Leaving Blue 5.1 (2 page)

While on Blue 5.1, she realized that light diffusion distorted many star maps. After studying this for several years, Jen spoke to her colleagues about it. Within months, four of them, Dr. Halip, Dr. Mim, Dr. Thein and Dr. Awwa, spoke to manufacturers, asking them to create better telescope lenses.

Alan’s face materialized on my vtp. He blinked. “Greg, I just received a text email from a town called Tri, one that is in the northern hemisphere. Someone named Ine has agreed to talk about our need for food and drinkable liquids after we go into orbit. Unfortunately, I can’t translate the rest of the message. I’ll be in touch.”

“Understood.” I sent a text message to EMPE, telling them about the fact that several crew had recently disappeared.

On screen, at the north end of Tri, close to E4’s equator, it was forty-one degrees Fahrenheit. According to the spectrometer, this planet had enough oxygen. We didn’t need oxygen tanks.

On a desktop computer, Thomas’s blurred face with a new message came into focus. He raised his eyebrows. “Greg, there are five continents, Ncio, Eaco, Sou, Wees and Iom. I don’t know anything about the inhabitants. There aren’t any videos or photographs, just nine pages of hieroglyphics. All of them are difficult to grasp.”

“Understood. Keep me posted.” In the next few days, I wanted to update the language software, making it possible to translate these messages.

Hybrids

I entered the room and sat down facing an oblong table. Everyone else rested their elbows on it, looking at me, nervous expressions on their faces.

Sam hadn’t arrived.

I offered a brief greeting. “Thanks for coming.”

Thomas, David, Joel, Lesley and Mary nodded, smiling faintly. Jen’s frown deepened.

Sam entered and plopped down, scowling.

Except for Alan, UE and the RM—the routine maintenance robots—the entire crew was here.

I announced, “I’d like to know if anyone has any new information about the missing crew, all ten of them. As everyone knows, Steve supposedly climbed through a hatch and ejected into space. Does anyone have any information about the others? I would like to hear anything that anyone has seen, heard or knows about.”

“I do.” Jen cleared her throat, tense.

“I’m listening.”

“I’ve waited because of several reasons, but I’ll tell you what Roger told me.”

“You should have spoken to me about this sooner.”

Jen blinked. “I know, but I was keeping a promise. Roger asked me to do it this way. If it’s all my fault, I’ll pay the price.

“Anyway, as everyone aboard knows, all the missing crew are hybrids. Hybrids have had an arm, hand, leg, ear or some other body part replaced because of an accident or illness. The replacements were either donated limbs or genetically created body parts. During the operation, micro surgeons used tiny needles to connect blood vessels on a leg, an arm or another body part. Sometimes a leg, a regenerated body part that was created by hot start cloning, is partially sewn onto a patient’s hip. Then the patient enters a clean room, one that has been disinfected, and the legs heals. The problem is that I’m not a doctor, so my details aren’t specific enough.

“Anyway, hybrids have problems. In some cases, they can’t adjust to their new arms or legs. The psychological shock is too much to bear.

“Also, the leg or arm’s muscles, ligaments, capillaries, arteries and veins must heal properly, or they can’t use that limb.

“Also, according to what Roger said, many parents, brothers, sisters and other family members dislike hybrids because hybrids are regarded as freaks. Roger says he knows that because as a hybrid, he has experienced a lot of rejection at job interviews, family reunions and from strangers.

“Anyway, after the operation, some hybrids cover up the scars with makeup. If the scar is on their stomach or back, it’s easier to hide it. Unfortunately, if a fellow worker sees the scar and tells the boss, the hybrid will get fired.

“In general, hybrids are despised because a few of them are either terrorists or terrorist sympathizers. Although I don’t know why those few hurt anyone, they have ruined the reputation of every hybrid.

“According to Roger, the missing crew, a group of brilliant scientists, went on this mission because it would advance their careers. If they remained on Blue 5.1, all of them would end up in the streets, homeless.

“The problem is as Exp One started running low on food, the missing crew panicked. They assumed that we would die of starvation or thirst.

