A New Beginning Ch. 07

"Sure Father, whatever you say." I knew his heart was hurting, probably more than mine. I also knew he wanted to return to Earth but his duty called for him to remain with the living section.

Then he gave me a crucifix. He told me that it was the crucifix from his mother's coffin. I objected but he reminded me that once we landed we wouldn't have anything to remind us of our religious beliefs. I told him that I would keep it with my mother's rosary.

We hugged and he kissed me on my cheek. Then he put his hand in the small of my back and ushered me toward the hatch. It was his way of saying good-bye. I knew he wanted to be alone. I choked back a tear and walked down the passageway toward the elevator room.

As I was walking away he said, "Make sure you camouflage the James Cook real good. We wouldn't want any of those RedBaronibus dive-bomber birds we saw to think that you're just another Pterodactyl and attack you."

I turned around for one last look at my friend.

Then he said, "Don't call us after you've landed. You'll have too many other things to worry about. Let me call you later this evening." It was his way of telling me that he didn't want me to report to him after we landed and tell him that we landed safely. He smiled and waved bye. Then he ducked back into his cabin.

Earlier we made plans to keep in radio touch, to keep each other informed of our progress and what was going on in the living section and on Earth. Those were plans I had no intention of keeping. But his last statements made me wonder if he had plans similar to mine to "fix" the onboard radio. Either way, he was gone and I cried all the way to the elevator room.

On another note I was happy. I knew that with Father Ray in charge, with Mark as sort of a second in command, with Craig, Adam and Tommy in charge of security and with Nurse Rebecca in sickbay then the living section would be a tight ship. Also, William was an excellent chef. He would dole out the food equitably while it lasted.

As I stepped into the elevator room I wiped my eyes with the shirttail of my shirt. Then I took my Velcro shoes out of my hip pocket and dropped them on the floor; I wouldn't need them any longer. Its difficult moving around in weightlessness with hiking boots on but I managed.

Entering the bridge I said to Juan as I glided past him to my seat, "Where's that hand axe I asked for?"

"Tied to the captain's chair, Captain Antoinette, right where you told me to put it," he answered me.

"And the photographs of the landing site, do I have all of them too?"

"Yes ma'am, they're in a plastic bag tied to the axe." He reached over, grabbed the bag and lifted it up so that I could see.

"Thanks Juan. Is everything ready?"

"We're just waiting for your orders Captain."

"Raise the steps and close the hatch Joseph," I ordered the chief engineer over the radio as I buckled myself into my seat next to Juan.

"Raising the steps and closing the hatch, roger," he answered me over the radio.

Sitting behind me, Victoria Rose asked, "What's the hand axe for Toni?"

"She wants to make sure she's protected against any Tyrannosaurs that may attack us," Joshua answered her. He was looking over her shoulder at me with a weird smirk on his face.

I wondered if he too guessed what my intentions were. The only one I told was Chantelle but after the conversation I just had with Father Ray I'm sure he guessed what they were; maybe Joshua did too. Well, they would all find out what they were as soon as we landed.

I untied the axe and photos and put them and Father's crucifix in a pouch attached to my seat. Then, looking down at the junior communication officer sitting on the floor next of Vickie, I said to him, "David, go downstairs and check to make sure everyone is in their seats and buckled up or holding onto something. Then stay down there with Akira. She may need you when we land."

"Yes ma'am," he answered me. I knew Akira Carissa wouldn't need any help but I didn't want David anywhere near the radio when we landed. The lower flight deck's radio was in the cafeteria. I wasn't worried about that one. It was the one on the upper flight deck I was worried about. The fewer people around it the better.

I then got on the ship's radio and took a roll check. Everyone was in his or her seat or sitting on the floor holding onto something; we didn't have enough seats for all 23 of us. Our window for re-entry was still about 11 minutes away so I had everyone recheck the instruments in front of them. I didn't want any screw ups. We would only get one shot at this.

Lastly, I asked Vickie to recheck to make sure we had radio contact with the cafeteria. She checked and we did. Mark was on duty there with the camera watching us. I couldn't do anything about that radio or the camera but at least it would look like we were trying to keep in radio contact with them. That was part of my deception.

