First Contact (Book 1 of the Tantalus Series)

By M.A. Abraham

Twenty ships have left the gravitational field of the Earth with the intention of colonizing Mars. Each is independent of the other and set to become domed cities upon landing. The mission is simple: go forth to develop the new planet, make it an extension of our home. Well, it sounded simple.

No one expected life on Mars to be easy, they are pioneers and that is a type of life that comes with dangers. What they didn’t expect was for the settings of one of the ships to be off enough to miss their landing, to miss the very planet they were meant to settle.

Even more astounding was to find another planet within a three-week travel period that lies in the shadow of the red planet. It is where they will land, where their ship will unfold to become a domed city. Where life is dangerous in a hostile land and they find unexpected help. The indigenous winged people of the planet don’t live on the surface of the planet, they live in cities in the clouds, but they are willing to extend a welcoming hand to those who have come to their land, as well as teach them what they can to survive. Their relationship begins with three words.

“Welcome to Tantalus.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.A. Abraham
• Release date: Feb 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310515194

M.A. Abraham

I don’t really know what to say about myself.I have been writing books since before I became a teenager. Most are still hidden in the closet. I used to make up my own stories as a child, everyone used to act them out while we were playing outside. As a teenager someone issued me a challenge. I told her that her stories stunk, she told me to do better.My job growing up was to play guardian to my little brother, keep him safe. That meant I ended up getting into more fights than enough – makes sense now that I write about warriors.My family will try to tell you that I’m not innocent, I have a personality that keeps them on their toes. Over my lifetime and theirs I have earn several nicknames – The Godmother, The Evil Christmas Elf (comes from making my nieces wrap their own Christmas presents), Mistress of Ambush. My favorite response to them when they try to get me into trouble is just to look at them with a wide doe eyed expression and say “Moi?????”I have a seal point Siamese cat named Snoop, named after my favorite cartoon character and hobby. I have a “healthy” but small collection of Snoopy memorabilia. He is a character alright; never met a cat who can talk back like he does. He expects daily dosages of adoration on his schedule when he wants it – not when it’s convenient for me and he HATES snow.I come from a very large family (mostly brothers) and I could outrun the whole works of them (I’m the shortest!). It was called survival.This book has been in the making for a long time now. Over a half a year to write it, about the same amount of time to edit it, and probably about the same amount of time to get the art work and website! I have learned you can’t control the timelines of other people – Murphy likes to step in.So for now I am setting up good luck charms everywhere... didn’t know I had that many stuffed Snoopy’s. *Fingers, legs, toes, eyes and anything else I can crossed*

Book preview

STAR JOURNAL REPORT 2110, INTERPLANETARY SHIP, NOAH’S ARC.

We are traveling in an equidistant line with twenty other ships identical to ours; objective, to colonize Mars. Initial trials indicate that there is a good possibility that successful habitation of this planet is conceivable. We are here to prove that life can exist on the red planet, although it won’t be easy. Then again, pioneer life never is. Best-case scenario? That, until we can find a way to establish better atmospheric conditions, we will be forced to live our lives under a dome while an agricultural base is established on the surface of the planet. We have reason to believe that the activity and growth of our presence on the planet will help establish a thicker atmosphere, one capable of eventually sustaining life outside the shells of the domed cities being transported in the shape of the ships we travel in. We are all aware of the fact that no one who is traveling in the mother ships will live to see the planet come to life. We are making this sacrifice for the future of our children.

Five ships have already traveled to the planet to establish home bases and each ship has landed successfully on target to unfold upon the surface. The results have been a string of five cities that are totally functional and beginning to produce tentative signs of becoming self-sustaining. Eventually, trade could be promoted between the cities and eventually Earth. Communications between Earth and Mars are good and everyone is intent on making this work.

