Chapter 585

... I suspect that the system is continuing to operate, at least at some basic level. Perhaps it is merely broadcasting its universal message similar to what your ham radio operators use when they wish to establish contact with anyone: CQ. CQ. CQ. Calling anyone. Calling anyone. Calling anyone. It could be that basically the system is just saying it is ready while delivering the contact code subroutine. Now ... I must determine how to tell it that I am ready and wish to transmit to someone. Hopefully, I will not find that I need the equivalent of a credit card before I can send a message.

Jeff winked at Selina as she stared openmouthed at him, Ship obviously having shared her thoughts with the little genius. He grinned as he asked Ship, Did you just make a joke?

Ship didn’t answer him, but he felt what had to be a chuckle from her.

“Ship, please, may I be involved?” Selina, not aware of Jeff’s exchange, asked aloud.

While you investigate the “subroutine,” you might want to include Selina and maybe even Helen. Then Jeff also continued aloud, “Perhaps one or both of our resident geniuses might be able to offer some new ideas. And yes, I’m fully aware that the race of beings that built your brain was all telepaths as well as most of the other races in that section of the galaxy and in that dimension. Still, none of the ones working on the problem solved it – at least in the historical time frame that you are aware of. Correct?”

When Ship agreed, “Along with that, it seems that you have made great strides by recognizing and copying the subroutine that the booster station seems to be projecting to its ... potential customers/friends/associates – whatever. Now, just maybe a couple of non-telepathic geniuses might be able to assist you with ideas that a telepath might not think of. You have told me on several occasions that you enjoy discussing various things with either of them.”

Besides, he went on, I would like for Selina’s thoughts to be directed down a path other than trying to find ways of enticing you into quickly maturing her body. And you know why she wants that done.

“You might have a point, My Prime,” Ship said aloud. “Perhaps a non-telepath would have some ideas that might not have occurred to me as a telepath. But you will owe me, she added, which was so out of character for Ship, that Jeff almost allowed the surprise to show on his face.

“So, is everyone ready to return to Earth?” Ship asked aloud.

Selina, insistent upon computing the course herself, asked Ship to transport her to the bridge. Grinning, Jeff went in search of the others while still wondering what Ship had meant.

The Cave.

After Morales and his wives had entered the cave and put their rifles and coats up, the women glanced at each other for an instant before rushing to their husband. However, just as they grabbed him, they all seemed to remember that he would probably be sore from the bolt that had impaled his chest. At almost the same time, they all froze and began to apologize.

“Oh, bullshit,” he said as he fell backward onto the bed while taking them with him. “Ship said that I couldn’t have sex with you tonight, but she didn’t say anything about hugging and kissing, playing around – or titty sucking,” he said with laughter as his hands began to worm their way inside their clothes.

“And ... when Ship forbade sex tonight, she didn’t say anything about us giving you blowjobs, either.” Jasmine responded with a giggle as her hand wormed its way into his pants, only to freeze a moment later.

“You almost died,” she whimpered before burying her face against his neck while totally letting go of her emotions. That precipitated a cloudburst from Ashley and Christine.

When the tears finally subsided, they all drifted off into sleep, minus the blowjob, minus the titty sucking – Morales, because his body was exhausted, the women because of all the stress they had been through in the last hours.

The Retreat

Late night at the Retreat found the Matthews family sitting in the living room with Joe Martin and Olivia White, Diana and Jeff having brought the two up to speed about the emergency on 2214.

When the conversation died down, Olivia interjected, “We have our marriage license, my wedding dress and ensemble, and Joe’s tux and shoes. He even has new shorts and socks.” (She didn’t mention her new bra and panty set, wanting it to be a surprise for their wedding night.) After reaching to take her fiancé’s hand, she went on, “Do you suppose we could be married the day after tomorrow? We really don’t have to have anyone here other than our families and you guys. Our families have called and said that they received very detailed information on where to meet Mr. Wainwright’s pilot, and they are all due to arrive here tomorrow around three. We can’t believe that you’re going to bring them up from Denver on a helicopter. Both families are almost beside themselves with excitement.”

“Did you tell them that we’re expecting them to spend a couple of days with us after you two leave on your honeymoon? We’ll have a vehicle for their use should they decide to tour the area, or they can use it as they see fit, but, in my opinion, they shouldn’t come this far without seeing the Rockies, at least.”

Olivia fought back tears as she thanked the Matthews yet again.

“Don’t forget. You have the use of the honeymoon suite for a couple of nights, then a suite of your choice for as long as you wish.”

Joe spoke up. “After the first night, we plan to do some sightseeing ourselves. We don’t have any firm plans other than that.”

“What time we’re not in bed,” Olivia kidded, but blushed furiously when she realized that Selina was there and had heard her. “I apologize...” she began, but Selina giggled and told her that she was well aware of what adults did on their wedding night and honeymoon, which made Olivia blush even more.