We were over what would one day be China. There was a thick cloud cover. I was glad of that; it would help cover my deception. What Mark and the rest of those who were staying with the living section didn't know was that as soon as we got below the clouds I was going to do a hard left, turn away from America and head toward Africa.

When they got over America later this afternoon they wouldn't be able to find us. That's what I wanted. I didn't want them to know where we landed.

After the recheck, over the radio I said to Joshua. "Joshua, how much time we got before we reach our window?"

Although he was only a few meters away, sitting behind Vickie, I used the radio with Joshua because I wanted everyone to know how much time we had left and I wanted them all to be prepared. Whereas Joseph was on the lower flight deck; I had to use the radio in order to communicate with him.

"Three minutes, thirty-five seconds and counting," he answered me over the radio.

"Good, let me know when we got about sixty seconds."

Without waiting for him to answer I then said to everyone, "Listen y'all I'm not worried about burning up on re-entry because we're not going to do that. But there is a slight chance that that stretch of sand we're going to land on is softer than it appears. If that's the case then . . . well things are just liable to get real bumpy. But in any case, please remain seated and buckled in until I give the order."

I knew that that last order wasn't necessary. But I gave it mainly for the crew members below on the lower flight deck, not the officers. I wasn't worried about the officers. I knew they knew better.

It was Leonard, Sam and Carli and some of the other crew members I was concerned with. I didn't want them to go running around before we came to a complete stop. I didn't think they would but there was no telling what we were going to encounter down there and I wanted everyone to proceed with caution.

I knew that last order wasn't necessary because I knew the sand was hard packed; it was a dried up lake bed.

About two weeks ago Valarie took some pictures of a Tyrannosaur type beast following -- chasing actually -- a lone sauropod across the landing site. The latter was similar to a small Apatosaurus but it had bony plates sticking out of its back like a Stegosaurus. It was bleeding from several bite marks on its neck and shoulder.

The carnivore wasn't quite as large as a Tyrannosaurus Rex, it stood about 3 maybe 3.5 meters high at the hip and it had larger forearms and a smaller head than a T-Rex. It also had a small horn on the tip of its nose and some kind of small bony frill projections above its eyes, almost as if it was trying to imitate a Triceratops. Anyway, neither animal left tracks in the sand.

Anthony and Joseph studied some still shots from the movie clip and concluded that both animals were large enough and probably heavy enough to leave tracks but since they didn't, then it was probably because the sand was hard packed. It was their conclusion that helped Joshua and I make our final choice of where we were going to land.

As for the theropod, the crew aptly named it Triceratops Rex and the sauropod they named Deadmeatosaurus. Like I said before, sometimes the Latinized names they choose were not all that scientific.

The next three minutes were the longest of my life. I wanted to go into the cafeteria; I knew many of the crew were there watching us. I wanted to make one last speech to them and somehow convince them all to get onboard the James Cook, especially Father Ray.

But I knew there wasn't time. If we didn't make our window, then we would have to wait another 48 hours before we were in position to land again. I didn't want to do that. I was anxious to return to Earth. I just closed my eyes and said a silent prayer to God to help me guide the James Cook to a safe landing.

"Ninety seconds Captain Antoinette," Joshua broke into my prayer over the radio.

"Thanks Joshua," I answered him. Then, "Everybody get ready. Joseph, disconnect the James Cook from the living section and jettison the engines on my command."

"Disconnect on your command, roger that," he came back on the radio.

I reached down and felt for the axe in the pouch next to my seat. I wondered how many were going to object to what I was about to do. I talked it over with Chantelle and she completely agreed with me. She even hinted that she thought of doing it herself. I'm also sure Father Ray would agree with it too. His last comment to me told me so.

"Twenty seconds Captain Antoinette," Joshua again broke into my thoughts.

"Thanks." I looked at the digital clock on the panel in front of me. I watched the seconds tick down. We still had time to stop, to get the rest of the crew onboard.

I felt an ache in my heart. Forty-three souls were choosing to die in their ignorance and another was staying with them so that he could help them in their last hours. Forty-three lost sheep and one shepherd.

"Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one," Joshua said over the radio.

"Disconnect us Joseph," I issued the order to the chief engineer. He didn't answer me but I felt a small jerk when the James Cook separated from the living section. Then a moment later another jerk when Joseph jettisoned the engines.

It was done. There was no going back now. I said a silent prayer for those we left behind and hoped their last days would be peaceful.

We landed without any problems. The sand was hard packed just as Joshua and I had thought. I let the James Cook continue to roll. I didn't pull the parachutes because I wanted to get us as close to the edge of the dried up lake bed as I could.

We came to a rest with about half of the James Cook entangled in some vines and tree branches at the end of the dried up lake bed. In fact, if it hadn't been for the tree we probably would have continued to roll for another 5 or 10 meters. But there was no damage to the ship. I was glad for the vines and branches because it would make camouflaging the James Cook a whole lot easier.

Everyone onboard immediately began to yell and scream. I quietly thanked God and then grabbed the axe. I stood up and quickly leaned over Vickie's console. I got to her radio just in time. She was about to radio the living section that we made a safe landing when I chopped the microphone wire coming out of the console to her headset. Next I chopped the speakers and then for good measure I hit the radio as hard as I could.

Vickie looked at me in complete surprise. The rest of those on the bridge just stared at me like I was crazy or something. They were all suddenly speechless. We could still hear those on the lower flight deck celebrating our safe return.

"What'd you do that for Toni," Aleks Michelle finally yelled at me.

I hit the radio again with the axe and then, "Who among you wants to tell those up there that we've landed safely and that we're all looking forward to long and healthy lives." I paused and looked around. No one answered me. "It's better that they believe that we either burned up on re-entry or crashed into the Earth."

I thought of Father Ray and wondered if he was going to fix the radio in the cafeteria so that they couldn't communicate with us -- for the same reason I smashed our radio. But I had to literally destroy our radio; I couldn't just disconnect a wire or two. The living section had numerous cell TV-phone transmitter/receivers located throughout the structure. Although it probably wouldn't happen, I didn't want to risk them picking up any stray cell TV-phone or radio transmissions from Earth.

The only way to do that was to destroy our radio so that it couldn't transmit or receive anything. Yes, destroying our radio would prevent our own cell TV-phones from being able to transmit or receive -- the radio was a central router for the cell TV-phones. But Chantelle and I talked it over. We figured the loss of the cell TV-phones here on Earth outweighed the danger of the living section picking up our transmissions. Besides, there were no cell towers on Earth and the phones would totally useless beyond a few kilometers.

Joshua then added, "She's right. I know I don't want to be the one to tell them the bad news that they all made the wrong choice, that they'll all be dead within a year while we are all alive and well on planet Earth."

I thought about what Father Ray would say to them, or rather wouldn't say to them. Now I knew why he didn't want me to reveal to him why I told everyone we were landing in America. He could honestly say that he believed we were going to either Africa or America.

But since I had all the photographs of the African landing site, no one would know where in Africa we had landed. After we camouflage the James Cook and they can't find it, he would allow them to believe that we never made it back safely.

He wouldn't try to change their beliefs. He would protect them from themselves. The truth about our fate would be another cross he would silently carry to his death. My cross is that I would not be able to tell those here what I knew about Father Ray, that he wouldn't tell the crew members up there what he knew.

Chantelle came up from below, breaking into my thoughts. I looked over at her. "Did you break the news to them?" I asked her. I had asked her earlier to inform the crew as soon as we landed that there would be no radio contact with those who remained with the living section.

"Yes Captain Antoinette I did. Everyone's waiting for your OK to go outside."

"Thanks Chantelle." I then asked, "Will everyone please go to the lower flight deck?"

Standing on the bottom rung of the spiral stairs, I looked over the 22 crew members standing before me. With all the gear we had stowed they were packed in like sardines. I continued, "First of all, I think we should all say a prayer of thanks to God for our safe return."

I waited a moment while everyone said a silent prayer of thanksgiving.