The Noah’s Arc will make up the sixth city in the network and expectations are high, as are spirits. We are an agriculturally based unit and the ship has been equipped with all the essentials we believe will be needed to make this community viable. All initial reports have come in on a positive note. We are all looking forward to the completion of the trip, for as breathtakingly beautiful as space is, it is not something most aboard can learn to be comfortable with. The consensus is that mankind was never meant to live a lifetime in space. Most of us have decided we were meant to be a landlocked species. The lack of solid land under our feet has affected everyone; even one of our officers has suffered a minor mental breakdown. Her mental breakdown led most to believe that although short-range travel in space is fine, prolonged voyages are not something we want to consider for long-range projects. Perhaps this will change in the future, but definitely not until we know more about what we are facing.

Lieutenant Noble was the officer who was affected first by the mysterious malady. She claimed she heard a voice calling out to her to change course. This voice reportedly warned that our coordinates were wrong and we would miss the adjustment window to establish a landing pattern unless we saw to the problem immediately. The Lieutenant was taken to sickbay for evaluation with the fear that she could be suffering from a form of space sickness. We have lost almost a dozen members of our crew in this way already. If the Doctor clears her and finds nothing wrong, she would be allowed to return to duty, but that still doesn’t explain the voice. If there is nothing mentally wrong with Lieutenant Noble, does that mean the voice is real? If so, where did it come from? We will look further into that detail at a later date, should the need arise.

It is time to report back for duty on the bridge. We are preparing to start final adjustments to the landing sequences the ship will need to establish our base. Mars looms before us like a giant reddish colored ball and the viewing galleries are filled with spectators. Everyone is excited about the upcoming end to our journey and I agree it will feel good to touch solid ground again.

CHAPTER I

We have a slight miscalculation showing in the data banks that will cause a major problem Captain. Ensign Latimer addressed his superior officer.

Ensign Latimer had been one of the members of the crew who had been drugged and left in a state of suspended animation for over seven months and he was still adjusting to being awake. The error didn’t register on Ensign Latimer’s sleep fogged brain at first, however, as the results of the drug induced coma cleared from his consciousness he noticed the inconsistencies someone had entered into the computer base. This was serious.

Make the appropriate adjustments to the components to correct the problem. Captain Tremont responded.

Already tried Captain Tremont, the ship is not responding. Ensign Latimer reported.

Captain Tremont stared at the picture on the screen before them and wondered what to expect. Ensign Latimer hadn’t given him the details of what the problem was, or what result it would cause.

Nine months earlier, Captain Tremont had walked onto the deck of the newly crafted spaceship to proudly accept command of the vessel. It had been the sixth of twenty sleepers that were built expressly to colonize Mars. Each ship was scheduled to leave exactly a month apart and, as they were going to sleep through the greater part of the journey, all the information needed to guide the ship through open space was programmed into the navigational computer that would control the ship.

Over fifty thousand people were aboard the ship. Fifty thousand were settlers, people who had placed their blind trust in his ability to land the ship safely upon the planet they planned to colonize. They were the pioneers of this new world, or the new architects of an old world. The debate of whether or not Mars had once been a habitable planet where people lived continued to be an ongoing argument.

They were determined not only to find out the answer, but to develop the surface of the red planet into something that would sustain life.

Each ship was designed to transform into a domed city when it was landed on the surface and every person had undergone rigorous training so they would know what to do when they arrived. There was water under the Martian surface that would help build the foundations of their world. Millions of plants and seedlings had been sent with them; thousands of animals, all chosen specifically to develop the new world. All these things would help create food and a future, though many were housed in the ship that followed in their wake.

The report from the first ship that traveled to Mars had come to them two months earlier. That ship had been named ‘Garden of Eden’ and had landed successfully on the planet’s surface. From that point onwards, they began to get progress reports that they considered promising. The ground they thought virtually sterile was quickly proving to be fertile and that was a big cause for excitement, it held promise for the future.

