Ilika, Boro, and a strong reptile from the mining station quickly unloaded the cartons and canisters from the back of the passenger area. Everyone else stretched their legs or wings in the station’s small common area, then waved good-bye.
Sata took longer than usual to prepare herself for star transit. She knew from her charts that they were going into deep, dark interstellar space.
After the star transit, the crew made sure all systems were stable, and verified that absolutely nothing was out there for several light-minutes in all directions. At K’storpo’s request, everyone gathered at the large table. Ilika remained on-duty at the steward’s station, and Kibi put bowls of nuts and worms on the table.
The exact location of their first destination, K’storpo explained, was not known. The huge ship had last been seen about a hundred years before, but for reasons known only to Kerloran and Melorania, a mission to investigate had not been requested until now. He picked up a worm and took it apart with his mandibles to indicate he was done speaking.
T’shlix presented what was known about the mysterious ship’s speed and direction, but emphasized that the numbers were just rough guesses. He also mentioned some dark planets in the interstellar void that could have affected the ship’s course. Feeling brave, he tried one of the nuts, but quickly spat it out into his claw.
NEBADOR Book Seven: The Local Universe 12
Kibi smiled and handed him a towel from the galley.
Sata began squirming, so K’storpo pointed at her.
“I’ve looked at the dark planets on the charts, but don’t know enough about the ship’s course to make any calculations yet. There are three or four that could have given it a tug and sent it in a different direction . . . unless it was using engines to compensate.”
“Kerloran believes it is adrift,” the mantis shared, “although he did not say that about the other two ships coming along behind.”
“Sata,” Ilika began, “you will be in charge of the search pattern. Work with T’shlix, Boro, and Rini. Careful with fuel, and Rini has the difficult task of spotting a ship that is large, but has probably gone as dark as those interstellar planets.”
“How large?” the slender, freckled lad asked.
“From what we know,” T’shlix replied, “nearly the size of a star station.”
Rini whistled in amazement.
Considering the length of the mission, Ilika allowed his passengers to use the lower deck. Kibi spread out games and toys on the tables. All six Ti’ias were soon enjoying a board game, with pieces moving almost faster than Kibi could follow. M’palta, the biologist, had no part to play in this phase of the mission, so she and the female beetle got comfortable, at a much more leisurely pace, with another game.
When she returned to the upper deck, Kibi noticed that M’palta’s mate was on the long bench at the back of the passenger area, reading something on a knowledge pad.
At the big table, Sata struggled with the fact that she was in charge of the search, when everyone else was older than her, and three were long-time Nebador citizens. She quickly discovered that K’storpo, T’shlix, and Ilika would each share what they knew, but no one was going to do her job for her.
“So . . . since Rini thinks we can only spot this thing within seven light-minutes,” the twelve-year-old navigator began, “that means our search paths have to be sixteen light-minutes apart. I think we should make it fifteen, just to be careful.” She looked up from her knowledge pad at those older and wiser.
NEBADOR Book Seven: The Local Universe 13
All three nodded their acceptance. Rini smiled.
K’storpo watched as Sata the monkey-mammal navigator took on her new assignment. He knew of search patterns that were more efficient, but no one claimed to know how to find the huge, dark ship that was supposedly out there, in interstellar space, somewhere. A random hunch might work just as well as an elegant mathematical solution. He sensed that the mystery entwined in the process added an air of excitement for both crew and mission specialists.
Duty shifts came and went. Sata plotted search patterns. Mati approved them, then let Manessa take over and went back to reading, games, or helping in the galley.
Rini kept an eye on his sensors as they peered seven or more light-minutes into space in every direction, looking for something dark and probably lifeless in the blackness of interstellar space. He knew Manessa would announce even an interesting grain of sand, but he liked to search through his console options for any useful tools he had missed.
About once a ship-day, he, Ilika, and K’storpo conferred, but no one could think of any tricks they weren’t already using.
With nothing but the ion drive sipping tiny amounts of fuel, Boro, with Ilika’s blessing, disappeared into the engineering ring to take apart and put back together whichever engine caught his eye that day. Often Sata joined him, handing him tools but remembering that Boro didn’t like much chatter while he worked. Sometimes T’shlix, or M’palta’s mate, declared they were bored and begged to watch.
Manessa was always available when Boro couldn’t remember a step, and helped him test the finished product.
After two entire Satamia days had passed, the air of excitement began to wane. The entire group of six crew members, four specialists, and seven other family members, all settled into routines that had little or nothing to do with the huge object they were seeking. Entire ship-days passed when Rini was the only one who even glanced at the watch station.
M’palta and Kibi entered into a pact. Arachnid would teach human how to
NEBADOR Book Seven: The Local Universe 14
make meals for insects that were much more interesting than the pre-packaged stuff, and in return, Kibi would reveal how to change a pile of coarse, fibrous vegetables into something called a stew. Sata and the female beetle quickly joined.
The entire group was enjoying a meal made by Sata and M’palta when the ship’s gentle voice was heard. “Large, dark object detected.”