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...)
