Under a Starless Sky

The ship initially powered away on hidden engines, no sails. There was a fuss about the mast and rigging not being right, but once the sails were deployed and the wind took over, they were off like a shot, tacking into the wind. There was a respectful quiet as their minds took in the arrangement and started doing math, following the angles and curves of the boat. TL performed her miracle medical procedures on the wounded. Yaffa was last to be sorted due to triage, even after TL solicited ‘ghost’ helpers. Yaffa asked for the bullets she had removed and TL gave them to her. All the while, TL piloted the ship. She could pilot it from anywhere on the ship. So could Shen, as there was an AI simulator on the ship that he could interface with him through his Uniform. She found Shen easily enough, at the helm, monitoring the wheel that moved itself. She liked seeing him at the helm, the instrument cluster holding his attention. They didn’t have a magnetic compass, but they had gyros and bearing, and semi reasonable world map that was uploading the newly found clarity they brought as they tracked through the world. Depth gages measured the distance to the floor, and counted life forms. Surveys were available for review, numbers changing in real time.

The ship was essentially a Pereni Navy, E-Volution sloop-rigged sailing yacht, 64 meters, extended exterior deck/living space. The ship was space age, sleek, and with the technology available through Space Force- environmentally friendly. No petroleum fuel. The sails were both canvas for wind, but also solar collectors that collected energy for all ships function, saving energy in a bank of capacitors that delivered energy on demand and stored better than any previous battery design.

“People are resting,” TL told him.

Shen nodded. He had been following her work. He had intentionally stayed out of her way, knowing if she needed him, she would call him- even to the point of possessing his body to have more hands. He simply waited, available, waiting to be called. He bothered by the deaths, but less so than the death that had happened when he and Orton fought. He was sorting how angry he had been, knowing had TL green lighted his thoughts while angry, he would have taken out both islands. He wondered how far he would have gone with that. Would he had stopped before kill all the men? He probably wouldn’t have killed all the women. He wondered what the Kirk solution would have been? Destroy their tech so they would have to wage war by hand to hand combat. If their resurrection technology was destroyed, would they cease fighting?

Shen touched the helm, wanting to be present in this moment and place, not in his head.

“What should we christen her?” TL asked.

“The Sloop John B,” Shen said.

“Because of the misadventures we have been having?” TL asked. “Anything brighter?”

“Dawn Treader?” Shen asked.

“No,” TL said. “This doesn’t feel like a pleasant frolic through Narnia.”

“You were carrying a ship around in your purse; what do you call it?” Shen asked.

“Calypso,” TL said.

“There it is,” Shen said.

“Sing it, and it will be so forever, and this will set the tone for all that is to come,” TL said.

Shen looked at her as if she were crazy but saw the truth of it and

“I love you,”

Everyone on deck came to him. Everyone below deck came up. Flying fish took to the air. Dolphins danced in ship’s wake. The waters stilled and they shot through a space that was transparently clear it was if they were flying in air. Sea turtles, sting rays, octopi, a million types of fish.

this heaven?” Erico

“Take the helm, I will

the 50 cent tour. Laughter came from below and he inquired through the suit; he discovered they were fascinated by the toilet and the shower. It was made Viking tough. The Calypso was Viking tough, with bed spaces that could accommodate the tallest of them reasonably well. They would

Arne withdrew from the group and came up to the helm to

“Captain Shen,” Arne

Arne,”

said. “You are superior

Shen said. “I am just older. Read a lot more books than you. Saw way more movies than you. Heard more songs.

one,”

“You handle death better than

lost his mind, but Shen assured him, he had not harmed anything. Arne nodded, leaned back, put his hands on it. “Maybe you can’t see it, but they are hurting. I am hurting. My people didn’t get a proper burial. I will endure. They will endure. There is no other choice. And again, I find myself in your debt. Also, I wish to

am listening,”

soft life of luxury, and by all the gods, this ship, this is luxury, your isolation, your life with Loxy, I thought this had made you

“It’s what people

hear me. I was wrong,” Arne said again. “You look delicate. This ship looks delicate and I walk in fear of breaking it. But the ship

not about being better. You said it right the other day, they were just men. I am just

to be sorting the statement.

The luxuries I have, and yes, this is uber-luxurious, this stuff can be replaced. People

not from here,” Arne said. “Where is

removed from it if it weren’t for Loxy, I would think it was all

ship is the standard, it sounds like a dream,” Arne said. “Tell me how you