Magic Dirt: The Best of Sean Williams by Sean Williams Page B

purpose of its behaviour?’
     
    ‘Why did it try to ram us?’ added Jake.
     
    STEVE: ‘How does it work?’
     
    SARA: ‘What do they want from us?’
     
    FREEDOM: ‘Where did it come from?’
     
    ANDRE: ‘Where has it gone?’
     
    ME: ‘And how do we report it?’
     
    Gabe shrugged. ‘That’s why we’re here, Alek. We need to think this through. It vanished without trace when it should have hit us head-on, and we haven’t seen it since. Whoever they were, they didn’t bother to tell us what the hell they were doing, so all we can do is guess.’
     
    ‘Maybe it was some sort of defence mechanism,’ suggested Andre. ‘Warning us away.’
     
    ‘From what?’
     
    ‘I don’t know. Could there be life on the inner planet?’
     
    ‘Unlikely’ Freedom’s voice was firm. ‘A civilisation which could build a ship like that would surely leave some trace behind. We didn’t even pick up heat-sources. Just old lava and the odd fissure.’
     
    ‘The Jovian worlds?’
     
    ‘Again, unlikely.’
     
    ‘I guess we’ll find out soon enough,’ said Sara. ‘We’ll be passing them in a week or so.’
     
    ‘Will we?’ Gabe studied us closely. ‘One of the things I wanted to discuss was the status of the mission. Should we abandon this system and skip to the next, or keep going as planned?’
     
    ‘Abandon the system?’ Freedom was outraged. ‘We’re on the brink of what might be the greatest discovery we’ll ever make! The quest for alien life is one of the mission’s primary directives!’
     
    ‘Unless it places the mission itself in jeopardy,’ reminded Andre.
     
    ‘They didn’t hurt us, did they? Whoever they are and whatever they want, I think they’ve demonstrated quite adequately that we’re at their mercy. And yet we still live. I don’t think they’re hostile, just ... cautious.’
     
    ‘Funny way to show it.’
     
    ‘Of course. You don’t expect them to behave like humans, do you?’
     
    This triggered a thought in my own head, but I bit my lip to keep it in. Had their behaviour really been unhuman?
     
    ‘I myself would like to keep going as planned,’ said Gabe, ‘but I’ll hear any arguments to the contrary before filing the order. Now’s the time to speak, if you want to.’
     
    Silence greeted this announcement. Andre was clearly nervous behind his blunt aggression, but he kept quiet. The only other member of the panel who might have spoken against the Captain was Sara, but she too said nothing. I could tell by the way she fidgeted that she was ashamed of her own fear.
     
    Gabe waited for a minute, drumming his fingers on the desk, until it became obvious that no one was going to speak.
     
    ‘I guess it’s settled, then. If nothing untoward happens on the next flyby - and I want us on full alert for that - then we’ll proceed as normal. But if anybody comes up with something we haven’t thought of, no matter how ridiculous, I want to hear it. Absolutely anything could be important.’
     
    We all mumbled our assent. I crossed my fingers behind my back, where the cameras couldn’t see the gesture.
     
    ‘So, folks, I suggest we get some rest. It’s been a long, hard day. I declare this emergency council closed and wish you all pleasant dreams. Good night.’
     
    ~ * ~
     
    The second flyby was uneventful. Our alien friend refused to reveal itself, if it was still around. We shifted orbit closer to the primary without mishap, then migrated out to the gas giants, where we refuelled. Three weeks later, the Jew was ready for crossover. All that remained was the sending of the Mu Boötis report.
     
    Communication with Earth was restricted to small, bullet-shaped lozenges fired through hyperspace to Sol System, where they arrived two days later. The energy required to send the tiny capsules on their way limited the despatches to one per system, at the conclusion of each survey. Thus, every one counted. There would be no chance to send a postscript until the