Earth Space Station Gamma
2039
“Paula who else can go?” Ray Jones asked his friend and sub-ordinate
in earnest.
Blonde short hair shone like spun gold as the artificially programmed
sun bounced around the utilitarian room.
Green eyes scrutinised the man who was pacing the floor, he always
did when he was trying to convince her that something was the right thing
for her to do, and she disagreed. Having known him for over twelve years
from her early days at the space academy it wasn’t hard for her to note
his every reaction.
“Not my scene Ray. Hell why would I want to be saddled on a colony
of mainly women? Jesus it’s hard enough getting a date now because of the
crazy workloads and hours. No thanks!”
Ray knew she wasn’t the first choice for this assignment, however
she was the best, and they needed the best according to the report his
superiors had given him. It had been difficult maintaining a balance when
natural disasters had befallen Earth and left over two thirds of the old
inhabited part of the planet uninhabitable. Fortunately if any good could
be said to come out of the situation, scientists had been believed and
the fifteen-year window to remove people had been taken. Space travel had
literally been pushed to the top of the list; they had to go out into space
if they were to survive in any great numbers. Now they had numerous space
stations orbiting the Earth and colonies on some of the less inhospitable
planets that the new leaps in technology had allowed them to go to outside
the solar system. Pioneers they had called these people, and they certainly
had the old pioneering spirit because many had perished in the early days.
Space pilots, were a precious commodity, as precious as gold dust
once was to the old timers on Earth and the lack of the resource was a
problem that had plagued the ruling executive for years. In the beginning
it hadn’t been so bad but now that colonies were being developed, people
left and never came back even the pilots. Gradually the number of people
who were good enough had dwindled as the population on Earth moved into
the different galaxies and their own challenges.
Amazon Seven was such a planet and had requested a specialist pilot
who would be flexible for a minimum two-year contract; their original pilot
had been caught unexpectedly in a meteor storm and killed. Of course they
had a few pilots but not a top notch one that had been trained for combat
as well as colonisation, they were the elite and few and far between.
Ray was surprised that the Executive committee had deemed it practical
to replace the original person sent so soon. Laura Craven had been a damn
fine pilot and it was a pity she had been killed so soon in her career,
tragedy happens unfortunately.
“Anyway what happened to their original pilot? All off world colonies
are provided a capable first pilot as part of the package and in turn train
replacements over a period of time.” Paula starred hard at the shorter
man, towering over him by at least five inches, having the stature of her
Dad who had been six-five, she was six-two and her Mom had always insisted
she was growing even when she reached thirty.
Brown hair bounced around as he shook his head vigorously in agreement.
“She was killed two months back, the colony had landed only a month before,
and they need a replacement as fast as possible.”
Paula glanced around the grey walled room and hooked her foot under
the stool she was standing next to as she contemplated the news.
“Is it a dangerous place?”
“Not really… well anymore than the normal risks that is. As you know
replacements aren’t sent immediately, one of us old timers gets the assignment
when we are no longer capable of being one hundred percent efficient.”
Laughing at the term of old timers, yep you got to forty if you were
lucky and then they pensioned you off to some god-forsaken community. At
least you still had it good, the best accommodation and supplies. When
she was done with her assignment quota, she had her retirement all planned
out at Vegas Sixteen. The revellers paradise according to some of her buddies
and she wanted some of that action when the time came, not kicking her
heels teaching snotty nosed kids how to fly and rudimentary combat moves,
where it was all work and hardly any play.
“Why is this place different?”
“Seems one of the counsel members has influential friends on the
Executive committee. Christi Smith-Berlinger no less.” Jones smiled wryly
as the blonde head shot up at the name.
“You’re joking of course?” Paula was astounded; Smith-Berlinger was
the Senior Executive for off world colonies, next to the President of Earth
she was the single most important person in the ruling executive.
“No joke, her signature is on this document and you don’t see that
very often. She wants the best and you are the best Paula we both know
it.”
“What about Perry, surely he was next for this kind of long term
assignment?”
“Yes he was but he has a problem.”
“Problem, what kind of a problem? I talked with him this morning
he was fine!” Paula’s brow furrowed as she thought about the amiable conversation
she’d had with Perry.
“It’s a problem off world on that particular colony, they wanted
a woman.”
The attractive laugh the woman had made Ray smile. Years ago he’d
asked her out and they had a short-term relationship, Paula wasn’t the
long-term kind of girl and she had been out for the next conquest within
weeks. He’d secretly had a crush on her at the time but had eventually
met and married Nancy, who knew about his fascination and that she didn’t
have to worry, Paula Clayton wasn’t interested in him at all!
“You have to be kidding Ray, they can’t stipulate that? That’s…well
its discrimination against the male!”
“Seems they can and do, not much I can do about it and as you were
next in line, I’m sorry Paula but what choice do I have?” He held up his
hands and gave her a grimace.
“If I said no you can’t force me can you?” Paula unhooked her foot
from the stool and walked towards the door.
“True I can’t, not at this moment, however if you declined at the
right time that would mean you will have to go out there privately and
you hate defectors isn’t that right?” He was hoping to touch the raw nerve
she had over experienced pilots using their talents for big money. It wasn’t
the time; there were still so many people, who needed to be relocated,
one day maybe, but not yet.
“Yeah it would, I’m going to take that break you promised me and
I’ll be back in a few days with my answer. See you later Ray and say hi
to Nancy and the boys for me.” The tall blonde flicked him a wink and left
the room.
Shaking his head he smiled, that was Paula full of herself and no
one was going to make any decision for her, except her, it was the way
it had always been and would always be he suspected. Then again maybe there
was someone out there that could put a ring through the nose of the bull
and lead it home. The very thought made him laugh heartily as he glanced
once more at the paper in his hand.
Yep. Christi Smith-Berlinger who would have believed it!
Amazon Seven
Two Weeks Earlier
“What do you mean they haven’t appointed anyone yet Selina? I personally
made my views known at the last meeting it was imperative we have a replacement.”
Selina Ralph had worked hard on several projects, Sirus Three and
Aphrodite Two, before she was asked to command the colony of Amazon Seven.
It had been the culmination of her work to date and other than the loss
of the pilot within the first month by sheer bad luck; they still had everyone
healthy and working hard. It helped that this woman who was in the room
with her, who she dubbed privately her second in command, was also a doctor
and a great one.
Doctor Tamara Shaw was compassionate, caring and committed. She had
glorious dark hair that reminded Selina of black coal and there were times
when Selina wanted to run her hands through it to see if it really felt
like the silk it looked. She had never of course, they had kept their relationship
purely professional, although in the past year they had developed what
she hoped was the groundwork for a deep friendship. A birthmark on Tamara’s
left cheek the size of a golf ball meant she wasn’t as cosmetically attractive
as others who had caught Selina’s eyes over the years, however, the package
Tamara offered far outweighed any slight facial defect.
“I had a message from Earth, they are trying to persuade someone
to take the post offered.”
“Don’t talk rubbish Selina, people aren’t talked into these things,
dedicated space pilots are given tasks and they go do it!” Tamara was annoyed
at the delay, they needed a specialised pilot the strain on the two younger
and certainly inexperienced pilots were telling in a big way emotionally,
with Tia Lopez in particular who was becoming uptight and unruly.
Selina smiled at the woman in the room with her, she was a five feet
four bundle of energy when she was fired up, which was getting more and
more frequent as they progressed with a more solid structure on the planet.
