Starship Gods

Starship Gods

By Gary L.M. Martin

Chapter 2: The Gods of the

Asgard

Nearly four weeks of erratic flight later, the

Asgard

arrived. The single remaining generator was on the constant verge of breakdown, and Taylor had to spend more time working in the engine room than being on the bridge. He had taken the required basic Survey Service courses on engine operation, but Taylor was no engineer. He had read up extensively in the online manuals and tried to do the best he could, but he was hampered by the same problem the Chief had had; he simply didn't have all the spare parts he needed. He was forced to improvise, stripping non-essential ship systems to keeping the generator going.

But now the bridge was crowded, because everyone was there, eager to look at their new home.

It was a blue world, filled with... water.

And more water.

And yet more water.

"It looks great, if you're a fish," Liam observed. "What are we supposed to do, do the backstroke for five years until we get rescued?"

"Just wait," said Taylor, projecting a calm voice he didn't feel. He checked the readings. It was a breathable atmosphere. A breathable atmosphere had to have plant life. Unless the plant life was all in the ocean?

But then the course of the

Asgard

took it around the back side of the planet, and they saw the most wonderful sight they could imagine. Land.

It wasn't huge. As continents went, it was relatively small, perhaps 300 miles from east to west and 500 miles from north to south. But it was big enough, and it was populated with plant and animal life, and, as their imagers quickly discovered, people.

On extreme magnification they found a number of bustling cities. Filled with people. Human beings! But their state of technology was obviously low. Even at a quick glance they could see people wearing crude leather skins, riding horses, and living in stone or wooden shacks.

"People," said Tara McCallister. "How can there be people, on an unmapped planet?"

"The Survey Service has seen it before," said Taylor. "A number of colony ships sent out in the 22nd and 23rd century were never heard back from. This could be the result of one of them that got shifted off course and had to land here."

"But their technology... it's so primitive."

"Without a functioning starship, they'd have no choice but to revert to simpler ways," said Taylor. "In fact, so much time will have passed, that they probably won't even know how they got there. We'll be a bigger shock to them than they will to us."

"Well, let's go down and meet them," said Brianna Lindsay.

Taylor held up a restraining hand. "It's not that simple. The Survey Service has strict rules about contact with less developed cultures."

"Fuck your Survey Service rules," said Brianna. "You told us we only have enough food and air for a few more weeks. We have to go down."

Taylor looked at the others, who murmured their agreement. Technically the decision wasn't theirs; it was his, as acting Captain. He looked at Alexis, caught her eye, and she nodded.

"All right," said Taylor. "We'll go down. But we make contact my way, the Survey Service way. Are we agreed?"

"Yes." "Of course." "Whatever you say, Captain!"

They were all so agreeable now. But who knows how they would react when they had complete freedom of choice on an alien planet?

Taylor zoomed in on one of the larger cities on the southern coast. That was as good a place to land as any. He took the conn, being the only person on the ship who could fly it. But first he pressed a button, and the ship shuddered slightly.

"What was that?" Alexis asked.

"We just launched a distress beacon. Short range only. If, and it's a big if, anyone comes close to the planet, they'll detect us," said Taylor. He didn't add that given how far off the normal trade routes they were, that rescue still seemed rather unlikely.

The ship shuddered and buckled as it entered the atmosphere.

Tara's anxious face caught his eye. "Lieutenant, you've landed a starship before, right?"

"In the simulator? More times than I can count," said Taylor, trying hard to control the rate of descent. Too fast and they would burn up; too slow and they would bounce off the atmosphere.

"How about in reality?" Tara asked.

"This will be my first attempt," said Taylor. He heard murmurs of concern. He looked around briefly. "Is there anyone with more experience who would prefer to try in my place?" He looked around at the anxious faces. "I thought so. In that case, everyone take a seat and strap yourselves down. This could get bumpy."

It

did

get bumpy, as the image of the planet grew on the view screen and they encountered turbulence inside the atmosphere. The ship shook up and down and more than one passenger felt anxious. Could this inexperienced officer really land the ship? Only Samuel portrayed stoic calm, at least outwardly.

The ship continued to descend unevenly. At one point the ship suddenly jumped a hundred feet in the air, due to an updraft.

"Taylor!" Kyrsten Hymen cried.

