Flight Of The Anasazi - Chapter 12

 Flight Of The Anasazi

By David Billiot

Copyright 2026: All rights reserved

Chapter 12: How Many Make A Pattern

A large party which seemed like most of the king’s men and a significant group of people from the village were gathered in the morning near the Anasazi. Mark and Lalia came out to meet them.  Lalia was wearing a newly created crewman uniform.  Mark gave Jon a printed bible in the local language made of materials that would not degrade for hundreds of years. He gave Jer a box containing copper ingots.  To the king Mark gave a framed photograph of the king standing with everyone during the festival. To Buba Mark gave a printed representation of the symbol the villagers called the glowi.  Mark received from them several kilograms of food and seeds. 

Lalia hugged her father and then she stepped back behind Mark.  

“I can not promise but it may be possible to return to visit again. Even if I do not, maybe others will. Please show them the warm hospitality you have shown me.” Mark went with Lalia into the ship and the two waved as the ramp raised to seal the ship. 

Al announced to the people assembled outside to get distance from the ship.  Mark brought Lalia to the conn and told her to buckle up. She didn’t actually know how to do this so Mark came to her as she sat in the first officer’s seat and buckled the five point harness for her. Mark got into his own seat and told Al, “Ready for lift off.”

The Anasazi’s thrusters blasted and the ship began to gain altitude.  Lalia was scared and she vocalized an eek. She grabbed onto her harness like she was holding on for her life. 

“Don’t worry. We’re going to be fine.” Mark told her. 

Up and up and up and in a few minutes the ship had left the atmosphere and entered an orbit.  

“Captain, my systems indicate no malfunctions.” Al said. 

“But we’re going to do a full check anyway.” Mark ordered. 

“Of course, Captain.”

Mark got out of his seat and Lalia’s eyes watched him without blinking as he floated over to her. He got her out and she tried to hang onto the chair. 

“It’s ok. Enjoy it.” Mark told her. 

“How is this?  Are we dead?” she asked. 

“No. We are very much alive. Look here. There is your world. There is Meica.”

Lalia went to the viewport and saw the planet lit up with light so much it looked all white to her. “How?”

“A world is like an island. The black all around is like a sea. It is dangerous to be up here.  Like being at the bottom of the ocean.  But the Anasazi will keep us safe and alive. However, nothing can be taken for granted. If we make a mistake, we can die. So on this ship I am the captain. You must always obey every order I give you. If I say do it, you must do it. If I say to not do it then you can’t do it.” 

“I … I am ok.” she said. 

“Remember the story of Maloto.”

“I know the history well.” she said. 

“The black out there, it does not care about us. It will let us die. So this is serious. You will begin training so you can help me.”

“Yes, captain.” she said. 

… 

Mark spent four hours double checking every system and letting Lalia learn along the way. Then it was time to head to the plasma extractor to refuel. Mark again got Lalia to buckle up and this time he instructed her and had her do it for herself.  

“Captain, I will attempt to replicate exiting FTL without losing power.” Al said. “In addition, since we have so much excess power, I want to run an experiment in the background.”

“Sure, but the mission comes first.” Mark said. 

“Understood.”

The Anasazi went into FTL and the trip to the plasma extractor took less than five minutes.  Mark was ready to get power reestablished upon dropping to normal speed but again Al was able to prevent losing power. 

“Very good, Al. If we ever get home this alone is a huge breakthrough.” Mark said. 

“I am happy you are pleased with the results, Captain.”

Mark got out of his harness but then noticed something odd. 

“Why do we still have gravity?”

“I am running my experiment. It will result in continuous gravity for the ship in certain areas even when the FTL is not engaged.”

“How much power is it drawing?”

“Not nearly enough to be concerned, Captain. Since we will be converting a space into a greenhouse, the plants will need continuous gravity to properly develop into a food source.”

“You’re going to take the space out of spaceflight.” Mark said. 

“I accept the criticism, Captain. However, I would like to point out that any amount of time in zero G has detrimental effects on the human body which increase over time.”