“I wasn’t! The message clearly states that, see for yourself.” Handing
Tamara the message correlator.
Reading the message the doctor was annoyed even more, this was a
new colony and if it worked out here it would be one of the closest to
an earth like planet anyone had colonised so far. Admittedly it was a good
six months even in spectrum flight but they had agreed to give it their
best shot and here they were. Problem was some of the readings indicated
that life of some kind had evolved on the planet previously, although they
hadn’t come across it yet. The biggest deficiency was their lack of combat
skills, yeah they could defend themselves but work out an offensive strategy
should they need it…well that wasn’t in any of their fields of expertise,
except Laura’s and she was dead.
“I’m going to contact Christi see if she can pull strings.”
“Tamara wait!”
Turning to look at the First Counsellor she raised her eyebrows,
the terse words had been a surprise.
“For what?”
“The message says give them a few days and they will know for sure
who will come out here. What are a few more days?”
“God give me strength Selina! It will be a few more days and then
what? Okay have it your way I’ll see you at dinner.” The door crashed closed
behind the small woman, and left the first counsellor starring at her,
wondering if it was a yes she’d wait, or merely lip service.
Paula glanced around her one room accommodation grimacing at the
blue walls and the less than appealing thought of watching what was on
the video link. Having spent the last eight months escorting colonists
to Ares Five and having to dodge black holes and erratic radiation storms,
she had been given a month’s leave to recharge the old batteries.
Yeah she felt old too at times, when really she was in her prime
at thirty and usually within a week she was back to her super charged self.
A few drinks at Sam’s and the odd one nightstand had a marvellous regenerative
effect on her. Nico Camo her recent escort who was also quite interesting
for a Genetic Engineer, although his biggest asset to her, was he was great
in bed. Paula had to admit he was still just another person to relieve
her sexual tension, nothing more. She wondered if she was capable of loving
someone enough to want to spend more than five days with. So far she hadn’t,
and odds were in her particular occupation she wouldn’t. That didn’t bother
her in the slightest, all this hype about love, what a load of crap!
When Ray had called her back, barely into her much awaited leave
she had been surprised, and now she knew why, it was annoying. Why not
let them all wait until she finished her leave? Serve them right for being
so particular about the gender of a pilot. Perry Smith was a great pilot.
Damn why were some women so short-sighted and discriminative!
Moving off the sofa she went over to the storage area and looked
at the containers that had been sent to her place three months ago, after
her mother had died.
Christine Clayton had been one of the older generations who had remained
on Earth, she had been running a successful diary farm and it had fortunately
been spared when the disasters had hit. The Executive had moved the main
population from Earth and allowed only the farmers and manufacturers to
stay behind in small communities, to use the earth to provide food and
materials.
Paula had decided to be a pilot when she first saw video clips of
the moonwalks, and eventually she had persuaded her parents to let her
study towards that goal. Rose her sister had been more interested in the
farm and she had helped when their father died ten years ago of a heart
attack. Now with their mother having died unexpectedly in a freak accident
on the farm, Rose ran the family holding these days. Not that she minded,
it was never something she had been interested in, and Rose had married
one of the farm hands and had a daughter of her own, who might or might
not end up running the farm. Anyway chances were she wouldn’t have children
and had never considered them to be that important in her life, at least
this way the land stayed in the family.
Family, what an interesting concept, all those lives that touch each
other over the centuries, with pretty much everyone accounted for even
the villains in family closets. Wonder if they had the odd stranger wandering
in theirs.
Selecting a box she opened it and inside were further boxes, each
marked with a year. Removing the first box, which was the most recent,
opening it she saw a book and videotape.
Throwing the book to one side she pushed the videotape into her player
pressing play. On screen came her mother and scenes from the farm and other
family celebrations. She grinned as she saw the one she had attended two
days before her last assignment. Mom had been in a very reflective mood
that day, so much so she’d been rattling on about when she had been in
a sanatorium for a time. Strange really her Mom had been one of the most
levelheaded people she had ever met in her life. They hadn’t ever discussed
her earlier life before she met dad, somehow it had always been pushed
under the carpet and ignored. She did remember her mother asking if she
wanted to read about her life one day. Of course she’d agreed to keep her
mom happy and this had been the result, she had been given all her Mom’s
memories in boxes.
“You were a beautiful woman Mom in both looks and personality, I
wish we had spent more time together.” Paula spoke softly into her silent
room as the video finished its short run.
Her mother’s death had been a shock and she had been upset when the
message finally arrived in her part of space. As it was all over and she
had been light years away totally unaware when it happened, making her
wonder about how much you loved a person if they could die and you never
felt a thing at the time.
Picking up the discarded book she opened it and saw her mother’s
handwriting, hell it was a daily journal. Who wrote like that any more?
It was far easier talking into the computer. Then she smiled wryly recalling
her mother’s apparent obsession each evening at home.
Flicking over a few pages she saw something that caught her eye as
the first few words were in bold print.
Paula was surprised at the comment her mother must be talking
about their father surely? As she re-read the entry it was clear that her
mother was talking about a woman. Who was the woman? She never recalled
her mom having any close friends male or female.
Settling down on the sofa she opened the book at the beginning and
began to read the entries, maybe they would shed some light on this new
person.
Several hours later she was tired having read through the last ten
years of her mother’s life, what had shocked her most was the entry on
her dad’s death.
He was a wonderful man so caring and
considerate, I know he loved me very much. I loved him too in my own way.
However, he never could understand my obsession to write all my thoughts
in a journal said it was silly when we had all this technology. My husband
the farmer married to an intellectual who lost her way and was saved from
a lonely life by his love for me. He always knew of course that he wasn’t
the love of my life; he accepted it and loved me more despite that I’m
sure. The girls are upset naturally and I am too, he became the substitute
best friend I lost so long ago.
God speed to you on your way Kevin
to someone who can love you as you deserve my dear.
Paula had always thought her mother and father were inseparable and
nothing would ever come between them. However her mother had loved someone
else more apparently and that someone had been a woman.
Looking at the time, she needed some sleep; maybe she would take
a trip home and ask Rose. She had the time, let the off worlder’s wait
for her for a change; she had well deserved leave to take.
Tamara was pacing the floor of the surgery room it helped her to
think something she had definitely inherited from her father. He said it
helped when all other options failed, and she was certainly feeling that
way herself today.
Christi had promised, after a rather long silence at her end interrupted
only by Tamara’s constant nagging, someone would arrive shortly to replace
Laura. Okay, she had used a powerful connection; Christi being an old family
friend, however they really had run out of all other options.
Selina was going to be annoyed she had contacted Christi, after being
asked to wait the few days for the authorities. This couldn’t wait they
were under immense strain. Who knew if the old inhabitants of this area
might actually come back to reclaim what was theirs? The colony was a peaceful
one, predominantly women with a handful of men for procreation purposes.
The men had been specially selected from a gene pool and all had willingly
volunteered to make the relocation.
Pacing faster, the door opened and her senior nurse Mary Campbell
entered, rolling her eyes as she saw the doctor’s furious pace.
“What’s the problem today Tammy?”
Tamara looked up and stopped her movement as she grinned at the woman,
she and Mary had worked together for years on several medical facilities
over the past eight years, and this assignment had been what they had both
been looking for, somewhere to call home.
