The First Colony Project 3

[kennethstrickland]

THE FIRST COLONY PROJECT, Ch. 3


"What do you mean 'I've seen'?" asked John Howard as they moved to his car.
"You seem pretty bright." Meadows reached into the glove compartment and brought out a small spray can. He spayed all over his face and then the pale flesh color dropped off. He caught that with a cloth. "When I got out of high school, which was the real test for this spray color by the way, the first job I got was tracking down aliens. I've been doing it for twenty years. My dad helped developed one of the first metal sniffers. Turns out a lot of alien metal has a funny smell, depending on the world it came from. Not unusual to find metals from different worlds built into a ship. That happens. Thing is, we can track and find a ship and its owner that way.
Now when we do, an alien might be a long-time resident who cannot get off the planet. If we go into a panic, then we have a problem. The alien will fight, to the death if they have to. We prefer not. Get everything including the start and finish, their star maps and a total knowledge and specs to the ship. We even help build it out...."
"So, you know where the weak points are...!"
"Did I say that?" Meadows smiled. "When the alien does talks to us, our techs are going over the ship with the proverbial fine-tooth comb. We might even help re-manufacture the ship, so it gets home. Their home world gets their citizen back, and we have not made an enemy. We might have even redeemed our reputation. And that's key. We know there are a lot of people on this planet, not to say in this country that is truly jerks, but on the whole, we have a lot more good people than bad."
"You are on the side of the good." John Howard said as they pulled up to his house.
"That's what I hope." answered Meadows. "Kid, I'll pick you up in the morning." He looked at John Howard. "You might as well be there. Besides, I got a job offer for you."
John Howard stared at him.
"Kid, you have curiosity, bravery, and you seem to be near unflappable in the face of the unknown. Those are good qualities to have. See you in the morning."
John Howard watched as the car drove off. "You better pick me up. I want to get my bike back."

The next morning, Arch Meadows picked John Howard up. They drove off.
"What now?" John Howard asked.
"Now we go to where we left Captain Ralk and finish out what we started." Meadows said. "I could see you were itching to get in the middle of the ship build, just like we were." Meadows wore his makeup. Even with what he knew now, the makeup was flawless.
"That's some serious spray on makeup, man." John Howard said.
Meadows smiled. "Yeah, it is good, isn't it?" They were at a stoplight and Meadows reached into his briefcase and pulled out a file. "When you get home, read it. It will give you some insight into what we do. You might want join us."
John Howard stared at the folder. "You're serious..."
"John Howard Steinhauser aged 18 years and two months; studied electrical engineering at Posner Technical High School. Also, computer coding. Has written a computer app that calculates star distances from Earth. Working on a pizza delivery app that can order from any place without having to go to their website; in short, once you sell that one, you will make a lot of money."
"You know about the pizza app?" John Howard said.
"Yes," answered Meadows.
"I suppose it's useless to ask how you know." John Howard said.
Meadows smiled.
"Damn..." John Howard said. He leafed through the files. They parked in front of the junkyard. There were several vans as well, all marked with "US Toxic Clean UP" on the sides and doors. People in white coveralls went in and out.
"Leave your stuff here." Meadows said as he got out the car.
John Howard followed Meadows into the garage. It had been transformed overnight. New lights were in place. There were many technicians who were swarming over the ship. Some were taking measurements and checking systems. Others were looking over the engines and checking their output. Some took out what looked like armbands and testing them. When they figured out what they were, there was a gasp or two as they realized these allowed you to work outside the ship environment temporarily. They quickly put them under reconfigured MRI scanners and screens showed the inner workings of a part.
Tomak Ralk had gone under the MRI scans himself. It had also been determined that he was compatible with Terrans. That got swabs from his mouth and withdraws of blood. Ralk also took advantage of everything and took a bath and settled down for a nap. Ridiculous he knew, but he had the feeling they were going through the ship like it or not; if they replaced a part with new or refurbished, so much the better.
Meadows went to the head of the scanning team. "What have we got?"
"Well, we kept Ralk up all night. He finally got through the scans, had a shower, then a bite to eat then went to bed." Thornton said.
"Went to bed?" asked Meadows.
"Didn't think he thought he had much of a choice. We are all over ship. We also found, in cold storage, six bodies; the rest of the crew." Thornton said. "The guy is trying to get home to give these guys a proper burial. That is probably why he hasn't been busy with the local ladies. We also guess he's getting up there in years and wants to die at home."
Meadows stared at the ship. "Let's get this thing finished so he can leave. We'll be more of a threat to him than he to us."

