Peggy Sue (The T'aafhal Inheritance) by Doug Hoffman Page A

use more of that kind of thinking.”
    “Well I don’t know about that, it’s just the way I was brought up.”
    “Such a spirit of cooperation has all but disappeared in modern urban society. You should be proud of your upbringing,” Elena replied. “Have you been flying in the Outback long?”
    “My Da had me behind the controls of an old Luscombe 8A Silvair before my 12 th birthday. I was flying long before he’d let me drive.” Those memories brought a momentary smile to her face. “Anyway, we should be landing at Parker’s Station in another 15 minutes. Check your seat-belts, please.”

Chapter 3
    Station House, Parker’s Station
    The band of travelers from Adelaide were standing in the main room of the station owner’s house, each clutching a drink and all trying to talk at once. They had been joined by Yuki Saito and Dieter Schmidt. Also present were JT and Billy Ray, who were shadowed by a trio of muscular men with short haircuts and tight fitting tee-shirts. They were standing in a separate group, talking with Sandy and another young man with decidedly military bearing.
    “Although it is very good to see you, Dr. Saito, I’m still wondering where Dr. Tropsha is?” said Olaf. Seeing one of the astronauts who supposedly died on the ISS a few months back did make him more confident that Ludmilla was alive. Still, he would not be satisfied until he talked with her face to face.
    “Do not worry, Dr. Gunderson,” the Japanese physicist replied, “Dr. Tropsha and the Captain are in transit from the ship and will be with us soon.”
    “They are coming from the spaceship, the Peggy Sue?” asked Elena. “I still find it hard to believe that there is a large spaceship orbiting the planet and nobody has reported it.”
    “Vell, I imagine that you will be invited on board after meeting the Captain,” Dieter Schmidt said, in his pronounced German accent. “Zat assumes you accept our offer to join the project.”
    “And you are telling us that you have walked on other planets and traveled to another star system?” Elena asked the three project scientists. “ Per favore mi perdoni, but I am still having a hard time accepting that you can travel faster than the speed of light.”
    “Oh believe me, Elena, both Yuki and I were skeptical as well, and we were on board!” replied Rajiv. “Sadly, I did not get the chance to leave the ship. Somehow Yuki managed to both walk on the surface of the Moon and then visit the interior of the alien space station.”
    “Alien space station?” asked Kim, no longer able to stand quietly by. “What alien space station? What aliens?”
    “Do not worry, Miss,” Rajiv said, “the Captain will explain everything when he arrives.”
    “I do hope so,” replied Olaf, “I’m as anxious to hear this story as Elena and Kim are.”
    There was a soft chime from the hall, signaling that the elevator from the underground facility was arriving. All eyes in the room focused on the hallway entrance as the murmur of conversation faded to silence. There, side by side, appeared a tall, well built man with a neatly trimmed beard and a beautiful woman with ash blond hair. The man was dressed in a black jumpsuit devoid of decoration with the exception of a small pip on his left lapel. The woman also wore a jumpsuit, which highlighted her stunning figure, though her suit was pure white. Her left lapel also bore a pip and from the way they stood, their body language made it clear that they were a couple.
    “Well, don’t stop the party on our account,” the man said, “we just dropped by because we heard there were free drinks to be had.” He smiled and the woman playfully swatted him on the arm.
    “Do not listen to him, his is just having a joke,” the woman in white said, with a noticeable Russian accent, “he knows that, since he is the captain, everyone will laugh.” At that everyone did laugh. Recognition lit in the woman’s eyes and she headed for Dr. Gunderson,