More Than a Feeling

Dan had booked passage to Sirius A Five via hyperspace channel 84.

Acclimated by spending years in zero-gee, Dan passed the time by watching tourists clumsily navigate the space station's concourse.

Particularly amusing were the tourists who floated out of reach of grab handles or similar fixtures. In near panic, those tourists thrashed about, calling for help as they slowly drifted about the concourse.

Dan's iCard vibrated and chimed. Dan dilated a pocket of his jumpsuit, pulled out the card just as it announced, "Now ready for boarding at airlock seven."

The card repeated the announcement before Dan replied, "Got it." The card went dark. Dan put the iCard back into the pocket. The pocket sealed itself.

Dan pushed off toward airlock seven, stopped at one of the lock's grab handles before boarding the ship.

Using other grab handles to pull himself through the hatchway, Dan paused a moment as an audio transducer, flush-mounted in the overhead said, "Welcome aboard, Dan. You're assigned to seat 12."

The ship was a day cruiser with no private compartments or sleeping berths. Seat 12 was an aisle seat. Using one of the overhead handrails, Dan worked himself down the aisle toward his assigned seat. The headrest on the seat flashed Dan's name and seat number, and then went dark as Dan strapped himself in.

The seat next to Dan's was occupied by a woman about Dan's age. She offered a hand, said, "I'm Susi."

Dan took the hand as he replied, "Dan." The woman's hand was warm, the grip was firm.

Pulling away her hand, Susi asked, "Where you headed?"

Before Dan answered he made a quick appraisal of Susi, liked what he saw. Susi's smile was sincere. Her eyes gleamed with an arched and bemused intelligence and were dark brown, not uncommon. However, the pupils were rimmed with a most delightful shade of green. Dan was mesmerized by those remarkable eyes.

Being young and single, always on the prowl, Dan could not restrain himself. He risked a quick glance at Susi's figure.

Like Dan, Susi was clad in a silver-colored jumpsuit. Unlike Dan's garment, Susi's jumpsuit flamboyantly flashed a constantly changing scene of wildlife. Images of colorful butterflies fluttered about; bees gathered pollen from flowers softly swaying in a breeze; birds preened their plumage while perched upon tree branches.

Unlike Dan's jumpsuit, Susi's was skintight, no pockets bulging with belongings.

Responding to Susi's question, Dan replied, "I'm getting off at Sirius A Five. The company I work for has a buncha bots there requiring maintenance and repair."

"Bots?" asked Susi. "You're a bot repairman?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting," commented Susi. "I don't think I've ever met a bot repairman before. Where you ever learn how to care for bots?"

Above the hubbub of other passengers, Dan replied, "In the Solarian Guard. I spent my mandatory service to the masses by volunteering for the Guard, served on the bot carrier Shangri-La, out around the outer planets."

"Thanks for your service" said Susi. "My sister Marci did her mandatory service in the Guard--was a medic in the First Infantry Division."

Dan nodded, asked, "So what do you do?"

Susi leaned slightly in towards Dan, replied, "I work for my Dad. Sirius A Four is a wildlife preserve--the entire planet. The planet's restricted, but given it has no indigenous intelligent life forms, my Dad was able to wrangle permission from the Galactic Council to operate a wildlife research station there."

"Anyway, my sister Marci had a kid, so I went to Earth to play the loving aunt for a bit; now I'm going back to work.

"After we get to the moon at Sirius A Five, I'll grab a ride on one of the delivery freighters that goes in to Sirius A Four and other destinations."

Dan asked, "So what is it you do for your Dad?"

"I'm his videographer."

Dan naturally assumed Susi's eyes and ears were linked to an implant. "You recording me now?" he asked.

Susi blushed slightly, replied, "Of course."

Dan asked, "Ever eat at Linda's Restaurant? Being located at Higgs Junction, it gets an interesting crowd."

The Sirius system had the rare distinction of being a junction for two different hyperspace channels.

The Sirius system was a binary system--two stars. Not only did hyperspace channel 84 from the black hole at the center of the galaxy terminate at Sirius A, hyperspace channel 97 from a different black hole terminated at Sirius B.

