The Solar Sea (25 page)

Jefferson shook his head. “No, if we survive, there's a chance for a rescue.” He looked into Reynolds’ eyes. “Put us on the wide course. We'll fight as long as we can."

She nodded and returned to the pilot's station. Jefferson surveyed the deck. He saw Lisa sitting at the biosciences station. Myra stood next to her, her hand around her shoulder. At the astronomy station, Neb stood next to Dr. Nagamine with his hands behind his back. They were about to skim Saturn's upper atmosphere and it would be a rough ride. “We're overmanned,” he said to Natalie. “I think we should take Lisa and Neb off duty. Let them go to their quarters. They'll be better off there."

Freeman nodded quickly. “I agree.” She stepped over to the external sensors and spoke quietly to Neb. He went over to Lisa. Together they left C-and-C.

The captain walked around the deck. Myra took the vacated seat at communications as he approached. “How are you doing?” he asked.

"Pretty well, considering,” said Myra. “Why did Pilot do it? Why did he mutiny?"

"He didn't want to go home without stopping at Titan,” said Freeman, stepping up next to Jefferson. “He was planning to go in close to the planet and scoop up some of the atmosphere for fuel."

"It's so pointless,” said Myra. “This mission was such a success. He could have come back."

Bonden looked up from the pilot's station. “We're coming up on the closest approach to Saturn. I'd recommend we get people as safe as we can."

Jefferson had a thousand questions for Natalie. He simply turned to her and said, “Go strap in."

She snapped a salute, turned, and left the deck.

Jefferson nodded to Myra, then stepped to the command console. He sounded the collision warning. Around the deck, people buckled themselves into their chairs. The ship began to shake violently.

"The sails!” called Nagamine. “We're close enough to the planet that we're getting atmospheric resistance. The sails are slowing us down and dragging us in."

"Jettison the sails,” ordered Jefferson.

"Sir,” said Bonden. “If we do that, we'll lose steering control, we'll continue to spiral into the planet."

"Belay that, then,” called Jefferson. He studied the readouts on his console trying to decide what to do.

"We've developed several stress fractures in the sails,” said Nagamine. “They're breaking apart. Outer hull is starting to heat as we're being pulled into the atmosphere."

Just then, the ship jolted. The captain felt as though he would be ripped in half by his seat harness. Then his stomach felt suddenly hollow, as though the ground had fallen away. The ship was no longer rotating and the simulated gravity was gone.

"My God,” said Nagamine. “All motion has stopped. We were moving over fifty kilometers per second and we just stopped.” He checked the sensors, then looked up at the captain. “There's some kind of object behind us. If I'm not mistaken, we're caught in a magnetic beam of some kind. It's pulling us back, away from the planet."

"We're being rescued.” Jefferson allowed a note of hope into his voice. “But by whom?"

A series of tones issued from the communication's station. Myra inclined her head, as though trying to figure out what she was hearing. Then, with a start, she turned and activated the translation program. “I think we're being signaled."

A message appeared on the screen above Myra's console:

"We are the [undecipherables]. We have your [uncertain: possibly conveyance or wood] in our [no word available]. Once you are safe, we will [uncertain: possibly embark] and attempt to help."

"What in the world?” asked the captain. “What's the message mean?"

Myra chewed on her knuckle as she stared at the message. “Well, much of our vocabulary comes from whales. They wouldn't share a lot of concepts with us, but I think it says, ‘We have your ship in our ... was it a magnetic beam? Once you're safe, we will board and attempt to help."

"Undecipherables?” asked Jefferson. “Who are they? Are they from Earth?"

"I don't think so,” said Myra. “I think they may be the so-called keepers of the rings. They use the same language. I'll run another pass on the name, but it doesn't seem to make any sense. It keeps coming up as a bunch of consonants all strung together. Something like RDDGN. Sometimes the program tries to toss in a ‘Y’ or an ‘IA,’ but it doesn't help."

Jefferson turned his attention back to the pilot's console. Bonden brought up a schematic showing the
Aristarchus
, Saturn, and the alien ship. With considerable relief, Jefferson saw the
Aristarchus
was being pulled away from Saturn. Natalie Freeman drifted through the open door back into C-and-C.

"What's happening?” she asked. “I heard the collision warning, then suddenly we lost all gravity."

