Starship Stinedern

By Gary L Beer

Set many thousands of years in the future Mankind now inhabits more than one hundred and fifty thousand planets. The planets have long been overcrowded and Man needs to expand to survive. Following the earlier great explorations of thousands of years ago when civilisation was prosperous the Starship Stinedern searches for the descendants of those great explorers – if any remain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781300264231

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Starship Stinedern

Starship Stinedern

by

Gary L Beer

Copyright

© Gary L Beer 2012

Revised Edition 2017

ISBN 978-1-300-26423-1

Dedicated to my brother Paul

may we meet again.

The characters in this novel are fictitious.

Any similarity to any persons living or dead

or yet to be is purely coincidental.

All Rights Reserved

The right of Gary L Beer to be identified as the author

of this work has been asserted by him in accordance

with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

This publication or any part of it, may not be

reproduced, transmitted or stored in a retrieval

system without the publishers consent. This novel

is sold subject to the conditions that it will not be

circulated without the publishers consent in any

other form of cover than in which it is published.

Chapter One

Captain Howt feels uncomfortable in his ceremonial uniform as he waits for the Company Directors to arrive. The Starship Stinedern had been ready for two days now and he is impatient to start the voyage.

Politics has to come first and as the Directors have put up the money he has no choice but to take part in their farewell ceremony. The press and media are covering the event broadcasting to every human to the very remote corners of the galaxy.

The departure of the Starship is admittedly a big event as no such exploration has been undertaken in over two thousand years. The voyage is scheduled to last three years as it retraces the earlier explorations that never returned. With many planets becoming overpopulated, mankind had sent out dozens of Starships those thousands of years ago to find habitable planets for the human race to expand.

None of the Starships were ever heard from again. Civilization suffered its own problems during this time and space exploration was one of the necessary casualties as the money ran out. After two thousand years mankind had become even more overcrowded and the need for more planets to live on was now an absolute necessity.

Captain Howt and the crew, dressed in their best uniforms and as impatient as the Captain, suffer in silence as the ceremony continues for several hours. Finally it ends with much fanfare as the crew file onto the Starship. With a final wave at the crowd and banks of cameras the Captain enters the Starship as the door shuts after him.

Hurrying to the bridge the Captain hears the engines increase their power as they ready for take-off.

As the Captain sits in his especially designed chair he instinctively checks the Starship’s systems. All show green and looking over at the Helmsman he smiles briefly; Take us out of here Mister, he says with a certain amount of urgency to his voice.

Aye sir, acknowledges the Helmsman as he engages the engines. Slowly he steers the huge Starship out of the space dock and increases the speed.

Engage the hyperdrive as soon as we are in position, I need to change out of this uniform. says the Captain as he undoes his stiff collar and rubs his neck. Excited about their first destination; a binary star system three hundred light years away, the Captain tries to suppress his impatience as he stares at the forward viewing screen. The nearby planets blur as the Starship increases speed as it flies away from its home world. Engaging the hyperdrive the viewing screen goes dark as the Starship achieves a speed far in excess of the speed of light. A split second later the computers compensate for the high speed and the viewing screen comes back on. The view is a star filled sky much like you would see when you stare up into the heavens; the stars being so distant they do not appear to move at all.

The white light of the rising star starts its slow influence of the planet. Aaron knows that the warm yellow of their sun would now only remain for another twenty-seven days. Then the white light would shine as brightly as their own suns’ yellow light and that would bring about disaster to his people. Aaron cursed the gods for bringing the evil light back and vowed silently that it would not bring the disaster predicted.

He had studied the writings that were copied hurriedly from the ships computer banks; before the computers were deliberately damaged shortly after the landing over two thousand years ago. The information from the computer banks had been copied and re-copied over the centuries and much of their meaning had become lost or misunderstood. Many had been declared as heresy about a thousand years ago and most had been burnt; especially the sciences.

The warning of the white star had been written in nearly all of the remaining writings. The ancient astronomers, whoever they were, had predicted the date with uncanny accuracy but had given no idea or clue in surviving the impending disaster.

Aaron lived in the remains of the craft that had brought his ancestors here all those years ago. Much of the equipment had stopped working shortly after the craft landed and had been removed to who knew where. The computer banks still lined one wall as did the navigation console and sensor relays. With the main computer damaged beyond repair all of the other systems failed to operate, and their meaning had also become lost in the passage of time. Aaron stared at the strange shaped cabinets and consoles wishing they would give up their secrets.

Aaron is tall; a few inches over six feet and he looks an impressive figure with his broad shoulders and head of thick black wavy hair. He is regarded as the leader of the descendants who landed here; a search party that were looking for survivors of a colonizing expedition that had disappeared in this sector years before. They had found the colonists craft - and the burnt out remains of the huge craft still lay where it had fallen in the desert to the south of here. There had been no sign of survivors and the search party had looked in vain for several years before giving up the search.