“Roger added that he showed Rita, Lisa and the rest of the missing crew Bayesian statistics. According to those predictions, we would run out of packaged meals before Exp One reached D fifty-three. Because of that, Roger tracked three planets, Nothi, Hoipl and Deabl for several weeks and found that Nothi had five moons. One moon, which Roger named Despl, had a thin atmosphere. According to his spectrographic analysis, the hybrids could survive there. They waited for several days, took two shuttles and headed for Despl.” Jen blinked.

“Jen, how did Roger cover up both missing shuttles?” Thomas asked politely.

“He created a computer virus and uploaded it into the network. A few hours after the hybrids left, every computer was so busy fighting the virus that the servers couldn’t keep track of the shuttles. After killing most of the virus, the server began checking the database because it had received an automatic alert, one saying that hundreds of files were missing. However, the server couldn’t locate the shuttles because any trace of them had been erased by the virus.

“In addition, several hours later, the virus self-destructed and disappeared, leaving nothing for shuttle bay two’s server to look for. I checked the database files afterward. According to the server, neither shuttle nor the virus ever existed.”

I scowled. “The fact that you waited this long to discuss this bothers me.”

“I know, but I promised Roger that I would wait at least four days before I told anyone.” Jen hesitated, a sullen expression on her face.

“However, I realize that if anyone on Exp One searched for the hybrids, Roger, Seth along with the others, they would fight to save themselves. All of them assumed that if they returned to Blue 5.1, EMPE would put them in prison, because they had stolen both shuttles.

“If a fight broke out, someone might get seriously hurt. I didn’t want that to happen.”

David blurted, “Why didn’t you go with them?”

The room went silent. Everyone’s eyes shifted toward Jen.

She glanced at David. “I like all of you. I want to stay here, no matter what. Plus, I’m in love with a man on this ship.

Joel smiled faintly.

I pointed at her. “You did this without any authorization from me or anyone else.”

“It’s true, I did.” Jen coughed, a sad expression on her face.

Sam frowned while the other crew shifted in their seats, uncomfortable. No one said anything.

I announced, “I can’t detain you because Exp One doesn’t have a holding cell. When we return to Blue 5.1, EMPE will bring charges against you. You may end up in prison.”

Jen flinched.

Sam glanced at a stack of papers, a worried look on her face.

I raised my voice, “It’s my duty to inform you that doing this was an act of insubordination.”

Jen bit her lip. “I know. You’re just doing your duty.”

Mary, Lesley, Sam and David blinked, nervous.

Thomas frowned, yet he didn’t say a word.

“According to regulation eleven, I’ll have to testify against you.”

Jen wiped tears off her cheek. “I know.”

I examined my vtp’s database. “Sam, did you find any more food rations that aren’t spoiled?”

“No, mutated salmonella got into most of it. There are only five days of prepackaged food left. However, I’ll have to double check. It’s possible that there are only enough for three days.”

“Okay. Are there any other topics anyone else wants to discuss?”

“I have something to say.” Lesley paused. “I spoke to Lisa several times, face to face. On each occasion, she asked me not to tell anyone else about our private conversations that took place when we were alone.

“During our first meeting, she told me she was a hybrid. I already knew that. Months ago, I noticed scars on her shoulder. I didn’t mention them. I love Lisa. I don’t care if she is a hybrid.

“Then she said that before she joined this mission, she had worked as a Biologist in a bio-technology company called AHE Incorporated for many years. One day, while commuting, her shuttlecraft crashed.

“She lost her right arm and right leg. Surgeons re-attached both limbs and reconstructed part of her pelvis. After the operation, scars on her neck were so obvious that AHE fired her because they were worried that if someone outside the company discovered that one of its employees was a hybrid, they would bomb AHE’s laboratories. No matter how irrational it sounds, some people will attack hybrids. They won’t speak to them.

“Because Lisa spent nine years studying peptides and amino acids, she applied for a job aboard Exp One. It was a great opportunity.

“About seven weeks ago, she came to me and mentioned that this ship’s days were numbered. Then she said that she had listened to Roger when he began discussing an escape plan.

“I thought that any such
plan
sounded foolish and pointed that out to her.” Lesley wiped sweat off her forehead.

