Ancient Birthright (32 page)

It took almost sixteen hours to achieve the velocity the
Endeavour
needed to rendezvous with the
Universe Explorer
.

Tuuan returned to
Endeavour
after the heavy acceleration phase was complete.

“I have the
Universe Explorer
on radar,” called Reedn, who was once again monitoring the radar console. “Five hundred miles and closing at two-hundred-fifty miles per hour,” he said reading off the data displayed on the screen. It took another two hours before they were alongside the massive colony ship. The two PTO craft rotated
Endeavour
so the three PTO’s engines pointed in their direction of travel. As the
UE
continued to slow, the two PTO pilots adjusted
Endeavour’s
speed to match. The humans on the
Endeavour
were plastered to the view ports or video monitors.

Rishly turned to Becca. “Six miles long and three miles wide, means nothing until you’re floating a mile away and watching a massive hull that size rotate as it slips past at a few miles per hour.”

“
Endeavour
, you are coming up on lateral translation point. We will assist with the shift, and then disconnect and Dantee will take you the rest of the way in to dock.”

“Understood,
Boost One
. Thank you for your assistance,
One
and
Two
. I look forward to meeting you in person once we land.”

“Roger,
Endeavour
. We’ll see you on board.”

Rishly felt the shift in direction as the two PTO’s used attitude jets to shift the
Endeavour,
so it centered over a gaping hole two hundred feet in diameter. “Tuuan, what are these holes?”

“They’re the main engines on this end of ship, same on other end. We do not need to turn
Universe Explorer
to go from acceleration to deceleration. Waste much power and resources to shift this mass. We use center engine to launch PTO and send loads to planet. That way, spin of
UE
not a big problem. PTOs will start
Endeavour
spinning to match
UE
before they go.”

Sure enough, as they moved into position over the central engine opening, Rishly saw the background star field begin to spin, and the relative spin of the
Universe Explorer
slow until it was stationary.

“
Boost One
and
Two
ready for disconnect.”

“
Boost One
, I have control of
Endeavour
,” responded Dantee.

The two ships attached to
Endeavour’s
wings smoothly released their clamps and moved away as
Endeavour
sank into the blackness of the massive engine. The rear-mounted video camera showed a pinpoint of light in the distance.

“What is the light we’re seeing on the video monitor?” Rishly asked Tuuan.

“That’s the docking cradle. We land there and get moved through airlock into
Explorer
.”

“Good. I can’t wait to get out of this ship,” Becca said as she scratched her scalp beneath her stringy oily hair.

The light expanded to reveal a web of braces designed to accept the
Endeavour
. The landing in the cradle was so smooth, Rishly didn’t realize they had stopped moving until the entire assembly shifted sideways and rolled through a massive airlock hatch.

It took a full fifteen minutes to cycle through the airlock. During that time, the cradle holding the
Endeavour
rotated ninety degrees, so the belly of the ship pointed at the outer hull of the
Universe Explorer
. The reason for this became evident as they moved into the cavernous hanger bay with the bottom of their ship pointed at what had become the deck due to gravity induced by the
UE
’s spin. Their decent stopped half way to the floor as another cradle moved into position under
Endeavour
.

“You release external fuel tank and when clear, lower landing legs,” Dantee called over the radio.

Rishly glanced at Becca and nodded. She opened a guarded switch and prepared to detonate the bolts that held the external tank to
Endeavour’s
belly.

“Dantee, make sure everyone is clear of the explosive mounting bolts.”

“Souls clear, and bolt areas have been wrapped with shield to contain pieces.”

Becca pressed the toggle, and they heard a loud bang. The video display showed the front of the external fuel tank move about a foot away from
Endeavour
. The rear was still attached.

Becca reset the switch and pressed it again, nothing.

“Dantee, we have a problem. The external fuel tank will not fully separate. The rear explosive bolts are not firing,” Rishly transmitted.

“Make safe. I call and have it looked at.”

A large furred being about twice the size of an Earth rhinoceros moved below the tank and shifted it back into its original position. Two smaller bipedal crewmembers suited in heavily insulated padding went to work on the rear mounting bolts.

