TAU [NOOK Book]

Earth Date: May 12, 2432

"Three Twenty-Six to Deerkin Spaceway Control." Thomas Stewart patiently waited for a reply. "Deerkin Spaceway Control, please reply."

I hung over him, weightless, watching. My ship, the Three Twenty-Six , had been traveling at 2000FTL for a week and a half now, and the Deerkin system would be on us in three hours. Only we needed the System Pilot to give clearance and guidance.

"Any luck?" I asked.

"Uh-huh. All bad." He reached over his head and fiddled with the companel. "SM is online and diags out perfectly. We're sending all right. They're just not rec--"

"Three Twenty-Six ," came the crackle. It reminded me of our trip to the moon aboard the DL White so many years ago. How many? Sixteen! Hard to believe.

"This is Deerkin Spaceway Control. What can we do for you, Three Twenty-Six ?"

Thomas -- we never called him Tom -- nodded his head approvingly and slid into the pilot's seat and powered in. The ship's controls glimmered and beeped to life. I pushed off gently and took the copilot's seat beside him.

"Yes, Deerkin. This is the Three Twenty-Six , private yacht from Earth, requesting permission to enter Deerkin space with the aid of your System Pilot."

"We have you on holo, Three Twenty-Six . Did you say Earth ? What brings you all the way out here?"

Thomas glanced at me.

"Deerkin, this is Promise Tide, owner of the Three Twenty-Six . We are traveling to Deerkin for personal business and a ship refit."

"Roger, Three Twenty-Six ," came the crisp reply. "Please dock at Customs on Pluto.You'll rendezvous with the System Pilot there. Deerkin Spaceway Control out." Every inhabited system named their furthermost planet Pluto, and used it as a combination customs,border patrol, and visitor center. It saved confusion during intersystem travel, though ironically, the original Pluto, orbiting Sol, was demoted to planetoid several times over the centuries, only to be restored to planet status.

"Okay.... Got it!" Thomas pulled up the holo of the Deerkin system and projected it onto the forward port. A three-dimensional display projected onto a transparent two-dimensional surface sounded confusing, but it was ideal for space travel. The holo projected both inside and outside the ship, making for a very believable image.

"Rats. Pluto's on the opposite side."

"Don't worry, Thomas." I ruffled his hair as I got out of the seat. "We're underneath the system, so it's an easy course in. Besides, it's not like we're on a schedule." I glanced at the companel, but couldn't see the readouts. "Is Chrissy off-line?"

Thomas glanced up at the panel.

"Nope."

"She's been on for two hours now." I tugged my lower lip. "Oh well, she's probably ready for an excuse to get off."

"Promise!" he scolded, grinning. "My delicate ears!"

"Jerk!" I playfully smacked him in the back of the head. "I meant get off the comm!" I huffed my indignation. "Men!"

Copyright © 2007 Peter Prellwitz.