A New Beginning

For the next two days I continually heard annoying gripes from some of the crew members about their not getting paid, although most of them accepted it. Some even seemed to take it good heartedly. Then on the evening of the second day I entered the TV lounge to get some nachos and cheese for an evening snack and watched in awe as a construction worker left with a can of beer and an arm full of chips, pretzels and some other munchies. I had a gut feeling for what he was doing.

I approached the bar and I asked Judith what the man was doing with all those snacks. She cheerlessly complained that some of the crew members were using their ID cards to obtain whatever they wanted because they knew in the end they wouldn't have to pay for it. She revealed to me that they were taking all that they could as fast as they could.

I was immediately infuriated.

I stormed out without my nachos and hunted down Sam. I found him with Carli in the games room. They were playing the latest version of some alien killer video game. I didn't want to interrupt their competition but I needed to talk to them somewhere where there was a little less background noise and a little more privacy. I reluctantly asked them to accompany me back to the TV lounge for a few minutes.

Once there I quietly inquired of the three of them about the snacks, booze and soft drinks the average person was consuming since the bad news of no pay. I also asked them their opinion on what they thought I should do. As soon as I had their view I then consulted with Chantelle Dawn and Joshua about what they thought should be done to curb the extra drinking and buying of snacks. We all came to a consensus.

After breakfast I called another general assembly with Chantelle and Father Ray standing next to me. I asked them to be there as sort of a reminder to the crew that we were still civilized humans with rules and consequences for breaking those rules.

"For the past several days a number of y'all have bitterly complained to me about not getting paid."

I shook my head; I knew that this wasn't going to be easy. "Ladies and gentlemen, the fact that y'all aren't going to get paid is beyond my control. It's just one of those setbacks we all experience in life. I advise y'all to do as Father Ray suggested y'all do in his talks with y'all . . . just accept it and get on with your lives."

Ruth stood up and asked, "Captain Antoinette is there any chance that we haven't been thrown back in time? I mean, maybe the telescopic camera is just giving us a bad picture of earth and everything is normal."

"All the evidence we have thus far indicates that we have somehow been thrown back in time 70 million years. If that's the case, then there won't be any UNESA or UER or MC3 to disembark to, nor family or friends to greet us once we get home. The only things alive to meet us will be monstrous dinosaurs, giant insects and small, unobtrusive mammals."

Completely ignoring what I just reiterated, Ramon, one of the custodians, stood up and very angrily said that he was going to consult a lawyer as soon as he got home. He said that if UNESA didn't pay him then he was going to sue them. He made it quite clear that he "didn't take no long voyage into space and clean up after everyone for nothing." He wanted his full pay and he was going to get it.

Chantelle turned her back so that he couldn't see her suppressing a laugh; she pretended to cough. I wasn't so fortunate. I had to tell him -- with a straight face -- that there was no one on Earth to sue, that we were the only humans alive. He answered me with a very subdued, "Oh, I hadn't thought of that." Then he started to laugh at himself and tell those sitting at the tables around him that there's no one to sue. Then everyone began to laugh.

I was suddenly glad for Ramon's hollow threat because I knew they wouldn't like what else I had to say.

I continued, "As of now there is going to be a limit of six alcoholic drinks one person can buy in a six hour period. All alcohol will be consumed in the TV lounge. No one is allowed to take alcohol to their own cabins."

Surprisingly no one commented or even stirred.

I didn't put any limit on the snacks and soft drinks. But I cautioned them that if they were smart they'd consume them conservatively or they'd be gone in no time. I further warned them that if they hid extra snacks or soft drinks in their own berth, it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the crew found out about it and then insist that they share the goodies with everyone. I would join in that demand.

"As for renting billiard balls, board games and other such things, I'm limiting those to one per day per person. Decks of cards can be bought one deck a day until all of them are gone. In order to obtain these items all y'all have to do is present your ID card to Sam, Carli or Judith. The bartender will swipe your card and the computer will keep track of what you get."

