Talosian Chronicles 1: Olympus Read online

  The old man led Ian to a hatch. “I understand, sir. I am confident that you will understand more of the situation after you have slept. Good night, sir.”

  “Good night, Oly,” Ian said as he stepped down from the shuttle.

  Chapter Three

  Once clear of the shuttle Ian turned around to see the hatch simply floating in mid-air close to the ground. Then it was gone as Oly closed the door. No sign of the shuttle craft could be seen, nor could Ian hear any engine noise. He did feel a sudden breeze that died out as quickly as it had begun.

  Shaking his head, Ian turned back and headed across the lawn to his front door. Very quietly, he unlocked the door and let himself inside. One thing he noticed right away was that he seemed to be able to see better; there seemed to be more light than normal.

  “Cool; night vision,” he said quietly.

  All of the sudden he could see with perfect clarity as if the entire room was in bright sunlight. He blinked a couple of times, and quietly made his way to his bedroom. Once inside, he saw a flawless image of himself, in pajamas, sleeping in his bed.

  “Oly, are you there?” He whispered.

  “Of course, sir.”

  “That’s a really lifelike hologram of me, but I usually sleep in the nude.”

  “I am sorry, sir,” Oly replied. “I did not know that.”

  Ian chuckled, “No problem; no one ever checks on me after I go to bed. However, could you get rid of that? I don’t think I could handle sleeping with myself.” The image rapidly faded from view. “Thanks, uh... this night vision is pretty neat, but how do I turn it off?”

  “Just say ‘night vision off’ and it will fade as well,” Olympus replied.

  Ian had been stripping while talking to the old computer. “Thanks again, Oly. Talk to you in the morning,” he said while climbing into bed.

  “Good night, sir.”

  Ian was asleep almost as soon as he heard the reply.

  During his sleep, Olympus gave Ian the history of the Talosian people. Ian saw how and why the big ship crashed on the moon, and the final message received showing the destruction of the planet Talos. Ian watched as the man that looked so much like him spoke to his crew about his plan to preserve their race with the help of the residents of the nearby planet.

  Ian awoke to the smell of bacon being cooked, and heard his stomach rumble. He rolled out of bed, and pulled on some sweats to do his morning ritual. He rushed through his shower in his haste to grab a shirt and head for breakfast.

  While he was dressing, Ian thought about his friends, and how he would like them to come on this adventure with him. He knew Cindy and Jenny would most likely agree to it, but he wanted to take Doctor Hays as well. She really wasn’t that much older than Ian after all, and he would need a good doctor on the ship.

  Beth Hayes was a very smart, beautiful woman. Jenny and Cindy teased Ian constantly about fantasizing about her. He had to admit, if even to himself, there was plenty there to fantasize about, but he really had enough problems with just Jenny and Cindy.

  Before heading out to the kitchen for breakfast, Ian contacted Oly. “Oly, you’ve been monitoring me for some time, correct?”

  “Affirmative sir, I needed to make sure you were suitable for the position I needed you for,” Oly replied.

  Ian grinned. “Okay, so then you know of my two friends, Jenny Laskar and Cindy Swift?”

  “Of course sir.”

  “Did you evaluate them as potential crew members?” Ian asked.

  “I do that as a matter of routine sir. Both young women would be excellent crew members. Are you considering recruiting them?” Oly asked.

  “Yes I am, I am also considering asking my guardian to join us. She is an excellent doctor, and has been a great friend. She helped me deal with my parents death, and has watched out for me ever since. I’d like to ask her to come with us.”

  “Doctor Elizabeth Hayes would also make an excellent crew member. The records I can find on her performance as a medical practitioner support your assessment of her ability as well,” Oly replied. “You have great instincts sir, we will need a qualified medical doctor soon after you come aboard. There is a member of the original crew in status, and will need to be revived.”

  “Definitely something to look into then. Jenny and Cindy are both supposed to come over to swim today anyway, so maybe I’ll talk to them then,” Ian said thoughtfully. “Now I just need to resolve the issue of my feelings for them.”

