“We’ll be back
in minutes.”
Mara handed him a commlink . “I’m going to reconnect to the ship—just in case
we need to move fast.”
He nodded. But,
where can we go?
She smiled
weakly and shut the airlock hatch.
From the pilot seat,
Naomi looked over her shoulder as he entered the rear of the skiff. The low
light of the control panel and the glow from the pendant dangling outside her blouse, softly illuminated her face. For a moment Justin
drank the pleasing picture.
She smiled. “You
need to seal the hatch.”
“Oh, yes.” He turned
and did so. “Can you fly this thing?”
“Yes. I am a good
pilot.”
He looked at the
six, empty, passenger seats in the cramped compartment and smiled, “Should I
sit back here?”
She gestured toward
the co-pilot seat, “We should get started.”
As the skiff glided
toward the frigate, Justin was glad he sat up front. The cockpit window
provided a panoramic view. Instantly he observed a counter clockwise swirl on
the planet before him. It was a storm disrupting the crimson, orange,
brown and white bands that otherwise encircled the giant world. Off the
starboard bow, two icy silver moons slid by in the endless sashay of the solar
system, while off the port side the arc of the encircling rings dipped below
his view. A host of stars served as the backdrop for the grand vista.
“Usually we see this
as a hologram or an image on a screen,” he said, still focused on the
spectacle. “I’ve never seen anything like this before in real life.”
Naomi glanced at him
and smiled, “In the Earth system there is a planet called Saturn that is very
similar.” She returned to the ship controls. “ETA at the
derelict two minutes.”
Slowly he scanned
the view. “I want to remember this and paint it someday.”
The skiff touched
down in the bay and air filled the compartment. As she exited the craft Naomi
crossed her arms. “This ship is cold.”
His smiled at her
frosty breath and nodded.
“Which way should we
go?”
The etching wobbled
back and forth. “Look at your pendant.”
She took the chain
from her neck and held it in her hand like a compass. After a moment, she
pointed to the other side of the skiff toward the bow of the ship.
Walking briskly in
the cold they came to the far side of the craft. Painted high on the bulkhead
before them was a double helix shield with crossed swords.
Justin stared at the
emblem, but raised the commlink to his lips. “Mara,
we’re onboard. It’s a Titan ship.”
“Get out, now! We’ll
come up with some other plan.”
Fear tempted him.
Naomi shook her head.
“Whoever created this pendant and left the ship here wanted people to find this
place and there could be food and fuel onboard.”
He agreed. “Let’s be
quick.”
Several minutes
later, as they trotted down a passageway, Naomi peered down at the orb and pointed
ahead.
Justin glanced at
the pendant. The golden glow was now constant. The etching stood out in sharp
contrast. “I think we’re close.”
Breathing heavily,
they approached an entryway with two sliding doors. The same two
intersecting arcs that created the simple outline of a fish on Naomi’s pendant
were etched on one side while on the other was the double helix coat of
arms.
Justin continued
toward the doors.
Naomi stopped five
meters from them.
They did not
open.
Glancing down at the
glowing orb she said, “Our path is through that door.”
The commlink crackled. “Justin, come in.” Tension sprang from
Mara’s voice.
“What’s the
problem?” He continued to look for a way to open the hatch.
“Two ships just
entered normal space at the edge of the system.”
“Can you identify?”
“Not at this
distance.”
“Well don’t
worry. They could be anybody, miners, explorers, researchers. They could be
lost. Who knows why they’re here.” He didn’t believe that, but it almost
sounded plausible. “Have they seen us?”
“I don’t think so.
We’re
in minutes.”
Mara handed him a commlink . “I’m going to reconnect to the ship—just in case
we need to move fast.”
He nodded. But,
where can we go?
She smiled
weakly and shut the airlock hatch.
From the pilot seat,
Naomi looked over her shoulder as he entered the rear of the skiff. The low
light of the control panel and the glow from the pendant dangling outside her blouse, softly illuminated her face. For a moment Justin
drank the pleasing picture.
She smiled. “You
need to seal the hatch.”
“Oh, yes.” He turned
and did so. “Can you fly this thing?”
“Yes. I am a good
pilot.”
He looked at the
six, empty, passenger seats in the cramped compartment and smiled, “Should I
sit back here?”
She gestured toward
the co-pilot seat, “We should get started.”
As the skiff glided
toward the frigate, Justin was glad he sat up front. The cockpit window
provided a panoramic view. Instantly he observed a counter clockwise swirl on
the planet before him. It was a storm disrupting the crimson, orange,
brown and white bands that otherwise encircled the giant world. Off the
starboard bow, two icy silver moons slid by in the endless sashay of the solar
system, while off the port side the arc of the encircling rings dipped below
his view. A host of stars served as the backdrop for the grand vista.
“Usually we see this
as a hologram or an image on a screen,” he said, still focused on the
spectacle. “I’ve never seen anything like this before in real life.”
Naomi glanced at him
and smiled, “In the Earth system there is a planet called Saturn that is very
similar.” She returned to the ship controls. “ETA at the
derelict two minutes.”
Slowly he scanned
the view. “I want to remember this and paint it someday.”
The skiff touched
down in the bay and air filled the compartment. As she exited the craft Naomi
crossed her arms. “This ship is cold.”
His smiled at her
frosty breath and nodded.
“Which way should we
go?”
The etching wobbled
back and forth. “Look at your pendant.”
She took the chain
from her neck and held it in her hand like a compass. After a moment, she
pointed to the other side of the skiff toward the bow of the ship.
Walking briskly in
the cold they came to the far side of the craft. Painted high on the bulkhead
before them was a double helix shield with crossed swords.
Justin stared at the
emblem, but raised the commlink to his lips. “Mara,
we’re onboard. It’s a Titan ship.”
“Get out, now! We’ll
come up with some other plan.”
Fear tempted him.
Naomi shook her head.
“Whoever created this pendant and left the ship here wanted people to find this
place and there could be food and fuel onboard.”
He agreed. “Let’s be
quick.”
Several minutes
later, as they trotted down a passageway, Naomi peered down at the orb and pointed
ahead.
Justin glanced at
the pendant. The golden glow was now constant. The etching stood out in sharp
contrast. “I think we’re close.”
Breathing heavily,
they approached an entryway with two sliding doors. The same two
intersecting arcs that created the simple outline of a fish on Naomi’s pendant
were etched on one side while on the other was the double helix coat of
arms.
Justin continued
toward the doors.
Naomi stopped five
meters from them.
They did not
open.
Glancing down at the
glowing orb she said, “Our path is through that door.”
The commlink crackled. “Justin, come in.” Tension sprang from
Mara’s voice.
“What’s the
problem?” He continued to look for a way to open the hatch.
“Two ships just
entered normal space at the edge of the system.”
“Can you identify?”
“Not at this
distance.”
“Well don’t
worry. They could be anybody, miners, explorers, researchers. They could be
lost. Who knows why they’re here.” He didn’t believe that, but it almost
sounded plausible. “Have they seen us?”
“I don’t think so.
We’re
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