The first settlers reported that trees which took years to develop and grow, were taking root in the red soil covered by the dome of their city and were flourishing. As rich as the soil of the Earth was, the red landscape of Mars was matching it for productivity. Outside of the dome it was another matter, there the water didn’t flow to the surface to feed the world around them and the cold temperatures froze anything that ventured outside of the walls within moments, for this was the time of the Martian winter.

These coordinates are wrong Captain, Ensign Toledo reported as he double-checked Ensign Latimer’s tabulations to make sure no errors were being made on their part. Either someone has tampered with them or they were wrong before we left Earth.

Captain Tremont got out of his chair and made his way to the ensign’s station so he could see if what he was beginning to suspect was right. He didn’t panic or rush. He didn’t want to give the impression he was worried. He was concerned, that much was clear, but the last thing he wanted to show the crew was the type of fear the ensign was exhibiting.

Captain Tremont looked over the panels, mentally tabulating the numbers before them. He had expected to find a small error in the readings that would have resulted in a different landing place on the planet. That would not have been the end of the world. Mars was an open planet with lots of potential landing sites that could be chosen. What met his eyes was a glaring mistake, surely the computations were wrong. This wasn’t true, it couldn’t be. He double-checked the numbers even though his instincts told him his suspicions were right on the mark. He stared blankly at the control panel and felt his mouth go dry as his limbs threatened to shake. He knew the numbers he was supposed to be seeing. These were not those, these numbers told him that they were off course by a whole ten percent. That meant they were going to miss Mars altogether. They were headed for deep space. No wonder the ensign looked petrified.

Without saying a word, the Captain reached over the ensign’s shoulder and tried to adjust the coordinates. Nothing happened. He looked at the panel to see if the controls were set on automatic or manual, they were on manual. That adjustment; he knew, had been done by the ensign only moments before he had been alerted to the problem because he had seen them before and they had been on automatic. The ensign had attempted to adjust the ship’s path to get it in line with their landing and to do that he had to place it on manual, everything had been seen to in a correct manner. So what had gone wrong? He stood, slowly made his way back to the Captain’s chair and ran a hand over his face as he tried to think of a solution.

It was a Captain’s worse nightmare and he wondered where they were going to end up. They were about to travel into uncharted space with no control over the direction they were headed. He felt like he was living in an old television series. This was something a screenwriter would think up to make a show exciting, but this wasn’t a fantasy, it was real life, and the possible repercussions scared the hell out of him.

Pressing the intercom button between the control deck and the engineering department, the Captain hailed his service staff. Maybe, he thought, they had time to salvage the mission.

Captain to head engineer Craddock.

Craddock here. The head engineer replied.

We have a bit of a problem. Captain Tremont reported.

Craddock snorted, giving Captain Tremont the indication that he was well aware of the fact. His following comment confirmed it.

Captain, we have issues that make the sinking of the Titanic look like a walk in the park.

Any ideas how to fix it? Tremont asked.

I am working on them, maybe if you get everyone aboard ship to get down on their knees and ask God for a miracle I will find a solution, or he will grant us an option. Craddock replied with more than a touch of his usual brand of humor.

Tremont wasn’t amused and didn’t try to hide the fact.

Do what you can. With no control of this ship we are dead.

Working on it. Over and out. Craddock grouched.

So now what? Tremont wondered as he considered Craddock’s suggestion about holding a prayer meeting. At this point he was willing to try anything. He knew he was going to have to hold an assembly to tell everyone on the ship what was happening. It was something he was afraid might cause wide spread panic, if not outright mutiny, not that either of those actions would solve anything. They were royally screwed and he had no answers. Or did he?

For some reason his mind focused on Lieutenant Noble’s telepathic message and suddenly it seemed plausible where it had only made her sound crazy before. Could she have actually made mental contact with an alien creature? If she had could they help? Would they? Would they be friendly? The thoughts coursing through his mind seemed preposterous, yet they made sense and the possibility that they were right almost was enough to make him feel giddy. It was something he was quick to control or everyone would think he had cracked under the combined pressures of space travel and what was happening. The thought of what could happen to him under those conditions came close to being preferable to the reality of their situation. He couldn’t afford the luxury of allowing himself to let go. He was the only one on board who was qualified to handle the situation.

