Desert Planet Pyrrus and Kerk 6 E-Book

Stig Granfors

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: Pyrrus and Kerk
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 264

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

The colony members of Death Planet are forced to make an emergency landing on Desert Planet in the Andromeda Galaxy on their way home from captivity. They encounter a mysterious cult led by a manipulative Master. Despite the cordial reception, Pyrrus and Kerk become suspicious. After a while the true nature of the cult is revealed. It results in a bloody conflict, where each step brings the two adventurers and their comrades closer to the brink of destruction. The struggle for survival comes at a high price. The sixth novel about the space adventurers Pyrrus and Kerk, whose motto is 'It will get better'. "A tribute to Harry Harrison and his Stainless Steel Rat." "The only thing he saw was sand. Nothing but sand. The mountains on the horizon shone in the last sunlight. Darkness fell and their steps became slower and shorter. But they forgot their aching muscles and the pain in their feet. They walked without thinking, one foot in front of the other. Forward. One more step. And one more. It was a painful journey without end." "The female guard came closer. Julia saw her chance. She swung quickly, threw herself on her back and kicked upwards with her feet. She herself was amazed at how smoothly she reacted. All the frustration and anger that had filled her throughout the long journey resulted in this powerful kick. Her feet flew up and hit the target. She hit the guard in the stomach and the guard collapsed in surprise. The guard lost her grip on her cane. Julia kicked once more. This time she hit the guard in the head. The woman flew over the cliff edge with a surprised scream. The shout continued all the way down to the bottom of the ravine. There it was suddenly cut off. As if you turned off a speaker."

Leseprobe

Desert Planet Pyrrus and Kerk 6

Desert Planet Pyrrus and Kerk 6Forced landingA frightening discoveryA time of uncertaintyJourney through the desertUltimatumInto spaceFactsCopyright

Desert Planet Pyrrus and Kerk 6

Stig Granfors/Marcus Granfors Adventure novel Original title: Ökenplaneten – Pyrrus och Kerk 6 Translation: Stig Granfors

We find a way, or we make one.

Hannibal

Books by Stig Granfors

Non-fiction

Civilisationens gåtor (2005)

Skapelsens gåtor (2006)

Livets gåtor (2008)

En skön ny värld (2010)

Historiska gåtor (2019)

Biologiska gåtor (2019)

Fiction

Liv (2011)

Glimt av hopp (2012)

Skärseld (2013)

Strid (2014)

Botnia (2015)

Varningen (2017)

Hotet (2019)

In English

Stonehenge threat (2021)

Books by Stig Granfors and Marcus Granfors

In Swedish

Neodym – Pyrrus och Kerk 1 (2020)

Västvärlden – Pyrrus och Kerk 2 (2020)

Östvärlden – Pyrrus och Kerk 3 (2020)

Sydvärlden – Pyrrus och Kerk 4 (2021)

Nordvärlden – Pyrrus och Kerk 5 (2021)

Ökenplaneten – Pyrrus och Kerk 6 (2021)

In English

Neodymium – Pyrrus and Kerk 1 (2020)

Westworld – Pyrrus and Kerk 2 (2021)

Eastworld – Pyrrus and Kerk 3 (2021)

Southworld – Pyrrus and Kerk 4 (2021)

Northworld – Pyrrus and Kerk 5 (2021)

Desert Planet – Pyrrus and Kerk 6 (2021)

© 2021 Stig Granfors and Marcus Granfors

stiggranfors.jimdofree.com

Publisher: BoD - Books on Demand GmbH, Helsinki, Finland

Print: BoD - Books on Demand GmbH, Norderstedt, Germany           

ISBN: 9789528050339

Forced landing

Kerk heard the sound first. It came from the engine. The normal faint whistling sound increased in volume and was supplemented by barely audible clicks. Problems with the pistons, Kerk thought at once. They were the most vulnerable parts of the engine.

