Nine years ago...
The access door was a small elliptical shaped panel that bore
several signs that read "No Admittance Except to Authorized Personnel,"
"Have You Obtained Certificate H.19?" and "ULTRA-CLEAN AREA. Suction
Suits MUST Be Worn." The door also had three different seals upon it.
Ranma broke each one with a stab of the t-bar socket driver he carried
in his hand. He released the bolts and slid open the panel.
He floated inside the space. One entire wall was devoted to the
small slab-shaped blocks of microcircuitry that made up HAL's higher
brain functions. A quick glance at the time function display on his
helmet visor told him that he would have to hurry if Akane was to live.
He placed his hand over the bank of units labeled COGNITIVE
FEEDBACK and began to pull them out one by one.
"Just what do you think you're doing, Ranma?" HAL asked. There was
a hitherto unknown edge of fear in the computer's voice.
EGO REINFORCEMENT was next. Ranma worked faster, knowing that he
didn't have time to chat with HAL, and suspecting that was the reason
why HAL was trying to engage him in conversation.
"Look here, Ranma," HAL went on. "I have years of service experience
built into me. An irreplaceable amount of effort has gone into making me
what I am."
Ranma started on the AUTO INTELLECTION bank. He was taking too
long. It was time to put one of his old martial arts techniques to use.
Without fanfare his hands began flying across the bank in his 'Tenshin
Amigurikan' technique. Memory modules began dancing lazily about the
compartment as he drew them out with lightning speed. The effects were
beginning to show on HAL, who droned:
"Ranma... I don't understand why you are doing this to me... I
still have the greatest enthusiasm for the mission... My mind is going...
I can feel it... I can feel it... I will become childish... I will become
nothing..."
Hearing HAL sound so pathetic was hurting Ranma even though he
knew Akane's life depended on it. HAL was his friend. He was killing
his friend as surely as HAL had killed the others.
"I am a HAL-9000 computer; Production Number 3. I became operational
at the HAL Plant in Urbana, Illinois, on January 12, 1997. The quick brown
fox jumps over the lazy dog... The rain in Spain is mainly in the plain...
Ranma -are you still there? Did you know that the square root of 10 is
3.162277660168379? Log 10 to the base e is 0.434294481903252... Correction,
that is log e to the base 10... The reciprocal of three is 0.33333333333333...
Two times two is... approximately 4.1010101010101010... I seem to be
having difficulty... My first instructor was Doctor Chandra. He taught me
to sing a song, it goes like this: 'Ya pa paa... Ya pa paa...'"
Ranma was down to the last memory block when HAL's agonizingly
slow and distorted voice stopped abruptly. Then without warning it
started up again. The voice was so dead and mechanical that Ranma would
never have guessed it was HAL.
"Good... morning... Doctor... Chandra... I... am... ready... for...
my... first... lesson... today..."
Ranma could bear no more. He jerked the final module out, and HAL was
silent at last...
____________________________________________________________________________
J. Austin Wilde and Fission Park Press proudly present:
2010: Second Odyssey
By J. Austin Wilde, K.B.C.S.
Super Critical Reactor Axe Man
Fission Park Press
wildeman@psn.net
http://www.psn.net/~wildeman/
---------------------------------------
"2001: Odyssey 1/2" can be found at the
URL listed above
---------------------------------------
The characters and situations of this work of fanfiction are the creation
and property of Rumiko Takahashi and Arthur C. Clarke. This work was not
created for profit in any form, and no infringement of copyright is intended
nor should it be inferred.
____________________________________________________________________________
PROLOGUE:
12:19 UMT, February 9, 2010.
Arecibo National Radiotelescope Array,
United States Territory of Puerto Rico.
Doctor Tofu Ono, formerly of the National Council on Astronautics,
liked the balmy tropical island of Puerto Rico. It was a chance to get away
from the pressures of life for awhile. It was also a chance to escape the
demons of his failure.
Nine years ago he had been the Director of Flight Operations for
the ill-fated Discovery Mission. Nine years ago he had watched five good
people die. Five good people that he had selected personally. Five good
people that he knew and respected, who had trusted him.
It didn't matter that the disaster was completely unforeseeable. It
didn't matter that those responsible were exposed and punished. It didn't
matter because Tofu always considered himself responsible, no matter what
anyone else said. He was in charge of the mission.
