The Chairman of the meeting,
Brazilian Julio Gustavo, had difficulties to maintain order and to
reconcile different points of view. After more than two years of
exploration by scientists from all over the globe, the joint
research team had announced that everything is ready for building
the interstellar spaceship, based on the instructions from the
deep-space message. Such task should have brought nations together;
instead it fired quarrels over leadership, financing, number of
representatives, etc. Julio Gustavo clenched teeth. His task was to
assist the creation of the joint memorandum and, with the help of
God, he intended to do just that. Humanity had finally got the
opportunity to reach the stars and stand shoulder to shoulder with
other civilizations from the Universe. Such chance could not be
missed.
*****
Jean-Baptiste was proudly
standing in the large group of astronauts and selected scientists,
posing in front of cameras. He had a stylized Earth symbol and
small Swiss flag below it on his chest. He was the only one, but
important representative of that small country in the most
significant project in human history. It took eleven years, almost
half of his age, to build a spaceship according to alien
instructions. There were also additional investigations and
experimenting regarding the technology application, but finally the
proud of Earth constructors, spaceship ‘Humanity’, was in the orbit
around Earth and ready to sail to the stars.
Jean-Baptiste looked through
the window of the space station in which the crew was giving the
last interview before take-off. Only a segment of the globe and the
darkness of deep space were visible. Space that had always drawn
us. He slowly smiled. In less than 24 hours the crew of ‘Humanity’
would cross the Moon’s orbit, beating the current record in space
travels and adding thousands of light years to it afterwards.
*****
Fred Watkins, captain of
spaceship ‘Humanity’, was intently staring at the large screen
covering the whole front wall of the command center. The room was
silent, except the low hum of air-conditioning. ‘Everything looks
so much more exciting in old movies about space exploration’,
thought Fred. After several months they finally arrived near the
spot whose coordinates were received years ago on Earth in the deep
space message, the only one until today. Screen showed a medium
size planet rotating in front of the spaceship, brown, unsightly,
lit by the distant sun from the left side. Captain was aware that
all crew was in observing decks, looking at the same scene and
listening to his voice, “Well, here we are. However unlikely, we
have entered the history as first people that have reached another
solar system in our galaxy!”
He looked sideways to the right
at his first officer, Irini, and then to the opposite side where Yu
was sitting, his second officer, “In the name of USA, Russia, China
and other countries of the Earth, I congratulate all members of the
crew on successful cooperation during this mission so far. Have we
located the ultimate target?” Irini made a gesture with her right
hand and a red square appeared in the upper right screen area.
Another gesture activated zoom and the selected detail spread over
the whole screen, “Looks like satellite, artificial, size about one
eight of our Moon.” Picture was showing a number of objects, some
resembling spaceships of various types and sizes, moving in
different directions around the satellite, landing and taking
off.
Captain
slightly frowned. Everything was going fine until now; it was time
to put the communication instructions from the message to the test.
He turned to the second officer, “Mister Yu, please coordinate the
transmission of access code in obtained frequencies. Inform me
immediately about any response.” Then he addressed the first
officer, “Miss Irini, please initiate the planned docking course
and keep an eye on the autopilot. Execute emergency stop if any
problem or deviation occurs.” Captain set back in his chair and
looked intensely at the growing picture of the satellite on the
screen as they slowly approached and orders echoed around the
command center.
*****
Several
scientists, chief engineer, ship’s psychiatrist and second officer,
all in light spacesuits, had been quarrelling for almost five
minutes when Captain finally intervened. Near by was patiently
standing a being with humanoid characteristics in its appearance,
if one neglects the absence of visible eyes; a combination of arms,
tentacles and claws; three pillar-legs resembling elephant and
similar details. Captain emitted a loud whistle through
communication systems in all spacesuits and everyone turned to him
after a few seconds of confusion. Captain grinned, “Is someone
going to inform me what the hell is going on?” After a brief
staring at one another, one of the scientists responded, “We had
many difficulties in achieving communication. There is no
possibility to establish here any diplomatic relations with other
intelligent species. We were told to go to ‘Intergalactic
Administrative Centre’, or something with the similar name, to the
department for ‘unresolved issues’… There is only a small
problem…”
Captain
rolled his eyes, “Yes?” Scientist was shifting from one foot to the
other, “They gave us new coordinates that are… a quarter of the
galaxy further on!” Captain was just blinking for a few seconds,
“Are you sure you understood them well?” Second scientists
intervened, “Absolutely!” Captain turned to the chief engineer, “Is
that technically feasible?” Chief engineer readily nodded, “Quite.
