Signus

 06/24/2038: Six years after N A S A developed, tested and then flew their first space ship using their Faster Than Light (F T L) drive engines they planed a deep space mission to Sirius. The ship, Explorer One, was ready and waiting and docked at the new International Space Station, Genesis. The crew was shuttled up and boarded.

There would be a ten person crew; six women and four men. The Captain, Margaret (Maggy) Burke, had six years experience with N A S A, performing shuttle missions back and forth to the moon base and she was more than ready for what would be a four year exploratory trip out

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With the ship fully loaded and the crew settled, the Captain ordered the helm to take her out. The docking clamps were released and the ship slowly made its way out. When it was five thousand kilometers out the Captain ordered the F T L drive online.

“LT. Chapman. Fire up the F T L drive and set speed at four. Navigation, set course for Sirius,” the Captain ordered.

“Course set and laid in, Captain,” navigator Lt. Jones replied.

“Speed set. Light speed times four,” Lt. Chapman replied. “Ready on your command.”

“Captain Burke to Genesis Command. We are ready to depart,” she communicated to the station.

“Acknowledged. God speed and good luck,” came the reply over the speakers.

“Thank you,” she replied and then turned her attention to her crew. “Hit it.”

The ship switched from Ion drive to F T L drive and they were off. It took the crew only a few short days to settle into their daily routines.

Cartography was busy making data changes to the star charts as they were now using a new perspective; one from space and not of Earth. Captain Burke and the ships Commander Thompson sent weekly briefings back to N A S A as they flew along.

They were about eighteen months into their four year journey when Lt. Jones called out from her station.

“Captain,” she started. “Our LIDAR system has detected some kind of object following our ship.”

“Is it an asteroid?” Burke asked.

“No Captain. Whatever it is, it’s following us,” Lt Jones offered. “I have made slight course and speed alterations and the object appears to match them. Rocks don’t do that,”

“Understood. How far away is it?” Burke asked.

“One million kilometers and holding,” Lt. Jones replied.

“Lt. Smith!” the Captain stated. “Open all radio channels and send out a hail.”

“Aye, aye Captain,” Lt. Smith replied as he switched on all the channels.

He made several attempts with no results.

“No response Captain,” Lt. Smith offered from his console.

“Thank you Smith. I didn’t really think that there would be,” Captain Burke commented. “If it were to be an alien species. I wouldn’t expect them to know our language or even have compatible communications equipment. Keep an eye on it Ms. Jones and notify me the instant it does something different.”

“Aye Captain,” Lt. Jones replied.

The object shadowed the Explorer for six months. Midway through one of their daily routines Lt. Smith jumped and nearly fell out of his chair.

“What is it Mr. Smith?” the Captain asked as she cast her gaze in his direction.

“We are being hailed Captain,” he nervously replied.

“Open up the com link,” she ordered.

“Link open,” Lt. Smith stated after he flipped a switch.

“This is Captain Margaret Burke from the Earth ship Explorer One,” she started. “To whom do I have the privilege of speaking to?”

“This is Commander Quell of the Drago from the Allied Planets,” came the reply. “Welcome to space. We are glad to see that you finally made it.”

“Thank you Commander Quell,” Burke offered. “I hope that we can make our planet proud.”

“You are off to a good start for now,” Quell stated.

“I’m glad,” Captain Burke stated.

“Are you traveling to Stellar?” Commander Quell asked.

“If that is what you call the star that we are traveling towards at the moment. Then yes,” Captain Burke replied. “We call it Sirius.”

“Not the sun but the planet that orbits it. Do you have business there?” Quell asked. “I only ask because it is a busy hub and the many races there can be unsettling for newcomers.”

“No business. Just exploring,” Captain Burke offered. “And this is the closest star to our planet.”

“Understood,” Quell said. “I have taken the liberty of scanning your vessel and studying your language. If you will, I can send you information on the system and the many species you are apt to come into contact with while there at this time.”

“This exchange will be most welcome and appreciated Commander Quell,” Burke offered.

“A pleasure,” the Commander stated.

They spent the next several hours exchanging data. Commander Quell had given Captain Burke extensive detailed information on the planets atmosphere, gravity and indigenous species not to mention a computer program that would allow them to openly communicate with the many varied races that they could come into contact with. He also gave Captain Burke a brief history of the Alliance and this section of the galaxy before he had to take off on his own mission. Captain Burke and the crew of Explorer One had a lot of information to digest. It was a good thing that they had almost two years to study it.

As they approached Sirius, they encountered a few more ships. All friendly and eager to share their knowledge with them. One race of beings even gave them specs on new engines and shielding to better protect their ships as they traveled even faster.

When the Explorer One entered the system they switched back to their Ion drive. And when they were about a day out from the planet Signus/Stellar, their destination, they were given landing instructions. A representative of the Allied Planets came out to meet them before they were allowed to land. She explained some of the laws and customs that were to be adhered to while the crew from Earth were there. Basically, don’t steal anything or kill anybody. Other than that, have a good time.

Captain Burke put the ship into a Geo-synchronous orbit and then a small craft from the surface came out to shuttle the crew members down to the surface. The Captain spent the better part of the first day of their month long stay, meeting with the heads of the planet and exchanging information for possible future visits

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The crew spent countless hours at the alien markets also, seeing for the first time other races. They didn’t know what was being sold. Eric, Commander Thompson, saw what looked like small children being sold as snack food. He was assured by the authorities that nothing of the sort was happening and that they were local wildlife and legal to buy and sell. One day Lt. Linda Jones and her boyfriend Lt. Steve Carson, an engineer, were down on the planet exploring when they came across a smaller city an hour away from the main port. They came to an open market and became quite enamored by the many different types of goods that were for sale or trade there. They took out their computer pad and studied in detail what it was they were seeing.

They tried many different food samples that were compatible with their physiology. They were given a vegetable, or something akin to a vegetable, that looked like a cactus to them. The trader, Orban, sliced it open and gave them a sample. It tasted just like cabbage to Steve but more like a carrot to Linda.

“Wow! Tastes like a carrot,” Linda stated after taking a bite.

“More like cabbage to me,” Steve commented.

“This Gracco pod will taste differently to others,” Orban, the farmer stated. “If two people have the same taste then they are highly compatible as mates. But that is not to say that others are not compatible though.”

“That’s good to know,” Steve stated. “Because I really love Linda.”

“And I really love you too Steve,” Linda offered.

“Then that is good for you,” Orban stated.

They walked and checked out the many food and goods vendors, buying some things before heading back to the port and catching a transport back to the ship.

By the end of their month long stay they had a pretty good supply of exotic foods for the biologists to check out and technical and mechanical wonders for their engineers to tinker with. The alien market was an eye opener for the people from Earth to say the least.

Before they left Signus/Stellar, they had reams of information on other races as well. It was going to be interesting when they returned home to see how quickly the peoples of Earth could get out and explore the galaxy. But that would be another three to four years away for now.

The End.