The Space Pooka...

Was it a monkey? A weird alien cat?

Or... an alien monkey-cat, if you will?

The trouble was, only Sheila knew it existed.

She was the only one to actually claim to have

seen it... Once... But at close quarters. Oh yes!

#

Sheila was a member of the ES 'Excalibur'.

An Earth Ship exploring a far section of the

galaxy. And it had landed on an aqua blue

world... A little smaller than Earth, but

quite nice. Plants, small lizard-like

creatures... But any 'People'? No.

#

The crew of Excalibur was all female.

The best of the best. Three women

that used their instincts, as well as

their high IQ intellects. They did well.

#

Sheila Rodgers: chief scientist & doctor.

Lora Kingsley: chief mechanic & cook... and

Captain Nya Mungai-Hammersmith, commanding.

#

Nya was a rarity of rarities: not just a female captain,

but the first one who could trace their ancestry from Africa.

And top of her class at 'EEF Academy' the year she graduated.

(There, back at the Earth Exploration Force Academy, that is...)

#

No alien congregation greeted them... Only scattered ruins.

The ruins reminded Captain Nya of some ancient ruins in

her family's homeland of Kenya. Stone circles, and walls.

Sadly, no records of who had built them. No writings on

clay or any other materials. No history. Or as the captain

liked to say, 'Her-Story'. So, who left these structures?

And, more importantly... Where did they all go to?

#

Lora: "What'd you mean... It's called a 'Woodji'?"

Sheila: "It thought the word to me... Telepathy maybe?"

Captain Nya: "You... sure of this, Sheila? I know you've

read many fantasy novels, stored in the ship's data banks."

Lora: "Yeah... And that old movie, 'Harvey'. Isn't that a favorite?"

#

Sheila now looked 'guilty-as-charged'. But Lord of the Rings or

an old Jimmy Stewart film had absolutely nothing to do with it!

She was sure of that, as sure as she was of anything. Maybe she

was getting a little 'Space Happy' as they used to call it. When

star explorers have been away so long from loved ones and

friends... But Sheila had no one back on Earth.

#

Sheila had no 'Lover' waiting. No family to speak of.

She had been an orphan, also a rarity in the Space

Corps. She and the captain were at opposite sides

of the spectrum, as far as space crew went. But they

got along. All three women had to. A must in deep

space exploration missions. Their Psych-Testing

a few years ago, and their easy banter with one

another proved the three were a good team...

(End of Part 1 - To Be Continued...)