Last Flight For Craggy (35 page)

'Rocky shot
it.'

'He what?'

'It was
Craggy's idea.'

'Why am I not
surprised? Why did you shoot it?'

'Because,' said
Rocky, 'It was a millisecond from shooting off into space, lost
forever. It was the only way to stop them.'

Potts sighed.
'Right. We would really like to strip that ship down and learn from
it.'

Dillow said,
'Can you hear me, Commander Potts?'

'Only
just.'

'Okay. We can
transfer over to one of the other ships, but that doesn't get this
ship landed.'

'I can only
suggest we put it in orbit and figure out how to bring it home
later.'

'We'll do that.
Commander. My father. Has he...?'

'Sorry, Fawn.
No word from him. You know the pathways have been destroyed?'

'When this ship
took off?'

'Yes. That
terraforma was opened by Max Morgan, as he was requested. It set
off some kind of chain of events. The pathways ending and that ship
taking off.'

There was a
subdued silence, and Potts imagined Dillow struggling with her
emotions. He offered hope.

'Just because
we haven't heard from him, doesn't mean he's come to any harm.'

'Maybe not. But
with the pathways gone, how could we get him home?'

'I...I've no
answer for you, Fawn. Just don't give up hope. I haven't.'

'Thank you,
Commander. I'll talk it over with Craggy about putting this ship in
a safe orbit.'

'Okay. See you
soon. Good luck.'

Lance Dillow
felt comfortable in the borrowed clothes, some of which actually
fitted. Andrew Foreman suggested he address the community to update
them of developments on Mars. They congregated in the courtyard to
accommodate everyone. With his bruised leg making it uncomfortable
to stand for too long, he sat on a rustic porch bench. Mango the
GenMop sat by his side, having taken to the big guy.

After the
meeting had been formerly opened by Foreman, he left the
proceedings to Dillow.

'Hi, everyone.
First I'd like to say a huge thank you for welcoming me into your
world. I'd also like to say how blown away I am at what you've
achieved here. With all the fighting that's been going on here, you
probably don't know what has been happening on Mars. It was always
the attention to make Mars the next home for mankind. To that aim,
everyone on Moon has been relocated. Everyone contributes in
whatever way they can and we have a very happy and stable growing
world.'

'Room for any
more?' said a man.

It was to the
point and reflected what the others were thinking.

'I don't see
why not,' said Dillow. 'You and what you could bring with you would
be most welcome. Of that I'm certain. But...'

'There's always
a but,' said a woman.

'Well, the
situation is this. I ended up here purely accidentally, through the
tunnels made by our alien friend, Korlyn, who, you may or may not
be aware of, was murdered by his own kind.'

There was a
collective groan of sadness, for the brave and popular alien
scientist.

'I was called
in to determine cause of death in my role as space security
commander. The autopsy revealed Korlyn had met a very unpleasant
and painful end. That says a lot about his own kind, I think.
Korlyn advised us to destroy the pathways and this was to block out
one way his kind could make their way to Mars. I was in what we
called the blackness, from which the tunnels emanated. I became
disorientated, accidentally choosing the tunnel that brought me
here. I have no idea what happened to destroy the tunnel. I'm sorry
about that.'

Andrew Foreman
said, 'It wasn't your fault, Lance.'

'Thanks. But it
of course means that way to Mars is no longer available to us.'

'What about
ships?' David Foreman asked. 'Surely that's possible?'

Foreman senior
took that one. 'David. We have no way of knowing what the situation
is on Mars. For all we know, the aliens have already returned.
Radioing Mars could be the worst thing we could do.'

'You don't know
that for sure,' said a man.

'True,'
admitted Foreman. 'But can we risk it?'

'Dad,' said
David. 'This isn't something just for a few to decide.'

'That's one of
the reasons we are having this meeting,' said Foreman. 'So we all
know the situation, the risks, and to decide what to do. I suggest
you carry on with your work, but also discuss amongst yourselves
what you want us to do. Any questions?'

There were none
and the meeting broke up.

Cragg yawned
and stretched. 'Are we there yet?'

'Just about,'
said Max Morgan. 'The commanders want us to put the ship into orbit
until we figure a way to get it on the ground.'

Cragg nodded.
'I agree with that. We need to get Fawn and Stella over here.
Stella? You there?'

'Where else
would I be?'

'Right. Get
suited up to come over here. We need you two to undo the lines so
we can put it in orbit. You have both space walked?'

'I'm strictly a
girl who keeps both feet on the ground,' said Stella.

'Twice,' said
Dillow. 'I'll take care of you, Stella. How much further to go
before we put the ship into orbit?'

Morgan said,
'We just need to go below the moons and set the ship free.'

Cragg said, 'We
need to leave a little momentum with the ship so it keeps moving.
We can attach small thrusters later to keep it in orbit. This could
be tricky. We need to slow right down and cut the lines so it keeps
going.'

'This should do
it,' said Morgan.

'One tenth
power,' said Cragg. 'Okay, you two. Fawn. You take charge and look
after Stella. Check the safety lines and come out when you're both
ready.'

'We still have
a little internal power. I'm trying the airlock now. I think this
is the sensor to open it. Nothings happening.'

'Let me have a
go,' said Stella. 'Come on, damn it. The inner door is opening.
Shit. It's stuck.'

'Try a little
brute strength,' said Dillow. 'Try the sensor as I pull.'

'Okay.'

'Give, you
piece of shit. Come on.'

