Teardrops In The Night Sky (Steven Gordon series) (19 page)

Howe wasn’t pleased, ‘maybe we had better go back to using our own weapons.’

It was Cookie who provided a solution as he voiced his opinion, ‘what do we need all this firepower for anyway.  Ok it’s great knowing we have it but do we really want to go in there blazing away, knocking down buildings and killing everyone in sight.  I don’t know what this green stuff is but it certainly isn’t solid shot.  It’s more some kind of energy, right.  So why can’t we just crank the power down so it only stuns, and if we need to knock a wall down then crank it back up again.’ 

It was a good idea and everyone realised it, but Howe shrugged, ‘I have no idea if we can do that.’

Steven stepped in, ‘we’re here to discover what our offensive capability are Colonel.  I like that idea so I suggest you go back to the drawing board and find a better test sight.’

‘I’ll get right on it sir.’

‘Excellent and I will admit I do like these weapons.  An excellent first try Colonel.’

‘Thank you sir.’

Chapter 32

S
teven found the doctor in her new sick bay.  Her eyes gleamed with enthusiasm as she pottered about making it her own and discussing her trade with the ship.  She had already shed her bulky uniform for one of theirs and Steven couldn’t help but notice her good looks.  He also noticed she wore no rings.

‘Hi how are you settling in?’

She almost jumped in surprise, ‘oh sorry I didn’t hear you come in.  This ship is great and the people are really smart.  I think I’m going to like it here.’

‘I certainly hope you do.  Em! There is one thing we haven’t told you yet.  Not only is this a job for life but it will also considerably lengthen your lifespan.’

‘By how much?’

Steven shrugged, ‘we’re not sure yet, maybe twice or three times its normal length.’

‘Will we still age at the same rate?’

‘No I don’t think so.  That’s one of the answers I’d like you to research for us.  There is also something else I would like you to do first.  The ship can produce complicated chemicals.  Some of which can induce sleep.  I want you to help her to produce something that will knock out people quickly and safely.  You’re aware that we’re going to try and rescue my father?’

‘Yes sir I was given a full briefing by the Prime Minister.’

‘We are going to be walking into a trap.  There are armed men on every floor and realistically we stand no chance of success.  However I want you to produce some form of gas that we can deliver directly into the building before we assault it.’

‘You want to try and knock the opposition out before you go in, literally?’

‘That’s right.’

‘That could be very dangerous, from a medical point of view.’

‘My intentions aren’t only to save my father Doctor but to save as many lives as possible.  The soldiers we have on board this ship are probably the world’s best and even though they are heavily outnumbered, they will cause a lot of casualties amongst their opposition.

The energy weapon the Colonel has developed since coming on board is a very frightening piece of kit.  I just saw it punch a hole through a ten-meter chunk of granite.  Can you imagine what that would do to a tank let alone a man?

At this moment they are trying to reduce the power of the weapon so it will only stun, but if they are hard pressed I have no doubt they will crank the power back up to maximum and they will probably do it without conscious thought.

I want to avoid that.  Hopefully the ship will have something a lot more advanced than we have on Earth and something that will be a lot safer.  If you two can work out how much we will need and in what dose, I will work on a safe delivery system.’

‘I will do my best sir.’

‘Thank you.’

He left her to get on with it and hoped she would find something soon, but h
e was still left with a problem; how the hell did he deliver on site enough gas to knock out an entire prison.  He also had to hope that his opposition didn’t have gas masks.  However knowing the type of men that opposed them he realised that it was a vain hope.  Surprise was going to have to be his main weapon.

He went round the whole ship answering questions and settling arguments on policy or science.  It was while talking to all the different personnel now on board that he began to realise he had more in common with the soldiers on board than the scientists and felt easier in their company.

He pondered on that question for a while.  The scientists were all brilliant men and women, the best in their field in most cases.  However some seemed reluctant to accept the evidence sat before them. 

As a young man he had been leagues ahead of these people and even though his career had ended before it had really began, he had left proven theories behind.  Unfortunately most of those seemed to have been trashed over the years.

