The Saa'ar Chronicles
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This series traces the fortunes of a group of talented young people who have been invited to accompany aliens back to their home planet, Saa'ar.
Each story will be a stand alone but features characters introduced in the first book. |
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Book 1: "Isolation"
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Stranded on an alien space station at the edge of the Solar System, Dr Dana Sinclair has never felt so alone in her life. While she and her fellow travellers wait for a spaceship to take them on the rest of their journey to the aliens’ home planet, first the remaining Saa’ar on board then her superior, the chief Medical Officer all die mysteriously. The health and welfare of the remaining humans is now her responsibility. Will she discover the truth behind their deaths in time? Ethan O’Reilly, a disabled war hero and second in charge of the mission may be able to help, but can she trust him? |
Prologue
The door swooshed shut with a finality that sent chills through Dana’s bones. The sudden removal of the hot Florida sunshine, and the imminent claustrophobia of being confined with so many humans and extra-terrestrials only made it worse. She’d volunteered to be part of mankind’s first journey outside Earth’s solar system. Too late for doubt now.
Their mission leader stood at the head of the welcoming line. If this were as dangerous as people said, would Astrid Dreher be here? Not likely. From all reports, the Commandant never took risks. And judging by the tall, strong man standing beside her, she’d be well protected if anything did pose a threat.
Dana rolled the name of her new home planet on her tongue. “Saa’ar.” It rhymed with star. Nice. Warm. It also sounded alien and very far away. A sudden feeling of dread added to the chill in Dana’s bones.
The two vertically challenged extra-terrestrials standing next to Dreher started speaking in what sounded like gobbledygook, while a human seated in a wheelchair acted as interpreter for the Commandant.
If these were the Saa’arians, what would their home planet be like? Earth’s best scientists had taken samples from the alien visitors and deduced that if they could live there, so could humans. But there were still too many unknowns.
Dana’s heart grew tight and sweat popped out along her hairline. Her family was right. She’d volunteered to go on a suicide mission.
“Doctor Sinclair?”
Warmth ran up her arm. She turned to see who had touched her and the warmth spread as she met the very human and confident dark-eyed smile of the leader of their MedPath team. “You must be Doctor Abu-bakara.” She breathed a sigh of relief. He’d sent her a welcome message as soon as he had heard of her appointment to his small medical team.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“A bit.”
“This welcome ceremony is going to take a while. In the meantime I could do with your assistance in preparing the new arrivals for flight. The Saa’ar want to lift off as soon as possible.”
“Fine, I met the Commandant at the application interview, anyway.”
“Good, come with me.”
Dana followed her new boss down a short passageway. The seats and flickering banks of lights suggested this must be the intra-orbital’s equivalent of a flight deck. They both had to bend down to pass through a round sliding door before stepping onto a landing that looked out over a new section. Dana laughed. So much for her dream of a shiny Star Trek-style spaceship with windows allowing her to gaze out at the galaxy. This looked more like a submarine. A fat submarine.
“Dr Abu-bakara.”
He turned at her enquiry.
“Is this all there is?”
“Call me Abu.” His white teeth gleamed against his dark skin when he smiled. “But, what do you mean is this all there is? You’re looking at enough equipment to house and feed our entire colony for a year.”
Dana could well believe it. Stacked to a height of eighteen feet or so, in precise squares separated by narrow walkways, were boxes of different sizes and shapes, all stamped with the one logo—the letter ‘D’ superimposed on the letter ‘P’ with a stylised globe underneath. Everything was locked down, ready for weightlessness.
“But where are all the people?” Given that her contingent from Asia and the Pacific had been the last to arrive, everyone else should already be on board.
Without speaking, Abu grinned and pointed upwards. Dana’s mouth dropped open in amazement. Suspended from the ceiling were row upon row of oversize humidicribs. Abu gently took hold of her arm and guided her down the steps. “That’s one of the reasons you were chosen. With your experience in gynaecology, obstetrics and paediatric health you were ideal for the job.”
