The Navigator 2: We the People Read online

  The next time he woke, he felt much better. There was no heart monitor and he felt warm sunlight on his skin. From the smell, he was in a hospital, and opening his eyes confirmed that for him. Turning his head away from the window, he saw Becka sitting in the chair next to his bed, reading a book.

  "Ah, welcome back Major! I'll let the doctor know you are awake. He should be in to see you shortly," a smiling nurse said from a monitor on the wall.

  He smiled back at her and nodded. Then turned to the surprised looking Becka. "Hey, Sweetheart, how long have you been here?"

  "Since they discovered your pod, how are you feeling?" Becka asked, anxiously.

  Joe smiled at her. "Relax, I'm fine. I actually feel pretty good. How long was I out?"

  "Almost a week, the doctors said it was because of the stim you took and the over-exertion of your gift. I should warn you, Hawklings was a little pissed that you didn't tell him right away. I did explain to him that there simply hadn't been any time to get the information to him, and he seemed to accept that. There are going to be a lot of questions you're going to need to answer," Becka said somewhat fearfully.

  Joe nodded. "I imagine so, what happened with The Citadel? I remember setting the time, and then jumping the pod out of there, but nothing else."

  "Destroyed. It dropped out in place and was pulled into Beta Centauri by the gravity flux. Doc Symms says it was dead long before it burned up though." She paused. "Was Jared still on it?"

  Joe nodded. "Along with his lieutenants and minions. At least, that's what I hope; I had no way to make sure." He took a deep breath. "This was a fuck-up from the beginning; nothing went according to plan."

  "Shit happens," Symms said from the door. "How are you feeling, Major?"

  "Surprisingly, pretty well, Doc. What's my prognosis?" Joe asked.

  "There isn't one, all you needed was rest. You dropped off our medical charts yesterday when you entered a normal sleep. The folks you rescued have been released already, except for the two girls; they're going to have to stay with us for a little while yet," Symms replied smiling. "Get dressed, I'll get the paperwork handled for your release. Shana is on standby to take the two of you to Darkwater; the Admiral would like to see you."

  Joe winced. "Yeah, I imagine he would. I'm sure I have some explaining to do. I imagine you would like to run some more tests on me as well?"

  Symms grinned. "Tons. But I'm only curious, so if you get the time and are willing, then maybe, but until then, I'm sure the council will want a full explanation. That's the reason I'm going with you back to Darkwater; to help you testify."

  Becka nodded. "Cassie is going to meet us there."

  "Cassie's going to Darkwater?" Joe asked.

  "No, Tokyo. I'll join you when you speak to the Council. The elders here have agreed to let me. It's kind of a last ditch effort to counter the young ones from doing something really stupid," Cassie said in his mind. He could feel her clearly now. He also knew exactly where she was at on Earth.

  "Wow, I can hear you a lot better now, Cassie," Joe said, to let Symms and Becka know he was speaking to her telepathically.

  Becka giggled. "I can too."

  Symms nodded. "I'd like to do some tests, but it's my guess that only the most powerful of the gifted have this ability; at least for now. I just wish we could all use it. Please tell Cassie that I miss her and I hope she is well. I didn't get the opportunity the last time we spoke."

  Becka grinned and closed her eyes, she cocked her head to one side and spoke, but it was a different sounding voice that came out. "Lenard, you did ask, but the situation was a little stressful then. I am well and I miss you also, I have been tempted to attempt to contact you over the last few years, but couldn't risk it. Things are changing now, and its time I came out from hiding."

  Symms shook his head. "This ability is amazing; I really do hope that someday you will be able to share your knowledge of it with me."

  "There is a great deal I have learned over the years I've been away, Lenard. Some of it I can't share with you yet, but I hope to in the future. At least, I know you can be trusted with the knowledge. I'm not so certain of the rest of the organization," Cassie replied. "I'm going to let Becka come back, we'll talk more when you get to Tokyo."