  “You care for all of them, what do you need to resolve?” Oly asked.

  Ian sighed. “Oly, I love Jenny, I can’t really imagine my life without her in it. The problem is that I’ve found I feel the same way about Cindy. If I’m forced to be completely honest, I would like Beth there as well. I can only marry one of them, and I won’t cheat on any of them. It’s one of the main reasons I haven’t asked any of them out. Well, that and Beth is a few years older than I am and it would most likely cause a scandal.”

  “Sir, I understand you were raised here, in this culture, but in Talosian culture, it was not unheard of for there to be multiple partners in a bonding. It actually made more sense to have multiple partners because of duties and jobs. If a person had duties that took them away from their family for an extended period, then the children would never be left without a parent. There is also the biological imperative at work that influence people to seek out multiple partners in an attempt to create better offspring.

  “Perhaps you should simply speak to the women about this and get their feelings on it before you make a decision that would alienate one or more of them?” Oly suggested.

  Ian snorted. “I’d better wait until after they get that information after they decide to join us. Otherwise, I might get the crap beat outta me.”

  “I understand. However, the love you feel for Miss Laskar is obvious to everyone except her. Perhaps you should speak to her first, and then you can deal with the rest after they learn about their history?”

  Ian shook his head. “I don’t know, it doesn’t sound like there is a good way to do this no matter what. I’ll just have to play it by ear, and see what happens. But for now, I’m heading out to breakfast, I’m starving!”

  Before Ian’s parents passed away, Elizabeth (Beth) Hayes had lived alone. When her friends, the elder Williams’ died, she felt sorry for their only child, Ian. The family had been out celebrating Ian’s eighteenth birthday the night the accident happened. She knew that Ian was going to have a hard time trying to take care of his parent’s house, as well as finish high school.

  Beth, as well as his friends, helped Ian get through the loss, but Beth also suggested that he sell the house, and move in with her. She would take care of him and continue to help him until he finished high school, and decided what to do from there.

  He had a good idea what he was going to do, and the only thing left of high school were finals and the graduation ceremony. From his brief time with her, Ian knew Beth was a very lonely woman. She was very pretty, and very smart, and had a lot to offer to someone. Ian was completely at a loss as to why she was still single.

  “Good morning Ian, did you have fun last night?” Beth asked.

  “Well, not really, but the guys really wanted me there, so...” Ian shrugged. “Sorry about it being so late when I got back.”

  “Like I said last night, don’t worry about it – shit happens,” Beth smiled and waved it off. “So, do you have anything planned for today?”

  “Jenny and Cindy are supposed to come over for a swim,” Ian replied.

  She nodded. “That’s right, I forgot about it. Do you think they’d mind if I joined you?”

  “I don’t see why they would. We all like having you with us,” Ian said as his grin grew. “And you certainly look good in a bikini!”

  “Ian Williams! You are a horrible flirt!” Beth said and blushed. “I’ll have to tell Jenny on you!”

  “Go ahead! I was only speaking the truth, and I’ll stand by it!” Ian said.
“Thanks for breakfast, I thought it was my turn to cook?”

  Beth shrugged. “It was, but since you got in late last night, I thought I’d do it for you. You can make dinner for me a couple times to pay me back.”

  “Sounds good. Since I didn’t get a chance to talk to you yesterday, how’s work going?”

  “Same shit, Doctor Peterson still won’t give me any real patients and no one listens to my advice during consults. I swear, sometimes I just want to strangle those idiot’s!”

  “I know it’s kind of personal, but have you ever thought about moving? Getting a job someplace else, maybe a bigger city?” Ian asked.

  Beth sighed. “Yeah, I do, almost daily in fact. I just don’t want to live in a city, too much crime. Lately, I’ve been thinking about returning to college, maybe shift my focus over to genetics or virology. At least the hours would be better.”

  “I might have an idea for you, but you’re going to think I’ve lost my mind when I tell you about it,” Ian replied, crossing his mental fingers.