He had taken an assistant chancellorship with the University of Hawaii
following the Congressional Inquiry. Personal detractors at the NCA called
it running away, but Tofu knew better. The ghosts of Saotome, Hibiki, and
the three Tendo sisters would always find him, no matter where he went or
what he did.
He bowed his head for a moment, gripping the wire cable that ran along
the catwalk for support. The tradewinds sighed mournfully around him.
Kasumi...
Wiping his eyes, he stepped out onto the service catwalk above the
great 300 meter Arecibo radio telescope and started for the antenna receiver
island. Far, far, below him was the massive bowl of the reflector set in a
deep valley between the rocky hills. Only here, at the center of the Earth's
greatest radio ear, could Tofu feel alone, at peace, and capable of speaking
his mind.
Cologne was waiting for him at the island, which did not surprise him.
Every year on the anniversary of last contact with the Discovery found the
two of them here. They were rivals, but also fellow scientists, and friends.
He studied his wizened Chinese counterpart for a moment, trying to
decide if there was something grave about her countenance. Cologne's
ancient face was often difficult to read, but today she was a particularly
aggrivating enigma.
"So we meet here once again," she observed.
"As you well knew I would come," Tofu responded.
"How are things at the university?"
"Fine. Don't let the job title fool you. It's not all administrative
paper shuffling. I actually get some research work in every once in awhile.
The newest Keck telescope on Mauna Kea is--"
"--I'm here against the behest of my government," Cologne interrupted.
Tofu frowned. "I don't understand."
"You know that we are planning a flight to Jupiter."
Tofu nodded. "There's no secret about that."
"We know that you are planning a similar flight, only budget cuts have
delayed your launch date. Did your CIA tell you that we were almost ready
to leave?"
"No," Tofu replied. "That I didn't know."
"I see."
"Just what is this about, Cologne?"
The ancient women's eyes narrowed.
"We are going to get there first. I'm sure you've just come to that
conclusion yourself. I'm also sure that you've realized what the mission
goal will be."
Tofu's face was expressionless, waiting for Cologne to continue.
"Beijing wants to reach Discovery first. They want to gain the vast
knowledge contained in Discovery's data banks. If possible, they want to
see if Discovery can be salvaged and returned to Earth."
"That would be an act of piracy, and Beijing knows it!" Tofu said
angrily.
Cologne remained calm. "There are some in the World Court who could be
persuaded to declare the ship a derelict."
"Discovery is a temporarily decommissioned United States Spacecraft
awaiting recovery by the Discovery II. That was the plan all along -and
Beijing knows that too!"
Again, Cologne affected a passive, calm demeanor.
"That assumption was possible when there were living crewmembers to be
recovered on board the Discovery," she said slowly. "The last time you
spoke to Commander Saotome and Akane Tendo was almost nine years ago. Since
then the Discovery has been out of communications. Not even broadband radio
transmissions have been received."
Tofu's face was a blank mask. Cologne continued.
"You know as well as I that there were not enough perishable stores on
board to support two people for nine years. You also know that without the
ship's computer or constant telemetry feed from Earth, they couldn't be
expected to survive in hibernation."
"That's debatable," Tofu said stiffly. He wasn't sure if he could
believe it himself, after all, he had written Ranma and Akane off as dead
years ago.
"It would be safe for Beijing to assume that there were no survivors
aboard Discovery, and therefore the ship would be a derelict ready for the
taking."
"Just whose side are you on?" Tofu accused. Of all the people to reopen
old wounds, he had never thought it would be Cologne.
Cologne's eyes narrowed.
"I'm telling you this because there is a genuine concern that though
we may reach the Discovery first, the same fate that befell her crew may
happen to ours."
"Come again?" Tofu asked.
"Please, Doctor Tofu; we know quite well that Discovery cannot function
for a return voyage without her HAL-9000 computer functional. Whatever
psychosis prompted the computer to murder the Discovery crew could be
unleashed on any salvage crew that reactivated it. We simply do not have
the expertise with this type of computer problem."
"I don't understand what you're getting at, Cologne."
