"Hey, if this is what I think it is, it will fix problems for the two of you.
I think there might be UV lights in here and I know there is dirt.
I'll bet at one time this place was beautiful.
I wonder if those skeletons were some type of bird or flying creature," Ron proclaimed excitedly.
"I'll bet they had all kinds of fruit trees and vegetables in here, as well as flowers.
These beings spent a lot of time in space and things like this and the luxurious living quarters made up for that.
I'll bet somewhere they even moved the ship's air through here to help clean out the carbon dioxide."
Gus remarked, "Well, it looks a little spooky right now but I'll still come here to get my dose of sand and dirt."
Tik wrinkled her nose as she expressed her distaste, "I'll come here if I have to but I would sure like to have some of that stuff growing first."
Ron stated, "We need to preserve some of those skeletons and the plant residue.
That might give scientists a clue about the Alcantarans.
Some of those rooms in the lower cargo bay looked like they could be sealed to an airtight configuration.
Maybe we could move some of this stuff in there.
If you're working to clear this stuff out, it won't be so spooky."
They backed out into the passageway and made their way around the center room.
They noticed cables and pipes entering but didn't see anything in the passageways that was of immediate interest.
They checked the rooms along both sides of the cargo bay on that level.
It was much like the level above.
Ron's healer unit gave this level a clean bill of health.
They went to the floor of the cargo bay and started checking the rooms there.
In one room, they found a machine shop with all sorts of machinery to maintain the space ship.
If a person knew how to run the machinery, Tik guessed that they could make about all the parts needed to repair Auntie.
The next room had all sorts of steel, aluminum, pipes and other raw material to make repairs.
When they reached the back of the ship, they looked closely at it.
Ron and Tik decided that this wall would drop and make a ramp just like the one on the level above.
You could drive equipment right in to load or unload cargo or materials.
It would make for a quick turn-around time if you were trading.
They looked closely at the floor and decided it would slide toward the nose to provide a taller cargo space if you needed it.
They finished inspecting the doors on the other side of the cargo bay from where they had entered.
They walked around the conservatory on this level and it was the same as the level above.
They stepped inside and saw that their guess had been right about the boxes next to the wall being hydroponics.
There was a small trickle of water running down the boxes now.
By the time they were through with this level, they decided it was too late to start on the next level.
So far everything checked out fine and they could breathe the air with no problem.
Tik suspected it would smell pretty stale because there hadn't been any circulation for so long.
Ron wondered where they would find the unit that cleaned and refreshed the air.
Their air above on the flight deck seemed to be all right but they needed it to run through a purifier to keep it that way.
They made their way to the upper cargo bay and took off their space suits.
Gus turned the shield generator off to conserve fuel.
They went to the galley and fixed something to eat.
As they ate, they excitedly discussed all that they had found so far.
Ron figured the skeletons and plant specimens would be worth a lot of money to the right place.
Anyone wanting to know about the Alcantarans would be very interested in these things.
The weapons were another matter too.
He didn't have enough information about them, but surely there were collectors who specialized in Alcantaran relics.
If these weapons worked, they would be worth more than gold.
On the mother ship their only thought had been to get off of it and head back home.
Another idea was starting to develop.
All this talk of what everything was worth and who would want it stirred a sensation that none of the group had felt before.
After they had finished eating and cleaned up, Ron voiced the idea, "Why do we care what the skeletons, the weapons or any of the other things are worth?
If we just want to get back to our home planets, all we have to do is fly Auntie into some advanced civilization and sell her.
We could get enough money to set us all up for the rest of our lives back on our home planets.
Is that what we really want?"
Gus spoke first in a thoughtful voice, "I really don't want to go back and live on my home planet.
I do want to see my mate and to make sure my family is taken care of.
I want to make sure the Bugs never come back and kidnap any more of my people.
But…I like meeting different creatures such as yourselves and
Kota
.
All I've ever known is the sand of my own planet and I would like to see some of the others, especially your home planets.
The way you have described them makes them seem so wonderful."
Tik responded, "I agree with Gus.
I have to get back to my home planet to check on my family and to pass the word about the Bugs.
Our government will ban them and won't let them land when they find out what they're up to.
I've worked on the space ships that have come into our space port but I've never been off the planet.
Now that I'm off, I'd like to see your home planets and maybe even a few more.
When I downloaded the Bugs trading database, I saw a couple of galaxies that were mind-boggling.
I'd like to see them in person if it's possible.
How in the world would we be able to do something like that?
Do you have something in mind?"
"I agree with both of you.
I want to see my wife and family and to make sure they are safe.
My planet isn't as far advanced as the Bugs; but with some of the technology from this ship, we would soon hold our own against them.
To answer your last question, I really don't have anything in mind.
I just know I'm a small businessman on my home planet and when you start talking about what something is worth, my ears pick up.
