Reclamation

Prologue

Once again their prayers had gone unheeded, every request ignored. There would be no signals responding, no ships arriving. The colony’s spaceport was empty, as it had been for years, slowly decaying through disuse. The automatic warning beacons drifting high above made sure of it.

This world was marked. It had been touched by the hand of the Plague, the Creeping Death. And like so many others, quarantined, cast aside and abandoned. The Plague had no cure, no hope for those worlds it ravaged.

Dr. Erwin Brown, superintendent of the colony, and responsible for all ore processing on Tissus, had just finished his daily routine. It was a simple one, sending out requests for food, medicine, and spare parts. There was never a response. He kept trying anyway, in the vain hope someone would take pity on them and offer some kind of assistance. Their chances were remote at best. Tissus was on the edge of the frontier and the Plague had induced an unparalleled age of paranoia.

It didn’t matter. He had the time. The mines were no longer putting out ore and the refineries were shut down due to parts shortages. Even with the loading docks jam packed with refined products simply collecting dust, nobody would land on the surface of a contaminated world such as this. The colony would simply crumble and decay.

Those who had survived the Plague, only a fraction of the hundred thousand original colonists, managed as best they could. Soon they would have to leave the broken down structures they had called home for the last seven years, in search of more fertile farmland. The hydroponic farms had been slowly losing their efficiency over the years due to inadequate maintenance and lack of supplies. They wouldn’t last more than another season or two, forcing famine to rear its ugly head.

Dr. Brown was one of the few who hadn’t given up, looking past the plague, into his people’s future. While most were wallowing in their own disease and suffering, he had started planning for the years after the plague, knowing there would be survivors and they would be on their own. Small survey and exploration teams sent out over the past few seasons had detailed the surrounding area for hundreds of kilometers. There were lands to the south which looked very promising, rich soil and plenty of running water for irrigation. He would lead those who would follow to the new lands, abandoning those who would still cling to what little technology remained in the colony, no matter how run down and rusted out. They had been discarded, left to die out here on this forsaken world, but they would survive, one day even prosper.

Chapter One

The air conditioning went out again for the second time in less than an hour. Groans from disgruntled passengers echoed throughout the old transport. They were getting fed up with the excuses piped through the intercom every few minutes, explaining why they had remained on the pad for the last two hours and wouldn’t be moving for who knows how much longer.

Want some? offered a chunky man sitting next to Sandra Rielly. She looked at the half eaten candy bar in his hand. The sight of melted chocolate smeared all over the man’s hands and mouth was less than appealing.

No thank you, she replied. Her sweet voice concealed her thoughts. The man, with or without his offering, was enough to nauseate her. Everything from his eating habits, to the way he kept nuzzling his shoulder against her own, indicated he was a man of few manners.

She went back to looking out the little window located on the other side of her seat, staring out onto the launching pad. The man in the seat next to her finished eating and used the front of his shirt to wipe the sticky remains from his hands. She hated economy fares. They were always offered on the old rust buckets, full of so many problems it was hard to keep track of. Even worse were the ticket holders. The whole transport was filled with dirty, smelly, low class people. Some of them even looked dangerous. She kept to herself, forgetting about most of them, except the ones who continued coughing and coughing, until she was sure they had hacked up a lung. Those were the worst. She couldn’t help but imagine the disease spreading from their mouths, infecting other passengers unlucky enough to be near them. If only she had been able to raise a little more money. Then she would be on a decent transport with normal people, and above all, the air conditioning would work.

It had been almost a year since she had resigned her position on her last ship. It had been a research vessel. She had been the first officer, responsible for all scientific activity aboard. Microbiology was her specialty, virulent organisms in particular. When the opening on the Duchess came to her attention, she jumped at the chance to get back into space. The position couldn’t have come at a better time. Living in run down apartments and almost out of money, she needed a job worse than she was willing to admit.