Given that fact, the primary spaceport on the largest moon orbiting Sirius A Five served as a way station for travelers from across much of the galaxy. Linda's Restaurant was always busy with Solarians and related humanoids awaiting transit.

"I've dined there many times," replied Susi. "Why do you ask?"

Dan said, "I'm a flexitarian, but you know, the barbie there is incredible. I can't help myself. Whenever I'm in the area, I have to stop in at Linda's and chow down on her famous barbecued insectoid larvae. Lotsa protein you know."

"Besides, Linda's head cook is Australian. We got a buncha bots in Australia, working the opal mines. I love Australia; the people are real friendly, their beer is excellent and they are masters of barbecue."

"Anyway, care to join me for a bite and a pint at Linda's?"

Susi giggled, perhaps at Dan's use of the archaic term of pint, perhaps for another reason.

Around a coy little smile, Susi replied, "Love to."

Entering stars to access hyperspace channels always caused Dan some nervousness.

Modern ships were well protected from heat and radiation. Nonetheless, as Dan watched the passenger compartment's overhead 3D array of the ship's approach to Sol, he fidgeted.

Susi shoved herself to the left in her seat, snuggled into Dan, and gripped his arm just above the wrist. "Don't worry," she said, "hasn't been an accident in decades."

"Can't help it," replied Dan.

Dan savored Susi's closeness. With his left hand he reached across his body, gripped Susi's wrist.

"This usually doesn't happen to me," lied Dan, "but, you know, I gotta feeling about you the instant we met."

"I don't need to go planetside as soon as we get to the spaceport. Maybe we could spend a little time together, get to know one another?"

"I'd love to," Susi said. "In fact, we could use the Solarian barracks that's next door to Linda's. I assume you know there are separate suites for travelers looking for some privacy. How 'bout it?"

Dan's fidgeting ceased as the ship entered the Sun. "Sounds like a plan," he answered.

The Sirius System wasn't far off. In ship's time, the trip through hyperspace channel 84 took several hours. In the Solar System and in the Sirius System, because of relativistic reactions, near a couple of Earth standard years passed.

The day cruiser passed through the temporal lock of the focused neutron force field of the spaceport. Given the moon had no magnetic field to repulse against, auxiliary thrusters eased the ship down to a launch pad.

After landing, the ship announced the location of the baggage claim lounge.

As Dan and Susi made their way to baggage claim, Susi flirtatiously slipped her arm through Dan's arm at his elbow.

Dan and Susi were usually exposed to either planetside gravity or zero gravity. Walking in the weak gravity of a moon was a novelty to the pair.

In the baggage claim lounge the passenger's luggagebots, all of standardized size and rectangular shape but of differing colors and sporting identifying decals, rolled in on their motorized casters.

As the luggagebots searched for their owners, many of the passengers waved or shouted at the bots or pulled out their iCards, transmitted their location to their bots.

Dan and Susi cleared customs. With their luggagebots rolling behind them they strolled through the tunnel to Linda's Restaurant.

After their meal, the pair reported in to the Solarian barracks.

At the front counter the clerkbot, bolted to the top of the counter, said, "Hello Dan. Hello Susi. So nice to see you again. Would you like your usual bunks?"

Susi quickly replied, "We'd like one of your suites."

"You're together?" politely asked the clerkbot. "How delightful. To what account should I post the charges?"

Dan stepped forward. "Charge my company what you usually charge for a bunk. Then subtract the rest from my iCard."

Susi exclaimed, "No wait! Subtract the rest from my Dad's Foundation account."

"Done," said the clerkbot. "You're programmed for suite 202, second floor to the right."

"Thanks," replied Dan and Susi in unison.

"One more thing," said the clerkbot. "We presently have a most unusual situation. We have a guest here who's not Solarian. He's Pleidean."

Dan and Susi flashed each other quick glances.

The clerkbot elaborated. "The Pleideans are sending an ambassador to the Solarian system. Our Pleidean guest is doing the advance work necessary for the establishment of an embassy.

"A nearby ship from your Solarian Guard has been dispatched to provide transportation from here to the Solarian System. The ship is scheduled to arrive in about three of your days."