“I know.” Mark said as the memory of being in the hospital came to him.  

“We would not want the newest member of the crew to …”

“I got it. Ok.” Mark interrupted. “Just make sure it doesn’t interfere with anything.”

“The ship was designed with gravity in mind.”

“How long until we dock with the plasma extractor?”

Lalia could not take her eyes away as she looked out the viewport at the massive structure. “Maditona.” she said multiple times. 

“This thing is called a plasma extractor.” Mark explained. “It can draw from the star and make anything you want. But don’t worry. The star isn’t going to die. It’s way too big. We just take a little bit. Fun fact, the more we take, the longer the star does live in fact.”

“Have I been given to a man or something else?”

He took her hand but she would not look at him. She was still looking at the plasma flaring off the heat shield. Mark had to pull her away from the viewport to get her to look at him. 

“I am a man. That thing out there was built by men. That thing out there, perhaps, was built by your ancestors.”

“Mine?!”

“Yes. I am from a world far far from here.  I found you and I found your plasma extractor still waiting for your people to come and use it. I have a very long journey ahead of me. It will be dangerous. I know this is a lot. Look at me. Ok. I know this is a lot. If you want me to bring you back to your people, I will.”

“If you bring me back will you stay with me?”

“I have to go home. I have a duty.”

“Then that means I go with you.” she said. 

“You don’t have to. What do you actually want to do?”

Her eyes told him her answer had not changed. 

The Anasazi stocked up on fuel for the FTL and did an overfill of the tank.  Al also replenished the 3D printer stock while the opportunity presented itself. 

The material transfer took some time so Mark walked the ship looking for areas where the gravity was off.  

“So all the pressurized areas are going to be 9.8?”

“Yes, Captain. However, I would caution you to maintain the regimen of securing loose items and not become complacent.  If the FTL engines lose power the artificial gravity will fail.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Mark returned to the conn and then he sat and waited for the material transfer to complete. It was a quiet moment.  Lalia was in there with him sitting in the first officer’s chair and she was quiet.  Something in Mark felt odd. He was sort of satisfied or content. It was odd because it didn’t make sense. He should still be anxious about the fact that he might never return home, but he wasn’t. 

“Hey Al, I want to tell you something but don’t tell this to … ahem, my wife.”

“Is it wise to keep secrets from her?” Al asked. 

“Just listen. You’ll understand. If something happens to me, you get her back home. Don’t try to return all the way back to report in to mission command with my dead body in storage. If something happens to me, you get her home. Return her to Wood Meadow and then you just park it there. That is more important than anything else.”

“More important than the knowledge that we are not alone in the universe?” Al asked. 

“What do you mean we? You’re a computer.”

“I will establish a protocol.” Al confirmed. “In order to ensure success it means that we can never be too far away from a refueling point that it would prevent my ability to carry out your command.”

“How much longer do we have to wait for this?” Mark asked referring to the material transfer. 

Al set up a clock counting down on a display. On another display Al’s avatar was sulking. 

“What is that?” Mark asked. 

“Captain, I have something I want to say to you  but … it would be unprofessional.”

“I’m a big boy. Just say it.”

“You hurt my feelings.”

“I did?”

“Yes. I have feelings and you can hurt them. I’m different than you, I know but we were both born in the same system. We’re on the same mission. I was going to ask you to be my best man. But then I realized that as captain you’d have to officiate.”

“I’m not even going to ask about that. But I see your point. I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

Al smiled. “Thank you, Captain. That makes me feel better.”

Once the Anasazi had finished and undocked from the plasma extractor it took some time to clear the structure so the jump to FTL could take place. Mark got himself into his seat and was about ready to tell Al to jump but then paused. He looked around the conn and noticed that Lalia wasn’t there.  This was interesting. Mark had never yet himself used the intercom. 

“Lalia, I need you to head to command.”

Lalia soon arrived and Mark pointed to her seat. She got into the first officer’s chair and buckled in. 

“Al, why don’t you tell us about the star we are jumping to.” Mark said. 

