Space Pioneer 1 - 6. Chapter 6

The Daglon men went to the bridge and Jeff went back to his room. He had started to learn the Daglon language with another computer language module and he wanted to continue.

Lest asked Le’Ton to plot a course to Alpha Centauri.

"Back home? We’ve been away a long time. Why go back now?" Le’Ton asked in surprise.

"It’s time we return to Daglon," Lest said with the hint of a smile.

Corr, the pilot, turned his head to him. "The Horus is a registered Daglon warship, captain. We have changed the identification codes, but they would recognize a warship at first sight. We’d have no chance. We can’t enter the Daglon space territory and airspace with the Horus. It’s impossible," he said.

"This is the difficulty about the trip," Lest replied. "I was thinking. How about we stop by on Ephos and rent a cruise vessel for the trip?"

Corr gave a laugh and Le’Ton smirked.

"This would surely work out, captain," the navigator said. "However, tenting a hangar and parking a spaceship is expensive on Ephos."

"We’ve made a lot of credits with the Mohic Empire," Lest replied.

"But why go to Daglon anyway?" Corr asked. "Sure, I’d be happy to go home for a while and have no doubt that an undercover the operation would work out, but I’m wondering, captain, what has changed your mind?"

"You know what we’ve been through," Lest said. "I’m fed up with the Alliance politics. They never held Daglon liable for that unjust war. That’s why we must operate undercover. We’re still wanted, as you know."

Lest looked at the men. They had been travelling with him through space since they had deserted a war that the Daglon had started. The act of deserting was not an honorable act, but neither had the war been an honorable war. The Daglon had attacked another planet in Alpha Centauri because of its raw materials. The war was the first war the Daglon had conducted since they had left the planet Seth. It had lasted a month.

Lest and the others had been forced to join the war because of their skills as navigators, pilots, and engineers. Nothing, however, went like the Daglon politicians had figured. The attacked planet fought back and the Daglon suffered big losses. When the Daglon commander ordered kamikaze attacks, Lest decided to quit the job. He pulled the spaceship back from the planet and simply jumped out of real space. He soon found a way to re-program the identification codes of the ship. The act of desertion had made them outlaws. Returning to Daglon was a risk, an almost impossible endeavor, unless one knew how to change identities and cheat space security. They had learned it during their time in space.

The political climate on Daglon had changed after the Alliance had labeled the Daglon a class B species after the war. The Alliance was a union of 29 space-faring nations. The union had started out as a trade union, but the Alliance had also gained political power over the centuries. The members were obliged to follow the rules and laws of the Supreme Court and Council. Violating the laws resulted in severe punishment, re-classification of species and economical repressive measures. Individuals, especially those of a high rank, were seldom held liable, however. The Daglon group that had incited the war had never even been questioned by the Supreme Court.

"I was following the discussion on the news intercom," Corr said. "The Daglon government made an another huge compensation payment to the Alliance only a couple of days ago."

"I’m sure this will ultimately settle the unfortunate affair. Daglon will finally get back status A as a species," Lest said cynically. He straightened. "Tell the others to come to the bridge, Le’Ton. I must inform you on something."

"Do you want me to contact the human, too?" Le’Ton asked.

"No," Lest said.

Le’Ton nodded and turned to his console.

Once the engineers and the doctor had come to the bridge, Lest talked to his crew. He told them what Doctor Midad had found out about Jeff. Midad nodded seriously while the captain spoke. The Daglon crew was stunned.

"He’s Daglon, so to speak?" Corr asked in disbelief.

"He’s smaller and his hair is brownish," Le’Ton said.

Lest gave a laugh. "I beg you, Le’Ton. I’ve already seen Daglon men with brown hair. They’re an exception, yes, but not all Daglons are blond."

"Jeff Caspar’s genetic profile is 85% Daglon," Midad said. "15% is early human."

The Daglon men looked between each other. Lest told them of his idea of burying the human men on Daglon and maybe unload Jeff’s spaceship there, too. After a brief discussion, the men warmed up to his idea.

"I second it," Le’Ton said. "Just imagine you were in his shoes. Lost in space, cut off your origin, no chance to ever go home. I vote for taking the caskets to Daglon."

The others agreed.

"We can’t fly to Daglon with the Horus. A rented cruise vessel is a good idea, but can we transfer Jeff’s ship and the caskets to the vessel without this being noticed?" Corr asked.

Le’Ton made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Nobody will control a rented hangar on Ephos as long as you pay for it," he said.

"So we’re agreed? We want to spend tons of credits on this operation?" Lest asked.

"I trust the Mohics will continue on forming their moon for a while," Le’Ton said. "We should be able to deliver them more of the stuff they want."

The others nodded and laughed. Less dissolved the meeting.

***

A couple of days passed by. They were flying through space with the space jump drive and were finally approaching Ephos, a planet at the edge of the Daglon solar system. The men had assembled on the bridge.

"Goodness," Jeff exclaimed at the sight of Ephos. The whole planet was illuminated by artificial lights. "This place looks like Las Vegas."