He had experienced it before. The spaceship should have undergone its annual service a long time ago. He would make sure that the engine was properly cleaned during their stop on Westworld. The following destination, Death Planet, would have to wait. At the same time, Death Planet would have one or two weeks more to recover from the devastating nuclear explosions.

Kerk woke Pyrrus, who was half-lying and sleeping in the comfortable pilot chair.

”We have problems with the engine,” Kerk said. ”We have to let the mechanics on Westworld give the ship a proper overhaul.”

Pyrrus yawned and asked: ”How long will that take?”

”A week maybe,” Kerk replied. ”More, if the engine requires new spare parts.”

Kerk knew the engine of the spaceship inside and out. It was old and some spare parts were difficult to get hold of. Sometimes it took time to make special spare parts for the ship. But he didn’t explain that to Pyrrus. His comrade would probably yawn even more, if Kerk described in detail the innermost essence of the engine. If the pistons were faulty, they had to get new ones done. Pistons they used were not as such available on Westworld. Kerk knew this.

They were about a week’s journey from Westworld. They had left Northworld a few days earlier after rescuing their kidnapped colony comrades and restoring order among residents and former criminals. The most dangerous criminals, who had revolted, were now behind bars. Some might still be wandering around the planet’s icy and windy surface with no chance of ever finding their way back to the safety of the tunnels underground.

Kerk gave the criminals only a fleeting thought. Without Julia’s help, they would not have succeeded in their mission. She was now sitting in the spaceship cargo hold with the six chemists they had rescued. The last time Kerk saw them, they had picked up Daphne’s laboratory equipment, which was packed in two aluminium boxes.

Kerk didn’t exactly know what they were making, but they began by analysing the blood of former General Dreyfuss. The blood Pyrrus had taken at Daphne’s request. This blood would help her produce a hormone mixture, which would reduce or perhaps completely eliminate the violent behaviour in humans.

Pyrrus thought it was pure fantasy, but he had nevertheless fulfilled Daphne’s wish. If there was the slightest opportunity to change the behaviours of the people in the colonies in that way, Pyrrus didn’t want to stand in the way. He did exactly as Daphne had requested.

The chemists, led by Alun, had explained that they were preparing the work for Daphne. She was the real expert in the field. Developing a hormone that affected human genes was no easy task. Daphne had succeeded in the feat on Southworld and changed the violent behaviour of the intelligent horror lizards. A peaceful coexistence with the lizards had opened up. It was a revolutionary experience.

Suddenly, there was a loud and sharp sound, as made by pieces of metal being struck together.

Clank!

The loud noise made Kerk jump. Now Pyrrus also noticed the irregularity in the buzzing of the engine.

Something was wrong.

It sounded like a serious problem.

The sound came back.

Clank!

It was higher this time.

The engine started to chop and the spaceship twitched as if it was about to stop in the middle of space.

”Is it possible to repair?” Pyrrus asked.

”Not out here,” Kerk replied. ”We have to make an emergency landing somewhere.”

The sound was heard again.

Twice in a row.

Clank!

Clank!

”I don’t like that sound at all,” Kerk said. ”It sounds like the engine is about to explode at any moment. Do we have a habitable planet nearby? Preferably one where there is a mechanic and equipment to manufacture spare parts. If I’m right and the old pistons are worn out, we have to get new ones.”

”Can you make new pistons?” Pyrrus wondered.

Kerk looked at him almost insulted. “Of course, if I get the right material. And a proper forge. A carbon dioxide laser and a soldering iron would also be good to have.”

Pyrrus looked questioningly at Kerk. “We have that equipment with us all the time, right?”

”No, we have not,” Kerk sighed. “You were in a hurry to Northworld. We didn’t have time to pack anything extra. And I didn’t think we would need advanced tools on such a short trip. But next time I will buy the best tools available.”