Endeavor jerked as the tank released and floated down to the waiting cradle. “The system reports a clean separation.”

Rishly watched as two massive beings rolled the tank away. He swore they looked like triceratops.

“Engineers report, wires to rear bolts not connected. Lower the landing legs. Let’s get off this nag. I’m getting saddle sores,” Dantee said.

“Houston,
Endeavour
has landed,” Rishly called over the intercom when he felt the wheels contact the deck.

He turned to Becca. “If we’d tried to jettison the external fuel tank at any other time during the mission it would have ripped the
Endeavour
apart. I’ll bet you a dozen glazed donuts this was another gift from Hooker and his overlords.”

Chapter-37

Saigg saw a large aerodynamically shaped object drop away from the bottom of the shuttle orbiter
Endeavour
. He watched as two cargo handlers pushed the large external tank out from beneath the black and white craft. The ship with the name
Endeavour
stenciled on its side settled to the floor of the hanger bay.

Renna took his hand and shifted from foot to foot as her tail lashed the deck. Saigg forced an outward calm while they waited for the hatch to open.

He saw the access port on the PTO pop open and Dantee poke her head out. She saw them waiting and launched from the lip of the hatch. She floated in their direction as she slowly settled to the floor in the light gravity.

“Mom, Dad, I missed you so much,” Dantee said as she was lifted into Saigg’s arms.

“Oof, gaaa, what have you been rolling in? You smell like three-month-old Ptero dung,” Saigg half gagged as he handed her off to her mother.

“You think I smell, wait until you get a whiff of the humans. Reedn and Tuuan are no better. We all sweat like pigs while accelerating for hours. It’s hard to breathe against so much push on your chest. Hey Paw, where are the old geezers? I thought they’d be here to meet us.”

Saigg gave Renna a questioning look. “The doctors would only let your mother and me come meet you and our visitors. We all have to go into quarantine until they can test for any dangerous germs or viruses. You can talk to your grandparents over the VH link once we get to our temporary quarters. Grandma Marra is one of the doctors assigned to examine you. Why are you talking that way?”

Before she could answer, Saigg had to step back to clear the way for a portable gangway to be pushed against the side of
Endeavour
. The load handler moving the gangway was careful to maintain a good separation from the trio.

“The hanger crew must have been warned to keep their distance until we come out of quarantine,” Saigg observed.

“I wonder what’s delaying the rest of them,” Renna said. “I hope I can hold my breath long enough to at least greet Reedn and Tuuan.”

“The access hatch is opening. Here they come. They’re unlike what I expected,” Saigg commented. “I didn’t expect them to be so—different.”

“That’s Beldon and Cindy coming out first,” Dantee told her parents. “Their looks grow on you. They’re just not what you normally see on the
Universe Explorer
.”

“How do you tell which is male and which is female?” Saigg whispered to his daughter before taking another quick step back from her.

“The girls have those bumps on their chests. They call them breasts, and Reedn likes to use them as pillows when he sleeps. Nadya told me that when they have young, the bumps are like a food dispenser. They give baby sweet drink from them. The boys have hair on their chins unless they take it off every day. They use this growling thing they call a ‘lectric razor’ to chew it off.”

“So the one on the right is Cindy, the one with breasts?” Saigg asked quietly.

Tuuan and Reedn barreled out of the hatch behind Beldon and almost knocked him over the side of the gangway trying to rush down to Saigg and Renna.

The two youngsters were still five feet away when Saigg’s eyes started to water, and his gag reflex caused him to clamp a hand to his mouth.

“Don’t come any closer until you’ve been through at least ten cycles in a refresh unit,” Saigg said as he held up a hand.

Renna managed to drop to her knees and give the two new arrivals a cuddle before she too jumped up and back peddled.

Saigg saw Beldon realize the problem and stop. He put a restraining hand on Cindy’s arm and pulled her to his side.

“Do we really smell that bad?” asked Beldon.

Saigg and Renna looked at each other then turned back to Beldon and Cindy. “YES!” they said in unison.

