To The Stars (The Harry Irons Trilogy) (13 page)

Harry hated to admit it, but he agreed with Parker. The corporation would only finance that which had the potential to make money. As a result, the corporation would often overlook what was interesting in favor of that which was profitable. It was a subject that wasn't often broached by corporation personnel.

Harry looked up and saw Doris as she floated into the galley.

"I have some news. Edward has decided to send the shuttle to the surface, but first he wants to send a drone to the area where the radio signal originated. If all goes well, you three will take the shuttle with Edward."

"All right!" said Kathleen, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

"In the meantime, check the corporation inventory and get your gear together. Questions?"

"How long will it take for the drone to make its trip?"

"Bonner is preparing the package for the shot. We should be able to shoot in an hour, half hour or more for entry and landing. Then we'll see what we've got. I'm going back upstairs." Doris pulled herself through the hatch and disappeared up the corridor.

Kathleen turned to her companions. "This is where it gets good."

*

Forty-fives minutes later, the drone was on its way to the surface of the planet. Survey mapping had already revealed great oceans bordering three large continents. Two of the continents appeared to be entirely made of sand and rock. There was a considerable amount of volcanic activity. The other continent was similarly built, although even from orbit Fagen could see a large area covered with vegetation. It was from that area that they determined the radio signal originated.

The signal itself was not especially interesting, other than the fact that it was there. It emitted an unbroken pulse in the high frequency range, unmistakably a beacon of some sort. Oddly, it was the only organized radio source that could be found. Some discussion was held about that. Fagen listened to his crew as they voiced their opinions.

"Maybe it's natural," Nadine suggested. "Maybe..."

"Nah," argued Bonner, "it's too steady, too strong."

"We won't have to wait long to find out. The shot is dead on course and performing flawlessly."

As the drone dropped through the atmosphere, they got their first close look at Mia Culpa. As the robotic craft broke through a cloud, video cameras scanned the terrain and sent the pictures back to the Magellan. What they revealed were lush forests bordering a sandy coast. A mountain range limited the forest and a desert stretched toward the horizon in the other direction.

Nadine gasped. "Look at the size of those trees."

"They look like California redwoods, only bigger."

Doris checked her readouts and announced that the drone was in the final stages of braking.

"Where's it going to land?" Nadine leaned closer to the monitor. "I can't see anything but the tops of trees."

Bonner sat beside Nadine but only shrugged in response. No one else bothered to answer either. But it was a good question. As small as the drone was, it still needed a little room to land through the trees. The crew watched as the machine descended. In the monitor, the trees grew larger. They were huge, their branches stretched out until they intermingled with that of their neighbors, totally concealing whatever lay beneath.

The drone brushed through the first layers easily enough, but seconds later it hit something, leaned to one side and dropped, out of control, to the ground below. The concussion knocked out the video feed.

"Damn!" Bonner swore. "We lost the video. Let me try to re-calibrate the video controller." The engineer punched the keys at his terminal. The video display showed static and rolling lines, then suddenly began sending pictures again.

The pictures were cockeyed. Apparently, the drone had toppled to its side. Occasionally the picture was disrupted, but they managed to see what looked like a forest floor that could have been on earth. Nothing moved.

As they watched, a shadow passed as if a cloud moved overhead. Then something appeared from the side, something that flashed metallic, and then nothing. The video signal went dead and the monitors filled with static.

Bonner leaned back in his chair. "Well, that's all she wrote," he said, "we won't be getting any more pictures. It's dead."

Fagen considered what he'd seen. Finally he spoke to Doris. "Are the others ready?"

"They've been ready for hours."

"Have you located a suitable landing area?"

"I think so. I mean, it looks good from what I can tell."

Fagen nodded and thought for a moment. "All right then. Let's run the shuttle checks and prepare for departure."

*

Even with Fagen's help, it took another hour for Bonner and Doris to pre-flight the shuttle. Harry waited with Kathleen and Parker to be told to take his place. When Doris finally told them everything was ready, Kathleen suddenly went pale.

"Do you think this is safe?"

Harry looked deadpan at her. "Of course not."

Doris started clapping her hands and waving at them. "Let's go." Harry led the way with Kathleen close behind.

Fagen was already sitting at the pilot's controls when they entered. "Strap yourselves in," he instructed. "Doris?"

"Right here." The XO's voice came over a speaker.

"Sealing it up now." Fagen flipped a switch and the shuttle's exterior hatch closed. "Batteries on. De-pressurize the bay, please."

Harry heard the sound of escaping air.

Moments later, the shuttle bay doors opened exposing the darkness of space. The restraints were released and slowly, the craft began to move along its guide rails. Harry watched as the shuttle passed the open bay doors, and then they were floating, separate from the safe confines of the Magellan.

Harry and Kathleen sat together in the dark, behind and below Fagen and Parker. It was a smooth ride and the sky was filled with stars. Harry stared out the window until Kathleen took his hand in hers. He looked at her and she coyly winked.

"Harry, I don't think my headset is working right. Would you take a look at it?" She leaned forward. In so doing, her breast pressed into his shoulder. He blinked. A dark, star-filled night, a beautiful woman...

He leaned forward and flipped his mouthpiece out of the way. Doing the same with Kathleen's, he said, "Let's take a look."

Their lips pressed together. Harry could have lost himself in her; it was like a dream, it was like...

Suddenly, the sound of an electronic alarm filled the cabin, pushing the two young lovers apart. In the cockpit, Fagen studied the control console for a moment, then leaned forward and flipped a switch. The alarm stopped.

Kathleen was the first to ask the question. "What is it?"

