A New Beginning Ch. 06

But the crack changed that. It caused many of those who had changed their minds to change their minds again. We were back to around thirty percent of the crew positive about returning to Earth. Again, most of those were the officers -- those with the education to know that the patch would hold.

The crack was also the mitigating factor that caused Ronald to decide to stay onboard the living section. He approached me one day while I was watching some action pictures that Natalie took of a flock of carnivorous birds with bright red feathers and white tails attacking a giant Pterodactyl.

The birds would swoop down on the Pterodactyl and peck it with their beaks. Everyone said it reminded them of a bunch of Twentieth Century World War II fighters attacking a lone bomber.

The Pterodactyl didn't stand a chance against the birds, which a construction crew member named RedBaronibus after the Red Baron of World War I -- he mistakenly believed that the Baron Manfred Von Richthofen was a World War II pilot.

"Can I talk to you Captain Antoinette?" Ronald asked me in a guarded whisper. Prior to parking ourselves in orbit above the Earth he never referred to me as captain except in the presence of Chantelle or another officer. But lately, even when he would meet me in one of the passageways he always had a nice word to say.

I wondered whether it was because he finally came to terms with his crime and forgave those who found him guilty, or if it was because he knew that he would have to spend the rest of his life with us in a camp on Earth.

I never found out but I would like to think it was because he finally came to terms with his own guilt. At least I hope that was the reason.

"Sure Ronald, what's up?" I too whispered. I didn't want to disturb the others who were watching the aerial combat between the Pterodactyl and the red birds. I don't know why everyone whispered while they were watching dinosaur movies. There was no sound. I guess it's just force of habit from watching regular movies.

"I'd rather not talk here if you don't mind," he again whispered.

He had me puzzled so I suggested we talk in my cabin. On the way there we encountered George. He angrily complained that Sam would not let him take a half liter bottle of bourbon to his berth. I reminded George that no one could take liquor to their cabin.

He countered that he thought that that was meant only for the crew, not the officers. I asked him if he thought he was a privileged character and reminded him that there were no privileged people onboard. He didn't answer me but stormed away in a huff.

I punched in the code to slide open the hatch to my berth.

"Come on in Ronald. I don't have any booze but how would you like some tea. It's better than that stuff they serve in the cafeteria. I heat up the water in my microwave oven and brew it myself from some I brought onboard before we left MC3."

"No thank you Captain Antoinette."

He paused.

"This is your show Ronald. What's on your mind?"

He fidgeted a little. Then, "I'm not returning to Earth. I don't want to die on re-entry."

"Ronald, I hope you're not listening to the latest rumor. The patch will work. It will hold."

Twenty-two years ago a spaceship returning to Earth developed a crack in it. The crew repaired it with Teflon and fiberglass; just like they were supposed to. But it still burned up during re-entry. It was later determined that the crew probably did not put the patch on correctly.

But that didn't stop the rumors. There were several different rumors, depending on who you listened to. Some claimed that the Teflon was from a bad batch, others believed that the fiberglass was bad, still others thought that it was sabotage, that no one even put a patch on the doomed spacecraft. The best rumor claimed that the crew actually used superglue and duct tape to repair the crack.

But it didn't matter. The end result was that ever since then, many individuals refused to return to Earth if a crack was found in the spaceship's heat shield; choosing instead to be transferred to a space station and wait for another spaceship.

For those who didn't live on Earth there was no problem. They just transferred to a shuttle going to whatever space station they lived at.

But for those who still lived on Earth there was a huge financial problem. For the past century everyone has been gradually leaving the Earth to live in space stations. The prediction is that someday all mankind will be living in domed cities on the moon and Mars or in space cities orbiting the sun or some planet. The Earth will then be left for the animals to inhabit with only a few tourist cities and scientific labs for use by humans.

The trouble with those who still lived on Earth is that a returning crew member frequently had to wait for a month or two or longer -- at his or her own expense -- in order to get seating onboard a ship returning to Earth.