“We stink worse than the south end of a north bound skunk at high noon in an outhouse. We smell so bad we could knock a vulture off a rotting carcass at fifty paces. Guess it’s time for our yearly dip in the creek. Cookie, fetch the lye soap and let’s get to it.”

“Dantee, that’s enough with the John Wayne. We get the picture,” Beldon said.

The rest of the humans half floated, half walked down the gangway and joined Beldon and Cindy. Striker was carrying Nadya while Rishly cradled Anika in his arms, Katya shuffled behind using Rishly’s shoulder for support. The two had not totally recovered from their time in the hammock.

“Welcome to the
Universe Explorer
. I’m Saigg Garuu, and this is my mate Renna. I’m sorry to be acting this way but the smell is overwhelming. We have quarters ready for you. You will have about two-tenths of Earth gravity there. Every couple of days we will move you closer to the outer hull, so you can slowly regain muscle tone and stamina.

“Our doctors will examine you and treat any injuries you may have. Renna and I will be staying in quarters next to, or across the passageway from you. Please let us know if you need something. Unless you have a definite need for the clothing you are wearing, it will be recycled.

“Command Prime Garuu has insisted you be quarantined until you are released by our medical staff. We need to ensure we do not pass any illnesses between species. While in quarantine, there will be a number of research team members calling to talk with you. It may help pass the time and be beneficial to all species,” Saigg explained.

“If you will follow us, we’ll show you the way to your quarters,” Renna said as she quickly stepped away to ensure separation between her and the group following. Saigg scrambled to keep up with her.

Renna continued, “You will find waste bins in your quarters for your clothing. We have provided robes that should fit if you feel the need to be covered. You will find that clothing is only worn on the
Universe Explorer
as a convenience and for environmental comfort and protection.”

“Dantee, will you please show Beldon and Cindy how to use the facilities. Tuuan, if you could help the other four females, and Reedn, please show these two male humans how to use the refresh unit, we will be back to join you after you’ve had a chance to clean up and have your initial medical exam,” Saigg said.

The three youngsters led their charges into the cabins provided. Within minutes, Saigg could hear childish squeals and human laughter mixed with the sound of spraying water.

#

Beldon stepped into the sparsely furnished cabin. Three hatches were embedded in the walls, two to the right, one left, one open archway directly ahead. The arch revealed the edge of a table and several strange looking chairs, almost what you would expect in a human kitchen. The main room of the cabin held a long couch and four chairs, two a cream-yellow and two rust-brown chairs with vertical slots down the backs. It took a second for Beldon to realize the slot would accommodate a luzzon tail. Side tables split the pairs of chairs, and a low oval table was positioned before the long couch.

“That’s the refresh room,” Dantee said pointing to the door on the left nearest the archway. “Take off your jump suits and put them in the bin by the door. Come on you two pokeys. Let’s get clean.”

Beldon and Cindy followed Dantee through the door and into a shower stall large enough for the three of them. Beldon peeled out of his clothes and tossed them into the bin Dantee had indicated. He watched as Cindy did the same. They stood looking at each other naked for the first time in months. Neither of them gave a thought to Dantee, who was bouncing up and down in her excitement.

“Push the actiplate in the middle.”

Beldon did as Dantee asked, and water sprayed from three directions. There must have been a small amount of soap injected in the spray. Rubbing the warm water over his skin created a foaming lather. The pleasure of the shower almost buckled his knees. The soothing feel of the cleansing lather sent a rush of euphoria through Beldon’s system. He lifted Dantee and held her in his arms, so they wouldn’t step on her.

Reaching out, he scrubbed Cindy’s back and was surprised when Dantee helped him. The three were soon engaged in seeing who could get the most skin covered in lather before it rinsed off. Dantee’s happiness and laughter was infectious. Cindy washed the fur running down Dantee’s back and Dantee climbed on Cindy’s head, and scrubbed, and massaged her scalp until she’d removed every hint of oil. When Cindy and Dantee were finished washing each other, they ganged up on Beldon and rubbed him until his skin glowed.