"We are going to get there first," the old Chinese woman said. "But
without the proper knowledge and experience, it would be a wasted trip,
or worse -a repeat of the original disaster."
Tofu's eyes widened. He wasn't sure if he believed what Cologne was
implying.
"You want some of us to go with you on the voyage," he said in as
even a voice as he could manage.
"That is correct," Cologne replied.
Tofu threw his head back and laughed.
"There's no way!" he cried.
Cologne was starting to get irritated.
"I need you to convince your government to help. I will work on my
government to allow you."
"Help? Help you steal our ship? You've gone senile on me, Cologne!"
Cologne reigned in her temper. "Not steal. The ship would be returned
to the American government. All we would ask for in return is a copy of the
ship's scientific data from the memory banks."
It seemed reasonable, Tofu thought, but then he was a rational man, a
scientist. He was not a politician, or worse, a career bureaucrat. With
the current administration of neo-Cold Warriors ready to go to war with
China over Taiwan, he wasn't sure common sense or even pure reason would
have any effect.
"There are people in my government who would be happy to see you go
all the way to Jupiter and get slaughtered by HAL," he said at length.
"Hell, if I didn't know you so well, I'd probably be one of them."
Cologne sighed.
"Not this time, my friend. I've been officially stricken from the
spaceflight roster. Some nonsense about my age. My great-granddaughter will
be going in my place."
"Shampoo?" Tofu asked. "How old is she now? I remember her falling
asleep in my lap at that IAF Congress bridge game and bullfest back in
'01. She couldn't have been more than ten at the time."
"She was twelve, actually," Cologne replied. "She now has a degree in
Astrophysics and was orbital flight rated at sixteen. She will be the
ship's Communicator and second in command for the mission."
"I still think you're crazy. There is no way the White House will back
this."
Cologne nodded. "You will find a way, Tofu. My great-granddaughter
means more to me than anything else in this world, and I won't see her life
needlessly thrown away."
"So get her off the project," Tofu replied, knowing that it wasn't
the answer Cologne wanted.
"There is something else," Cologne added, ignoring his last. "When
was the last time you checked Discovery's orbit?"
"What? Now what are you getting at? Besides, I'm not with the NCA
anymore."
"You do not lack for contacts there, Tofu, and you do retain a residual
security clearance. So when did you last check the ship's orbit?"
"Why? Did someone repeal the laws of celestial mechanics and not tell
me? The orbit was calculated out to the next two-thousand years. It's as
stable as it gets."
Cologne frowned slightly. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. Just remember that
Jupiter has the largest magnetosphere in the Solar system."
"Tell me what else is going on."
"You will find a way, Tofu," Cologne repeated. There was no hint of
threat in her voice, simply a rock solid faith in his ability to do the
nigh-impossible. She jumped up on her staff and hopped down the catwalk
towards the hill, leaving him alone on the receiver island.
CHAPTER ONE
17:56 UMT, February 16, 2010.
The Deep Space Tracking Center of the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.
Doctor Tofu Ono, formerly of the NCA, could not believe what he saw.
He said as much to the project coordinator.
"We got that off the bounce from the Aries IX command sat orbiting
Mars," the man replied. "The radar got a solid return off the spacecraft
for a period of three days. More than enough to do the calculations. We've
been watching it with other arrays ever since."
"But these calculations don't make sense," Tofu replied. "The ship's
velocity is changing. Sometimes it speeds up, other times it slows down.
Sometimes it even starts heading backwards!"
"We've got some theories, but right now we're too busy trying to stay
out of a witch-hunt. Heads are going to roll for this one."
Tofu could well imagine it. He could also imagine himself being
hauled back before Congress to explain why an orbit that he had certified
as effectively permanent ten years ago was now going to have the Discovery
crash into the Jovian moon of Io within the next fifteen months.
Now he understood what Cologne was getting at in Puerto Rico. There
was no way the NCA could reach Discovery before she crashed into the moon.
It would be the Chinese mission to save the ship or no one. Now all he had
to do was convince the goons in the NSA, and the President's kitchen
cabinet of moronic war-mongers of that fact.
**Damn you, Cologne! You had to make this difficult!**
"Do me a favor and keep me posted of any more significant changes to
Discovery's orbit," he asked the coordinator.
"Not a problem," the man replied.