Taylor ignored her, concentrating on the velocity and altitude controls. 200 miles up... 150... 100... he slowed the rate of descent.... 75... 50... 25... he slowed further... 20... 15... 10... 5.... he slowed yet again...

And then, the ship was practically hovering, less than a mile above the ground. Everyone clapped hysterically.

"We're not down yet, ladies and gentlemen!" said Taylor. He scanned the surface, and found a place to land, a large green field just outside a major city. They would be seen, of course, but this was only the tip of the spear of the cultural contamination they were about to inflict on these unsuspecting natives.

The

Asgard's

rockets roared louder, and the ship shook as they slowly made their final descent. Everyone looked at each other with renewed fear in their eyes.

And then... and then... there was the gentlest of bumps. And all was still.

Taylor looked at the worried faces around him. "Ladies and gentlemen, the USS

Asgard

has now landed."

********

Everyone wanted to go outside, of course, but Taylor refused. He didn't even know if the population was friendly or not. In the end he decided to take a small party: Liam Parnell, Miranda Sorensen, Samuel Thomas, and Brother Ahmed. Taylor had some reluctance about selecting the big, bearded Ramadanite, but he had to admit that if it came to violence, he would be an asset to have.

"I notice you didn't select any women," said Alexis.

"Last I checked, Miranda Sorenson is a woman," said Taylor.

"She's a Federation Marshal. You didn't pick any women civilians."

"I want you to be safe," said Taylor.

Alexis made an "awww" sound and reached over to give him a kiss, and then smiled as she saw Tara watching her.

The other big decision Taylor made was to issue them all blasters. Issuing blasters to civilians was highly irregular, but, he felt, justified. He had no space marines or even crew to back him up.

Before they left, Taylor spoke to Crewman Jefferson. "If we don't come back, you're in command."

"Me?" said Jefferson.

"Is there anyone else in the crew left alive?" Taylor asked.

"I guess not."

"Then you have your answer." He turned to go.

"Wait! If I end up in command, what do we do?"

"Survive," came Taylor's dry reply.

********

The city was only about a mile away, but they were much closer to an outlying village. They were in an agricultural area. In fact, it seemed they had landed on the very edge of a cow pasture.

As they walked down the main street of the village, people were peering out at them in fear.

Taylor stopped and raised his voice. "We aren't going to hurt you. We only want to talk."

There was no response. Could they even understand what he was saying? He looked around, and saw frightened faces peering out at him from homes.

Finally, an old man came out, and slowly approached them. He was obviously poor, wearing ragged clothing. He slowly mustered the courage to walk up to them.

"Greetings to you," he said, in perfect English.

Taylor heaved a sigh of relief.

"Greetings to you," said Taylor.

"My name is Hakum. Welcome to Arcadia."

"Thank you, Hakum. Is Arcadia this city, or... the name of this planet?"

"Planet?" said Hakum looking even more oddly at him. "Who... or what are you?" Hakum asked.

"My name is Taylor," said Taylor, trying to keep the tension out of his voice. "We are visitors... from a far away place."

"Are you... the Gods of Sparticus?"

Taylor gave a quick smile. "No, we are not the Gods of Sparticus." That must be their local religion.

"It is said the Gods would return in a fiery silver chariot," said Hakum, pointing a bony figure at their starship.

"No, we're not them. We're just visitors, from a faraway place" said Taylor. "That shiny thing over there is our... wagon."

"That is a wagon?" said Hakum, staring doubtfully at the tall, silvery form of the

Asgard

.

"Yes, our wagon. A very special one," said Taylor. "Our wagon broke down. We are looking for assistance."

A man dressed in religious robes approached them, clasping a large book. "The Gods have returned!" he thundered.

"We're not Gods," said Taylor. "We're just men, like you."

"This is Malthus, our Tollah," said Hakum, bowing slightly.

"The High Tollah has been summoned. He must know the Gods have returned!" said Malthus.

"We're not Gods," said Taylor again.

"But the Book of Sparticus says that the Gods shall return in a fiery silvery chariot," said Malthus, holding up a thick book.

"May I see that?" Taylor took the book. Obviously, it was their version of a bible. It was probably the closest thing they would encounter to an encyclopedia on this planet. "May I hold onto this?" he asked.

"It is yours," said Malthus. "You created it."

"Thanks," said Taylor. "And now I think it's time to return to our ship, I mean, our wagon," said Taylor. "I want to get this book scanned into our... to make this book accessible to everyone."

