T'aafhal Legacy 1: Ghosts of Orion (40 page)

“Butterflies!” squealed Dorri, clapping her hands together. The fluttering insects flashed blue and green and turquoise as they surrounded the diners. 

“You keep butterflies on your ship, Dr. Ogawa?” asked Shadi. 

Mizuki said something in Japanese to the flying creatures, which seemed to quiet them down. She smiled at the girls and explained.

“They are not really butterflies. They are an alien species I found on a distant space station. Actually they found me.”

“Really?”

“Yes, they seem to share a single consciousness, and to act at times as a single being. You can tell their mood by the colors they display—right now they are happy because they have found me.”

“Do they just fly loose around the ship?” Dorri asked, holding out a finger for one of the flying creatures to alight on.

“No, usually they stay in our quarters. My partner, Bobby, must have let them out. Sometimes they get out by accident, and sometimes on purpose. Bobby, the sailing master, was flying the shuttle that picked you up from the surface.”

“We did not get to meet him yet, or the Marines,” said Shadi.

“They were all enclosed in their armor, but we would like to thank them all,” added her sister.

“Yes, especially the Marine who threw me onto the ship, do you know him?”

Mizuki hesitated.

“That Marine was a she, Shadi. Gunnery Sergeant Rosey Acuna.”

The butterflies became less animated, clustering around the table. Their colors changed to indigo and dark purples, some landed on Mizuki's hair and shoulders.”

“What's wrong? Why did the butterflies change?”

“I think we should wait for the Captain to answer that question.” 

The sisters looked at each other, obviously brimming over with a million more questions. Before they could continue cross examining the lady scientist Jimmy arrived with the food. With squeals of delight the girls attacked their meals—delicacies they never thought to taste again. 

As quickly as they had changed to dark somber colors the butterflies regained their happier coloration. Reflecting the girls' excitement the butterflies added yellow to their palate.

* * * * *

The sisters were finishing up their french fries and sipping at refilled drinks when a tall man in a black and navy blue jumpsuit entered the lounge. Tall and trim, with piercing eyes and dark curly hair, he could only be the Captain. He approached the table and introduced himself.

“Good afternoon, ladies. I am Captain Vincent, master and commander of the Peggy Sue. I trust that Dr. Ogawa has been taking good care of you?”

“Yes, Sir,” Shadi and Dorri replied together. 

“I want to talk with you about your future. Specifically your near term future.” 

The sisters nodded in response.

“Though I would like to take you, and the other survivors of this debacle, back to Farside right now that is not my mission. Ours is a commercial venture and we have creditors to pay off back home.”

“Sir,” interrupted Shadi. “We have no one to return to. On the Moon, Earth or anywhere.”

“Hmm,” Billy Ray said, as he searched for the proper words to say. “I am very sorry for your loss, but the fact that there is no one back home waiting for your return actually simplifies things a bit.” 

“How so, Captain?” asked Mizuki. 

“It means these young ladies are now the captains of their own destinies, so to speak. By that I mean, if they decide to pursue a future while on this voyage the decision will not be rescinded when they get back home.” 

“Oh?” said Shadi cautiously. 

“Yes, Shadi. We are scheduled to visit several other star systems before returning to Earth. We will be in space for at least a year. It is not my policy to carry supernumerary passengers, who contribute nothing to the mission or the running of the ship. What this means is that you and your sister will have to work for your passage back home. The Chief will assign you to assist various members of the crew in their normal duties, until we can find out what you are best at.” 

The sisters looked at each other, concern on their faces.

“It's not that bad, ladies. I think you will like most of the things you'll learn. After all, how many young women get to help sail a starship?”

“We'd be part of the crew?” asked Dorri. 

The Captain nodded.

“What about their education, Captain?” Mizuki asked, slipping into an advocate's role for the two girls. 

“Thank you for mentioning that, Dr. Ogawa. We will need to ascertain where you are in your basic schooling. Then Dr. Ogawa and her staff will create courses of study for each of you.” 

“I know that they are both fluent in English, Arabic, and Farsi. I do not know about science or general literacy,” Mizuki replied. 

“We both can read quite well, Sir.” said Dorri, who was staying uncharacteristically quiet. 

“But we don't have a lot of schooling in science or mathematics.” Shadi looked embarrassed. 

“Well, your language skills speak well of your capacity to learn. I'm sure that you will pick up math and science skills quickly. You will have the personal attention of a number of scientific experts, right Dr. Ogawa?” 

“That is correct, Captain. In fact, the problem will be keeping my scientists from trying to turn Shadi and Dorri into full-time lab assistants.” Mizuki smiled to show that her statement was in jest, mostly. 

“So there you have it, ladies. You will be given a cabin together in the Goat Locker—I'm sorry, the senior enlisted quarters—and take your meals here in the main mess. I'll have one of the female crewmembers come and get you settled. 

“If you have any questions just ask anyone, or the ship's computer. Just say 'Peggy Sue' out loud and the ship will answer, right Peggy Sue?” 

“That is correct, Captain. I have already been introduced to Shadi and Dorri.” 

“Captain, can I ask a question?” said Shadi. 

“Of course.” 

“Dr. Ogawa told me that the Marine who saved my life was a woman, named Gunnery Sergeant Rosey Acuna. Could I meet her? I would like to thank her for what she did.” 

The Captain glanced in Mizuki's direction and then back at the young girl. His face grew serious.

“I'm afraid that is not possible, Shadi. You see, Rosey didn't make it back off the planet.”

“She got taken by the blackness? She died?”

“We don't know for sure—she was wearing heavy armor—but it is probable.”

