Flight Of The Anasazi
By David Billiot
Copyright 2026: All rights reserved
Chapter 7: Te Lucis
“Commander Stormer.” Roma said.
“Captain Roma.” he responded.
“The Taylor is tethered. I want the men in spacesuits. We are simulating a hydrogen tank overheat. We are going to train getting to it in zero G from both the inside and outside of the ship. We will train replacing it. We will train fixing it. We will train bypassing it.”
“Aye, Captain.”
“Make sure the men know that Karen is monitoring. If the Roanoke AI tells them to do it a different way, they need to do it a different way.”
“Aye, Captain.”
“And Commander, let’s make sure they take this seriously.”
“Permission to speak freely, Captain.”
“Granted.”
“I really don’t mean any disrespect. I have a good crew. There are real incidents that happen right here in system. We would be working those. There’s already a shortage of first responders. I feel frustrated being pulled to this mission.”
“You feel frustrated because you don’t know who Mark Adakai is. But I am telling you right now, Commander, that I will not let that man die. If he gets into trouble on his mission we are going to find him. We are going to rescue him. We are going to bring him back. That is our mission. I do understand your concerns. But we have to be ready to try to save everyone. Mark Adakai is included in everyone. And I would go out there alone to save his life.”
“Thank you for clarifying, Captain.”
“Get the men into their spacesuits.”
“One more point, if I may, Captain.”
“Go ahead.”
“The Roanoke is not a search and rescue ship. This is a flying luxury hotel. The medbay is too small.”
“We’re only trying to rescue one person.”
The commander shook his head. “If you want the men to take the mission seriously they need to be in serious conditions. There’s no reason for each man to have a private cabin and have five empty cabins while having such a small medbay. We also need a workshop. Just a printer is not enough. We need a real workshop. And tow line. We have the space.”
“The Roanoke was originally designed as an exploration vessel. But the mission has changed. Let’s get today’s training done and then I want proposals given to Karen.”
…
The rising sun lit up Mark’s quarters from his window and Mark opened his eyes. He felt funny, like he wasn’t supposed to be awake yet.
“Al, any … yawn … news?”
“We are making progress on our return trip calculations and Bruce says he can confirm the DNA of the grasshopper and other species does match to the best of our ability to scan them.”
“Right.”
Mark got out of bed and cooked himself fried eggs for breakfast. He was thinking and yet his mind was blank.
“Have you taken any additional samples?” Mark asked.
“I have constructed a small rover to go some distance from our landing site to collect some additional samples and return them. It has not completed its mission yet.”
“Is there anything in the air out there that is toxic for me?” Mark asked.
“Not according to our scans, Captain.”
Mark was starting to feel something. It was a restlessness in him. He looked out the window. Off in the distance beyond the trees he thought he saw smoke. It could also be a cloud that was playing a trick on him but to Mark’s eye that looked like smoke.
“Alright. I’m calling it.” Mark said.
“If you would like for me to take an action I will need more details, Captain.”
Mark was getting dressed in his uniform. “What’s the temperature out there?”
“I record it at nine degrees.”
“Chilly. Gotta wear the jacket then.”
“Captain, are you thinking of going outside?”
Mark was buckling his boots. “Yep.”
“I see. I would like to inform you that in the event of an EVA protocol requires you to keep your spacesuit in communications with the Anasazi. I believe the protocol needs to be adapted for the new situation.”
“I’ll bring a radio.”
“Also, Peggy would like for me to inform you that she would like to formally object to you leaving the ship.”
“Sorry?” Mark demanded.
“She is worried about you.”
Mark was in white pants and black boots. He decided not to wear the fluffy winter coat but instead he just put on the uniform jacket and hoped it would be enough. He clipped the radio to his shirt collar and then put on his black tie.
Mark went to his spacesuit and looked it over. He found one of the cameras and took it off. He then tried to think of a way to fasten it to his belt. He thought for a moment about what he had onboard and he found a strap that would hold the camera in place after Mark made a few adjustments to it.
Last but not least Mark unlocked the safe and got out his sidearm. As a military man, even a retired one, Mark was required by law to always have his gun. An animal like a cow might not seem dangerous at first thought but it was still a large animal that might have horns and might be angry for any number of reasons.
“Ok. All good to go.”
