* * *
Ardon and Jebbson rested on the bridge. The Shikkeron was now secure from prying eyes and the crew could busy themselves attending to much needed tasks. Darla had been taken to her cabin. There, orderlies would carefully clean her body for burial then condition her skin with balsam oil.
After a long silence, Jebbson spoke up. “So, Major, do we ride the river to the sea for the next million years or so, or do you have another plan?”
Jebbson’s mildly sarcastic question made Ardon smile. “No, Mr. Garlock, I think it would be a waste to do such a thing. After all, we are at war now, or will soon be. I sure would hate to miss it. Now, if you will be so good as to help me, I think we can expedite our traveling time. Will you keep a secret?”
Jebbson assured him so.
Ardon reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device that looked like a tuning fork. It was a tuning fork of sorts. He handed it to Jebbson. “Here. Now take this to the engine room. Adjust the engine’s thrusting pulse until you hear the tuning fork humming at a constant pitch. That will speed us up exponentially and, as long as we stay with the flow of the river, we need not fear any collisions. If you choose to slow down, adjust the engine thrusters a little out of harmony with the fork. When the fork stops vibrating, you will be back under direct ship power. Simple enough, eh?”
Jebbson looked at the tuning fork and nodded. “Even an old hillbilly like me should figure this out.”
“Good!” Ardon grinned at Jebbson’s silly words. “Now keep it secret. Tell no one. We should make the Nebulan Sea in about two weeks this way. We’ll decide what to do next, after we get there.”
The two men were suddenly distracted by the sounds of rapid footfall coming toward them. They looked up to see an excited orderly rushing through the hatch and up to the edge of the captain’s bridge. Near breathless, he panted, “I felt it! I felt her heart beat! The colonel’s heart beat!”