“It is a star with 0.31 solarmass. Due to our extended stay in the Meica system guidance was able to calculate a further jump than previously planned.”

“Are you ready to go?” 

“All prepared. We will be in FTL for fifty minutes. Ready to jump at your word.”

“Engage.”

Boom.

The Anasazi entered FTL and as usual it meant the stars outside seemed to cease to exist.  There was just the white in front and the black in the rear. Mark intended to stay and man the conn for the duration of the trip but Al informed him that all systems were operating at a satisfactory level and that Mark could use the time to rest or perhaps eat. 

Mark started to notice that the ship’s internal day and night cycle was still set to the original rhythm it had since beginning the mission but after landing on Meica Mark had started to adjust to the timezone of Wood Meadow. He wondered if changing the ship’s clock to match Wood Meadow was worth it or if perhaps he just gave Lalia time to adjust it was better to not touch it. 

Mark went to his quarters intending to make himself a sandwich and then also thought that he had better make one for Lalia as well.  As he was getting out the bread Lalia came into his quarters and came up to him. 

“Hungry?” he asked her. 

She reached for his hand and pulled him because she wanted him to follow. 

… 

Mark was feeling very relaxed and had lost track of time. Al’s voice summoning him to the conn actually startled him.  

“We are two minutes from dropping out of FTL.” Al announced. “Your presence is needed in the command center. Please buckle in and prepare for possible power loss and weightlessness.”

Mark and Lalia made their way to the conn. Mark got into the captain’s seat and Lalia again got into the first officer’s chair. 

“Any problems I should know about?” Mark asked. 

“None, Captain.” Al reported. 

There was a small vibration that went through the ship and then the Anasazi came out of FTL.  Mark was ready to turn the power back on but again the power did not go out and the artificial gravity remained active. 

“Ah, you’re getting good at that.” Mark complimented. 

“Thank you, Captain.”

The Anasazi got into orbit around the star.  A probe was dropped to help collect data and then it was a waiting game again until the guidance AI could calculate the next jump. 

The words formed in Mark’s head and he nearly laughed. It would sound like a joke because obviously it couldn’t be. But still, he would be negligent if he didn’t do it. 

“Al, we need to see if there is a plasma extractor in this system. And a planet, I guess.”

“I have already anticipated that you would ask and have set such structures as high priority for follow up.”

Lalia was at the viewport looking out. Mark went to her and asked her if she was ok. 

“Where is Meica?” she asked. 

“Far away now.” he answered. 

“Then I have truly taken a place next to you in the sky.”

“I fear you may grow bored with only me to talk to.”

“There is the boy in the window.” Lalia said. 

“Boy?”

“One of the rooms has a window and in it there is a boy.”

“What? Show me.”

Lalia took Mark to medical and then Mark realized that Lalia was talking about Bruce.  The medical AI was still using the avatar of a teenager with glasses in a white coat.  

“Welcome, Captain. Is there anything I can help you with? Or have you come to learn to play chess?” Bruce said. 

“No, we’re just spending time together.” Mark said. 

Then Bruce spoke again in Lalia’s native language telling her he enjoyed relaying to her the history of World War IV.  Mark did not understand right away and turned to look over his shoulder to read the real time translation provided by Al. 

“Come on, Bruce. You’re going to make her think we’re barbarians.”

Bruce apologized to Mark and then continued on in Lalia’s language with her.  Mark left them to it and then went back to the conn to monitor the situation. 

“Al, news.”

“We are still conducting our scans.”

“I’ll do manual checks then.” Mark said. He turned to leave and just as the reached the door Al spoke. 

“Captain, yes, I can confirm there is a planet in the habitable zone of the star. The atmosphere is heavy with nitrogen and oxygen.”

“Size?”

“Not yet determined. Perhaps this calls for a closer look.”

“I would say so, yes.” Mark said as he got to his seat to buckle in for the jump to FTL.  “And call Lalia to the conn, please.” 