He looked hopelessly into the dark space. ”Being stranded out here in the middle of nowhere is not a good alternative.” Then he cleared his throat and continued: “Tools are one thing, but even if we have the best tools, we still can’t do much without replacement materials. The pistons are made of titanium or actually of a special titanium alloy, which doesn’t rust. It withstands heat well and has a low density. The disadvantage is of course that this alloy is difficult to manufacture and is very expensive due to the fact that titanium is a precious metal. Titanium has so far been found in this galaxy only on Westworld.”

Pyrrus raised his eyebrows. ”So we are in bad luck, then?”

”Not necessarily,” Kerk replied. ”I checked the navigator while you slept.”

He couldn’t help but criticize Pyrrus. ”Some work while others sleep, you know.”

Pyrrus had slept almost the entire journey from Northworld and had handed over all work to Kerk. Although the autopilot had been switched on from the start, Kerk had still been busy monitoring everything.

Pyrrus pretended he hadn’t heard the remark. ”What did you find?”

”A planet nearby actually has titanium in small quantities,” Kerk replied. ”There are mines near the equator.” Kerk pointed to the navigator screen. He enlarged the picture. ”Here it is, a few hours trip from here. But then you have to adjust the autopilot to the west.”

Pyrrus reviewed the monitor. “Desert Planet. What does the navigator tell us?”

“It has a small colony, about a hundred people working in the mines,” Kerk answered. “As the name suggests, the planet is one big desert.” Kerk further enlarged the screen. “The colony is located in this oasis, in the centre of the planet. It has a pleasant climate all year round. Very dry, although there is said to be plenty of groundwater under the crust of the planet. The water was probably stored there a long time ago, when the planet had more vegetation than now. Here you can see pictures of the planet. There are mostly sand dunes everywhere.”

”Well, I change course then,” Pyrrus said, disconnecting the autopilot. “It looks like a warm and nice place. No terrible ice storms like on Northworld.”

”Exactly,” Kerk replied and shivered slightly. He had vivid memories of the long and cold walks they had been forced to make out in the vast and relentless icy landscape on Northworld.

Kerk continued his report: “Desert Planet has no strong winds at all, only small sandstorms now and then. A lot of sun, of course. It will be a good change for us. They are not expecting us back to Westworld quite yet. Our rescue operation on Northworld was completed faster than expected.”

”I didn’t think there were desert planets nearby,” Pyrrus said. ”Is it hot there?”

”No, normal temperatures the navigator claims,” Kerk replied. ”We can do without the protective suits.”

”Fine,” Pyrrus said. ”But I thought desert planets were not suitable for humans. The atmosphere gets too much carbon dioxide and other things that make a planet inhabitable.”

”That’s just a myth,” Kerk corrected. ”Desert planets are not only possible to live on, but are also considered to be more common than, for example, Earth-like planets.” He scrolled forward on the navigator screen. ”Here it is.”

Kerk read aloud: “According to the models that have been made, desert planets even have significantly more habitable zones than planets with a lot of water. It is also said that about a billion years ago, Venus may have been a habitable desert planet. And Earth will also become a desert planet in several billion years, as its sun swells up.”

”But this planet doesn’t seem to have many habitable zones,” Pyrrus objected as he glanced at the monitor.

”No, the planet has recently been colonized,” Kerk explained. “But there are many oases, where you can start new colonies. And the cliffs and the mountains near the oases hide many important minerals. In a few decades, the planet will have many more inhabitants. I’m sure of it.”

Kerk continued flipping through the screen. ”The planet has managed to avoid the rampant greenhouse effect, as it is located exactly 0.5 astronomical units from the nearest star, or sun, around which it orbits. And it also has exactly as much humidity as is needed to wash away carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”

”Is anything more being said about the colony?” Pyrrus asked.

”No, just a bunch of miners with their families,” Kerk said. “They are probably very simple people. Not the kind you can have an intelligent conversation with.” Kerk laughed softly and gave Pyrrus a teasing look. ”They are the ones you are looking for, aren’t they? People who can serve as test objects for your new doctrine. The new religion intended for the people on Earth.”

