Chapter 9
Community in Space
Life continued on The Return and people were falling into a daily routine, it seemed that the starting of Sunday services had the effect of designating the week, and separating one week from the next. Blake became more and more involved in administering the ship's community and as a result decided to set up a parliament, of sorts, with elected representatives. Josh reduced the bridge crew down to two at any one time, there was little to do other than to stand watch. Gradually the farming community started to produce fresh food for the populace, all of the people involved in agriculture were amazed at how quickly crops grew here, with wheat seeds being ready for harvest in just three weeks. Root vegetables, carrots, beetroot, parsnips and potatoes, grew in just two weeks. It had been decided that the only meat allowed on the ship would be chicken meat other than frozen supplies that had been stock-piled; beef, lamb and other red meats would not be allowed. Eggs incubated in just ten days, and the chicken seemed to mature in just a few months, if it continued at its present rate. There were representatives of most domestic and farm animals on board, just as there were specimens of many other species in the zoo, which had been named 'The Ark'. A group of enterprising farmers had decided to grow Soya and had set up a processing plant producing Soya textured meat products. These had become very popular and more processing plants were being set up in other zones. Ed said that he couldn't tell the difference between one of these Soya beef burgers and a MacDonald's, few would go that far.
Every kind of industry had been set up, from engineering workshops and production facilities to plastic moulders, clothing manufacturers, food processors and many more industries. At Blake's suggestion they had found a master printer who had brought some printing machines on board, the word went out for volunteer reporters, and anyone with newspaper experience or photography experience, several hundred people replied, covering over thirty languages. The newspaper was well received, even if the news was never earth-shattering, crop figures, the attendance at Sunday's services, interviews with once famous people that were no onboard, sports reports and of course the inevitable 'local hero'. Still it was a start that may develop over, who knew how many years. Jo and Blake’s son Paul had been overjoyed to join Ed's team, Ed had once lectured his second year class at university and had left an impression. Medical centres had been set up across the ship and Donald had taken up his duties as a doctor, but so far had only acted as a first-aider, other doctors and surgeons were left to look after those with more serious pre-existing conditions.
After some three months into the voyage it was decided to hold a memorial service for all the billions that had lost their lives when the Earth was destroyed and the word when out. People were asked to bring any pictures they had of the people, who had become known as 'The Lost', and it was arranged to hold services in different languages, denominations and faiths. The big surprise came, and at the same time the first hint emerged, when no one could find any leaders of other faiths, other than a group in Messianic Judaism. Further enquiries found not one follower of any other faith system, other than Christian, either attending or free faith. A group was formed to look at the issue, which Jo headed up, in the end the group decided that after two weeks of discussion and consideration that, the ship, or aliens, had purely chosen people who's character matched those of Christianity. Any other consideration was unthinkable, as it was not what was expected spiritually. Blake told Jo that,”It certainly explains the lack of problems and the feeling of unity on the ship, and that we thought was 'survivor syndrome'.”
After two years of denying any romantic entanglement, Charlie and Laura, finally admitted that they were together, and an item. Laura approached Blake one day and asked if they could get married, Blake's jaw dropped and then he burst out in laughter. “What's so funny,” asked Laura.
“You and Charlie have been denying this for what three years,” said Blake, “and everyone knew that you two were together, and now your face tells me that you expect me to be shocked.”
“Yes but there’s been no . . . well funny business going on between us,” said Laura.
“I know that, you live apart and behave impeccable, there has never been one finger pointing at you the whole time, you both deserve a medal,” said Blake.
“Can we organise something please Blake,”
“Sure we can, and I think the ship could do with some diversion,” said Blake, “two years are a long time to be cooped up in a ship, as big and as comfortable as it is.”
“Charlie would enjoy a big function, he loves being the centre of attention.”
“OK, leave it with me, I'll get going on this and enlist Jo, she'll love to arrange a wedding.”
The following day Blake had received a visit from Owen Williams, Ed's Welsh pastor, Blake assumed that he had come to discuss the wedding, but he noticed a worried expression on Owens’s face. “Take a seat Owen, what can I do for you,” Blake asked.
