it. A select few were chosen to survive their impeding doom, aboard the starship Seeker 3000. Now they search for a new home among the stars.

#177

Seeker 3000

Part Two: "There's no place like home. Right?"
by Paulo Costa

"Why did you want to test these cloaking devices on the pods, Captain?"

"Valida, do you consider possible that there is intelligent life on these planets?"

"Yes... but I didn't think we'd need to cloak the pods. I thought we were already undectable to any sort of electronic surveillance system."

"We are, Valida. But I want to be sure we aren't detected by any sort of cosmonaut."

"Jordan, we weren't intercepted by any space ships, they don't have --"

"We don't know that, Valida. And if you remember your history classes, you should know what Earth space travel was like when it first started. What you were having is the romanticized idea that alien cultures are either extremely advanced or extremely barbaric. The literary portrayal of aliens is most likely false."

The voice of pilot and security officer Carmichael Fasolo interrupts Captain Shaw's and Commander Payton's conversation.

"We are approaching orbit, sirs. And I have to report there... seem to be... artificial satellites orbiting AC-3."

Valida Payton and Jordan Shaw just look at each other. Then Shaw asks if the cloaking device is activated. The answer is yes.

"Launch the cameras, lieutenant Fasolo. On my mark. Now!"

"Aye, sir."

56 devices are launched from the pod and scattered all over the globe. Promptly, they start to collect information, about the biosphere, atmosphere, geological aspects... and civilizational aspects. For 72 hours, the probes identify and collect data on cities, means of transportation and military capabilities. Then, they return to another pod sent to collect them.

The waiting inside the Seeker 3000 lasted three days. Finally, Ensign Lars Mendez docks Seeker Pod 2. Upon receiving confirmation of the pod's docking, Capt. Shaw promptly took the lift to the docking bay.

"About time you got here, Mendez. I want to the data on AC-3 analyzed ASAP. And get another pod ready to go. Balakov and Renard are supposed to take another set of probes to AC-4 on the double."

"Aye, sir." Lars is perplexed by the Captain's urgency. But Shaw has reason to be urgent. Before leaving AC-3 orbit, they scanned the atmosphere for radio signals. As expected, they found them, which indicated a technological dominant species. But Shaw and Payton did not return to the Seeker 3000. Instead, they travelled to AC-4 orbit. No radio waves were found. If there was a civilized life form in that planet, technology was still at a very embrionic stage, and colonization of AC-4 might be a lot easier. It didn't matter that the gravity was slightly bigger on AC-4. They'd adapt.

But now, analyzing the data about AC-3 was important.

"Cmdr. Payton, meet me with a science crew at Lab One. We have work to do." he calls on his communicator.

"Jason, prep the computers for immediate full-scale tape analysis."

"Oh my, mon capitan, aren't we in a hurry." the computer mocks.

Shaw ignores Jason, and enters Lab One, where the science crew is ready for business.

Phaedra breaks off the mental connection between her and six asleep crew members. She doesn't know if this is completely right, but she understands the Captain's wishes. They have been in space for one year. They had to find a new home fast. No matter how well-advanced a space ship is, it's still a space ship. Humans need to feel earth and air and water around them. As a telepath, she would often pick up stray thoughts, of how they longed for a return home. To Earth. But that was impossible. When she told Jordan Shaw about this, he ordered her to perform telepathic brainwashing on the entire crew.

"They won't feel at home. They will always perceive a new world as a borrowed home. The people won't accept it, won't embrace it." he said. And so Phaedra did it. She began to sever the crew members' emotional ties to Earth. Family. Friends. Places. They would forget, or not relate to it. The crew would so desperately want a home, they'd take the first one they'd lay their eyes on.

But she knew she was violating people's most valuable possession. Without access to those memories, they would lose a portion of themselves. Who could tell what damage she could be doing. Unfortunately, she didn't have anyone to talk to. She was the last telepath. There were cloned cells of telepaths in the clone cylinder, but the Captain said it wouldn't be open until they found a safe haven. For now, she would hide her feelings.

For now.

"This is most unsettling." Cmdr. Valida Payton, First Officer of the Seeker 3000 reacts to all she, Captain Shaw, and the rest of the science crew discovered in the past hours.

"Unsettling? It's perfect!" says Illya Kasumov. "We can blend in with them. We can..."

"We can't anything, Mr. Kasumov." interrupts the Captain. "The Alpha Centaurians look human. That's all we know. We don't know if their physiology is the same. We don't know their language. You saw from the pictures that their icons, however familiar, don't correspond to anything we had on Earth. We don't speak their language, we don't know their habits, we may not even eat the same food."

"Most of the technology looks like Earth late 20th Century, sir. The ground transports, the air transports, cafes, shops. Clothing is different, I admit it. But this is too much a coincidence."

"Their pets, Commander. Did those look like dogs, cats, whatever? And look at this picture." Shaw tells the computer to run a picture of a flying animal "Does this look like any bird you know? We have to proceed with extreme care. If necessary, completely avoid direct contact between us and them. I propose we colonize AC-4 and monitor their movements from there."

