Aupes

CHAPTER 5

  Days passed, and turned into weeks, then months. Life aboard KonTiki settled into something approaching a routine as the vehicle moved away from Earth and nearer to its destination. Fiona Ormond had long ago confirmed to Nikki that her fears about the livestock on board had proved almost groundless. They were being well looked after and had adapted to their bizarre environment well. The humans aboard suffered nothing worse than mild boredom but rotas were worked out for the tasks that needed to be done. The engineering and navigational functions were in the hands of main and relief teams who proved themselves more than capable of dealing with whatever minor problems cropped up, leaving the rest of the settlers to organise themselves into teams dealing with cleaning, catering, looking after animals and the other sundry jobs that were needed.

  Nikki expressed herself well pleased with the way things had gone, but was constantly worried by the picture she saw through the observation port. To her it never changed at all, but Louise Ryan, the principal navigator, assured her that they were on course and their position was as it should be for the elapsed time. Slowly, with the passing weeks, Nikki spent less time on the Bridge, using her skills instead wherever she may be able to help. All in all, it was a happy team that sped towards its new home.

  Life carried on in an undramatic, predictable way. Boredom became more of a problem as the months passed and eradicating this became Nikki's greatest concern. There were simply not enough jobs to be done on board to keep everyone occupied throughout their waking hours and Nikki was determined not to turn the settlers' thoughts to the post-arrival period until they reached the halfway point at the earliest. Louise managed to find one diversion when she was able to make a positive identification of 'their' star. From that point onwards, fifteen months into their journey, most people were happy to pay regular visits to the Bridge to watch it slowly increase in size. It was hardly the most exciting game, but it served to refocus minds onto the point of their mission.

  There were odd minor disputes for Nikki to settle, but nothing at all of any significance. She had on a number of occasions to take steps to prevent relationships forming, using a great deal of tact and discretion. She didn't enjoy explaining to her contemporaries that one to one relationships could not be allowed to happen, but it was necessary for her to do it. Her displeasure arose in no small part because she realised that she was subject to the same discipline, and could not expect to continue the Earthbound conventions. If their colony was to survive the women were going to have to accept that the relatively few males were to be shared, and the men needed to be under no illusion that they would be expected to maintain a regular rate of pregnancies once the colony was established. It was to be very different to the society they had left behind, but it had been, as Nikki explained whenever she was called on to do so, genetically planned and the old type of society could only be re-established after a few generations. Nikki's explanations seemed to be accepted and the frequency of these occurrences dropped as the mission proceeded through its second half.

  In her position as Mission Commander Nikki was clear enough as to her responsibilities and duties. What she didn't really know was when the mission, as Sarah Gifford had it in mind when she appointed her, ended. That, she decided, was for her to say, since there was no-one she could ask. Giving the matter some thought in her bunk, she made a decision. It gave rise to other problems, however. These then exercised her mind until she finally fell asleep, sleeping her usual untroubled eight hours.

  When she reappeared on the Bridge the relief team was on duty. Much as she respected the talents of Gordon Mitchell, the relief second engineer, and Andrea Toyne, the relief navigator, it was not these two with whom she wanted to discuss her conclusions. Eventually, though, Bryn and Louise took over and Nikki could raise the points she'd been considering.

  "I've been thinking," she said to them both, "about the end of the mission. Once we've landed and established Gifford base, I won't be Mission Commander any longer. We'll need some sort of command hierarchy though. Any thoughts?"

  Louise reacted first, turning as much as she could in her restricted space to look at Nikki.

  "Speaking just for myself, I'd be happy for you to carry on in command. I don't think there would be many dissenters, either, do you, Chief?"

  "No, but the Commander's right to raise the point. You've done a first rate job so far, Commander, and I don't think anyone would be unhappy for you to carry on once we're down."

  "That's very gratifying, thank you. But there are a number of questions that I want everyone to address, including that one. Can you, Bryn, rig me up a hand held computer to run a survey of opinions on a range of questions?"

  "To be honest it would be difficult unless we took a system off line and I don't want to do that. What I can do is to provide a feed into the central computer, program it with your questions and bring individuals to a fixed terminal to input answers. Would that do?"

  "Fine. There are, as I said, a number of questions and I don't want to impose my views."

  "What are the questions, Commander?" Louise seemed intrigued.

  "Well, firstly, what command structure we should use, then who will fill the posts we decide to create. We might need, for instance, someone in overall command, someone running the engineering and construction and someone in overall charge of food production.

  "Then, of course, people age, so do we use promotion on merit or elections to change the hierarchy?