“I think we have made a mistake,” Owen said.
“What mistake is that?”
“Way back, when we started the services, we were all a little confused as to what day it was,” explained Owen.
“I remember, and we decided that we would go by Josh's military standard chronograph.”
“Yes, that's right,” said Owen, “only, when I arranged the first service in the Spire, I used my own watch see. I have just been talking to the Captain and I happened to notice his watch, it said it was Friday today and mine says Saturday.”
“So we've been holding services on a Saturday and not Sundays,” said Blake, “no wonder our Jewish Christian friends have been so happy,” Blake smiled.
“This wedding was supposed to be on a Saturday, so I'm going to set it for a Friday, if you're happy with that?”
“It's fine by me,” said Blake.
“Now, do you wish me to change the day for the services,” asked Owen.
“Gracious, no,” responded Blake immediately, “I don't want to cause any disruption.” Blake thought about it for several seconds and Owen was about to rise from the chair when Blake started talking again. “You know Owen, I have always had thse niggles at the back of my mind that Sunday was the wrong day for us Christians to worship.”
“Really,” said Owen as he sank back onto the chair, “we celebrate on a Sunday because we remember Jesus' resurrection on that day.”
“I know that, but God gave a command, the very first command He gave in fact, that we should keep the seventh day holy for all time,” explained Blake. “I know Jesus observed the seventh day, as did His followers for over three-hundred years, I just got this feeling that Sunday's are wrong, somehow pagan.”
“I can't say I agree with you, but if you want to keep going with Saturday services, I'll just carry on and say nothing,” agreed Owen, as he stood up, he shook Blake's hand and left, deep in thought.
Blake was also deep in thought, he wondered if this had attributed to the good feeling on the ship, were they actually obeying God, even unbeknownst, and that was why the contentment had spread throughout this multiracial society.
A month later and the whole of the ship has wedding fever, Blake thought it was like a royal wedding back in England, 'I wonder what happened to King Charles,' he wondered, 'haven't seen him'. The wedding was to be performed by Josh, as captain of the ship, and the ceremony was to be televised ship-wide. The wedding day was here, a Friday, and a ship's holiday had been announced, parties had been arranged in every zone and special dishes were prepared for the biggest wedding breakfast in human history. Blake had been give the job of giving Laura away and Ed had taken on the role of best man, the 'girls' with whom Laura had befriended, were to be her bridesmaids, and here they were all dressed up to the nines and ready for the big production. The venue was to be the spire where they attended church on Saturdays, just one of many spires in every zone, but this one was special. Charlie and Laura were regarded as special also, they were after all a part of the team who prepared the ship and got it running, and figured out the languages and systems, they were a prince and princess of this ship.
By ten hours, ship's time Blake was dressed and ready for his duty, the clothing manufacturers had pulled out all the stops and had designed a suit for him that reflected his Native Indian background. It consisted of a long frock-coat, similar to the coats worn by the early American fathers; on each lapel were embroidered a set symbols of Indian culture, a pair of buffalo horns and a native shield. Down the centre of the coat's back had been embroidered a line of feathers, each in a different pastel colour. Beneath the jacket Blake wore a simple native style white shirt and long pants. “My oh my,” said Jo as she exited the shower-room, “now I know why I fell in love with you Blake.” Jo had been provided with a light cream suit with English roses embroidered from the left shoulder to the hem, together they made a handsome couple. Fifteen minutes later they left their dwelling in one of the buggies heading for the 'spire'. Josh arrived at Charlie's living, just as Jo and Blake were leaving, to find him struggling to fasten a Edwardian bow-tie.
“Charlie ain't you ready yet,” said Josh, what's the matter with you.”
“Oh, I'm all fingers and thumbs,” he replied, “how are you are tying bows Josh?” Josh set to geting the tie into shape and after a few seconds it sat resplendent at Charlie's neck. Later than intended they left in another buggy, and the journey was like an old ticker-tape parade, with thousands lining to rout.
