Visitation - Exodus (book 2 of 2)

"What do you think, Ivan, do you fancy one of these?”

John was ostensibly asking Ivan, but as we all stared at the monster of a craft before us in the hanger, his words were also clearly directed at ourselves

“You need to get into it first, don’t you?” our gallant Dr. Jarinda raised the question.

“Jarinda, Ed, please move off and execute your task,” Caterin ordered.

“We shall all remain here until your return, with good news I hope.”

As the Doctor started to turn away Ivan glanced at her with a slight smile, walked up to the base of the titan and gently placed his hand against the hull.

This was the same place he would normally place his hand with a local craft to open the ramp from the outside.

Silently the ramp, many times the size of the small craft type, lowered itself to come to rest without any noise or bump as it contacted with the hanger floor.

“How did you manage that, you smarty pants?” John joked with Ivan.

I now understood why John and Ivan were paired together. Chemistry existed between them in the manner of two overgrown schoolboys. A stream of humour, which others sometimes could only glimpse at or were mostly unaware of, passed between them regularly and I considered myself to be privileged to be spotting it.

Ivan beamed towards us all, including Caterin, who seemed genuinely to be impressed except with the two who should have departed by now. A stare in their direction and they were on their way.

“I have placed my hands on the controls of this Ark,” Ivan announced. “It recognised me as a pilot from the ancient talisman that I, and all the trainee pilots, wear. This allowed me to interface immediately with the Ark’s controls and now to be recognised by this enormous beast. .That has given me the key to operate any craft on board and possibly many other things when I come across them. Right now, I believe that one or two of these might just be what we are looking for to rescue our people swiftly from the base and bring them here to the Ark. I must try it. Who is coming with me?”

“No one for the present.” Caterin’s clear sharp voice was issuing instructions again; well meant when a little thought was applied. “But you may take a look inside and I do mean just a look.”

Ivan’s smile did not diminish but he knew he had to follow Caterin’s orders. He started to walk up the twenty-foot wide ramp and he found himself gliding effortlessly. This was exactly the same as our local craft, the one that had brought us all here and was currently parked alongside, still full of its passengers. I was also reminded, perhaps because of the scale, of the automatic stairs back at the base.

Raising a thought of the base took me straight back to my wife and family waiting there for our safe return. I was almost playing at soldiers, or ‘Cowboys and Indians’, in the style of a young child. I was having a great adventure, a ‘Boy’s Own’ adventure and forgetting the purpose of all of this.

Caterin’s little lecture during the journey back from the Command Deck came to mind immediately and I ‘sobered up’ very quickly. This was a serious business and I had to stay focussed despite enjoying the humorous exchanges between John and Ivan.

I knew or perhaps just believed that it would not be long before we all returned to the base and started the Exodus, the rescue. I had to be patient and see events turn out, hopefully for the best. Up to now all had seemed well and everything we encountered turned in our favour. This could not last surely, or there again perhaps it might.

With everything I had ever been involved in, there was always something, or someone, that did not go according to plan, a something that would throw a ‘spanner in the works’. This project was going too well. Where was the disaster waiting to happen? My feelings of joy were starting to turn to worry. Was I just coming to a cold sense of reality after my exuberance?

Caterin was reading my thoughts again.

“After what you have been through in the last few weeks, Ian, it does not come as a surprise to me to see your emotions swinging wildly from one extreme to the other. Your powers of recovery are impressive and this may be due both to the remedial work you received directly at the hospital and the side effects, shall we say the collateral improvements in your well-being. Try to steady yourself; there is still a long way to go.”

The corner of my eye caught a movement. Ivan was lifting the great craft into the air. It stopped and hovered silently then started to blur and shimmer as he applied the cloaking. This was not altogether the same as with our smaller local craft. There was a sort of humming in the air and a tingling of the skin as the cloaking came on, something akin to the sensation of standing beneath those high-voltage overhead electric cables back on Earth when it was raining.

I was contemplating Earth again, my home that I had now left and was unlikely ever to see again.

From solid to transparency and then back again, Ivan settled it down, lowered the enormous ramp and came strolling down it with an enormous smile on his face.