“But these are adults, not babies.”
“Yes, all in suspended animation, using the latest technology.” As they proceeded through the narrow gap between the boxes of equipment, Abu pointed out the different monitors that had been installed to keep track of each person’s life functions. “There are a few cabins at the end of the craft, but no way could everyone stay awake for the three month journey to Neptune.”
Three months. If astronomers hadn’t tracked the craft’s approach to Earth and seen the speed at which it travelled, they might have been sceptical about the claim. Even the latest space probe launched in 2050 had taken three years to do the four and a half billion kilometre trip.
“But how do you get them up there?”
“That’s where I come in, me darlin’.”
Dana turned at the sound of the lilting Irish voice behind her. She was tall, but she still found herself staring at the man’s chest, and what a chest it was. The only problem was that it was covered by an army uniform. Her gaze travelled upward, and her initial smile of welcome faded as she caught sight of the scars that covered one side of the man’s face. She couldn’t help herself, she winced in sympathy.
The smile vanished instantly.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.”
Dana stepped back. There was a slight jerkiness in his stride as he walked past. Shit. She should have recognised the man, but he’d put on so much weight.
How had the mission’s PR blurb described him? ‘Retired from active service due to injuries incurred during the latest UN-Merc war and now appointed second-in-command of the Saa’ar space mission, Lieutenant Colonel Ethan O’Reilly is a certified war hero, renowned for his bravery and courage. His participation in man’s first journey outside the solar system gives the brave venture a virtual stamp of authenticity.’
Injuries… A simple word for having to have both legs amputated below the knee after he stepped on a land mine. Yet, despite this disability, somehow, his mere presence reassured the world that if he was prepared to accept the alien’s invitation, it must be safe.
Safe. Dana shivered.
She and Abu followed Ethan to a spot where one of the humidicribs was at waist level. Inside was a young Korean girl who Dana had seen earlier. According to the label, her name was Sook Yung Lee and she was only twenty years old. Even in her induced sleep she looked sweet and serene, as if she didn’t have a trouble in the world. Dana watched in awe as, after a quick check by Abu that everything was in order, O’Reilly pulled on the ropes that lifted the capsule up in the air. Despite his being aided by the pulley system, she could see his muscles straining.
While he was busy, she studied his profile. His scars were on the opposite side of his face to where she was standing—this side was totally unblemished. From this angle, he was really attractive even though his black hair was peppered with streaks of grey, making him appear older than the photos and vids she’d seen of him. It was only mid-afternoon, but already the strong lines of his jaw were outlined by his five o’clock shadow. Definitely a twice-a-day shave man if he wanted to keep his face smooth. Dana smiled. He would have been very handsome when he was younger…not that he was that bad looking now.
He must have sensed her silent scrutiny. As soon as the suspended capsule was locked into its intended position, he turned to face her again. This time she was able to keep her reaction in check. The silly thing was, she shouldn’t have flinched earlier. The discoloured skin grafts were ugly, but they didn’t worry her. During her three year stint in the UNMedcorps, she’d seen and treated much worse.
“It’s not that different from hammocks on the old sailing ships.”
Dana felt herself blushing as she gave a stammered reply, “I…suppose so.” At least he thought her fixation had been on what he was doing, not her attraction to his looks and his strength. She gave herself a mental clip on the head. She was here to do a job, not perv at the scenery.
“The beauty is that we’ll be weightless once we get moving, so we won’t need to bring them down to floor level to change the fluids and check their monitors.”
She smiled at the tall slim doctor beside her. “Okay, what do you want me to do?”
A batch of new personnel arriving for processing showed that the welcome ceremony must be over. As soon as Abu felt Dana was capable of handling them by herself, he left to check the monitors of the ones he’d already done. Next up was a huge tattooed Maori—the mission’s vet, Rory Te Morenga. Dana had met him on the flight over, and they’d shared what little knowledge they had of the journey ahead.