It was an excellent opportunity. Working for the United Planetary Mining Guild was one of the most coveted jobs around. In addition, she was given another first officer slot. Positions like these were usually reserved for advancement within the crew of the starship. It was rare to join a new company and be given a senior position, even with prior experience. She could only guess it was due to her background. Details of their mission hadn’t been fully briefed to her yet. All she knew for sure was that they would be going to one of the rim worlds, the ones on the edge of the frontier. There, they would be looking for any traces of the deadly plagues which had ravaged hundreds of systems over half a century ago.

Deep space missions were long, sometimes lasting several years. This one was going to last at least a year, maybe longer. It would take three months to get out there, six or more to complete all of their tasks, and another three to get back. Her part wouldn’t take long, maybe a couple months to declare the world plague free, then the Guild could petition to remove the quarantine surrounding the system. There were other tasks, her employers had only brushed over them, but they included looking for any survivors or their descendants, and possibly paving the way to one day reopen the Guild’s mining interests. After all, it was one of their colonies before being decimated by the Creeping Death.

A year was a long time to be away. Rielly saw it more as a change of scenery, an adventure away from her depressing life as it existed in its present state. Besides, deep space pay was double. When she got back, there would be enough money in her account to buy a nice house, or maybe she’d save it, and in a few years have enough to put a down payment on a small freighter hull of her own.

Her daydreaming was interrupted by a rush of cold air from the vents directly over head. The air conditioning had finally kicked back on. Around her, most of the passengers, including the chocolate smeared slob next to her, had dozed off in the heat. The cool, fresh air revived them and the whole transport was once again alive with chattering mouths, complaining to one another or coughing up more germs into the air.

The warning to fasten seat restraints flashed above their heads. A few seconds later the familiar sound of humming engines told her they would be lifting off shortly. Once they were off the ground it would be a couple hours before they reached one of the orbiting way stations, another four until the transport arrived at her destination, the space docks around the planet’s second moon. The Duchess was anchored there, waiting for her and its other crewmembers to come aboard.

Chapter Two

Captain James Driscoll silently watched from the comfort of one of the space dock’s lounges, as his vessel the Duchess, was in the process of filling up its cargo bays with supplies for their upcoming mission. His table, next to the huge bay windows, provided an excellent view of not only his ship, but of the pale, icy moon the station was orbiting.

The robotic cranes were fast and efficient. Loading the first two of the starship’s three bays would take only a few hours. The third would have to wait until another Mining Guild ship, scheduled to arrive later on in the evening, rendezvous with his own vessel. In the meantime, there was little to do except wait. This is how it always was before another voyage. Every crewmember enjoying their last few days of freedom before they set out once again; everyone except him. There were too many details to attend to and he had such a short notice on this one, giving him little time of his own.

Being captain was a lonely occupation. Driscoll had no family, considering the Guild and his ship his only family. The crew came in a distant third. Tomorrow, they would be showing up in twos and threes, stretched out over the entire day. The Duchess was leaving space dock just as soon as the other crewmembers dragged themselves from wherever it is they go between missions. Driscoll hoped he wouldn’t have to go hunting for anyone like he had so many times before; the Guild hates delays. Until then, he would spend most of his time in the lounge, watching over his ship.

This one was going to be a real money maker. If things worked out right, it would be the last mission he would ever have to command. He and the rest of the crew were guaranteed shares in the mining operation if it could be successfully set up. Their destination, Tissus, the fourth planet in the Bearing system, had been the sight of the Guild’s initial colony almost a century ago. The planet possessed a wealth of rare minerals, a jewel among other semi-precious ore worlds. Driscoll had once had a friend, another starship captain, who had been given the opportunity to help reclaim one of the hundreds of other plague worlds. It had made him a very rich man. The shares in the mining operation enabled him to retire in style on one of the pleasure worlds he had always dreamed of. Driscoll already had his world picked out. He would retire on New Maui, a world filled with nothing but sunny beaches and beautiful women; at least that’s what their brochures told everyone.