  "I look forward to it, Cassie. Be safe!" Symms replied. When Becka opened her eyes again, he smiled at her. "Thank you for that, Cassie is a friend I have been missing for a while."

  Becka nodded. "I know Doc, that's why I did it." She nodded toward Joe. "Come on, let’s get Marine Boy dressed and out of here, we can have lunch with Shana on the shuttle."

  When they got to the shuttle, Joe took the navigator position and Shana raised her eyebrows at Becka. "We're gonna let him plot the jump?"

  Becka nodded. "Yeah, I'll double check it, but he asked if he could. He has a theory he wants to check out."

  "Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a very short trip?" Shana asked.

  Becka grinned at her. "It might be, he's definitely full of surprises."

  "By the way, I never got to thank you for asking for me to take that guy back to Darkwater. He was a really interesting person," Shana said.

  Becka looked at her. "It sounds like you might have found that special someone?"

  "Well, I don't know about that, but I certainly liked what I saw of him," Shana replied, blushing. "I'm supposed to look him up whenever I'm back at Darkwater." She shrugged. "I'll just wait to see what happens."

  "Well, congratulations anyway. I know how lonely you've been. It'll help having someone waiting for you, at least at one end of the run," Becka replied, as Joe stuck his head out of the navigation room.

  "You want to look this over, Becka? I had to set a predetermined jump point as well as the speed and angle of insertion, but I think I can get us to Darkwater pretty quickly," he said grinning.

  "How quick is 'quickly'?" Shana asked.

  Joe grinned at her as he let Becka take his place. "I'm guessing about fifty-five minutes, maybe a little less."

  Shana just stared at him. "You think you've plotted a four light year jump that will be less than an hour?"

  "Well, Becka said she wanted to have lunch with you on the shuttle, so…" Joe replied grinning.

  Becka looked back at him in confusion. "Joe, I don't understand any of this. Why are your temporal equations larger than the spatials?"

  Joe shrugged. "That's what gave the best harmony."

  "Harmony huh?" Shana said. "Becka?"

  "Computer says course is optimal for the position and speed he entered. I've never heard of anyone short of Cassandra ever plotting a course this short that worked." She nodded to the smiling doctor seated at the table just listening. "Doctor Symms believes Joe is near the same level as she was." Becka shrugged. "It scares the hell outta me, but I trust him. I'd say the nav is a good one. You're the Captain and this is your ship, the final call is yours."

  Shana grinned. "Who gets to explain it to the Admiral if we pull this off?"

  Joe chuckled and shook his head. "I will,"

  Becka nodded. "Bet your ass, you will. I sure as hell ain't gonna do it!"

  "After his exploits of the last few days, I doubt the Admiral will be all that surprised," Symms replied.

  Becka eyed the doctor. "Why do I get the feeling you're not telling us everything you know?"

  Symms shrugged. "I'm not, but the Admiral asked me not to say anything yet. Don’t worry, it's not a bad thing."

  Shana had climbed back into her pilot's chair and Becka gave her the course and speed. She drove the ship according to the nav information and, when they jumped, none of them even felt the transition.

  "I have to say, that was the smoothest jump I've ever made," Shana said, after she finished her duties and returned to the common room.

  Becka nodded. "There was no warping or feeling of wrongness at all. The ship even feels happier." She smiled at Joe, "That's at least a good omen for a first jump!"

  Joe smiled his thank
s and winked at her, then got up to get everyone lunch. "Well, it's not actually my first jump, but I suppose the feeling is still a valid one."

  "Well, it's your first plotted jump using a computer to direct a craft on a jump, right?" Becka asked.

  "Yeah, I suppose, under normal circumstances anyway," Joe replied grinning. As each person's order was delivered, he handed them out. He ordered his sub sandwich and soda last and sat down with his friends before starting to eat.

  "The Council is going to freak out when I tell them everything. I just wish I knew how much of the truth I can tell them and still maintain their trust," Joe said.