Instead of going to the airlock Mark went to the exit ramp which would have usually only been used once the Anasazi was docked back at a station’s hangar bay. It was sort of funny. Mark had entered the Anasazi through the airlock while the ship was in orbit. The ship was constructed in space and so this would actually be the very first time for the exit ramp to ever be used. Even for fueling the ship had docked at the external port of the plasma extractor’s fusion refinery. That airlock saw a lot of use with people coming and going leading up to the mission and now Mark was the first person to actually use the proper door.
The warning light was going off as the ramp lowered and even before Mark could see anything the earthy smell of the outside hit him and contrasted with the sterile spaceship interior. Mark waited for the ramp to be fully lowered down and make contact and then he began to step out. The sun was bright in the sky and Mark’s white uniform dazzled in the light.
Mark could have gone in any direction but he looked out to tree line and off in the distance he saw smoke. There could be no mistaking it. He started to walk in that direction being careful as he went. He wasn’t in a rush. He told himself to not be in a rush. Step one was to get to the treeline.
Mark was just enjoying a stroll in a way as he walked and felt the ground give way under him. He heard the soft smooshing of the grass in places and in others there were cracking sounds. As he got closer to the trees he could make out something shiny. Mark’s eyes went to it and in the shadow of the trees he could make out the shape of a man holding a spear.
“Alright. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Let’s everyone be calm.” Mark said to himself. The best war is the one that doesn’t start Mark had been taught a long time ago. A long time ago.
Mark continued to press on and he told his hand to not go for his sidearm. Let’s just give everyone the benefit of the doubt. He didn’t speed up and he didn’t slow down. He just kept an even pace as he got closer. With each step he could make out more shapes by the trees. People were looking. Some were hiding. Some were pointing.
Suddenly the man with the spear came out into the light and yelled a command at Mark. Mark didn’t understand the words but he could hear the intention. Mark stopped. The man with the spear was dressed in a long sleeve green tunic and over the tunic he had a leather vest. His legs also had leather coverings but Mark could not tell if he might have on another garment under that or not. His shoes were leather and showed signs of being well worn at this point. The man had darker skin than Mark even though Mark himself was what some people called a halfbreed. The man with the spear had light brown kinky hair that was trimmed short and light brown eyes that looked both angry and afraid at the same time.
Another man in similar dress came out of the darkness with a bow but it was not aimed up at Mark. The man with the bow spoke to the man with the spear, seeming to be trying to calm him down. Mark noticed that the man with the bow was much lighter skinned than the man with the spear. His hair was straight and was not so short. He was turned to the side from Mark so he could not see the color of the man’s eyes at this distance.
“Al, I don’t suppose you can translate that?” Mark said.
At the sound of his voice the other men stopped talking and both looked at Mark.
“I am sorry, Captain.” Al said. “My systems do not recognize it.”
The man’s eyes went wide and he backed away still pointing the metal tip of the spear at Mark.
“Hello.” Mark said loudly at the men as he waved a greeting. “I’m friendly.”
The man with the bow yelled something back and he too gestured.
Mark thought about the best way to do this. He gestured with his arms to invite them to come to him.
The other men did not know how to interpret the gesture at first. They were talking among themselves. Mark was patient but when the two men began to argue Mark stepped forward. The man with the spear became vigilant again and focused his eyes on Mark. He shouted again, clearly commanding Mark to stop.
An older man came out from behind a tree and he had a cape on with fur at the shoulders. He too was lighter skinned like the man with the bow but his hair was all white and bald at the top. He first went to the man with the spear to pat him on the arm and then the older man slowly started to walk towards Mark. He began to speak and he pointed behind him toward the men with arms.
Mark widened his arms in a welcoming gesture and the older man cautiously came forward. He was speaking and perhaps was asking questions. He seemed to want Mark to speak.
“I would be very happy to meet you.” Mark said. “I am lost. I am looking for my way home.”
The older man looked puzzled. He grinned and stepped closer. He began to speak and he pointed back towards the trees.
“I am sorry.” Mark said. “I don’t know what you’re saying. I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I’m just as surprised as you are.”
The older man came closer still and he was close enough to reach out and touch Mark if he had wanted to. Mark extended his hand to the older man but instead of shaking it the older man took Mark’s hand and turned it to examine Mark’s palm. The older man looked up at the sky and pointed and then looked at Mark’s face and asked what seemed like a very important question. But Mark could not understand.
Mark thought for a moment. He wasn’t hungry because he had just eaten but food is something everyone understands. Mark pointed to his stomach and then to his mouth. “Do you have anything to eat?”
