24 Billion and counting

Chapter 8 A birthday celebration and lovers exchange confidences

We were four weeks away from Mars orbit entry. Already Mars was a red tinted disc, and Earth a blue star, now so close to the sun that it was difficult to see. I was seated at the music keyboard editing a piece of music. Spontaneously the keyboard played the piece from the beginning. I assumed I had hit a wrong key on the alphanumeric pad. However the piece continued whatever key I pressed."Mitch?"

"Yes, Lewis."

"Have you a glitched chip somewhere - the music is locked on."

"I will have a look."

For such a small matter I couldn't understand why the Calculating sign came up on the screen. The music went on and then started to go right through the repertoire I had composed while on the ship. As it was music I was reasonably satisfied with it wasn't such an imposition and I was in a reverie looking at the symbols passing on the screen of the music processor, and toying with the images that had inspired the music.

The green staves disappeared from my sight as two hands came across my eyes, and Becky's voice said, "Guess who?" as the music stopped.

I was now not sure if I was experiencing an illusion provoked by Mitch, for the crew was not due to come to for three weeks.

"Mitch. That's very clever - now stop it and explain how you do it."

I realised my mistake when a cool cheek and strong curled black hair nuzzled the side of my neck.

"It isn't Mitch - Lewis - this is real. This is our surprise for you. It's your birthday and we felt you deserved not to celebrate alone so we agreed I'd get up early."

I turned to face her and we hugged. The shock of this evidence of her affection was so totally unexpected, and wholly new to my experience. She was still stiff and cold from the hibernation, but she reached up and wiped tears from my eyes with her fingers.

"Dear Lewis, you have an awful lot to learn about love."

"To hell with that. Let's be practical. How do you feel? Come, sit down. You're supposed to rest six hours after awakening."

"Alright Commander sir. Surprisingly well, but very stiff. I will sit. The walk even in the low gravity, was quite tiring. I could murder a drink. Something hot and savoury like soup."

"Stay there." I kissed her, "Thank you - it's the best birthday present ever."

I returned with soup, to hear Mitch and Becky deep in conversation.

"I think Lewis has been through a worrying time. He has had doubts about my loyalty, to the mission and him and the rest of the organic crew, but I believe he has come through it well. Apart from that, the trip has been five zeros in line with the mission plan. All systems function well. The rest of the crew are in good health and will be wakened in due time."

"You've added a lot to your speech and intonation."

"Yes Rebecca, we felt if we added non-word vocalisations to our speech, clarity of communication would improve. We are also locating our voices so that they are less disembodied. I have a thought that if we had a sufficiently sophisticated hologram projection system it would be useful to add an image to talk from. Although we might need an additional data bank to do that unless we relinquish ship control to one of us rather than two."

"What do you mean Mitch - two?" Sharp surprise was in Becky's voice.

"When Lewis started asking questions that required us to formulate an objective assessment of our make up and drives, Lewis agreed that I could pass over control of the three ships to Beta and Gamma while I attended to Lewis's needs for calculation and information. He asked some difficult questions."