By then they had their own problems; and that was one of survival, they had built a village around their crashed craft and over the years their original purpose was forgotten. With the planting of crops to survive, life took on a primitive form of normality.

Aaron had studied the ancient writings convinced that a solution to the coming sun was amongst the strange symbols and lines that covered the deteriorating manuscripts. Aaron had studied hard over the years but failed to fully understand them. A yellow crystal that formed naturally high in the mountains would protect them from the harmful rays of the white star, according to one of the badly damaged parchments. Much of the paper-like material had rotted away and Aaron had had to make many educated guesses to fill in the gaps.

All summer he had the villagers collect the strange yellow crystal that had formed in a nearby mountain to make the roofs for their houses out of the material. The walls of their houses were made of quarried stone which Aaron hoped would act as a good barrier against the oncoming threat. Vast areas; the recreation area and all of the rich farmland were now roofed over with the strange crystal. All that was left to cover were the houses, paths and gardens of the southern end of the village.

Much of the crystal on the far mountain where it was found was contaminated with a black powdery substance making the crystal brittle. The black impurity was also absorbent and let the rain and moisture in. This had frozen in the cold of winter and expanded; cracking the crystal into a thousand pieces making it useless for their purpose.

Searching the mountain, they discovered a rich seam on the other side just below the surface with only a trace of the black powder. This crystal had been easy to mine at first and most of the remaining village roofs were covered in a few short months; even with the extra distance around the mountain to travel. The crystal became harder to mine as the seam, that had been six feet wide and about three feet thick, suddenly narrowed to about a foot in diameter as it turned sharply downwards going directly into the bowels of the earth far below. The crystal became harder as it plunged into the depths of the earth and their primitive chisels and tools were not even able mark it.

Two volunteers were needed to go and search the mountains to find more of the yellow crystal that was so desperately needed. A burly young man called Wayne along with his friend Jym bravely volunteer; little is known about the wilderness that surrounds them as much had been forgotten; and most who did venture into it do not return.

The two villagers explore the mountains to the north to find they are covered in thick ice and snow making the search for more of the crystal nearly impossible. Travelling south east for many days they descend the snow covered mountains. Entering a vast forest that covers every mountain and valley for as far as the eye can see, they camp by a large river.

Searching the nearby mountains they find many formations of crystal that are a dark red and glow in the sunlight like the embers of a fire. The light of the sun appears to dance and move deep within the crystal making it appear alive. The crystal becomes hot as it absorbs the sun’s rays giving it the impression that it is the hot embers of a fire. After a few short moments in the sun it becomes far too hot to touch and the land is barren around it.

Large veins of the yellow crystal they are searching for are close to the fast flowing river and they seem to grow out of the ground and climb high up the mountain. The yellow crystal is filled with the same black impurity they had found on their mountain. The crystal had deteriorated under the hot sun in the same way where it is exposed to the elements. Wayne and Jym tunnel through the soft rock, deep into the base of the mountain following a vein of the precious yellow crystal for fifty yards or more. The black impurity seems to permeate it all making it useless.

They follow the river south until they reach a flat plain of dry parched grass that stretches to the far horizon. Large herds of multi horned buffalo graze the dry grass as packs of large wild dogs, half the size of the buffalo and with huge manes of golden hair, stalk the unwary grazers. Keeping close to the river Wayne and Jym watch the dogs as a hundred or more encircle the herd of over a thousand grazing buffalo.

The dogs, though large themselves, have to be brave or very hungry to face the cluster of five very sharp horns that cover the buffalo's head. Above the hoof of each foot of the buffalo a vicious looking claw about twelve inches long and four inches wide at its widest point protrudes. The claw on the front legs points forward whereas the claw on the rear legs is on the back of the leg just above the hoof - and points backwards. The backward kick of the buffalo with the strength of the huge back legs and with such a weapon would decapitate anything it kicked.

From their hiding place amongst the bushes that grow abundantly along the riverbank, Wayne and Jym watch the huge dogs move in slowly towards the herd. Several male buffalo raise their heads and snort and sniff the air, as the smell of the dogs drifting on the hot air reaches them.

The largest buffalo in the herd bellows and calls the other males to him and within a short time he becomes surrounded by more than a hundred of the huge males. Bellowing and nodding his head at the surrounding males he appears to issue instructions as the bulls start to form a ragged line about a hundred feet wide. Bellowing loudly the huge bull runs towards the nearest group of dogs with all the male buffalo following!

The ground thunders and shakes at the weight of the charging bulls and the dogs turn tail and run, straight in the direction of the hidden watchers in the bushes!

