him. O’Hara
thought he saw them smile, but they both hid their faces with a
hand gesture. Weh, however, was pleased; he patted Nandesrikahl
gently.
“ How is it that your astronomers have
left this planet out of history, yet the first civilization was
familiar with its existence,” a greenish hue grew over his
face.
“ I still don’t understand,” O’Hara was
ruffled. He looked from Swain, who was just as confused, to Nandy,
who grinned like a buffoon.
“ We shall go looking for this planet. I
invite you to join us,” the ambassador said.
Swain nearly burst as he grabbed the
captain’s shoulder.
“ Someone needs to explain what’s going
on. Ambassador, are you saying there’s another planet in Sol
system,” O’Hara asked
“ I think your man, here, has already
said as much,” Weh replied.
“ Okay, but if we go looking for it, the Phoenix would take over ten years to travel that
far.”
“ You may gather your crew and board our
ship, if you must.”
O’Hara already knew he had to go with them,
but his mind raced. He tried to focus on the steps required to
undertake such an adventure. First, he needed to pick his crew.
Next he had to have them board the Thewlian ship, and since he had
to bring Day, that meant placing Roberts in charge of the helm, but
he was dealing with a top-secret mission, so it was imperative to
send her back to Presh. The only problem was what to do with Adams
and Franklin, who were both eyeing him at the moment.
“ Yes, Captain. We’re ready to move when
you are,” Franklin said.
“ I need some time to get ready,
Ambassador,” O’Hara spoke, slowly. “We can’t just drop everything
and hop aboard. Do you mind if I take some time to
organize?”
“ We will depart in twenty four hours. I
hope you are ready by then as there is little time to waste.
Lokians are always on the prowl, I assure you.”
With that, the Thewls thanked the Humans for
their assistance, packed up, and entered their ships. O’ Hara
called the rest of his crew back, and together, they all boarded
the Phoenix , and marched straight for the bridge. During the
hike, Nandesrikahl tried to answer their questions about the
elusive planet. The captain was mired in thought, however, and
until they set foot on the bridge, where others were chatting about
the new colony, he kept his eyes glued to the ground.
Eventually, he noticed Day sitting at the
helm with her chin resting on folded hands. She stuck out her
bottom lip and looked at O’Hara, who was obviously frazzled. He
went straight for the intercom.
“ Attention, crew of the Phoenix .
This is Captain O’Hara. We’ll be returning to the colony now. After
most of you have been reassigned, the Phoenix will return to
Presh station due to certain, residual, energies registering in the
AMS. The engineers will reconfigure the system to solve the
problem. Thank you.”
Day furrowed her brow. She was taken aback
and didn’t believe O’Hara’s claims for a second. Searching his face
for some clue, she did a double take when he winked.
During the next twenty four hours, the spec
ops team, and Adams and Franklin, packed their gear. Day manually
flew to the colony. There, they dropped off the remaining,
grumbling crew. After that, it was a slow flight to Presh at
minimal speed. At the moon station, O’Hara and his crew boarded a
small shuttle.
Day took the helm, and flew right back to
Eon, but it had been less than twenty four hours, so they caught
some R and R. As twilight set in, they stepped out to walk around a
stretch of grassland. Martinez hooked ear buds to his comm. unit
and closed his eyes, relaxing against the hull of the shuttle,
listening to music. Nandesrikahl, however, was irritated. He
approached the captain, who was cleaning his gear.
“ Sir, if I may?” he began. O’Hara
looked up from his work and gave a half nod as he returned to
wiping sections of his rifle. “I don’t trust these two blokes. I
mean, who are they and what
thought he saw them smile, but they both hid their faces with a
hand gesture. Weh, however, was pleased; he patted Nandesrikahl
gently.
“ How is it that your astronomers have
left this planet out of history, yet the first civilization was
familiar with its existence,” a greenish hue grew over his
face.
“ I still don’t understand,” O’Hara was
ruffled. He looked from Swain, who was just as confused, to Nandy,
who grinned like a buffoon.
“ We shall go looking for this planet. I
invite you to join us,” the ambassador said.
Swain nearly burst as he grabbed the
captain’s shoulder.
“ Someone needs to explain what’s going
on. Ambassador, are you saying there’s another planet in Sol
system,” O’Hara asked
“ I think your man, here, has already
said as much,” Weh replied.
“ Okay, but if we go looking for it, the Phoenix would take over ten years to travel that
far.”
“ You may gather your crew and board our
ship, if you must.”
O’Hara already knew he had to go with them,
but his mind raced. He tried to focus on the steps required to
undertake such an adventure. First, he needed to pick his crew.
Next he had to have them board the Thewlian ship, and since he had
to bring Day, that meant placing Roberts in charge of the helm, but
he was dealing with a top-secret mission, so it was imperative to
send her back to Presh. The only problem was what to do with Adams
and Franklin, who were both eyeing him at the moment.
“ Yes, Captain. We’re ready to move when
you are,” Franklin said.
“ I need some time to get ready,
Ambassador,” O’Hara spoke, slowly. “We can’t just drop everything
and hop aboard. Do you mind if I take some time to
organize?”
“ We will depart in twenty four hours. I
hope you are ready by then as there is little time to waste.
Lokians are always on the prowl, I assure you.”
With that, the Thewls thanked the Humans for
their assistance, packed up, and entered their ships. O’ Hara
called the rest of his crew back, and together, they all boarded
the Phoenix , and marched straight for the bridge. During the
hike, Nandesrikahl tried to answer their questions about the
elusive planet. The captain was mired in thought, however, and
until they set foot on the bridge, where others were chatting about
the new colony, he kept his eyes glued to the ground.
Eventually, he noticed Day sitting at the
helm with her chin resting on folded hands. She stuck out her
bottom lip and looked at O’Hara, who was obviously frazzled. He
went straight for the intercom.
“ Attention, crew of the Phoenix .
This is Captain O’Hara. We’ll be returning to the colony now. After
most of you have been reassigned, the Phoenix will return to
Presh station due to certain, residual, energies registering in the
AMS. The engineers will reconfigure the system to solve the
problem. Thank you.”
Day furrowed her brow. She was taken aback
and didn’t believe O’Hara’s claims for a second. Searching his face
for some clue, she did a double take when he winked.
During the next twenty four hours, the spec
ops team, and Adams and Franklin, packed their gear. Day manually
flew to the colony. There, they dropped off the remaining,
grumbling crew. After that, it was a slow flight to Presh at
minimal speed. At the moon station, O’Hara and his crew boarded a
small shuttle.
Day took the helm, and flew right back to
Eon, but it had been less than twenty four hours, so they caught
some R and R. As twilight set in, they stepped out to walk around a
stretch of grassland. Martinez hooked ear buds to his comm. unit
and closed his eyes, relaxing against the hull of the shuttle,
listening to music. Nandesrikahl, however, was irritated. He
approached the captain, who was cleaning his gear.
“ Sir, if I may?” he began. O’Hara
looked up from his work and gave a half nod as he returned to
wiping sections of his rifle. “I don’t trust these two blokes. I
mean, who are they and what
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