Only the basic facts about the mission had been made public. Opinion on Earth had been divided. Some people felt the aliens should be trapped here so they and their superior technology could be dissected and copied. Others just wanted them obliterated and were convinced that hundreds of these cylindrical spaceships would soon swarm their skies. Many people, sickened by the plight the Earth was in, were desperate to join them.
Only time would tell if Dana and her fellow adventurers were the lucky ones or just plain foolish.
Rory didn’t even flinch when the catheters were inserted. “See you in space,” were his last words before his eyelids drifted shut. Dana stepped aside and watched silently as Ethan’s muscles bunched under the strain of lifting the capsule containing the big Maori and all his accompanying paraphernalia. Even with the help of pulleys, the feat was impressive.
At last, the steady stream of people slowed to a trickle. Every time he hadn’t been needed with lifting the personnel to their resting place, Ethan’s assistance was requested by a man with a broad Scottish accent. Dana watched silently as the smaller man gesticulated at the different pieces of equipment. From the sounds of things, he wasn’t sure how the cargo would fare once they were weightless, and he was giving instructions to Ethan about how to handle any problems.
There were only two cylinders left.
“You better not botch this one. He’s the most important person on board.”
Dana flinched at the abruptness in Ethan’s voice. He had his arm placed protectively around the Scotsman’s shoulders. The man was now dressed in one of the form-hugging suits they’d been assigned for the induced sleep.
“Don’t fash, Ethan—they wouldn’t have chosen her unless she was capable. I’m sure the Doctor knows what she’s doing.” The Scot extended his hand. “Jock Stewart’s the name, but you can call me Tinker—everyone else does.”
After releasing Dana’s hand he turned and extended his to Ethan. “Good luck. You can wake me if there’s any problems you can’t fix, but a three month sleep sounds grand. I’ve been existing on only a couple of hours a night ever since I was selected.”
Dana found it difficult to work with the large Irishman looming over her shoulder. Ever since her initial involuntary reaction she had sensed a degree of antagonism towards her. His joking and pleasantness to everyone else were in stark contrast to the terse replies he gave her requests for assistance.
Eventually, Dana completed the procedure. When the man lost consciousness, Ethan gave her a hard stare as if he didn’t really trust that she hadn’t killed his friend before he hauled on the ropes again.
There was one capsule left.
“Now it’s time for you to have a long, long sleep.” Abu thrust a shrink-wrapped package towards her.
“No way. You’re not getting me into one of those.” Dana took a step backwards and ran into a solid ball of muscle. She turned and was surprised to see a glint of sympathy in Ethan’s eyes.
“You have to.” A tic started up in the edge of the big man’s jaw, and his body felt as immovable as a hunk of granite.
“But who’s going to look after the people? I thought you said that was going to be my job.”
Abu’s voice floated over her shoulder. “There’s only living accommodation for five humans. First up, the Commandant and her chief of security, then we need Isaac Lindberg awake because he’s the only one who can communicate with the Saa’ar. That just leaves places for Ethan and me.”
“But you said it’s like a ship. Can’t we take turns?” Dana couldn’t repress the note of panic that sprang up in her voice.
“Strictly speaking, it’s more like a coma than a sleep. Not something you want to induce on a regular basis.” Abu thrust the garment at her again.
Now her palms were sweating. Think, Dana, quick. There must be some way you can avoid being locked up in one of those things. “Once we’re weightless, you don’t need Mr O’Reilly’s strength. I could help you look after the people.”
Dana glanced up at the man who was standing so close she could feel the warmth of his body. An Easter Island statue had more expression in its face. “If I went in there, who would lift me up? I’m too heavy.”
“That big guy I saw standing next to the Commandant.”
“Ernesto Ramirez?” Ethan glanced back over his shoulder, but they were still alone. “I’m second in command of this mission. I have to stay awake. If you don’t hurry up and get changed, I’ll strip off your clothes and put you in there naked.”