I leaned forward. “What else did she say? Lisa must have been aware of how
foolish
it was.”

“She insisted that Roger had a good plan.” Lesley narrowed her eyes.

David blurted, “What a bunch of fucking idiots!”

Lesley raised her eyebrows. “Anyway, one evening, I brought up the fact that although a group of hybrids known as the Awo had tortured civilians during the Territorial Wars, I would listen to her. She showed me text documents and videos. Those convinced me that she didn’t have anything to do with the Territorial Wars or the Awo.”

Joel scowled. “Lesley, did Lisa talk to you about the other hybrids aboard Exp One?”

“Yes. She said she knew that none of them were Awo members or sympathized with them. Lisa added that she was close friends with Seth, Susan and Larry. In face-to-face conversations with Lisa, all of them insisted that none of them had ever participated in the Territorial Wars. Then they showed their forty-eleven background documents—”

I raised my voice, emphasizing my statement. “Do you mean forty-eleven affidavits, ones that have been stamped by a notary and signed by three credible witnesses?”

“Exactly. Later on, Seth gave her Roger’s, Bette’s, Wanda’s, Steve’s, Rita’s and Marie’s forty-elevens. According to the documents, they didn’t even live close to the Deri River. And none of them ever contacted the Awo or any Awo sympathizers.”

The room went silent.

David and Joel began staring at their vtps, glowering.

Jen’s eyes shifted back and forth.

Sam crossed both arms over her chest.

I looked around the room, waiting to see if anyone else would speak.

No one did.

I remembered the Deri River. At that location, six thousand Awo had tortured and killed hundreds of unarmed men, women and children because they wanted everyone to know how powerful the Awo were.

Joel frowned. “I thought that Roger was pushy and inattentive. On many occasions, he talked rather than listened. On the other hand, when it came to plasma and tokamak engines, he knew a lot. He understood which software controlled engine plasma. I showed him more software. He picked it up fast.”

Mary, a worried expression on her face, glanced at Joel. “What did Roger say that made you feel he was so
inattentive
?”

“He didn’t study engine walls or cooling fans thoroughly.”

Sam kept studying her vtp. “According to my records, minutes from a meeting that the crew had a few months ago, you said that Roger was improving.”

“He
improved
for a while. But then I programmed and built several RM robots. They inspected engine walls, cooling fans and discovered that many needed repairing or to be replaced. They had been overlooked. It was Roger’s responsibility to examine them. About thirty percent of the time, he didn’t.

“About a month ago, an RM robot named RM Six went inside the engine and found that four cooling fans were on the verge of shattering. According to Roger’s reports, those fans were fine. He wasn’t following up. And now, protective walls are breaking down. At the same time, cracks keep spreading. Roger wasn’t looking hard enough.” Joel shook his head, an angry expression on his face.

Sam turned toward him. “Are you saying that Roger was doing this deliberately?”

“I hope not. However, for whatever reason, it was endangering the ship and the crew. That bothered me.”

Sam hesitated. “Perhaps he doesn’t have enough training. After all, this trip is harder than anyone expected.”

“That may be true, but Roger’s inattention was a problem.”

Mary frowned and opened her mouth slightly, as if she was about to speak. Within moments, she nervously bit her lip.

“I have something to say!” David shouted. “I’m not sorry to see the hybrids go. After I lost my buddy, Abe, during the Territorial Wars, other friends told me that they tortured him. These fuckers burned his chest with a blowtorch. Whenever I think about that, it angers me. Why didn’t anyone stop them?”

I glanced at him. “I’m sorry to hear it.”

“I’ve heard other stories.” David cleared his throat. “I’ve had nightmares for years. Although I’m getting over them, it’s hard.”

Mary looked around the room. “I have something to add. I liked Rita. She was easy to get along with. She only complained when there was good reason. I watched her spend week after week in the low-gravity areas, repairing telescopes, re-installing software, writing reports about updates.

“Larry was somewhat lazy. He beefed about other member of the crews. At any rate, I thought he was trying to make himself look better.”

“Who did he complain about?” Jen began staring at Mary.

“Alan, Greg, Lesley and you.” Mary paused.

“What did he say?” Jen shifted around in her seat.