”I thought it was our common doctrine,” Pyrrus said. He thought for a moment. ”I have almost forgotten our new religion in all the commotion. I have to study it again, when I get a chance. We have been fully occupied lately.”

”Hopefully the colony has the tools we need to make those pistons,” Kerk said. ”In any case, it will be a quiet rest for all of us.” He sighed heavily. “I need that. My legs and arms still ache after the long walks in the ice storms on Northworld.”

The engine hacked again.

The spaceship shook and swerved off course.

Pyrrus corrected the course and took a firm grip of the steering system. The dashboard began to shake.

Kerk gave Pyrrus a worried look. ”It doesn’t sound good at all.”

”No,” Pyrrus replied. ”I have to land as soon as possible.” He examined the instruments. ”We are approaching the planet’s atmosphere, but I guess we may be forced to make an emergency landing some distance from the colony. Tell Alun and his chemists to pack the laboratory equipment and fasten their seat belts. It will be a bumpy landing. Or then we crash. The dunes may consist of something else than soft sand.”

”But we have the vertical landing,” Kerk objected. ”Why not just set the ship down calmly and nicely between two sand dunes?”

”The vertical landing doesn’t work with a hacking engine,” Pyrrus said. ”That would be a disaster and totally destroy the ship.”

The spaceship shook again because of the clanking of the engine. Pyrrus didn’t like the sound. The engine was about to give up completely. He increased the gas and steered straight down to the surface of Desert Planet.

It sparkled in a bright yellow colour in the sunshine.

It was a beautiful landscape.

The ship penetrated the inner atmosphere. Pyrrus glanced at the navigator. Lower down, the atmosphere consisted of 78.08% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, water vapour (average about 0.247%), 0.934% argon and 0.040% carbon dioxide. There were also traces of hydrogen, helium and other noble gases. The altitude of the planet’s atmosphere was about 6,75 miles, which was higher than Earth’s 3,75 miles due to the lower surface gravity.

They were still far away from the oasis, where the colony according to the map was located. Pyrrus hoped the engine would last a bit longer. But it turned out to be impossible. The engine clanked heavily once more and then shut down completely. Pyrrus was busy keeping the ship on the right keel. Now they flew only with the help of the stabilizers.

Kerk came back and strapped into the other pilot chair. ”The engine stopped, right?”

Pyrrus nodded with clenched teeth. ”We are now sliding forward on the few winds that exist.” He looked down at the surface of the planet. Only sand was visible there. ”We will land softly anyway.”

”There may be rocks under the sand,” Kerk pointed out.

”Exactly what I was thinking,” Pyrrus replied. ”I’m trying to find a place somewhere between the dunes.”

He made the spaceship slowly swing.

A long, straight opening between the dunes appeared.

He had to try.

Pyrrus steered in the direction of the opening. The speed was still too high. Pyrrus unfolded the brake flaps, but they were not very useful. But then suddenly a strong wind swept against them. It brought loose sand from the dunes and wrapped them in a yellowish haze. The headwind reduced the speed of the spaceship and Pyrrus decided to put the ship down immediately. He didn’t get a better chance than this.

Completely blind, he put the spaceship down on the ground. He hoped they were still between the dunes he had aimed at. Otherwise it would be a sudden crash.

The spaceship hit the ground with great force and began to glide forward. Pyrrus unfolded the brake flaps and hoped these would stop the bouncing journey. It helped. A few seconds later, the spaceship stopped with its nose buried in a sand dune.

Kerk unbuckled his seat belt and rushed to the cargo hold to check that the passengers had survived.

He came back and announced with his deep and laconic voice. ”Everybody is all right. No injuries.”

”I hope we can say the same about the ship,” Pyrrus replied. ”It was a hard landing. It would surprise me if the hull or landing mechanism survived without damage.”

”Let’s check that right away,” Kerk said.

Pyrrus glanced at the navigator. “The thermometer shows thirty-five degrees Celsius. Not an impossible temperature. But I still take the jacket as protection against the hot sun.”

