Ark II - 10. Feel More at Home

It was the new normal. Joel opened his eyes, and his first thought was stasis hadn’t happened yet. He remembered the drowsy feeling he always got and told his mind that it must have. There was the additional feeling he got from some stiff muscles. Just barely felt. That was his proof he had gone into stasis. He smiled as he stretched to get the medicine he had inhaled to revive him from stasis was done. He would now know he had been in stasis when he felt like this. His proof!

He also noticed that Sara Beth was moving through her stretches more quickly than she had before. She was in a hurry to get down to the Habitat Ring. She wanted to see her “babies.”

“It’s been ten years since you put the seeds in the hydroponic pods,” Joel chuckled at his wife’s child-like excitement. “A few more minutes to stretch out properly won’t hurt.”

“But it does have an effect,” Sara Beth grinned. “There is the elevated pulse, the increase in respiration, a tingling on my skin, and my joints are feeling these surges urging me to move…” she said logically. “If left untreated, who knows what will happen next?” She shrugged. “It could be a heart attack or a panic attack…I say we get to the source of the reason for what I’m feeling just to be on the safe side.”

Joel laughed and shook his head, “This is the first time anyone has used a medical excuse to hurry because of excitement.”

“Nonsense,” Sara Beth shook her head. “I can recite medical reasoning used in written medical histories as a reason to hurry. I can’t take full credit.”

Joel nodded believing every word for the most part, “I don’t doubt you can. However, we do have things we are supposed to do?” He reminded her.

“Yes,” Sara Beth sighed agreeing. “We were in stasis for ten years. Can’t I at least check in on my plants and have my job wait a few more minutes?”

Joel smiled, “You could.” He pointed at her. “I know you. You’ll get more excited and want to do more and you know it.”

“Fine,” Sara Beth sighed. “I’ll check the pods first. Okay?”

“Sweetie,” Joel grinned. “I know if you do get caught up with the plants, you’ll still check the stasis of all our residents. I’m not worried.” He looked up, “Athena, are there any concerns with any of our Ark residents?”

“No, Commander,” Athena answered calmly.

“I think we’ll be alright,” Joel chuckled.

Sara Beth launched herself out of her pod with a squeal but managed to catch herself with practiced ease. She leaned into Kevin’s pod, “Let’s go!”

Joel looked at a surprised Hank and merely shrugged to his unasked question. “She’s kind of excited.”

The others came with Sara Beth, who was nearly dragging Joel behind her with one hand and the other had Ian’s hand. The nurseries she had set up were on the third level which she hurried down the corridor to the nurseries. Joel was surprised at what he saw. When they’d left the room, in what seemed like just a few minutes ago, now was literally a forest! Trees that had ten years of growth filled the room with canopies of leaves as branches stretched up toward light that had been there twelve hours a day above. The centrifugal gravity had gotten these trees to grow up straight. No parasites had allowed them to grow with no threats and no bugs of any kind had made them grow unhindered. There were other bush plants and flowers such as roses, daisies, and even sunflowers. They were ten years old and without pruning had grown wild.

Joel watched Sara Beth walk in further stretching her arms out and inhaling deeply, “Oh, smell that air!”

Joel smiled as her joy was more than apparent.

“It smells like air,” Jimmy shrugged.

“It smells like life!” Sara Beth corrected happily.

The air did have scents of the flowers and yes, the trees had added a freshness to the air.

“Aw,” Sara Beth said touching leaves as she went by. “You poor things. No one trimmed you. I’ll take care of you.” She said to the plants in a loving voice. She looked at Joel, “Can we have Robbie or Robot come in and prune them when we go back into stasis?”

Joel shrugged a nod, “I don’t see why not. We can program Athena with the jobs that need to be done and they can do it.” He stepped forward and leaves that had fallen over the years crackled as he walked. “Or…” Joel said happily, “we build some robotic gardeners! They can be used when we get to Gaea, and they can do rounds all over the Habitat Ring. They can prune, clean up any dead leaves…whatever needs to be done. You might be busy.” He grudged a nod, “This was more a last-minute thing I suggested. We’ll take our time and have a more organized method.”

Jimmy touched a tree with leaves that were bright red, “There is no Autumn, why are these leaves red?”