Fagen looked at his keyboard and hit a series of keys. "Ah," he said, "looks like we've developed a problem in one of the turbolifters."

"Is it serious?"

"Not yet. I'll have to keep an eye on the fluid levels. I can maintain attitude by increasing the jet thrust. We're all right."

"Shouldn't we go back?"

"We've got no choice -- we're locked into our vector. Hold on, we're hitting atmosphere."

Parker leaned back in his seat; sweat popped out all along his brow.

"Starting descent," announced Fagen. Amid a growing rattle and shaking, the shuttle began to burn its way into the atmosphere. For a few, terrifying moments, flames crept up the outside windows. Kathleen held Harry's one hand in both of hers, squeezing it so hard, Harry winced. Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, they broke through and the rough ride smoothed out. They cruised through white, billowy clouds in a clear blue sky, losing altitude fast.

"Uh-oh," muttered Fagen.

Startled, Parker jumped. "What is it?"

"Hydraulic pressure to the turbolifter is dropping. We need to get down." Fagen steered the shuttle down until they were a hundred feet above the trees. The turbofans screamed under the mounting stress and the air streamed from underneath with an arrhythmic hiss.

Fagen turned the craft slightly to the left and slowed it to a gentle descent. Harry watched as Fagen somehow managed to avoid the giant branches and guided the shuttle into a tiny clearing between the trees. Just before it touched the ground, a loud pop issued forth.

Harry thought Parker was going to jump out of his seat. "Wonder what that was?"

Fagen switched the engines off, leaned back in his seat and took a deep breath. "I don't know. I'll check it out," he said. He took a look out his port.

Harry looked out as well. The forest looked like the forests he knew along the northern California coast. Big pines with redwood bark that spiraled up the trees and over the branches. Except that these were bigger than the biggest redwoods he'd ever seen.

Kathleen looked over his shoulder. "It's beautiful."

"The air's good, remarkably clean," commented Parker as he looked at the instruments.

"It better be," Fagen grumbled under his breath as he proceeded to the engine compartment, "we may be here awhile." He returned moments later and announced that indeed, one of the hydraulic lines was leaking.

"Fortunately, it's easy to repair. While I'm doing that, go on with your observations. When you deem it safe, we'll go outside."

Relieved of the shuttle's mechanical problems, Harry felt a rush of adrenaline. Kathleen looked at Harry and smiled broadly. Her excitement fairly streamed from her.

It was a momentous occasion and they all knew it, except for Fagen. He remained oddly detached, as if it had all happened before.

Chapter 12

Although the forests of Mia Culpa appeared serene, they teemed with life. Towering hundreds of feet into the air, the conifers created a green canopy that cast dark shadows even at the height of day. An occasional stray beam of light found its way down, illuminating paths made by the creatures who inhabited the sylvan environment.

Arai, perching precariously upon a branch fifty feet in the air, scanned the forest floor, watching for movement. Below, a portion of ground rippled and shifted as if something bored beneath the surface. The motion drew Arai's attention.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and clicked his tongue. The sound echoed through the still air. A moment later, the call was returned and the boy began his careful descent downward, feet, hands, and tail securely gripping the sides of the tree trunk. Before he reached bottom, he nimbly dropped to the forest floor and, as an animal might, he froze while he took a look around.

The hair that grew from his head was tied behind his neck with a length of rawhide and he was dressed in a loincloth fashioned from pelts. Similarly, his feet were covered by moccasins made from a tough animal skin. A belt around his waist secured leather pouches which held the habiliments of the young hunter. In his hands he held a small spear and draped over his shoulder was a long sling
shot. Apart from the fine fur that covered his body and the long, prehensile tail, he could have been taken for an Earthling.

A twig snapped and the boy disappeared behind a tree.

Moments later, Kretin stepped around a beam of light. He looked toward the tree where the boy had hidden. Moving silently, he circled to the opposite side, then, with a shout, he jumped behind the tree. The boy wasn't there.

Without warning, a net dropped from above. Caught, Kretin stumbled and fell to the ground. Clinging to the lower branches, Arai laughed at his older brother as he rolled on the ground in a wasted effort to disengage himself from the net.

As Arai jumped to the ground he spotted a full grown lagomorph burrowing into a pile of pine needles not twenty yards away. He stifled his laughter and took out his sling. Never taking his eyes from the mark, he slipped a smooth rock into its pouch, and began to swing the slingshot over his head. The slingshot whizzed in its arc. Arai crouched and let fly with the rock. Its path was sure and it struck the creature with terrific force, dropping it without a whimper.

Kretin, now untangled, tapped Arai on the arm. When the boy looked, Kretin looked past Arai as if something had caught his attention. Arai looked and Kretin sprang, tossing the net over his brother's head. Kretin ran to where the creature had fallen and lifted it by its long ears. Arai tossed off the net and began to chase his brother across the forest floor.

Kretin had the disadvantage of carrying the lagomorph but still he outdistanced Arai. That is, until he carelessly rounded a tree and nearly walked into the gaping jaws of a giant worm.

It had come to the surface in search of food and found Kretin. At such close range, the worm immediately picked up the young man's scent. It leaned in his direction, its jaw opening and closing in a sucking fashion. Kretin dropped the hare, jumped out of the way, and scrambled back against a nearby tree.

At that moment, Arai came around the tree. With a yell, he charged the worm, driving his spear deep into the swaying body. Spewing spittle and hot air, the worm hissed in pain and recoiled. Arai hung onto the spear shaft and it pulled out. With the tip, Arai teased the worm, and it responded by coming after him.