He crawled out the hatch. With his hands he protected his face from the flying sand.

”It will stop blowing soon,” Kerk said. “Sandstorms are short-lived. That’s what the navigator said, anyway.”

”Hope it’s accurate,” Pyrrus said. ”In this weather we can’t see anything.”

Alun peeked out. Pyrrus signalled that the chemists and Julia should stay inside the spaceship for the time being.

”Turn on the emergency signal,” Kerk shouted. He noted Pyrrus’ surprising face. “Let the colony look for us. We can sit for a while and wait for rescue. At best, the residents can arrange transportation for us. That’s better than trudging in this loose sand.” He looked down at the ground. His legs had already sunk into the sand almost to his knees. He fought his way out of the sand and helped Pyrrus inspect the spaceship.

Everything seemed to be in good condition on the outside. The engine, on the other hand, looked worse.

”It requires a lot of work,” Kerk said. “One piston has come loose and broken the others. No wonder the engine shut down. But it can be repaired. It just takes some time.”

”That means we are stranded here for now,” Pyrrus said. He looked up at the sun. ”But every cloud has a silver lining. I can improve my tan during our stay here. There wasn’t much of that on the ice planet we recently visited.” He remembered the sharp ice particles that had struck against him every time they were forced onto the surface of the planet. Compared to Northworld, Desert Planet was a paradise.

Kerk concretized his thoughts in a few words. ”A little more vegetation and this planet would be perfect.” He pointed to the top of the dune. ”Shall we climb up and take a look at the view?”

Pyrrus nodded and followed in Kerk’s footsteps. They chose the highest dune. The wind had already calmed down and the sand was no longer flying in their eyes. But it was not easy to climb up the dune. The sand was loose and kept slipping away. For each step they climbed, they sank one and a half steps back.

Kerk was the first to give up. ”I can’t do this. We never get to the top like this. We need wider footwear.”

”Maybe Alun and his chemists can fix us something,” Pyrrus said hopefully.

They slipped down the dune again and went back to the spaceship. Alun promised to make wide shoe supports for them. A moment later he was back with two pairs of square pieces fitted with straps. The base had a wide sole, which distributed the person’s weight over a larger area.

”Has anyone contacted us by radio yet?” Pyrrus asked.

”No,” Alun replied. ”But we have the emergency signal turned on all the time. And if they have eyes, they must have noticed our emergency landing. I mean, as Kerk said, we are not that far from the colony.”

Kerk nodded. ”Twenty to twenty-five miles, I would say.”

”We’ll just wait a while then,” Pyrrus said, lacing up his boot supports.

Kerk had already left and was fighting up the nearest dune.

A few minutes later they stood both on top of the hill and watched the magnificent surroundings. The landscape was an endless and wavy sea of ​​dunes, stretching all the way to the horizon. Some ridges were visible far away.

”Impressive, isn’t it?” Kerk said. He took a deep breath. ”It’s good to breathe fresh air again.”

Pyrrus agreed. ”It seems that the planet is recovering. Solar winds and solar storms probably created this desert landscape a very long time ago. But now I see signs of vegetation here and there.” He pointed to the mountains. ”Over there on the slopes you can see thickets and bushes, perhaps also trees further down in the valleys between the mountains.”

”Then there must be water under the surface,” Kerk said, “exactly as the navigator noted.”

Pyrrus nodded. ”Yes, and if the colony has drilled down to the groundwater, the inhabitants probably also have crops and are self-sufficient.”

”We can look forward to a good meal tomorrow then,” Kerk beamed with a wide grin on his face.

”I guess so,” Pyrrus replied. ”The planet seems to have undergone an enormous transformation during its undoubtedly long existence. But it’s like most planets. They are born, evolve, stagnate and evolve again until they finally die out as a result of the infinite and inevitable process of solar systems.”

”Do you think there has been life here before?” Kerk asked.