“No problem.”
“Yeah, pull the other one, it has bells on. I haven’t worked and
shared quarters with you all these years to not know something isn’t right
with you, so give?”
Continuing her pacing, Tamara looked out of the porthole of the temporary
structure they were housed in; until the Engineers cleared the land to
begin building secure and permanent homes for them, this was all they had.
The view was beautiful, in the far distance a huge waterfall showered the
pool below with water glistening in the sunlight, it wasn’t the sun of
course not the one they were used to but the description served its purpose.
A small forest, which ran for a mile in each direction, had something similar
to trees, which they weren't familiar with at the moment but as the seasons
changed they hoped to learn more. Probably it would take years to know
the workings of this small area never mind the rest of the inhabitable
planet, centuries more likely.
As she continued to look out of the window Mary came closer and looked
over her shoulder, she was at least three inches taller than her friend,
however being pint-sized hadn’t appeared to bother Tamara in anyway.
“Are you going to tell me what the problem is?” Mary watched Sasha
Meredith supervising the engineering staff; her word was law when it came
to changes in the environment. As she was the senior ecologist in the colonists
it was up to her to make sure they didn’t make the same mistakes on a New
World that they had on Earth.
Turning and cannoning into her friend who grinned at her, she steadied
them both and gently pushed Tamara towards her desk.
“I’ve kind of done something that Selina might not approve of.”
“Kind of? Or have?”
Gazing sightlessly at the desk, which was strewn with papers, she
looked up guiltily. “Have!”
“Want to share the burden, it might help? Then again it might not,
depending on how serious the situation is.”
“You’d better not know, that way you can’t be called an accomplice
can you?”
Mary laughed heartily, “Tammy from the day I met you I think I’ve
shared pretty much all the episodes that can be called questionable. Some
I’ve known about, others I haven’t and it didn’t stop people from assuming
I was part of the deal. Why not just tell me and that way we can both consider
how much of a problem it’s going to be.”
“You know I don’t know what I’d do without you as a friend Mary,
you always find a reasonable solution to all my little scrapes.”
Mary had to admit she did appear to do that frequently, for such
an intelligent woman the doctor did get into situations that were at times
refutable.
“Well it’s like this Mary….”
Clayton Farm
Earth
“You haven’t told me why you’re here Paula?” Rose asked her sister
quietly as she watched her tall sibling look over photographs and pick
up several of the family ornaments before turning to face her.
“I thought I’d make a visit to see my family before I was sent on
another trip, it might be months, perhaps a couple of years before we get
to see each other again.”
Paula continued to wander around the room; in some aspects it had
changed to reflect Rose and her husband Tom’s tastes. Although at the same
time you could see several things that reminded her of her parents, things
they’d collected over the years and the pictures of family and friends
some alive others long gone.
“That’s a good reason of course and you know you are always welcome….”
Paula glanced up sharply as her younger sister trailed off. “You
don’t believe me?”
“To a degree yes of course I do Paula. You said yourself when you
arrived you’ve been on leave for a week already, if you wanted to see us
why not come home immediately?”
Paula heard the rebuke in the words and she couldn’t blame her sister,
after all, their mother had died albeit some months previously and she
hadn’t come home to pay her respects immediately.
Shrugging her shoulders she walked over to the window and looked
out over the drive leading to the stables and cattle sheds. As she watched
the scene she could picture her mom striding about the place being as bossy
as all get out with the other farm workers, even her dad. She could even
recall the numerous times they had played around in the yard as a family,
both her parents had been great role models. As she recalled her memories
tears welled up in her eyes, for they were just that now, memories, no
longer able to take physical form.
“I didn’t realise how much I missed her Rose, until I started reading
her journals and saw some old video footage. Here looking over the drive
and yard I can picture us all having those silly playtimes with mom and
dad.”
Silence followed her comment and she didn’t realise that Rose had
moved until her sister who was the same height, except she had midnight
black hair like their mother, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“I remember Paula, we had good times didn’t we?”
“Yeah and out in space all those months you forget your roots and
the people you leave behind. Until you come face to face with it all again
then it seems like yesterday but it can’t ever be yesterday can it Rose?
Mom and dad are gone.”
Rose smiled at her sister; she had always been the hard one rarely
letting emotions cloud her judgement on anything. Although there was only
two years between them in age, it could have been twenty, Paula was a loner
and Rose doubted she even had a friend growing up.
“You’ll always have us Paula, no matter where in the world you go
or for that matter which world!”
Turning Paula hugged her sister briefly and it brought a tender smile
to Rose’s lips, another rare occurrence a hug, wonder what else was due.
“Thanks, where are Tom and Chris?”
“Tom thought we needed a little catch up time so he took Chris to
watch a foaling at old man Rivers ranch.”
“You married a very thoughtful man, but isn’t Chris a little young
for that?”
Grinning Rose walked towards the kitchen entrance, “Yes and no. Yes
to Tom, he’s one in a million and one-day maybe…. Okay point taken, no
on Chris she’s five years old and she knows more about birthing in animals
than most people will in a lifetime.”
“Definitely your daughter!” Paula grinned and Rose winked at her
as she ventured towards the kitchen and the wonderful smell of freshly
baked bread.
Ten minutes later they were both sitting munching on hot buttered
fresh bread opposite each other over the kitchen table.
“Rose did Mom ever mention…what? What?” Paula asked as she saw Rose,
shaking her head at her.
“Mom would kill you if she found you talking with your mouth full,
she’d ask where you put your manners today.”
Paula gave her sister an exasperated glance and saw the laughter
filled hazel eyes shining at her.
“Yeah, yeah whatever.”
“Did Mom ever mention?”
“Someone other than dad that she was in love with?”
Glancing at her elder sister sharply Rose frowned. “What makes you
ask that?”
“Is it true?”
“Where did you get such a notion Paula, mom and dad were very happy
together you know that.”
Selecting another piece of bread and chewing it slowly, annoying
her sister as Paula waited until she’d finished before replying.
“Yes…I thought I knew that but.”
“But what!”
“Oh nothing it doesn’t matter.”
“Paula Madison Clayton what are you getting at?”
Giggling as she heard the frustration in her sister’s tone, not to
mention the use of her full name, next thing you know Rose would be stamping
her feet like she used to as a kid.
“Okay, okay don’t loose your hair I’ll explain.”
“I should think so too!”
“I was reading some of the journals that mom used to write in. Did
you know she only started them when she was at collage, a year before she
met Dad.”
“I always knew she wrote in them, it was a ritual with her every
evening before she went to bed. I remember sometimes she was exhausted
at the end of the day but she would always spend a few minutes writing
up her day.”
“Funny I never really took that much notice myself. I brought a couple
with me, I’ve marked the pages I’ve read, do you want to read them and
see what you think?”
“Sure big sis, you go make us a drink while I read.”
Amazon Seven
Air patrol
Tia Lopez flew by the monuments that had been erected by a civilisation
they hadn’t encountered and assumed at this time to be extinct. All their
scans had indicated that life forms similar to their own didn’t exist on
the planet, or any other except for vegetation.
First Counsellor Ralph had insisted that every pilot make a recognisance
flight over the area before they finished their shift. So here she was,
another chore added to the many she and fellow pilot Sheryl Weller had
taken on when Laura had died in that damn freak storm. All that was left
was for something threatening to turn up and they would have to take on
the protector role as well!