Sara Beth looked at the tree, “Oh, that’s a Red Dragon. A Palmatum Dissectum. It has periods of bright red, and it doesn’t have to be Autumn.” She looked at Joel, “Remember when Rita said she missed the Fall? This gives her a little of the Fall colors.”

“Will we have an Autumn Season?” Kevin asked. “From what I learned, Earth had seasons because it wobbled.”

“Wobbled?” Ian repeated. “I never felt any wobble!”

Sara Beth chuckled, “And now, Kevin. You can explain the Earth’s wobble to your brother.”

“Why?” Kevin asked. “Is it happening on Gaea?”

“Is it?” Sara Beth asked. “You know what we do. What do you think?”

Kevin’s eyes widened, “I don’t know. That’s why I asked.”

“Use what you know. See the evidence, use what you know, and theorize,” Joel stated simply. “That’s what all the scientists we have do.” He smiled and touched his son gently. “I’d wait until they do any further analysis based on what they find out in a few hours but start with what we know already.”

“Well thought out theory is very inciteful,” Sara Beth stated. “You’re just as smart as any of those people out there.” She waved at the Ark. “Now, explain to Ian about the Earth’s wobble.”

Kevin blew a sigh, “Okay.”

Sara Beth looked at Joel but spoke to Kevin, “Do it on your way to the Communal Dining Room. We need to do our jobs.” She smiled at her sons then looked at Joel again. “I can do this later. We have time.”

Joel looked at Nayef and stopped him as they wandered into the Control Room. “I value your counsel and I would like your input with the messages from Earth. Yours, Leah’s, Tom’s…I would like all of you to look over the messages.” He looked at Nayef more directly, “Am I overreacting about my concern with people from Earth being a potential threat to us? Should I not be worried about hiding from the others out here?”

“You’re not overreacting,” Nayef sighed with a sad breath. “The evidence that you aren’t overreacting is the two bombs in China, the one in the United States, Johannesburg, and India…I say you are being reasonable knowing the background of these people.” He smiled a bit hesitantly, “You have a background with military experience and have seen the dark side of men and know that very well. The added caution is warranted. We are but approximately two thousand souls against billions from Earth. A ship with a few hundred military people from Earth could be a threat to us. There are a few here on the Ark II that have some military experience. You might consider training some for some further military training. You have hand-to-hand combat training.” It wasn’t a question. “We don’t have guns on the Ark, but we have minds that could easily make some.”

Joel nodded, “I do have hand-to-hand combat training. Taekwondo was the base with a little Judo. Using the other’s momentum against them to take them down. They swing to hit you and you dodge their motion to throw them off balance and stop them.” He shrugged, “Most of the time that’s what was needed to stop attackers one-on-one. Guns were used primarily. Killing without ever touching anyone.”

Nayef nodded, “It’s more difficult to kill when you are forced to look in a man’s eyes when killing.” He smiled a bit slyly, “You’re not one of those military men that don’t believe in using women in combat, are you?”

Joel’s eyes widened, “What!?” He asked surprised, “Hell, no! Women can be the most violent fighters! They are the mama bears and lionesses of the Human Race. Cunning and often ruthless!” He grudged a nod, “I would hope they aren’t pregnant or mothers when they fight, but no, I have no problem with women in combat.” He chuckled with no real humor, “I have a problem with anyone in combat. When you come down to it, combat is often done by soldiers that don’t believe in what they are fighting for! They fight because they’re paid to! The leaders, generals, and others directing the fight are safe far away from the frontlines.” Joel shook his head at what he did know. “War is very selfish. Party A has something, be it territory or resources that Party B wants and either doesn’t have anything to trade to get it or doesn’t agree with how Party A is distributing said resource. Fights to get that resource and to Hell with what Party A will lose…men, women, and children are in the way, or can be used to persuade Party A to give that resource up. Party A uses people like me to defend against Party B’s attempts to get Party A. The why becomes lost…”

Nayef smiled with compassion on his face, “Yes, you are correct. We need to prepare some to do that as we will be Party A. You may want to speak with Dr. Bia Ch’en.”

Joel looked puzzled, “She has military experience?”

“No,” Nayef admitted. “She has experience with martial art. She is a First White Belt.”

Joel’s eyes widened. How had he missed that!? The calm little woman from Mongolia was a First Belt? Forget those black belts or masters…this was a white belt and it meant she conquered her doubts and fears. She could defeat any black belt or master. This was the greatest achievement anyone in any martial arts could earn. “She is!?”