“I now have three ‘toys’ to play with and they are all controlled in the same manner. ‘easy-peasy’,” he managed to get out through his grin.

“Anybody for a quick ride to test my new toy out,” he asked quite genuinely. “I need someone on board with me on my first flight outside, just in case.”

“How would they fly the thing if something went wrong with you?” Caterin asked, managing the slightest of smiles at asking the obvious.

“They wouldn’t,” he replied earnestly, “but they could assist me to stay alive to fly the beast. I doubt I could fly it and also repair my breathing equipment,” he said with a straight face. “Another pair of hands may be crucial. I am not anticipating that anything will go wrong, but caution is good sense.” He meant it and it did make good sense.

“Come on Ivan, lets see what you can do,” John was volunteering and heading for the ramp before Caterin pulled them up.

“You mentioned breathing equipment. Let me see it in use with both of you before you go on board. Ivan put your helmet on, and both of you, visors down before you step onto the ramp; and keep them that way until you come back.”

The two ‘naughty boys’ smiled guiltily at each other, Ivan put on his helmet and then they both pulled their visors down simultaneously. They checked each other visors and both gave the thumbs up. Working together with these two had a style all of its own, efficient, co-ordinated yet with an indescribable hint of humour to it. Then up the ramp they disappeared after which it was raised into the closed position.

The craft stayed visible and gently hovered off the deck on its way towards the wall where we had previously come in. As it approached the end wall this dissolved into a mistiness, similar to the one at the base, and then through it this enormous thing silently glided.

Those of us left behind stood looking at each other for what seemed like an eternity, although, perhaps no more than ten minutes had passed. We all jumped back in surprise as the great thing sort of oozed out of the shimmering wall in front of us to settle down where it had been parked a short while earlier.

I had not seen a craft pass through a wall close up before and the event quite caught me out.

Ivan, or more likely the Ark, was controlling the easy and gentle placing of such a large craft; whichever, it was certainly most impressive. The ramp came down, out glided two fully suited figures to join us, then raise their visors for Ivan to report that this large craft functioned in almost the exact same manner as both the small craft and the Ark.

“There are differences between our local craft and these larger beasts,” he declared. “You cannot tell from here but they are currently facing inwards with their backs to the entrance and exit wall. To leave the Ark they also have to remain visible. It appears that to employ cloaking, as I did for a brief moment, requires disturbing space time within the Ark to a greater extent than it is prepared to accept. I applied the cloaking and almost immediately I was over-ruled by the craft’s controls and brought back to normal. That wasn’t me showing off.”

“To leave or enter the Ark we must reverse out and travel forwards coming in, without disturbance of local space time. Our movement was governed by the Ark itself, pretty much as we found it did when we arrived in the local craft. It may be that too much strain is placed on the Ark‘s ability to remain cloaked, maintain the diffusion effect at the wall and also handle the craft’s potential for cloaking and drive.”

“This will have a small disadvantage in that anyone looking in our direction with the Ark cloaked, would see one of these large beasts suddenly appearing from out of thin air as it left the Ark and then just as soon, disappearing again as we applied cloaking at the controls.”

John interceded with, “Well not exactly ‘thin’ air, more likely ‘no’ air,” and chuckled at his own joke. As Caterin did not so much as raise a smile, no one else decided to join in with John’s sense of humour.

Ivan continued, resisting most poorly a suppression of his smile. “As soon as we were clear of the Ark, full control of the craft employing its drive and cloak system became available and there was no other problem that became apparent or that we could detect.”

“Until we approached the Ark still cloaked,” added John, “as we did.”

“Correct,” continued Ivan. “As with our local craft the Ark took over, turned off our drive, lifted the cloaking and brought us in, under its own control system.”

“It appears that we have found our first limitation of the technology that we have so far taken for granted,” postulated John.

“But,” continued Ivan, “there is something much more significant about these craft and that is their speed.”

My thoughts wandered, listening to these two, to a vision of tweedledee and tweedledum with Caterin as Alice and I had to work hard at suppressing a laugh.

“Go on,” Caterin instructed.

I felt her presence in my thoughts; her humour did not extend as far as John’s.

I stopped my sense of humour. “Alice is gone; ah well,” I muttered very quietly.