"Sir, we could try..."

"Alpha Centauri 3 is not Earth, Mr. Kasumov. We won't land there. Even if that was a perfect copy of 20th Century Earth, their technology is too backwords for us to live in there. Even if we made our own city, we'd still attract too much attention."

"So, we just let go of AC-3?"

"No. Like I said, we monitor them, their evolution, their developments. We watch them, and learn everything we can about them. But that can't be done in two weeks."

The door opens, and Ben Payton steps in.

"Ah, glad you could join us, Lieutenant. Report on AC-4 landing site, please."

"Aye, sir. Jason, display map of selected area for landing."

The computer obeys, and a holographic image appears over the conference table.

"This section is perfect for landing. It has an area of 25 sq-km*, with a river near, and it doens't need a lot of terraforming. The soil will require a bit of working, but nothing too complex. A simple feed of nytrogen will suffice our needs. We are also free to build whereever we want. It's confirmed, there is no sentient race in AC-4."

(*) That's a little under 10 sq miles for you non-metric-system-using readers.

"Wonderful news, Mr. Payton. What about local animal and plant life?"

"Well, some animals are exact duplicates of Earth's, including some long-extinct. Other resemble our own. Most mammals appear to edible. And what you really want to know, Captain, no, there aren't any wild beasts in that area. Maybe a couple of bears will come near camp, but that's it. Also, some specimens resembling foxes, and about the same size, have been spotted in our area. We'll have to evict them. As for vegetables, no weird plant life. There are 29 species of trees bearing edible fruits, according to my research, and any poisonous plant in the area is harmless to humans.

"Insects, Mr. Payton."

"We might find some problems there, since an equivalent of locusts was found within 200 km, and..."

"Preparing for immediate erase of transmission file after deep-space comunicator activation. Done. You're getting sloppy, Jordie. Forgot to change the password for system control these last couple of days. Bad captain. They'll certainly be happy to hear from me and to know we arrived safely. Starting transmission. Now."

A long tirade of alien symbols leave Seeker 3000 in the form of radio waves. They say:

iouasnf893bfsedkfsçºdférwpeo4534i6jiow$&%&$üÿusdfsu +»dopf~~asa_nbv:>@£{342.65§5

Jordan Shaw wouldn't understand what sort of gibberish this was when he checked the transmission's log. If there was any record of it, that is.

And Jason laughs (if you'd translate the computerized impulses to human language).

"Captain, may I have a word with you?"

"What is it, doctor?"

"A psychic problem concerning most of the crew."

"Oh?*"

(*)If you read last issue, faithful reader, you know the cause of that "psychic problem".

"Yes, sir, a considerable number of crew members are suffering from localized amnesia and mild headaches. I attribute it to separation anxiety."

"That does not sound too serious. Does it affect their work performance?"

"No, sir. Not on a short term at least. But in time they may become agitated, frustrated and seriously disturbed. With your permission, I would like to set up a psychiatric group session with Phaedra so she could help the other crew members with her telepathic abilities."

"Of course, Dr. Bear, anything that can help curing this. I don't want my crew banging their heads against walls."

"Thank you, sir." John Running Bear leaves. Shaw turns somber.

"Phaedra" he reaches mentally. She can hear him.

~~ What is it, Jordan? ~~

"Our little secret may soon be out. Dr. Bear was just in my office telling me the crew is suffering from memory loss. He wants to set up a psychiatric group session with your help."

~~ You want me to install mental blocks in them, yes? ~~

"Yes. They have to forget Earth and stay healthy doing so."

~~ You know they would hate us if they found out, don't you? ~~

"I'm doing this for their own good, Phaedra. What they would think is unimportant."

~~ Very well. I sense John approaching my quarters. Good bye, Jordan. ~~

Problem solved, Jordan Shaw thinks. At least, for now.

Next morning. Mess hall.

"Captain, I wish to discuss your reason of thinking about AC-3."

"Commander, I'm having breakfast, can't this wait?"

"Sir, you know everything concerning the colonization of this star system is extremely important."

"Very well, Commander. Please sit down. What's on your mind?"

"Sir, I disagree with your method of investigation. What you suggested yesterday at the meeting will take years."

"Why didn't you say something yesterday?"

"You seemed to have made up your mind about it. But I still have this nagging feeling about AC-3 at the back of my head. We can end this once and for all, to make sure we know everything we need to know about it."

"What do you have in mind?"

"This". Valida hands Shaw an image of an 'alien', gray, slim, with a big head, small mouth and black eyes.

"The 'little gray man from outer space'? I don't understand."

"I want to do an abudction."

Next month: There's something out there. It's the Seeker 3000. But what is in there? Find out next issue.

ICQ 3000

OK, so I didn't get any letters or reviews about the first part. Instead, I will give you the lyrics to Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca".

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Editor's Note: In the name of sanity, we are forced to delete the last part of the letter col. PLEASE send comments to Paulo Costa!!