Jefferson pointed first to the communications station, then to the pilot's station. “Apparently, we're being rescued."

"Who by?” Natalie's brow furrowed.

More of the chirps and twitters issued from the communications station. “Captain,” said Myra, “we're being contacted again.” There was a tremor in her voice.

A new message flashed on the communications screen:

"This is the [undecipherable] [uncertain: possibly leader]. You are now in a stable [uncertain: possibly circle or ellipse]. Please open one of your [uncertain: possibly chamber, mouth or blowhole]. We will board and attempt to assist."

Myra was virtually bouncing in her chair. “I can't believe it, it's working. The translation program is really working!"

"Working?” asked Jefferson. “I'm having a hard time making heads or tales out of it."

Myra shook her head and then pointed at the screen. “It says the undecipherable leader—I'm guessing the captain—is calling. He says we're in a stable orbit and he wants us to open something.” She thought for a moment. “He wants us to open our airlock, so they can board and assist."

Instinctively, Natalie reached down and grabbed the hilt of her sword. “I've been taken by surprise once today. I'm not sure I like the idea of letting them board until we know more."

"What other options do we have?” asked Jefferson. “We can talk to them over the radio or we can talk to them face to face."

"They are intelligent,” said Myra. “They rescued us."

"They could be pirates,” cautioned Natalie. “Perhaps they rescued us just so they can salvage the ship."

Jefferson nodded, conceding the possibility. “You're the diplomat, Captain Freeman. What do your instincts tell you?"

Natalie Freeman's hand tightened and loosened on the sword. Finally, she let go. “I vote that we let them board. My instincts tell me Myra's right. Even if I'm wrong, we're in no position to fight them."

Jefferson touched the button opening the tow shuttle's bay. He looked over to the communications station. “Dr. Lee, would you like to come along and welcome our guests?"

She nodded, then turned to the console, retrieving a palm-sized computer from its slot, and then undid her harness. The captain also undid his harness. He looked back at the life support station and the sensors. “Dr. Nagamine, you're in command here. Dr. Garcia, I think you should accompany us."

Dr. Garcia undid his harness and pushed himself off, following the captain, Freeman, and Myra into the corridor. The four drifted to the ladder and climbed up to just below the shuttle bay. The captain reached out and turned on the intercom. “Are they aboard yet?"

"A ship just entered the shuttle bay and turned off its thrusters,” reported Nagamine from C-and-C.

"Close the door and re-pressurize the shuttle bay,” ordered the captain. Freeman watched the display next to them. Once the bay was pressurized, she opened the door and they drifted up through the hatch.

In the shuttle bay, a silver, egg-shaped craft sat on the deck, perched on three thin legs. It occurred to Jefferson it was identical to the photo from the disk they'd found on Mars. The door opened and a seven-foot tall creature in a silver flight suit drifted out. Like the creature from the Martian disk photos, it had orange skin and black eyes. Over its mouth was a purple mustache-like growth. The mustache wiggled of its own accord as though each ‘hair’ was alive. In its large hands, it held a device similar to the palm-computer Myra held. It typed some commands into the computer and a series of beeps emerged.

A set of words typed out on Myra's computer:

"I am [undecipherable] [uncertain: possibly leader]. Greetings."

"Can you tell it I'm Captain Jefferson of the
Aristarchus
. Welcome him—I guess it's a him—aboard."

"I'll do my best.” Myra typed the phrase, “
Our leader welcomes you
” on the computer and a series of tones sounded from her own palm-computer. More tones issued from the alien's computer.

The phrase “
Please speak to one another
” appeared on Myra's palm-computer.

"What's he mean?” asked Freeman. “We just need to stand around talking to one another?"

"I guess so,” said Myra. The alien typed something on his computer as they spoke. “I wonder if he has some kind of translation program on that computer."

"It's possible,” said Jefferson. “Do you suppose he's one of the keepers of the rings?"

"No,” came a voice from the alien's computer, startling the humans. “I am not keeper of rings. I am Rd'dyggian. Thank you for speaking. It has helped me to calibrate my translation program."

Jefferson looked up at the alien. “Red Dychian?” he asked, trying to get his mouth around the word. “We are humans, from Earth, the third planet of the sun."