“She is,” Nayef nodded with a chuckle.

“Would she be willing to teach?” Joel asked.

“You’ll have to ask her.” Nayef said logically.

Joel chastised himself for judging Bia wrongly as many did. Size and gender meant nothing. Bia was maybe five feet and six inches and perhaps one hundred and ten pounds. That could be her advantage in combat. He would love to see what discipline she used. There were so many martial arts, and many had similar moves. Which did she follow? He shook his head again. He had work to do.

Rita had prepared a report on what Athena had been sending to Earth. Athena had notified Earth that this Ark had rejected the worlds around the three stars in the Alpha Centauri group and the course change. No planet was given as a new target, just Epsilon. Joel saw the various news reports and messages from Earth, her orbiting stations, the moon, Mars, and other resources. The population was difficult to give a specific number but was said to be approximately thirty billion worldwide! That number fell by nearly ten billion from the many deaths due to the disasters both natural and manmade. Really, the many natural disasters were also caused by man and his foolishness over several hundred years. He learned that there indeed was an Ark IV that was launched bound for Canis Minor. That was a constellation of several stars about ten to eleven lightyears from Earth. Distance and direction were interesting in three dimensions. The Ark II had headed for Alpha Centauri, with you could say was straight ahead, so you point straight out with your right arm. Now, they were heading towards Epsilon, so point out with your left arm straight out from your left side. The Ark II really seemed to come close to the Earth again, but not really. Tau Ceti, the star the Ark III was heading to was behind where you faced, and Canis Minor was behind you…the Milky Way was a spiral galaxy, right? It looked flat but no. It was to some degree. The system with Earth was on the edge of one of the spiral arms. but…the distances were like math. He didn’t like it. No, there would be, no threat for a while, but Joel knew with stasis the Ark II residents would be alive for that while. Joel would feel better if they prepared for a threat the didn’t come. Joel also knew that kind of thinking was foolish. Men were now out in the galaxy, and they would eventually meet them.

The governments of Earth were changing. Let’s face it, there wasn’t that much difference between Canada and the United States. They shared a similar language and customs. Both were settled by people from Europe. While the throne in England held on longer to Canada and kept their finger in that pot, so was the United States. Yes, yes, the Revolution and the war made the separation occur more and severe. That war could have gone either way in the United States. Both Canada and the United States were Americans! Really, everyone from Argentina to Northern Canada were Americans. North, Central, and South Americans, but Americans. Why were they so upset about a planet they left? Because they were family. They were the same species having come from the same parent. Brothers may hate each other, even try to kill each other and some succeeded. The many brothers and sister still on Earth were victims. It could be ideology, but the division between the brothers had become so bad, the Ark II, III, and IV were launched to save as many as they could. Joel wasn’t so naive to not understand that. He prayed that men from Earth would mature as a species and their parent, Earth, would survive. The Earth would survive unless they pulverized it up completely. The Human Species achieved things no other species from Earth ever achieved…that they knew of. In a very short amount of time, too. Anyway, Canada and the United States were acting more together than ever before. There was a capital on the Western Coast near Washington State. There was still the Canadian Sovereign who was on the throne in England. That sort of faded over the last few centuries. The was still the Federal Government and Provincial Governments, Governor Generals, and Prime Minister. The United States still had its President, Vice President and all that. Now, the two operated from the same complex. Europe, East and West, was often meeting with them, including Mexico and the many countries in South America, Africa…it was going to become a single world government. Not without more conflict from many other nations. That was just going to happen. There should be one voice to guide. Not one person. One voice from a group.

Joel felt the beginnings of one of his math related headaches brewing. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes a second. Eye strain was still a reason for glasses today. Nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism were still problems, but corrective surgery could correct them now…if you could afford it. Diseases of the eye were treated…again, if you could afford it.

His attention was taken from what he was reading as Sara Beth came in, pushing a dolly cart loaded with several of her plants. She was followed by some of the larger children from the Communal Dining Room such as Lunga, Alan, and Chloe, who Joel knew Chloe would have objected if she weren’t included simply because she was a girl. Joel was startled. He hadn’t noticed her leave the Control Room. He watched as she placed a fern-like plant on the floor where there was enough unused space. A couple of scientists saw what she brought and gave her smiles for what she did. Sara Beth never wanted any artificial plants around to simply decorate. It was real or nothing! Joel stood up and walked over to her, “I can help you do that.”