In his little room, Ralk went through exercises and was glad he was still able to pilot the ship. But the exhaustion was telling. Let the terrans go over the ship. What did they expect to learn anyway?
The ship specs were copied, and it was obvious that they would be used. All going over the ship could see that Ralk did his best. Some of the parts would hold together, some would fall apart under stress. They were replaced with good parts, and they were started up to check if they had integrity. Once proven, the ship was shut down. Meadows and his team had experience getting a ship to fly after having worked on ships restored on army bases.
A few days later, several Air Force and Army brass came by to see what was done. The ship's specs were translated and put into a cad-cam programs, the better to recreate the ship in, and thanks to the holographic tech gotten from Beauville, a walk-through simulation could be created. Several were walking though the simulation as Ralk watched amused.
"I have to thank you, Captain." Meadows said. "We got a whole lot of good information, and you get to go home."
"If you haven't set the ship to blow when I land, or something," Ralk said.
"That's really paranoid, you know." Meadows replied.
"I got a lot of shiny new parts in there." Ralk said. "I'll take the ship, but I know how paranoid and scared your people are."
"You already know I'm not completely Terran, right?" Meadows said.
"Does it matter?" Ralk replied. "You work for them. You grew up here and I have no doubt that much of your beliefs and views are theirs. I'm as scared as you."
Meadows nodded. "I have no doubt that maybe my being helpful is not as much of a comfort as you would like. But at the very least it was me that approached rather than some shoot first and ask questions never type."
"I will take that as my gods' blessings." Ralk said. "My gratitude to you for not sending any of your evangelicals to me; I would have to kill someone."
"Glad to be of service." Meadows said. "I do want to know something. You aren't returning to earth, are you?"
"If you know that, why are you asking?" responded Ralk.
"We were hoping to send someone with you, to be able to see your world and report back." Meadows said.
"Report back on what? I've no idea if I'm going to get home, let alone ferry a passenger there and back. I might find only ruins and the dead. I'd rather not. If what I find is nothing, I will commit ritual suicide and join my people in death rather than keep going. There will be no reason to go on." Ralk spoke with the sound of a man embracing the end of all he knows.
Meadows wanted to understand. "All I'm saying, let one of or more of us go with you. Let them bring the ship back if, that is if, you commit suicide. At least you'll join your people, and we can have an ending to all of this."
Ralk looked at Meadows. "This is a private matter."
"Best done with witnesses," Meadows returned. "Personally, I think killing yourself is a coward's way out. But that's me." He took two steps to the ship. "A man lives for his people, I know. You've lived well, fought well, and done all you can for your people. It's just me saying this. But I think you should live for your people as well. Don't kill yourself because of what you might find."
Ralk stared at Meadows back. That was something to think about.
End side note. For now...]

In the big meeting room, Braanon was about to meet with several representatives from around the world. This was a meeting he could live with. It was about the first colony after the last three were sent. Braanon knew this was going to be one with so many who wanted to be a part of what he was doing.
This was their chance. Two new planets discovered, with a possible third to be confirmed discovered. There were strict rules about contact with a newly discover primitive race or civilization. Terrans, if he allowed the colonization, would have to abide by those rules.
There was too much at stake.

