Starship Walker

Liam's Walk

        One morning, just after the completion of Liam's training, Gillian sat by the pool, gazing into the water, gloomy: worrying about her future.

A figure took the seat next to her. She looked up and saw Captain Xing, his hands gripping a walking stick as he leant forward to gaze at her. Two marine guards accompanied him.

Gillian scrambled to her feet. "Captain!" she cried.

Her sudden movement disconcerted the Captain's marines, who reached for their guns. Gillian froze, shocked to see weapons pointing at her.

The Captain took a moment to reassure his marines, and as Gillian relaxed, he said, "I'm sorry I didn't come to visit you earlier than this, Mr Berry. I found it... difficult."

Gillian, suddenly tongue-tied, nodded an acknowledgement as she returned to her seat.

"But you've occupied much of my thoughts. How have you been?"

Gillian's life had become more comfortable. But as a semi-prisoner, suspected of harbouring the unknown purposes and desires of an alien civilisation, she wondered if she could ever return to "normal".

 Captain Xing gazed at Gillian with an expression that reminded her of the first time they had met, in the Navigation Centre. He was asking her if she could be trusted. Gillian had no answer. She didn't understand the presence inside her or what it might do. Her mother had assured her that it meant no harm. It was really just herself, somewhat augmented. Even her father, increasingly alert, had begun to reassure her.

Gillian wondered if the Captain knew the details of these conversations.

 "Do you have confidence in the young man replacing you?" the Captain asked.

Gillian nodded, then added, "Up to a point, Captain."

Captain Xing dipped his head in an almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgement. "Mr Yegg tells me you don't think he's able to deliver us into Earth orbit safely. He can't perform a risk-free Let-down closer than the orbit of Saturn."

"That's correct, Captain. For him to advance closer to the sun than Saturn is unsafe. He's still physically and mentally immature. The distance from Saturn to Earth's orbit is tiny, and Liam lacks that level of precision. He's clumsy - and the sun is only eight light-minutes from the Earth."

Liam had completed his required competencies under the tutelage of Mr Dryen and Doctor Morris. He'd satisfied Gillian and Abel of his Walking skills, but was to continue practicing the ballet steps that Gillian had taught him. He was, according to the paperwork, now ready, and appropriately certified, to pilot the ship.

"Mr Yegg agrees with your opinion, I gather."

"Yes, he does."

"And so you consider that you should perform the Let-down?"

"I do, Captain."

"Even though you've never done one, either?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Did you speak to the young man about this?"

"No, Captain, I wanted to wait until he'd completed his training to decide if I still had the same opinion about him."

"And now that's accomplished, do you still consider he's not yet suited for the final phase of the job?"

"That's correct, Captain."

"Mr Yegg spoke to Liam about this problem. He reports that the young man did not seem surprised."

Gillian waited.