Chapter 4

We were awakened just beyond the orbit of Pluto on a challenge from the Solar Patrol, 'Sol' system police; the com system alerted the Capt. and Com Officer. They got me and Solara up so that I might speak to the patrol ship's Capt. In the Com room I hear English, for the first time in over 30 years I hear good old Earth English.

"To unidentified space craft this is Earth patrol vessel 'Adam Jones' please respond. To unidentified space craft this is Earth patrol vessel 'Adam Jones' please respond."

"Adam Jones, Adam Jones, this is Orlanan cruiser 9024 and at present we are throttling back to normal system cruise speed and await your coming alongside."

"This is 'Adam Jones' Capt. Paul Smith to whom am I speaking?"

"Capt. Smith this is Cmdr. Jason Lee of the 'Pathfinder'."

"Say WHAT?"

"You heard me Capt. I am Cmdr. Jason Lee of the Earth exploration vessel 'Pathfinder'. I am its sole survivor after a crash on the planet Epsilon Eridani 4. This vessel is the Orlanan space cruiser 9024, 8 years out from home planet bound for Earth with myself and family aboard."

"Did you say 'family' aboard Cmdr.?"

"It's a long story Capt. and I'd be glad to tell it to you, but would you notify Space Command via secure channel of our arrival and intentions."

"Yes Sir: Cmdr. message is being coded as we speak and will be sent soonest."

"Thank you, Capt. we await your arrival in approx. 34 minutes. I look forward to meeting you in person."

"9024, 9024; this is 'Adam Jones' calling?"

"'Adam Jones' this is '9024', Go ahead."

"This is 'Adam Jones', that thing is huge, just how big is that thing?"

"9024, just over 10 kilometers in length and about ½ KM in dia. We have you visual now 'Adam Jones' come parallel to open and lighted bay for docking."

"Roger that 9024, we are maneuvering now."

I stood on the observation deck and watched as 'Adam Jones' moved into the shuttle bay and moored. The outer doors closed and within 2 hours the bay was safe to enter. I stepped from the Ob-deck and approached the 'Adam Jones' personnel hatch. As the hatch opened I saw a man in a Lt. Cmdr.'s uniform step down from the hatch and as he raised his hand to shake mine said, "Cmdr. Lee I am Capt. Smith it is good to see you again Sir."

"We've met?"

"Yes Sir, at the academy the week before the Pathfinder left on its mission. I was there to apply for admittance to the high school."

"Well then Capt. I present to you the Capt. of this vessel, Capt. Sordane; and these Capt. are my wife Solara and the 4 youngest of our children." The look on his face when he saw the Orlanans was one of shock, fear and awe all rolled into one, it was priceless.

"I am at your disposal Sir; Madam. I am requested to escort you and this ship to lunar orbit."

"Well then, it's best we get moving, Capt. Sordane if you would Sir, The third planet has a large natural satellite and there is a base on it."

"Very well Cmdr.; Bridge this is the Capt. Make space normal speed to the satellite of the third planet."

"Satellite of the third planet, Aye Sir, Bridge out." With Capt. Smith in tow I lead the way to a lounge were Solara and I tell Capt. Jones as well as Capt. Sordane the story of how we came to be stranded on EE4 and how we became the family we are now.

Capt. Smith spoke up, "That Sir is one of the best tales of survival I have ever heard and I applaud you and your wife for making the best of your lives and providing such a love story for others to marvel at."

Capt. Sordane piped in with, "I agree Sir, I had heard bits and pieces but now to have heard the whole story, I just feel that it was meant for you two to be together."

"Thank you Sirs, Capt. Sordane how long till we get to our destination?"

"About 10 hours at our present speed."

"Thank you Capt., now if you will excuse us it has been a long day and we must attend to our children and our selves. In about 10 hours then."

"Good night then Cmdr., Ms. Lee in about 10 hours then." Both Capt.'s speak up.

As I look out the view port at Lunar Base 1 to starboard and Earth to port I get that old feeling of a sailor coming home. When you finally see the buildings and homes of your home port you get that feeling your travels are over and it is time to settle down and stay put. Solara is with me and stares at Earth just mumbling to herself about how beautiful it is; the children are getting excited and you can see their wings flutter as the anticipation builds.

Capt. Sordane approaches and informs me, "We'll be shuttling down on the outer pad of the base and will be provided transport to the base itself."

"Thank you Capt. we will meet you at the lift bay." As Solara, the children and I exited the lift in the pad transfer bay all the base personnel turned and stared at her and the kids. As we moved to the underground shuttle more Orlanans stepped off the lift and all work came to a grinding halt as all the Earthers stopped and stared. I chuckled under my breath to look at my fellow humans, knowing just how they felt coming face-to-face with 'Angels.' We get aboard the shuttle and transit to base operations. Upon arrival the base Cmdr. greets me and does a DNA scan just to be sure I am who I say I am. "Cmdr. Lee I am Cmdr. Fooglesburg commanding officer of Lunar 1. Welcome home and welcome to Earth to your family."