She had been a good pilot in her class but not outstanding. When
the assessments were over she had been passed over for the elite branch
that were trained for just about everything that could possibly be thrown
their way. She had been trained to be a support pilot and thoroughly enjoyed
it. At the end of a shift she could go home and relax and not have to think
about the next day, that was someone else’s domain and they could keep
the stress it involved.
Now she was expected to think about tomorrow, every second in fact,
not to mention her other pilot’s lot too. Okay it wasn’t only one way Sheryl
had the same burden too but she appeared to thrive on it!
“Nothing here as usual, on the next shift I think I’ll give it a
miss, who would know or care.” Tia muttered as she scanned the area and
logged the details into the computer that no one had ever bothered to check
after Laura’s death.
“Time to go home and have a shower.” The humidity was high today
and she hadn’t set the environmental control properly in the cockpit when
she’d left, the miniature surveillance planes didn’t have onboard climate
controls.
Glancing down once more briefly, she turned her plane towards home
and fired her engines to deliberately mark the area with scorch marks.
What she didn’t witness was something darting at lightening speed between
the monuments from the scorched area.
“Okay this makes interesting reading I admit, have you brought the
very first volume?”
Paula shuffled around the kitchen and then picked up her leather
case and removed a volume and passed it over to Rose. “Have you read it
Paula?”
“No.”
“No? Why ever not?”
“Maybe I don’t want to know the truth.”
Rose gazed at her sister she had always been the one that hid her
emotions, however she was wearing them clearly on her sleeve at the moment.
“Whatever it says Paula, Mom loved Dad she said so and he knew the
score, she said that too. Let’s see who's the mystery love of her life
was shall we? Together!”
“Are you going to read it first or we both read it?”
“I think you should read it aloud, Mom gave them to you after all.”
Rose passed the journal back and settled in her chair to wait for her sister
to narrate the contents.
April 17th 2014
The funeral was beautiful as she was
to me. The family was really nice even though they were engulfed in grief;
Maddy will be smiling somewhere at all the fuss. Her Dad had called me
April 10th and told me the sad news, I knew before he’d said it though
I could hear the tears in his voice.
Madison Smith who had so much to live
for was killed in a fire at the sanatorium where she spent three days a
week helping out. The place I'd met her for the first time, the person
who single-handedly saved me from myself and brought me back to life.
She had been my life in all the important
ways, my sanity, my best friend, and my love. I know she felt the same
she would never say, although I saw it in her eyes every time we contacted
each other. I heard it in her voice when we spoke on the phone, the silly
gifts she sent me at collage to make me smile she said, the touch of her
hand on my shoulder when she wanted to point out a particular place or
object of interest. It was the eyes though; those wonderful smouldering
eyes that captured mine, and spoke to me of dreams and wishes that could
never be verbalised. Not at that time anyway, I had one more year of college
and I was sure, as sure as I’m writing these thoughts that we would have
been together for the rest of our lives.
She’s gone now, it wasn’t real before
but it is now the only person I will truly love with all my heart has left
me alone!
I will do what she had tasked herself to do
the day she saw me off on the train journey to college. I’ll keep a journal
of life and have my memories forever and share them with her everyday.
I love you Madison Smith yesterday,
today and forever.
“Hell fire Paula that’s some admission.”
Paula was clutching the volume tightly as she’d
spoken the words aloud she felt an affinity to them that she didn’t quite
understand. Must be because it was about her Mom, how could it be anything
else she had no room for emotional claptrap like this in her life.
“Yeah it is. Do you know who Madison Smith
is?”
Rose shook her head; looking at her sister
she gave her a gentle smile. “She named you after her and Dad must have
approved.”
“Yeah, strange that.”
“What’s strange about it, I think it’s a great
accolade for someone you love.”
“Perhaps, but what about Dad.”
“We’ll never
know for sure, knowing Dad I think he felt fortunate that Mom loved him
enough to want him in her life and he obviously knew the score. At least
the old love wasn’t going to come out of the woodwork and make it difficult
for him was she, who ever heard of ghosts doing that.”
“Emotional ghosts maybe.” Paula muttered as
she stood up from the table and walked over to the outer door wanting to
take in some fresh air, suddenly everything was closing in on her.
“I don’t understand why she married Dad, don’t
you think she should have committed herself to another woman?”
Rose considered the question for a few minutes
and then went over to her sister and hugged her, whispering.
“Paula, love isn’t an observer of our petty
human conventions and it breaks boundaries that you never thought could
be broken, then wham there’s no stopping it! Maybe that was the score with
Mom and her friend, we might never know for sure.”
“Thanks sis, I’ll go for a walk and catch up
with you for dinner.”
“You do that, your niece wants more of your
adventure stories in space.”
“Okay that I can do.” Paula opened the door
and left the house strolling slowly down the drive and then to the yard
and the memories she had of this place. Trying to take in that her mother
had once had a life far different from what they had always known.
Love is a strange phenomenon. Thank God
it has never been part of my life.
“What were you thinking of Tamara?” Selina’s voice filled with shock
and irritation.
“I was trying to cut out the red tape. Look Selina it’s common practice
that they don’t send out another pilot immediately. Sometimes you have
to wait years until one of the old timers retires you know that! We can’t
afford the luxury of waiting.”
“So you! You decided to use one of your friends to make it happen
faster.”
“Well, yes that’s the truth and I’d do it again tomorrow if it works.”
Selina turned away and shook her head, this woman was filled with
so much caring and compassion but she had a streak that flaunted all the
rules. Interesting character trait in anyone but with this one you never
believed it possible. However it was and highly doubtful anyone could ever
get her to think twice before being so impulsive.
“Your friend appears to have very influential friends on the executive
committee. Christi Smith-Berlinger no less.”
“Christ…yeah they must.” Tamara finished lamely it was prudent to
stay quiet on the fact that her friend was Christi Smith-Berlinger.
“Yes and she’s agreed to push forward a replacement pilot. According
to the note I have from the executive we should see someone within six
months, seven at the latest.”
“Selina that solves our problems doesn’t it, don’t you think it’s
worth using the odd contact or two if the need is great?”
“Tamara there are ways of going about these things and behind the
back of the First Counsellor isn’t the way, not if you want to remain friends.
Next time…”
“There won’t be a next time Selina, I promise.”
Nodding her head already forgiving the small woman who was flashing
absorbing eyes in her direction. “Okay, go do your doctoring thing, we
have a Counsel meeting tomorrow early, seems that Sasha has news of the
old inhabitants.”
“Great! I’ll be there and…thanks Selina.” Tamara virtually ran out
of the room, her smile wide as she returned to her office and the couple
of waiting colonists with minor ailments.
Earth Space Station Gamma
One Month Later
“Why Paula? Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be taking your
full leave?” Colonel Ray Jones starred at his friend and underling with
exasperation.
Paula shifted her glance from her highly polished black booted toe
to the man in front of her.
“What was it this time, eating, drinking and sex not necessarily
in that order in the pleasure centre’s off world?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes it matters! I have to explain to the executive why the pilot
I assigned after a personal request from a senior, and I might add, very
powerful member didn’t go immediately.”
“Actually Ray it wasn’t that at all, it was a family matter.”
“A family matter! When did family matters interfere with the job?
We are trained to ignore personal affairs and concentrate on the assignment
at hand.”