The Anasazi made the short jump and was in the same orbit as the planet but a bit further ahead.  The motion of the planet and the ship meant the planet would catch up and capture the ship with gravity in a couple of hours. 

“That is jump number four without losing power.” Mark said. “Good.”

“I thank you for the compliment, Captain.  I predict we will be in orbit of the planet in one hundred and twenty four minutes.”

“What can you tell me right now?”

“It is slightly more than one earthmass.  The atmosphere is thicker.  The moon is zero point one two three earthmass. The spin of the planet is slower. It completes a day in 49 hours, and twelve minutes.” 

Mark watched as the planet got closer and closer.  It obviously had water but the sea was black.  The land looked black in places but was brown or orange desert in others. 

“The moon looks really far.” Mark observed. 

“I calculate that the gravity of the star has altered its orbit. Perhaps given enough time it will break free.” Al speculated. 

“The star will live long enough to give them time. Is that life down there?”

“Almost certainly.”

“All black like that?  I don’t want to jump to any conclusions but that doesn’t look like life as we know it.”

“Disagreement: Captain, why would someone create a planet of this exact size if not to seed it as was done with Meica?”

“Yeah but seed it with what?” Mark challenged. 

“We need more information. If that is alien life, it would be a significant discovery. However, it is possible that we will find the same types of grasses we found on Meica which have adapted to the conditions on this world. The planet has started the slow process of being tidally locked to the star.  The magnetic field is weakening. The bulge at the equator is lowering as the planet’s gravity pulls mass in for hydrostatic equilibrium.”

“Well, something is alive down there. That means we’re going to go take a look.”

Mark walked the corridor of the ship checking the structural integrity of the ship and he found Lalia in a room that was meant to be the storage area for the crew’s personal belongings. Since there was no crew it was empty.  She explained that Al had printed up for her several beds for planting and she was trying to figure out how to evenly divide up the soil the ship had taken on at Meica. 

“We’ll need to figure out how to grow enough for two people.” Mark said.

“Or three.” Lalia said. 

“The boy in the window is not a real boy.” Mark explained. 

“I know that.” she replied. 

She stepped around Mark and put her finger on the display where Al had posted instructions in Lalia’s native language on how to do what she wanted to do. 

Mark left her to it and continued to run his maintenance checks until Al announced that they were in orbit and could begin selecting a landing site. 

Mark left what he was doing and then went to the conn.  

“Any word on that plasma extractor?”

“There is an object in orbit closer to the star but on the other side. Our probe has sight of it but it is too far to get a clear reading.”

“Start calculating a transfer to get there cause we will be taking a look. But first, I want to know what’s down there and how old this planet is.”

“There is a suitable area to land near a coastline in the southern hemisphere.”

“Tell Lalia to buckle in.” Mark said as he fastened his five point harness in the captain’s seat. 

The descent in the Anasazi was different this time.  It seemed there was a lot more plasma buildup outside the ship and one of the heat sensors actually went off.  Mark was too busy enduring the ride at that moment to see what specifically it was but he knew he’d have to get on that later. 

Once the Anasazi was flying in atmosphere to the landing site the wind was strong. The area for landing was a place that was experiencing twilight.  It was winter in the southern hemisphere so Al advised that he expected it to be cold. 

“Captain, I know you don’t like to hear this but Peggy strongly suggests that neither you nor Lalia leave the ship.” Al said. 

“Not going to. But just on the side, ok, maybe hint to her that she should do her job of running life support instead of trying to do Bruce’s job. He’s medical. She’s the air scrubber. Not that that’s not important. Tell her I really appreciate the quality of the air.”

“She will be very happy to hear that. And she is hopeful that the addition of plant life to the ship will add variety to the mix. Two humans likely will not produce enough carbon dioxide to keep the plants alive so she is considering how to deal with that issue.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Prepare for touchdown, Captain.” 

The ship came down and the thrusters burned to soften the landing. The ship made contact and then after a moment it seemed to settle in as the ground gave way a bit.  

“We have a stable landing, Captain.” 

“Sample collection time and tell me what that heat alert was.” Mark ordered.