  "There is the question of a calendar. At the moment we use Earth dates, but after we've been established for a couple of years there'll be no-one on Earth. We'll be the only people using it and our planet is certain not to have a 365 day year. We might have to start our own calendar. This leads on to whether we continue with Earth's religious festivals. Will Christmas and Easter and so on mean anything? Would we be better arranging our own festivals if we have any at all?

  "I also considered the nature of our colony. Earth, since the poison started spreading, has really been a communal society not needing a financial system. Should our colony carry on that way, or should it be different? Should people be able to claim land as their own? What, in that event, about those who work in other disciplines, such as medicine or construction?

  "My final question is about emotions. We have always been a society based on the marriage of one man and one woman. How will we ensure the procreation that was genetically planned actually happens, to increase the colony's size, within that framework? Do we accept marriages of one man and three women? The one certainty here is that men can fertilise women faster than women can give birth. Somehow we have to balance that fact with the need for emotional stability and without creating an underclass of baby factories."

  "Well, Commander," said Bryn, with a breathless, slightly staggered tone, "you're raising some vital questions there. I'll see what I can do about constructing a survey. As things stand, we've got less than twelve months to get the answers agreed otherwise we'll be getting out of this vehicle onto a new world with some vital questions unresolved."

  Over the next couple of weeks Bryn refined his survey program until it was both to Nikki's satisfaction and capable of providing answers in statistical form. Once it was done Nikki and the command crew entered their own responses, partly to test the program and partly because they also had a say in how their little community was to develop. Then everyone else on board was told of the questions that needed to be resolved and was given the chance of inputting their opinion whenever they felt ready. It seemed to be the main topic of conversation throughout the next few months and it triggered speculation as to the world they were heading for. Noticeably, it was universally assumed that there was no question that they would be able to land on the planet that predictions suggested would be there and that it would be capable of supporting human life. Nikki and Bryn, the only ones on board who knew that there was no certainty about either matter, were relieved that this was so since they need not worry just yet about the settl
ers' reactions if either assumption proved wrong.

  It took six months before the last few people finally entered their opinions in the survey. True to her word, Nikki had not reviewed any of the entries before they were all in, but once that point had been reached she had one more thing to do before declaring the survey closed. She made the announcement that everyone on board had entered their response, but said she would defer the review for seven days to give one final chance for minds to be changed. That none were changed indicated to her that her people had given proper, serious consideration to the questions already.

  The review of responses was conducted by Nikki, Bryn and, as a non-crew representative, Christine Murray. The results showed a commitment to the success of Sarah Gifford's original concept, justifying her faith in those chosen to take part in the mission. On the topic of a command structure, the survey said that there should be one person in overall command, with specific areas of responsibility devolved onto sub-commanders. These would include Engineering and Construction, Food Production and, oddly, Defence. The three reviewing the results were unsure as to who they would be defending themselves against, but as the survey results demanded it, a defence post would be created.

  The vote for overall Commander was overwhelming. Nikki was elected by 179 votes to one abstention. Since Nikki had not voted for herself and felt that her opinion might be coloured she knew who had abstained of course. Unsurprisingly, Bryn Jenkins was to be in charge of Engineering and Construction, and the choice of Fiona Ormond to be head of Food Production was totally logical. The choice of Louise Ryan for Defence made perfect sense since the role must encompass cartography. Other sub-commanderships would be created as they became necessary.

  Regular elections to these posts were to be held, to be timed by reference to a new calendar. There was a strong feeling, however, that Earth time and date should be kept as a matter of historical record, should their descendants ever be in a position to return and re-inhabit Earth. Festivals did not excite much enthusiasm, but two were proposed most strongly, commemorating the arrival and a mid-winter festival reminiscent of Christmas.

  Nikki was delighted by the overwhelming agreement to the creation of family units of four people, one of whom would be male. This should give at least a fifty per cent population increase each generation, which was the minimum necessary to give the colony impetus to succeed. Finally, the desire to continue with communal ownership was almost undisputed, only a few expressing no strong opinion. Nobody wanted a fully commercial system based on individual ownership that would involve creation of a financial system.

  So the basics of their new colony were in place as their long journey entered its final phase. Within three months of the agreements being made based on the survey results they would be, provided their luck held, on the surface of the new planet. Nikki still spent a lot of time ensuring that everyone was happy with the systems and, more particularly, the command structure. She felt, if she was honest, slightly embarrassed at her overwhelming support as she believed that her command had not really been tested. The journey, although long and technically highly complex, had gone more or less exactly as the computers had predicted and her job had therefore largely been done for her. Her management of the settlers had not been difficult because they all seemed to have done everything possible to make life easy for her. In fact, she felt a little bit of a fraud. Still, she could surrender command after a year or so on the ground.