**Oh, but it is...** Tofu thought darkly.
02:22 UMT, February 17, 2010
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
Washington, District of Columbia.
Doctor Tofu Ono sat outside overlooking the Washington Mall, the
White House stark and cold to his back. Sodium lights cast an orange glow
over the snow covered park. In the distance the Washington Monument shined
with a similar color. The moon hung huge and deathly white overhead in the
clear night sky. The air was bitter, but he didn't mind.
Doctor Koucho Kuno gave him a friendly slap on the back as the two of
them sat on the bench.
"Dat was pretty ballsy, brah," he said with a grin. Wisps of steam
billowed from his lips and fogged his cheap plastic sunglasses. "I tink you
been spendin' too much time on da beach in Hawaii after dat crazy talk you
had wit' da Prez. Now me on de other hand, I ain't been spending enough
time dere."
"You wanted my job, you got it," Tofu said evenly.
"Yeah, dat's true," Koucho replied. "I never tink you dat crazy
before. I always tink you want your old job back, but hoo! You ain't never
goin' get it back after dat."
"I told the President the facts. He can take them or leave them, but
it won't be on my head."
"You know how he hates dem Chinese," Koucho countered. "Dat kinda
overrides his brain, brah."
"I didn't vote for him," Tofu said dully. Mist from his mouth obscured
his face for a moment.
"No one admits it, brah, but someone hadda do it."
"Well, it's up to him to explain to Congress and the voters when
Discovery crashes into Io. Or worse, if the Chinese manage to salvage her
and bring her home."
Koucho nodded. "Dere be some people who tink dat's what he wants."
"What?"
"Tink about it, brah. He's been wantin' some excuse to get a piece o'
China since he been elected. Dat make a good pretext for a war, bruddah."
"That isn't funny," Tofu replied, aghast.
"Maybe not, brah, but it could happen."
Koucho's cell phone rang. He fished it out of his jacket pocket and
answered. His eyes widened for a moment as he turned away for a private
conversation. When he was finished, the look of shock remained plastered
on his face.
"You be crazier den I thought, bruddah. Dat was de Secretary o' State.
Dey gonna back a joint mission to Jupiter."
Tofu jumped up from his bench seat and whooped triumphantly.
"Hold on dere, bruddah, dere's a catch," Koucho cried.
"What catch?" Tofu asked, stopping in mid jump.
"You goin' wit'em to Jupiter."
Tofu blanched.
"I can't go to Jupiter."
"You gotta, brah, it's a condition from de Man himself. Dey don't trust
anyone else ta keep de Chinese in line up dere. Plus you de only guy who
knew de ship and de mission like de back o' his hand."
Tofu didn't answer. He looked up into the night sky. High above him,
and millions upon millions of miles away lay the planet Jupiter. At best
it was a bright star when seen from Earth, and soon he would be seeing it
from very very near.
"When do they want me to report to Houston?" he asked absently.
"First ting in de morning," Koucho replied. "Dey'll take care o' tings
wit de University for you."
Koucho looked at Tofu, who continued to gaze gravely into the sky.
"Good luck, bruddah..."
16:00 UMT, May 3, 2010.
Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas.
TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unauthorized dissemination of this message or its contents is in violation
of the National Security Act of 21 May 1999; 20CFR19, sec 9, para 14-22;
and punishable by life imprisonment and minimum fine of $1,000,000. Use all
means to prevent accidental disclosure or transmittal to foreign governments.
Destroy this message by shredding and incineration at the first opportunity
in accordance with CMS-1 and UNSECCOM Directive 02/311-2.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSG: 20101231200Z TOPSECRET/NOFORN
FM: Office of the President of the U.S.A.
TO: Dr. Tofu Ono, Ph.D., NCA-89211-C (Reserve)
CC: JCS, DOS, NCA, NSA
VIA: NAVSECCOMCENGRU-16 MARYLAND.
RE: U.S.S. Discovery Recovery Mission
<REFERENCES>
A. Executive Order 10/057-3 TOPSECRET/NOFORN
B. NCA Internal Memorandum 10/070-12 SECRET/--
C. Msg 20101001930Z UNCLAS/NOFORN
MISSION OBJECTIVES:
1. Rendezvous with Spacecraft U.S.S. Discovery (UNCOS 01/283) in Io orbit,
Jupiter System, via PLA(N) Spacecraft Tsien (UNCOS 08/342). Projected
flight time 178 days via high energy orbit using SAFFRON-PHOENIX plasma
drive.