Pyrrus shrugged. ”There may have been life, perhaps early in the evolutionary process of the planet. I would guess that conditions have probably been quite similar to those on Earth. The more important question is, has life had time to adapt to the new tougher conditions that prevail today.”

Pyrrus pointed in the direction of the sun. It was about to set. Soon darkness would fall over them. “The oasis is over there. If we don’t get in touch with them today or no later than tomorrow, we have to send a patrol. It shouldn’t be difficult to find the colony. We have the coordinates and despite the sand I would guess it’s an eight or ten hour hike. Max.”

”That sounds like a plan,” Kerk replied. ”I think this planet is perfect for us.”

He didn’t know how wrong he was.

In the meantime, Alun and his friends had tried to make contact with the colony without success.

”We have the right frequency, but no one answers,” Alun stated.

”Maybe there is no one on site right now,” Kerk suggested.

Alun shook his head. ”They probably saw us crash land and then should have manned the radio immediately,” Alun pointed out. ”That’s the general rule of the colonies.”

”Please try again,” Pyrrus said. ”Maybe they have not had any time to react yet. If we don’t receive an answer, we will send out a four-man patrol to the oasis. The rest will have to wait here. We don’t have a shortage of provisions.”

He looked sternly at Alun. “And don’t say crash landing again. We made an emergency landing, due to engine failure. And we did it nicely and safely. No crash at all. Don’t spread inaccurate information.”

Alun looked ashamed. ”Of course, the word just slipped out of my mouth.”

Pyrrus nodded. ”All right, as long as we agree.”

Alun continued with the transmissions, while Kerk and Pyrrus opened the engine, removed broken parts and cleaned away sand that had penetrated the system.

”Let’s pull the ship out of the dune a bit,” Kerk suggested. ”I don’t like the fact that the nose is buried in the sand all the time.”

Pyrrus nodded and commanded everyone out of the spaceship. Pyrrus and Kerk dug the nose of the spaceship out of the sand and with the help of everyone they managed to get the ship free.

Pyrrus examined the surface of the ship again. The stainless steel had again proved its superiority over carbon fibre or aluminium. Although stainless steel was heavier than its competitors, it was easily offset by the thermal qualities of the material. Pyrrus remembered the engineers’ instructions. At extremely cold temperatures the steel didn’t become brittle and at the extremely high temperatures that occurred when the ship penetrated the atmosphere it didn’t begin to melt. The stainless steel withstood up to one thousand five hundred degrees Celsius. Thus, the spacecraft only needed a thin heat shield of glass-like plates.

The plates were also in good condition, thanks to Kerk’s skilful navigation advice, when they had been exposed to the meteorites and asteroids so common in the galaxy. The stainless steel was also easy to weld. You could easily do it outdoors. Finding a sheltered hangar for that job was not always possible in the sparsely populated galaxy.

The spaceship regained its lustre when they polished it free of sand. If they had landed on top of a dune, the ship would have been clearly visible in the distance thanks to the flashing reflections of the sunlight. But now the high dunes hid this glittering spectacle.

Pyrrus appointed two male chemists to accompany him and Kerk the following day, if they failed to make radio contact with the colony. The chemists seemed to be strong enough to withstand a long hike in the heat.

Julia announced that she wanted to join them, but Pyrrus said no. “Not this time. You get to take on the work of cleaning the engine, especially the pistons that are not damaged. We take one of the broken pistons with us as a model. Maybe we can get new replacement pistons made in the colony immediately.” He turned to Kerk. ”How many do we need?”

”Three,” Kerk replied quickly. “But we can order some extra for future needs. Then we are better prepared next time we crash land ... I mean ... emergency land.” He could not help but tease Pyrrus for reprimanding Alun for such an insignificant detail as the choice of words. Crash landing or emergency landing was the same thing, wasn’t it?

Alun was still working with the radio transmitter, without success. The transmitter was silent and remained silent even though he eagerly tried frequencies other than the general emergency frequency.