  As the time passed and the end of their marathon journey drew nearer thoughts turned to what life might be like on their new planet. It was inevitable that discussion among the settlers turned to the possibility of finding life already existing there; after all, it was reasoned, if the planet is capable of supporting human life, does it not follow that life should have evolved there? Now it became clear to Nikki why defence had appeared in her survey. Weapons had been unnecessary on Earth for a long time and it had not occurred to anyone that they should be accounted for in planning the mission. They were, therefore unarmed and would be defenceless when they landed. Nikki tried to calm any fears, but she had to admit that whilst there was no evidence at all that life, hostile or otherwise, existed, it was just as true to say that there was no evidence to the contrary either. This subject dominated conversation for the final few weeks of the journey and was still the main topic when Bryn started to slow KonTiki for entry into the new star system.

  This was to be, potentially, the most dangerous phase. The solar system they had left, three years before, had its asteroid belts and a vast number of comets orbiting its sun. Bryn took them into the system relatively slowly to avoid disaster at this late stage, and indeed they crossed a belt of asteroids safely. They had been able to steer well clear of the belt because of their greatly reduced speed, but their original course would have taken them far too close for comfort to the edge of the belt.

  After three years, two months and seventeen days, they sighted the planet, hitherto existent only in theory, for the first time. As they approached it began to look more Earth-like, seeming to have continents and oceans. Everyone on board was allowed a look on the approach and the excitement level on board rose and rose. Caution was being exercised on the Bridge, however, as they slowed again to begin the tricky process of putting themselves in high orbit around a planet with unknown gravity. The calculations the computers were asked to do suggested an entry course and a height, which in the event Bryn had to adjust a little manually to gain a stable orbit. At an orbiting speed of just eight miles a second Bryn finally shut down the deep space propulsion units.

  KonTiki was fitted with high-resolution cameras, which were now used to photograph the surface of the planet on their equatorial orbit. The pictures showed vegetation clearly, but no signs of any animal life. Many hundreds of pictures were taken and several days were spent in orbit studying them and rephotographing sites originally covered in cloud to select a landing site. They decided they needed to be near vegetation, as this suggested fertility, and near to what they hoped would be fresh water.

  Nikki and her command team all realised that the decision that they were about to make was the most important of their lives. It outweighed the decision to leave Earth since they would have died there anyway. This had to be right as once KonTiki was down it was down permanently. No fuel would be left to take off again.

  Potential landing sites were examined and eventually a shortlist of three was drawn up. Of these one was well inland, sheltering below what appeared to be mountains. Louise estimated the height of the summits at well over 30,000 feet, giving a navigational problem in landing. The second was coastal but the vegetation seemed to be quite thick, therefore again the last few hundred feet could be very difficult. This left the third site, again coastal with a river and pockets of vegetation. There was a hinterland of thick vegetation on hills rising to the East, opposite the coast with the river to the south of the site. Despite checking and rechecking the photographs this site still seemed the best for a safe landing and for the establishment of a colony.

  That left just one problem. The constitution of the atmosphere was something they could not check from orbit. To do this they had to descend, but once they had made that descent it would be difficult to regain high orbit and escape velocity and still have fuel to try again elsewhere. This problem exercised the minds on the Bridge until Bryn's voice broke the silence.

  "I think," he said slowly, “that what we've seen is enough to be reasonably sure that the air down there is breathable. There are plants, and they wouldn't be there unless there was an Earth-like atmosphere. I say let's go down, and analyse the atmosphere as we go. If I'm wrong we can get back up here and work out what to do then. But I don't think we'll need to."

  "I agree with Bryn, Commander," Louise said, "we've got as good a site as we could ever have hoped for and there is certainly an atmosphere there. We can't stay here for ever anyway, and there's no other way to find out."

  "You're right, Louise. Bryn, wh
en can we go down?"

  "The engines are all ready to go, Commander, just as soon as Louise enters the course."

  "OK. Louise?"

  "Subject to some manual flying which might be necessary in the lower atmosphere we can start to slow for landing in twenty two minutes."

  "Good. Time to tell everyone, I suppose." Nikki switched her microphone on.