"We know.” The alien captain spoke softly to his computer and it translated for him. “Earth is protectorate world of the Confederation. We acted to protect."

"Confederation?” asked the captain. “What confederation?"

"The Confederation of Homeworlds,” explained the alien. “My name is Alepex. How may I serve you?"

"I don't even know where to begin,” said Jefferson. His hand trembled. He wasn't sure whether it was from excitement, fear, or just adrenaline.

"Thank you for saving our ship.” Freeman pushed herself forward. “Is it possible for you to help us with repairs?"

"It is possible,” said Alepex. “Or we can return you to Earth. Whatever is best for you."

Another creature appeared in the doorway of the alien craft. It leaned down and spoke to Alepex. Jefferson and Freeman looked at Myra who had backed away slightly, putting a little distance between herself and the newcomers. She shrugged. “I have no idea what they're saying. They're not speaking in the binary language."

"They say they're not the keepers of the rings,” said Freeman. “That must mean the binary language actually belongs to someone else."

Myra nodded. “That makes sense. Perhaps the binary language is some kind of generic language used by a number of species in this confederation Alepex is talking about."

Alepex looked up at the humans. “We have been summoned to the world you call Titan by the keepers. They request a delegation from your ship accompany us."

Jefferson looked at Freeman. “Of the two of us, you're the diplomat. Take Myra and Dr. Garcia and go down to Titan."

Freeman shook her head. “You're the captain. You should go down."

Jefferson smiled. “Thanks, but I'm the captain of the ship. My place is here. You go down with them. Take a camera and send back lots of pictures."

She grinned at that. “Very well.” Then she looked up at Alepex. “Captain, do we need to bring survival gear?"

"No,” said the alien captain. “Our atmosphere and yours are similar enough. Come now, we must not keep the keepers waiting."

Myra hesitated a moment, then pushed herself off the back wall, holding up her palm computer. “I'll get some pictures for you."

Freeman, Myra, and Dr. Garcia followed the alien captain into the shuttle. Jefferson watched the door close behind them. With some regret, he turned and climbed down the ladder, sealing the hatch behind him. He turned on the intercom. “Dr. Nagamine, depressurize the shuttle bay and open the door. Our guests are departing."

[Back to Table of Contents]

The Keepers of the Rings

Aboard the alien shuttle, Natalie, Myra, and Garcia found chairs much like those aboard the human shuttles. However, as they sat down, the fabric of the chairs seemed to morph around their bodies, holding them to the seats. Dr. Garcia let out a yelp of surprise. Natalie reached over and put her hand on his shoulder, reassuring him. There were only two of the aliens aboard the shuttle—Captain Alepex and his lieutenant. Through the windows of the shuttle, they saw Jefferson leave the bay. After a few minutes, the shuttle bay opened. The aliens worked the controls in front of them and the shuttle departed.

Once outside the ship, they saw just how bad the damage to
Aristarchus
actually was. It no longer looked like a pristine metal flower. If it looked like a child's pinwheel at all, it was one that had been out in a hurricane and was now ready for the trash. The sails were broken, bent, and torqued, all at different angles. The central sphere was burned and pitted. Natalie Freeman caught her breath. She knew it would be bad, but for the first time, realization dawned on her just how close they had come to dying.

The shuttle turned away from the planet and made its way toward Saturn's largest moon, Titan. At a distance, the reddish yellow world looked like Mars. As they came nearer, it became apparent the world was vastly different. Its color came from clouds, not from barren ground. The shuttle smoothly entered the atmosphere and dove below the clouds. The terrain made Natalie think of a mix of West Virginia and Arizona. She saw smooth, rolling hills with lakes here and there. However, there was no vegetation on the hills, they were as barren as the hills of Mars.

Myra leaned over toward Natalie. “You'd think that as far from the sun as we are, there wouldn't be liquid water out here."

"I don't think that's liquid water,” said Natalie. “I've been reading up on Titan. Those are lakes of liquid methane."

Myra swallowed hard. “I take it you wouldn't recommend stepping outside without a jacket, then."

The shuttle approached a rise. As it cleared the hilltop, they could see silver domes stretched across the plains to the horizon. Countless vehicles moved between the domes. Natalie tried to count the number of shuttles lifting from the domes into space over the course of a minute. She lost count somewhere after twenty.