Rogue Ship

One scene after another showed a rapid succession of huge waves.

When the frames finally began to show land, the scene was of rugged, mountainous country that was covered with a grayish-yellow growth; a kind of moss, it seemed to the intent Lesbee III. Here and there, the growth piled up into uneven shapes, some of which were small and others of which were extremely tall. Because of the jagged appearance, the growths were beautiful – much as a design in gold and silver is beautiful.

There were other growths, but they were a tiny proportion of the whole: a touch of red, or green, a different type of foliage; that was all. The yellow-gray 'moss' and the silver-gold 'trees' dominated equally the mountain peaks and plains.

Abruptly, there was a city scene.

Everywhere, in that first look, he saw canals filled with what seemed to be water. Enthralled, Lesbee III remembered motion pictures he had seen of the far-distant Earth city of Venice, Italy. This seemed similar.

Then he saw that the 'canals' were on top of the buildings and that there were different levels of them. The high-rise buildings extended for miles like a continuous cliff, uniform in height. Between the two abutments, made up of the front and back of the buildings, flowed two streams of the yellow-tinted 'water'... in opposite directions.

Each of the three levels of lower-rise buildings also had its two streams. The entire array of buildings periodically crisscrossed with others of their own type, which came in upon them at right angles.

...Square on square mile of each, and thousands of canals... no streets visible anywhere; simply the solid masses of buildings presenting four roof levels, and every roof with water on it.

In the water were dark shapes – that moved. He couldn't see them.

The picture frames that showed these creatures close up had a light effect that twisted Lesbee III's eyes.

He was amazed, interested, intensely disappointed. 'I'll be damned,' he said. 'They don't want us to see what they look like.'

Physicist Plauck, peering over Lesbee's shoulder, said, 'On such a huge planet, it follows that the muscles of a life form would require a buoyant liquid to support the body. If their planet of origin is B-l – which is larger – then, like Earthman on Mars, what we're seeing is the intelligent life form of this system in an environment where its motion is actually freer than on its home planet. Yet they still need additional support. It suggests a very dense physical structure, hard to handle.'

Lesbee III, whose eyes were begi

He added, 'After you've made the film, see if you can't figure out their method of putting pictures into bottles. They must know a lot more about the physics and chemistry of liquids than we do.'

With that, he headed back to his grandfather's room. He found the old man in a coma.

Captain John Lesbee, first commander of the Hope of Man, died in the sleep hour that same sidereal day, seventy-seven years, four months, and nine days out from Earth, at the honorable age of one hundred and thirty-one years.

Within six months, no man or woman of his generation remained alive.

It was then that Lesbee III made a major error. He attempted to carry out his purpose of getting rid of a no-longer-needed Atkins.

The death of Lesbee III at the hands of Atkins – who was immediately executed despite his plea of self-defense – created a new crisis aboard the Hope of Man.

John Lesbee IV was only ten years old and, though it was urged by Browne that he be made captain at once, First Officer Carson thought otherwise. 'It is true,' he said sanctimoniously, 'that he will be grown up by the time we reach Procyon, but in the meantime we will establish a captain's council to command for him.'

In this he was supported by Second Officer Luthers. And several weeks went by before Browne discovered the two wives of Lesbee III were now living with Carson and Luthers.

'You old goats!' he said, at the next meeting of the captain's council. 'I demand an immediate election. And if you don't agree right now, I'm going to the scientists, and to the crew.'

He stood up, and towered over the smaller men. The older men shrank back, and then Carson tried to draw a blaster from an inside pocket. When he was in a hurry, Browne did not know his own strength. He grabbed the two men, and bumped their heads together. The power of that bump was too much for human bone and flesh, particularly since Browne's rage did not permit him to stop immediately.

The developing limpness of the two bodies in his grasp finally brought him out of his passion. When full realization penetrated, he called the scientists into session, and it was then decided to hold an election.

It required a while to make the people understand what was wanted, but finally an executive council was duly elected by secret ballot. And this council recognized the right of John Lesbee IV to succeed his father as captain, when he reached maturity. In the meantime the council offered the temporary captaincy to Browne, for a term of one year.

By the following year, two of the council members had thought over the situation, and offered themselves as candidates for the captaincy. Browne was re-elected.

The former third officer, now Acting Captain Browne, was vaguely a

'Why,' he said in a hurt tone, to his eldest son, 'they don't know anything about the duties of an officer.'

He began to train his two sons in the details of the work. 'You might as well know something about it,' he said. 'Somebody's got to.'

For a while his conscience bothered him, and then he began to hear that there was a campaign of vilification being carried on against him. 'Things never used to be like this,' he complained to the council. 'When donkeys like young Kesser and that middle-aged goat Plauck can call you a fool behind your back, there's something wrong. I think maybe next year you fellows had better appoint me captain until Lesbee is twenty-five years old, and end that kind of nonsense. We can't take the chance of some nut who doesn't understand how this ship works, taking control.'

Councillor Plauck commented dryly that a knowledge of physics was a handy adjunct to any commander in a space cluttered with dangerous energies such as the cosmic rays. Browne's 'recommendation,' as it was called, was refused. But he was re-appointed to the captaincy for another year.

It was shortly after this that one of the councillors, passing through the hydroponic gardens, saw a familiar face among the workers. He reported to the council, and an emergency meeting was called. Browne was suave. 'Why shouldn't young Lesbee limber up his muscles a little? This idea of a separate hierarchy is all wrong. In my opinion, all the young people should work in the gardens for a time every year. I'm going to have that put to a vote. I'll bet the regular garden workers would just love to have you big shots come around and tell them that there are people aboard this ship who are too good to do manual labor.'

Later, when he was asked about the progress of young Lesbee in his officer training, Browne shook his head, with due gravity. 'Frankly, gentlemen, his progress is poor. I have him come up to the bridge every day after he's through at the gardens. And he just doesn't take any interest. I'm coming to the conclusion, reluctantly, that he just isn't very bright. He just can't learn well.'

It was clear to some of the council members at least, that Captain Browne was learning very 'well' indeed.