Still no one commented on these restrictions. But Leonard asked if I was going to put any restrictions on the video games and other amusements in the games room.

"It doesn't cost anything to play there," I answered him. "Y'all only need your ID cards to keep track of the games you've played and to record the points you've scored."

Suddenly there were murmurs by some individuals that they shouldn't have to work if they were not going to get paid. Some also pointed out that the construction crew members weren't working at all. I glanced at Chantelle. She warned me that several crew members would voice that opinion.

"First, what do y'all think would happen if we all quit work? Who would cook our food? Who would clean up after us? Who would fly the James Cook?" No one answered me. Next I asked them if the construction workers were working before the accident. No one answered that question either.

"The construction workers will soon have plenty of work to do. We have to prepare the James Cook for separation from the living section in order to land on Earth. Under the direction of Joseph, the construction workers will have to do that."

I paused momentarily to let the information sink in.

I continued, "I talked with Joshua and Chantelle at breakfast this morning. We all have come to a conclusion about what to do with those who refuse to work. Their employee number will be locked out of the computer and they will not be allowed any extras, including laundry services."

I paused again and glanced around the cafeteria.

Then, "Further, those who refuse to work will be given cold oatmeal for breakfast and plain baloney sandwiches, instant mashed potatoes and water for lunch and supper. The only free service they will enjoy is their bath."

Surprisingly, there were nods of acceptance from several of the crew.

"As for those who break the law or in some way disrupt the peace we have onboard, they will be put in the brig. If the brig becomes filled then I'll have Chantelle cuff them to the pipes running up the center of the living section."

Chantelle nodded her head as if to say she concurred with my order.

Norton asked about Valarie, what kind of work was she going to do now that there was no bursar. At first I didn't understand why he asked that -- it was none of his business what kind of work she did -- but I told him that she had been working with Aleks Michelle and Joshua in navigation for the past several days.

He then looked to the rear of the gathering to where the four prostitutes were sitting with Sam and asked about what kind of work they were going to do.

Terri stood up and started to say something but I waved her down.

I knew why he asked the first question; it was just a precursor to this one. My guess was that he was vainly hoping that at least one of them would again offer her services. Of all the men onboard, he used their services the most. The rumor was that he owed almost his entire pay to them. I smiled.

"Terri and Alicia have already agreed to help out Sam, Carli and Judith in the TV lounge," I answered him. "As for Veronica and Josephine, to be totally honest I don't know what they are going to do. I've talked to both of them. They each told me that they would let me know in a day or two what they want to do to help out. Does that answer your question Norton?"

"Yes ma'am, thank you Captain Antoinette."

"Does anyone else have any questions?" I asked.

Ralph, one of the computer assistants asked, "Where do you intend to land Captain Antoinette? I mean are you going to land in North America or Europe or Asia or where?"

"I don't know yet. We'll land wherever we can find a suitable flat surface."

"Yeah but what if you don't find a suitable surface? How are we going to land without an airport of any kind?"

"Don't let that worry you Ralph. I'm sure we'll find a stretch of beach or dried up lake bed somewhere."

There was some mumbling and murmurs by several of the crew members. I immediately got the impression that his questions were a forewarning of another lopsided split brewing among the crew members. I said a silent prayer that I was wrong.

Then Ronald stood up. Chantelle tensed up and was about to order him to sit down but I put my hand on her arm. She looked at me with alarm. I just nodded in Ronald's direction.

He looked around the cafeteria. "Hey you guys. I've been thinking. We are in a situation where we all have to pull together or we'll all die together. It's that simple. I don't like it one bit that I'm not going to get paid anything. But I'm accepting it. I'm moving on with my life just like Father Ray advised each of us. You guys should all do the same."

Suddenly, Father Ray thrust himself into the discussion and reminded them all that he talked to each of them, telling them the same thing that Ronald just mentioned. He reiterated to them that in order for anyone of us to make it we all had to pull together as a unit.