Dana backed away, warily eyeing the man advancing towards her. “You wouldn’t.”
A slow smile spread over his face. “Oh, yes, I would.”
Punching him in the nose would only hurt her hand. She glanced at her boss, hoping he would come to her aid, but Abu seemed more amused by their exchange than anything. No help there. She sighed. “Oh well. Wake me if anything goes wrong.”
Abu thrust the packet back into her hands. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”
The door swooshed shut with a finality that sent chills through Dana’s bones. The sudden removal of the hot Florida sunshine, and the imminent claustrophobia of being confined with so many humans and extra-terrestrials only made it worse. She’d volunteered to be part of mankind’s first journey outside Earth’s solar system. Too late for doubt now.
Their mission leader stood at the head of the welcoming line. If this were as dangerous as people said, would Astrid Dreher be here? Not likely. From all reports, the Commandant never took risks. And judging by the tall, strong man standing beside her, she’d be well protected if anything did pose a threat.
Dana rolled the name of her new home planet on her tongue. “Saa’ar.” It rhymed with star. Nice. Warm. It also sounded alien and very far away. A sudden feeling of dread added to the chill in Dana’s bones.
The two vertically challenged extra-terrestrials standing next to Dreher started speaking in what sounded like gobbledygook, while a human seated in a wheelchair acted as interpreter for the Commandant.
If these were the Saa’arians, what would their home planet be like? Earth’s best scientists had taken samples from the alien visitors and deduced that if they could live there, so could humans. But there were still too many unknowns.
Dana’s heart grew tight and sweat popped out along her hairline. Her family was right. She’d volunteered to go on a suicide mission.
“Doctor Sinclair?”
Warmth ran up her arm. She turned to see who had touched her and the warmth spread as she met the very human and confident dark-eyed smile of the leader of their MedPath team. “You must be Doctor Abu-bakara.” She breathed a sigh of relief. He’d sent her a welcome message as soon as he had heard of her appointment to his small medical team.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“A bit.”
“This welcome ceremony is going to take a while. In the meantime I could do with your assistance in preparing the new arrivals for flight. The Saa’ar want to lift off as soon as possible.”
“Fine, I met the Commandant at the application interview, anyway.”
“Good, come with me.”
Dana followed her new boss down a short passageway. The seats and flickering banks of lights suggested this must be the intra-orbital’s equivalent of a flight deck. They both had to bend down to pass through a round sliding door before stepping onto a landing that looked out over a new section. Dana laughed. So much for her dream of a shiny Star Trek-style spaceship with windows allowing her to gaze out at the galaxy. This looked more like a submarine. A fat submarine.
“Dr Abu-bakara.”
He turned at her enquiry.
“Is this all there is?”
“Call me Abu.” His white teeth gleamed against his dark skin when he smiled. “But, what do you mean is this all there is? You’re looking at enough equipment to house and feed our entire colony for a year.”
Dana could well believe it. Stacked to a height of eighteen feet or so, in precise squares separated by narrow walkways, were boxes of different sizes and shapes, all stamped with the one logo—the letter ‘D’ superimposed on the letter ‘P’ with a stylised globe underneath. Everything was locked down, ready for weightlessness.
“But where are all the people?” Given that her contingent from Asia and the Pacific had been the last to arrive, everyone else should already be on board.
Without speaking, Abu grinned and pointed upwards. Dana’s mouth dropped open in amazement. Suspended from the ceiling were row upon row of oversize humidicribs. Abu gently took hold of her arm and guided her down the steps. “That’s one of the reasons you were chosen. With your experience in gynaecology, obstetrics and paediatric health you were ideal for the job.”
“But these are adults, not babies.”
“Yes, all in suspended animation, using the latest technology.” As they proceeded through the narrow gap between the boxes of equipment, Abu pointed out the different monitors that had been installed to keep track of each person’s life functions. “There are a few cabins at the end of the craft, but no way could everyone stay awake for the three month journey to Neptune.”