Sara Beth nodded, “Yes, you could.” Then she smiled touching his cheek. “You were so wrapped up in what you were reading, I thought it was more important than what I was doing or planned to do.” She waved at her helpers as they placed the various plants around the Control Room, “I have help.”

Joel pointed at the dolly cart, “And all these go in here.”

Sara Beth looked confused for a second, then to the cart with the plants, “Of course.” She looked at her husband. “If you want to have less, just say so. I think having life other than our own is very important. It keeps us in balance.” She waved at the overhead lights, “We have no windows in here and even if we did, any star is too far away. The lights the Ark uses has the ultraviolet lights we need for our vitamin D and also to allow photosynthesis for the plants. We’ll have life in here.” She looked with a plea on her face, “We have two more times in stasis. Each of these times are for what…a year and then six months. Aren’t we on the edge of Ran’s solar system? Do we have to put everything back? We let the Habitat Ring rotate for ten years. Can’t we leave the air on for the year and a half?”

Joel chuckled, “I suppose we could. We’ll be in the Stasis Pods and not breathing the air. It was a waste to have it circulate when we were before. Go ahead. Arrange your plants where you think you should. You need to talk with Hank about the Gardening Robots. Athena can have them ready while we’re in stasis. They can prune and cleanup as needed while we are in stasis.”

Sara Beth let out a squeal and clapped her hands quickly and had a new task she was more than happy to do, “I will have plants for the others awake. You should see the Communal Dining Room! And the Habitat Ring, I will have it smelling better and looking like a walk through a park! The sounds, the lighting, and the foliage will make it more a home than it was! When everyone is awake for the Planet Warming Party, they will swear they are on a planet!”

“That is the idea,” Joel laughed. “We will be up a few weeks when we get to Gaea. Not everyone, but the people we need to move down to Gaea.” He held a finger up, “Now, when we go into stasis again for the terraforming, we will be in stasis a lot longer than before. The air and rotation on the Habitat Ring will probably be shut off again. Remember that. All the plants you bring out go back to the Stasis Nurseries. The Stasis Gas will have to be used to preserve the plants, too.”

Sara Beth nodded quickly, “I’m making a note where all the plants are and will keep track of them. I wish we could have some bees out. They would help with the pollination.”

“That’s another job the Gardening Robots can do,” Joel pointed out. “Have the robots designed to do all the jobs you need. What about the Hydroponic Fluids? We can’t have the feed for each plant. Someone or something will have to make rounds and drain the used fluids and pump the new fluid in.”

“A robot for that one task?” Sara Beth suggested. “With two tanks, one to put the used fluids in and the other to pump the new fluid from!”

“Hank,” Joel said to her, “Talk to Hank.”

“Hank,” Sara Beth nodded and pulled Joel in for an excited kiss. “I love you even more, Joel Nesmith. We’ll make life in space our home.” She looked over at the young people.

Robbie walked in, “I thought I could lend a hand, Mom Sara Beth.”

Sara Beth grinned at Robbie, “Thank you, Robbie. Help will be great!”

Was there a Feng Shui for arranging plants? Joel didn’t know, but Sara Beth seemed to follow it. The furnishings could be moved, but she went with what they had. Joel knew their own quarters would be stuffed to the bulkheads. Sara Beth’s orchids, roses, and other plants would be all over. That was just her. Joel returned to the messages and looked over ten years’ worth of updates and news reports. There were still the televised broadcasts, but most originated from the moon or Mars. There were broadcasts from Earth, mostly from South America. That was the only part of the Americas that hadn’t been terribly affected. Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and the other more developed countries were the ones sending most of the broadcasts. And Antarctica. The cities there were growing legally and illegally. That continent had long days in the Summer where the sun never really set and long nights where the sun never rose. Those scientists looking at Gaea were getting louder as they looked over the latest scans of Gaea. They were getting excited, and Joel finally turned from where he was in the Control Room. “What’s making you so happy?” They started speaking at once so Joel held up his hands, “Stop, one at a time please.”

They looked at each other and Kurt was first, “We think Gaea is perfect for us!”

“It’s the right size,” Xolani added. “We theorize with the added oxygen levels the temperature will also be perfect.”

“We found a spot we should really think about making landfall,” Adam said.