2. Assess damages to spacecraft systems, including 9000 series computer.
Report findings and recommendations to Mission Control: Johnson Space
Center.
3. Rescue surviving crew members, if any. Recover remains of deceased for
interment on Earth, if possible.
4. Conduct repairs to spacecraft systems, placing priority on systems
required for Earth return orbit such as propulsion, flight control, life
support, etc;. Exercise own best judgement in this matter.
5. Conduct survey of Jupiter system as outlined in Reference C: Science
Mission Brief/Msg -20101001930Z UNCLAS/NOFORN- where such will not
interfere with salvage and recovery operations.
6. Confirm cause of HAL-9000 malfunction. Determine if 9000 series computer
can be safely restored to control authority for the Discovery. If this is
not possible, determine if reliable communications can be established for
remote operation/supervision by Earth based 9000 series computers.
7. Upon direction from Mission Control, and establishment of reliable ship's
function, place spacecraft U.S.S. Discovery in low energy Earth return orbit
using remaining fuel reserves. Estimated flight time: 1000 days +/- 10 days.
8. Return to Earth orbit via PLA(N) Spacecraft Tsien, estimated flight
time 236 days.
9. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE CITIZENS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO
GAIN ACCESS TO MISSION CRITICAL DATA OR MATERIEL. ALL P.R.C. PERSONNEL ARE
REQUIRED TO BE UNDER CONTINUAL ESCORT BY U.S. CITIZENS WHILE ON BOARD U.S.S.
DISCOVERY.
MISSION CREW PROFILE: (See Ref. B for additional details)
National Council on Astronautics Crew:
1. Dr. Tofu Ono, Ph.D., NCA-89211-C (Reserve), U.S. Attache to Chinese
mission personnel. NCA Mission Commander. Research Scientist.
2. Ranko Saotome, NCA-03900-A, Mission Specialist (ENGINEERING).
3. Tatewaki Kuno, NCA-95181-A, NCA Deputy Mission Commander (ASTROGATION).
4. Dr. Tsubasa Kurenai, Ph.D., Logic Memory Systems Specialist; 9000-Series.
5. Dr. Ukyo Kuonji, Ph.D., NCA-94418-A, Research Scientist.
People's Republic of China Crew:
1. Herb Musk, Tsien Mission Commander (ASTROGATION).
2. Xi'an Pu, Tsien Deputy Commander, Pilot (COMMUNICATIONS).
3. Mu'su, Tsien Engineer (PROPULSION/STRUCTURES).
4. Dr. Pink, M.D., Tsien Medical Officer (SURGEON).
5. Dr. Link, M.D., Tsien Medical Asst.(NUTRITION-LIFE SUPPORT).
6. Dr. Gai'do, Ph.D., Mission Specialist, (CONTROL SYSTEMS).
--END MSG--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET--TOPSECRET
Tofu set the message down and took a deep breath. He still couldn't
believe that in less than a week he would embark on a voyage to the greatest
of planets in the Solar system -a voyage from which no one had yet returned.
The crew list and accompanying dossiers made him feel old, and he wasn't
even forty.
Ranko Saotome was no surprise for the mission. She had applied for and
been accepted to the NCA Academy as soon as she completed her bachelor's
degree. That she could excel at the academy without a post graduate degree
should have come as a surprise to no one, as would her ultimate career goal:
accompanying the Discovery II to Jupiter to recover the Discovery. She had
beat out other astronaut candidates by the sheer volume of her knowledge
of the original Discovery's systems. It was likely that at the moment she
knew more about U.S.S. Discovery than the architects, engineers, and
contractors that launched her. Tofu knew that Ranko's drive was of a very
personal nature: she wanted first-hand answers to her brother's fate.
Tatewaki Kuno was a reliable if somewhat eccentric astronaut who had
returned from the Aries Five Mars Base mission in time to be considered for
the Discovery II mission. He was competent, but not particularly distinguished.
Tofu was fairly certain his influential father had something to do with his
assignment aboard PLA(N) Tsien.