Darkness fell and they spent the night in the spaceship. Late the next morning, the four-man patrol prepared to leave. The heat didn’t bother them much. A light breeze caressed their faces and wiped the sweat from their foreheads.

Pyrrus took the lead. He led them between the dunes. Sometimes they walked over a small sand hill, but most of the time they kept to a route between the dunes, where the ground was hard and it was easy to walk. Pyrrus kept track of the direction.

They were forced to zigzag more than expected between the dunes and the hike became long. A few times Kerk climbed up on a dune to scout, but it was always difficult. He also sank into the loose sand with his wide supports. It took time and, above all, consumed his strength.

And the message was always the same. ”No oasis in sight.”

Pyrrus looked at the compass. They had been walking for four hours. Fifteen miles. According to his calculations, they were now more than halfway to the colony.

Kerk put Pyrrus’ suspicions into words. ”What if the colony is abandoned?”

”That’s a possibility,” Pyrrus admitted. “But we updated the navigator on Westworld. They should have current information about the colonies in this part of the galaxy.”

”Conditions can change quickly,” Kerk pointed out. ”We knew nothing about Death Planet or Southworld either, before we landed on those planets.”

Pyrrus nodded. ”That’s true, of course. But we still have to examine the oasis. If the colony has left it, they may have left behind titanium, which we can use for the pistons.”

”All right,” Kerk said. “But we still have to create the alloy in some way. We need tools, which mean we have to keep looking, if the oasis is abandoned.” He looked up at the sky and prayed: ”Let’s find someone there.”

Kerk’s prayers were immediately answered. Suddenly a shout was heard nearby. ”Hello, who’s there?”

Pyrrus responded immediately. ”Over here! We were forced to make an emergency landing.”

”Wait a minute,” the voice answered. It sometimes sounded distant, sometimes as close as if it came from the other side of the nearest sand dune. ”We will soon be there. Is anyone hurt?”

Pyrrus gave a negative answer. A moment later he saw a figure appear between two dunes further ahead. The man seemed indistinct in the sunrays. Pyrrus and his comrades continued, tense over the man approaching them. He was followed by three men.

A moment later, the voice got a face.

Pyrrus looked at the bearded man standing in front of him. It was a short man in his forties wearing a wide caftan. The caftan had a beautiful blue color and looked like it was made of expensive fabric. The man greeted them with outstretched arms and a wide smile.

”Welcome,” the man said, extending his hand. ”My name is Jeff.” He shone as if he was very pleased to present himself. ”Jeff John.”

Pyrrus took his hand. The grip was firm and strong. ”Pyrrus,” he replied. Pyrrus presented the others in his entourage.

The man nodded and shook Pyrrus’ hand for a long time. It was as if he never intended to let go. At the same time, he examined Pyrrus in detail. Pyrrus found the long silence disturbing. But the man’s smile was friendly and his handshake firm.

Pyrrus didn’t know where the thought came from.

A dusty small man.

But that’s what the man really looked like.

He was covered from head to toe with a fine dust. But he moved with a confidence, which showed that he was the undisputed leader of the group. The men in his company seemed to follow the man’s slightest hint.

Pyrrus and the man continued to look at each other. It was as if they were measuring each other’s strength and courage.

Kerk thought the silence was embarrassing and broke it. ”We had to make an emergency landing. Engine problems, you see.” He showed the broken piston. ”Can you make titanium pistons?”

The man in front of them nodded. “We have equipment for that. And we have plenty of titanium. It will be a pleasure to help you.”

Then the man’s gaze fell on the other two persons in Pyrrus’ and Kerk’s company. He spread his arms again. “You are also welcome. Feel at home. It’s really nice to see you.”

Pyrrus thought the overflowing welcome sounded a little too thick, but maybe the man was just sincere. The colony probably didn’t receive frequent visits and every guest was extra welcome.

”Are you the only ones?” the man asked.