The elder looked and then slowly nodded. He smiled and then laughed. He nodded and then patted Mark on the shoulder. He started to speak as he gestured for Mark to come with him. Mark and the elder started to walk towards the trees and then many people started to come out from hiding. It wasn’t just men. There were women and even teenagers it seemed. They were all looking on with surprise or wonder.
As Mark reached the trees the crowd was all around him and the elder shouted for people to move out of the way. There was a path through the trees created by repeated foot traffic and then in another clearing there was a village. In the village Mark heard from a distance the unmistakable cling clang of a blacksmith hammering something and striking the anvil on the odd stroke. The buildings were made of thick walls of straw. A few others were wood but crude compared to what Mark would expect at a department store. There was a space between some homes and several women were bringing out a table. Others brought out chairs and just like that a banquet was being created.
Mark waited to be told where to sit. Some of the people looked at him like they were afraid of him. There were so many people with so many differing ways of dress. Some women were in dresses but others wore a tunic like the men. Some men were just in tunics and pants and seemed to be poorer while others had those leather vests on. Mark wasn’t sure if he was seeing a class distinction or something else.
One thing that caught Mark’s notice was the sound of the way one of the young men spoke. Mark could not understand the language but he could hear the pattern of a man who was either hard of hearing or perhaps mentally handicapped. Based on how others were treating him Mark realized that for these people maybe that was one and the same.
The food that was brought out was oatmeal and boiled corn. Mark knew better than to just dig in. He waited. These people might have some kind of protocol. Wine was brought out to be served with the food. And finally a bit of meat.
There were too many people for Mark to count. There were dozens who had met him in the crowd by the trees but this village had hundreds of people here.
An old woman approached Mark and she struggled to move but she went to her knees before him. She bowed prostrate and started chanting. A man came to her and was trying to talk to her and get her to get up but the old woman resisted.
“I’m not a deity.” Mark tried to explain.
The man trying to help the woman looked at Mark like he was embarrassed. He got the woman to her feet and she was crying. She bowed again and made gestures with her hands. The man put his arm around her and led her away.
Everyone gathered and the elders spoke. The people became quiet and the elders gestured for Mark to stand up. He did and they wanted him to speak.
“Uh, … Hi. I’m Mark.”
Upon hearing Mark’s voice many people clamored but the senior elder got everyone’s attention. Then a man who looked like a shaman came forward and began to do what was obviously a prayer. The shaman put his arms in the air and he had bones on a string he shook. Mark looked around and noticed that one group of people who sat on their own did not join in with the prayer. While the others lowered their heads, this separated group did not.
When it was time at last to eat Mark took the spoon and brought some of the oatmeal to his mouth. Yep. It was oatmeal. Bland, almost disgusting, oatmeal. But the price of peace was worth it. As Mark ate he saw a chicken walking by a building. A chicken. Mark’s memory of the eggs he’d eaten not that long ago came to him. They had been chicken eggs, because of course they were. When someone says eggs it automatically means chicken eggs. This was so weird.
After the meal people were talking and Mark was just listening and smiling. Then at some point several young women were brought out and lined up and they gestured for Mark to look at them. He did and didn’t know what they wanted him to say. It seemed like each woman was being introduced to him but the women themselves did not speak. A man spoke, presumably about the woman he was standing next to, and then moved on to the next one. Mark didn’t know what else to do so he clapped and smiled.
“Well said. Well said.” he told them.
Then the shaman came and silenced everyone. The rattle of the bones was the only sound to be heard and the shaman slowly spoke standing with Mark as everyone else was seated.
“Buba” the shaman said as he pointed to himself. He repeated it more slowly.
“Your name. Buba.”
The shaman heard Mark say the word and he raised up a hand in triumph as many people cheered.
One of the elders stood up to call everyone to silence again.
The shaman gestured to Mark.
Mark pointed at himself. “Mark Adakai.”
“Maak” the shaman said.
Mark smiled. Close enough, he supposed. He nodded. “Yes. Mark. Good. Mark.”
People started to say it in whispers. “Maak.”
In time the spontaneous ceremony was over and the elders took Mark to walk around the village. They pointed at places and said things. Mark could recognize a blacksmith’s forge and a place for grinding wheat. Other things he could not understand, like a circle that was surrounded by stones and had a pattern of lines drawn into the soil. There was a place for making candles and they showed him the place they kept the bees. So that meant they had bees. Mark was beyond being shocked at this point. Of course they had bees. At this point it would be more odd if they didn’t have bees.
Some people were working but it seemed most people had taken the day off. It seemed that Mark’s arrival had disrupted things.