The rumor we had floating around the James Cook was that the Teflon Joseph used to repair the crack was bad, that it was expired. Coupled with this was a new rumor someone started. Many believed that the officers were trying to get as many onboard the James Cook as they could so that when it burned up or crashed on re-entry they would be saved from death by starvation.

How they came up with the idea that we officers believed that burning to death is more merciful than starving to death is beyond me. But such is how the mind of the superstitious and the uneducated thinks.

The officers and I tried to dispel the rumors by informing everyone that Teflon does not expire, that the patch will hold. But they wouldn't listen to us. Nor did they listen to Father Ray. He tried to work his magic diplomacy on them but they wouldn't listen. They choose to stay onboard when we separated.

"No I'm not Captain Antoinette. But the rumors have caused me to rethink my decision about returning to Earth." He paused again. He gave me an apologetic look and then continued. "Look, even if the patch holds . . . and there is a chance that it won't, right?"

"There's a small chance, yes. There's always that chance. But . . ."

"Even if it holds," he cut me off, "there's also a chance that we'll crash. I mean . . . there's no airport or landing strip of any kind down there. I don't want to die in an explosion when we touch down. There's also the possibility that I won't die but will be injured, crippled maybe. I don't want to be eaten alive by a dinosaur."

I'm sure it was this latter belief that caused some of the crew members to decide to stay onboard the living section. Whether we landed safely or not, they didn't want to get eaten by a dinosaur. They were afraid that monstrous beasts would chase them down, kill them and eat them.

I countered, "Ronald we're going to find a landing site. I have a couple of potential sites I'm looking at now. I can land the James Cook, believe me."

"But they say that you've never landed on Earth before, only on the Moon."

"That's not true. I've landed on Earth once before and Joshua has landed there several times. The two of us will be piloting the James Cook together. Even so, landing on the Earth is the same as landing on the Moon."

"But without an airport you can't guarantee that we'll land safely."

I knew he was right. We talked for a few more minutes then he returned to watching the fighters take down the giant Pterodactyl. I caught the rerun later.

I was disheartened by Ronald's change of mind but I was totally devastated the next day after talking with Father Ray.

He too decided to stay onboard the living section with the majority of the crew. We talked about it extensively. I wanted him to return with us to the Earth. I told him that everyone who stayed would be dead within 10 to 11 months when the food runs out. But that those who returned to Earth would be able to live long and healthy lives.

"Fighting dinosaurs and getting eaten by them," he sarcastically reminded me. "Provided of course you don't burn up on re-entry or die when the ship crashes into the ground."

"None of those things are going to happen," I countered. "Joshua and I are excellent pilots, too good to allow that to happen. Those scenarios you mentioned are the gossip of superstitious, ignorant crew members and laborers."

"I believe you Toni. But even so, I must stay where I'm most needed. I wish I could return to Earth with you. But since the majority of the crew is staying with the living section then so must I."

The majority of those who are staying onboard the James Cook are doing so because they fear dieing upon re-entry or getting eaten by a dinosaur. They are not looking at the fact that by choosing to stay they are choosing to die. They are ignorant of the facts and refuse to look beyond their fears to see the truth.

But Father Ray is not ignorant. He knows that we will not burn up or crash. He knows that the odds of us getting eaten by a dinosaur are slim. Still, he insists upon staying -- to serve the needs of the many. He is truly a remarkable man.

For the second time in my life I'm losing a man that I love. I don't love Father Ray like I loved Captain Butler or even like I love Chantelle. The love that I have for Father Ray is more like the love one has for a parent or a sibling. Still in all, it hurts.

But I couldn't dwell on my pain. I had to get the James Cook ready for separation from the living section. I had to make sure that those of us who would be landing on Earth would be able to do so safely and that we would have enough supplies with us to prevent us from starving to death until we could build ourselves a little community and learn how to fight the dinosaurs. That was only a few days away.

To be continued . . .