There was only one thing he could foresee which might give him problems getting that eternal suntan he always wanted. He would have to deal with any survivors. Undoubtedly, there would be some. There almost always were on former plague worlds. The virus just didn’t do a good enough job. According to interplanetary codes, if a company abandons a colony, ownership of the planet reverts to its inhabitants. Technically, The Mining Guild didn’t own Tissus anymore, but it really didn’t matter. If there were survivors, he would negotiate the mineral rights, assuming there was any organized leadership to negotiate with. Driscoll was a skilled representative, and he wasn’t about to let the chance of a lifetime go down the disposal, no matter how stubborn the natives might be.

Right on schedule, Driscoll watched as another Guild vessel moored itself alongside the Duchess. The pilot had done an excellent job. The ship was nestled very close to his own, closer than space dock regulations allowed, but they would need such a short distance in order to transfer the cargo.

The other ship had her own robotic cranes for loading and unloading. They had already activated and were starting to fill up his ship’s cargo bay before Driscoll had finished his dinner. A couple drinks later, and they would be finished. The items inside the large containers being loaded into the Duchess weren’t the usual manufactured goods or raw materials found on loading docks. They were the type nobody talked about, and could only be brought in with bribes to certain space dock officials, getting them to look the other way. They would prove invaluable on Tissus. Hardware such as this was always in demand on the less advanced worlds.

Driscoll finished his last drink. The other ship would be finished soon, returning to wherever it came from. He got up and left the lounge, hoping he wouldn’t have too much of a hangover in the morning. He made a mental note to pick up a few cases of Tellurian tobacco before they shoved off. The tobacco was a special blend, found on only one world, which he had grown so fond of over the years. It would be hard to take a year in deep space without the pleasure of an after dinner pipe full, one of the few luxuries portable enough to take along.

Chapter Three

Jerry Montane watched the new arrivals from a window overlooking the ship’s cafeteria. Down below, their captain was giving his welcome aboard song and dance. He was the chief pilot and had served with the Duchess for two years, having another two still on his contract.

The number of new recruits filling up the cafeteria told him what he already knew. Another deep space mission hadn’t gone over very well. They had just spent nine months out in the void. It was to soon to be heading out on another one. Half the crew had decided the same, leaving for positions on other vessels. He wished he had the same option, but there wasn’t anyway to get out of his contract.

He turned to his friend watching alongside him. Look at them down there, he said. We’ll be halfway to Tissus before we can remember all their names. The Guild shouldn’t be giving us two long hauls in a row like this. It’s not good for morale.

I know, replied Cal Bennette, head of engineering and systems specialist. But this is a chance of a lifetime. Anyone who didn’t jump at the chance to get on this mission is just plain stupid. Rebuilding a former colony world is a hard job and I wouldn’t blame a person for not wanting to do it. This is different. It’s an old mining colony. In addition to deep space pay, everyone who helps reopen the mines are guaranteed shares. Who knows, those shares might make us enough money so we never have to serve on a crew again.

I know it’s an opportunity I wouldn’t want to miss out on, but way out there, in the middle of nowhere, there just isn’t much of an opportunity for meeting a lot of women, if you know what I mean. It can get lonely out there. Our last crew was pretty slim pickings.

From the looks of it, I’d say this mission’s just as bad. There’s only four women down there. Four out of a compliment of thirty people. I’d say you’re going to be lonely for another twelve or thirteen months. I’m even worse off than you. I’ve got a wife and a couple little ones waiting for me. Two weeks wasn’t enough time between assignments. I never would have jumped aboard ship again like this if it wasn’t for the money. She understands though. I promised her a new house on a bunch of property when I get back, and no more deep space missions.

Cal pointed to one of the women seated down below them in the cafeteria. She had long, chocolate brown hair and was proportioned in all the right places. There’s one you don’t see every day, he told Jerry. Quite a looker. She’s supposed to be our new first officer. If you want a chance at her you better not waste any time or she’ll be snapped up by someone else.