“I would estimate,” Ivan started, “that they are capable of at least twice the speed of our local craft, perhaps a lot more. The controls are as subtly responsive as our local craft but their range is impressive. Going for maximum speed took my breath away, they really can move.”

“I did a quick calculation,” said John. “At the speed we had this one moving and while fully cloaked, the journey from here back to the base, or vice-versa, could be undertaken in two hours or thereabouts, possibly even less. This assumes that the route is neatly navigated but it also appears that the craft may have in-built programming, or something, to be aware of the base’s location and even this Ark.”

“It wanted to take us down to the base when I opened it up,” Ivan added.

“I’m sure of it. When I turned it round and came flying back at maximum speed it seemed aware that it was approaching the Ark and slowed to an entry speed at the very last moment. This is where the Ark took over, dropping our cloaking and bringing us in.”

“I have to say,” added John, “that it took my breath away. I really did think we were about to impact with the Ark.”

“It appears we have a fleet,” exclaimed Caterin jubilantly.

“What were you saying about things possibly going wrong, Ian?” Caterin verbally asked me. I declined a reply. “While we have only scratched the surface of what we once were as a technological race and are still are capable of, it appears there may still be more unexpected surprises for all of us. While I want you all to exercise caution at all times, you must be prepared for surprises, possibly pleasant ones, perhaps not. I’m sure that they are there just waiting to be found. Stay alert for any eventuality, do not relax.”

She was full of herself and in good mood.

Any difficulties that Ivan and John had come across were completely surpassed by the capabilities of these large craft. Handled correctly by Ivan or perhaps Franz, we would be in good hands and the Exodus might go smoother and more speedily than any preconceived expectations.

“Ivan, what about your co-pilot Franz? Could he take one of these down to Earth and back safely?” Caterin wished to know.

Was she picking up on my thoughts?

Ivan made a firm straight statement in reply. “He is a good pilot, but I have more hours behind the controls and I’ve done many of the dodgy things that needed doing. Franz has not had that experience, but he is good, a quick learner, and if I had to trust my life with him at the controls, that I could do without too much worry.”

I received the impression that he was not at all keen to have his professional discipline as a pilot questioned like this. He was a pilot and so was Franz. He was not just another good pilot, he was a PILOT, full stop; a single word title and description that was good enough not to be questioned.

“I think we should ask him directly,” Ivan stated. Caterin acceded and before issuing any further instruction, down the ramp of the local craft came Franz. He must have been listening in, but did not show any indication that he had been.

Ivan stretched out his arm to Franz and with a look of mutual trust and admiration, they shook hands as friends and colleagues.

“We have no experience on these great crafts,” Ivan continued. “For the ten minutes I had one outside of the Ark, it performed exactly the same as the smaller craft I have flown most of my life, just a lot faster when it was called for. The biggest issue will be simply making an allowance for their size otherwise I certainly do not see Franz having problems of any significance.”

“I would request that we put in a little familiarisation time before starting the Exodus for real,” he added.

“And how many people will one of these things hold,” Caterin pushed with a key question.

“The spacing in side of them is impressive,” John responded.“There are two floors, the upper with seating for about five hundred. The lower deck is of the same size but has no seating, probably intended for stores and equipment. I would suggest that for a single trip we could bring a thousand people up here. Ten round trips or thereabouts should be all that we will need. Perhaps a couple more depending upon the space requirements for the records or genetics’ base storage and of course, all the critical equipment that the engineers or scientists need to bring along.”

“No problem there, then,” Caterin said, perhaps trying her hand at a little humour to lighten things slightly. I did not notice anyone smile.

“There is only one problem,” Ivan interjected.

“Our hanger at the base is enormous but limited. I have always wondered why, but now I believe I know why. The original Settlers used these large craft to ferry everything they needed from the Arks to the surface of the Earth and back, possibly even including the local crafts themselves; if not whole then in some sort of kit form. A hanger must have been one of their early considerations. I would suspect that one of these would fit neatly into the hanger but not with the four local craft we have now left behind.”

Caterin pondered Ivan’s considerations for a short time only.

