Space Pioneer 2 - The Titan Plot - 6. Chapter 6

Lest stopped in the galley, rummaged through the crates and took a box of peanuts. He moved on and found Le’Ton in the ship’s gaming room, sitting at a console and playing a spacecraft war game. Lest sat down next to him and placed the peanuts box on the table. Le’Ton cast him a sideways glance.

“Which level?” Lest asked.

“Five,” Le’Ton replied. “I must take out twelve spaceships in six seconds.”

Lest looked at the screen. It was filled with white Alliance spacecrafts and black pirate ships. The ships were zig-zagging over the screen.

“Officer, fire. Countdown three seconds,” a stern voice commanded. It belonged to the Alliance commander who commanded a concerted action against the pirates.

The computer counted down and Le’Ton started firing. The screen went black and a message said: 10 pirate ships shot down. Pirates won. Try again?’

“It was close,” Lest said, seizing a few peanuts from the box. “Try again, Le’Ton.”

Le’Ton looked at the box and grabbed a few peanuts. “Roger, captain,” he said, chewing on the peanuts.

Le’Ton hit a button and the scene repeated. He started firing. The screen went black.

“Penalty points: 50. Pirates won,” the computer said. “Try again?”

“What? Penalty points?” Le’Ton shouted. “I won. I took out twelve ships. I counted them.”

“I think the last ship you shot down was an Alliance ship, the one that always comes out of nowhere. You’re Alliance in the game,” Lest said.

“Shit,” Le’Ton said. He leaned back in his chair and stuffed more peanuts into his mouth. “I had the genuine feeling she liked me,” he said.

“It could well be true, just that the she is a he,” Lest said.

“Yes,” Le’Ton said curtly.

The screen rebuilt and Le’Ton focused. He shot the twelve pirate ships down with amazing speed.

“Congratulations,” the computer said. “Alliance won. Proceed to next level?”

Le’Ton looked at Lest. “He told us he was more the runner type and had won a first prize in a running competition,” he said.

“A Titan woman taking part in a running competition. Didn’t this surprise you?” Lest asked.

“No,” Le’Ton said. “I don’t know much about the Titans. I didn’t care to read up on them.”

“What about his voice? Didn’t it sound male?” Lest asked.

“I didn’t pay much attention to his voice. I focused on the translation that came in via the neural implant,” Le’Ton said.

Lest nodded. He grabbed more peanuts.

“I thought he liked our activity in the gym room. He liked cycling. He was happy and sociable,” Le’Ton said. “This whole situation has gotten out of control. I wished things were simpler.”

“These things are barely ever simple,” Lest said. “Le’Ton, we must assume he’s involved in the plot. He might want to spy on the ship. I might be mistaken, but we must leave nothing to chance.”

“I have a genuine feeling this whole plot is not what we think it is,” Le’Ton said.

Lest studied Le’Ton and then seized more peanuts. “If he was kidnapped or forced to play along, he could have revealed it to you in the gym room. This was his chance to come forward,” he said.

Le’Ton shrugged. He turned back to the screen and resumed shooting down spacecrafts.

Lest was watching. “You don’t like the situation. Understandably,” he said. “If you had a more relaxed view of things, I’d ask you to talk with him again. We’re in a somewhat desperate need of information.”

Le’Ton stopped the game and turned to Lest. “I’d talk with him again. It’s not a problem for me. I just don’t want... .” His voice trailed off and he turned back to the screen.

Lest looked at Le’Ton in surprise. “What’s the point then?” he asked.

“I don’t want the others watching me on the monitoring screen and making fun of me. And I don’t want to hear Corr’s idiotic comments,” Le’Ton said. He turned his head to Lest.

Lest nodded. “I’ll arrange this,” he said, rising to his feet. He patted Le’Ton’s shoulder. “Good night, chin up, and take these pirates out,” he said.

“Roger, captain,” Le’Ton said with a half-smile.

Lest left the room and went back on the bridge. Hulton was sitting at the console. The other men had left the bridge.

“The others have gone to their rooms. It’s my shift,” Hulton said. “The ship is on autopilot. No problems. Everything’s quiet, captain.”

“What about the Titans?” Lest asked.

“I checked on them a few minutes ago. The four Titans are sleeping or pretending to sleep. They’re lying on their beds,” Hulton said.