As Jo and Blake waited at the door of the Spire, a distant cheer was heard a way's off, as they and the others looked toward the closest village they spotted one of the larger buggies making its way along the roadway. Even from this distance they could see that the buggy was bedecked with garlands, and inside the car was Laura, a pure white figure waving. When Laura was about a half mile from the Spire, another buggy pulled out from behind the short cavalcade and dove onto the grass, speeding in a straight line toward the crystal Spite. Blake spun toward the wall behind him, “Isn't that just right,” Blake whispered to Jo, “here comes Charlie and Josh, late for his own wedding.”
“I thought he was already inside,” said Jo.
“So did I,” came the answer, “I should have checked.”
With Josh driving, the buggy slid to a halt by the door, Charlie jumped out and mouthed, “Sorry,” to Blake, as he dashed inside to take his seat. Josh parked the vehicle and came back to the door, as he passed Jo and Blake he put his fore-arms out and shrugged to them, then followed Charlie inside.
Two minutes later Laura arrived at the door on her very special vehicle driven by Ed, “Was that Charlie that charged across the grass ahead of me,” she asked Jo.
“I'm afraid so,” said Jo slowly shaking her head, “are you sure about this?”
Laura just smiled, took Blake's arm and the strolled off into the Spire on the dot of eleven o'clock. As they walked down the long central isle Blake could see how much effort had been made to decorate the building, living flowering plants in pots lined the isle and a screen had been erected behind the dais, covered in some climbing vines in a vivid reds and oranges. Along the top of the screen were a display of produce, fruits from every part of Earth, and surmounted in the centre, a floral display in the form of an 'L' intertwined a 'C'. Waiting for them on the dais was Ed's Welsh Pastor, Owen Williams, in what seemed to be a monk's oatmeal robes, gathered around the waist with a rope belt. Several Christian songs were sung and Owen Williams gave a short talk, not about marriage, but about the brotherhood and sisterhood in this strange community in space. Williams went through the approved wedding service, entirely from memory, and the couple made their promises to each other. Finally at the end of the solemnisation, Owen flung his arms above his head to make the pronouncement and took one fateful step backward.
Owen Williams, doctor of divinity's heal crunched into the bottom of the screen, he spun around to see what he had done just as the screen started to fall away from him. Owen, wanting to save the display, grabbed one of the vine branches to steady the screen, but had the opposite effect and the screen then started to fall forward. Shocked by his error Owen again tripped on his heal and the screen fell on top of him, produce and all. At just the right moment Charlie grabbed Laura and pulled her away from the dais and both landed in Blake and Jo's laps on the front row. Blake, Josh and Charlie helped to lift the screen of off the Pastor, but left the screen laying at the back of the dais. Once on his feet Owen Williams, stood, sharing in the heavy silence that hung over the congregation, after several seconds Williams started to laugh, spread his arms out and said, “For my next visual aid . . .” The awkward silence was broken and the thousands of people in the Spire, and no doubt those watching the video screens, joined in. Josh stepped forward onto the dais and gathered the other three to him, “As captain of this vestal, it is my duty and utter pleasure to pronounce that from this time on, Charlie and Laura shall be husband and wife, may God bless their union,” he finished off and shook hands with Charlie then gave Laura a huge bear hug.
The remainder of the day was one big party, with eating and drinking, music and dance, not just in the English language zone but around the whole ship. Blake and Jo retired back to their accommodation by the middle of the afternoon, in order to get changed into more comfortable clothes, but things were not yet over. As dusk started to descend on the zone and the pretend stars came out, dozens of barques were lit and the aroma of fresh grilled fish started to creep through the darkness. The highlight however was something really special, a firework display, mounted high up in the centre of the sphere. People cheered and clapped as rockets exploded into giant flowers in every colour possible. Finally the display ended and the people started to wander off towards their homes, satisfied and gratified after a wonderful day.
The voyage, thought to be one of a few years, continued for five years before the ship came out of the main drive one afternoon and decelerated into orbit around a huge planet. It all happened automatically and the first thing Blake knew was when Josh contacted him after coming on duty. “We've stopped,” he said, “but unless their fish-people, I don't see there being any aliens here, the planet is covered in water.”
