Free Peggy Sue (The T'aafhal Inheritance) by Doug Hoffman Page B

can find any remnants of the civilizations that are supposed to inhabit this end of the Galaxy.”
    “If you have a ship that can actually travel to other star systems I will be glad to help, assuming I get to come along.” I don’t care what outrageous tales you tell, Elena thought, if you have a working starship I will do anything to be on that voyage. “But tell me why you are so intent that the man’s story be believed?” 
    “Because I was the oil prospector who found the archaeologist in the desert, young lady,” TK said. “I smuggled the artifact back to the US and figuring out how to read that damned pile of amber has consumed me for nearly thirty years.”
    “And because,” the Captain added, “once we did get a ship built and went to take a look around, we found more evidence that the archaeologist’s story was true,” the Captain added.
    “That is correct,” said Ludmilla, who had been quietly observing the others reactions up to this point. “Because at Beta Comae we discovered a world that bore the unmistakable signs of a global technological civilization.” The image of Peggy Sue was replaced by a view of the same planet Rajiv had shown to Elena in the bistro in Melbourne. “Unfortunately that world was dead, devoid of any life more complex than simple bacteria. It appears that it had been purposely scoured clean of higher life.”
    “Moreover, what alien life we did encounter proved to be implacably hostile,” Jack concluded. “What we are trying to tell you is that the war of four million years ago may still be raging, and if so, we are about to be drug into the middle of it…”
    * * * * *
    Several exhausting hours later, the meeting broke up with plans to reconvene after breakfast. Jack turned to Ludmilla and asked, “do you think we won them over?”
    “Not entirely. But remember, Jack, it took you a while to convince me.” A coy smile played across her lips. “Once Olaf starts to go over the records of the genetic program he will be hooked, I guaranty it. As for Elena, you could not drive her away now, not as long as she has a chance of getting on board the ship. She might even try to seduce you to make sure, I saw it in her eyes.” Ludmilla raised a single shapely, ash blond eyebrow in an unvoiced challenge.
    “That might prove interesting,” Jack said smiling. “I’m already as seduced as I can handle.”
    “And do not forget that while I am away,” she said. “I understand that Yuki is leaving early in the morning. I should depart myself the day after.”
    “We are sending the government information packets out tonight, which will also alert Japan and Russia to Yuki’s and your respective survival.” Jack turned to the woman he could not imagine living without. “So, we are agreed that you will meet with ROSCOSMOS on neutral ground, at the UN headquarters in Vienna?”
    “Yes, yes,” Ludmilla agreed. “The Chief will accompany me in one of the small shuttles.”
    “I also want you to take a couple of the crew along, just in case.” Ludmilla began to protest but Jack cut her off. “They don’t have to leave the pinnace if things go smoothly, but if something goes wrong you many need help.”
    Realizing that this was the best compromise she could arrange, Ludmilla grudgingly acquiesced. “Very well, my Captain. You treat me like some kept woman, a princess or a queen.”
    “You are the queen of my Universe, Luda,” he said in a quiet voice. He only called her ‘Luda’ in intimate moments when they were alone.
    “Da, of course, Captain of my heart,” she smile and took his hand, leading him toward the hallway, “and now your queen has need of you in her bed chamber.”
     
    Haneda Airport, Tokyo, Japan
    The pinnace dropped Yuki off on Okinawa, from which he took a flight to Tokyo’s Haneda airport. As he rode the multistory escalator down to the main lobby floor he marveled at the soaring glass, metal and concrete structure. After spending six months on