“If you’re correct about our base hanger being able to accommodate one of these large craft, then the solution is fairly straightforward,” she said. “First of all, Ivan, confirm for me that there are sufficient pilots, junior or whatever, for the small craft at the base.”

“I have been using all the junior pilots,” Ivan replied. “There are four of them left at the base, to ferry as many of our people from various locations on Earth and they had no difficulties. I did insist that they operate in pairs and this seemed to work quite well. They have not only completed these tasks but also managed to avoid any encounter with the numerous alien craft that now seem to be everywhere.”

“They have, however, only risen to high altitudes in the Earth’s atmosphere, not fully out into the hard featureless vacuum of space,” continued Ivan adding a cautionary note.

Caterin went into a deep thinking mode, visibly. I imagined I could actually see her adding up numbers mentally as her lips moved gently, mouthing the words and numbers in her head.

“My plan of action is this,” she announced.

“We have traversed the vacuum of space in a local craft without any internal disaster; the passengers in our craft are still alive and well.”

I wondered how on earth, or wherever we were, she knew this; they were still sealed in the craft.

“Because I have been checking on them Ian, in the same manner that I am talking to you; now stop interrupting,” she put me in my place quickly.

I hadn’t considered this option and hoped I was not missing any more of the ‘obvious’. I felt Caterin glaring at me mentally, so I shut up and stayed quiet.

“Your four junior pilots will leave the base in the local craft with as many people as they can carry, volunteers preferably, but they must fill them. The opportunity must not be missed, we must maximise all possibilities. The pilots only need to make their way in our general direction; it should not take any great skill in navigation to be heading in the direction of the Moon.”

“We will meet them when they are close and guide them the rest of the journey to this Ark. When they are within the proximity of the Ark, it will draw them into the safety of this hanger as it did with us.There is plenty of space between the big craft to accommodate them and I believe the Ark will, in all likelihood, sort out the parking arrangements for us.”

“Trust your pilots Ivan, as I trust you. From this moment they are no longer to be considered as juniors in training, they must all be granted full status and be given the responsibilities to act for themselves. We have everything to gain and must take this opportunity, accepting whatever risks may be inherent in my chosen course of action. I suspect, no expect, that they will rise to their responsibilities when they are told that they have been promoted and will respond accordingly.”

I was becoming impressed and staying quiet for the moment. Caterin was formulating a course of action on-the-hoof while we stood here in the hanger. It was quite obvious why she had been selected to lead this project; there was much more to her than met the eye.

“Matters are progressing well, I am filled with confidence and believe we should grasp the opportunity now provided to us to expedite Plan A,” she announced.

“Plan A?” John queried.

“That’s what I’m calling it,” confirmed Caterin.

“We have acquired an Ark with ease, perhaps it allowed us to. We shall employ all means to now transfer everyone from the base in one continuous rolling plan before leaving for Mars. We shall not go to Mars in an empty Ark, we shall go as fully laden as possible. This will put some distance between us and the events now unfolding on Earth, and as quickly as possible. Opportunities seem to be presenting themselves and we must take hold of what is being offered and any others that may appear.”

“I am satisfied that there is a distinct possibility that this Ark will take good care of us. If it does not, then we might as well all face our deaths together, in each others company as a proud race of people, knowing that we tried and did our best.”

Caterin continued to impress me.

She went on, “There is a second Ark still circling Mars and I am taking the gamble that we will be able to acquire it with the same ease as we did this one and then effect the rescue as intended.”

“There can be no Plan B. we are committed in our course of action, hence we are now instigating Plan A, the only plan. If that fails then all may be lost. We, all of us stood here together, as the group tasked with finding a path through the unknown, must now step up to the mark, shoulder that responsibility to take this window of opportunity presented to us, and make it work. There can be no going back and going forward there is only success, or possibly death,” her voice trailed off.

Caterin paused for the full implications of her words to sink in. This was a moment of inspiration, a turning point in the whole project; I felt it in the hairs that were rising on the back of my neck.

She glanced at all of us in turn to ensure, I think, that we were all on message. Then, pause ended and with a complete change of mood which we were all meant to feel from her, she picked up her message of what was required of us and continued once more.