Just as they spoke the ship gave a small but noticeable shudder. Josh and Blake took the elevator to the bridge where Angelo had been left in charge, “What happened,” asked Josh, as he entered the bridge.
“Look for yourselves,” said Angelo, indicating the navigation screen. The picture on the screen showed a column of water stretching from the planet to the ship, “I afraid that this is not journey's end Sir, the ship is merely replenishing our water supply.”
Just then Ed arrived and joined the two at the navigation screen, “Ah changing the water supply, is it,” he said. “Our little fusion star up there needs good water for cooling as do the drives, and they loose water through the system.”
“And I guess we can only go on recycling the same water for so long,” said Blake.
“Indeed my friend, it was one thing to drink water containing a few molecules of dinosaur in them on Earth, and drinking each other's pee here is entirely different.”
They watched, on and off, as the column of water continued to feed the ship for the remainder of the day and most of the next, and after thirty-six hours, just before dusk the following evening Josh watched as the elephant's trunk of water collapsed back to the planet below.
It was several days before the ship moved off, which caused some wondering in the core crew as to whether this was their destination after all. On the fourth day however, the PD started up without any interference from anyone and ranged back toward light-speed, when, after almost a full day engaged the main drive once more. The navigation screen, which showed the schematic of their relative position, showed one difference, when zoomed out, it was obvious that the ship was now following a slight curve, a definite, but miniscule, course to starboard. The course remained the same for several weeks before it resumed a straight line vector once more, and it was assumed that the ship had made a detour to obtain the water. Everyone then accepted that the ship had resumed its original course.
Nothing remarkable happened for fully three years, on-board life continued as before, most every passenger was content with their lives and there were no needy in the whole ship. Blake did not have a word for the state of the population, no description seemed to fit, it was a strange utopia, a space born ‘Shanghai-La’ that no one would really wish to leave, even if they never found their alien saviours. It was surreal, never had the human race lived in such peace with each other, never before had every need been met by Earth's resources. In his thought process he suddenly realised that the only thing that was missing was money, riches, wealth; was this the thing that had made the difference? If there were no monetary system, how could one person be wealthier than another, but the ancients never had money? Wealth in ancient times was based upon possessions, animals or even wives; but here those had also been eliminated also. No one owned the animals they had brought on board, they belonged to everyone, as a treasure of Earth, and well, polygamy had almost been eliminated in the west, other than certain sects. No it seemed that the key to a peaceful and contented society was the lack of any monetary system, that and the other things, working together.
It was over three years since the water-planet stop and everything was settled and running like clockwork, when the ship suddenly dropped out of faster than light cruise mode. The intercom on Blake's office table buzzed, lazily he pressed the switch to answer it, “Blake, it's Josh, we just dropped out of the main drive, and we're decelerating toward a stop, but there are no stars or planets any place close.”
“OK,” said Blake, “I'm on my way.” Seven hours later and the ship hung stationary in empty space, and no one knew why. The ship just sat there, the PD was locked, as was the main drive, even the manoeuvring jets were out of action. It stayed that way for almost two days, then on the evening of the Saturday evening a strange thing happened, everyone on board collapsed at the same time. No one could actually remember collapsing, but it must have happened because everyone remembered waking up on the ground. People must have been out for only minutes, according to most, but every watch and clock had stopped and refused to go again. Ed suggested some kind of radiation leak, but none could be found, Charlie thought it may have been the effect of a strong gravitational force that the ship had passed through. The following day the services took place as usual, but no one could deny that something was different; no one however, could put their finger on what it was.
On Monday morning Blake's son Donald visited the administration building with a very unnerving report. “Morning Dad,” said Donald, “have you heard anything from our doctors since yesterday,” he asked.
“No, what's the problem Son?”
“Something really strange, medical professionals all over the ship are reporting that people in there care are well again,” the Son explained, “even people who came on board wit serious ongoing conditions.”
“Isn't there a reasonable explanation Donald,” Blake asked, “how much research has been done on these people, are we sure they were actually suffering from the illness in the first place, or has something happened to the diagnostic equipment, I don't know, anything.”