  Symms nodded his understanding. "In a lot of ways, the Council is the ultimate ruling body of our 'country'. In my time here, I have noticed that they don't really act like other governments, or even the mega-corporation that they started out as; at least, not internally. Most other governments are all about power and money. Ours doesn't appear to be. Almost every action they have taken, as far as I can tell, has been for the people; not just us either, but for everyone on Earth as well.

  "There are limits though, for example, in order for us to use some of the stuff we have; the advanced medical technology, antigravity vehicles, even this shuttle; they have had to use politics and all of that international bullshit just to be able to allow us to use them. I'm sure there are lot of backroom deals and underhanded shenanigans going on that would make any government proud, but from what I can tell, they try to keep us out of it as much as possible.

  “While other governments feed off their own populations for money and power, ours doesn't appear to do that. Yes, they make money from the produce imported from BC IV and such, but they don't appear to keep it. They reinvest the profit back into us. Shuttle upgrades, better vid systems, better medical care, research grants and equipment; the list is a long one.

  "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, from what I can observe, they don't share the paranoia of the other governments. Yes, I imagine the news that our Navigators have evolved past the ability of just navigation will shock and scare them. You will just have to convince them that there is no reason to fear these changes. We need to understand what's happening, so we can adjust if we need to, or at least make allowances for it.

  "I do know, and I'm sure they will as well, that if any of the other governments on the planet discover your information, there will be a major problem. Just look at what the U.S. tried to do to Cassie? I have little doubt that, if the information ever gets out, all the governments of the world will demand the immediate and unconditional surrender of all Navigators for the purpose of scientific study." He snorted. "Like they could discover anything by cutting one of you up and killing you."

  "Containment would also be their reason, Doctor. If they cannot control us themselves, then they will make damn sure no one else can either. They will also be afraid of us attacking them directly. Which, I will admit, is a viable fear considering how they would treat us if we didn't act to prevent it," Joe replied.

  Symms looked uncomfortable. "Considering who you are Major, I can see that, but I couldn't see someone like Becka, or even Cassie, taking action against an entire nation."

  "Doctor, if the alternative was death or a lifetime of being imprisoned just because I have a gift they don't have…" Becka shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, the idea of hurting someone is repellent, but I will defend myself and my freedom."

  "I never considered that they would try to do that to you. Why would they? You're not even on Earth anymore, and very few of you ever return to the planet," Symms said thoughtfully.

  "Doc, I can promise you one thing; if the governments of Earth ever discover that Navigators have more abilities than just being able to navigate hyperspace, they will go to war to make sure we are returned to the planet and surrendered to them," Joe replied. "That is a fact. They cannot tolerate a gifted person being free. It's that simple."

  Fifty-one minutes and forty-seven seconds after making the jump from the Centauri system, the shuttle arrived in SOL system just outside the orbit of the moon. Shana laughed and told Joe he was going to have to answer for arriving too close to the planet as well.

  Sure enough, within minutes of their arrival, Darkwater station traffic control was on the comm demanding an explanation for their arrival. Shana simply did what Joe asked her to do, she told them to take it up with her Navigator. That mollified the controller for the time being, but before they could dock at the station, Admiral Hawklings was on the comm.

  Joe took the call. "Admiral, I was the one that plotted the course we used. Both the transit time as well as our arrival location were the most ideal for this nav. You said you wanted us back here as soon as we could get here, and we did just that. If someone needs to get in trouble for this, then I'm the person to blame."

  Hawklings raised an eyebrow. "You plotted that? I'm impressed, but regulations prohibit the use of navs from untrained Navigators, both Becka and Shana know that."

  Joe grinned. "I insisted. I'll take full responsibility."

  Hawklings chuckled and nodded. "Okay, I'll handle it. But just be aware that docking control might be a bit short with you folks."

  Joe shrugged. "Shit happens; I'm sure they'll get over it."

  "Besides, he's not an 'untrained' Navigator anymore, Admiral. Heather Brown certified him before we left BC IV," Symms replied.