Sadness began to creep into his soul, for in his short time aboard he had already proven those theories to be correct.  He went back to the bridge.

‘Excuse me Mr. Barns I need to put something on to your website.’

The scientist gave up his chair, ‘just type whatever it is here sir and I’ll see to it.’

‘Thank you.’

Steven sat and began typing out a number of theories and adding a few questions.  Haley came over and watched over his shoulder.  She snorted, ‘that’s a lot of rubbish.’

Steven went still for a second then slowly turned to her, ‘that is a basic formula, one needed to calculate distance between stars and heavenly bodies corre
ctly.  It is the first steppingstone towards intergalactic space travel.  If you don’t recognise that Haley or are unwilling to then you’re going to be nothing more around here than a lifelong passenger.  Or at best an interesting diversion to those men who are hormonally inclined.’

Her face flushed a vivid red, ‘I …I …I.’

Doctor Barns tried to come to her rescue, ‘captain these theories of yours have been disproved for years.’

Steven turned to him, ‘By whom?’

He blanched at the cold look in his eyes, ‘I’m … not sure.’

‘Let me assure you
Doctor that everyone of these theories are correct.  Look about you, do you actually realise what you’re travelling in?’ The Doctor looked but never answered.  ‘This is a ship that has travelled between the stars, didn’t it ever occur to you to even ask her if any these theories were correct?  Or even if the ones you subscribe to were correct?’

The
Doctor looked seriously embarrassed, ‘no it didn’t.’

‘Then I would advise you to do so and quickly.  I have no wish to spend the rest of my life with colleagues who can’t even be bothered to check out the fundamentals or are too small minded to accept that their antiquated ideas may be wrong.’

He stood up, ‘now I want this questionnaire uploaded to the Internet and I want to be informed immediately if anyone answers those questions correctly.’

He retired to his quarters.  It wasn’t long before Buzz appeared with a lopsided grin on his face, ‘I hear you’ve been giving it tight to the scientists.’

Steven sighed in exasperation, ‘been getting your ear bent have you?’

‘A little; I know you’re under a lot of strain just now Stevie but you’re going to have to ease up on them a little.’

Steven was feeling frustrated, ‘they haven’t even bothered checking up on the fundamentals Buzz.  Since I’ve got here I’ve spent every spare minute I can checking theories and equations, learning new stuff.  Some of it is just mind blowing.  Most of them have done very little but sit about staring at the walls.  Christ the soldiers have done twice as much.’

‘The soldiers are different Stevie they have direction.  They know what they’re doing here, the scientists don’t.  You’ve spent more time with the soldiers than you have with them.’

Steven shrugged, ‘I seem to be able to communicate with them better and feel more comfortable around them.’

‘Of course you do.  You know where you stand with them.  They have been able to accept your authority with a lot more ease, but that isn’t surprising.  Soldiers are used to taking orders.  They know you’re a lot smarter than they are and just accept that you know what you’re doing.’

Steven waved a hand, ‘I’m not smarter than them or you Buzz, just a different type of smart.’

Buzz shook his head, ‘oh no my friend you are a lot smarter and the soldiers are smart enough to realise that.  They also realise you have their best interests at heart, neither are you frightened of giving unpleasant orders.  They’ve found that you will listen to them before making an informed decision, but once you’ve made that decision you aren’t frightened of seeing it through to an unpleasant end like the Sales affair.

You give them the freedom to make their own plans and execute them in manner that gives them the advantage in a battle situation, but you have always set the parameters in which they have to operate and in a manner that they can live with. 

The soldiers are also used to working as part of a team.  They have accepted you as part of that team, something you should be proud of, but their lives haven’t changed all that much.  They are still surrounded by their friends.

They signed on for action and adventure and their getting it by the bucket full.  They have dived in to everything head first.  They have already set up their own lecture room and they have their armoury where they can invent their own weapons.  They are in their own comfort zone Stevie and couldn’t be happier.