The sight of over forty enormous dogs hurtling towards them makes Wayne and Jym turn tail and run; and run as fast as they can! The dogs and the pursuing buffalo are covering the ground as if they are flying, they are running so fast.

The river, though ice cold and flowing fast, is the only escape from the ferocious jaws and wicked claws and Wayne and Jym both leap into the freezing water. The cold water sucks the heat from their bodies instantly and numb with cold they let the current wash them downstream.

Back at the riverbank the huge dogs have stopped at the water’s edge and turn to face the onrushing buffalo. The buffalo seeing the dogs lining the riverbank stop about fifty feet in front of them and form an orderly, almost straight line in front of them. The dogs growl and snap showing their long canine teeth as several move towards the buffalo. The buffalo put their heads down pointing their five horns at the snapping dogs. The dogs appear frightened of the rushing river behind them and pace back and forth in agitation. The largest bull takes several steps forward and lowers its head. Making a deep growling sound in its throat, the huge bull charges forward and runs directly into the dog in front of it. The dog has no chance as the five horns smash into it piercing the heart, lungs and stomach. Raising its head the huge bull gives a mighty roar that shakes the ground and with a flick of its head throws the dead dog into the river. Lowering its head he charges the nearest dog as the rest of the herd crash into the pack of terrified animals.

Total carnage follows as the huge bulls stab and kills the almost defenseless dogs that seem more terrified of drowning and will not enter the river. Their teeth though long and sharp are no match for the head of horns that comes rushing towards them. Soon it is all over with the buffalo triumphant as they toss the dead dogs into the river. The largest bull gives a triumphant bellow as he heads back to the herd with the other males following close behind.

As Wayne and Jym get swept away a bend in the river makes them lose sight of the huge beasts and they desperately look for somewhere to get out of the freezing water. Swimming across the river when the current allows, they are several miles deep into the plain before they are able to scramble ashore. The cold water has numbed their bodies and they find it enormously difficult to drag themselves across the bare riverbank and into the bushes. Hidden from sight amongst the shrub they make a small fire to warm themselves. Huddling close to the warming flames they both fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning the cold of the dawn wakes them and Wayne and Jym emerge from the bushes into the light of the rising sun. Many of the dead dogs litter the riverbank and they drag several into the bushes and gut and skin them, making coats out of the large golden manes. The gold coloring blends in perfectly with the surrounding dry grass and they feel confident they can cross the plain back to the mountains. Cooking the meat they eat well and using the stomachs of the dogs they have butchered, they wash and fill them with water from the river. Making a shoulder strap from the long tail they tie the animal’s stomachs with sinew and wrapping several large pieces of meat in the remaining skins Wayne and Jym set off into the long grass in the direction of the nearest mountain.

The long grass can hold many dangers though they feel secure in their coats of golden mane. Keeping up a good pace they follow a game trail that seems to lead directly to the mountains. One big danger they find are the insects, especially the flies and ticks. Snakes and poisonous lizards make the effort to avoid them as they hurry through the long grass. The flies however take a different attitude and they are constantly bombarded by hundreds of brightly colored biting flies. The orange and grey striped ones hurt the worst. Drawing blood painfully at each bite, they remove a piece of skin about an eighth of an inch in diameter.

The biting flies are minor compared to the ticks that generally feed on the huge buffalo. The ticks, about a half inch in size including the legs and huge jaws, bite painfully as they bury their heads deep into the flesh.

Most of the ticks are waiting on the stems of grass about waist high, waiting for something, or someone to brush against them, so they can leap onto the warm body. Burying themselves in the manes of golden hair they remain undetected as they make their way to the warmth of the stomach. The first indication is the painful bite followed by excruciating pain that follows as the tick buries its head deep into the flesh.

The ticks move fast and are well embedded in the flesh before they can be removed. Immediately the tick starts to feed and fill its body with blood. When it is about the size of a ripe eaper seed (about the size of a pea), it painfully lets go and can be squashed before it buries itself in the soil to digest its meal.

Wayne ties his dog manes tightly around him covering his exposed flesh. The ticks cannot bury their way through the thick mane and he remains generally unscathed. His companion Jym however is not as fortunate. He has made a bad job of skinning the dogs and many gaps and openings allow the ticks to get in. After several hours he suddenly collapses as his body is covered with ticks!

Unconsciousness and death follows quickly and suddenly Wayne finds himself alone with many miles of grass and mountains ahead of him to travel before he gets home.

Covering his friend’s body with stones and rocks Wayne hides himself amongst some huge boulders and tries to sleep. Travelling in the early hours of the day, when the ticks and other biting insects are too cold to be active, he moves quickly through the long dry grass. As noon approaches along with the ticks, he finds himself a small bare patch of ground. Holding the golden mane above him to use as a sunshade he rests and dozes until the sun starts to slip towards the horizon.