  She gave Ian a half grin. “Ian, you are one of the most stable people I know. It would take a lot for me to think that of you.”

  Ian nodded. “Trust me here, this is going to test that.” Ian started talking, Telling Beth the real reason he was late last night, and some of what he learned while he slept. It surprised him when small holographs of what he was talking about took shape on the table between the two people. Beth almost jumped out of her chair, but controlled herself, and calmed down.

  “Ian, wait please,”

  “Yeah?” Ian asked.

  “How are you doing all of this? Holograms don’t even exist yet, and I don’t see the computers or the projectors it would need. Not to mention that it seems to be voice responsive,” she shook her head. “I know what I’m seeing is real, but I also know it doesn’t exist.”

  “Not on Earth, no. That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Beth,” Ian replied. “Although they were human, the Talosians were not from Earth.”

  “Well, if you’re schizophrenic, then I guess it’s contagious!” Beth said, with a nervous grin. “Continue please.”

  Ian did, and she became more and more interested in the images being displayed in front of her while he spoke. Ian finished the tale and Oly projected the hologram of Zeus for Beth.

  “...so, I’m genetically identical to Commander Zeus, so I’m the only one that can take command of the ship. The ship will need a crew, and that includes a doctor. You’re the best one I know,” Ian finished.

  “You want me to join the crew?” Beth asked amazed.

  Ian nodded. “Yeah, I’ll need someone I can trust in charge of the medical section.”

  “You do realize I am just barely out of residency, right? I would think you would want someone with a lot more real world experience for this job,” Beth said.

  “Doctor Hayes, there is no one on Earth that qualifies for it. The technologies involved are so far advanced that I will have to retrain anyone that agrees to it,” Oly replied as he slowly took form to the right of, and behind Ian.

  “This is the ship’s AI, Olympus. I call him Oly for short,” Ian said by way of introduction. “Oly, My personal guardian angel, Doctor Elizabeth Hayes.”

  Since they had finished eating, Ian got up, and began clearing the table. He refilled Beth’s coffee before loading the dishwasher and starting it.

  While Ian worked, Beth and Oly talked. She was adjusting to the situation remarkably well. Maybe Ian could ask her advice on how to deal with his feelings about Jenny, Cindy and herself? He’d wait to see how things went the rest of the day. If an opportunity doesn’t present itself, perhaps he’d speak to her then.

  “Sir, do you want me to bring the shuttle back and drop off a domestic crone? That way I will be able to replicate communicators for the people you recruit, and it could be very helpful in keeping the house clean as well,” Oly asked.

  “As long as you can do it without being seen or tracked, I have no problem with it. Where are you going to drop the drone so it can’t be seen?” Ian asked.

  Oly pointed out the window into the back yard. “There should be sufficient cover there for the drop. The cloaking field for the shuttle can be extended slightly to provide a screen until the drone falls below the top of the privacy fence,” Oly explained.

  “What’s a domestic drone? We’re not going to have any creepy spider looking machines running around the house are we?” Beth asked.

  Ian laughed, but Oly answered her. “No Doctor, a domestic drone operated on a suspensor field, call it anti-gravity. It floats just off the deck. It has extendables that it uses in its various cleaning and repairing duties, and is equipped with a small replicator. Of all the things on Earth it might look like, it appears to most resemble a canister vacuum cleaner that floats off the ground.”

  “Oh, so what does it do?” Beth asked.

  “Aboard ship, domestic drones is responsible for keeping the ship clean, to include private crew quarters as well as public areas. They have a wide range of tools that make them almost a necessity to any household. If you do not like having it here, I can always remove it back to the shuttle,” Oly said.

  Ian grinned, kissed Beth on the cheek, and headed for his room, to change into swim trunks. Jenny and Cindy would be arriving soon, and he wanted to be ready when they got there.

  Although it was still technically morning, Jenny Laskar and Cindy Swift arrived right on time for a day of swimming and hanging out. Ian had promised them a cook out, and had put steaks in a marinade the morning before.

