissus
. We are in-system bound, headed for Frisland orbit.
Narcissus
out."

Bart and Mandy were on watch in Control when the message arrived, and Mandy immediately pushed the call button for Ann and Sterling's quarters.

"Hm? What? What's wrong?" Ann's sleep voice asked.

"Captain, your mom is here. We just received a general broadcast from the
Narcissus
."

"Right up," Ann replied, and arrived in Control just a moment later, still yawning widely. "Ready to record?" she asked, and received a nod from Bart. "
Narcissus
, this is the
Admiral Ann's Revenge
. Welcome to Farflung, Mom. Have your captain establish a geosynchronous orbit over the largest land mass. The crew named it the Stevenson Continent. We're in a low orbit, and we'll make rendezvous when you're stable.
Admiral Ann's Revenge
, out." She nodded to Bart and he sent the message. She glanced at the chrono, then shook her head and went back to bed. It was still three hours till ship's dawn.

It took the
Narcissus
nineteen days to make orbit. When they did, Ann had the
Revenge's
orbit extended to match. Ann looked at the huge ship and whispered, "You think she got one big enough?" to no one in particular.

Sterling nodded. "Your mom doesn't do things by halves. I'll take the shuttle over and get her."

It was a three-hour round trip, but soon Harriet was sitting comfortably in the wardroom sipping coffee and nibbling on mellon-leaves. "These are delicious, Annie," she said, her voice blurred by a distinctive and very thick lilt.

"Ma, why are you talking like that?" Sterling asked.

"Och," Harriet replied as she sipped her tea. "Far months in hyper with that lot an’ ‘tis like I never left Shanagarry. I spent ha' me life trying to stop talking like a New Erin shepherd, an’ listen to me now."

Ann laughed. "Mom, you sound just like Uncle Michael."

"Tha' brother o' mine is a contaminatin' influence."

Sterling grinned. "It'll wear off, Ma. I put your bags in number fifteen again."

"Yer such a nice boy, Sterlin'. An’ this is a delight," she said, nibbling another leaf. "Ye must let dear Katrina find a way to preserve them so's not to destroy their texture. The crunch is part o' the delight."

"We're trying several options, Mom," Ann said as she took a leaf, "but so far they won't freeze and canning them turns them into mush. We could pickle them, I suppose, except they're pretty well pickled already." Ann grinned at her mother's chuckle.

"Now, Annie," Harriet said, turning to face Ann directly, "I'll be wantin' to visit the surface soon, if'n ye can spare the time. Tis not every woman who can claim to walk where no one else has ever before tread."

Ann grinned at Sterling. "We'll take you down tomorrow, Mom. There's a bay on the southern edge of Stevenson that we want to go explore."

"Lovely," Harriet replied as she munched another leaf.

Sterling laughed at her expression. "Careful, Ma. Those are about twenty-five proof."

"Aye, an I can taste it. ‘Tis late by my body clock, so I'll be bidding you a fond good night." She stood and staggered a little. "Faith an begorrah, they're stronger than they taste." Ann and Sterling immediately stood and took her by the arms and led her to her stateroom.

* * *

Harriet greeted the morning with bright enthusiasm. Unfortunately, it was four o'clock in the morning by the ship's clocks, and the only person other than the watch section who was up was Dihandri.

Harriet walked into the wardroom and looked around, then walked over to the galley. "Beggin' yer pardon," she said, making Dihandri almost drop the pan she was holding.

"Missus Fairmont, you startled me half to death," Dihandri replied, holding one hand to her chest.

"Och, sorry 'bout that, Mistress Dihandri. Would ye have any coffee or tea prepared?"

"Right away, ma'am. Please have a seat at the nook." Dihandri started setting up the coffee service as Harriet went to the little table. It was just a moment later that Dihandri brought out the coffee and poured a cup.

"Ah, yer an angel, you are," Harriet murmured as she took the cup and sipped. Dihandri smiled and went back to her kitchen.

Harriet had time for two cups of coffee before Bart and Mandy joined her. "You're up early, Missus Fairmont," Mandy said as she took a seat and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"’Tis late by my body clock. I'm near seven hours ahead of you."

Bart took a seat and poured his coffee as he asked, "Any after-effects from the melon-leaves?"

"Those lovely leaves? Nay, not a twinge. Tis not like they're real whiskey."

Bart grinned. "Close enough for me."

Mandy chuckled at Bart. "I prefer New Erin whiskey, but I try not to get drunk on it."

"Yer young to be so wise, Mandy," Harriet said as she sipped her coffee.

Ann and Sterling strolled in together a moment later and joined them. "Has Di started breakfast yet?" Sterling asked as he picked up a cup of coffee.

"Aye, I've smelled some wonderful things in the last few minutes," Harriet replied.

Bart stood and went to the galley window, and Sterling took his seat. When Bart returned he just shook his head and picked up his cup, then leaned against the wall. "She says another five minutes."

Ann replied, "Very well," then turned her attention to her mother. "We'll launch the shuttle after the watch changes. I want Kat, Rauld, and Elrika with us."

"Rauld and Elrika?" Sterling asked.

"Both with rifles."

Sterling paused for a moment, then nodded as a smile curved his lips. "I understand." Harriet was giving him a quizzical look, so he explained. "Protection. Frisland has only shown us three predators so far, but this is new territory. Your baby girl is looking out for you."

Harriet fixed Ann with a piercing stare, but didn't say anything. She just sipped her coffee and smiled. Just a few moments later Dihandri announced, "Breakfast is served, friends," and everyone stood to go to the buffet table. They let Harriet go first, and she picked several staples, like fried potatoes and onions, then gave Ann a glance before picking out a small steak.