“They interfere with the job when I see fit for them to!” Paula burst
out, it had been frustrating enough, her search for this mystery person
who her mother had professed to love without Ray trying to stick this down
her throat as well.
“Are you questioning our code of practice Paula?”
Ray couldn’t believe it, this was a most unexpected turn, was she
becoming militant these days.
“No. Look Ray I’m here now and I intend to carry out the mission,
a minimum two years right? Doesn’t that at least allow me to take some
leave and see MY family before I embark on it?”
“Yes it is two years, you should have told me Paula.” The man’s voice
resigned as he answered her question. He would have wanted to see his family
too; it had never occurred to him that she would.
“Okay I should have told you, brief me and I’ll be gone tomorrow
if you have the craft ready.”
“You know Captain Clayton, there are times when I wonder why I put
up with you.”
“Oh come on Ray it’s because I have you on a string and you love
to play dangerously.” Laughing as she saw him shake his head at her strangely
true comment.
“Anyone ever mentioned that you might one day get burnt playing with
fire like you do Paula?”
“No! Who would dare?”
“Who indeed. See Doctor Fusel for a check up and then I’ll catch
you in the briefing room immediately after.”
“At your service Boss.”
The woman walked out of his office, her confident gait was making
him sigh, thank god he had married Nancy and she grounded him when this
woman was about. He only had to look at Nancy’s photo and his two sons
and he was back to wonderful satisfying reality, Paula Clayton was a fantasy
that would remain one forever.
Amazon Seven
Three Months Later
Sasha Meredith was seething inside as she watched Selina Ralph smile
at the small dark woman at her side. Doc Shaw was a nice woman no getting
away from that and she was capable too, but irritating, why was she always
right!
Three months ago Sasha had told the counsellors that the old inhabitants
of the area were no longer in the area and that the flights over the monuments
could be stopped, why waste fuel and energy on something that had been
dead for centuries maybe more. They had better use for the pilots time
and she had been fed up of Tia Lopez bending her ear every opportunity
about it anyway.
Doctor Shaw had disagreed and pushed the room to a vote, as it was
she had won because the doctor had little more than gut feeling to go on.
Although it was clear that Selina, who headed the counsel, would have taken
the Doc’s side if she provided them with enough evidence.
A situation, which really irritated her, Selina didn’t have eyes
for anyone else but the doctor, and why that was, was the question. The
doctor was as plain as hell and even had a facial birthmark that made her
look even worse, not attractive at all. Not only that, the doctor didn’t
appear to notice that Selina was interested but she was and that made it
difficult for anyone else. Unrequited love was like trying to work your
way through a brick wall with a cotton wool sledgehammer.
Walking over to the two women she gave them both a smile, one false
the other brilliant.
“Hi, want to share the joke?”
Tamara gave Sasha a smile, she was a little odd at times but generally
the ecologist was okay and she certainly knew her stuff. From what she
had seen already, they hadn’t disturbed the ecological balance at all,
although they had several buildings established as the first township in
lightening speed.
“No joke Sasha, just laughing at a shared experience.”
“Sasha how are the engineers progressing with your new fixes for
the water system?” Selina remarked as she became immediately professional
when the woman came towards them.
“Very well Selina, no major problems envisaged. Tor is working towards
completion of the whole project next month.”
“Excellent, once we have the major amenities in order we can advise
Earth executive and they may consider sending further colonies to the planet.”
“Isn’t it a little early to be thinking that way Selina?”
“You doubt my judgement in this doctor?” Sasha smiled inwardly as
she saw the doctor pale at the retort.
“No! No absolutely not. I just thought that usually Earth wanted
the colonies to allow three to five years before they issued that request,
we will have only been here six months.”
“We have seen and experienced nothing that indicates this planet
to be anything other than an ideal establishment for human colonists. That
is our goal after all Doctor, or did I miss something in the briefing we
were given?”
The words were sharp and not like Selina at all, as Tamara smarting
from the rebuke nodded her head slowly.
From Sasha’s point of view this was turning out to be quite an interesting
and fruitful encounter.
“Why not show us Sasha, what is happening at the moment.”
Turning to give the woman a wide grin Sasha moved forward towards
the engineers building.
Tamara held back slightly, something wasn’t right and she felt it
in her bones. Her father had often said she had to go with her inner feelings
they would never let her down, especially for her. When she had been young
she had never understood it, years later when her father had become head
of the research programme into mental disturbances after the problems on
earth, he had told her why he said that to her.
“You always say that dad.”
“I’m always right too aren’t I?” Doctor
Ben Shaw grinned at his youngest daughter. She had followed in his footsteps,
whereas his two elder children from his wife’s first marriage had opted
for business and farming.
“Yeah you are, so why do you say it?”
Tamara hugged her father as they settled into the old sofa that he had
insisted be part of his possessions to be shipped to the small unit on
the space station.
Ben Shaw looked down at his daughter
she was his only flesh and blood and he was as proud of her as he could
be of anything in his life. No awards or accolades ever came close to the
precious gift she was to him.
“Well… it goes back to when your mother
was alive, god bless her soul.”
“And?” Tamara heard the hesitation
in his voice and the slight tremble she saw on his lips, as he spoke about
her mother. She couldn’t really remember her; her mother had died when
she was three years old in a fire at work.
“You would have these feelings as
a baby and tug at her legs for attention and point or make a beeline for
what was wrong. She said you cried desolately the day she left that last
time and kept asking her not to go. I met her as the shift changed before
I left for that damn meeting…”
“Dad you can’t blame yourself, if
you had been there you might not have made it either, we would have been
orphans, it was just meant to be dad.”
His daughter’s eyes had already filled
with tears as they mentioned the circumstances of her mother’s death. She
had known, not in enough words to be coherent but enough to feel the pain.
Kissing the top of her dark hair he
smiled as he let the tears he felt drop onto her head blinking the residue
back under control.
“No I don’t blame myself Tammy it
was the will of god and your mother was a fine woman and died with courage.”
Tamara looked up at her father, “Was
mom the only one to die?”
Ben lost himself in the terrible memories
of the day, the fire engines and police that had stopped him from getting
close to the building and his wife.
They had lost ten patients and four
staff members in the blaze that had eventually gutted the sanatorium; the
glory that once was would be no more.
“We lost ten patients that day, and
your mother of course not to mention three other co-workers.”
As he tried to dredge up the old memories
of those who had died that day, particularly in the staff, one came to
mind immediately, Madison Smith. The part timer who had an affinity with
patients he thought must have been a gift from the hand of god. He heard
that it was Madison who had a chance to leave the building unharmed but
had gone with Kay to the secure the wing to help a patient there. The nurse
in charge having deserted the post without getting the patient free, they
hadn’t made it out any of them!
“Did you know any of the others very
well?”
“Yes all of them, some more than others.
One in particular, she was a witness at our wedding, a very special woman.”
“What was her name?”
“Oh Tammy you know that, it’s Maddy.
Christi talks abut her all the time even now.” The old man chuckled as
Tammy smote a hand to her forehead.
“Yeah…”
“Doctor, are you coming or catching the scenery?”
“I’m right with you.”
Tamara increased her pace and caught up to the two women as the engineers
building came into view.