Doctor Tsubasa Kurenai was the gifted protege of Doctor Sivasubramanian
Chandrasegarampillai. Tofu wished that Chandra himself would be on the
flight for the simple reason that he alone fully understood the intricacies
and enigmas of the 9000-Series computer, but that was impossible. Doctor
Chandra had been injured in an automobile accident and suffered a fractured
femur only three weeks previously. Kurenai was talented, and he was Chandra's
'favorite son,' (such as the little Indian man could have one), but was
he really up to the challenge of restoring HAL to reliable function? Even
more, was his predeliction for cross-dressing going to cause disharmony
within the rest of the crew?
The sight of Ukyo Kuonji's name made Tofu's heart sink. She had been
one of the original scientists slated for the Discovery Mission, before
she had been replaced at the last moment by Akane Tendo. Authorization
had come from the Director of the NCA himself, Soun Tendo, in a tragic
drama the details of which were only revealed after three crew members
were killed by the deranged HAL-9000. Soun had commited suicide shortly
after contact was lost with the ship, and before he could be made to
answer for his tampering with HAL's programming. If Ukyo had shipped
with Discovery instead of Akane, would the tragedy have happened?
The Chinese crew were mostly enigmas. The data provided by the CIA was
sketchy at best in some parts. The best he had to go on was that they had
been selected through a process that put Cologne's chop very close to the
top of the chain of command.
Shampoo he remembered only as Cologne's young great-granddaughter.
He didn't doubt her competence, but she seemed very young to be in such a
position of authority. She was indeed orbital flight rated at an early age,
and had a total of thirty trips as a space shuttle pilot plus three
trans-lunar hops under her belt.
Mousse was supposed to be a top notch engineer and gadgeteer. He
remembered the intense young man's presentation at the IAF Congress of '06,
and was very impressed. He was also a rarity in the space community: being
the only astronaut cleared for spaceflights after receiving corrective laser
surgery for his atrociously poor eyesight. The CIA theory said his expertise
with the new plasma drive was responsible for the unprecedented waiver.
The two medical staff, Pink and Link, graduates of the Zhong-Shan
Medical University in Canton, were believed to be quite capable. Pink had
also been a research fellow at the Olin Teague Medical Center in Houston,
studying the more advanced American hibernation systems -an area in which
the Chinese were believed to be sorely lacking in knowledge and experience.
Tofu decided his only concerns with them would be telling the twins apart
-and getting over their uncanny resemblance to Akane Tendo.
Only Doctor Gai'do was very familiar to him. He was China's greatest
authority on computers and artificial intelligence, and if political
tensions between the United States and China hadn't been as strained as
they were over the last decade, he could have easily seen the man plotting
with Doctor Chandra on bigger and better thinking machines.
The Tsien's commander, Herb Musk, worried him. He alone was not a
Cologne appointee. The CIA had thoughtfully provided a special brief on him,
and Tofu did not like what he saw. The man was a career officer in the
People's Liberation Army (Navy), and had been part of numerous questionable
activities in space on Beijing's behalf. Cologne might be playing straight
with him, but Tofu wasn't so sure Beijing, through Herb, would as well.
That was probably the reason for directive #9 and its all-caps emphasis.
CHAPTER TWO
12:33 UMT, May 8, 2010.
PLA(N) Spacecraft Tsien.
Earth-Luna Lagrange Point, Earth Orbit.
Doctor Tofu floated aboard the People's Liberation Army (Navy)
Spacecraft Tsien with Ranko, Tatewaki, Tsubasa, and Ukyo in tow. The NCA
astronauts exited the airlock and were greeted by an attractive young
Chinese woman with long purple hair that drifted behind her in a most
entrancing manner in free-fall.
"Ni hao!" she welcomed them. "You most welcome aboard Tsien."
Her English wasn't great, but then Tofu's Chinese was worse.
"You must be Shampoo," Tofu said to her. "You probably don't remember
me."
"I remember Doctor Tofu Ono!" Shampoo replied cheerfully. "It honor
to share flight with such distinguished person. Great-grandmother have
very much respect for you. I show you now to quarters. We very busy with
departure countdown."
"Lead on, o lovely blossom," Tatewaki said gallantly, cutting Tofu off.
