Starship Samudram by Saurabh Dashora

Author:Saurabh Dashora [Dashora, Saurabh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Saurabh Dashora
Published: 2016-12-22T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

The dreams ensured that Akshaj Parth's sleep passed in a frenzy of thoughts and uneasy tensions. In the dreams, he could see flashes of white light. He also saw an unending expanse of white ice, a shivering cold and then, the shout of a girl, distant but full of pain.

He awoke with a start. For a while, he could not re-collect his exact whereabouts. He looked around and saw the smooth walls of the dome. Everything was dark. The shutters on the windows had been pulled down so that they can sleep in peaceful darkness. He could hear the heavy sound of Dawson's snores on the bunk next to him.

He realized they were on Titan. The shutters were down because it was never completely dark on Titan. The time piece showed 5:55 AM.

A sudden thought came to him, compelling him to leave the bed. When he entered the central dome, he found that the company of soldiers was almost ready to depart. They sat huddled around the dining table, their faces grim with anticipation. Hastily prepared potatoes lay on the table. The air was heavy with the smell of coffee.

"I was thinking of waking you up," Johnson told him as Parth approached the group.

"Any problems?" Parth asked sensing the uneasiness in the soldier's voice.

"Mangold has been observing the weather stations. There is a prediction of heavy winds—eastwards."

"Then, you shouldn't go."

Johnson shook his head. "Not an option. We've already wasted too much time. If there's any chance Xara is still alive, we're reducing it every day. We've to start today."

Parth looked around the table. The others did not seem to have much say in this. "How can I help?" he asked.

"Advice," Johnson replied. "You know the most about these maps. Help us understand the right path to follow."

Parth pulled the map charts Johnson was trying to decipher. Of course, he knew the most about these maps. He had constructed many of these or studied them at length. And yet, it was all alien to him as well. Seeing something in the map and seeing it in front of your eyes had a massive difference for him.

"As far as I can tell, the obvious path for you guys is a straight line," he said running his finger on the map. He pointed at a particular place and added, "However, over here there seems to be some sort of fissure where the lake pushes inland. You need to be careful in this area. Look for clear signs of rocks or pebbles to make sure its land you step on and not loose sludge. Call back if you get stuck somewhere."

Johnson nodded. "I hope we cross this fissure you talk about before the heavy winds kick in."

"Take extra food," Parth suggested.

"Vento refuses anything above regulations," Johnson said, bitterly. "But don't worry. We'll be all right. Most of us have seen worse weathers."

"I doubt that," Parth said. He knew that Johnson was simply trying to boost the morale of his company, who were listening to this conversation.

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