The next exploratory ship would go in a year. There was the Rimrunner, and two others, The Solis Striding and the Luna Ascendant. All three ships had the fire power to defend themselves, and the speed to make a getaway if needed. They each had 200 people as crew, and all of them could make stops at various ports to refuel and resupply.
Braanon insisted that all aboard had implanted translators. He would have no misunderstandings. The ones refusing the implants were to be left behind.
The meeting hall filled in with the various world delegates. The Intergalactic Council would stay out of this until it was time. Earth was about to get its feet wet.
Braanon Mark, Robert McKeever, Lisa Mark, Amurian Ryan Mark and three from Vichar, since the Rimrunner was based on Earth, but they still had main command, and its Captain Leadi Mariukichan-McKeever sat in a semi-circle facing the delegates.
They filled seats, country by country all in sets of six.
Braanon gaveled the meeting to start. "Friends we are here to truly determine the first Earth colony. The initial idea is to send some fifty thousand people to the colony and allow them to build their lives as best possible. It is sure that some of you will demand a greater number of colonists because of past colonies sent. To a great degree, all colonies are from Earth as other planets will make no distinctions between ethnicity and nation states from this world. They will simply see you all are Terrans. For most of them, despite your colors and features, you all look alike."
The entire room gasped to hear that. Some of the more bigoted stood up and objected. Some began to shout objections to what was said.
Braanon let it go on for a few minutes then shouted: "all right! That’s enough of that!" He stared at the gathered and said, "Do you honestly think they give a damn about your precious little countries or skin color?" His eyes scanned the group. "Hell, even I have a hard time listening to the bullshit!" He stepped to front of the stage. "I have the damnedest time explaining your hatred and self-contempt over color!"
As usual, the media was there. They were catching everything Braanon had to say.
"He's going all in for this." one African said with a grin.
"You Euros will fuck anything from a position of power. You take and you give nothing, absolutely nothing for what you have taken. You have good ideas but lousy execution. You can give me all the dirty looks all you want. But you know I'm right." He walked over to the group of Americans who looked as they were about to cower in fear. Braanon's harshest glower was saved for them.
"You Americans have sold yourselves as the land of the free and the home of the brave, yet you punish, in the most violent manner, the ones who try to be as brave and free as you think you are. You waste talent and refuse to see the possibilities that they too can be great, while you coast along on someone else's achievements! Who the hell are you?"
A woman began to object, but Braanon shut her down.
"Who the hell are you to say it wasn't your fault?!" Braanon's anger was palatable. "The PARENTS AND YOUR GRANDPARENTS, EVEN IF THEY CAME THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND, BENEFITED FROM THE BULLSHIT! THEY SAID YOUR FUCKING SKIN MADE YOU SUPERIOR!" Braanon was breathing hard, and the scene was carried around the world.
He dropped to his haunches in front of her. "You were taught in your schools, given every advantage, pushed to the front of the line no matter how long someone was there before you! Tell me you didn't take advantage of it, and I will call you a liar!" He stood up, straightened his jacket, and then stepped back. "You want this? Then you are all going as Terrans, not as separate beings and tribes, but as one group, one people who need each other to survive. Otherwise, I do not care if you live or die. You carry the bullshit you do here to each other out there, and then you deserve to die."
One of the Black Americans said to her plus one, "Did Becky gets her ass spanked or what?"
"An old-fashioned grand mama butt whooping..." he said.
"Robert, would you take over from this point? I feel like punching something." Braanon said as he left the stage.

The meetings went on for the next week. The arrangement was for training of colonists, pilots, support personnel, planetary surveying, technicians and more. All had to be arranged. The trainers, led by Jovath Kraneche were introduced. The multi-hued beings were the first most saw of aliens, once hidden and unvarnished. They also found that most aliens went armed on general principle.
While the Beauville schools were opened a little wider to allow more students, the newly arrived parents found no one in town cared about their hurt feelings over their children. If their child got into a fight with a local child, they found the local child was first believed. This led to a lot of newly arrived being mocked because they did not get their way. If they were newly hired by someone in Beauville, they were expected to do the work with no excuses. If they could or would not, they were fired, and the word got out about that person before they hit the street.
People found that the agencies that could get you hired, talked with employers. If you were fired with cause, you might as well move back to your origin town. No one except the smallest, most independent operator would even look at you.

