Exploring the Stars

Chapter 3 - Into the Black

(There are italicized words in this chapter that are foreign.  Knowing their meaning isn't needed, but it helps know the characters using them a bit more.  The final chapter of this book is a listing of these words with their meanings.)

"Liftin' 'bove the atmosphere, Cap'n," said Hari.

"Board is all green, Cap'n. We've accelerated past Mach," said Ksenia.

"Thank ye both. And now, Mister Solovyova, shout out at them scurvy dogs on that blasted 'Dock Janet and warn 'em we be runnin' by, and they best not try'n get a shot off at us!"

"Aye, Cap'n!" responded Ksenia, giggling and turning to another page on her wrist comp. "Ahoy, ye swabs at Janet GeoDock, we be the AGV Udyamita, and we be running a broadside if ye as much as twitch yer fingers as we run by ye!"

This got laughter and light applause from the rest of the crew, and they heard cackles on the radio. Then they heard a woman replying, "Curse ye bilge rats! Ye keep yer eyes to yer compass, and we may not turn ye to shark-bait! But if ye be kindly to us who be yer greater, we'd be glad ta see ya when ye be back in our dockin' spaces!"

So that the 'Dock could hear her, Dannay called out, "Janet, ye be true to us and we'll surely be visitin' when next we be near!" Then to Ksenia, she said, "Close channel, Mister Solovyova! We be off!

"Aye, Cap'n," said Ksenia, closing the comm channel.

Once the ship cleared the GeoDock, Dannay walked toward her ready room and said, "In two hours, we expect ta be passin' Luna. Mister Kumari, call us all then and we'll see about truly puttin' some wind in our sails!"

"Aye, Cap'n, so it shall be. An' I'll be keepin' Missy Ksenia here so she's seein' what magics we be makin'," he responded.

Dannay nodded and closed the ready room door, and the other two left the bridge to Hari and Ksenia. Ksenia guessed that Emeka left for the engineering section at the stern, and the doctor went to the infirmary. Or, she thought to herself, they both went for a dip in the pool. She smiled thinking what she'd have done.

– o O o –

"Hari, do ye mind if I slip out of pirate talk for a bit? I am truly not used to it using Standard. Russian pirates spoke ... Russian."

"Aye, lassie – sure, Ksenia. And for effect, I'm going to tone down the lighting – the stars should be fabulous by now. There we go," he said, and they looked out past Luna. "That view never ceases to dumbfound me. How're you doing? You've been to the 'Docks before, I'm sure."

"Of course. With advanced degrees in astronomy, I would never try from a land-based observatory. I love the docks, and have been to all of them so often – I can tell you the name of the woman who responded as we passed. She's a sweet Irish girl, Niamh O'Flannery. And if you think I'm small, she's 'Nikki Sishi tiny'."

"I believe I know the lass. Feisty as all the hells, too, but fun and true as any friend you'll ever meet. But where you'd expect hair as red as the maples in fall, hers is as black as ..." and he pointed out the bow windows, "... that."

"Da, you know her. Such a milaya – surely a sweet-heart. Anyway, I just wanted to talk some more. I need to learn, and since you are here, too ..."

"Ah, I see where ye be goin' with this, lass. An' what be in it fer me, then?"

"Me be tellin' ye ..." she started, trying to keep up the pirate accent, then said, "nyet, that does not work for me. Tak, I can show you how we are going to find planets and asteroids on the far end of our jump, to begin. I can teach you to curse pa-Rooskii. And I promise to take a swim with you, if we have a chance again," she said with a smile.