Then, "I want to thank all of y'all for your cooperation. If it wasn't for your efforts we would not all be here right now." There was a murmur of appreciation among those crammed together on the lower flight deck.

"I'm making Joseph the new supply officer as of now. He and I talked about this earlier. We don't know what awaits us outside. For now, he is going to issue everyone a pocketknife or a hunting knife along with a hand axe."

I paused a moment to let them think about this. Then, "Joseph, I want you to select from among those pocketknives we confiscated, ones that have blades that are least 8 to 10 centimeters long. Make sure you give one of the knives and a hand axe to everyone. Y'all try not to lose them. Josephine, you once told me that you were handy with a switchblade. For now I want you to have the butterfly knife."

"Thank you Captain Antoinette," she answered me.

"You're welcome," I answered her. Then to the rest of my crew, "Listen up y'all, for your own protection, it is my advice, as well as the advice of several other officers, that no one go anywhere without your knife and axe."

Valarie asked, "Captain Antoinette, do you really believe that a lousy hand axe or hunting knife is going to help us against a T-Rex or some of those other giant monsters we've seen?"

"Not against those, no but against the smaller ones, yes. Also, it is our advice that no one go out alone. If you go somewhere always go in groups of three or more. Maybe one person by him or her self isn't enough to scare off a Tyrannosaurs Rex or one of those other monsters but three persons working together might be able to help each other survive."

"Just how can three people do that Captain Antoinette?" Regina Aurora asked.

"Yeah, how can two people help me if I'm being chased by a hungry beast?" Leonard, a construction laborer added.

"While the rest of you have been enjoying watching these beasts devour each other, Joshua, Anthony, Doctor Yves and I have been studying these animals and how they react to threats from other beasts, especially the mammals. It doesn't take much to fool them or confuse them."

"What do you mean?" Laci Bianca asked.

"Remember those large rat-like mammals, the ones with the immense orange teeth that the crew named BuckToothus?"

Natalie Amiee butted in, "Yeah I remember those. I still think we should have named them EggStealers, they way they stole those eggs from that Oviraptor."

I continued, "Right, one of them distracted the mother while another one raided her nest. The two of them managed to steal three or four eggs before the Oviraptor finally caught on as to what was happening."

"It was four," Natalie continued.

"Thank you for the clarification Natalie. If y'all recall, the same thing happened when those Deinonychus distracted the Triceratops while another Deinonychus attacked the juvenile. Joshua, Anthony, Doctor Yves and I have seen that same diversion among numerous dinosaurs. One or two will distract the parent while another attacks the young."

I paused to let the information sink in.

Then, "Well, the four of us have come to the conclusion that if y'all are attacked by a large carnivore, three people working together can distract it, confuse it and then all three of you can get away."

"You really think that will work?" Josephine Jasmine asked.

"It's better than being eaten," I answered her. "Anyway, I have some actions scenes of dinosaurs being distracted by other dinosaurs, birds and mammals. While we still have power, I want each of you to watch them on Natalie's laptop computer. Joseph, how long do you think the James Cook's batteries will last?"

"Two, three days max, Captain Antoinette. That is, if we turn off the air conditioner."

"Would you please see to that as soon as I finish here? We all have to get used to living without air conditioning sooner or later. We might as well do it now. The rest of y'all, you have two or three days to familiarize yourself with how to distract, deceive and confuse a dinosaur. It just might save your life. I suggest y'all watch it as soon as possible."

I looked around the room. Everyone seemed to be in agreement with what I said thus far. I hoped they would agree with my next idea.

"The first thing I would like to do is camouflage the James Cook. I don't want those who chose to stay onboard the living section to know that we've made it home safe and sound. I would rather have them believe that we either burned up on re-entry or crashed upon landing."

"Why do we have to do that, Captain Antoinette," Veronica Anne asked. "They chose to stay. They could have come with us."

Louis answered for me. "Everyone who stayed up there is going to be dead within a year, probably less than that. Everyone knows that. If they're led to believe that they made the better choice, their deaths will not seem in vain to them. I agree with the captain. We should camouflage the James Cook as soon as possible so that they cannot see it and know that they made the wrong choice."