The Shimmering Ship

By: Radio Rancher
(Copyright 2015 by the author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 3

“How long will it take us to reach Arphoa?” asked Marsh.

“Well, it’s about 50 light years from Earth, so at the speed we travel, when the FTL drive is actually working properly, it should take about two days,” said Bish.

The trip was uneventful for the most part, until the Dawntreader came into Arphoan space.

Alarms were sounding, loud and annoying alarms.

“Stand down and prepare to be boarded,” commanded the tinny voice from the communicator.

“This is Commander Bish of the starship Dawntreader,” said Bish. “I am returning from a mission.”

“Your power signature and hull composition are not the ones registered to the Dawntreader. Please transmit your personal identification matrix and retinal scan,” said the metallic voice in the speaker. “Please explain the discrepancy in the power signature and hull composition.”

“Our outer hull was damaged severely by an entity who called himself Delaren.” Bish explained. “He drained our power to less than ten percent, and until we were able to bring him to the near vicinity of Sol, the sun of the Earth system, we had no control of our cloaking device. He had been accidentally drawn to our outer hull as we passed him during our flight. He receives his energy from nearby stars, and was nearly drained of his life force. By the time we had made an emergency landing on Earth. He had no way of knowing that he was draining all the power from the Dawntreader.”

“Four people from Earth helped us repair our damaged hull and reconfigure our power injector manifold. Three of these people can mind link with one another, and they were able to communicate with the Alien creature. We helped him recharge his life force from their sun, and then replenish the power to the Dawntreader.” Bish replied.

“Are you telling me that you allowed people from Earth to see your ship and enter it?” asked the disembodied voice.

“Well, you could say that, but without the intervention of one or more of the four Earth people we have here with us now, our ship would have been completely visible to anyone who cared to look.” Bish said.

“I think that after you hear what they did, you will be pleased that we have entered into an agreement with these Earthmen. These people are highly intelligent and have much information and materials to share with us,” said Bish.

“Braxton, for example, was able to see our ship when it was fully cloaked, and he had no electronic or mechanical aids of any kind. He saw it with his naked eyes,” said Bish. “He and his friends volunteered to aid us in determining the cause of the malfunctions of our FTL drive as well as the deteriorating effectiveness of the cloaking device. And one of them gave us a formula for a polymer sheeting that can insulate and protect against particle bombardment better than any material we have ever manufactured.” Said Bish.

“We have samples here with us and as you detected, it is totally different than the original material we use. We have determined that the new polymer is less than one tenth as heavy as our previous outer hull material, thus saving energy on two fronts, as it is a much better insulator as well.”

“I will personally vouch for them, and will sponsor their world into the council." Said Bish.

"You must feel very strongly about them," said the Interrogator.

"Yes! Very strongly, sir," Bish said emphatically.

"These people have proved to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their intentions are to help others, and to care for those who might need their help, all of which means that they're well worth knowing and befriending." said Bish with a hint of anger at being questioned on his decisions.

"I do believe you will agree with me once you have a chance to meet them, and get to know them." He said, with such a stern voice that the person on the other end of the conversation jumped. There was no doubt that Bish trusted these earth people completely. That said a lot, considering that Bish was one of the most suspicious people he

had ever known.

"I think it is time we meet these people you have brought here, Bish,

and remember, you are responsible for them while they are here, and any improper actions that might be done by them will also be your

responsibility."

"They will be treated as honored guests, and no harm will come to

them. Is that understood?” said Bish. "Remember who I am and what authority I hold. You will not demean my authority or my honor. Believe me when I tell you that my father will hear of this and I do not think he will be pleased when I tell him how my friends and I have been treated up to this point."

"I think you know that I have full authority to negotiate any treaty

with any civilization I may wish to deal with." said Bish, with the

strength of one who holds all the cards and knows how to play the game.

After all, he was the son of the one person on the planet who held power over the council of elders, which had the power to do pretty much anything they wanted. He was in effect, the ruler in waiting.

His trips to earth were granted to him as a favor, and were due, for the most part, to the absolute trust his father had in his judgment.

The Dawntreader landed at the official government landing port, and

an official escort was waiting as they disembarked. All the people

were brought to see Bish's father and the council.