"The Pleidean is staying in Suite 201, right across the hall from your suite."

Dan shrugged, said, "No problem. I assume the Pleidean has been scanned for pathogens?"

The clerkbot replied, "Certainly. Nanobots roaming the Pleidean's blood vessels and other areas are sophisticated and have recently been reinforced."

"Your suite is ready," added the clerkbot. "Have a nice stay."

Dan and Susi rode the maglift to the second floor, found their suite.

"Hello Dan. Hello Susi," said the door's external transducer.

The door opened. Dan and Susi entered their room. The door closed.

As their luggagebots rolled to the luggage rack and were lifted up to it by the rack's arm, Susi said, "Nice room; it's much better than I expected."

Without a word, Dan took Susi into his arms, kissed her.

Susi pressed into Dan as she returned the kiss, then pulled away. "What's your hurry sailor?"

Dan laughed.

"You know," said Susi, looking into Dan's eyes, "I just can't believe I'm involved with a blue collar worker who's a vet.

Before Dan could reply, the door chimed, and then announced, "There's someone at the door."

"Door--display," ordered Dan.

The door switched to video mode, became a full-length video screen. Standing in the hall was a tall, blonde, raw-boned male. He was clad in a jumpsuit resembling Dan's, but was of a slightly darker hue.

The man wore a gold-colored headband. There were four short, thick spikes evenly distributed around the headband and protruding upwards from it. Dan and Susi saw a number of small lenses inset to the headband, also evenly spaced.

In hand, the man held what appeared to be a rock the size and shape of a chicken egg. The rock was smooth, perhaps a river rock, was black in color.

"Door--open," ordered Dan.

The door opened. The man entered. The door closed.

"Salutations," said the rock. "Forgive my intrusion. I am a Pleidean seeking information concerning Solarian culture. My sources, while seemingly accurate, are subject to cultural bias and are also badly dated."

"Dan turned to Susi, said, "Jeez. You know, one of the opal miners in Australia told me about some Australian Aborigine tribe living nearby his camp that had a myth concerning talking rocks being used to communicate with gods."

Susi said, "I assume you understand what I'm saying?"

"Certainly," replied the rock."

The Pleidean held out the rock, which said, "This is an audio frequency transceiver and translator.

"It translates your language into what you might recognize as thought, then transmits said thought to my headband. On my headband is an antenna specific to the transceiver.

"The headband then transmits to an implant in my brain.

"Transmission to my transceiver is a reversal of the process."

"You're telepathic?" asked Susi.

"Artificially so," came the reply.

Susi said, "My name is Susi. My--um--my friend here, his name is Dan. What's your name?"

"We don't have names, we are assigned numbers. The numbers are never reassigned. Also, because there are so many of us scattered across the galaxy, the numbers, even though they are in a system resembling your hexadecimal system, they're too long to deal with if you're not telepathic."

The Pleidean briefly touched the center of his forehead just above his nose, and then said, via his translator, "I understand that Solarians, like the majority of sentient beings of this sector of our galaxy, are not telepathic."

"True," replied Susi as Dan nodded agreement.

Again, via his translator the Pleidean said, "It's good that our conversation involves my headband. One of the reasons we Pleideans decided to re-establish contact with Solarians is to correct any misunderstandings concerning our previous contacts which were many thousands of your years in the past."

"Because of our common roots, long ago, we sent expeditions to your system. Your civilization was extremely primitive then, but as you advanced, we thought it best to pull back. I'm sure you know, the Galactic Council has ruled that more advanced beings must allow civilizations to develop naturally without overt interference or influence."

"We've been monitoring your civilization's progress, and one thing that's become obvious is that you have a gift for myths, legends, storytelling and the like."

"Your ancient aristocrats, having observed our headbands, created their own headbands -- what you refer to as crowns. They used these crowns as symbols of their supposed superiority. Throughout much of your history this practice became the accepted norm."

"Now that Solarians have joined the Galactic Council and are traveling about the galaxy, we Pleideans are obligated to explain to you the effect we had on your ancestors and history. The headbands are just one item of many."