“We are about to take big chunks out of the overall time scale that I first envisaged and it is my intention that we do take maximum advantage of this. Time is always of the essence and particularly so if we are to escape what may befall us if we chose to remain for longer than necessary.”

“Ivan, you will make one signal to base only, fully encrypted and brief, directing your remaining junior pilots to leave with as many people on board each local craft as possible. They are to be told that their direction of flight is to be towards the Moon and at some point they will rendezvous with you or Franz. Include no more than that for their flight instructions. You will give them the confidence they possibly need by promising, in the message, to promote them all to fully qualified Pilots as soon as they arrive here safely.”

Ivan could not disagree.

His juniors had undertaken their missions round the Earth with great success, a testament to his teaching, and his confidence in them was high. This was a test, which if it failed may cost many lives, but chances had to be taken, as I guessed, in all conflicts.

Caterin decided to add a little more. “Add the following single keyword to the end of the message: ‘EXODUS’.”

“The Seniors read all incoming messages and will understand that the planned Exodus is to now to start immediately. They will know what to do.”

We knew that the overall description of what was being attempted came under the heading of ‘Exodus’ but we had no knowledge of what may have been planned with the Seniors as an overall strategy. We were not privy to this keyword or the planning that had gone on at the highest level in the base.

Was she really making up the plans as she went along, according to changing circumstances, or was there an overall scheme that we were indeed not privy to or had no need to be? I was guessing the latter.

“You do not need to know Ian, just do as I ask and nothing else,” Caterin’s thoughts pervaded into mine yet again as she picked up on my doubt.

I understood the phrase ‘need-to-know’ only too well and had seen it exercised in uniform many times. I accepted her instruction, what else could I do. Keep my thoughts quiet I guessed.

“Just confirm, for me, Ivan,” Caterin said verbally while turning towards him, “that the loading of as many people as possible into a small craft will not make flying it too difficult for either the craft or a junior pilot, my apologies, a newly promoted Pilot?”

“That should not be an issue,” he replied. “It is as easy piloting an empty craft as a full one, the full one only requires a greater sense of responsibility, that’s all,” Ivan replied.

“Seven in the front, including the pilot, and twenty to the rear, as we travelled ourselves will not be a problem.”

Caterin paused for a moment, clearly in thought and then added.

“When you send my message to the base, please include that the crafts are to carry as many passengers as possible. We shall pack in fifty persons on each craft, standing if need be for a couple of hours. This will not be a great discomfort and one that must be tolerated. It will provide a slight flexibility for the main movement of bodies.”

Before Ivan could raise his eyebrows, Caterin continued.

“The main movement, the real shuttle service, will start as soon as we are aware that the four local craft are on their way. There are four large craft here and we shall employ them all. Ivan and one of the ‘promoted’ pilots you brought with you will form the first flight team. Franz and another ‘promoted’ pilot will form flight team two.”

Now I knew who some of the passengers had been; half of his junior pilots.

“When the other newly ‘promoted’ pilots from the base finally arrive they will be paired up and form teams three and four for the remaining two large craft. We shall use all four of these large craft to undertake the real shuttle service between the base and this Ark, the ‘Exodus’, with alternate landings and loading.”

“We shall work to the following provisional timetable.”

Caterin really was on a roll now.

“Based on Ivan’s and John’s estimate of speed for these large craft, two hours will be allowed from leaving the Ark to arriving at the base. A further hour will be allowed to quickly load it up with personnel and their personal effects. At that three hour mark, another large craft will depart from here and should pass the returning one at about the mid point between the Ark and the base.”

“Every three hours another craft will leave here and this will continue until the last of the base personnel arrive back here. I do not want to expose ourselves to any greater risk than is necessary. Multiple craft queueing up to enter the base might very well be detected; we are still unsure of the alien’s full potential for detecting our craft or systems.”

“I estimate a basic period,” she pondered slightly, “of some thirty six hours of continuous effort that should see the Exodus completed, assuming all goes well.”

Caterin was making up programmes in her head based on a couple of pieces of flimsy information and some calculations; she truly was impressive, I hoped she was correct.

Again I felt her glaring presence in my thought. She left me alone to continue her plan.