Tor Anders was a giant of a man and was a wonderful engineer, how
they had managed to secure him on this particular mission had baffled many,
including Tamara. He was witty, capable and concerned for the environment
they lived in. He also loved women! The number of women he had actually
courted in the past six months could quantify that. Quite at odds with
the general makeup of the women as it was clear many of them didn’t want
a relationship with a man. Perhaps that was the challenge; she must ask
her dad his opinion, at the next inter galactic video link they had.
As they entered the building they saw the models of the future buildings
making up the town, very impressive.
“Anyone home?”
A muffled sound was heard from a door that was slightly ajar. After
a few minutes Sasha went towards the door and shouted again, her voice
rather sharp and arrogant to Tamara’s mind.
“What do ya want now woman! Haven’t we followed all yah damn plans?
Do ya want blood?” A loud bellowing voice answered as the man they knew
abruptly surfaced into the room.
“Do you have to sound so affronted Tor?” Sasha was as red as a beetroot
when the man replied.
“Aye I do, I’ve changed and back tracked and done…” He stopped as
he realised she wasn’t alone in the room.
“You were saying?” Selina Ralph cocked her head to one side in interest.
The facial expressions on both the man and woman concerned were comical
to say the least.
“Why First Counsellor Ralph I didn’t expect to see you here and the
good doctor too.”
“Does it make a difference to the tone of the conversation?”
“No! No of course not, the woman here is a slave driver that’s all.”
Tamara heard the comment but also picked up on the deceit in the
tone; he certainly didn’t think that way.
“Good, so Tor what have you to say on how things are developing?”
“Excellent progress Counsellor, the shift of the water supply to
the town from the river that runs by the old monuments was a minor change
and will serve the purpose.”
“Excellent, Sasha take me round the new system.” There was no hesitation
from the ecologist as she escorted the first counsellor to the next room.
“Do you agree with the change Tor?” Tamara asked quietly watching
the two women leave the room.
“Now doctor that’s not for me to say.” The large man grinned at her
and winked.
“Perhaps not but you have a personal opinion surely?”
“Is this a private personal opinion or a public one?”
“Aren’t they one and the same?”
The large man pulled at the small neatly groomed red beard on his
chin and grinned.
“Ach I see we both know were we are coming from Doc. I think she
should have stuck with the river above, call it an engineers gut feeling
but that’s how I see it.”
Tamara looked at the old plan and the new one and her own gut said
pretty much the same.
“I think you’re right Tor, let’s hope we are both wrong and Sasha
proves our guts totally out of sorts.”
“Ya think that likely Doc?”
“No! But it’s worth a shot.” Tamara smiled at the man and he pointed
to the old plan, which they discussed in depth waiting for the other two
women to return.
Space Craft XG0004
Deep Space
Three Months Later
Paula looked at the readings, she was two days away from Amazon Seven,
and all her communications had so far fallen on barren ground, although
in uncharted space you never were entirely sure you could make contact
until you hit the planet’s orbit.
Having woken from the sleep stasis she had programmed for herself
after leaving the Earth’s orbit, it was pretty much a waiting game until
she got to her co-ordinates.
What to do, what to do?
Glancing around the small spacecraft, small in comparison to some
of the crafts she had piloted in recent years the largest being a colony
ship with over a thousand people aboard. Not something she usually had
on her task list, they had been desperate and the next transport pilot
was six months away, and would need at least a month maybe more to relax
after being at work for almost fifteen months solid.
That particular event had taken eight months to complete and in that
time she had learnt a great deal about the way colonists thought, a lesson
worth learning but not one she wanted to participate in as a career move.
Yawning at the boredom of the next twenty-four hours that stretched
out before her. Her eyes tracked to the personal box she’d brought with
her, it was her mother’s journals and videotapes. Rose had wanted her to
leave them behind and try to locate the mystery woman, who now had a name.
Paula had declined and said she thought the time she had in the next two
years might help her piece it together, and when they talked on the communication
link she could maybe give Rose information to research.
Rose had been her usual agreeable self, knowing her own time with
her family and the farm would prove limiting to spend on research.
Opening the sealed container she rifled around and pulled out the
journal she had read partially with Rose.
Sitting in her pilot seat and placing her feet on the side of the
console, if Ray could see her now! She settled down and flicked the pages
until she came to the entry after the last one they had read.
May 16th
It’s our anniversary…well the nearest
to an anniversary we would ever have, it was the day I met her for the
second time. The first I have no recollection of and Maddy never did get
around to explaining all the details of the months prior to me waking up
in the hospital bed that day. Inside from the first moment I met Maddy
she was familiar to me but I didn’t recognise her when I woke up from the
accident. Perhaps the familiarity was from the previous months, perhaps
it was because she cared so much, and it has always been hard for me to
work out. Maddy promised one day that she would let me read her journals.
Now it may be too late, I must contact her dad and ask what happened to
them.
Paula read through several months of mundane entries about her mother’s
days at college, she was quite the academic and a loner it appeared, must
be where she got that from.
October 5th
Kevin asked me out today. He’s the most sought
after guy on campus, and I’m the envy of all the women in my fraternity,
I’ve declined naturally.
December 21st
He never gives up and now he’s asked
if I will allow him to escort me home. He lives Up State and said it’s
on his way. Quite laughable really, as I know its not and it will mean
he has an extra day travelling to his folks for the holidays. What harm
can it possibly do?
Smiling as she read the next few months entries,
which were a mix of her college days and the romance her mom had finally
allowed with her dad. In some ways it was like peeking into the private
lives of her parents and in others it was a simple boy meets girl scenario.
March 19th
Kevin wanted to know about all my
scars, the physical and emotional ones and you couldn’t blame him. I told
him and he went quiet for the rest of the evening, he left me at the residence
and didn’t say much. Maybe this is goodbye and I wouldn’t expect anything
else, after all he’s competing with a ghost.
May 12th
I won’t say it has been easy because
it hasn’t. Kevin decided to let me have some space, when really it was
he who needed it. I love Kevin as a good friend and I know we could have
been happy together. However if he wants my total love that is now, impossible
I gave it to another and I’m sure she knew it.
May 15th
Kevin asked me to marry him today,
I accepted. I love him in my own way and he loves me far more than I deserve.
I know he’ll be good for me, as I will ensure I’m good for him. It’s time
to move on and I will because I know that Maddy would have wanted that
and at the end of the day do I really know if she cared for me in the same
way.
May 16th
I miss you Madison Smith, there will
never be a time I won’t but life goes on and I know you will be smiling
somewhere and approve the decision I came to. He’s a wonderful man and
he will make me happy I know. Who knows in another time we might meet again!
Wow her dad was one focused person, he had decided that their mother
was worth going that extra mile for and in the end it had paid dividends.
No one could say that Kevin Clayton had ever needed to doubt his wife’s
sincerity she had completed her education and then settled into a life
of farming that was quite at odds with her original educational background.
She gave him two healthy daughters and they were happy. Familiarity breeds’
contempt people often say but in this case it just made them a stronger
partnership.
As Paula finished this final part of the journal she looked around
her at the dark expanse of space.
I wonder if I will ever love anyone enough to think they will
be in my life forever.
“We can’t carry on like this for much longer Selina!”
“I know, I know but we have little option, we can’t get back to the
communications building it’s swarming with them. The pilots are tired and
Sheryl is still suffering from a concussion but she never gives up.”
Tor Anders his face streaked with black dirt and his features haggard
having watched half the colony perish under the vicious attack by…who knew
what they were, only that they were deadly and had appeared once they had
diverted the water from the old inhabitants monument area.