The Pleidean spent well over an hour with Dan and Susi, quizzing them on Solarian culture.

Dan and Susi, in turn, had many questions of their own.

After the Pleidean returned to his suite, Dan went into the room's lavatory, explaining to Susi that he needed privacy to transmit to his boss what the Pleidean had said. Dan's iCard had the dark dimension's communications option.

Quickly and quietly, Susi stripped off her jumpsuit and undergarments, climbed into bed, pulled the covers up to her neck.

Susi then turned onto her side, scooted up onto her left elbow.

Dan emerged from the lavatory, strode to the middle of the room, stopped short when he realized Susi was in bed.

Susi flipped back the covers.

Dan's eyes widened.

"Hello, sailor," purred Susi.

Susi's eyes were half-closed. In a husky voice she playfully said, "Welcome aboard."

As Dan disrobed, he exclaimed, "All hands on deck!"

The previous two days had been a delightful break from routine, but now it was time for Dan to get to work. A shuttle to the nearby planet was due to lift off.

Susi accompanied Dan to the terminal.

At Dan's departure gate there was a large 3D array displaying the associated launch pad. The shuttle parked on the pad was triangular in shape.

Because the moon lacked a magnetic field, a blister containing rocket boosters was affixed to the shuttle's lower hull. Once within the magnetic field of the planet, three magnetic repulsion units would take over, repulsing against the planet's magnetic field to lower the shuttle to its destination spaceport.

Dan and Susi embraced as Dan said, "You know, I'm really going to miss you."

Susi rested her chin on Dan's shoulder, replied, "Ditto."

This time, Dan didn't lie. He said, "I've never felt like this before. It's more than a feeling. It's like destiny or something. Know what I mean?"

Susi pulled away, nodded her assent. Her eyes teared up. She pressed up against Dan, kissed him.

The kiss was deeply passionate, lasted a long time.

Breaking the kiss, voice trembling, Susi said, "Oh Dan, I feel the same way; I think it really is more than a feeling. It is destiny, like you said. When are we going to see each other again?"

"Hard to say. Maybe never. I've got another stop before I'm due to report back to the Solarian System. Such as it is, it'll be years before we can be together again."

Susi nodded.

The couple again embraced, kissed.

Without another word, with his luggagebot trailing behind, Dan left the concourse, set out for the shuttle.

At the ship's airlock, Dan turned toward the terminal, waved.

The shuttle blasted off a few minutes later.

Susi then sat on a nearby bench, buried her face in her hands, sobbed.

Across the aisle was an elderly Solarian woman. She crossed the aisle, sat down, put her arm around Susi.

"It's all right to cry dearie," said the woman with a slight British accent. "I know how you feel. I was young once."

Susi leaned in against the woman. After a few minutes, the crying stopped, Susi slid away from the woman, thanked her.

Susi and the woman chatted for a few minutes. Susi then went back to her suite.

The next day, Susi boarded a freighter scheduled for the system's inner planets and moons.

The freighter was completely robotic. The Sirians, having a highly advanced technological base, required no organic beings to serve as co-pilots.

Though traveling at below the speed of light, the freighter's particle accelerator provided enough thrust to reach Sirius A Four in just a few days.

The research station's bearerbots came to the loading ramp, gathered the designated crates and packages and such from the cargo bay, and carried the items down the ramp.

Susi and her luggagebot went down the ramp. There was a securitybot at the bottom of the ramp, looking out toward the tree line.

As Susi passed by the securitybot, it called out, "Susi! I'm so happy to see you again. Your Father will be thrilled."

Susi turned around, with a slight smirk replied, "You have no emotions. You can't be happy. My Dad ordered you bots to say that upon my return, didn't he?"

"Yes."

The securitybot held a blaster in one hand. With the other hand the bot reached out, lightly touched Susi on her right shoulder. Susi was amused by the obviously artificial gesture.

"Still," said the securitybot, it's good you have returned. Your Father aged noticeably while you've been gone. I have enough intelligence to calculate his declining health."

Susi nodded, her expression grim.

Susi said, "Have one of the bearerbots carry my luggagebot."

"As you wish."

Susi took her place in the line forming up of bearerbots and securitybots, which soon started the march to the research station.