'Together.
Ready, pull.'

'That's enough.
We can get through that gap. We're in the airlock, Craggy.'

'Dillow. The
outer hatch won't open if the inner one isn't shut. It may be an
alien ship, but that's a basic concept. Can you shut the inner
door?'

'We'll try. Not
a lot to get a hold of,' said Dillow, the frustration sounding in
her voice. 'Come on, damn it.'

'It's moving.
Again,' said Stella. 'Push. Again. Yes. We did it.'

Cragg said,
'Any safety line in there?'

'Yes. Just the
one,' said Dillow.

'One,' said
Cragg. 'Not something they'd normally use, by the sound of it.
Okay. Dillow. Wrap some of it around Stella and then tie the end
around your belt.'

'Got that. We
are going to try the outer hatch door.'

'Kick the damn
thing down if you have to, just get out of there and over to the
lines.'

The outer
airlock hatch had the same problems as the inner door, but with
much effort and swearing, it opened just enough. Dillow and Stella
floated out into space. Morgan and Ramshorn had cut the engines, so
as not to fry the two women. Dillow and Stella pulled themselves
towards the front of the ship and the web of lines holding the
ships together. Between them they undid the lines. They were down
to the last two.

'Leave those,
undone but looped to the ship,' said Cragg. 'We need a couple to
put the ship into orbit. Come over to this ship and let the lines
go from out the airlock when we tell you.'

'Got that,'
said Dillow. 'Oh, my God.'

'Now what?'
Cragg dared to ask.

'Taken a look
at Mars, lately? Not as red as it used to be.'

'We see it,'
said Cragg, excitedly. 'The northern cap. That is a very nice
sight.'

Stella said,
'It's like...fifty shades of green.'

'Just crude
algae to start with,' said Cragg. 'And is that what I think it is,
or am I dreaming?'

'That's flowing
water,' said Rocky. 'Anybody wanna go swimming?'

'Time to go
down,' said Cragg. 'Will you two quit daydreaming and get in the
damn airlock?'

With Stella and
Dillow in the air lock, Morgan blipped the thrusters, just enough
to put some momentum in the dead alien vessel. Dillow let the lines
go and the ship was in its own orbit around Mars, the not quite Red
Planet, between the two tiny moons and home. The thrusters fired up
at one tenth power and another adventure was over. Or so they
thought.

Potts and
Forbes were just inside Base Three, obviously waiting for Cragg and
his young team. They were also grinning from ear to ear.

'Okay,' said
Forbes. 'Now you lot have had a bit of rest...'

'Are you
kidding me?' snapped Cragg.

Forbes ignored
Cragg's outburst. 'Fawn. We have a job for you. Fancy a trip to
Earth?'

'Earth?'

'Big blue
planet, a few million miles away. Seems your father decided on a
vacation there, but he needs a ride back. I just thought...'

He was silenced
by the spontaneous kiss from Fawn Dillow.

'He's
alive?'

'Your dad and a
few hundred others. Big Bird is being prepared with every spare
suit we got, plus supplies. You have one hour to freshen up and
grab a bite to eat. Ramshorn. Morgan. You two are riding
shotgun.'

'What about
me?' asked Cragg. 'Can I help?'

'Sure,' said
Potts. 'Give them your spare suit to take with them. We need as
many as we can get.'

A woman
approaching them told Cragg how things were going to be. Misty
said, 'Dixon Cragg. Go get that suit off. You have just flown your
last flight. From now on, you leave that game to the kids.'

'You heard the
lady,' said Fawn Dillow. She kissed his whiskery cheek. 'Thanks for
everything, Craggy. Go and enjoy a well earned retirement.'

The planet was
well under development. The population was growing at a challenging
rate and it seemed at least half the women of childbearing age were
in various states of pregnancy. The whole of Base Three had been
turned into an ecosystem, with more plants and creatures than could
be counted. Only two people lived in Base Three permanently, Andrew
and David Foreman. All others were welcome to visit in small
numbers. Cragg and Misty were on the observation platform. Outside,
they could see the young trees and foliage that were trading oxygen
for carbon dioxide.

Rivers and
streams were filling the canyons and craters were becoming vast
lakes. The temperatures were still too low for much else to survive
out there, but that day would not be too far off, with the
increasing atmosphere starting to hold the heat at last. One day
soon, birds and butterflies would be calling it home.

'Another year
and we can breath without helmets out there,' said Misty.

'They said that
six months ago,' said Craggy as he wiped bird poop off his
shoulder. 'Still not sure about so many birds in here.'

From an
overhanging branch, something hairy landed next to him.

'Oooh,
Craggy.'

'Hi, Mango. Do
you ever stop eating?'

'Banana.'

Misty said, 'I
heard Molly is pregnant again. Going to be a daddy again, hey
Mango?'

'Oooh! Daddy
Mango. Bye.'

Mango took off
into the trees to be with his growing family.

'We have to
go,' said Misty. 'Max and Carlotte are bringing Astral over for us
to baby sit.'

'Great,' said
Craggy. 'Baby vomit on my shoulder as well as bird poop.'

'You love it,
you old goat.'

As they walked
along the old path that now divided the wild jungle on either side,
they paused at the monument. Cragg could never pass it without
reading the marsillium plaque.

“
This monument is dedicated to Korlyn Num
Serdinda. A true hero who made all this possible.”

'Thank you,
Korlyn. May your god bless you.'

They made their
way home to baby sit again. Life on Mars was good.

The End.