Three months. If astronomers hadn’t tracked the craft’s approach to Earth and seen the speed at which it travelled, they might have been sceptical about the claim. Even the latest space probe launched in 2050 had taken three years to do the four and a half billion kilometre trip.
“But how do you get them up there?”
“That’s where I come in, me darlin’.”
Dana turned at the sound of the lilting Irish voice behind her. She was tall, but she still found herself staring at the man’s chest, and what a chest it was. The only problem was that it was covered by an army uniform. Her gaze travelled upward, and her initial smile of welcome faded as she caught sight of the scars that covered one side of the man’s face. She couldn’t help herself, she winced in sympathy.
The smile vanished instantly.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.”
Dana stepped back. There was a slight jerkiness in his stride as he walked past. Shit. She should have recognised the man, but he’d put on so much weight.
How had the mission’s PR blurb described him? ‘Retired from active service due to injuries incurred during the latest UN-Merc war and now appointed second-in-command of the Saa’ar space mission, Lieutenant Colonel Ethan O’Reilly is a certified war hero, renowned for his bravery and courage. His participation in man’s first journey outside the solar system gives the brave venture a virtual stamp of authenticity.’
Injuries… A simple word for having to have both legs amputated below the knee after he stepped on a land mine. Yet, despite this disability, somehow, his mere presence reassured the world that if he was prepared to accept the alien’s invitation, it must be safe.
Safe. Dana shivered.
She and Abu followed Ethan to a spot where one of the humidicribs was at waist level. Inside was a young Korean girl who Dana had seen earlier. According to the label, her name was Sook Yung Lee and she was only twenty years old. Even in her induced sleep she looked sweet and serene, as if she didn’t have a trouble in the world. Dana watched in awe as, after a quick check by Abu that everything was in order, O’Reilly pulled on the ropes that lifted the capsule up in the air. Despite his being aided by the pulley system, she could see his muscles straining.
While he was busy, she studied his profile. His scars were on the opposite side of his face to where she was standing—this side was totally unblemished. From this angle, he was really attractive even though his black hair was peppered with streaks of grey, making him appear older than the photos and vids she’d seen of him. It was only mid-afternoon, but already the strong lines of his jaw were outlined by his five o’clock shadow. Definitely a twice-a-day shave man if he wanted to keep his face smooth. Dana smiled. He would have been very handsome when he was younger…not that he was that bad looking now.
He must have sensed her silent scrutiny. As soon as the suspended capsule was locked into its intended position, he turned to face her again. This time she was able to keep her reaction in check. The silly thing was, she shouldn’t have flinched earlier. The discoloured skin grafts were ugly, but they didn’t worry her. During her three year stint in the UNMedcorps, she’d seen and treated much worse.
“It’s not that different from hammocks on the old sailing ships.”
Dana felt herself blushing as she gave a stammered reply, “I…suppose so.” At least he thought her fixation had been on what he was doing, not her attraction to his looks and his strength. She gave herself a mental clip on the head. She was here to do a job, not perv at the scenery.
“The beauty is that we’ll be weightless once we get moving, so we won’t need to bring them down to floor level to change the fluids and check their monitors.”
She smiled at the tall slim doctor beside her. “Okay, what do you want me to do?”
A batch of new personnel arriving for processing showed that the welcome ceremony must be over. As soon as Abu felt Dana was capable of handling them by herself, he left to check the monitors of the ones he’d already done. Next up was a huge tattooed Maori—the mission’s vet, Rory Te Morenga. Dana had met him on the flight over, and they’d shared what little knowledge they had of the journey ahead.
Only the basic facts about the mission had been made public. Opinion on Earth had been divided. Some people felt the aliens should be trapped here so they and their superior technology could be dissected and copied. Others just wanted them obliterated and were convinced that hundreds of these cylindrical spaceships would soon swarm their skies. Many people, sickened by the plight the Earth was in, were desperate to join them.
Only time would tell if Dana and her fellow adventurers were the lucky ones or just plain foolish.