Larisa pointed at the vacant air and hit something on the desk she was using, “Here is the more detailed images of Gaea.” The planet Joel had seen before appeared in the air between the scientists and Joel. It was as if someone put on glasses and saw something much clearer. The rings were still there, but the planet surface was indeed sharper. The water covered much of the planet, but there were island continents that could be seen. “This is our first recommendation.” A closer look at some of those islands, one particular string of islands got closer.

Joel’s head went back an inch as he looked at islands that reminded him of some other islands on Earth. “It looks like Hawai’i!”

Even those scientific minds had to look at the islands again. They had looked but had not seen it.

“Before the sea levels rose to the level it was when we left,” Joel pointed at the image. “Reverse the islands. The Big Island of Hawai’i is at the top. Below The Big Island is Maui, then Molokai, then Oahu, and off to the east is Kauai, and there are even smaller islands like Niihau, Lanai, and Kahoolawe.” Joel chuckled. “I have Jimmy who loved Geography and knew most of the atlas, so naturally, so do I.” He shrugged. They hadn’t seen what he had. “You know that the state of Hawai’i is volcanic. Is there a Diamond Head? Or a Volcanic State Park?”

Adam let out a simple, “Huh.” He saw it now.

“No,” Kurt answered finally. “These islands are not volcanic like Hawai’i.”

“The image is arranged North to South,” Joel said to confirm. “The Island of Hawai’i is the northern island here, not the southern island?”

Larisa nodded, “Yes, it is. This big Hawai’ian Island is twice the size of the real Big Island of Hawai’i. It’s nine thousand square miles and there are other peaks under the surface the show it’s part of a range of mountains. However, there is a shelf near the surface on its west side that stretches out approximately four hundred miles. If we did build a subsurface city, that is our recommendation…”

“Because just underneath this island is a vein of metals we need,” Xolani interrupted. “And there are a series of rivers that flow to the vast ocean.”

The image changed to an image of water that sat inland. Really, it was simply a big pool of water where the runoff from the mountainous peaks above it fed from the heights there. Joel could see in his mind a city near that lake and by the rivers that flowed to the ocean. Would the trees they planted around it be a forest of trees like in the northern hemisphere on Earth? Or would there be a forest of jungle trees such as on Hawai’i or South America or Africa?

“It is near Gaea’s equator,” Adam continued. A second image of Gaea appeared with a red line circling around Gaea’s middle. The not The Islands of Hawai’i were just north of the red line by a few dozen kilometers. “You asked about seasons. It does have seasons of a kind…”

Joel sighed and then almost growled, “Oh, stop it. Just tell me. I’ll let you know if I don’t get something.”

Adam laughed in response to that, “Okay. Gaea has very little wobble. We theorize the rings have a steadying effect on Gaea. It’s Epsilon Eridani B that causes the change in Gaea’s orbit. Epsilon Eridani B…”

“Oh, come on!” Joel waved his hand as the image of the giant blue gas giant planet appeared. “You guys can’t think of a better name!?” Joel two arms spread widely. “This guy is huge! You said it was three times the size of Jupiter! He deserves a name!”

Xolani nudged Adam and jutted his head at Joel smiling at his husband, “Tell him.”

Joel grinned, “Tell me what?”

Adam looked a little embarrassed, “Epsilon Eridani B was acting like Godzilla.”

“Godzilla? Why?” Joel asked.

“Godzilla,” Adam smiled, “was bad and good. I loved those old monster movies from Japan. The remakes were fine, but the ones from the 1960s and the 1970s were great. Godzilla destroyed a lot of Tokyo. I assume there were deaths, but they never showed you where Godzilla killed anyone or talked about any deaths. He destroyed a lot of buildings, but if any other monster attacked, Godzilla defeated them! He was the anti-hero in those movies. Children would even call his name asking for Godzilla to protect them!” He waved at Epsilon Eridani B. “That’s what he does!”

“Whenever Gaea orbit swings around Ran near the orbit of…” Larisa chuckled looking at Adam, “Godzilla, Godzilla pulls on Gaea causing her orbit to stretch…pulling Gaea towards Godzilla…just a little, but Ran refuses to let Gaea go, pulling Gaea back causing Gaea to come back and made to remain in Ran’s orbit. That causes the oval orbit for Gaea.”

Joel laughed lightly, “Godzilla! I love it!”

