Into the Sea of Stars by William R. Forstchen

Author:William R. Forstchen [Forstchen, William R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780345324269
Google: LIf8PQAACAAJ
Amazon: 0345324269
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 1986-09-11T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Looking at the aft viewscreen, he could still see Joshua's unit, a small sphere of light suspended in the crosshairs of the high-magnification scanner. Ian finally turned his gaze away from the screen and looked over to Richard and smiled.

"Are we going to float out here forever?" Richard asked quietly, while offering a flask of gin. Ian nodded his approval and the flask floated across to his outstretched hand. Just as he started to take a pull on the straw, the doorway slid open and Ellen drifted through the hatch into the storage compartment that all knew was lan's secret hiding place.

"So much for my sanctum sanctorum," Ian muttered.

Ellen settled down by his side and extended her hand to the flask.

"Good gods"—Richard gasped—"is this a sign that our beloved group psychologist is cracking up, running amok, and all that?"

"Shut up," she muttered in reply.

"And so touchy! Truly this is too much."

"Look, Croce, I knew Ian was in here trying to decide, and I thought I'd join him."

"Well, what do you think I should do?" Ian asked.

"I feel the same way you do," Ellen replied. "I'm torn. Our ship's memory banks are filled to capacity. I've got enough forms filled out to last me through half a dozen publications, and most of all I'm just sick. Especially after that one." She gestured toward the screen.

"But?" Richard interjected sarcastically.

"Yeah, but," Ellen replied. "That's just it, Ian, we're all being drawn by that one big but. A bit of mystery has been set, and I'd like to get a look at what this Dr. Franklin Smith set in motion. I must say that the videos of him are quite compelling."

Ian smiled weakly at her. They had watched the 1100-year-old tape made by Joshua's onboard security system. It was badly damaged but computer enhancement had restored many of the details. Smith had been powerful— his charismatic energy rippling across the millennium. His ebony features had carried a sense of great intellect paired with a ruthless drive for survival. Yes, the romantic image from the past had held Ian in its sway as well.

"He's long dead," Ian replied. "And if the odds are correct, chances are all his people are dead, as well. Their ship was an exile unit, and overcrowded far beyond its bearing capacity. True, he was a charismatic leader, one of the moving forces for the Great Outward Leap, but for his particular unit the odds were near impossible. I think this Alpha/Omega is just another unit."

"But curiosity, the bane of any good historian, haunts you, doesn't it?" Ellen asked.

"All right, let's be logical," Ian replied. "First off, our ship's memory is packed to capacity. We wouldn't store another byte of data if we wanted to. We've been out over four months, and it will take nearly that long to return."

"If this crate holds up," a voice said over the PA loudspeaker.

"Ahh, yeah, thanks for the encouraging reminder, Stasz." Ian looked up at the forward viewscreen, which was suddenly filled with the image of their grinning pilot, who had obviously been indulging with Richard.

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