CHAPTER FOUR
The shuttlecraft from the USS Australia gently touched down. The landing facilities were fairly small here compared with standard space ports, one main building, a few outlying structures, a dilithium refueller, and a car park. Captain TraceyG exited the shuttlecraft and took a moment to breath in the crisp, fresh air, a welcome change from the constantly recycled atmosphere of a starship. The warm sun beat down on the tarmac, heat haze causing the air to shimmer under clear, blue azure skies. In the distance, a canopy of gum trees and dry green eucalypts ringed the base in contrast to the reddish brown dusty soil on the ground.
After briefly checking in with the port?s security, she was escorted to the car park by a junior ensign.
?We don?t often get many starship captains out this way, ma?am. It?s usually pretty quiet around here.? commented the ensign.
?How did you end up with a posting in Outback Australia?? asked TraceyG, indulging the ensign in small talk as they walked.
?Well, I ticked off some senior Admiral when I, errr? got too friendly with his daughter.? The ensign replied a little embarrassed.
?Here you go, ma?am. Just as requested. I need to get you to sign this requisition order.? said the junior ensign pointing to the waiting ground vehicle and handing TraceyG the datapad.
?Thankyou, Ensign? errrr.?
?Ensign Maverick, ma?am.? exclaimed the young cadet a little too enthusiastically.
She signed the datapad and handed it back.
?I don?t get it though, ma?am. Why don?t you just beam down to where you?re going, it would save so much time. This kind of transport has been outdated for centuries.? enquired Ensign Maverick.
TraceyG looked the ground vehicle over from one end to the other, admiring the sleek lines. She layed one hand on the bonnet and gently smiled.
?I mean, this thing doesn?t even hover, it actually uses treaded wheels.? continued the ensign.
TraceyG looked over at the ensign, taking out a pair of dark sunglasses and the vehicle?s control module from her pocket. Putting on the sunglasses, she activated the vehicle?s controls. The roof began to disappear section by section until the vehicle became a convertible.
?There are some things in life, ensign, which are timeless.? Vaulting over the car door into the driver?s seat, she fired up the vehicle?s engine, smiled back at Maverick, and with a screech of rubber on bitumen, the vehicle moved off accelerating rapidly, leaving the ensign standing in a cloud of dust.
It had been over ten years since TraceyG had been back in Australia, but the road that led to her hometown was just as familiar as always. Adjusting the environmental controls, the vehicle?s sound system began emitting an ancient form of classical Earth music once known as ?rock? from the 20th and 21st centuries in its original digital form. The nefarious tones of a band called ?AC/DC? blared loudly from the speakers. Her long dark hair waved occasionally out behind her in the slipstream of rushing air from the windshield. The dry, arid landscape of red dusty loam passed by at an ever increasing speed; the whine of the engine turbines taking on a deeper roar as she opened up the throttle. Were it not for the vegetation, this place could easily mistaken for any desert plane on Mars.
Up ahead in the road was a dry river bed crossing. Every December, the summer monsoon rains would cause main rivers to flood, breaking their banks. The overflow would run down perennial streams like a mini tsunami eventually to wash away into the flood plain beyond. The river bed was dry now though, this time of year, however the road had to bank sharply downwards in order to traverse it. TraceyG eyed the oncoming embankment and pressed down harder on the accelerator. Nearing the riverbed, she steered the vehicle to the left hitting a rising a ditch pushing it upwards. The vehicle came away from the ground lifting up into the air, leaving a trail of dust and debre as it careened through the air. With a loud thud, the vehicle landed on the other side of the riverbed, bounced twice, then came to rest as TraveyG pulled on the hand break in a cloud of thick red soil. When the dust had cleared, she rose up out of the seat to look back at the river crossing.
?Yes!? she said out allowed smiling. She had always wanted to do that.
When she finally reached town, she drove slowly down the main street, taking in the familiar sights. Not much had changed in this quiet town. Turning off, she headed for the cemetery, her first port of call.
Parking the vehicle, she made her way through the cemetery gates, occasionally glancing at some of the headstones along the way. Some of them had been here for centuries. Soon she spied the one she was looking for. Surrounded by a small wrought iron fence, the buriel mound was showing signs of weed overgrowth. The headstone was simple, looking a little weathered since last she saw it. She stood for a moment, lost in thought looking on the grave of her mother. Activating a personal transporter buffer on her belt, A bouqet of red gerberas appeared in her hands, her mother?s favourite. She bent down and gently placed them by the headstone, taking the opportunity to remove a few weeds. Such as she was, lost in thought, that when she heard the loud cough come from behind her, she was momentarily startled. She stood up and turned around to face the man standing behind her.
?Dad!!? she exclaimed.
?Hello daughter, its good to see you.? said her father.
?How did you know I was here?? she asked as she stepped forward to give her father a hug.
?Even retired Starfleet admirals still have privileges. I was informed of your flight plan this afternoon, and I knew you?d come here.? he replied.
?I was going to surprise you.? she said
They both stood somberly for a moment, looking upon the grave of mother and wife.
?She would have been very proud of you, were she alive today, you know.? said her father.
?I never did understand why the Vulcan consulate allowed her to be buried.? commented Tracey.
?This was her home, after all, its where she wanted her final resting place to be.? her father said.
?Vulcans are not known for their bending of rules, Dad.?
Tracey?s father looked at her gravely.
?Well, your mother was never actually a Vulcan ambassador. In fact, she wasn?t even part of the consulate.? He produced a small datapad from his jacket pocket and handed it to Tracey.
?Your mother wanted you to have this, when the time was right. I think that time is now. It will explain everything.?
TraceyG looked down at the datapad, in wonder.
?Anyway, come on back to the house for some afternoon tea. Time you got some real food into you, none of that synthesized stuff.?
Taking one last look at her mother?s grave, Tracey began to wonder just what exactly had been left behind for her all these years. She turned to following her beckoning father,
To be continued?.
Topic: The Empress of the Empire (Read 10954 times)