Screw that idea, was the next thought that crossed Tremont’s mind as he rose to head for sickbay. No one was qualified to handle this situation. This was mankind’s first foray into deep space where there was a serious issue. This was what those on Earth would consider a precedent and no one had any experience with it to base an opinion on. Of course, as a first time scenario he would be expected to closely monitor the situation and log the essentials carefully into the ships computer banks in case they were ever found, dead or alive. Those who came after them would want to know all the details and what had been done to correct them. They would be looking for impressions as well as the results of his actions. He was tempted to give them what they wanted, but not in the way they expected it. Unfortunately, he had to do it their way.

Ensign Toledo, if anyone needs me I will be in sickbay, talking with Lieutenant Noble. In the meantime call a general assembly to be carried on through the intercom system, all screens open. When I return, I might have some startling discoveries and revelations to pass on and I don’t want to miss anyone.

The Ensign nodded an acknowledgment at the Captain as he wondered what was going through the commander’s mind. He quickly decided they would find out soon enough and he doubted if anyone was going to be happy with what they learned. If the expression on Tremont’s face was anything to go by, he probably felt the same way.

CHAPTER II

PLANET TANTALUS:

Karia. Mitchel reached out to enfold her in the warmth and safety of his winged embrace. What is wrong?

Everything. Karia replied as she burrowed into the soft comfort of her guardian’s arms.

It felt like the most wonderful haven in the world and Karia couldn’t help but give in to the promise of heaven Mitchel offered. He was her rock, always there to protect and guide her when he was needed. Honorable and dependable, never crossing the line to indicate she was any more to him than what she was supposed to be, though she knew better.

No man or woman would offer the solace and support Mitchel did unless he loved her. Despite his feelings, he never gave any indication that he would welcome anymore from her in return. It was forbidden. He was her guardian, nothing more. She had been promised to another when the time of beckoning was upon her and from that moment on she would belong to that other man. Mitchel would never be allowed to hold her like this again.

Our world is about to change. Karia relayed her news.

Have you had another vision? Mitchel wondered.

Karia nodded her head against the heavily muscled chest she pressed her cheek against. There was more, but she wasn’t sure if she should tell him. She had tried to tell the members of the counsel and they had dismissed her warning as a sign of her upcoming time of beckoning. She had attempted to explain that there was more to this vision than a flight of fancy caused by the approach of her adult life. Her pleadings for further study and confirmation had fallen on deaf ears. Her audience with the counsel leader, her father, had ended badly as they had argued.

Mitchel could feel the trembling in Karia’s slight body and he wound his wings around her to offer her more heat and support. She was tired and overwrought. There was also more to this than she was willing to tell and although he wanted to know what, he wasn’t about to pressure her to tell him. He had a bad feeling Karia was hiding secrets from everyone and they possibly held serious threats to both her and their world.

Eventually Karia stopped trembling as Mitchel’s ministrations took effect and she considered her options. Theirs was a complex world with strict rules and although she wasn’t breaking any of their laws her decisions were very controversial. She had made several unpopular choices when she had grown into maturity, joining the teams that went on patrol was only one.

Karia, her father stormed out of the counsel room as soon as he was able to break free from the meetings inside. A younger man followed in his wake.

Mitchel released Karia immediately from the protection of his wings so she could turn to face her father. Her father was not impressed with how his daughter appeared to be peeling herself out of Mitchel’s arms and he frowned in disapproval.

Karia, what is going on here? Her father demanded.

I am tired father and Mitchel offered me support in his capacity as guardian. Karia defended his actions.

Mitchel can keep his wings to himself. Karia’s father snapped out.

Your daughter has had a very taxing day, Counselor Fendor. She should be at home resting by rights, but she insisted her news was too important to leave for a later date. Mitchel reported.