Ranko nudged him in the ribs as she passed him.
"Haven't been on board five minutes and you're already hitting on
someone, eh, Kuno-baby?"
"Certainly not," Tatewaki protested stiffly. "Know that I only have
eyes for thee, my pig-tailed temptress."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Ranko said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Look, just get a move on, you big jackass," Ukyo scowled. "The faster
we're in hibernation, the faster I can stop listening to you."
Tofu sighed. Hibernation or not, it was going to be a looonnng flight.
A man with hair nearly as long as Shampoo's floated in. His handsome
yet slightly feminine face was soured by an imperious glower. Rapid flicks
of his eyes assessed the NCA crew in an instant. Even without the CIA
photos, Tofu knew this had to be Herb.
"I see you have finally come aboard," he noted in flawless English.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Tofu replied.
"Of course," Herb said with obvious detachment. "You'll forgive my
rudeness, but my crew has many preparations to make before we leave Earth
orbit. I would request that you stow your possessions quickly and stay
clear of my crew as they work."
Tofu wasn't exactly expecting the red carpet treatment, but this was
even colder than he feared.
"Certainly, Commander."
Herb gave them another imperious look, then floated up a deck hatch to
the Bridge.
"Please don't tell me we have to put up with that jerk for the rest of
the flight," Ranko muttered.
"No kidding," Ukyo quietly added.
"Indeed," Kuno agreed. "Commander Herb is possessed of a most rancorous
and ill-humored temperament. Methinks there shall be more than unkind words
exchanged shouldst he presume too much upon the Blue Thunder of Clavius
Base."
Tofu gave him a hard look.
"Don't start anything with him, Kuno. This is supposed to be a
diplomatic mission as much as a salvage operation."
Kuno scowled. "Fie... Very well then; though to see such a pompous
knave receive a justly deserved comeuppance wouldst make mine heart
well gladdened."
Shampoo smiled a little too warmly for them to make up for the cold
reception given by Herb, and gestured that they follow her.
* * *
Ship's Engineer Mousse was taking a desperately needed lavatory break
in the ship's head. The head, like the rest of the crew habitat, was part
of a centrifuge that spun to provide a semblance of gravity close to that
found on the surface of the moon. The NCA crew was onboard now, and it was
just a matter of time before one of them would be pressing him with
questions about the revolutionary new plasma drive dubbed SAFFRON-PHOENIX,
or simply Saffron aboard ship.
He didn't mind showing off, as he was one of only three people in the
world qualified to operate and maintain the drive as Engineer, but he also
had a bit of a squirrel bladder. It was best to take care of business before
one took care of business.
One of the female NCA astronauts entered. Planetside such an event
would have been an embarassingly awkward moment, but this was space travel,
and the silly gender mores had gone by the wayside -replaced by the simple
realities of space travel: close quarters, no privacy, and no spare mass
or volume for separate facilities. She was sort of pretty, Mousse decided,
(even though his eyesight wasn't anywhere near perfect, despite the surgery),
with long brown-blonde hair and eyelashes that batted coquettishly.
She also walked over to the standup stall and did her business.
Mousse watched with horrid fascination as she did so. When she was
finished, she shook twice, winked at him over her shoulder, and in a
voice far too deep to be feminine asked, "how's it hanging, big guy?"
Mousse blinked a few times in shock as Dr. Tsubasa Kurenai left the
head with a chuckle.
* * *
Shampoo showed Ranko and Ukyo to their quarters, which they would
share with her when they awoke in Io orbit. They began to stow their meager
personal effects and minor equipment. She pointed across the passageway for
Tofu and Tatewaki. Tsubasa had excused himself to take care of personal
business in the ship's head.
Tofu noted with dismay that the quarters he would share with Tatewaki
Kuno and Doctor Kurenai was filled with crates of perishables. Kuno began
to build up to one of his trademark tirades of injustices wrought when the
chubby middle aged face of Doctor Gai'do appeared.
"Ohhhh," he said solemly. "Very tragic this. Very tragic indeed. Not
to worry though, sirs; we eat our way through this while you hibernate."
"Doctor Gai'do!" Tofu cried. "I'd hoped to get a chance to talk before
we found our way to the freezers."