Yeah, she could have her pick of the whole crew, he replied. He wished he was the kind of guy who was aggressive enough to go right after her like Cal had said. He was the more reserved type, kind, but a little too shy. He wasn’t like the loud and egotistical ones continuously hitting up on the female crew members from the moment they came aboard. There were always ones like that on every cruise. They were the ones who usually got what they wanted, not guys like him.

No longer interested in the events unfolding in the cafeteria, they left in different directions, Cal to the lower decks, Jerry to the upper ones, each to complete their preflight inspections. They were scheduled to disembark the following day, leaving them a lot of work and little time for socializing.

Driscoll’s orientation included a tour of the starship before setting the new crew members free to get acquainted with their stations and duties. There were few problems as all knew their duties and had served on other ships before. Assignments were normally standard from ship to ship with only minor adjustments.

On schedule, the following morning, the Duchess slid from the mooring clamps securing her to the space dock and powered up her stardrives. It would take less than a day to leave the solar system, three long months to reach their destination.

Chapter Four

There was much to celebrate on this day for the Canter family. Their only son, Taylor, had reached his eighteenth year. As custom dictated, the coming of age ceremony began the night his birthday arrived. The whole village participated in the events. Every family bringing a basket filled with some sort of food to the feast held in the common lodge house.

Taylor, as the guest of honor, entered clad in a leather hunting outfit, made by his mother especially for this night. The music had already started. Wooden flutes and guitars accented the voices of some of the village’s talented young women as they sang. Away from the tables, closest to the musicians, people were dancing. Both old couples and the younger ones shared the floor. Most of them dancing with one another whenever asked, others only with their chosen ones.

He quickly located the table where his family was sitting and joined them. His father, a member of the village council, was busy discussing matters concerning his people with the other elders. He smiled at Taylor, acknowledging his presence, and then went back to his discussion. Taylor scanned the dance floor, looking for someone of special significance to him. There she was, Sarah Strongwind, the prettiest girl in the entire village, dancing along with several of their friends. They had been waiting for this day for a long time. Once tonight’s festivities were over he would be considered an adult by the members of his village. Only then, could he officially court her and start building a home for the two of them to share. After talking with his mother, he joined Sarah on the dance floor.

The events went well into the night. As ceremony dictated, Taylor’s father handed down his bow to his son and the tribe acknowledged his place among the adult men as a provider and protector of the village.

Russ Wheaton, Taylor’s life-long friend, stood by and silently watched as he received the bow. It brought back pleasant memories of his own age coming, a couple summers earlier. He remembered the leather boots and hunting apparel his own mother had spent a month making, sewing every night, so they would be ready in time for his hunt. The same hunt Taylor and he would be setting out on the following morning. Taylor, according to tradition, was to go into the forests and not return until he had accumulated all the meat he could possibly drag behind him with a makeshift sled. He would give it to the village as thanks for his age coming. Russ would be going along to help. Someone who had previously completed the hunt was always allowed to assist.

After the fires burnt down to coals and everyone had their fill of food and drink, the party slowly came to an end. Most people drifted off to their own houses, leaving only a few, mostly younger people, left in the lodge house. Sarah had stayed, having a special gift of her own for the birthday boy. It was a necklace made from the shining insides of mollusk shells found in the river near their village.

This must have taken you weeks to find all of these shells! Taylor said as he thanked her. He was impressed. The beautiful little shells were rare and very hard to see in the murky river waters.

Just a little something to remind you of me while you’re gone on your hunt, she responded. Don’t be gone too long or I might just have to find someone else to build that house you promised me, she kidded him.

Early the next morning, Taylor and Russ had their bedrolls packed and their small backpacks filled with some bread and jerky. Together they set out into the forests for a week of hiking and hunting.

Chapter Five

Three months after leaving space dock, the Duchess came out from the void of deep space into the Bearing system. Two days later, the ship ended its journey in a geo-synchronous orbit several hundred miles above Tissus, the second planet in the system. Aboard her, captain Driscoll and his first officer Rielly were going over their plans for the next several days.