"Can we stay a little while?" said Liam. "We might learn useful things."

Taylor looked at the villagers, who, after seeing the Tollah approach unharmed, were slowly coming up to them. None had weapons. They seemed curious, not hostile. He nodded reluctantly. "All right. But you have your comms. Call if you have any trouble. I want you back within an hour, or else I'm coming back to get you."

"We'll be fine," said Samuel.

Taylor gave them one last look, nodded, and then turned away.

Liam, Miranda, and Samuel talked to the villagers. Brother Ahmed simply listened. He seemed to be a man of few words, but his eyes were taking it all in.

After they had talked for a few minutes, they saw a new group of people approaching. They looked like soldiers. They carried long pikes, and they were escorting an elegantly dressed older man, dressed in robes like Malthus, but of a much finer, richer texture and design.

Malthus got down on his knees. "May I introduce to you High Tollah Aristedes."

Aristedes was nearly bald, had piercing blue eyes, and a long brown beard. He stared at each of them in turn, and then at the starship in the distance behind them.

"Are you the Gods of Sparticus?" he asked.

"No," said Samuel. "We're just men, like you."

"What are you?" said the High Tollah, looking at Samuel.

"A man," said Samuel.

"But your skin! It is so.... black!"

And at that moment, Samuel learned something very important about this planet.

They had landed on a planet which had never before seen a black person. It was as if they had landed on Sweden, on old Earth. Samuel was the very first black person they had ever seen in their lives!

"I'm just like you," said Samuel. "My skin is just a different color."

"The Milsh were said to be dark in color. Are you Milsh?"

Samuel didn't know what Milsh was. But he wasn't taking any chances. "No."

"Are you Gods?" Aristedes asked again.

"No!" said Samuel.

"If you are not Milsh, and you are not the Gods, then what are you?"

"We're men," said Liam, giving a warm smile. He put an arm around Miranda. "With the occasional lady, of course." Miranda shrugged his arm off, looking irritated. It was bad enough that her prisoner had been given a blaster.

The High Tollah looked at them as if he didn't fully believe them. "Would you like a tour of the village?"

"Very much," said Miranda.

They walked for a time. The High Tollah asked vague questions about their background. He didn't seem so much interested in their answers as how the strangers appeared to him. He seemed to be busy trying to decide in his own mind what they really were.

They passed some farmers' huts, and merchant huts, and then they came to a platform, where two men hung from nooses. They looked quite dead.

"What happened to these men?" Miranda asked.

"They were heretics," said the High Tollah.

"What was their crime?"

"One of them said that the Book of Sparticus was lies," said the High Tollah.

"And the other?"

"The other lied when he told us that he hadn't heard his friend say that the Book of Sparticus was lies," said the High Tollah.

"And you executed them for that?" Samuel said, rage growing in his hard black eyes.

"The Gods must be respected," said the High Tollah. He looked hard at Samuel. "Mustn't they?"

Liam stepped smoothly in between the two. "Oh, of course they must. And a mighty fine hanging you did too! Your skills with rope and piety are much to be admired."

That seemed to break the tension. The tour continued.

They walked by several more huts. They passed by a man dragging a screaming little girl.

"No, Daddy, no!" she screamed, trying to get away. But his grip on her was implacable.

"It is your time, daughter." He said. He dragged her into a hut, but her screams only got louder. "No, Daddy, please!" the little girl shouted.

Miranda looked at the High Tollah. "What is that all about?"

"It is her time," said the High Tollah smugly.

"Time for what?" said Samuel.

"Don't you know?" the High Tollah asked. "Don't you practice the Book of Sparticus where you come from?"

"Of course we do," said Liam smoothly. "But our copy of the Book is old, and a few pages fell out. What's happening to that little girl?"

"She has reached the age of 12. It is her time," said the High Tollah.

"Time for what?" said Samuel.

"For her father to welcome her into the world of adulthood."

They heard screams from inside the hut.

Miranda started to run for the hut, but Liam grabbed her.

"No!" said Miranda, as Liam wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Liam whispered fiercely in her ear. "Miranda, my dear, do you notice all the High Tollah's men with pikes all around us? Look around dear. Just nod."

Miranda nodded. But she looked at him with a pained expression.

"Let's not be so quick to judge other cultures, especially when we're so heavily outnumbered, shall we?" said Liam.