“Dad, we're not stupid,” the son replied, “we have spent two days now checking everything. It's not just things like ulcers and the like, it's people with worn hips, and I have over twenty reports already of people that had prosthetic hips, knees, ankles and the like, they all have perfectly natural bone joints back.”
“That is amazing, could a radiation band we went through do anything like that,” asked Blake, “we certainly went through something, everything stopped, even the ship.”
“No Dad, there is no known radiation that can remove metal joints and replace them, and without surgery.”
“Well, we are in the unknown out here, who knows what there is.”
“We were talking earlier to, Doc Gregson, an Australian guy, we have a theory that makes some sense.”
“What is it Son,” asked Blake.
“He said that we may be approaching the alien planet where this ship came from and this is something that has been programmed into the ship,” said Donald, “if you like the aliens want us to all be fit and well before we land.”
“That makes sense,” agreed Blake, “but that is some technology they have.”
“Yes,” said Don, “but just think, if they have this transporter technology that can select certain people out of billions, it's not too far a leap to be able to perform joint replacements without the need for invasive surgery.”
“I guess,” said Blake, “it must be a very healthy planet.”
The ship maintained its position for another three days, during which time the crew could hear feint noises within the ship, that no one ha a clue about. On the fifth day of the stop, the propulsion systems came back on line and the PD engaged again, the system went through its usual run-up over seven hours and automatically switched over to the main drive. A week later, on one of his visits to the bridge, Ed noticed a star on the screen that was directly ahead, “Lieutenant De-win, I think that the end of the voyage may be in sight,” he called to the duty officer. De-win immediately called Josh who was on the bridge in minutes.
“Is this a positive,” Josh said as he entered the bridge.
“I think so,” answered Ed. Josh took over the navigator and zoomed in, the course made straight for the star and then veered off toward a lone planet.
“Yep, looks like you're right, the course takes us directly to this planet,” confirmed Josh, “I just wish I knew the scale involved here, I have no idea how far away it is.” Josh contacted Blake and gave him the news. The following day the star seemed to have leapt forward, and at around twenty-two hours that night the ship switched down through its speed settings, by two the following morning the main drive disengaged and the PD started notching down. Most of the bridge crew, together with Blake, Jo, their two sons, Ed, Laura and Charlie, John Armstrong and Douglas Martins were all on the bridge waiting in anticipation of the main drive shutting down, so that a real-time image could be viewed on the navigation screen.
They were not disappointed, Charlie was given the honour of obtaining the image, as it had always been viewed as his big contribution to the systems discovery period. Expertly Charlie manipulated the various controls and zoomed in on a planet with a single continent and thousands of islands basking in a azure blue sea. The planet was stunning, even from this distance the atmosphere was clear to see, “Lets hope we have air instead of some other gasses,” commented Charlie. The continent itself was dotted with lakes of all sizes, and the atmosphere was clear of any cloud. Charlie continued to zoom in to various areas and was amazed to see small towns and villages, mostly gathered around a central enormous square building, which sat across the equator. It was difficult to get a sense of the scale of the building, but it was obviously bigger that any building any of them had ever seen. Charlie manipulated the controls and a loud whistle emanated from his pursed lips, “Have you seen the size of this building,” he asked no one in particular. “I make it close to fifteen-hundred miles along each side, with a skyscraper in the centre that is almost as high.”
“You must be mistaken,” offered Laura.
“Take a look for yourself,” he answered, “I have found a way to measure with range and scale cursors.”
Blake trotted over to the viewer and stood aghast at the size of what he saw, “It's almost a large as this ship, well that settles one thing, there is little doubt where we are going to live, even for all the people on this ship.”
“There is one thing missing,” said Charlie, “where are the people?” Other than the buildings, there was no sign of people, or any kind of intelligent or animal life; it was like looking at a newly opened theme park, deserted.
“So where are the aliens,” asked Blake, voicing the question they all were thinking.
“I don't see how,” said Ed, “but it's like this ship, it's almost as if, whoever these aliens are, they knew the asteroid was going to hit Earth, and designed a planet especially for us.”
“Not from this distance,” said Blake, “I really can't believe that.”