Adam’s head bowed a bit and smiled sheepishly, “Well, it doesn’t go with our mythological name for Gaea. We named the first planet orbiting Ran Hermes, the second Aphrodite, Gaea was the third planet, of course. The fourth planet we’re calling Ares.”

Joel nodded understanding, “The same as around Sol, just using the Greek names instead of the Roman, or Latin names for Mercury, Venus, and Mars.” He shrugged, “Godzilla is a great name, but Zeus would be a better one to follow the pattern.” He looked at Adam with a smile, “But we can call it Godzilla and we’ll know why.” He looked up and motioned toward Gaea. “What about the planet going in the opposite direction? The trojan orbit planet?”

“Troy,” Xolani shrugged at the simplicity.

“Fine,” Joel consented and waved at the Ark beyond them. “We have many species of aquatic life. Most live in saltwater. Is there salt enough in the ocean there?”

Kurt nodded, “Salt is derived from the volcanic gasses. It is in the water.”

“And the rivers and lakes?” Joel asked. “Are they freshwater?”

Xolani hesitantly grudged a nod, “We think so. The rains should come down fresh. The water from ground sources should be filtered through the ground itself. We need to check it closer.”

“We’re getting there as fast as we can,” Hank said.

“So far,” Joel added.

“It’s the starting and stopping that hurts if we don’t do it right,” Hank chuckled with Joel. He looked up, “Athena, are we in position to begin slowing down?”

“Yes, Dr. Henry Cavill,” Athena answered. “Deceleration began six years ago. Our momentum has begun to slow down. We will be at the appropriate velocity when we achieve orbit around Gaea.”

Hank looked at Joel and whispered as he grinned, “Meaning we’re now going backwards.”

“Yes, I got that,” Joel whispered back. Joel never really understood, except the engines and the thrust had to push from behind. There was nothing explosive about the engines or ion gas, but the engines and the thrust had to be in the back. Therefore, to slow them down, Athena had to push against the momentum to slow down as gradually as possible. Any rapid acceleration or deceleration could flatten them all against a bulkhead. Physics. There were smaller engine exhausts toward the top and front of the Ark to steer the direction. However, major thrust had to come out the rear. That Joel didn’t get. Nothing would blow up, so why just in the rear?

“In a week for us,” Joel began. “We’ll have everyone up and greeting our new planet. Most of them don’t know what happened on Earth. I don’t see too many problems with that as we all knew it could happen and is the reason we left, still…be ready.” He looked at Nayef and Leah Rees. “Some of those will be the very counselors we’ll need. Our timetable should not change. Our task has not changed. We will make Gaea a sister planet to the Earth.” He smiled at the feeling he got when he thought about what would happen so shortly after they came out of stasis when in orbit around Gaea. “We will then send our six-man team down on the lander. We have a location, and we need to go down and get the necessary samples to bring back and study.” He looked at Hank. “You’ll need to be ready.”

Hank’s head wavered a grudging nod, “I’m ready, but you have to pilot the lander.”

“Why?” Joel asked surprised. “You’re qualified. I was there. You can pilot the lander. So can Sara Beth, Rita, and others, but there’s only so…”

Hank nodded, “Yes, I qualified…in a simulator! I flew perhaps five times, but you…” he pointed at Joel. “I flew maybe ten hours’ time combined. You have flown two hundred hours in your career. Landing that little ship will not be that difficult but returning to the Ark we will be using actual thrusters to break orbit. I can do it…” he looked at Joel with his own eyes lowered, “as long as you are there!”

Joel nodded with a chuckle, “I flew similar craft like the lander. I’ve only flown that lander just enough to get used to the feel. I’ll hold your hand if you want.”

Hank gave an overly done face of love and pressed two hands over his heart, “Aw, that is so sweet.” Then he said firmly. “I just want to be sure nothing can happen to get us killed. ‘Cause if it does, who could handle it better?”

Joel threw an arm around Hank’s shoulder and brought him in, kissing him on his left temple.

Nayef chuckled, “You two have one of the best bromances I’ve ever seen.”

Joel nodded, “Yep.” He kissed Hank again on the temple. “I love this guy.” Then he held his hand up quickly, “Don’t get me wrong. I love all of you, too. He and I have spent a lot of time together and…”

“Relax,” Xolani grinned.

“We’re not too jealous,” Adam added.

Larisa smiled at Joel and Hank, “The chemistry between you two is so obvious. You’re brothers, even if you have different parents.”