“There’s a spare communication console in the Engineering building.”
The man spoke quietly; in stark contrast to what you would have imagined
coming from a man his size.
“I never knew that?” Selina wiped a weary hand over her eyes as she
surveyed the people in the area with her. They had managed to maintain
the security integrity of the hospital building and two of the living quarters
close by, beyond that everything else was swarming with god knows what!
“Are you sure? I was told you approved the additional installation,
a back-up measure in the case of an emergency.” The man looked directly
at the first Counsellor who frowned in concentration, unable to recall
the matter coming before the main counsel.
“When did this happen and who told you that?”
Tor shifted uncomfortably as he considered his answer carefully.
No way did he want to drop someone in the proverbial, as he would call
it. As it stood the decision was sound and they might have a chance of
getting a message out.
“Well…look Selina does it matter it was a mighty fine call if you
ask me and the Engineering building is a spit away from the hospital emergency
exit. We know the critters don’t like the heat, if we send a person in
with a suit that emits heat they might have a chance.”
“Tor the plan is admirable I’m sure. Nevertheless there are two matters
of concern, one, have we got such a suit? And two, who can I ask to potentially
go on a suicide mission?”
“We are dead if we don’t get a message to the pilot due, at least
we can save their life and maybe in turn they might save ours.”
“How do you work that one out?”
“The space craft will have equipment aboard that can help us bombard
certain areas with heat, what the hell it’s a chance Selina!”
Considering the engineer’s remarks she knew that he was right, the
Engineering building was closest and not as infested with the creatures
who swarmed a person and created a wall of energy that appeared to suck
the life out of the victim leaving only a shell behind. The first casualties
had been three weeks ago and doctor Shaw hadn’t come across anything like
it in her experience or the data banks from any of the other off world
colonies. There hadn’t been any evidence of who or what had taken the colonists
lives and nothing further happened until four days ago. All hell let loose
then as a swarm that was going to kill them, fear and panic would be close
on it’s heels. Resources were limited now; they had enough fuel in the
small planes for two more short trips each.
Tia and Sheryl had been ferrying handfuls of the colonists with minimal
provisions to a site a hundred miles away. They made the journey in the
heat of the day and travelled back almost immediately to avoid being caught
when the temperature dropped significantly. Another problem encountered
had been the changing temperatures on the planet; autumn came quickly and
without notice.
Sheryl had been caught in a freak storm much as Laura had when they
arrived on the planet; fortunately she had been descending and came away
with bruises and a concussion refusing to consider rest, people depended
on her.
Doctor Shaw had been suffering from a minor virus she called it,
when the trouble began and was now working on reserves, looking terrible
most of the time. The only person who could make her rest for a short time
was her friend and senior nurse Mary Campbell, and that was only catnapping.
They were all exhausted, bewildered and unable to comprehend what
was going on. In all the years colonies had been developed on off worlds
this was the only one that had suffered so many causalities in so short
a time. She had been so wrong to send that last message back to the Earth
executive to advise them it was okay to send more colonists. If they didn’t
get a message out more people would die and it would all be her fault.
“Can you provide the equipment for this attempt Tor?”
“Yeah and I’ll go one better I’ll even volunteer myself.” The large
man grinned; who would have thought they were talking about a life-threatening
situation he appeared to think it was some Boy Scout outing.
“Thank you Tor but you are too valuable to go, we need you here if
it fails. An engineer is worth rather more than a politician in these circumstances.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I imagine so, you had better brief me on the whereabouts of the
console and any other tactical information I need to impart to the pilot.”
“Selina it shouldn’t be you!”
“You’re wrong Tor, I am the best person for the job and it’s my responsibility.
Don’t waste any more time arguing with me lets get that suit made and the
data onto a transfer stream.”
The woman walked away to talk soothingly with some of the other colonists
in the area, who brightened immediately with her calming words.
She couldn’t go! The colonists needed her authority and calmness.
If she died then the others would go to pieces and everything would be
lost, at least at the moment they had a chance. He needed to go see someone
who would have an opinion, why not; it was her idea about the console.
Paula scowled as she tried for the umpteenth time to contact the
planet; she had been orbiting for the last two hours. Protocol demanded
when on approach to entering a planet’s orbit was to begin contact proceedings
and establish communications should there be a problem on final entry in
to the atmosphere and then she could ask for backup assistance if needed.
All the records she’d received from Ray didn’t indicate that there
was a problem. The last communication she’d read from her download was
everything was going so well, they had requested further colonists to be
sent. Admittedly that was a message two months ago but what the hell things
couldn’t have gone belly up that fast and if they had then she would have
received a message by now surely.
Attempting once more to make a communication link she scanned the
planet for human life signs and found them concentrated in two areas, with
a distance of approximately one hundred miles apart. Strange, she was certain
that originally there had only been one outpost, irregular too without
adequate facilities.
Settling back in her chair she punched up the concise data on the
planet and those in charge. Nothing spectacular about any of them and certainly
the mix was what she had expected after her briefing. There was no significant
political faction that might have caused a break-up of the colony.
Normally she would apprise Earth and wait for a decision, except
she didn’t have the fuel to wait the week for an answer and then turn back
if necessary. Although they would meet her along the space path back to
earth and refuel but that was always a risky business even with all the
increased technological fixes. It all depended on how competent the fuel
carrier pilot was and in the past they weren’t that efficient in her estimation.
Nope, she was going to have to land on the planet and hope all was
well and if it wasn’t, well; she’d evacuate and head home.
She’d send her message to Earth anyway it didn’t hurt to check. Punching
in her message and sending, she set the computer to maintain planetary
scans as she made the necessary entries for entry to the atmosphere.
Wonder what was waiting for her down there.
Mary Campbell watched her friend moving like a snail to her desk
she was all in, having to calm the nerves of some of the more frail personalities
of the very frightened people here. Not to mention some of the people who
were coming down with the same virus the doctor had. Mary wasn’t sure if
it was sheer will power that kept the woman on her feet, but whatever it
was she wished some of the others here would have the same strength of
character.
“Want some tea Tammy?”
Dark circled eyes, bloodshot from sleep depravation and constantly
watering eyes that reminded them both of a symptom of a bad cold, starred
at her vacantly for a moment before the dark haired woman settled her jaw
in her hands and muttered a please.
“Good, how about something to eat too, you need to keep your strength
up.”
“Ugh I don’t think I can face food, sorry Mary.”
Mary glanced sharply at the doctor she was getting worse and they
hadn’t found a cure for this virus, which was sure to disable her soon.
All the others who were suffering either had red sores or were virtually
comatose.
“Okay tea it is,” leaving the doctor’s office and opening the outer
door to go to the kitchen and make the tea she cannoned into Tor Anders
who grinned at her.
“Why Mary I didn’t know you cared.”
“Away with you Tor, what can we do for you?”
“I need to see the Doc. is she in?”
“Yeah but hardly coherent, I hope it isn’t any more bad news.”
“No better from that damn virus?”
“No, I fear the worse myself and she might end up a patient before
the day is out.”
“No one has died yet from this virus have they?”
“Yes, an hour ago young Carole Johnson. Tammy tried everything but
she couldn’t save her, Sylvia came down with the virus about the same time
and we might lose her too.”
Tor gave the nurse a compassionate glance, “Aren’t they twins?”
“Yeah. You’d better go see Tammy and please Tor nothing too difficult
okay?”