This being is obviously one of the main engineers on this station
and, besides other help, it will install propulsion booster on our
spaceship that would allow for 3.17 times higher travelling speed.”
Captain indifferently looked at the direction of engineer’s
stretched arm that was pointing to the fairly large box the being
held under one tentacle, “Fine. Thank them and let’s go back to the
ship to work out the details.”
*****
Spaceship
‘Humanity’ was slowly going away from the station. Captain glanced
around the command center. With content he observed smiles on all
faces. Both crew and scientists were equally delighted with the
success of the mission so far and enthusiastic about the
continuation of the adventure. First officer’s voice rose above
others, “Captain, the report for Earth has been sent. We are ready
to proceed.” Silence fell around the command center. Captain
straightened up in his chare, “Full speed ahead!” With a smile he
added for himself, ‘I always wanted to say that.’ Spaceship’s
acceleration could not be felt inside; only the main screen gave an
indication of movement, provoking applause from the crew. Earth
would certainly be proud when hearing how the representatives of
humanity strode further across the galaxy.
*****
The being was sitting in its
place in the space station when the boss called through the
telepathic communicator, “What happened with those last visitors?”
Continuing its work, the being replied, “Some backward creatures,
obvious got lost. They claimed to have heard our broadcast and
dropped by.”
The boss sent furious
telepathic waves, “Again! And what did you do with them, since I
presume they did not have any universal currency to pay for
service?” The being calmly replied, “Of course they didn’t have
any. I sent them to the information office to tell them what to do
next.”
After a few seconds the boss
continued, “Perhaps you should have contacted the office and make
the inquiry? Will they manage the trip? I wouldn’t want us to get
accused by the Society for Protection of Undeveloped Species for
mistreating a bunch of creatures!” This time the being stopped
working, “Do you want me to repair until tomorrow this
hyper-transient pseudo-propulsion or not? The guy from Aldebaran
will come looking for me, not you. Besides, are you going to cover
my lost work hours when I get paid?”
This time the waves the boss
sent were apologetic, “OK, got it. I am only worried that the
Intergalactic Police might catch them and fine us as well…” The
being interrupted, “Don’t worry, I gave them one of those free
advertising units for boosting old hyper-propulsion as theirs.
Luckily we still support such old junk. It will certainly hold
until they reach the intergalactic office, perhaps a lot more.
Afterwards they should go to someone for service.”
The boss’s telepathy radiated
delight, “Excellent, you did everything great. No wonder I always
say you are our best mechanic… by the way, remind me to call
tomorrow ‘The Best Galactic Advertising Agency’ and cancel the
advertisement for upgrade of old interstellar propulsion systems.
We attract poor and broke creatures from around the galaxy like
moths to a flame… Those guys before were the third this month!”
###
Bane Bond
(pen name) is a
Research Associate in the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA),
Greece, and in the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA),
with scientific and research participation in many European
projects, international conferences and papers from 1994 until
today. The book
Cloud
Whale
is his first attempt in the area of
fiction.
His
background includes over 20 years of experience in IT, especially
GIS, CAD, computer control and measurement systems, programming and
software development, 3D modelling, databases etc. He has
successfully applied IT in many different areas, for example
in
the Development of Water Resource
Management Systems and Tools, Urban Sewage System Modelling,
Modelling of Processes, Public Participation, Expert Systems and
various complex designs.
Before
joining AUA and NTUA he was a Researcher at the Faculty of
Mec
hanical Engineering in Belgrade,
Serbia, for five years and in tandem worked as a trainer and
software developer for AutoCAD and Advanced programming in the
Institute for Nuclear Sciences "Vinca" in Belgrade.
During his
career he has also been a scientific consultant and a team member
actively involved in numerous independent projects in Europe,
including Russia, Africa and Latin America. He is a full member of
the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), the Technical Chamber of
Serbia and of the European Water Resources Association
(EWRA).
Useful links
and information about
available books and
the author can be found in the
http://CloudWhaleAlpha.eu