The tension slowly drained out of Miranda.

But then they heard more screams from the hut.

"On with the tour!" said Liam, with a jovial smile, ignoring the now very suspicious stares of the High Tollah.

They reached the edge of town, where they heard screams of a different kind. It was a baby, being put on a giant boulder. The giant boulder was stained red. A man put the baby on the boulder. A woman (perhaps the mother?) yelled at the man, imploring him, but he ignored her. The man picked up a giant axe with a stone edge.

"What's going on here?" Miranda asked.

"He is a third child," the High Tollah explained.

The man raised the stone axe. The baby screamed on the boulder. The woman raised her voice even louder.

And then, before they could react, the axe came whistling down, crushing the baby's head like a melon. Pieces of the baby's head splattered everywhere.

Miranda screamed at the top of her lungs. Samuel felt like he was going throw up. Brother Ahmed raised his eyebrows slightly.

"You are not gods!" the High Tollah declared, seeing their obvious distaste. "You are not even followers of the Book of Sparticus! Guards!"

The men with the wicked looking pole axes started to encircle them.

"Wait a minute!" said Samuel. "Let's talk about this."

Liam turned away from the babble of voices and activated his wrist comm. "Taylor! Taylor, come in! We need help!"

"I know what you are...." said the High Tollah slowly. "You are Milsh!"

The crowd recoiled at the word.

"Yes, all of you, especially you, the blackest one. You are all Milsh! And do you know what the Book of Sparticus says must be done to Milsh?"

"They must be destroyed," the villagers chanted, as if they were a chorus hastily assembled for just this occasion.

"No, we are not Milsh, whatever that is," said Miranda, eying the pikesmen surrounding them.

"You see? You do not even know what Milsh is. You are not followers of the Book!"

Samuel, Miranda, and Brother Ahmed drew their blasters. They were surrounded by a dozen men with pikes, and even more angry villagers.

"You are the evil of Milsh!"

"The evil of Milsh!"

They tried to edge their way out of the crowd, but no one would give way.

"The Milsh must be destroyed!" said the High Tollah.

"The Milsh must be destroyed!"

The chanting reached a fevered pitch.

The High Tollah pointed his finger at them. "Destroy them, destroy them now!"

Suddenly his voice was totally drowned out by a much louder voice.

"People of Arcadia," boomed the voice. The voice was so loud that it could be heard for miles.

Everyone turned to look at the starship. Standing in front of it was a giant holoimage of a man, 50 feet tall.

United Survey Service Lieutenant Michael Taylor.

"People of Arcadia, we have returned," said the holoimage of Taylor. "We, the gods of the Book of Sparticus, have returned. The people I have sent to your village are my emissaries. Do not harm them. Release them at once!"

The sinister looking soldiers with the pikes immediately took stepped back and lowered their weapons.

"The Gods have returned to you. You have given us a very niggardly welcome. But all will be forgiven if you let my emissaries go."

The villages sank to their knees. "We have sinned!" Some of the cried, as they pushed their heads to the ground.

"I think it's time we ascended to the heavens once more," said Liam, gently tugging on Miranda's arm. They hurriedly left and returned to the

Asgard

.

********

"Good thinking, Captain!" said Miranda, giving him a hug.

"That's a standard Survey Service rescue, Ma'am," said Taylor.

"Somehow I don't think that's quite true," said Miranda, smiling at him.

"These people are insane," said Samuel.

"Or, to be more precise, they are a primitive retrograde culture," said Taylor. "I have only started reading the Book of Sparticus--which, by the way, I have just finished scanning and uploading to the ship's computer, so you can all read it. But what I have seen indicates a society which follows the most barbaric customs. Baby killing. Woman beating. Execution for heresy. And that's just the beginning."

"But still, you told them we were their deities. It is blasphemy to assume the role of the Lord!" said Father Sorenson.

"From what I can see, there are only two kinds of strangers in Arcadia--Gods, and Milsh, the evil ones. Which would you rather be?" Taylor asked. "As a Survey Service officer, my first responsibility is to the safety of my crew and passengers. This ship is never going to leave this planet again. We don't know if or when we are ever going to be rescued. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure our survival."

Tara felt a thrill course through her body. She admired Taylor whenever he talked with such... determination. She really wish she had gotten her hooks in him before Alexis!