He also reminded them that it was going to be even harder after we landed as there were no homes to go to. We would have to build our own houses, make our own tools and catch our own food. We would have to do everything ourselves.

After his little speech everyone seemed to find something to do. There was no more griping about the loss of pay or the construction crew not working or anything. In fact, everyone seemed to take their not getting paid good naturedly.

At breakfast a few days later I overheard a couple of crew members talking about how they couldn't wait to land back on Earth so that they could see some real live dinosaurs close up. Then at lunch the same day I overheard a construction worker talking to his buddies at his table. He wanted to make himself a bow and arrow and do some dinosaur hunting. He said he couldn't wait to kill himself a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

It was talk like that that gave me hope for our future.

Another good that came out of Father Ray's speech was that Sam reported that the amount of drinking had dropped considerably and Chantelle informed me that the number of disturbance calls she or her crew had to make were down. The brig was empty of drunks for the first time since we left MC3.

Within a week, I started to assign construction crew members various duties in preparation to separating the James Cook from the living section.

A couple of days after I began to assign separation duties, George and Gerald came to me with a request to stay onboard the living section after the separation. They informed me that several of the construction workers and crew members wanted to do the same.

I was on the bridge working on some weight figures for landing the James Cook. "That's suicide George. It's only a matter of time before the food gives out and then y'all will starve to death."

They told me that they and several others believed that the James Cook would either burn up on re-entry or crash on landing since there was no landing strip. They way they saw it they would live longer if they stayed onboard.

I advised them I would get back with them. Then I went around the ship and talked to a few of the laborers and crew members. Many of them -- a lot more than I had imagined -- voiced the same opinion. I was mildly shocked. I found it hard to believe that they actually believed that the James Cook would be destroyed upon returning to Earth.

I held another general assembly. I was getting tired of holding these but I wanted to find out just how many individuals wanted to stay onboard.

I asked for a show of hands of all those who wanted to stay onboard.

Again, there was a lopsided split among the crew. Most of the construction workers, about half of the ship's crew and only a few officers wanted to stay with the living section. While the majority of the officers, about half of the ship's crew and only a few construction laborers wanted to land with the James Cook.

Many also said that they hadn't made up their minds yet or that they might change their minds.

But either way, I was appalled to learn that almost 2/3 of the crew wanted to stay onboard. I didn't think that that many actually believed that the James Cook would be destroyed upon re-entry.

Abraham, another custodian, asked if the flight deck could hold everyone. I reminded him that there were only 67 men and women left alive onboard and that the upper and lower flight decks could hold everyone. Although with everyone's personnel gear and some emergency supplies we all would be crammed in like sardines.

Josephine Jasmine asked if that would make landing more dangerous. I told her, no that that would actually make landing safer as then there would be little to no juggling around of unrestrained bodies during re-entry.

I was disgusted and heartbroken. I felt like I was watching ignorant dinosaurs rule the day instead of intelligent mammals. I dismissed everyone.

For a while I thought that Ronald was up to his old tricks again, just trying to divide the crew. But when I questioned him later he told me that he had nothing to do with it. I believed him. What I found hard to believe was that so many men and women actually believed that they had a better chance if they stayed with the living section.

Next I asked Father Ray to talk to them and to work his magic diplomacy on them and get them to change their minds. He gave it the old college try but in the end, he only managed to convince Walter and Xavier, a couple of laborers, to see that they had a better chance if they returned to Earth. But they still refused to change their minds and land with the James Cook.

Then I sat down one evening with Joshua, Dr. Yves, Chantelle and Joseph to get their view. The five of us gathered around a table in the rear of the cafeteria drinking coffee and tea. I asked them if they thought we could force the reluctant crew members to return with us.

"Just how are you going to do that?" Chantelle asked.

"I don't know. That's why I asked y'all to meet with me. I guess I'm hoping that one of y'all would have an idea."

