Chapter 2

We return to our main camp and after explaining to our children what is happening; we await the arrival of the Orlanan ship.

Our children are excited to see other people and are running around trying to find out where the others will land.

"Darling, Do you hear that?" she asks. "That is the noise from the atmospheric engines on one of our shuttles. It sounds like they are going to land in that large clearing toward sundown from us."

We gather up our brood and walk toward the clearing that is about 2kms from our camp in the direction of sundown. As we approach we can hear the whine of the engines lessening and then it is suddenly silent. We clear the tree line and there in the clearing is a sight-for-sore-eyes; an extra-atmospheric shuttle of a design I've never seen but, Solara informs me; "Jason it is a type 5 cargo shuttle. There are usually four of them on a cruiser or up to 8 on a Galactic Explorer class ship."

The side of the ship opens and 5 Orlanans step out and gently glide to the ground on their wings. I clasp my hands over my head and step forward saying, "Welcome to you travelers from Orlana, welcome to our small planet. My name is Commander Jason Lee and this is my wife/mate Solara a native of your planet; and these are our children."

They look at me total disbelief as Solara steps forward and greets them with; "Welcome my brothers to our planet and home, 'May fair winds aid your glide to Heaven and above." Solara told me, once before, that this is a favored greeting among her peoples.

With Solara translating we get that they have been searching for her ship but because of some records errors weren't sure which of three courses they took getting to this system.

The leader is Captain Doniloro Natining. "Capt. I am glad to see you, but I am wondering why so many resources would be spent trying to track down a single ship with 32 crew."

"That is easy to explain, Cmdr. Solara, here, and her brother, are members of a very influential family and they put forth a reward for the crew and vessel that found them or information about their demise."

"Please join us at our humble home and please bring your crew-mates." Solara speaks up.

"Thank you, we would be honored. Shut it down and all out." He tells the crew. He asks, "Is there anything that we can provide you, anything that you miss?"

Solara asks, "Do you have any Talear? It has been so long since I had any, and I would like to share with my mate this delicacy. Darling, Talear is a drink that is extracted from the fruit of the Dolo tree on my home world. It is hard work and very expensive to purchase, but it tastes So Good!"

"Yes we have some," He turns to another crewmen and tells 'him' "Bring a bottle of Talear and join us at their home."

"Come children, this way if you please Capt., Solara could you get things ready for our guests, I'll get some more fruit for dinner."

Following dinner we sent the children to their beds and prepared to tell Capt. Natining the story of our survival here. I listened in as Solara told him of their journey here from Orlana. At the point of her waking up to see me, following the collision in orbit; we bid him and crew "Good night" to pick up the story the next day.

The next morning, with an assist from two of the crew and a small rope, I took the Capt. to the sight of my ships impact. He surveyed the ship and the area around it and then we returned to our home.

"Capt. My name is Jason Lee and the ship you saw is the Pathfinder and I am her Commander and sole survivor. We had spent 11 years in Hyber-sleep on the trip out here; we call this system Epsilon Eridani. We were in the process of mapping a landing site when our radar alarm went off and before we got it sorted out the Orlanan ship had impacted ours and we fell out of orbit. I thought that we might burn-up on entry but I managed to gain partial control and the impact threw me out through the ruptured hull. I awoke lying in some wreckage in a large bush, that impact absorption saved my life. After I awoke, I took care of my crew-mates and then searched out this ship in which I found Solara, its only survivor. The rest of the story you know."