He and Ames exchanged a look, “Acknowledged.”
Ames looked depressed, “What were her words, ‘disorganized and haphazard’?”
#
The word spread through the rest of the town that more aliens were arriving. In spite of that, it proved fairly easy to keep the central part of the field clear. Hayes knew that the Kellogg only carried two general purpose floaters; if they managed to fill them with refugees, it would be all that the Kellogg had room for.
Joe and several of the town leaders stood with Hayes, Ames, and Twisst as the floaters settled silently to the ground.
“CONTACT WITH SHIP’S BEACON - IDENTITY, PATROL ESCORT RANCE.”
“AI, acknowledged.”
Joe looked curious about what had not been translated for him. Hayes told him, “Another ship like this one has just arrived in your system.”
The floaters were designed like standard planetary surface floaters but with more power to enable orbital capability; their seating was oriented fore and aft like common wheeled ground transport but placed on a flat, widened base to accommodate the larger grav plating. Hayes could see that they were empty except for the two pilots in each. He could also see that Commander Pressler was in the right seat of the nearest floater.
Hayes approached as Pressler exited through the forward hatch and exchanged salutes. Pressler was slightly shorter than Hayes with black hair, dark eyes, and light brown skin; he slowly scanned the quiet crowd along the edge of the field.
“Hayes, I’m here strictly as transport, and I am ready to take on passengers at your order. Are they ready to go?”
“If I had to swear to it, I’d say ‘I don’t know’. Indications are that they are still in denial although I have had one indication of what could be called anger. Basically, there have been no indications of anyone packing and heading for the station. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the Mayor of the town.” Hayes pointed at his com pad, “Hang your pad like this so it can translate.”
The walk over to the main group was done in the continuing crushing silence; no one even coughed. What Hayes knew of Forester facial expressions--and what he was seeing now--gave rise to a sudden conviction that the Foresters had not believed them--until now. Now they were staring at proof of what they had been told was going to happen.
“Doctor Twisst, Doctor Ames, this is Commander Ross Pressler, Captain of the Kellogg.”
Pressler shook hands with both of them, “Yes, we’ve met before at a couple of the Admiral’s get-togethers. How are things going for you?”
“Glad to see you, Commander; things could be going better, I suppose.” said Ames.
Hayes indicated Joe, “This is Joe; he is the leader of this town. Joe, this is Commander Pressler; he is the Captain of the first ship to arrive to evacuate your people.”
Pressler was quick on the uptake and had noticed the rigidity in the expression and body language of Joe; he did not attempt to shake his hand but saluted instead.
“Sir, my ship is ready at any time to help your people.” He swept his hand back toward the two floaters, “Unfortunately, my ship is not intended to transport people. I will only be able to take as many as will fit in these two carriers.”
Joe’s eyes shifted to the two floaters, to Hayes, to Pressler, to the floaters….”
Hayes saw a problem, so he put his arm around Joe and turned him to face Ames and Twisst, “Why don’t you go talk with Ames and Twisst and work something out.” He made a thumb and little finger drinking motion at Ames who nodded in return.
He stood next to Pressler and watched the leadership group head into the town.
Pressler looked at him, “Did that go well?”
Hayes shook his head, “Not a bit.”
#
Hayes and Pressler sat on the low edge of the grav plate lip of one of the Kellogg’s floaters and watched the two floaters from the Rance settle behind them. They waved at Commander Rose Mays, the Captain of the Rance, who was piloting one of them.
Pressler looked down at the far end of the field and then to the far side, “The Winslow and Pugnacious each have two large cargo floaters and the Gregory Falls has six passenger floaters and two cargo floaters. In two to three days, this field is going to be a used floater lot.”
##
“Well, what do you think, Madigan?”
Hans Madigan, Captain Stewart Weathers’ personal steward, stood back to take in the glistening culmination of a year-long effort by Weathers to create a proper dress uniform for a man of his exalted status.
“Don’t you think the sword is a little too much, sir, especially with the jewels all over the hilt?”
“Nonsense, I know those Navy people; they’ll all be strutting around in their formal dress uniforms trying to impress the locals with their gold braid and medals.”
“Of course, sir, there is also the fact that this uniform is not yet approved by the Paradise Found Board of Directors.”
“Oh, it will be. When I get my sector command, I’ll be able to push it through. Now, help me get it off.”
##
It was 0015 hours ship time as Wills stepped off the elevator on crew-deck 1. He had taken the 1800-0000 watch and CeCe had the 0000-0600 watch; this gave them some time during the day to move around and talk to people. His original intent was to take some time after his watch to walk around and surprise what should have been the very few other crew members that would be awake at this hour. Instead, his current direction of travel toward the CD1 dining hall followed the most powerful, mind numbing pheromone known to human biology, and filled the halls with the irresistible smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls.
It turned out that one of the passengers from the Gregory Falls was something of an amateur pastry chef and had found vast and unused resources in