Since the virus has an unusually long dormancy period, we need to run water and soil samples before we can declare any area free from hazardous bio-contamination, Rielly explained. If there are any survivors, they’ll need to be checked as well. When all samples in the designated areas are negative for the viral RNA, we can go ahead with the second phase of the mission.

Yes, building Base Camp One Driscoll said as he thought about their next course of action. Tomorrow we’re starting. You’re going to take a survey crew down to the surface and start looking for a suitable site. If everything checks out, we’ll begin construction immediately.

Have you narrowed the search parameters? I mean, where do you want us to start looking?

Take one of the landing craft and touch down in the same region as the old colony, along the river if you can. A few hundred kilometers away would be perfect.

I know we’ll need water down there, but why set up shop near the old colony? There won’t be much left after eighty some years.

The brass in charge of the Reclamation Project feel that if there were any survivors from the original colony, their descendants will be in the same general area. And if there are any, we wouldn’t want to scare them by getting to close, at least at first. I guess it’s as good a place as any to start.

They spent the rest of the day planning and coordinating. Jerry would be in charge of piloting the landing craft, immediately starting preparations for the survey mission after he was briefed.

Rielly was too excited to sleep that night. She laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling of her quarters for over an hour. Finally giving up any thoughts of trying to fall asleep, she turned on the light. She sat on the edge of her bed and proceeded to slowly brush her long brown hair. It was sometimes hard being one of only four women out of thirty people on a long mission like this. Rielly was a thin, attractive woman, considered a real prize among the male members of the crew. Often, she wished for a higher ratio of women to men on a long cruise like this. It had gotten old real fast, lonely guys constantly hitting up on her. It was a turn-off knowing they were so desperate, always trying to get down her and the other women’s pants. The only guys she even liked were Jerry and Cal. She enjoyed their conversations; they weren’t filled to the brim with sexual innuendo which was usually the case. Jerry actually had some manners, and Cal, he was a good guy too. He was a little older and more mature than the others. Besides a couple of the women, they had become her only real friends over the last few months.

The next morning was a blur of activity. Everyone on the Duchess had a job to do. The survey team loaded up equipment into the Magnolia, while many other crew members were getting the other surface landing craft, the Lily, ready to land and start setting up the base camp once the survey crew had found a suitable site.

Two hours after the start of the work day, the shuttle slowly maneuvered out of its docking bay. Upon clearing the bay doors, its engines lit up, speeding it towards the surface of Tissus. Jerry and Rielly sat in the cockpit. Four others were in the passenger compartment behind them. Jerry was piloting the craft. Only six members of the crew were actually qualified to pilot the shuttles. He was one of the best. He clicked on the intercom. We’re entering the atmosphere now boys. Strap yourselves in!

Securely fastened down in the passenger compartment were Schwartz, O’Hare, Robins, and Skye. I really hate this part! said Robins, gritting his teeth. Why go in so fast?

Quit crying, replied Schwartz. Would you rather spend a few minutes getting down there, or a couple hours so there won’t be any bumps to scare big babies like you?

I know, but you never get used to it.

The landing craft entered the atmosphere shaking and bouncing as the craft was buffeted about, but almost as quickly as they came, the knocks and vibrations were over. The intercom clicked in. Atmospheric entry complete, rang Jerry’s voice. It looks like smooth sailing from here on out.

In the cockpit, Rielly was looking over the computer generated maps of the areas surrounding the old colony, especially along the river adjacent to it. I’ve located two potential areas near the river that could serve as a suitable base site. Unfortunately, they aren’t very close to the old colony. I’m entering the coordinates into the computer now.

The computer’s got ‘em, said Jerry. I’ll let it guide itself in.

I want you to fly by both of the sights and we’ll land at the most suitable one. They’re only a few kilometers apart so we can examine them both from the ground.

The Magnolia reached the coordinates a few minutes later. I’m taking her off auto and back to manual, Jerry said as he started working the controls again. We’re coming up on the first site now. How’s it look?

Let me see, no it looks a little too rocky for me. Head on over the hills to the next sight.

The hills disappeared into a broad flat plain bordered on one side by a large river. Oh this looks wonderful! exclaimed Rielly. Yeah, let’s set her down here.