“The first large craft to leave, that will be you Ivan, will head straight for the base and pass the local craft on the way here. The second large craft, under Franz, will leave shortly after the first to rendezvous with the four local ones and guide them back here to the Ark.”

“That will give Franz a short breather until he is programmed to depart on a full flight; at the three hours point. The remaining two will also depart at the three hours intervals. Ivan and Franz, as I have already stated, you will each have one of your newly promoted pilots accompany you on the flight decks, and those four bringing the local craft to us will be partnered to form two more pilot teams for the other two large craft.”

Ivan was not looking fully impressed.

“Ivan, I do not want to hear you complain about this,” Caterin came at him somewhat sternly.

“If your junior pilots can bring fully laden local craft from the base to this Ark without loss, then I will be impressed by their skill and bravery, convinced that their promotion is well deserved and confirm my decision that they should be placed in charge of these larger ones. I’m sure we can organise a little experience training up here before they are due to commence in all seriousness their contribution to the Exodus.”

“End of topic.”

All felt silent.

Caterin turned to Ed.

“Ed, I want you to draw up my intentions as I have just expressed them, into a more formal provisional plan. It will be your responsibility to keep track on events as they progress making any alterations that you deem appropriate; you have my authority on that.”

“I don’t want to be caught by the powers of this so-called New World Order, that would be disastrous. So everyone on their toes from now on.”

“Ivan, how long do you think it would take to get a thousand people on board this large craft?” Caterin was asking for confirmation of this element of her plan as she gazed up at the enormous great disk.

She had put her plans together and they were about to be executed but was now asking a question that she should have had the answer to beforehand.

“With a ramp as wide as we have seen and if everyone was sufficiently motivated and prepared to move collectively when the order had been given, perhaps no more than thirty or forty minutes,” Ivan gave his initial thoughts. “The ramps are very wide, getting up them is a very fast and automatic process. The bottleneck may be the passageways and doors into the two levels of accommodation and storage. Still, because motivation will not be an issue, I think my timing is probably adequate,” Ivan finalised.

“The hour allowance will remain as I first decided. This will provide an extra amount of flexibility that might very well be needed,” Caterin finished the discussion.

“Ed, get my plan sketched up as soon as you can. I want to see my thoughts set down in a manner that makes sense and confirms my reasoning. We can also use it to monitor our progress.”

“The timing of the Exodus programme, with Plan A, starts as soon as the message has been sent.”

“Ivan, two hours after the start, you will fly off with your selected co-pilot and then we will be properly under way; go and send the message to the base now.”

Ivan turned on his heels to hurry back to the flight deck and send the all important message which would put the wheels in action for real.

“We have been within this Ark for a considerable time now and it is looking increasingly as though we have been made welcome and are most safe. Let our passengers out please, Franz.”

“This meeting is closed, let’s get on with what we have to do,” Caterin ordered.

Franz went back into the local craft and within a few seconds the relieved faces of our passengers streamed out. Those who were the junior pilots exchanged some back slapping with Franz.

“Ian, make yourself useful somewhere else,” Caterin now directed at me. “Your moment of glory will come much later, keep out of the way of the Exodus.”

“Ed, perhaps you should keep Ian with you. After I have my plan you can both reconnoitre the interior properly, sort out some simple signs to move people out of this hanger to whatever accommodation you find. Consult with Jarinda.”

  “I am more than interested in what provision there is on this magnificent vessel for food and drink. Emergency rations will be brought up during the movements but we are going to need a lot more. This will be a more crucial factor than any other but my hopes are high from the discoveries and progress so far. Our scientists back at the base believe that the original settlers must have had some way of manufacturing food, as we do albeit to a limited extent, and not carry a massive load of supplies with them.”

“If we cannot manufacture a broader range of foods in this Ark compared to those we can back at the base then I will not only be most surprised, I may be condemning a lot of people to starvation instead of the promised salvation.”

Her orders had been given, she was in charge but the whole project still seemed to hang on a lot of assumptions. I hadn’t seen nor worked it all out before we left, but that was not my role, why should I?

“Caterin,” I ventured before moving away. “I would like to travel on one of the shuttle journeys at the appropriate time to collect my family in person and escort them here. Can this be accommodated?”

“Absolutely not,” she replied bluntly.