The scientists have none of that.  They have no real friends they can turn to for advice or help.  They are finding it hard to accept the ship is more than one big computer that can do everything.  So some are asking why they are really here. 

They aren’t learning anything because they don’t know what it is they are supposed to learn.  They are feeling lost and lonely.  Their families and mentors are thousands of miles away.  They haven’t learned to trust one another yet.  They never expected to go flying off into outer space when they first began their careers. 

Yes they all volunteered to come on board, but they haven’t the adventurous spirit the soldiers have, and for th
at they should all be commended.  But now they are beginning to get a little frightened and maybe even a little jealous of the attention the soldiers are getting.

I can’t remedy that situation my friend only you can.  You are the only man here qualified to guide them in the direction you want them to go.  You have to become the bridge between the two units on board.  You have to teach the soldiers to accept the scientists into their ranks and teach the scientists how to trust the soldiers.’

Steven felt a wave of guilt wash over him, ‘if I ever tell me your stupid again my friend, I’m going to deck you.’

Buzz burst out laughing, ‘hey what can I say.’

Steven found his smile again, ‘thanks Buzz I needed to be told that, but I shouldn’t have.’

‘Hey don’t knock yourself out Stevie, that’s what I’m here for.  Or I hope that’s what I’m here for.’

Steven laughed, ‘hell even I don’t know what you’re here for, but whatever it is you’re doing a damn fine job.  Thanks Buzz.’

Buzz stood, ‘I’m gonna go check on some things, I’ll see you later.’

‘Later dude.’

Steven took a deep breath gathered his courage and went back on to the bridge.  He stood beside his chair where he was being studiously ignored by all the scientists, ‘
Doctor Barns, Hailey.’

He could see Hailey had been crying, her eyes red rimmed,
Doctor Barns were cold and distant.

‘I would like to apologise for my earlier comments they were unwarranted.  I am under a lot of strain just now but I don’t believe that excuses my behaviour.

Once we have freed my father, if we are successful, we are all going to have to sit down and learn again.  I am setting aside a large section of the upper deck for scientific endeavour.  The forward part of the ship directly above the bridge will be reserved for stellar cartography and I would like you to take charge of that Haley.

We are blessed with a ship that can do almost everything itself, but those who follow won’t have that blessing.  The ships that follow these into space won’t have anywhere near the technical abilities.  So we are going to have to lead the way.  We are going to have to go back to school and discover how to do things the old fashioned way, so we can pass that information on.

That I believe will be the main task that that lies ahead of us and I will need the support of every one of you to do it.  I will take classes every day to bring everyone up to speed but many on board are specialists.  It will be up to them to research their own subjects and make it available to everyone.

These first few weeks are going to be the hardest, but please just have a little patience with me and I will
endeavour to have a little more patience with you.’

He left the scientists a little more mollified and went to find Buzz.  He found him sitting alone in the canteen pouring over some figures.

He looked up as Steven approached, ‘hey dude what's up?’

Steven sat down, ‘just spent the last five minutes grovelling and apologising.  What are you doing?’

‘Calculating how long our stores are going to last.  If you want a coffee you had better grab one now.’

‘That bad?’

‘Getting that way.  We have plenty of water and grass, but that’s about it.  About a day and a half’s worth.’

‘We still have grass on board, why?’

‘Because no one’s told her to dump it.’

‘Babe are you listening?’

‘Yes my heart.’

‘Can you dump all that grass your carrying around with us?’

‘Even the rare types?’

‘We can’t eat it.’

‘Of course my heart.  Where would you like me to dump it?’

‘Wher
ever is convenient.’

‘It would not be advisable to dump it here my heart.  It would only pollute the surface of the Moon.  Neither can we eject it into space where it could constitute a hazard.  That is against the Driestate space treaty.’

Steven looked at Buzz who only shrugged.  Steven mirrored his actions, ‘that’s something else we’re going to have to investigate.  What do you suggest we do with it all Babe?’