You were there when contact with these others was established? Counselor Fendor asked.

Mitchel could tell Karia’s father disapproved of him but that didn’t matter much to him. He was Karia’s top guardian and he was only doing his job.

Yes, I was. We were flying low over the West plains when her subconscious mind reached out towards someone and she started to fall. Mitchel reported. I caught her and spiraled down to the surface so she wouldn’t injure herself. She seemed to be caught in some sort of conversation I didn’t understand. She kept repeating the same words over and over again, telling whomever she was speaking with to go back, that the ship’s equipment was faulty and they needed to make adjustments. She then burst into tears as she looked at me and said it was too late.

Karia’s father looked at her and asked. Too late for what?

They are going to miss their landing on the red planet. Karia answered.

Who are they? Her father asked.

I tried to tell you that earlier, but you weren’t listening to me, you kept saying I was hallucinating and shouldn’t be on patrol so close to my time of beckoning. Karia sounded out her irritation. You made me sound inept. I know what I am doing father. I am good at my job. Allow me that much credit.

I never said you were inept. Karia’s father defended his actions. And even you have to admit it is close to the time of your beckoning. Her father insisted.

You should be at home preparing for when we are joined. The man who had followed Karia’s father out of the counsel chambers spoke.

Karia looked at the man and sneered openly. I have told you, I will never accept you for a mate.

Who then? Karia’s father asked.

Karia shrugged. She had no idea, but it would not be the man her father had picked for her. He was a bully and he kept talking about doing things to her after the joining was over. She didn’t like what she was hearing from him and she had no intention of allowing him to touch her.

You will do as you are told. Her discarded betrothed replied as he pushed past her father.

I have the right to chose who I want and you are the last man on the planet I would ever allow access to my body. Karia argued.

Counselor Fendor and Mitchel exchanged a look of resignation but neither said a word, as the other man suddenly seemed to collect his nerve and hit Karia with a closed fist as he snarled in a menacing fashion. Her lip split and blood trickled down her chin as her cheek quickly swelled and started to change color.

You will do what you are told or I will fix you. I told you before. Deny me and I will make sure you never fly again. I will pull every flight feather from your wings and ground you. Then just see how proud and independent you act.

I will deny the beckoning. Karia challenged in return as she wiped the blood off her lip with the back of a shaking hand.

You have no choice. He mocked her. No one is stubborn enough to deny their own nature. You will be happy to take me into your body when the time comes, and I will make sure I plant my son deep when the time comes.

I would rather die, Karia hissed back. I will deny your possession with every breath I take. Leave me be, Nylor or I promise you, I will kill myself. I hate you.

We will see how much you hate me when your time is upon you and your body burns. Nylor sneered. You are no better than the lowest tramp on the sky run and I will use you in the same way.

Nylor spoke in anger, forgetting his audience. He would have struck Karia again if Mitchel hadn’t wrapped his wings around her to protect her.

Nylor immediately turned his attention onto Mitchel. You dare come between me and my woman?

Karia is not yours yet Nylor and she is right about having the choice to refuse you. I am one of her guardians and it is my job to protect her until she either accepts a mate or dies. Mitchel stated.

You want her for your own, you always have. Well you can’t have her. Nylor accused Mitchel of coveting a woman not his own. It was a capital offense.

To lust after another man’s woman was frowned on, although it was not unheard of. To go as far as Nylor suggested Mitchel was, bordered on breaking their laws. To continue to want the woman after she had been claimed and mated was a offense punishable by death if the bond was complete. There were strict guidelines in their society for a reason. Order had to be maintained at all times. There weren’t nearly enough women for all the men, and unless they wanted chaos to rule their culture, order was needed.