You got it.

Jerry switched on the intercom. This is it guys. Prepare for landing. The shuttle slid down through the sky slow and steady until it touched the ground with a light thud.

Rielly’s voice filled the passenger cabin, You guys know your assignments. Schwartz and Robins, I want the MPV outside, geared up, and ready to go within half an hour. O’Hare and Skye, drag out the environmental station and set it up. We’ve got a lot of samples to run. Let’s get going on this.

With that last order, the survey crew went into action. Jerry went to help them set up the equipment to run the soil analysis, while Rielly remained inside to report back to their captain.

Touch down was successful, she informed captain Driscoll. We’re at the second landing site now. It looked more promising from the air.

Rielly, I want both sites checked out thoroughly, rang Driscoll’s voice through the microphone.

We're getting the MPV ready as we speak. We should be at the other sight within a couple hours. I’ll send another transmission around dusk.

I’ll be waiting.

She turned off the console and joined the rest of the crew. Walking through the utility bay, the first thing she noticed as she stepped outside, was how hot and dry this region was, not anything like the forests only a little farther to the north she had seen using the sensor array. All around her the ground was mud cracked and bare. Occasionally, small lumps of dull green vegetation dotted the landscape. The tiny and twisted plants clung closely to the ground, being the only signs of life in this desolate area.

The multi-purpose vehicle, or simply MPV, had already been pulled out of the utility bay and was resting on the ground with both of its side-sliding cargo doors open. Robins was inside tinkering with some piece of equipment and Schwartz was still loading boxes.

The MPV was a large exploration/cargo vehicle which looked much like a giant van with huge solid polymer wheels. It wasn’t very fast, but with the suspension and oversized wheels it possessed, there were few places it couldn’t go.

Rielly walked over to where the environmental station was being set up. How’s it going? she asked

We’ll be ready for samples in a couple hours, replied O’Hare.

Jerry, you’re in charge until we get back from the other sight, she told him. Leaving them to their work, she walked over to the MPV, opened the door and jumped in. Are we ready to go? she asked.

Robins was behind the wheel. I sure hope so, he replied. I want to see what some more of this planet’s like. As soon as Schwartz gets his butt out here we can go.

As he was talking, Schwartz came out of the shuttle’s utility bay. He jogged to the MPV and jumped through the side door. All the equipment’s inside. Let’s go.

Robins started out for the other potential base site. It was only thirty kilometers away, but it would take the MPV a couple hours through this terrain.

The ride was fairly uneventful. Flat terrain led to small rolling hills. The MPV had no trouble climbing up and over them. Its wide wheels easily negotiating any obstacles along the route.

After passing over the hills, the survey team found themselves on another flat plain. They slowly headed in the direction of the river where the other possible site was located.

It’s starting to get pretty bumpy around here. Robins said. There’s a lot of small rocks scattered about. No problem for the MPV though.

Even this vehicle can’t get over some of these rocks. said Rielly. They’re as big as a house.

I know, and they’re starting to get more common, the deeper we travel into the plain.

Try an angle on over to the river. If the terrain there is still too rocky, we’ll scrub it and head back.

No problem.

Robins veered off to the right and continued along the new course, occasionally dodging large boulders. About twenty minutes later they were at the banks of the river.

Well, we might as well stop here, said Rielly. I don’t think we need to go any further. There’s just too many boulders to safely land a shuttle in this area.

It looks like your right, Schwartz agreed. Let’s get out and get some soil samples. It’ll give the guys back there something to do.

Robins pulled up to the side of the river where it was sandy and less rocky. They all jumped out and started looking around. There’s a lot more vegetation around here then I expected, said Robins. It’s not near as barren as our landing site."

I know. said Rielly as she scanned the horizon. And you know what? It looks like there might be a forest off in the distance.

Where?

Look over there, Rielly pointed to a greenish mass off in the distance, further up along the river.

Schwartz walked over to them with a handful of plastic bags filled with dirt