“Okay, Hulton, go to your room. I’ll stay on the bridge and take over,” Lest said.

Hulton rose from his chair. “Okay. Good night, captain,” he said reluctantly.

Lest gave him a nod and Hulton left the bridge. Lest sat down in his seat, looked around and then leaned back and closed his eyes. The faint humming of the machines had a calming effect on his thoughts. Le’Ton was right. The situation was out of control, always had been. Perez had duped him. Lest took a breath. This was what was wrong about the situation. He was the captain and the Horus was his ship, but he had never been in control of this operation.

Lest heard a noise. Somebody had entered the bridge. Lest didn’t know how much time had passed since he had taken over the shift on the bridge. His muscles tensed. He was ready to jump at whoever approached him. Lest tore his eyes open.

“Here you are,” Jeff said, stopping in front of Lest’s seat.

Lest relaxed and leaned back in his chair. “I was thinking,” he said. “The universe is vast and we’re just a speck. A speck plowing through space. This speck can easily be erased. This wouldn’t change the grand scheme of things. Or would it? What do you think?” he asked.

Jeff was pondering. “I think it would,” he said. “It would change the grand scheme of things. Our actions have an influence and make an impression, however minor our actions are. They truly make our presence felt. It’s not just belief. There’s real evidence for it. Think of the time jumps, for instance. They can alter the time line and thus change the universe.”

Lest nodded thoughtfully.

“It’s all entwined, space and time,” Jeff said. “Every speck is a part of the universe and has its part in it.”

Lest looked at Jeff. “You’re absolutely right, Jeff. Good you came on the bridge. I was just starting to feel sorry for myself,” he said.

Jeff gave him a faint smile. Lest smiled back.

He rose from his chair, went to the console, checked several screens and displays, and opened the monitoring windows. The Titans were asleep.

“It’s late. Let’s go down,” Lest said. “Corr’s shift is about to begin in a couple of minutes.”

They waited until Corr entered the bridge.

The man looked between them in surprise. “Still up and working?” he asked, suppressing a yawn.

“I took over Hulton’s shift,” Lest said. “No specific incidents and special occurrences. The Titans are sleeping.”

“Okay, captain,” Corr said, sitting down and checking on his displays and screens.

“Good night,” Lest said, turning away from the console and walking to the exit of the bridge.

“See you later, Corr,” Jeff said.

“Good night,” Corr said with a nod. He opened a flight simulation program.

Lest and Jeff left the bridge.

They were lying in the dark on the narrow bed.

“We should replace the furniture,” Jeff said, turning on his side. “The bed is uncomfortable.”

“I’ll be thinking about it,” Lest said, wrapping his arm around Jeff. “You’re absolutely right. Our actions truly make our presence felt.”

Jeff shifted, but didn’t reply. He had fallen asleep. Lest looked into the darkness of the room and then closed his eyes.

The men met in the galley the following day. Hulton was placing mugs and plates on a tray. The Titans had placed their orders for breakfast, tea and round flat cakes with chickpeas. Lest looked at the gross mush on the cakes and shuddered.

“I was thinking,” he said. “Midad, I want you to carry the tray and go down to the Titans’ rooms. Ask about their health. They might tell you something useful. And get our special lady to sickbay for a health check. Make something up. If the Titan is eager to leave the room and see something different, he’ll readily comply. Try to make him talk. Le’Ton, you’ll accompany the doctor for his security. Take along a plasma gun.”

“Roger, captain,” Le’Ton replied.

Midad just nodded.

Lest turned to the others. “Corr, Jeff, and Hulton, I want you on the bridge. Galven and Forrit, go back to the engine room and check on the engines, just in case we need to force our way out upon arrival at Rho 59,” he said.

“A full system check will take hours. We did a full system and engine check on Cyrus,” Galven said.

“Do one more,” Lest replied and left for the bridge.

Jeff followed him.

“It seems the captain wants to see us occupied,” Galven said.

“He’s in command mode as a result of yesterday’s operation,” Hulton explained.

“What operation?” Galven asked. “The engine room was not involved in it.”

Hulton told the engineers what had happened. The men were shaking their heads. Hulton left for the bridge.