Mitchel knew about Nylor’s jealous nature and didn’t know why counselor Fendor continued to hold on to the childhood agreement he had made with the man’s father. Even as a child Nylor had been a bully. He had often been brought before the counsel because of his sadistic behavior and radical beliefs. He belonged to a group of men who staunchly believed their women should be controlled both physically and mentally. The thought of Karia in their hands sickened him. He was afraid they would break her, or worse, kill her.

When the only response Nylor got from Mitchel was a frown, the moment Karia left the safety of Mitchel’s wings, he went back after her.

You have been lusting after another man, haven’t you? Nylor accused Karia unjustly.

Karia did the unforgivable in Nylor’s estimation, she shook her head as she rolled her eyes and turned her back on him. She wasn’t about to justify his allegations with an answer. He had no grounds to charge her with anything and he knew it. As far as she was concerned he was trying to cause trouble. That was something he often was very successful at.

Turn your back on me will you? Nylor’s control snapped as he watched Karia begin to walk away.

Nylor ignored all the signs that he had already crossed forbidden boundaries with Karia in front of witnesses as he rushed at her to attack. He grabbed the arched curves of her wings and yanked. A loud snapping sound from the fragile bones followed, as he moved onwards to see how much more damage he could do. He didn’t care who watched as he struck her repeatedly on the back in an attempt to break the cartilages that held her wings to her back. He would rip them off with his own two hands and she would know who held the power after that. He was beyond angry, he was furious. Deny him would she, he would show her. She wanted to die rather than be his mate? He would give her something to make her want to die then he would deny her that right.

Nylor was so focused on what he was doing that he didn’t hear the double roars of rage that came from both Fendor and Mitchel as both men moved to protect Karia. Nylor had committed an unthinkable act, a capital offense that was about to cost him his life. As guardian, Mitchel whipped his wings around in a snapping motion and caught Nylor with the edges. Nylor turned at the same time and gasped as the wingtips connected and severed several of his main arteries. It was over.

CHAPTER III

MY SON! Counselor Tormack yelled as he ran for the exit of the room leading to the hallways.

For those who had been standing in the hall outside the council chambers it had been one shock after another. First; Nylor’s unprecedented attack against Karia, which had left her broken and bleeding on the floor, then Mitchel’s quick defense of the counselor’s daughter that had resulted in the death of her attacker. No one understood what was going on. Things like this didn’t happen on Tantalus.

No male, no matter what his provocation, ever struck a female. It wasn’t merely because of the severe shortage of women in their culture, which was a problem, it was because females were so fragile they were easy to hurt, or kill. No one understood why their genetics worked the way it did, but that was the way it was. The men were powerfully built and strong, while the women were fragile.

When Nylor attacked Karia, he had used his bulk and strength to destroy her wings. Everyone knew what that was about. Nylor had been going around boasting about how he was going to control Karia after they were bonded. She would never fly again and she would bow to him. If he wanted to share her body with his friends he would, after all why should they have to suffer from their needs just because they were male? Women should be forced to cater to the wants of several men, not just one. Karia, he insisted, would be more than happy to accommodate them, or she would pay. No one could understand why her father continued to sanction the union, though Nylor had been careful not to speak like he did in public when either of their parents was around. Karia, they knew, did not like him.

Everyone in the hall area who had witnessed the attack was in a state of half shock. They watched as Nylor’s father raced into the hall and knelt beside his son’s blood-drenched body to gather him into his arms to hold him. He didn’t notice anyone or anything for a while except his son. He rocked him as he cried over his boy’s cooling corpse and when the reality of Nylor’s death finally settled into his mind he turned on Mitchel with a threat everyone knew he was capable of delivering.

Your moments are numbered.

Mitchel wasn’t worried. In a case like this, he was in the right. Everyone knew what Nylor had done. Karia was still undergoing intensive healing and he was still on duty, despite all their previous actions. He refused to be goaded by what the overwrought councilor had uttered. He stood between the possible danger of Nylor’s father and Karia with his feet spread apart as if braced for another assault, his arms were crossed before him, and his wings were spread wide. He was magnificent, a guardian in his