Free Empyrion I: The Search for Fierra by Stephen Lawhead Page A

planets in the OLZ—that's Optimum Life Zone.”
    “How do you know that? How do you know that the colony ship even reached Epsilon Eridani, let alone started a colony?”
    “We had communication, of course. I have read all the transcripts myself. There were three communications received—one month apart for the first three months. Earth-time. The first one came when the ship reached the system—we know that they got through the wormhole without any problems. The second was sent when they identified Empyrion—that's what they named it—and decided to settle there. The third and last came when they had finished their survey of the planet and had started raising the environment dome.”
    “And then?”
    “Nothing after that.”
    “What happened?”
    “The wormhole closed. No more signals could be sent through the conduit, so to speak.”
    “No doubt they're still sending signals,” offered Pizzle, “but without the wormhole it takes a whole lot longer. We just haven't received them yet.”
    “Maybe the signals stopped because they all
died!”
    “Possible,” Crocker allowed, “but highly improbable.”
    “But why? You said anything could happen. Anything!”
    “Theoretically yes. But you have to figure that once they reached the planet they knew what to expect. Colony ships are prepared for the unknown. Empyrion is uninhabited by any thinking creatures, and has little second-order animal life—certainly nothing to worry about. The probes would also have verified atmosphere, weather patterns, and climatic trends. There were no surprises there.”
    “Microorganisms, viruses, bacteria—what about those? Maybe they got down there and succumbed to a killing virus.”
    “Maybe, but I don't think so. They would not have disembarked until the environment dome was raised and the air and ground beneath it sterilized. Only then would they have actually set foot on the soil.”
    Treet remained silent. He had exhausted all his objections for the moment. He looked around at Pizzle, who sat nodding. “It's just like the IASA colonization manual recommends.”
    “Right by the book. All contingencies foreseen.”
    Crocker looked at Treet's unhappy face. “Look, it's going to be all right. Believe me. I read the transcripts. By all reports the planet is an absolute paradise. You'll love it. When we get there you'll see what I mean. An absolute paradise.” Crocker spun in his huge, padded chair as an electronic chime sounded. “Now if you two will excuse me,” he said, “I've got a little housekeeping to do.”
    Treet stood. “Thanks, I feel so much better,” he said without meaning it. “See you later.”
    Pizzle rose and followed Treet out of the cockpit. They clambered into the connecting gangway and through the forechamber along to the passenger compartments. At Pizzle's door they paused, and Pizzle yawned. “I'm going to get some sleep. Maybe you'd better, too. It might be a long night.”
    Treet glanced up quickly. “Huh?”
    “We're spying tonight, remember? You said if I went with you to talk to Crocker, you'd help me spy tonight. Well, I went with you, didn't I?”
    “But you were on his side. You were supposed to be on mine.”
    “His side? There were no sides. You had some questions and we got answers. What more do you want?”
    Pizzle had him there: what more did he want? Why was he still not satisfied? “All right,” Treet agreed reluctantly. “I'll help you spy.” He turned and went into his stateroom.
    “Good,” called Pizzle after him. “I'll come and get you when I'm ready.” He watched Treet disappear into his room and the door sigh shut behind him. “Loosen up,” he called. “You'll live longer.”
NINE
    Pizzle's idea of spying was to hide in some cramped place and wait long hours for the quarry to show up. He reasoned that unless separate supplies had been stocked in the mysterious stranger's cabin, which he doubted, then the man must eat when the others were sleeping. So far he