Smith's Monthly #9 Page 17

  And she could even see the problem as to why the braking program hadn’t kicked in and why the ship was still at full speed. It would be an easy fix, she knew that.

  Her and Roscoe’s eyes could see every detail, every room, every closet, of this wonderful big ship.

  Through the ship’s sensors, she could see the big Seeder fleet waiting for them at a point where the Morning Song would jump to trans-tunnel drive.

  She even understood the physics now of trans-tunnel drive. Before, that had always baffled her.

  And she knew that the intelligence that was Morning Song was very much an entity, a complete life in its own way that had kept this ship alive and moving and repaired as much as possible through a voyage in deep space of one-point-four million years.

  Now, as their teams gathered around them in the big Command Center, Roscoe took charge of assigning each a station in the big room.

  “Command code is Sunrise at each station,” he said as they quickly moved to their stations.

  “Put in the command code,” Maria said, “and then put your right hand beside the image where indicated.”

  “What will that do?” Fisher asked as he moved to a position beside Roscoe on his right.

  Callie moved to a position on the left of Maria.

  “Morning Song will give you a quick training in the station’s use,” Roscoe said.

  “Perfectly safe,” Maria said.

  He squeezed her hand and as they felt each of their friends come on line and spend a moment learning the station, she and Roscoe kept learning, taking in every detail of the big ship.

  Before she could not imagine the scale of the ship. Now it all seemed clear and logical and useful.

  “Notice we have no mission statement or history,” Roscoe said as they waited the few moments it was taking for everyone to get trained.

  “I did,” she said.

  On the screen in front of them, Morning Song replied to his statement.

  That information will be supplied after you have control

  of Morning Song and have all safe.

  Your training will take some time.

  “Thank you again, Morning Song,” Maria said.

  Again the first message faded and a second message appeared.

  You are again welcome.

  “Everyone is now on task,” Roscoe said a moment after Maria sensed that the stations in the big room were manned and functioning.

  “Please monitor your stations carefully,” Maria said. “Big screen is coming up.”

  The entire wall beyond their thin blue monitoring screen became a screen showing space ahead of Morning Song.

  Then Maria had the blue monitoring screen lowered and both her and Roscoe’s heads-up displays appeared.

  They were still holding hands, but Maria and Roscoe both knew that would not bother them in the slightest. In fact, it was critical to them staying in contact and working as a unit. All of their commands and actions would be through either Morning Song or the crew around them.

  “We’re going to flip Morning Song 180 degrees,” Roscoe said. “Fisher, stay with me on this. Everyone, monitor your stations. Shout if the slightest thing gets out of line.”

  “Understood,” Fisher said.

  “Morning Song,” Roscoe asked. “You understand what is needed?”

  Yes.

  Maria said, “Callie, please contact Chairman Ray. Tell him we are in control of Morning Song and to have all ships stay out of the way until we are finished. Link him into the monitors in here, but please do not put through his audio. Tell him of that restriction so he won’t worry.”

  “Understood,” Callie said.

  Maria watched and monitored everything closely as Roscoe and Morning Song took the big ship and eased her over so that her engines were now facing in the direction of flight. Morning Song itself did most of the maneuver, but it could not have done it without Roscoe’s mind and skill as a pilot.

  Maria could see Fisher watching closely from his station.

  Maria knew that this wonderful ship had taken almost four hundred years to climb to this rate of speed. Now they had to slow it much, much faster if they had any hope of saving millions of lives.

  Any hope at all.

  “We’ll get it done,” Roscoe said, clearly sensing her worry.

  But they both knew that the Morning Song was not meant for such intense braking. They would not have it stopped before they plowed into Fisher and Callie’s home world.

  But they had other options.

  TWENTY-SIX

  “COMPLETE,” FISHER SAID. “Engines are now facing in the direction of travel.”

  “Engines coming on line,” Maria said.

  “Bring the engines up to full power slowly,” Roscoe said. “Everyone, monitor your stations closely. Take your time.”

  Roscoe couldn’t believe that he and the intelligence that was Morning Song had just done a very difficult maneuver. He had always considered himself a good pilot, but flying this ship would have been far beyond him. You don’t just flip a ship the size of a moon 180 degrees with chances of tearing it apart.

  Maria squeezed his hand and he could sense her worry as well. And her excitement.

  He could almost feel her monitoring the engines as he was, beside him completely in all areas of the ship.

  The engines were powering up, slowly at first, then as they stabilized after such a long voyage, their power increased.

  “Full power and stable,” Fisher said.

  Roscoe had known that a moment before Fisher spoke.

  Around the room everyone cheered.

  “At full power,” Roscoe said, “how long until we reach full stop?”

  “Seven months and three days,” Hudson said from his station.

  The cheering stopped as the situation that both Roscoe and Maria knew already sank in.

  “Morning Song,” Maria asked. “May Chairman Mundy and I leave the chairs and possibly the ship and still be in contact with you?”