Corr and Jeff were sitting at the console. Lest was standing behind of them with his arms crossed. He cast Hulton a grumpy look. Hulton sat down quickly.

“Monitoring system on, please, Hulton,” Lest commanded.

Hulton opened a window. It showed Midad and Le’Ton walking down the corridor to the Titans’ rooms. They stopped in front of the first room.

“Unlock the door,” Lest commanded.

Hulton unlocked the door. The Titan moved to the door and seized a mug and plate.

“Lock the door,” Lest said and repeated his brief commands each time Midad and Le’Ton stopped in front of a door.

“Unlock the door,” Lest said.

“I know it by now,” Hulton said in annoyance.

Lest raised an eyebrow and cast him a meaningful look. Hulton quickly unlocked the door. Jeff and Corr exchanged a brief look.

Doctor Midad entered the room and placed the tray on the table. Le’Ton remained standing by the doorway. He looked stoically into the room. The Titan was wearing the sweatpants and the shirt Le’Ton had given to him. His hair was done in a ponytail.

“It seems the lady has disappeared into thin air,” Hulton said.

“I wasn’t asking for a comment on the scene on the screen,” Lest said.

“What’s wrong with him? Did he have a bad night?” Corr asked Jeff in a low voice.

“What?” Lest asked. “What did you just say, Corr?”

“I was asking Jeff for engine data,” Corr lied.

“Ah,” Lest said. “I thought it was another redundant comment of yours.”

Corr’s shoulders tensed. He turned back to the console and focused hard on a screen. Jeff cast Lest a questioning look, but turned his eyes away when Lest ignored him.

“Status update, please, Hulton,” Lest said.

“Doctor Midad was talking with the Titan. The man ate his breakfast, then left the room with the doctor. They’re on the way to sickbay,” Hulton said, opening a new window.

The group entered sickbay. Hulton reached out to open the window that showed the interior of the room.

“Enough,” Lest said sharply. “You will not monitor Doctor Midad’s room. Doctor Midad will hit the intercom button and contact the bridge if need be. Close the monitoring windows and keep them closed until I say otherwise. We can’t afford watching videos. I want you to check on the Horus computer, hardware and software. I want everything functioning and working properly. We need to prepare for a possible confrontation with the Titans on Rho 59.” He rubbed his hands, smiled contently, then headed for the exit of the bridge. “I’m doing an inspection round,” he said.

“What’s this? Full captain mode, bad humor or what?” Hulton asked when Lest had left.

Jeff shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know what’s bugging him,” he said.

“It’s his act of reprisal for the gym room act,” Corr said. “He takes it out on everybody.”

“Some people make intellectual mistakes and others fail on the emotional side. Some have a hard time with both,” Hulton said with a sigh.

“Says the wise man,” Jeff said angrily. “A system check is not a mistake.”

“True,” Hulton replied. “But what exactly did you mean to say with your first sentence?”

“Get it started, guys, and spare me a philosophical discussion,” Corr interrupted them.

“Who started with poems?” Hulton asked with a taunting look..

“Shut up,” Corr snapped at him and forcefully hit a button on the console.

Hulton and Jeff fell silent and turned to their screens.

Lest entered sickbay. “How’s it going?” he asked Doctor Midad who was monitoring a display.

“His name is Chen,” Midad replied, turning to Lest. “He readily gave up on the masquerade, but I have not yet found out about the plot. Maybe Le’Ton will,” he said. “They’re in the adjoining room. Chen is exercising.”

Lest moved to a door with a transparent window and looked into the room. The Titan was running on a treadmill.

“I have applied a few monitoring plasters to his skin. They’re sending data to the computer. He’s on good health,” Midad said.

Lest turned away from the door. “Good work, Midad,” he said. “I’ll go and speak with the Titan leader. What’s his name? Ion, I think. It’s high time we learn more about them,” he said.

“Be careful, Lest,” Midad said.

Lest nodded. He left sickbay and went down to the quarters, stopped by his room and seized the plasma gun he had bought for personal use on Cyrus.

Lest contacted Hulton via his neural implant. “Monitoring system on, please, Hulton,” he said. “Monitor the Titan leader’s room. I’m entering the room to speak with the man. Intervene from the bridge if anything goes wrong. Decision yours. This is a command. Unlock the door. Lest, out.”