I like the challenge of buying something and then being able to turn around later and sell it for a profit; and like you, I like meeting the different creatures.
We three have proven we can overcome a lot of challenges.
Would we be up to the challenge of becoming Traders?
Could we run this ship and learn the ins and outs of trading between planets?
Would you be interested in forming a partnership in that sort of venture?"
The other two sat in stunned silence for a moment while Ron's words sunk in.
Tik was twisting her head from side to side as she thought and Gus suddenly developed a far-away look in his eyes.
Tik blurted out, "I'd be up for trying.
We still have the immediate problem of getting away from the Bugs.
We still need water, air and fuel.
The ice here may solve the air and water problem but that leaves fuel.
If we don't get that, then this conversation won't matter."
"The fuel isn't the problem you think it is either.
I haven't had a chance to really explain but that's why we are headed for that blue giant.
When Wurden had me work on the Alcantaran rockets that first day, I found out what the rockets are for.
They have their own shield and are actually a giant scoop.
They will dive in close to the surface of the star and scoop up fuel.
This type of start is supposed to be one of the better ones for quality of fuel…."Ron started.
Gus interrupted, "The Bugs thought they had the rockets figured out too but they lost some of them when they tried.
We don't have any rockets to spare on losses."
"I know, but that first day I saw their problem.
There is a valve in there that they had set backwards.
I don't know if their translators weren't 100% accurate or not.
I suspect that's the case, because we unlocked doors that they hadn't been able to open with years of trying.
The Bug that had my translator probably stole it from a storeroom and wasn't high enough in the hierarchy to let it be known that he could understand what the Alcantarans had written.
When you set the valve to the proper position, the shield absorbs any energy that strikes it.
A small increase in current makes a huge increase in shield strength.
If it's set the other way, the shield never develops any strength.
You could take a hammer and a steel rod and drive it right through the rocket.
I think the rockets are programmed to fly close to the star and then open the shield for just a few microseconds to scoop up the fusionable material.
The heat is so intense next to the star that anything more would melt everything.
The more the star beats down on the rocket's shield, the stronger it gets.
The shield also acts as a container for the fusionable material.
I don't know for sure yet but I think there are receptacles on the outside of Auntie that hold the rockets and take the fuel directly into her fuel tanks.
I suspect there is a place in the lower area that allows you to refuel all of the equipment and robots.
It will probably even refuel my translator and healer," Ron declared enthusiastically.
Tik announced, "Well, I'd better find out where this rock is taking us.
There should be enough data to predict some kind of trajectory.
Also, I'd like to send a burst message for
Kota
.
He already programmed it into the computer.
It will be so brief that it will be almost impossible to trace."
Ron and Gus followed her into the cockpit to watch.
Tik sent the message first and then worked on her computer for a bit.
She took readings from Auntie's gauges and instruments.
After a few minutes, she had a trajectory.
"It looks like this rock is in an elliptical orbit around that blue super-giant.
It's narrower at one end and we're on the big end right now…."
"When you say elliptical, do you mean egg-shaped?" Gus interrupted.
"Yes, and we're at the bottom of the egg.
The top of the egg is closer to the star than the bottom.
The asteroid will be about 930 million miles from the star at the top.
We'll be at the top of the elliptical in about 10 days.
This asteroid is actually traveling at a pretty good clip.
How long does it take those rockets to fill up and then dump the fuel in Auntie?
How much fuel will each rocket hold?" Tik answered Gus and then asked Ron.
"It'll take about two days at that distance, if we can rob enough fuel from the robots and the fliter.
We need to get the rocket to about 60% of the speed of light.
Since we'll be shooting the rocket directly at the star, the star's gravity will help us some.
I don't know how much fuel each rocket scoops up.
I'm still not sure how to translate that measurement to something I know.
I'm not sure how much Auntie will take to fill her up either.
I thought that once the first rocket has a load of fuel, we could put half of it in Auntie and load another rocket or two depending on how much fuel they will scoop.
Then we could have three rockets going.
That would make things go a lot faster.
At the top of the elliptical, we should be on the opposite side of the star from where we left the mother ship.
Hopefully, that will help hide us and the rockets' signatures should be pretty small.
If it's against that star, that will help hide it also.
Tik, why don't you plot where we would need to get off the asteroid to stay behind the star?
Once we have a load of fuel, we can decide where to go from there.
We're going to have to watch pretty carefully, because that could be about the time the Bugs could be back looking for us," Ron answered.
Tik announced, "We need to get off at day eight.
That will give us time to decelerate and go into a parking orbit."
Gus thoughtfully asked, "If it will take us 10 days to get in place and at least 4 -- no make that 5 days to get fuel, how long can we stay there and still have food to get somewhere?
How will we know where to go to get food?
Like you mentioned before, what will we use for money?"