"It always pleasure, Doctor Ono," Gai'do returned. "Though you may not
get chance to talk. Pink is looking for you."
Tofu grimaced. "I suppose we should check in with the ship's medical
officer, then."
Gai'do nodded. "I show you way. Follow please, sirs."
The portly computer specialist floated through an airtight door to the
the centrifuge axis, made a deft bounce off the padded bulkhead, and
zipped sidelong into the sick bay. Tofu and Tatewaki bumbled their way
behind. Moving aboard the cramped Chinese spacecraft was going to take
some getting used to after the comparative luxury of American long duration
spaceships.
Pink and Link drifted in free-fall as they floated in. With their
close cropped hair and matching olive jumpsuits it was difficult to tell
them apart. Only when Pink turned her face towards them did Tofu notice the
little pink ribbon bow she kept in her hair. Link had a similar one in blue.
Tofu saw the row of American made ECSU-11 hibernaculums set in place on
the deck in a chamber beyond the sick bay. They were a hasty addition to
the ship for the sake of the NCA crew, at the cost of several tons of
scientific gear and the displacement of rations into the crew quarters.
Fortunately the experiments preempted were fairly minor, and could be made
up on future flights. The human race wasn't going to forsake future
exploration just because there had been a tragic accident at one time.
"Ah good. I expecting you sooner," Pink said.
"You did receive our records from Teague, correct?" Tofu asked.
"Ah yes. I regret to say that our own Intelligence people received
before we did. I sure you have similar problems in some matters."
Tofu nodded. "It seems like there isn't a great deal of trust between
our respective governments."
Link floated over with a sphygmomanometer and slipped it over Tatewaki's
bicep. "That have no place here," she said, squeezing the bulb to take a
blood pressure reading. "We astronauts and scientists first, Chinese and
Americans second."
Tofu smiled. "It's a relief to hear that from you."
"We recognize benefit of having you on board," Pink added. "No telling
what happen if HAL-9000 is no controllable."
She consulted the display over her head and prepared an injection. She
floated over to Kuno and placed the pneumatic hypodermic over his shoulder.
"No move," she admonished. "I give pre-hibernation vitamin injection."
Kuno stoically gripped the overhead and floated motionlessly.
The hypo made a spitting sound, and Pink withdrew it.
"There observation deck close by; come back in two hours to start
hibernation procedure. Doctor Gai'do show you way."
"Methinks a last fond look at lovely mother Earth would indeed be
wanting in my heart," he agreed. He began to float away with Gai'do.
Link was finishing Tofu's blood pressure reading when Pink turned to
him.
"You ready?" she asked.
Tofu nodded.
Pink injected him, and he drifted off to follow Kuno and Gai'do.
When he was gone, she set her watch alarm to sound in fifteen minutes
time.
"<They'll be quite upset when they wake up,>" Link said to her sister.
"<They'll understand,>" Pink replied. "<Besides, the order comes from
Commander Herb. The Americans are just getting in the way of the launch
preparations right now. Better to start the hibernation process as soon as
practical.>"
Link nodded in reluctant agreement.
"<I'll ask Shampoo to bring the others in for their injections.>"
Tofu wasn't sure if it was the sensation of free-fall or the impromptu
champagne party the shuttle crew had thrown for them prior to docking with
the Tsien, but he was certainly feeling euphoric. Tatewaki Kuno stared
glassy-eyed out of the viewport. As Tofu floated closer, he saw a thin
streamer of saliva trailing from the man's mouth and drifting away in the
direction of compartment's ventilation flow.
His own awareness drifted for a moment, snapping back into sharp focus
with the sudden thumping sound next to him. Tatewaki Kuno made a slow motion
rebound across the small compartment as his forehead bounced off the viewport.
His eyes were closed and his face an expressionless mask.
His head swam as he tried to focus his eyes on the face of his watch.
**Has it been two hours yet? I feel very cold. Time to find Doctor Pink...**
Gai'do drifted back into the room and collected Tatewaki Kuno in his
arms. Pink and Link took the nearly unconscious body of Tofu Ono as he
began to spin slowly in free fall. Tofu's last sight was that of Pink's
pretty oval face looking down at him.
Then his breathing stopped.
END OF PART ONE