Chantelle smiled. I knew that she was smiling at my New Orleans accent. She said that it turned her on sexually and she tried to emulate it every now and then but to no avail. I once told her that if she really wanted to get it right then she would have to go live in New Orleans for a couple of years.

"Toni," Joseph said, "if they're determined to stay with the living section and die then there is nothing you or I or anyone can do about it."

"You can't make them to go," Joshua interjected.

"I talked . . ." I started to say.

"I don't understand," Dr. Yves said to no one in particular. "Don't the fools realize that if they stay onboard then they'll starve to death when the food gives out?"

"I don't think they're even considering that," Joseph added.

"I talked to Father," I continued. "He managed to convince a couple of them that they'll have a chance of surviving if they land with the James Cook but they face certain death if they stay. Most of them believe that the ship will be destroyed when we try to land without a landing strip. They somehow got the idea that since there is no airport then the James Cook will crash."

"What are the odds of that?" Chantelle asked.

"The odds are good that we'll make it back in one piece Chantelle," I answered her. "The James Cook is strong; she has a solid heat shield. She'll withstand the re-entry. Of that I'm sure. The only thing we have to worry about is finding a stretch of flat sand a couple of kilometers long to land on. That shouldn't be too hard."

She then asked me another, more probing question; one that I'm sure was on everyone's mind. "I don't want to sound like Ralph or some other pessimist but is there such a spot on the Earth? I mean, you're attempting to land on an Earth that is 70 million years before our time."

"We'll know by next week; when we get closer to Earth. Then we can make out the land forms a lot better. But I'm not worried. I'm confident Mother Nature has a stretch of beach or dried up lake bed somewhere that's long enough. That's all I need to land this bucket of nuts and bolts." I smiled at her and she smiled back.

In the end, the five of us could come to no conclusion as to how to convince the fear filled crew members to stay with the James Cook and land on Earth.

The decision I now faced was just how to divide up the ship's supplies. What to leave here for those who decide to remain and what to take with us back to Earth. It was not an easy decision. Some supplies, such as the water, soft drinks and the liquor I knew that I had to leave all of it here as there would be no way of keeping the beer and soft drinks cold on Earth and we'd have plenty of fresh water after we landed.

Other things, such as some kitchen and cooking utensils, the taser guns, the hunting knives, the .45 caliber pistol along with its ammunition, I knew I had to bring with us to Earth. I was now extremely glad that someone had snuck the pistol aboard the spaceship. I knew it would come in handy for protection against the dinosaurs.

But how much food should I take? What about medical supplies? Extra clothing? Sleeping pads, blankets and cots? I soon discovered that I would have to have an exact count of how many individuals were going and how many were staying.

The problem was that I couldn't get that count as a number of crew members would change their minds daily. One day they were going to land on Earth and the next day they were going to stay onboard. I was troubled over that.

Four days after the meeting Joseph buzzed my door. I was reading a book about how the mammals managed to coexist with the dinosaurs. I thought the knowledge I would gain from it would help those of us who would land on Earth. I let him in and offered him my chair. I sat on my bed.

"I know you're concerned over the amount of supplies we should take with us."

"I'm just worried that we'll take too much. I don't want to unnecessarily deplete the supplies of those who will be staying here.

"I don't think you should let that worry you. You only want to take enough food to last us a couple of weeks, until we can establish ourselves and all. Right?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Well, I've been talking to the crew members and doing some calculations on my own. There are about 2/3 of the diehards who want to remain onboard the James Cook. That leaves only about 22 of us who will be returning to Earth. I think we ought to take just enough supplies for about 24 people. That way even if we're off by one or two we'd have enough food to last us until we could get settled."

"I've been thinking the same thing Joseph and that's what I'll probably end up doing. I'm just worried about those who'll be staying onboard after we land."

"Don't let those fools concern you Toni. You can't help them. They don't want any help. You need to focus on those who'll be returning to Earth."