“Oh!” Shadi held her hands over her mouth and tears welled in her eyes. “Why would she do that, she didn't even know me?”

“It's what Marine's do, protect the innocent. Now that we have all the survivors from the Fortune on board we will return to orbit and scan for her, but the chances of her surviving are not good. I'm sorry.”

Dorri took her sister's hand and gave it a squeeze. Sensing their sadness the butterflies turned nearly black, fluttering down to land on the girls. A few even landed on the Captain's wide shoulders.

“Thank you,” said Shadi, in a quiet voice, “for not lying to us.”

“I try not to lie to my crew. It tends only to make things worse in the long run.” 

After an awkward silence, Billy Ray spoke again.

“If you have any problems or you think someone is trying to take advantage of you tell Chief Zackly or the First Officer. The First Officer is the woman who brought you on board from the shuttle.”

“The tall African woman?” asked Shadi. 

“British actually, but yes.” 

“Is she really your wife?” asked Dorri. 

“Yes indeed. She is most definitely my wife, Dorri.” Billy Ray smiled as he said that, but his thoughts were more serious.
Now I need to go and talk to my wife about the loss of the Gunny.
“Anything else?” 

Receiving no further questions, the Captain nodded and left, headed for the lower deck and a rendezvous with his wife.

Chapter 29

Captain's Quarters, Peggy Sue

Billy Ray found Beth sitting on the edge of their bed, head down, her hands clasped before her. She did not look up as he approached. 

“You OK, hon?” 

Beth shook her head no. Billy Ray eased himself onto the bed next to her.

“You want to tell me what's eatin' at you?”

Again she shook her head no.

“I can guess. Yer tore up about losing the Gunny.”

“Is it that obvious?” Beth looked up and turned her head to face him.

“To me. Honey, we've lived together for more than a couple of years. I'd be a poor husband if I couldn't tell when something was on yer mind.”

“I lost her, Billy Ray. It was my mission. I was responsible and I lost her.”

“This is a dangerous business we're in, Beth. We've lost people every time we've left Earth. We lost people on the Space Mushroom...” Billy Ray hesitated for an instant, as emotional pain griped his heart. He remembered a woman with honey blond hair and cornflower blue eyes; the first woman he ever loved; the woman the ship he now captained was named after. Forcing his renegade emotions into the background he continued. “...we lost people in the Bug Queen's Palace. Several people were horribly wounded on Ring Station, and we lost whole ships full of people during the battle for the solar system.” 

Beth stared at her hands again and nodded yes, almost imperceptibly.

“You lost people when you commanded the corvette squadron, entire crews. Sweetheart, everyone knows the risks, and they choose to do it anyway.”

“It's not just that. I treated Rosey badly... and she didn't deserve it. I should have shown her more respect. Now she's gone, and I cannot make amends.” Silent tears ran down Beth's cheeks.

“I knew you had a burr under your saddle about her, but I figured it would work itself out over time.” 

“I think I disliked her because of her past, it reminded me too much of my own. Flitting from man to man, morale be damned.” 

“Yeah, well yer flitting days are over, lady. Besides, I don't think Rosey held it against you, you givin' her the cold shoulder. She was a Marine Gunnery Sergeant, she expected her officers to be hard-cases.” 

“I was still in the wrong.” 

“Sweetheart, I watched the video feed from your mission. Rosey chose to do what she did. She could have stayed on the ramp and let the black threads take the girl, but she didn't. She was a Marine, and she did what Marines do. She put herself in harm's way for the sake of others, in this case an innocent young girl.” 

“I still don't think I can forgive myself.” Beth leaned against her husband's shoulder. “Just hold me.” 

Billy Ray put his arm around her and did just that. Her sobs slowly grew more pronounced until they wracked her body.

Most of the crew thinks you are a stone cold bitch, my love. They don't know how much you care for your people, deep down inside. A good officer has to be strong, can't let emotion cloud their decisions, even if it hurts like hell afterward.

The tears passed. Beth sniffled and looked up at Billy Ray, her eyes red from crying. “I do so wish I could make it up to her, somehow.”

As Billy Ray searched for something to say to ease his wife's pain his comm pip chirped—a priority message for the Captain from the CIC.

Hills Above New Mecca

The flexibot descended the rocky hillside in a controlled tumble. Its sensors registered significant change in the area since it last passed that way. Gone was the Earth vegetation, the flock of sheep, and the colonists. This area now looked much like any other on the surface of the planet; dun-colored and sterile.

Optically scanning the surrounding terrain as it bounced and rolled, the survey robot detected a dark patch ahead. Drawing closer to the anomaly, it resolved into a roughly humanoid form—a large humanoid form. The object's surface looked worn and weathered, like the dark, lava encased figures found in the ruins of Pompeii. 

The robot edged closer, intent on taking a sample of the object's material. It detected a signal. A signal that invoked a new set of command protocols, instructions with overriding priority. The signal was an emergency beacon, weak and thready, that said there might be something alive inside the black figure sprawled on the barren hillside.

Rods and cables shifted, extending upward. The flexibot quickly identified the nearest satellite and began retransmitting the emergency signal. High overhead the signal was received, recognized and passed on, broadcast to any Earth ships in the star system. It eventually made its way to the attention of those on duty in the Peggy Sue's CIC, and from them to the ship's captain.

Crew Lounge, Lower Deck, Peggy Sue

The survivors from the Fortune were gathered in the crew lounge adjacent to the enlisted quarters. They had been interviewed by the grizzled old Chief who had extracted them from the escape pods, and several officers. As a result, they all were assigned duties under the supervision of existing crewmembers. This did not sit particularly well with all the survivors.