There were enormous amounts of food and beverages set on a sideboard for all to enjoy. There were many delicacies that none of the earth people had tried before. Soon everyone had eaten enough and they were ready to relax, and meet the council, and Bish's father.

Yeah, relax what a concept! Relax and meet the most powerful people on the planet. Of course they were all completely relaxed! Right!

Dorn entered the room, and greeted Bish, his men, and his guests.

When Marsh saw Dorn, he was very surprised.

"I remember you,” said Marsh. “You were going out with my Aunt Ellen, a little more than six years ago," he said.

"Yes!” Said Dorn. "I miss her very much and I want to be with her again."

"Well, Bish, I guess our question about our two species being sexually compatible has been answered,” said Marsh.

”What do you mean?” asked Bish.

"Well, he was with my Aunt Ellen about six years ago and then he left her and didn't come back. Shortly afterwards, she discovered she was pregnant and she had a boy. Her son looks just like Dorn, there." said Marsh. "He has your eyes and blonde hair. Congratulations, Dorn. I hope you will come back to her. She really misses you, and I am sure your son will be glad to see you, too." Said Marsh.

"I have missed her so much," said Dorn. "I was reassigned to the

Pantora, for what was supposed to be a short trip to Alpha Centari,

which turned into a six year ordeal. We were unable to return before

we finished the negotiations with the Golaftins. I wanted so badly to

be with her and I was so afraid she would find someone else.

"Believe me, Dorn!" said Greg "We tried to tell her that you had left

her, and that you weren't coming back, but she never gave up on you." Then Greg smiled and said, "She still loves you very much and has told Jamie so many wonderful things about you. He practically worships you, even though he has never met you. I know he will love you, too.”

Bish was stunned.

He, first of all, had not realized that at least one of his men had been dating an earth woman. How could he not have noticed? Where were all the signs?

He began to think. Dorn had been away from the ship for days at a

time, and was always reluctant to leave earth. Bish began to wonder

how often this had been happening with His men and with other visitors in the past. How many couples have been together through the years, and how many children of the two races have there been.

Above all, how many people from the two planets knew their children were of a mixed race from another world. So far there is one parent who now knows he has a son born on a distant world and raised, so far, at least, by a wonderful lady that he loves deeply, but who, literally, is of another world.

What will she say, and what will she do, when he tells her, and he

knows he must tell her, that he is not of earth? Will she still love

him? Will she still want him with her? Even more ominous is the

question; will his government allow him to return to Earth, and to

Ellen?

He knows that he must convince Bish, and for that matter, Greg

and Marsh, to help him convince the council to allow him to go. He has been away for so long now, that he must go back to see Ellen. They need each other. He knows it is right, and he must convince the council as well.

Dorn sat in the banquet hall near Bish, Marsh, and Greg.

"It seems our people have even more to thank you two for,” he said.

"Thank you for watching after Ellen and Jamie." said Dorn.

"It was our pleasure. Jamie is a very good boy and he is extremely

intelligent as well. I am not sure where he gets his brains, but I

know he gets his good looks and those beautiful blue eyes from you." said Greg.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, Dorn, but I came very close to punching you in the nose when I first saw you here. I thought you had just decided that Ellen wasn't good enough for you, and you had run off leaving her pregnant. Now, of course, I understand what happened, and I am so glad you love her. Children should always be conceived from love not from lust,” said Marsh.

Korash, Bish's father, stood up and came over to the group of men

sitting together, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation,” he said, “and I must say that you Earthmen impress me very much. You have been so wonderful to my son and his crew and I am sure that you are not the only good people from your world. I will put my vote toward allowing Dorn here, to return with you to be with his son and Ellen. Please feel free to visit us here anytime you like, and remember, we are, and always have been, friends with your people, and apparently, lovers as well, at least in some instances." He smiled and said, "Take good care of them, Dorn."

To be continued...

Well, will Ellen be glad to see Dorn?

What will she do when she finds out that Dorn is from Arphoa?

What will Jamie do when he finds out his father is not from Earth?

These and many other questions will be answered in the next exciting chapter of SOAP oops I mean The Shimmering Ship.
 

Re-posted  9/11/2015