  "Can I have your attention please." The interior fell totally silent in anticipation of her words. "We have identified what we believe to be the best landing site available to us. It seems we will have both water and vegetation close by. We will be testing the atmosphere as we descend, but we believe it will be OK. Our descent to the surface will begin in twenty minutes - by then please make sure you are all securely strapped in as it is not possible to say how rough a ride we'll have. Good luck, and I'll see you all on the surface." The mike was flicked off again. Nikki stood up but turned to Bryn before she left the Bridge.

  "You don't need me for ten minutes, do you?"

  "No, Commander, we can cope." Nikki grinned and left to seek out Fiona Ormond.

  She found her and her small team restraining the animals to keep them safe on the descent. Fiona noted her arrival.

  "You could have given me a bit more warning! I might just have to stay down here as we go down, and I still remember the stink that this lot made going up through Earth's atmosphere. If I turn up on our new planet stinking of pigs and cows it's your fault."

  "OK, Fiona, OK, I know it's short notice. Do you need more help?"

  "Only joking, Commander. We'll do it, no problem. You just get us down in one piece."

  "Louise and Bryn are doing that. I feel unnecessary on the Bridge."

  "Let them get on with it. You've held this mission together brilliantly so sit back and enjoy the ride. Now get out of our way or risk having bits of animal flying all over the place."

  Nikki left Fiona to her work and made her way back to the Bridge. She had her back slapped and her hand shaken so many times on the way that she had finally to rush to get into her seat before the descent started.

  "All set, Commander?" Louise asked as Nikki strapped herself in.

  "Yes. How long?"

  "Ninety seconds. Pray that Bryn's engines fire."

  "They'll fire, Commander. Don't listen to her."

  They fired, four simultaneous emissions of power creating a vibration and muted roar that all on board had forgotten about. KonTiki slowed and began to descend, bucking and rolling a little as the upper atmosphere caught it. The seconds passed, but suddenly a joyful cry erupted from Bryn Jenkins.

  "No problem! Oxygen, nitrogen, if we'd cleaned up our own air and brought it with us we wouldn't be breathing better! Perfect! Perfect!"

  There was no audible response, but Bryn knew what effect his words would have had. All they had to do now was get safely to their chosen site. The computers worked to their capacity in controlling KonTiki as it flew, slowing all the time. There was a small but noticeable rise in temperature inside, but it didn't become uncomfortable. At one hundred miles up Bryn had to slow the descent manually - too much was happening for the computers to cope with. That crisis passed quickly as the distance to the surface diminished. Nikki could see that they were approaching over an ocean - her thoughts turned to the only time she had seen the sea, when it had looked cold, grey and uninviting on the Danish west coast. This looked blue, much more so than she could have imagined possible, then in the distance she saw land. She was captivated by the sight as they neared their new home, unaware that Bryn was now flying manually on instruments. Now moving only slowly at perhaps a thousand feet or so, Bryn held KonTiki steady as the vehicle eased over the coast. There was the slightest change in engine note and it descended, very, very slowly until a jolt told them that they were down. Bryn cut the engines, the roar subsided and silence fell. The interior was utterly silent, broken by a click as Nikki turned her microphone on.

  "Ladies and gentlemen," she said, "welcome to Gifford Base. We're home." The silence lasted just another second or so, then a huge, sustained round of cheers and applause filled the interior.

  "Commander," Bryn's voice came from its customary position by Nikki's left knee, "I've checked the atmosphere again and it's fine. The outside temperature is in the high twenties Celsius, wind speed is almost non-existent and the surface is solid. As far as I can tell we have no problems. Shall we all go for a walk?"

  "Well, we could see if the exit door still works, perhaps.” Nikki had a wide smile on her face as she climbed out of the command chair and led the way through to the exit. It needed some effort to open, but eventually the heavy door was hauled in and the access ladder fitted into place. Nikki was encouraged to be the first to set foot on the surface, so she climbed down, feeling alien land under her feet for the first time.

  She stood, aware that all the others were anxious to see their new home, but she was suddenly struck by the enormity of the occasion. Mankind had visited Mars, but had never thought it possible to venture outside the solar system. They had done that, travelled countless millions of miles and arrived safely on another world in another system. She was the first human to set foot on a world in another solar system. Her legs felt as if they would not support her, but she concentrated hard and walked away slowly. She turned and saw people streaming out to join her, all laughing and shaking hands, milling around and looking at the surrounding area. The sun, larger than the one they were used to, shone brilliantly, it was warm and the air was clean and pure. Trees grew in the distance, grass grew in abundance and, above the chatter of the settlers, waves could be heard breaking on rocks. Perhaps they had found Utopia.