“This is far too dangerous a phase of the project to risk your loss if something should go wrong.”

“But the very young ones will be frightened,” I persisted. “Granddad’s presence may help calm them. I may also be able to help their Mums and Dads, my children, who know nothing of events.”

I tried hard for a concession.

“We are all a little frightened Ian,” she replied with a stark coldness in her thoughts.

“Do you think that your family is the only one with young children or they are the only ones that have no idea of the extent of this project?”

She stared firmly at me but I was sure I detected a slight hint of compassion.

 “Let us see how matters progress and if all is going well then I might reconsider, but do not hold your hopes up high.The people at the base are being briefed as we speak and they are being told that they are going to travel on a great journey which will be explained to them later.”

“For now, all they will be required to do is get on board one of the shuttles as quickly as possible. Then get off it with the same haste some hours later. Why and what might happen on the journey will not be explained. What they don’t know they cannot be worried about. Don’t worry so much Ian, my people at the base know what they are doing and how to do it gently.”

She turned away to engage with others from the small crowd of passengers that had disembarked. There was to be no more discussion on the matter.

I had to understand and accept the position of all the people now involved in this project and what was trying to be achieved, whether I was happy with it or not.

There were many of this initial party who also had families back at the base and it was true, I was not considering them. I could not help feeling the way I did but I had been given a decision and had to live with it.

Recalling many years ago in uniform, I would not have hesitated to accept and understand the situation. I could only think that the passing of the years was making me ‘softer’ and more considerate of others. Caterin must have felt my thoughts and emotions once more as she interrupted her conversation to turn and look straight at me; I had not moved from the spot. After a brief moment her mouth adjusted into a very slight smile; she understood the anxiety of this ‘old’ man.

“Perhaps there is a chance,” I started to think.

“Perhaps there may be,” she responded.

Her head nodded to one side almost imperceptibly in acknowledgement of a ‘perhaps’ but continued for my benefit.

“We must get those people, most important to the success of the project’s ultimate aims, away first. The scientists, engineers, technicians, geneticists and so on, without any hint of detection. Our joint populations will follow without any discrimination as to species, race, social standing or anything of the sort but we will be giving preference to those who exhibit the ancient trait that has been developed in you. I’m sure you understand where I am coming from, do you not?”

I did and nodded.

“If all is going well I would anticipate your family being in one of the latter group of trips. I will ask Ivan to enquire on one of his sorties to the base. I may reconsider your position at that juncture and not before, do you understand?”

I did and nodded again.

“Restrict your thoughts and emotions to a minimum; take this opportunity to learn to rein them in. If you are to be allowed back to the base, it is essential that I am satisfied that you can achieve this. From now on your words are to be spoken only, try to turn off your new talent in the mean time.”

Caterin was right, I needed to gain control over myself and this gift that I had been endowed with. I could no longer be the amateur. This was certainly the right time to exercise control, something I had not yet fully achieved, despite numerous ‘requests’. I took the direction most literally and tried to imagine a solid brick wall surrounding me through which my thoughts could not penetrate. Caterin was still looking straight at me and this time she did manage a smile; I guessed it was a smile.

“I have just ‘felt’ you switch off, that is good, and now you must practise to keep it that way until your talent is required,” her mental instructions sounded loud and clear.

She had penetrated my wall with ease and I did not think that I had ‘switched off’, perhaps it had the same effect; I had not expected that. If I could block my thoughts heading ‘outwards’ then I had expected all others, including Caterin, to be unable to penetrate ‘inwards’.

Her smile vanished and it was confirmed again that her talents far exceeded mine as I was sure that she was continuing to quietly read my thoughts and without me being aware. In the moment before she turned away, a flat icy, emotionless mask appeared to flow effortlessly over her face.

She was back into full control mode and I understood that message well.

I turned and walked away to seek one of the accommodation dormitories that Dr. Jarinda and Ed must have located; I now craved a much needed nap. I was feeling a little exhausted, probably as a result of the hours I had been awake and my age, not that I considered myself ancient or anything like that.

I was sure that Caterin and the other team members (they were all younger than me) just had more reserves to draw on.

Now where were Dr. Jarinda’s hand scrawled directions to the dorms.