The research station's policy of not disturbing the terrain or vegetation by using tracked or wheeled bots meant that the securitybots and most of the bearerbots were bipeds. Some of the heavy-duty bearerbots had four or six legs.

Though the air was warm and humid, Susi enjoyed its freshness, breathed deeply as she walked.

Bird songs and the buzzing of insects provided an apt accompaniment to the hypnotic rhythm of the bearerbots walking in near synchronicity. Occasionally, from deep within the jungle, animals roared or barked or otherwise called out.

Several meters out from both flanks of the file some of the securitybots provided protection from carnivores, aggressive herd animals, or solitary large herbivores that often sported horns or tusks.

It took slightly less than half-an-hour to reach the research station.

The commanding securitybot collapsed the station's force field and the bearerbots took their loads to the warehouse.

At the center of the research station's grounds stood a bungalow. Within its veranda sat Susi's Father.

He stood, waved, stepped off the stoop.

Susi ran towards her Father, shouted, "Dad!"

Susi threw herself into her Father's arms, shoved her head against his chest.

Susi then stepped back, looked at her Father. The securitybot had been correct; Susi's Father had aged noticeably during her trip. His eyes had lost their sparkle; his face and forearms had acquired age-spots; wrinkles had spread across his forehead.

Susi's Father was slightly older than 150 years, the normal lifespan for a Solarian male. That knowledge did not ease Susi's concern. Once again, she threw herself into her Father's arms. She exclaimed, "Oh Dad, I'm so happy to see you!"

Her Father said, "Let's go sit on the veranda. You can tell me all about Marci and my new grandchild."

Susi's next few days were busy. After settling back into domestic life at the research station, Susi returned to work, roaming the planet with her team of securitybots, using her implants to capture videos of the indigenous wildlife.

Susi enjoyed the familiarity of her old routine.

Her routine included days off from work. The planet's lack of a large moon disrupted Susi's cycle, but about every 28 Earth standard days or so, Susi stayed out of the field. Her scent during that period attracted carnivores.

On one of her days off, Susi was relaxing on the veranda. A freighter was due and Susi was anticipating its arrival. The freighter was delivering foodstuffs and beverages.

Bearing boxes, crates, packages, bearerbots, and accompanying securitybots entered the research station's grounds. Near halfway down the line of bots was an organic being, a humanoid. Susi suddenly realized it was Dan!

Susi leapt to her feet, waved, hollered, "Dan!"

Susi ran to Dan.

After a long and passionate kiss, Susi settled in against Dan's chest, asked, "What are you doing here?"

Dan replied, "Can't you guess?"

"I'm afraid to," Susi said.

Dan chuckled, paused a moment, then declared, "I quit my job. I've got enough credits saved up to support me for a while. I just couldn't bear leaving you."

Susi's wrapped her arms around Dan's torso, pulled herself even tighter against Dan as she softly said, "Oh, Dan."

The couple savored the moment, then Susi took Dan by the hand, led him to the veranda.

They sat, silently stared at each other for a moment.

Susi said, "You know, Dad's gotta an entire shed stuffed with broken down bots; my Dad and I aren't capable of fixing them. I can talk my Dad into hiring you to repair those bots."

Dan shrugged, said, "Isn't repairing your Dad's bots something any good son-in-law would do?"

Susi's mouth fell open. Eyes bulging, she leaned forward, gripping the chair's armrests.

Dan continued, "I just couldn't deny our destiny. I didn't want to grow old and have you as some vague feeling of a fling I once had. You're more than a feeling."

THE END

Bio: C.E. Gee (aka Chuck) misspent his youth at backwater locales within Oregon and Alaska. In his days, he answered many callings: logger (choker setter) meat packer, Vietnam War draftee infantryman, telecom technician, volunteer fireman/EMT, light show roadie, farmer, businessperson, sysop/webmaster. He is currently retired, a disabled veteran, and now writes SF stories. Chuck maintains a blog at http://www.kinzuakid.blogspot.com. His last Aphelion appearance was As the Crow Flies in our June, 2016 issue.

E-mail: C.E. Gee

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