Drake Folsom was one of them. He lost the job at Markbase as a service tech and now was on the street. Maybe he shouldn't have cursed out the old man in front of his supervisor. He ran his fingers through his close-cropped red hair and headed back to the employment agency.
"You've a bad temper Drake Red hair. I was rooting for you to keep that position..." Dragg Mogos was saying as he looked over the openings. "You lucky you got no small ones." He was looking at the computer screen. "Ah, here we are." He printed out the copy and handed it over to Drake and said, "You listen to me good. This is the last help I can give you. This is a bottom scrape job. You're lucky them hiring will take just about anyone. I don't care what you got on your docket. It won't matter. If you got tools, get them and bring them in. Job starts in three days. Wear overalls and good boots, have some good work gloves, you'll need them." Before he let go of the packet, he told Drake, "This is one of them jobs that will test you on every level. Lose your temper here, and I can't help you. You may be on and off the planet." The printer spat out another piece of copy. "This is your off-planet work permit. Good for six months. It’s up to you to renew it."
Drake stood about to leave.
"Listen up Fire Hair. You're in a town of aliens, hybrids and what have you. Watch your mouth and your step. I would think I shouldn't have to tell you that." Mogos said. "Don't fuck it up."
Drake left the employment agency sure this was a last chance in this town. He had to hit the hardware store and get the overalls, work boots and gloves. To be on the safe side he got goggles as well. That took a lot of his money, and he prayed he'd get his first check soon. The next day he showed up. He couldn't wait three days. Drake swallowed a lot of humble pie to be there and saw the place he would work. It was industrial, with sparks flying, and metal clashing noises.
He was approached by a stocky blunt looking blue skinned man with a hard hat. "Why are you here, fire hair?"
"Name's Drake Folsom, I start in two more days. I wanted to see what this place was like."
"You look fit enough. You'll be working the ore ships, loading, offloading, I think. Name's Krosag," He pointed to an office. "See the red door? Go in introduce yourself and let them know why you're here. They'll get you started on your paperwork. Go on fire hair. No more for you to learn yet until you do." Krosag was interrupted by a man that didn't look that much older than Drake.
Drake ran up the stairs to the office. He looked around. It was brighter than he expected.
"Can I help you?" the secretary said.
"Name's Drake Folsom, got sent here by the agency..."
"Finally, we get some one!" She smiled in relief. "Nothing on you, we needed people for a long time." A pad with an outline of a hand on it rose from its place on the table. "Put your hand there..."
Drake did so and a light scanned his hand. Then the computer printer spat out hard copy. It was a copy of everything Mogos gave him.
"You’re here early, but that's a good thing. We can't operate shorthanded, so you will be going on your first trip this Saturday for an ore pick up...." the secretary said. "By the way, the rules are easy enough to follow. But the one you should memorize is; you sire it, you raise it. Basic spacer rules, okay. The other, don't let your mouth talk what you can't back up. Third one; don't bet what you can't afford to lose. Krells will tell you more. Go take the tour, Fire Hair."
Down on the floor he entered, Drake was directed to Krells. He met up with a broad shouldered, green skinned, yellow eyed man "You Krells?"
Krells turned and stared at Drake. "Fire Hair; Pale as new ice as well. Green eyes, young; you do hard work before?"
"Yes." Drake responded.
"Good because that's what we got." Krells pulled out a tablet and punched Drake's name and got the particulars. "Got a temper like your hair, eh? I'll beat the crap out of you if you get out of line, got me?"
Drake nodded. He needed the job more than he needed to be angry.
"You got tools, bring them. The job is one there and back, you go home, get some rest, then there and back. Fact is, it's a hard life and difficult. No lie about it. You're paid by the trip. You will most likely do two, three trips a year. You tell your family, so they don't worry. You are auto signed to a life insurance policy. After your first trip, you can get shares in the company. Listen up, boyo. This life is not for cowards; you a coward?"
"No."
Krells nodded his head. "You are in. Show up tomorrow with what you got for your tools. You get the run through for what you do."
The next morning Drake showed up in his late model Ford Ranger. He got approving nods from the men seeing him drive up. They pointed him to where he would park. He took his took chest with him to where he needed to go. Krells met him.
"Good, Fire Hair, you're here. Most will call you Fire Hair, no disrespect meant. It is the most obvious about you." Krells said. "You got a lot of beings from a lot of worlds working here. None care about your death color skin. You ain't got more rights than no one else, so get that out of your head. We know about you Terries, you barely like yourselves. You got your holy book; you keep that to yourself. Otherwise, you get a cracked skull." Krells led Drake to a mockup of a loading door. "This is a lot more complicated than it looks. The console is similar to the ones on a ship. Your job will be to operate the load dump part. We rather have someone with experience, but we are shorthanded. Thus, you get mostly on the job training. You are lucky, you got two days training. Let's get started."

[jayphailey]

Yay!

[kennethstrickland]

There is more! Do my best to get it up.

[jayphailey]

The next exploratory ship would go in a year. There was the Rimrunner, and two others, The Solis Striding and the Luna Ascendant.

I like the ship names!

[jayphailey]

Braanon insisted that all aboard had implanted translators. He would have no misunderstandings. The ones refusing the implants were to be left behind.

Alex Jones Voice: "They're putting chips in 'em to control what they say!"