”No, we left five at the ship,” Pyrrus replied. ”Maybe we should pick them up. They probably want to meet you too. Your camp is pretty close, isn’t it?”

Jeff John nodded. “Yes, just twelve or thirteen miles. Let me send one of my men to fetch your comrades.” He signalled for one of his companions to step forward. ”This is Signa. He can pick them up and show them the way to the colony.”

The man called Signa bowed slightly and asked: ”Do you have the coordinates?”

Pyrrus showed the compass and pointed out the position of the spaceship.

Jeff John spread his arms again. “In the meantime, follow me. The others in the colony would like to meet you.”

Pyrrus suddenly remembered the transmissions. ”We sent emergency signals, but received no response. Didn’t you notice them? You must have seen the emergency landing, because you came out to look for us?”

”Yes, but unfortunately we have had problems with the transmitter”, was the answer. “We saw your spaceship in the distance. It only took a while for us to react. We have much to do in the mines right now.”

Pyrrus accepted the explanation. The first rule of all colony members was to take care of themselves and their own. Rapid rescue operations to rescue alien crafts were not among the colonies’ priorities, as strange as it sounded.

A couple of hours later they arrived at the busy oasis. Long barracks and small huts were spread over a large area. At the far end was a red-painted building with what looked like a chapel at the front.

”It’s our church,” Jeff John announced. “It is a holy place for us, a place only for people with the right faith.”

Pyrrus raised his eyebrows. ”We can’t visit it then?”

”Well, if you convert to our faith, you are more than welcome,” Jeff John announced. ”But don’t let that distract you now. You are probably tired after the long walk. Let’s go into the common dining room, where we can show you our hospitality in a proper way.” He turned to Kerk. “Our blacksmith can take care of the piston. How many do you need?”

”Five,” Kerk replied, “and preferably with the same titanium alloy as this one.” He handed the piston to Jeff John, who handed it to one of his companions. “Give it to Sturmer. Tell him he has to do an extra good job. Five identical pistons.”

The companion bowed deeply and set off.

Kerk thought it looked comical when the man bowed that much. Jeff John’s companions seemed to have great respect for their leader, although he was not much older than the others in the party. And much shorter.

But all colonies had their own special ways. The more isolated they were, the stranger the forms of interaction were. There were many examples of this all over the galaxy. Maybe some of the stories were even true.

It still meant nothing, they would not stay long on the planet, Kerk thought. Making new pistons would take one, maybe two days. Then fix the engine, another one or two days. One week at the most. That long he could endure bowing colonists. Only he didn’t have to bow himself.

Jeff John showed them into the empty dining room. It was an elongated barrack with simple aluminium benches and tables. At the far end, different noises could be heard. The kitchen obviously.

As soon as they sat down at the table, a beautiful woman came in. She carried a platter of fruits and bread. She had a caftan as long as Jeff John’s, but this coat was green in color. The woman placed the tray in front of Jeff John, who pushed it forward to the guests.

”Take what you need!” he urged.

He introduced the woman. ”This is Simone. She is responsible for the kitchen.”

”On her own?” Kerk wondered.

”No, of course she has helpers too, but they are not allowed in the dining room,” Jeff John said. ”Their place is in the kitchen.”

”It seems like you have a lot of rules of conduct here,” Pyrrus said with a faint smile on his face. ”I hope we will not be too much trouble.”

”He means we will behave,” Kerk clarified.

It was meant to be a joke, but Jeff John took it as a serious promise. He didn’t smile.

After the short meal, Jeff John showed them around the colony. There were all the necessary buildings a colony needed. The number of colonists was ninety-five. The men and a few women worked in shifts in the mines in the nearby mountains. The other women and children took care of the small fruit and vegetable plantations on the outskirts of the oasis. The older men, who could no longer cope with the heavy work in the mines, were responsible for the buildings and the general technology needed to keep the colony running.

Everything was well organized, Kerk thought. Everyone pulled their straw to the stack to the best of their ability.