The giant planet had been expanding across the horizon for weeks, its broiling atmosphere, gaseous bands, and brown and yellow colours vivid in the crystal transparency of space. There was a raw beauty in its overwhelming size but it was the third moon, Thea, that held the hopes, fears, and ambitions of crew and passengers.
I am Steven Carpenter the master rigger and captain of this solar starship the Vagabond. My job is to work the giant carbon sails that use the Sun’s light to propel us to our destination. I have three crew. Our navigator and radio operator Miranda Styles keeps us on course and works the quantum coupling radio that allows us, from time to time, instantaneous communication across the light years of space. My engineer, Chris Cooper, whose Bussard ramjet gathers raw hydrogen from interstellar space to push the Mayflower further and faster as the light of the Sun diminishes. And finally, the ship’s doctor Karen Olsen who looks after our three-hundred passengers in their suspended dreamless journey.
It has taken us fifteen years to reach our new star and home. Unlike the passengers, for whom no time had passed, we the crew have moved at amazing velocities and have grown to love the diamond starlight as it drifts slowly past our ship. The Sun is now one point of light among many and the Earth is invisible.
“A royal flush in spades,” cried Karen excitedly. “The only royal flush in all the time we have been on this god-forsaken ship. In just a few more days we wake the passengers and take the shuttle to Thea. You’re sure the shuttle’s in working order after all this time Chris?”
I saw Chris suppress his annoyance. “You know as well as I that the shuttle’s been checked from top to bottom by Steve and me. It’s fine.”
“Ok. Just checking. Keep your hair on Chris,” Karen smiled, looking at Chris’s bald pate.
I looked over at Miranda with a resigned expression. “Let’s get on with the game children before it all ends in tears.”
Karen turned her now fixed smile to me and said, “It’ll be interesting Captain when I wake Miranda’s husband and he finds out what you and she have been up to this last few years.”
Miranda visibly tensed and was about to tear into Karen.
I said, “That’s enough Karen. We’ll sort out any problems without your interference. Just try to keep your acid tongue to yourself for the last few days.”
“Piss off Captain,” she said.
We all laughed and played another hand of poker. The psychologists had been right when they assessed us back on Earth. We got along just fine.
As I lay in bed with Miranda I could sense she was still awake.
“What will we do when Martin wakes up?” she whispered.
I’d been putting this off and inwardly thanked the acid-tongued Karen for bringing it up.
Miranda added, “I’ve aged fifteen years while Martin’s been sleeping. I’ve lived in the space between the stars and it’s changed me. It’s changed us all. You realise that don’t you Steve?
“Of course I do, my sweet. Martin will just have to come to terms with it. What did he expect anyway? To be honest, I’m more concerned with how our bodies will cope with Thea’s gravity. It’s ok for the passengers. Their bodies are unchanged. We’ve been living in zero gravity for years and it’s going to hurt, despite the drugs and exercise.”
“Your body’s coping very well,” murmured Miranda as we snuggled closer together and made love in the weightless privacy of our small cabin. We were small in the vastness of space but our journey had made us feel like gods.
The next week was busy. It was Karen’s time to take the lead and Miranda’s time to make peace with Martin. The care of the passengers had been first class and there were no casualties. Importantly, the shuttle pilots were in good physical and neurological order despite their long sleep. Thea checked out. It was a green and blue fertile moon. A perfect cradle for humans with technology, determined not to make the mistakes of their cousins on Earth.
Miranda reported great elation on Earth at the success of our mission. Our Earth station had lost contact with only one of the twenty exo-planet colonising expeditions. She spent much of her time coaxing the quantum coupling radio into working providing comfort and reassurance to passengers as they contacted their friends and families. They crew was visibly tired as I ushered them into my cramped Captain’s quarters.
“I’d like to thank you all for your efforts and putting up with me as captain. Our job may be over but the coloniser’s work is about to begin. I have one last official duty as captain before we relinquish our roles and become part of the bigger team.”
“Get on with it captain. We haven’t got all day,” said Karen.
I opened my safe and took out a sealed envelope.
“Last orders from Earth, to be opened in the event of a successful mission.” I had their attention.
A minute later there was silence. Even Karen was lost for words as we looked at each other aghast.
Finally, I said, “It’s got to be me. A doctor, engineer, and navigator will be of more use to the colony than a master rigger with no craft to sail.”
“I’m staying with you,” said Miranda tearfully.
“Who do they think they are,” said Karen with Chris nodding in agreement. “They expect one of us to stay up here providing a fail-safe link to Earth to report on the colony. They’re nine light years away.
What right have they to be giving us orders?”
“We wouldn’t be here without them and we’d all be dying slowly as the Earth heats up. We owe them something,” said Chris.
“It’s the colony that owes them,” added Karen.
“I don’t believe it. Another royal flush,” exclaimed Karen
“It’s all in the nature of probability and the 73 bus. You wait for one for ages and along come two. Incidentally, the Vagabond’s good for at least another hundred years barring accidents,” said Chris.
“The colony’s fine. Thea is a beautiful home. We’ve given them three months,” said Karen.
“It’s time for the master rigger and captain to set sail. I’ve plotted our course,” said Miranda.
We toasted the Vagabond, the endless seas of space, and our fellow rovers contemplating quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
With thanks to John Masefield
©Steve Luckham
16th February 2012
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