“For you beautiful anything.”
The nurse smiled at the large man, if only he wasn’t such a ladies
man she might have given him a chance but she wasn’t going to compete with
every woman that caught his eye and there were certainly some beautiful
women in this colony.
Tor opened the office door slowly and saw the small doctor collapsed
on her desk. Walking slowly towards her he called her name softly.
“Doctor, hey Doc. Are you sleeping on the job?”
He stood at the edge of her desk and reached down slowly and stroked
back the dark hair, which was soaking wet the woman was burning up. This
was not a good time for a discussion.
“Well Doc I think you should be in bed asleep not at this desk.”
“What…what? What is it?”
Tamara woke with a start and couldn’t quite make out the person next
to her as she tried to clear her glazed vision.
“Take it easy Doc. it’s me Tor.” The man moved away slowly and as
he did so Tamara focused clearly on him, how she hadn’t known it was him
amazed her.
“What can I do for you Tor?” Her voiced sounded slow and drawn out,
almost in slow motion.
“Maybe you should go to bed Doc. I think you’re all tuckered out.”
“You didn’t come here to tell me that Tor, what’s happening out there?”
“Out there is pretty much as it’s been for the last twenty-four hours
but inside, inside that’s a totally different matter.”
Tamara shook her head slowly trying to clear her head but all she
did was cause a pulse of pain to rip through her skull, wincing she looked
closely at the man waiting for him to continue.
Fortunately for her he decided to do just that.
“She knows about the back-up com console.”
“She as in who exactly?”
“Tamara you know who, the most important woman on this planet barring
my favourite doctor that is.” Tor grinned and blushed a little as he tugged
on his beard.
“Okay, okay Selina knows, does she know it was me who initiated the
requisition?
Tamara was in two minds about the situation, happy because it was
out in the open and maybe they had a chance with that console as opposed
to the ops room, which was completely enshrouded in the creatures.
Who it was obvious inhabited the planet, so much for Sasha’s claims that
there wasn’t anything living on the planet beside vegetation.
Distressed in that she had gone behind Selina Ralph’s back …again,
even after promising she wouldn’t. She hadn’t wanted to and it certainly
carried a big risk. Her place on the counsel was in jeopardy in all probability
too, deportation back to one of the Earth space stations in disgrace.
“No, I decided that the problems facing us were far more important
than a petty argument over protocol, there is another issue though.”
“I’m sure there is, who wants to risk life and limb to try and use
it.”
Tor smiled this pint-sized woman was one sure quick cookie and she
was well below par too, god help anyone who tried to run rings round her
they wouldn’t stand a chance. “Got that in one Tamara but a person volunteered.”
Expecting the man to admit it was himself she was shocked when he
told her Selina had agreed to go.
“She’s crazy Tor! If anything happens to her the rest of the colony
will break down she keeps what little semblance of calm there is with her
presence. She can’t go!”
“Hey Tamara don’t go all antsy with me I did offer but…she’s in charge
you know. You do know that right?” this time the man laughed as she gave
him a sheepish look, okay sometimes she took liberties.
“Sorry Tor but she can’t go! I’d better go speak with her.” Standing
up quickly the doctor swayed and was helped to sit back down by Tor as
Mary walked back inside the office with a tray of tea and small sandwiches.
“You must have been reading my mind Mary my girl.”
“I was not you old reprobate this is for Tammy, and if you haven’t
upset her I’ll let you share.”
“Have I upset you Doc?”
“No. No he’s okay to share Mary anyway he needs to fill me in on
a situation and you might as well know as well.”
Tor gave her a keen look; Selina had wanted it to be a secret within
the counsel members, not out in the open. Then again Mary Campbell was
not one for gossip and if the doctor trusted her then he would too.
“Right you are, how about one of those processed beef sandwiches
I can see there as I advise you of the plan?”
Mary snorted as she passed over a couple, one for a man his size
would not be sufficient and she was right as he polished it off in one
bite.
“I need to come up with a heat suit…”
Paula judged the estimated time of landing to be in a little over
one hour, the computer had made all the necessary calculations and she
had made the required reports and set them in the safe storage area should
there be a problem and the craft burnt up on entry. Quite unlikely but
without any help from the ground, remote possibilities became that little
less remote. And she had no intention of being left in cinders for some
salvage prince to pick her up. The thought made her chuckle; yeah-another
fairy story, life was full of them. Just like she considered her mom’s
journals in part to be, now she had time to think about them in depth.
Trying once again to contact the planet she was puzzled by the static
feedback, normally that would only happen if they had the channels open.
When she had tried earlier it had been silent, maybe they were trying to
contact her and there was a problem with the equipment below, feasible
and likely to be the problem. As she pondered the situation it made her
feel pumped up and ready for action, not that she hadn’t been but her adrenaline
surge had been tempered with tension, now the tension part had been assuaged
to a degree.
“Okay you old crate lets get the show on the road and go meet our
new buddies for the next two years.”
Strapping herself in and placing the oxygen mask in place, she began
her descent to Amazon Seven and the next adventure in her life.
“You’re such a fool sometimes Selina you can’t go!”
“Someone has to, why not me?” the woman asked as she looked out of
the window of the room she had taken for this private counsel meeting.
Tor with the heat suit had yet to arrive but he already knew the plan.
Sasha and Tamara Shaw were being briefed and Sasha was getting particularly
agitated.
“For once I have to agree with Sasha, Selina, your place is here
with the people, and they need you more now. Haven’t you noticed that you
can calm them when all hell is breaking loose around them, it never happens
for me unless I administer drugs and Sasha doesn’t have your patience.”
“Yes the doctor’s right you do! Others are more dispensable, you
must see that Selina.” Sasha didn’t want the woman to go on a personal
level, more than her duty to any of the other colonists. She loved her
and didn’t want anything to happen to her.
“No one is dispensable Sasha, all life is important how can you ask
me to force another to go and watch in the background?”
Tamara watched the exchange with fascination, she knew Sasha had
a crush on Selina it had been obvious from day one, maybe it was more than
a crush, could be why the ecologist didn’t like her much. Selina had always
preferred her counsel over the other woman’s even though they were potentially
equal in the chain of command.
“It’s your place to send people on dangerous missions Selina, you
knew it when you agreed to head the colony and this is just that type of
command decision. All great leaders can sacrifice their lives for their
people, we saw it through our history lessons but can they save themselves,
and lead their people to greater things in the face of adversity. That’s
the question Selina, there will be many people who will happily volunteer
if you ask, no one will need to be forced.”
Selina glanced across at the small dark haired woman, she had wanted
to talk with her about the predicament she was in, in private, and time
had been against that. How she put things into complete perspective so
easily, and Tamara was right there would be many volunteers and some infinitely
more able than she was.
“We need to make a short list of suitable candidates and ask them
here and pose the question.”
Tor entered the room at that moment with the heat suit and cocked
his head to one side as he asked, “What question?”
“Selina has seen sense Tor she’s not going on the mission. We are
going to ask for a volunteer.” Holding up her hand Tamara smiled weakly
at the man, “forget it you’re staying here.”
“Okay, okay can’t a man try.” He grinned at the three women as he
explained how the suit worked and they set about making the short list.
Time was of the greatest importance, as the pilot should be in range
now, they needed to act quickly to prevent any more loss of life other
than their own, if that was to be their fate.