  While Ian got a pitcher of iced tea and glasses, the girls and Beth went to her room to get changed for the pool. Ian had already swum the length of the pool twice before the girls made an appearance.

  Three beautiful women in tiny bikinis only reminded Ian of the problems he was having with his feelings for the wonderful ladies in his life. They walked out chatting like old friends, and to tell the truth, they looked like three friends, since Beth really didn’t look any older than the other two.

  He did notice however, that Jenny seemed to look a little shell shocked. Briefly, Ian wondered if Beth might have told them of his secret already. He didn’t think so, because Cindy wasn’t as excited as she would be if she knew. So Ian wondered just what was getting to Jenny.

  Chapter Four

  Jenny had been having the visions since she was eleven. Over the last seven years she had learned how to read them, but not always understand them. If her vision was clear, what she saw would happen; if it was fuzzy or out of focus, it could be changed. Most people called them premonitions, Jenny felt like they made her a freak.

  The only people she’d told about them were her parents, because sometimes they frightened her. However, one reoccurring vision she’d had warmed her heart. (Among other things) She’d had it so many times; she had taken to calling it simply The Vision. At first it was mostly fuzzy, but it showed her best friend, Ian, and her getting married, but the rest was fuzzy. Over the years, it had slowly changed in different ways, but never got much clearer. Tonight, the vision had been mostly crystal clear, and there was a lot more to it.

  It had also been very arousing, and detailed. Now she had confirmation of something that she was only beginning to suspect would she be marrying her best friend Ian, but also Beth and Cindy. That last part confused her, she liked the other two women well enough sure, but why would she need to marry them?

  She had cried out in her sleep, which is what had awakened her, and she knew her mother had come to check on her.

  “Come in, Mom,” she said, not realizing her mother hadn’t knocked yet.

  The door opened quietly and her mother, Julie, came into the room. “Are you okay, Honey? We heard you crying out.”

  “Yeah, I’m okay. I had ‘The Vision’ again. This time though, it was pretty clear. I know what will happen, and I think you should probably sit down,” Jenny said pulling herself up to a sitting position.

  “Why don’t
I go get your father, and we can talk over a cup of coffee in the kitchen. He’s worried about you too,” Julie said.

  “Yeah, you probably should since what I saw will involve both of you as well,” Jenny said.

  “Okay, we’ll see you downstairs, honey,” Julie said as she left to fetch her husband.

  Jenny chuckled as she got out of bed and got dressed. She caught a whiff of herself and headed to the bathroom to get cleaned up before confronting her parents. At least she knew they would make wonderful grandparents.

  “Okay honey, what’s this all about?” Bill asked his daughter gently. He really did love her. She was a great daughter, she didn’t go out and party, nor did she go for the ‘badboy’ type. She hadn’t had a lot of close friends, except for the Williams’s boy, Cindy Swift and that young doctor Elizabeth Hayes. He also knew from hearing her describe her visions, that she would one day marry Ian.

  “How do you two feel about becoming grandparents?” Jenny asked grinning from ear to ear. “That’s only one of the highlights of this tale.” She took a deep breath and forged on. “I’ll be moving in with Ian and Beth. Cindy and I are supposed to go over there for a day in the pool tomorrow and Ian will finally confess his love. Although it won’t be just for me, although he has loved me the longest. He will admit he has feelings for Cindy and Beth too, and it’s because of that he hasn’t come to me yet.

  “Here’s where things start to get a little weird. You know I love Cindy and Beth has been a great friend. We will agree to, uh, share him even though he will officially marry me.” Jenny explained.

  “Are you sure that’ll work, dear? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a deal like that working out. Jealousy and pressure from the society will eventually destroy it,” Jenny’s mother, Julie, said.

  Jenny nodded. “I know, and normally, I’d agree with you on that, but there is a lot more to this tale. Remember, I said things start to get weird?” when they nodded, she continued. “Now it’s heading straight into the twilight zone. Last night, While Ian was at the graduation party, he was approached by someone. I didn’t see who it was really dark. Anyway, this person convinced Ian that he was the long lost Captain of an ancient crashed starship...”