Rory didn’t even flinch when the catheters were inserted. “See you in space,” were his last words before his eyelids drifted shut. Dana stepped aside and watched silently as Ethan’s muscles bunched under the strain of lifting the capsule containing the big Maori and all his accompanying paraphernalia. Even with the help of pulleys, the feat was impressive.
At last, the steady stream of people slowed to a trickle. Every time he hadn’t been needed with lifting the personnel to their resting place, Ethan’s assistance was requested by a man with a broad Scottish accent. Dana watched silently as the smaller man gesticulated at the different pieces of equipment. From the sounds of things, he wasn’t sure how the cargo would fare once they were weightless, and he was giving instructions to Ethan about how to handle any problems.
There were only two cylinders left.
“You better not botch this one. He’s the most important person on board.”
Dana flinched at the abruptness in Ethan’s voice. He had his arm placed protectively around the Scotsman’s shoulders. The man was now dressed in one of the form-hugging suits they’d been assigned for the induced sleep.
“Don’t fash, Ethan—they wouldn’t have chosen her unless she was capable. I’m sure the Doctor knows what she’s doing.” The Scot extended his hand. “Jock Stewart’s the name, but you can call me Tinker—everyone else does.”
After releasing Dana’s hand he turned and extended his to Ethan. “Good luck. You can wake me if there’s any problems you can’t fix, but a three month sleep sounds grand. I’ve been existing on only a couple of hours a night ever since I was selected.”
Dana found it difficult to work with the large Irishman looming over her shoulder. Ever since her initial involuntary reaction she had sensed a degree of antagonism towards her. His joking and pleasantness to everyone else were in stark contrast to the terse replies he gave her requests for assistance.
Eventually, Dana completed the procedure. When the man lost consciousness, Ethan gave her a hard stare as if he didn’t really trust that she hadn’t killed his friend before he hauled on the ropes again.
There was one capsule left.
“Now it’s time for you to have a long, long sleep.” Abu thrust a shrink-wrapped package towards her.
“No way. You’re not getting me into one of those.” Dana took a step backwards and ran into a solid ball of muscle. She turned and was surprised to see a glint of sympathy in Ethan’s eyes.
“You have to.” A tic started up in the edge of the big man’s jaw, and his body felt as immovable as a hunk of granite.
“But who’s going to look after the people? I thought you said that was going to be my job.”
Abu’s voice floated over her shoulder. “There’s only living accommodation for five humans. First up, the Commandant and her chief of security, then we need Isaac Lindberg awake because he’s the only one who can communicate with the Saa’ar. That just leaves places for Ethan and me.”
“But you said it’s like a ship. Can’t we take turns?” Dana couldn’t repress the note of panic that sprang up in her voice.
“Strictly speaking, it’s more like a coma than a sleep. Not something you want to induce on a regular basis.” Abu thrust the garment at her again.
Now her palms were sweating. Think, Dana, quick. There must be some way you can avoid being locked up in one of those things. “Once we’re weightless, you don’t need Mr O’Reilly’s strength. I could help you look after the people.”
Dana glanced up at the man who was standing so close she could feel the warmth of his body. An Easter Island statue had more expression in its face. “If I went in there, who would lift me up? I’m too heavy.”
“That big guy I saw standing next to the Commandant.”
“Ernesto Ramirez?” Ethan glanced back over his shoulder, but they were still alone. “I’m second in command of this mission. I have to stay awake. If you don’t hurry up and get changed, I’ll strip off your clothes and put you in there naked.”
Dana backed away, warily eyeing the man advancing towards her. “You wouldn’t.”
A slow smile spread over his face. “Oh, yes, I would.”
Punching him in the nose would only hurt her hand. She glanced at her boss, hoping he would come to her aid, but Abu seemed more amused by their exchange than anything. No help there. She sighed. “Oh well. Wake me if anything goes wrong.”
Abu thrust the packet back into her hands. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”