"Thank you Cmdr. Let me introduce my wife, Solara; my 4 youngest children Sylawn and Tylawn, my daughters and Dytor and Lytor, my sons. And let me introduce Capt. Sordane of the Orlanan cruiser 9024."

"Welcome Capt. Welcome all. If you would follow me I will show you to your quarters. And if you would Cmdr., Capt. please join me in Central Command when you have settled in." We were shown to the VIP suites and guards were placed to keep out the curious. I got Solara and the kids settled in showed them how to operate the view screen and then told Solara.

"I'll be back in a little while, there is going to be some de-briefing from earth-side and they are going to want to talk to the Capt. It's a good thing he learned English, via hypno-induction, on the trip out."

De-briefing was a pain-in-the-ass, as usual. Question after question after question; it was a good thing I had thought to bring the logs from the Pathfinder. As I viewed the logs with Space Command I realized just how close I came to buying the big one. The tattle-tales on the logs show just how much damage the Pathfinder sustained in the impact with the Orlanan cruiser. Even if we had been able to stay in orbit we would not have survived as the engine core was ruptured and ejected by the computer; no power no life. After about 5 hours we took a break and when I came out to the main office there was Solara sitting there talking to the base Cmdr.

"Darling," she said, "The Cmdr. here has been telling me about stories from Earth's history and I think that we have discovered a connection between a missing Orlanan ship and a story from about 3000 years ago on Earth."

"An early survey ship went missing without a trace with a crew of 20 onboard. They were mapping FTL tunnels (Faster Than Light) and it was assumed to have encountered an event horizon and was pulled in. But, it appears that they may have landed on Earth in the area of Central America as some of the native pictograms are similar to early Orlanan space suits."

"You have got to be kidding!"

"Cmdr. some of your wife's history is absolutely amazing and I would like very much if she could provide me with some printed copies of Orlana's history, I am sure I would find it interesting reading and I believe that other races we have encountered have similar stories."

Solar answered; "Cmdr. I would be happy to have the 9024's Capt. download copies from the ship's memory."

"Cmdr. Sir, is there anything more you need me for?"

"No, Cmdr. you may go. I am sure that you will be contacted if there are any more questions. Thank you Ms. Lee for an interesting afternoon. Good day to you both."

The days go by with answering questions and learning about all the new things that happened while I was gone. There is also the discussion about what to do about EE4 and the proposal put forth by the Orlanan's, and myself, to make it the way-point between the two systems. One day, about 3 months after landing, just before dinner Solara comes to me with a bit of a predicament.

"Darling, Julna came to me today with the question of; what is she to do now that she finds herself caring about an Earth man named Tony Divencenzo"

"Who is Tony Divencenzo?"

"He works in the medical labs here and they have been spending a lot of time together. They are coming by after dinner to talk to us about what they are to do now." About an hour after dinner the doorbell pinged and when I answered there stood before me a good looking young human and an Orlanan female that looked a lot like Capt. Sordane in coloration. "Come in, Come in, Have a seat. Is there anything I can get you?"

"No thank you Cmdr. we're fine. We just finished our dinner."

"Solara, our guests are here."

"Hello Julna, Tony; Welcome." As Tony and Julna tell us about how they feel about each other and the things they have in common, I look at Solara and take her hand in mine as I can see in her expression she is remembering all the things from when we found out how much we cared for each other.

"Cmdr. I am going to ask you bluntly; what would you do?"

"Well, Tony, I would ask Julna to marry me." Tony looks at me puzzled and then I see comprehension on his face.

He turns to Julna and asks, "Julna, my love, will you marry me, will you be my mate?"

"Yes my darling I will."

"I suggest that you two go see Cmdr. Fooglesburg in the morning and tell him how you feel and what your intentions are. And I suggest you speak to Capt. Sordane as well as Julna is a member of his crew. If you need our help please call on us."

It has been almost a month since that evening with Tony and Julna; and today we are Best Man and Matron of Honor at their wedding. Cmdr. Fooglesburg presided and Capt. Sordane gave away the bride. Solara looked as if she was going to cry even though Orlanan's don't and that night she was so passionate with me I know that that was the night we made the boys.

A couple of weeks after the wedding Solara comes to me and announces that she is pregnant again but that something is wrong; it doesn't feel right and she is afraid of what the Doctor might find. "Darling, Please go with me to the Doctor? I don't want to be there alone when he tells me the bad news."

"Let's go dear; it can't be anything we can't handle together." We go to the medical deck and tell the receptionist that we need to see the Doctor as my wife thinks she is pregnant but thinks something is wrong as it doesn't 'feel' right. We wait for nearly an hour before the Doc comes out and calls us into an exam room, and then they draw blood and urine for tests and set up for an ultrasound to look in her 'pouch'. When the labs come back the tech and the Doc run the ultrasound and they are discussing the results in low tones so I can't hear what they are saying. After a few minutes they come over and start explaining the trouble. "Cmdr., Ms. Lee; we have discovered the reason why you say that your pregnancy doesn't 'feel' right. You are carrying 4 eggs, but that is not unusual, the fact that these eggs are all male sized is. As you know male eggs are larger and therefore the fact that there are 4 in your 'pouch' gives you that "not-right feeling."