  Hawklings winced. "I don't know how well that's going to be accepted, considering everything else that's happened. I'll tell you folks about it once you get here. Come up to my office as soon as you land. That includes Captain Darryl; she is being reassigned to you as a dedicated pilot. I'm gonna cut this short for now so I can handle flight control for you. I'll see you when you get here." He smiled at them and ended the call.

  "He's under stress, but at least he doesn't appear to be mad at us for anything," Becka replied.

  Joe nodded. "No, but there is a pretty major problem. I get the feeling it's something we don't know about yet." He looked at Symms and raised an eyebrow.

  Symms nodded. "Yes there is an issue, but you're not on the hook for it. I wish I could tell you more about it, but I gave my word."

  Joe nodded in understanding. "Okay Doc, I'll quit nagging you about it since I'm sure the Admiral will tell us shortly. I'll tell Shana about being reassigned; after all it's my fault it happened, so I should be the one to apologize for it."

  Joe would have told her right away, but she was busy landing the shuttle. However, she did look at him funny when he asked her to finish up her post-flight duties quickly, as the Admiral had asked to see all of them. She did as he asked and when they left the shuttle, she asked what was going on.

  "Shana, I'm sorry. I don't know how to tell you this, but because of me asking for you as a pilot, you've been reassigned to us permanently as a dedicated pilot," Joe explained.

  She stopped and stared at him. "I've been what?"

  Joe nodded. "Look, I know you liked your job and this is probably going to be a pain…" He had to stop because she had jumped into his arms and was kissing him.

  Both Becka and Symms burst out laughing at the look on Joe's face. When Shana finally let him breath again, Becka explained. "Joe, this is a major promotion for her. It means she will never be alone on a trip again, and the work load is much less. I was thinking about telling you, but, well, I knew you'd figure it out eventually."

  "It also means she gets a new ship," Symms replied. "One that will be allowed to return to Earth."

  "Okay," Joe said, returning Shana's hug. "I didn't think the Navigators had their own pilots."

  Becka nodded. "We do, but currently all of them are out on missions to other star systems. Navigator pilots are the elites that get to go on exploration missions." She sighed. "Shana, I know what this means to you, but I don't think that's what the Admiral has in mind for you. I'm pretty sure you’re basically going to be our chauffeur."

  "Becka, for me, that would be even better!" Shana said with tears in her e
yes. "It means I get to keep friends in my life for longer than a few days!"

  Joe looked concerned for her. "Shana, we would always be your friends."

  She smiled up at him. "I have no doubt of that, Joe. But under normal circumstances, my work schedule would pretty much keep me from seeing you again unless you happened to be one of my passengers on a routine run."

  "I don't understand," Joe said.

  "Pilots on the cargo runs, like Shana was, live in space between BC IV and here. The only time they get to spend more than a couple of hours on station is for repairs and maintenance to their ships. Otherwise, they are only on station long enough to be reloaded for their next run," Becka explained.

  "That's… criminal!" Joe replied, shocked. "No wonder our cargo pilots are going insane! They would spend more time exposed to hyperspace than we would!"

  "What do you mean, Joe?" Symms said suddenly curious.

  "Doc, think about this; your researchers lost it with prolonged exposure to the hyperspace 'noise' created by practicing Navigators. Okay, since there is only one hyperspace 'song' during a jump, it doesn't mean the exposure is any less. It only means that the effect is slower in manifesting!" Joe explained. "Repeated back to back jumps by a normal human would mean that 'stress' would simply build up in them. I will grant that the isolation plays a part in this, but I'd be willing to wager the larger culprit is hyperspace."

  Symms looked thoughtful as well as concerned. "I never thought of it that way, Major. I promise, as soon as I can, I'll get to work on this. Until I can prove it either way, I'll impose a mandatory twelve-hour layover for all cargo runs. In fact, I'll call my lab and get them working on this right now."

  When the group arrived at the Admiral's office, they were shown straight in, something Joe felt was a bad omen.

  The Admiral was smiling when they arrived and had them take seats at his conference table. Just as the Admiral was about to get started, Symms stopped him.