Leah nodded, “As a social species intimacy between two members of that intimacy. Having two of the leaders on the Ark getting along so well is comforting to the others on the Ark.”

“We all need to get along well,” Joel said. “We’ll work better as a unit that way.” He looked at Hank. “We’re family.”

“Is anyone special cooking tonight?” Hank asked them.

No one seemed to want to say they did, not that they didn’t want to.

“I’m anxious to know what we aren’t getting from China,” Joel said to Wei and turned to Bia, “I don’t know if I’ve had any Mongolian dishes.”

Bia nodded, “We can do it. It doesn’t take long. I can make Khorkhog.” She smiled at the lack of recognition on any of the other faces. “It’s a sort of barbecue for beef in Mongolia.”

Wei held up a finger, “Not to be confused with Mongolian Beef served in the United States or Canada.”

“You’ve said that before,” Joel nodded. “Are you willing to do it?” He asked Bia.

“Sure,” Bia nodded once quickly and then smiled. “I can use help.” She smiled at Wei. “He’s always willing but is not that useful in the kitchen.” She looked at Joel and Hank. “I’ve seen the two of you in the kitchen.” She chuckled, “And your wives.”

“Whatever you need,” Joel nodded.

“We’ll certainly help,” Hank grinned.

Sara Beth had transformed the Communal Dining Room. There were trees! They were bushed out and bunched together. Some smaller flowering bushes of roses and gardenias. Yes, it added to the aroma in the Communal Dining Area. Wei might not have been much help in the kitchen but was busy doing something with Athena. Joel had a feeling what Wei was doing. Mongolia was essentially made up of nomads changing very little over a few thousand years. Most lived in Yurts. Those tent-like homes that could be moved easily. Trees were not that common in Mongolia. Sandwiched between China and Russia they had customs that reflected both. Everyone knew about Genghis Khan. That Mongolian Leader wreaked deadly havoc on that part of the world. It would be a shame to let any people from any country or ethnicity disappear. Bia was dictating what was being done while they cooked. The Mongolian People liked their dishes spicy. Joel was right at home with that. In this case the word barbecue was a verb, not the noun Joel preferred. Sara Beth and Rita were also helping, but Joel had wanted to so he could ask Bia that important question.

“I’m just going to ask,” Joel said seemingly out of the blue. “It’s my understanding you are a white belt in the art of Tai Chi.”

Bia’s motion she was using to cut the meat stopped as her eyes widened, “That was an honor I was awarded a few years ago.” Her eyes traveled to Joel. “Why?”

“You’re too smart not to know,” Joel said flat out. “You were there when I spoke of a potential threat. I want us to be prepared to defeat that threat.” He shrugged, “I admit, I only knew about Tai Chi as a form of relaxation and meditation.”

Bia resumed cutting what she was going to cook, “It is an excellent form of relaxation. Tai Chi is about balance. There are five styles of Tai Chi. Taiji is used to keep the Ying and Yang in flux. You can’t win with hardness against hardness. One side must yield. Forcing a hard side to softness is very difficult. Tai Chi uses both hard and soft. Qijong is the coordination of movement, breath, and awareness. That’s the form of Tai Chi you were speaking of. There are many benefits by reducing stress and helps focus.”

Joel shrugged, “My only excuse is ignorance.”

“Acquiring knowledge is the cure for ignorance,” she smiled. “And you want me to teach Tai Chi.” It wasn’t a question.

“Joel grinned, “Don’t you think we could use it?” He waved his hand, “It takes years to learn. When did you begin learning?”

Bia smiled, “I can’t remember when I hadn’t done Tai Chi. I’m told I was three. I was doing qijong and neigong first.” She looked at Joel and Sara Beth. “That’s the breathing, movement, and awareness.”

“At three?” Sara Beth asked. “How could you understand what you were doing and why?”

“My father explained what and why we did what we did,” Bia smiled at a memory. “I think I really just enjoyed spending time with my father and mother.”

“Your mother did it, too?” Sara Beth asked.

Bia nodded, “Oh, yes. She achieved Copper Dragon and led many in our neighborhood of Darhan. Father was a Gold Dragon.” She looked up from what she was doing on the counter. “Do you understand the levels?”

“I assume dragons are the highest ranks,” Joel stated.