Arlene had already briefed Martin and White on the latest asteroid target practice, as well as the alien scout that had been watching.

“We’ve only done the asteroid thing once. I hope we don’t get too far behind the others while we’re gone,” Martin worried.

“Oh, it’s easy to hit those things, and you two did great on that first outing,” Arlene encouraged. “Besides, there will be plenty of time to practice when you get back from your honeymoon. Daddy says we will double our training time the last few weeks before the aliens arrive.”

Jeff interrupted, “But ... we might have to call you in early if the aliens pick up their time table. As it stands, though, a couple of weeks off shouldn’t hurt your training as long as you come back ready to train hard.

“On the other topic, I’ve spoken with the General, and he has approved the people who have requested coming from the base to attend your wedding. He is going to provide transportation. Right now, nothing is too good for the pilots who are going to fight the aliens. You might as well take advantage of his good mood while you have the chance,” he finished with a chuckle.

The two passed a glance. “Are you certain about this?” Joe asked. “We don’t want him to think that we’re giving less than our all.”

Jeff let out another chuckle. “Trust me. If he were displeased with you, I would know it. Not only have you two been great in Ship’s training sessions, but you continue to keep Arlene and Ann on their toes – not to mention the excellent job the two of you have done while assigned to watch the aliens.”

“So,” Diana said, “we still go forward as we planned? Day after tomorrow at sunset for the wedding?” When they agreed, “I suggest that you be here for lunch and last-minute planning, and we’ll get things rolling afterward. Are you going to stay with us tonight?”

The two looked at each other. “No,” Olivia responded. “We have some things to finish up, so we thought we would go on back to Security Headquarters.”

The Alien Scout

“There,” the alien scout’s pilot said as he pointed to a blip on one of his screens. “I’ve never done this, but at least it is possible – theoretically. However, I am only going to try it a couple of times. If we don’t manage to phase with them, we will have to wait until our agreed-upon dropout time to meet with the First.”

The Second’s frown increased. “But that is still four full cycles away. The First needs our new information as soon as we can get it to him.”

“Well, as far as I know, ours has been the first ship that came equipped with a warp-capable scout. If we manage to get within the phase envelope, we should be able to contact the First – if our AI can manage to match warp phases exactly, but by then, we may as well dock with them.”

“And if we do not match phases exactly?”

“Back to what I said. To the best of my knowledge, this has not been tried before; therefore, I have no real idea what is going to happen. But I do remember what happened to that sub engineer who wound up as part of the engine room deck. Up to you, Second. Do we wait for them to drop out of warp, or do I try to match phase with them?”

“The risks?” As the pilot started to shake his head, “Oh, do not say it. Never been done before, so you do not know, right?”

“Your decision, Second. That is why you get paid the big bucks.” (Interpreted) Of course, they all had a chuckle over that.

Before he could overthink, “Do it,” the Second ordered the pilot, “but be careful,” he added before realizing just how inane his caution sounded. Just trying to match warp phases is insanity in itself, he thought with a shudder.

“Are you certain that blip is the Raider?” one of the crew asked.

As they all started to laugh, the pilot replied, “Actually, I am not.” That brought the laughter to a halt as he went on. “Our instruments show only a giant warp field wake. I sincerely hope the monster that is causing that much wake is ours. If this Earth has anything that big...” He left the sentence hanging as he continued, “Assuming that we will be able to phase with the ship’s warp field, we should be able to see something as we get closer – hopefully,” he added almost to himself. “But we will have to be extremely close in order to phase match with her warp fields.”

As they eased nearer and nearer, “This might be a bit bumpy,” he casually commented. “Personal restraint fields to maximum,” he ordered, then hit his override to make certain they had all complied.

He had decided to make his approach from an angle of roughly thirty degrees off the starboard side and approximately a quarter of the way up the enormous blob of warp energy that his systems were insisting was their mother ship. With his eyes glued to the warp phase of the ship, he watched, almost helpless, as the scout’s AI brought them closer while it tried to match the phase exactly.

The scout suddenly began bucking and skidding side to side, repeatedly slamming all of them into their seat restraint fields again and again.

When he could speak, “That was a bit bumpy?” the Second whispered after the pilot had pulled them away from the wake. The Second clamped his teeth together as the pilot tried a second time. Again, the little ship eased into the phase wake, shuddering and bouncing as unseen energies slapped the small craft around like a leaf in a waterfall. Again they were slammed away.

“I will try only once more,” the Pilot grimly said as sweat visibly covered his forehead. This time, he eased them to roughly the midpoint of the warp phase wake. As their frequencies matched, he slapped his hand on the manual override, did something, and what seemed to be a forever wall abruptly appeared far too close for comfort. But ... with a final shudder, the buffeting was almost gone, and he regained control just before they collided with the Raider.