The Big Hunt

By Charles van Wettum

After an accident with his spaceship (or was it an attack by aliens?), Captain Joram wants to go back. He wants revenge! Detective Adam goes along with a simple assignment: why do all Higgs-powered ships get into accidents in the first place? The assignment becomes dangerous when Joram turns nuts. What danger threatens them? To carry out his assignment, Adam must survive both the trial run and Captain Joram.

 

One reader commented: "A wonderful SF-MobyDick tribute with human protagonists. This fits seamlessly with the author's philosophy: 'SF is about us and our world, even when it's not about us and our world.' 

 

8000 words, approx. 22 pages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Muttew
• Release date: Mar 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224089437

Charles van Wettum

Charles van Wettum schrijft sciencefiction-verhalen. Korte verhalen verschenen in tijdschriften, bundels en op genre-websites. In 2023 zijn er van zijn hand drie boeken verschenen, waaronder de roman 'Kwantumschuim'. Hij is o.a. winnaar van de Schrijfwedstrijd Myopia (2023) van NRC.

Book preview

The Big Hunt

Charles van Wettum

Published by Muttew, 2024.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

THE BIG HUNT

First edition. March 22, 2024.

Copyright © 2024 Charles van Wettum.

ISBN: 979-8224089437

Written by Charles van Wettum.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

The big hunt | By Charles van Wettum

Also By Charles van Wettum

About the Author

The big hunt

By Charles van Wettum

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Captain Joram

I've been brought out of stasis faster than usual. Agonizing cold seeps through my fingers, my muscles are tortured by cramps, goosebumps pull my skin so tight I can feel it crack, and my eyes throb from the pressure inside. The awakening consciousness warns me that I'm about to develop a splitting headache. The vague blur I see hanging above me dissolves into a head.

‘Have you arrived, Adam? The crisis has begun. We’re off course.’

The head belongs to a man. Short hair, blue eyes. I see a grin, clearly not a sign of sympathy.

‘I...’ My vocal cords feel like they're encased in concrete. When I clear my throat, I feel cracks and chunks. The fog in my head lifts. ‘...can...’

The grin widens. ‘Come on, Adam. Don’t be pathetic.’ There’s no pleasure like schadenfreude.

‘Yeah.’ Pause. Swallow. Breathe. ‘I’m here.’

Contrary to popular fables about waking from stasis, a traveler’s memory is excellent. The question ‘where am I’ doesn’t occur to me: I’m in the stasis chamber of the QuePod. It's the maiden voyage of this Higgs express bus, and I’m the only passenger on board. In a few weeks this ship will be carrying two hundred passengers per trip to Proximus on a regular basis. And, not unimportantly, the ship is in serious trouble.

‘Hurry up, Adam, you have to get to work.’

My vision sharpens. The man above me is wearing a First Mate’s collar. I remember the face. At the departure from the Lagrange2 bus station, First Mate Jacob van Drongelen was briefly introduced to me. Captain Joram didn’t give me the opportunity to get to know him better. He was in a hurry, so I went into stasis immediately.

I would rather not wake up in space; they know to call me only in an emergency. So, this must be it.

‘I’m on my way, mister.’

‘Call me Jacob.’