Mark took a moment to be alone, and that is to say he needed to take a leak. He was surprised to find that these people had toilets. Not advanced or sophisticated toilets. From what Mark could tell someone had dug a deep hole in the ground and they built a wooden box over it and put a seat inside.
“Ok Al, I’m wondering if they’re going to ask me to spend the night.” Mark said.
“I’m wondering if the food you ingested will have a negative impact on your digestive tract. If you begin to feel at all sick, please make haste back to the Anasazi.” Al said.
“Any new developments?”
“I believe I have plotted a course to get us closer to home but we will need to stop and recalculate at that location.”
“Any explanation why I found humans here?” Mark asked.
“It is beyond my comprehension, Captain. I believe without adequate proof of the encounter no one would believe us.”
“Don’t I know it.”
Mark returned and sort of wished he had a place to wash his hands but he didn’t. He finally got some time to explore the village on his own and he moseyed around. The regular people seemed too afraid or reverent of him to speak to him.
Mark came up to a group of young women sitting in a circle and fixing thick lengths of straw together to make baskets. They were speaking to each other while they worked and all of them seemed happy. There was some laughter as it seemed one woman was teasing another. Mark paused to watch them work and looked over the baskets that had already been made. The women continued their work but became quiet with Mark standing there. They spoke to each other in hushed tones but one woman looked up at him expecting him to go. Mark gestured that he didn’t want to disturb her and to continue. She hesitated and then continued to work. She put on a fake smile and then seemed nervous as she tried to work. She seemed to make a mistake and get annoyed with herself.
Eventually the woman got frustrated and looked up at Mark and said something that sounded mean. Mark could hear the “go away” in her voice so he nodded to her and took his leave. As Mark left one of the other women in the group was saying something to the annoyed woman.
The hours passed slowly and then the sun was going down. There was a small communal fire in the center of town but most people were tending to their own concerns. Mark took a place by the fire and started to think about heading back to the Anasazi. The night got darker and then a man in a building that was closer to the edge of the village started to ring a bell. Mark looked around and some of the villagers looked annoyed or even embarrassed.
Mark got up to go investigate the sound of the bell and an elder came to him to explain something. It seemed to Mark that they didn’t want him to go. Mark was polite but did want to go and would not be stopped. The elder looked concerned as Mark pressed on.
The man with the bell who was the darkest skinned person there had gathered some other villagers and they were going into a building lit with candles. This was obviously not a home that someone lived in but some kind of religious building.
The man who had had the bell seemed to be the leader. The women sat on one side facing the back of the building away from the entrance and the men sat on the other side facing the same way. The leader stood between and opened a book to read.
A book. Mark’s eyes were wide. Yes, he would very much like to see the writing in that book. These people have writing.
The leader read something and at certain points the men and the women repeated part of what the leader said.
After this first part another man who was not the leader stood up and sang some notes with his voice. He then paused because he noticed Mark by the entrance looking in. He hesitated but the leader said something to reassure him. The other man sung again and then everyone started to sing tuned to the notes the man had sung.
“ Te lucis ante terminum
rerum Creator, poscimus
ut pro tua clementia
sis praesul et custodia.”
Mark heard it and a grim silence seemed to enter his soul. “Al, please tell me you just heard that.” Mark whispered as the singing continued.
“I did, Captain.” came the low voice from the radio that only Mark could hear.
Even with everything else Mark was adjusting but this was just too much. He had to sit as the implications of this dawned on him. He leaned against the building as he sat on the ground and just listened. The church service continued in the native language but again later there was singing.
“Salva nos Domine vigilantes: custodi nos dormientes: ut vigilemus cum Christo et requiescamus in pace.”
Mark didn’t understand the words but he had heard them before. Or at least something like them before. He got up and started to walk away back to the ship. When he had enough distance he felt confident to talk to Al.
“Was that singing what I thought it was?”
“Save us lord in watching, guard us in sleeping, so we watch with Christ and we die in peace. Very ominous meaning, it seems to me, Captain.”
“I would love to go home but this mystery is begging to be solved.”
Mark arrived back at the ship and the first thing he did was get his clothes off and take a shower. Then he went to the conn and looked over the render of the system based on the data available.
“I want to know everything about this system. The formation. The history. Impacts. Anything we can figure out.”
“I understand, Captain. Does this mean we will be delayed in our return journey?”
“For now definitely. And see if there are any traces of other technology in the area.”
“Technology, sir?”
“These people are not an accident. This place is not an accident. If the hand of God came down to put this here then I want to find the traces.”
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