The Return

By R S Cannan

This book is a follow on to my first book The Knife. This book takes the reader on an
Adventure through deep space with all of the inherent trails and tribulations of such a voyage. This book will address a way that a voyage of this nature might take place. It will answer some questions and hopefully make the reader ask a few of their own. This is a voyage of discovery, not only for parts unknown, but also of a mans discovery of himself. This is a book of fiction, but could it happen or better yet has it happened already?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477220924

R S Cannan

I'm a retired business person that has taken up writing books for my grandchildren and friends. This is my fourth book. I enjoy time in the woods, golf, hunting, fishing and flying. I hope the reader will find the life lessons in this book to be worthy enough to be included in their own life. Please see my other books at WWW. RS CANNAN.COM

Book preview

© 2012 by R S Cannan. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/19/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-2091-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-2092-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012910818

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

THE MISSION

EUCLID

THE TUNNEL

VOYAGER I

THE CRIBARI

ARRIVAL

THE KNIFE

HOMEWARD BOUND

INTERGALACTIC COURT ON CENTURRI 2

IN THE COURT

WELCOME BACK TO ASANTI

EPILOGUE

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my parents Jack and Jane and to my family and friends that encouraged me to write another book. Thanks to all you, without you I couldn’t have done it.

INTRODUCTION

This is the second book of The Knife series. This is the story of a deep space voyage that depicts the trials and tribulations of such a voyage. The time is now although time is measured differently here because there is no Earth revolving around the sun and the standard is by necessity different. The terms used are representative of the nature of deep space travel. I have endeavored to make them plausible, but the reader also must think outside of the box.

THE MISSION

Date 92561.321 solsecs, aboard the Asanti cruiser Argos patrolling the Pillars nebula Commander Tallor 5 in command. He was one of the youngest and most daring of the Asanti fleet captains. Having been a veteran of the first Cribari war in the last stages of fighting, thirty-five enlisted crewmen man the Argos with 5 officers. In the service of the Asanti star fleet, everyone is known only by his or her position title, except for the Commander. He is usually addressed by the title Commander Tallor except in formal conversation when the 5 was added out of respect for his forbearers. Master Chief Lugor holds the title of Master Chief of the ship. All enlisted personnel report to him and he is responsible for all of their combined actions. He is also used as a sounding board for the Commander of the ship because of his vast experience

The Argos has been on patrol for over twenty solsecs now with no break. This patrol was responsible for overseeing this section of the nebula. Nothing of note has happened so the crew was anxious to get back to base and have a shore leave of at least 3 solsecs to R&R before they leave again.

Commander—flash message coming in from operations, read it Comm. To Commander of the Argos, from fleet operations command; return immediately to base and report directly to the office of His Excellency Lator, by order of Admiral Nellon 2 Chief of staff. Master Chief to the bridge immediately." Are you sure you deciphered that correctly Comm? Yes sir, I double checked it. Master Chief reporting to the bridge as ordered sir. Master Chief, look at this message and tell me what you think? Sir this must be a mistake—no one is ordered to his Excellencies office without first going through the Admiral. That’s what I thought Master Chief, something must be up.

Navigator—plot most direct route to Asanti and make all possible speed. Comm—reply to the message and copy the admiral.

Master Chief, did anything go wrong on your last shore leave that I should know about? No sir, I would have told you immediately, this must be some kind of mistake, it’s highly unusual. Comm—any unusual message traffic lately to explain this? No sir, everything has been pretty quiet. Master Chief, inform the crew, we’re heading back to Asanti and that shore leave will be allowed for everyone, but stay in contact as usual. Aye sir. Plot—how long till we get home? 3 solsecs sir. First Officer—you will accompany me to meet his Excellency, aye sir—how about the Master Chief? No, he is not on the best of terms with the ruling council and I don’t want to get anything started. Dress uniforms will be the order of the day first officer, aye sir. Master Chief make sure the ship is ready and repositioned before you depart the ship. Aye sir, and may I say sir, the crew has been informed and is extremely happy about shore leave. Master Chief—I don’t want any problems like we had the last time, do you understand? Aye sir, but might I add that it wasn’t my fault, those ground pounders made disparaging remarks about the ship sir and you personally. I understand Master Chief, but I’ve heard those kind of remarks all of my life and they don’t bother me a bit, but thank you for upholding my honor.

Ensign Saileen have you ever docked a ship before? No sir. I’ve been at the weapons station the whole trip sir and have yet to do a docking maneuver. Good, this will be your first. How did you do on the simulators at the academy? Very well sir except I haven’t gotten used to the mass and momentum of such a large ship in actual space conditions. Helm—double up at the docking station and let the ensign do the maneuver, but watch him closely; we get graded every time by the operations staff and I don’t want my ship scratched or dented. Aye sir.

Sir, we’ve entered the Asanti solar system and are preparing for arrival. Helm—bring us back into ion power and slow her down. Aye sir. Master Chief prepare the ship for docking. Engineering bring the magnodynamic power system off line and cool it down. Aye sir. Ensign Saileen move over to the docking station with Helm. Aye sir.

Master Chief are we ready for docking? Aye sir, everyone is in position. Master Chief I hope your new ensign is ready for this. Sir, he’s not my ensign, he’s yours. You selected him from the lot that the academy sent us. Chief, do I note a bit of disdain in your voice?

Not me sir. I would never belittle an officer or the academy they came from. I just wish we would go back to the old days of promoting to the officer ranks from the enlisted personnel. Those war days are gone chief and hopefully they won’t come back. Yes, but your father made a helluve a Master Chief and I dare say sir, a better officer. That he was Chief that he was.

Bring her in slowly ensign, all personnel prepare for docking. Ensign use the bow and stern thruster only, it’s better to come in too slowly than to have to do a go around. Just nudge them and sort of rock the ship into position. The inertia of the ship should just float us in. Full stop now and bring us up to the docking mast with the belly thrusters. There, hear it click in? Very well done, Sir the ship is docked and secure into the docking mast. Well-done ensign see it wasn’t so bad after all. The bridge is coming up to take us to the shuttle port sir. Aye, Helm do our shut down with the ensign and prepare to disembark the ship.

First Officer—We’ll meet at the front of the Ruling council building in two solsecs, aye sir and please be on your best behavior till we find out what’s going on and wear all of your medals and awards, we want to look as good as we can in front of these guys. Sir, will the whole council be meeting with us? I don’t know I hope not as there are a few I would just as well not want to deal with. They are politicians remember and they are only out for what will make them look good and you and I are but a small wheel in their big machine.

Commander Tallor good to see you again sir, I will escort you and your first officer to the meeting with his Excellency. Admiral Nellon, what is going on and why have we been summoned here and not to your office? There is a problem that we must contend with and I suggested that you were the man to solve it. Please be on your best behavior and listen before you answer any questions. I will sir, but I still don’t understand.

Your Excellency may I present Commander Tallor 5 and his first officer Latona.

Admiral, we have met Commander Tallor 5. If you remember his father and I served together during the war. This is my General Council Negron. Commander have you been informed why we are meeting? No sir, just that there was a problem.

Commander have you ever heard of the Sapphire planet? Sir—only in legend and old wives tales. I don’t believe it exists; it’s just a figment of some ancient person’s imagination. Commander have you heard of the migrations? Yes sir, a long time ago when Asanti had a plague of sorts that several groups left Asanti to find another place to