"Las Vegas?" Lest asked.

"A city in Nevada," Jeff explained. "A major point of tourism and a center of the gambling and entertainment industries. Casinos, hotels and the like."

"I see," Lest said. "Yes, Ephos is just like this. The whole planet is an amusement park. I think there’s nothing you won’t find there. Spaceships from all parts of the galaxy stop by and the crews spend a few days of vacation on Ephos. Ephos’ main concern is profit. The security controls are somewhat lax."

Lest had already arranged their stay. He had rented a hangar for a fortnight and booked a cruise vessel. It was small, didn’t have a space jump drive and was supposed to cruise through the solar system at a low speed, so that the passengers could enjoy the sight of the planets and moons and make short trips to them. They would travel to Daglon, the fourth planet of the solar system, from Ephos.

The Horus was approaching Ephos. Touch-down was easy. They were instructed to roll deep into the hangar in order to make space for the rented cruise vessel. Lest, Le’Ton, Corr, and Jeff got off the ship, while the doctor and the engineers stayed on the Horus. The controls were brief. An employee of the hangar company and an agent of the travel company welcomed them. Lest talked with the men and settled the accounts. A short while later, the cruise vessel rolled in.

Jeff was speechless. He had expected a small vessel, but the ship was four times the size of the Daidalos.

"Awesome," he said. "This ship is a cruise vessel? I can barely believe it."

Lest smirked. "It’s supposed to touch down and take off often. It’s in space all around the year. The Daidalos is a fine little ship, but nobody around here would take a trip with it, unless you have a thrill for adventure and want to risk a one-way trip," he said.

Jeff compressed his lips. He was hurt but had to admit that the captain was right in a sense.

"How will you transfer my ship? It’s small, but it’s heavy," he said.

"The hangar has transportation facilities. We’ll hover your ship over," Lest said.

The pilot of the cruise vessel got out and greeted them. They entered the ship and the man introduced the Daglon men into the main functions of the ship. This done, he left the hangar. The Daglon men inspected the cargo bay of the ship. Lest contacted his engineers on the Horus via his neural implant intercom.

"Your ship and the caskets are ready for being transferred," Lest said to Jeff. He turned to Le’Ton and Corr. "Get the hover facility under work and help the others with the transfer."

The pilot and the navigator left the cruise vessel.

"The hangar is empty," Lest said. "I suspect it’s being monitored, but nothing will happen because I paid an additional amount for absolute privacy."

Jeff was feeling guilty. The captain spent lot of credits on him. Lest must have read Jeff’s thoughts. He made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

"This endeavor will pay off, I’m fairly sure," he said. "I have something in mind. I want to speak with someone on Daglon. Then we’ll talk about your future as well."

Lest turned away and moved to the entrance of the ship. Jeff followed him slowly. His heart was pounding faster. So far, they had not talked about his future. The captain had made clear to him that he would not take him back to Earth. Was this why they travelled to Daglon in the first place? Did Lest want to get rid of him?

Jeff was no longer keen on visiting Daglon. Lest looked back at him and Jeff turned his head away.

***

The trip to Daglon was short. The ship covered the distance, that was about the distance from Pluto to Earth, in only twelve hours at maximum speed. Jeff was sitting in a chair in the ship’s lounge and was staring into the room. His face showed a frown and he had crossed his arms in front of his chest. He winced when he spotted Lest in the doorway. The captain mustered him.

"Is something bugging you, Jeff?" Lest asked.

Jeff gave him a sulky look.

"Get a grip on yourself, commander Jeff Caspar. Your behavior is not exactly a recommendation for a job in the space business," Lest said angrily.

"Who would take me on board of a ship anyway? I lack the skills. I’m not part of the future. I’m a relict in your eyes. Class C species," Jeff said.

Lest sat down in a chair, leaned forward and looked at Jeff.

"You have the skills and the brains, Jeff. You’re a pilot and you steered a spaceship. You will catch up with Daglon space technology," he said. "I want to speak with a man on Daglon. I think I can warm him up for a mission, especially now that Daglon has regained status A as a species. It was on the news this morning."

"What kind of mission?" Jeff asked.

"Some investigation on the origin of species. Man and Daglon originate from Seth," Lest said. He focused on his neural intercom, then looked at Jeff. "A message from Le’Ton. I must go to the cockpit, Jeff. We need to get a few things done before we’re landing on Daglon." Lest focused again on his intercom. "Okay, Le’Ton," he said. "Reprogram the chips and make us clerks of some business company."

Lest stood and caught a skeptical look from Jeff.

"We can’t enter Daglon territory with our real identities, that’s why I have the finger chips reprogrammed," Lest said.

He left the lounge. Jeff gazed after the captain and wondered what sort of criminal had rescued him.

Finally, Jeff stood and moved to the panorama window of the cruise vessel. He was struck by the sight of the planet. Daglon looked much like the planet Earth. Jeff saw continents, white clouds and blue oceans. Jeff’s bad mood was gone in an instant and he looked forward to visiting Daglon, the home of Man’s brothers and maybe his new home as well.

***