  Yes.

  Roscoe instantly knew that in the arm of his chair and Maria’s chair was a small needle that would implant a device to allow them to keep in contact with the Morning Song.

  “Please insert the device,” Roscoe said.

  “Yes, please,” Maria said.

  Roscoe felt a slight sting.

  “Everyone please do a full check of the systems attached to your panels,” Maria said.

  Roscoe and Maria both did the same, going over every detail of the ship to make sure that Morning Song was stable and slowing.

  Then Roscoe took the final precaution. “Morning Song, is the ship stable and slowing?”

  Yes.

  “Do you see any signs of weakness in any system or engine?” Roscoe asked.

  No, but repairs need to be made after full stop.

  “We understand that,” Maria said. “And they will be done. Thank you.”

  “We are planning on taking a break now and working toward getting more help on board,” Roscoe said. “Do you see any problem with that?”

  No, but please return to the command chairs as soon as possible to continue your training and education.

  “We will,” Maria said.

  With that, Roscoe stood and pulled Maria gently to her feet. He could still feel he was connected, melded in a way with her in so many ways, ways he didn’t yet fully understand.

  She stood, still holding his hand.

  He could sense her reluctance to let go. Her beautiful golden eyes were almost swirling with all the new information.

  Around them the big Command Center was silent as everyone watched them.

  Finally, he nodded to her. And together they let go of each other’s hand.

  He could still sense her, still felt meshed with her, and could still feel all the systems in the big ship around them.

  She looked around, then smiled at him. “Seems you’re stuck with me for a while.”

  “For a lot longer than a while, I hope,” he sa
id.

  At that, everyone in the big Command Center broke into cheers and applause and together, they turned to the crew and took a bow.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  “WE’RE GOING TO need to talk to Chairman Ray,” Maria said after the cheering died down.

  “He and everyone on his ship have been watching,” Callie said, smiling. “As best they can with the time deletion. We’ve been moving in real fast motion as far as they are concerned.”

  Roscoe laughed at the idea of that.

  Maria really didn’t want to just talk with Ray out in the open. And she could sense that Roscoe did not either.

  “Morning Song,” Maria said into the air. “Can we personally transport away from the ship and return?”

  On the wall-sized monitor in front of the room the word “Yes” appeared.

  “Will we still be in contact with you and the systems of the ship?”

  Again the word “Yes” appeared.

  “Thank you, Morning Song,” Maria said.

  Maria knew from everything she had learned that normal procedure for a Morning Song crew was to leave at least five in the Command Center at all times. A pilot, a person at security, and three engineers.

  Roscoe knew that as well and turned to his second-in-command, Jonas, who had been assigned the security main post. “Stay at your post until I return.”

  Jonas nodded.

  Maria looked at Hudson. “Please stay at your station.”

  Hudson nodded, his eyes wide from all he had learned in the quick training. He was so eager to learn all the time and all this sudden knowledge must really be messing with his balance.

  “Callie, you have command while we are gone,” Roscoe said. “But please avoid those chairs.”

  She laughed and pointed down at her station in front of her. “Right here is just fine.”

  They picked two other engineers to stay as well, then Roscoe told the rest of them to jump back to Fisher and Callie’s ship and get something to eat and rest. Until they got help, all of them would be doing long shifts.

  Then Maria turned to Fisher. “You are with us.”

  He nodded.

  She then turned to Roscoe. “Do the honors, partner.”

  He smiled, took her hand, and jumped all three of them to the bridge of Chairman Ray’s ship.

  Chairman Ray was sitting in his command chair, watching the big screen in front of him that showed the Command Center of the Morning Song.

  As they appeared, he and Tacita both jumped to their feet. Then they both did something that Maria would have never imagined them doing in her entire long life.

  He and Tacita both bowed to her and Roscoe.

  And everyone else on the bridge bowed to them as well.

  “Welcome, Chairmen,” Chairman Ray said.

  She looked at Roscoe who clearly was as shocked as she felt. She could sense his shock and how really deep it ran. Somehow, Roscoe managed to speak. She wasn’t sure how. She would not have been able to.

  “Can we talk in a private area?” Roscoe asked.

  An instant later the five of them were in a large meeting room. It was filled with a long conference table with a white top with a dozen cloth office chairs around it. A large screen, now blank, filled one wall.

  The lighting was indirect and bright and there was no smell at all.

  A completely sterile-looking room and Maria wondered why anyone would have a room like this one.

  Chairman Ray and Tacita took the chairs near one end on the far side of the table, Fisher took the chair in front of him across from Ray and Tacita, clearly just as puzzled as she and Roscoe were.

  She and Roscoe took the chairs at the end of the big table.

  “So what was all that about?” Roscoe asked.

  Maria let her knee move against his leg and could feel his strength and energy just from the touch.

  “You both have been chosen for a very honored position among Seeders,” Ray said. He looked at Tacita and she nodded.