“Yes,” Bia answered. “There are eagles, tigers, and last there are dragons. Copper, silver, and gold are the rankings with each.” She shook her head, “Father said to be less concerned about what the title is and be more invested in what you know. I was a Gold Eagle at six.”

“It’s nonviolent,” Sara Beth asked to be sure.

Bia nodded but answered the question honestly, “It’s self-defense. If your opponent comes to you in violence, your response may be violent. Mostly, it’s used to stop the violence. The taolu is the solo hand movements and weapons. The tuishou is the push hand drills. Sanshou are the striking techniques.” She looked at Joel, “I understand you have knowledge of martial arts, Commander.”

Joel nodded, “The military form of Taekwondo.”

Bia smiled at that, “But you appreciate having these skills.”

“To protect my family and myself, yes I do.” Joel nodded.

“That’s fine,” Bia answered. “I will be happy to instruct you Tai Chi. Wei is a Silver Dragon and can teach, as well. Lui is a Gold Tiger and can teach the beginners.”

Joel nodded and frowned, “I don’t want to fight at all.” He held a finger up, “I just know when someone does come here…and they will, we will greet them. We will also be prepared to defend ourselves. We have to.”

“Don’t pick a fight but don’t back down from any fight brought to us,” Bia nodded with a smile. “I like it. We can do that.”

“Joel,” Sara Beth said hesitantly to her husband. “Kevin and Jimmy will probably love it, but Ian?” She waved at Bia, “He’s five!”

Joel waved at Bia, too, “And she was three! None of our boys are violent. Ian is the least violent of the three boys. If anyone or anything threatens them, they need to be able to defend themselves.”

Bia looked at Sara Beth, “We’ll start them all with the meditation and qijong. Ian will learn grace and how to focus. It will be exercise.” She shrugged. “If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t have to continue.”

“Not that anyone asked me,” Hank said having been practically forgotten. “Rita and I started Chloe and Rachel in Karate classes before we left Earth.”

Rita smiled, “The goal was to build self-confidence and also to be able to defend themselves from the dangers of the world we left behind.”

Hank nodded and admitted further, “That was one of the goals. I had the additional goal of my daughters being able to fight off anyone that would take them or tried to make them do what they didn’t want to do. No would mean no.”

“Yes,” Rita nodded as she smiled at her husband. “Hank made me take adult lessons in self-defense. Just enough where I could get away. I found it stimulating and continued.” She shrugged.

“You took Karate, Sara Beth,” Joel pointed out.

Sara Beth sighed and nodded, “And we came out here to escape all that.”

“And if we hadn’t,” Joel pointed out, “The boys might be dead now.”

“It’s better to be prepared and never use it,” Bia added, “than have a need to use it and not be prepared.”

“You’re right,” Sara Beth sighed sadly. “I don’t have to like it.”

The meal was ready, and the others were invited to gather around as Bia began. “Tonight, I was asked to make a dish served in Mongolia. Really, the best thing about Mongolia is the lack of change that stretches back thousands of years. Modern life forced change, but not that hard. We were primarily a nomadic country. We lived in Yurts, tent-like dwellings that could be taken down and erected somewhere else. Tonight’s meal is usually prepared on a rock.” She shrugged, “We don’t really have one of those now. I was born and raised in the city of Darhan, just below the Russian boarder. It is very grassy there and the only trees we had were planted by us. We had herds of horses, goats, sheep, and some cattle. We even had camels that were domesticated. There are things even we don’t have, such as Airag. That’s a fermented drink made with horse milk. I did make Millet and Green Milk Tea. I was raised in the northern portion of Mongolia. I welcome you to what was my home.” She waved as the lights dimmed and the grassy, mountainous peaks showed in the background. There were a few of the Yurts and they seemed to be traveling into one. A young woman on the side sat on some pillows and was moving a bow like a cello bow over a two stringed instrument she played like a cello. Yet it was not nearly the size of a cello. It was wooden, but just a little over a cigar box size. It was held at the knees and had those “f-holes” on either side of the fingerboard. It was a Morin Huur, a Horse Head Fiddle. It made a pretty sound as the woman played. The Morin Huur was uniquely Mongolian.

They all sat at the table as the meal was served hot. They had something Bia said was Boortsog. They were giant butter cookies. Cookies were favorites in every country! Wei had researched to find the best background for them all to see Mongolia. It was all beautiful and delicious.