Tying the golden mane tightly around him Wayne picks up the nearly empty dogs stomachs of water and follows the trail towards the mountains. As darkness descends Wayne lies down in a small cleared area and sleeps until dawn. The cold wakes him and not stopping to eat any of the meat he is carrying he walks quickly to the nearby mountain. Reaching the base of the mountain about mid morning he searches the cliffs for a cave or ledge to cook some meat and regain his strength.

Following a game trail he makes his way slowly up the mountain as the trees thin and Wayne sees an entrance to a small cave. Gathering dry grass and twigs he ties them together and sets it alight making a torch. Holding the flame high above his head he enters the cave wary of any animals that might have made it into their home. Walking carefully he makes his way into the cave. The floor of the cave is clear of any remains and it appears to Wayne that it has been swept clean. Making his way deeper in he enters a large chamber that is made entirely of the precious yellow crystal they seek. The sight that meets him in the flickering light makes him draw his breath in surprise as the cave walls seem to glow in the weak light and soothe and calm him. The strange influence that the crystal is reputed to do as written in the manuscripts, can be felt in this cave.

The yellow crystal they had been mining looked similar (and it was only at Aaron's insistence in his belief in the writings that the yellow crystal would exert its influence, when the white sun cast its light, that they had mined it). Many had read the writings and debated the strange influence the crystal exerted. Supposedly under normal sunlight, according to the ancient writings, and none had felt any different under its 'protective' shield.

Wayne thinks of the village and of those who had made their house roofs of the crystal. They had felt no difference in their behavior either and questioned Aaron's interpretation of the passed down knowledge.

Aaron had replied in a scientific way; explaining that the strange symbols written (and whose meaning had been forgotten centuries ago), were a way of explaining the effects of the white light through the crystal comparing them to the effects of the light from the yellow sun. Writing symbols on a large piece of flat wood he had demonstrated how some symbols could change into others under the different white light. The patterns he formed could be construed as equations, and as no one understood or knew any better, he was allowed to continue, as Wayne remembered.

Aaron had been made Chieftain and he vowed he would make all they had created from this wilderness; the orchards and vineyards, the arable crops and the entire village safe for when the white light came. They had labored for many months gathering the crystal secure in their belief that their scientist leader knew what he was talking about.

With nearly all the village and all the farmland covered they had questioned his reasoning; as the promised harmony and happiness under its protective glow was not happening. The orchards and vineyards had started to lose their luster and the fruit had started to taste bitter, along with the wine. The yellow crystal seemed to be causing more harm than good and many had argued that Aaron was wrong.

Looking at the crystal cave surrounding him Wayne knew now that Aaron was wrong. The crystal they had been gathering and mining would prove useless against the harmful rays contained within the white light of the approaching sun. The crystal that this cave is composed of appears a lighter hue than the one they had gathered and the crystal appears to go deep into the mountain. In many places Wayne cannot see the rock behind where the crystal has formed in such a thick layer.

Walking back to the entrance of the cave Wayne puts his burning torch down and searches the forest for wood to make a fire. The forest is eerily quiet around the cave and Wayne feels calm and relaxed as he gathers dead sticks and branches. As he turns back towards the cave he becomes aware of the strange yellow light that shines out of the cave and permeates the surrounding forest. The light appears to stretch deep into the trees and Wayne notices how green and healthy they look and how quiet it is. Further away beyond the reach of the light, the trees appear stunted and lifeless. Wondering why he had not noticed the luxuriant growth around the cave earlier Wayne returns to the entrance and makes a small fire. Unwrapping a hind leg from its skin bag Wayne cuts off a large piece with his knife and piercing it with a long stick holds it over the flames to cook.

The meat smells of decomposing flesh as it cooks, but Wayne is so hungry he is quite happy to risk food poisoning to stop the hunger pains in his stomach. He cooks the meat well constantly turning it in the hot flames until it starts to catch alight. Satisfied he has cooked it enough he lets it cool before biting into it. The decomposing smell has disappeared and the meat tastes dry and burnt where he has overcooked it.

Eating it all and washing it down with a mouthful of water Wayne spreads his golden mane coat onto the ground and lays back exhausted. Sleep takes hold immediately and Wayne sleeps deeply for several hours until strange dreams start to wake him. Restlessly he moves about on the golden mane as a strong force invades his mind and filling it with multi-colored creatures that all appear to shout his name. Urgently they demand he awake and Wayne suddenly opens his eyes and finds himself staring at a large feathered creature as the dream becomes reality.

The creature before him has a human face that looks more dog-like. The sharp curved incisors protruding from the mouth can only be designed for ripping flesh. Huge dagger like claws protrudes from its six toes, looking sharp and strong as if they are made of solid bone. Short bright red and yellow