  So Chairman Ray looked back at them and leaned forward. “This was why you were picked for this mission. We hoped that if we figured out a way to get inside, Morning Song would accept you both.”

  Maria sat back and just stared at Ray.

  They had known about Seeder Mother Ships. She couldn’t believe that. Why hadn’t they said something?

  “They have not had time for the history of the Seeders,” Tacita said, touching her husband’s arm gently. “They do not understand, but they will. They have much to learn, as I am sure Morning Song told them.”

  Ray nodded. “You are right, we have a more pressing problem to deal with first.”

  Maria just sat there, staring at Ray.

  Again it was Roscoe who seemed to find his footing a little faster than she did. “We need to save millions.”

  Now it was Ray’s turn to look puzzled. Then he laughed. “You already did that.”

  Roscoe looked at Fisher, then at Maria.

  Maria sat forward. “And just how did we do that?”

  “By taking control of the ship, stopping the malfunction, turning the ship around, and starting to brake,” Ray said.

  Suddenly Maria understood. “We are not letting the ship jump to one-hundred-light-year trans-tunnel flights.”

  It took a moment, but Roscoe started to laugh and then Fisher followed.

  “It’s going to take a few hundred years or more at this sub-light speed,” Ray said, “for that ship to even reach the edge of the Milky Way, even without braking.”

  “Oh, thank the heavens,” Maria said, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t believe how completely relieved she felt. And she could sense Roscoe beside her feeling relieved and happy as well.

  They had accomplished their mission.

  “So what’s the pressing problem we need to face now?”

  Ray started to speak, but Tacita touched his arm and shook her head.

  Then Tacita sat forward and looked directly at Maria with a dark intensity that Maria had never seen before.

  “You need to go back to Morning Song and continue your education. Then we can talk.”

  “Can we at least get help manning the big ship?”

  “In four weeks,” Ray said, “your speed will be slow enough for us to match with our normal ships and start sending crew aboard. And you will need to pick most of them and a command crew. Until then, I’m afraid it’s just the fifteen of you. You will do fine. Morning Song is a very good ship.”

  Then Ray and Tacita stood and bowed slightly to her and Roscoe.

  “Please excuse us,” Ray said. “Time is short and we have a lot to do.”

  With that, they both vanished, leaving Fisher, Roscoe, and Maria half out of their chairs.

  Maria had no idea at all what just happened.

  None.

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  ROSCOE JUMPED THEM back on board Morning Song and into Fisher’s ship inside the big scanning room. He instantly felt better.

  “That’s amazing,” Maria said. “I feel like I’m home.”

  “I think we are,” Roscoe said, smiling at her.

  “So either of you have any idea what just happened?” Fisher asked. “If you do, you can explain it to me as I get us something to eat.”

  They followed Fisher into the kitchen and Roscoe sat down at the dining table and Maria sat beside him, her hand resting on his leg, keeping the connection between them. That connection seemed to be growing stronger by the moment and Roscoe liked that more than he wanted to admit.

  He wanted her to be a part of him. And he had a hunch that if she wasn’t close, he would no longer feel whole.

  Just as being away from Morning Song didn’t feel right.

  “I think that Ray and Tacita knew right from the start what the big ship was,” Maria said.

  “I agree,” Roscoe said. “But I have no idea why they didn’t tell us.”

  “And how do they know?” Maria asked. “My sense is that they have sat in a joint
command chair at some point in the past.”

  “Could they really be that old?” Fisher asked as he pulled out bread and some cut turkey to make sandwiches with.

  “Nothing stopping any of us from getting very, very old,” Maria said. “Morning Song promised us history and far more education. Seems we need that.”

  “I agree completely,” Roscoe said. “Maybe after that we will understand why they didn’t tell us what this ship was in the first place. And what they were in such a hurry to go do.”

  Then he sat back enjoying the feel of Maria beside him as they planned crew rotation onto the Morning Song Command Center.

  About halfway through the quick lunch, Roscoe suddenly had a thought. “You can’t count Maria and me as part of that rotation.”

  She looked at him and then nodded, clearly understanding.

  “We’re going to be in school,” Roscoe said.

  “And at times we might not actually be on board,” Maria said.

  “That’s possible as well,” he said, nodding. “It’s up to you to just keep this big ship braking and stable while we learn what we can about what we are up against and what comes next.”

  Fisher just shook his head and said, “I’ll do my best.”

  Roscoe smiled at Fisher. “She’s a good ship. She’ll help you.”

  “I hope so,” Fisher said.

  After they finished, Roscoe took Maria’s hand, enjoying the feel and the energy running through it to him.

  “Ready to go to class?”

  “As I’ll ever be,” she said, smiling at him and then quickly kissing him.

  This kiss surprised them both because even more energy flowed between them and a lot more caring and feeling.

  It was so passionate in just a slight kiss, it took his breath away.

  “Well, that’s going to be interesting,” she said, touching her lips and then smiling at him.