The galley was large enough to seat all six members of the Searcher’s crew. Just This sentence is telling IMO Searcher's crew of six just managed to sit in the galley. And, arriving late, Sam Jennings had to do a bit of squeezing and shoving squeezed and shoved to establish a space for himself.
Such formal meetings were rare in the course of a survey tour and, in the buzz of conversation around him, he could hear the ship’s rumour mill overflowing. Sam couldn’t be bothered; they’d know in a minute anyway. He was just glad he’d arrived before the Captain. Not that he’d have been bawled out but it would have been just plain embarrassing.
The arrival of Captain Jim Bell, brought an abrupt hush. He This could be more active. Captain Jim Bell stood at the door, the galley went quiet, his steady gaze taking in all the crew, huddled as they were around the single table. We already know this. He did not appear look happy.
Sam stifled a yawn and caught the Captain looking at him with raised eyebrows and a wry smile. “I apologise for dragging some of you from your pits.”
As Sam muttered an apology, his ribs received a well aimed jab from Dave Smith. The Engineering Technician sat next to him. was grinning with mischievous glee. I dont think you need this, the jab in the ribs is enough.
“Although we are now heading for home We're heading home,” the Captain continued, “we and are still under Operational Command. But I’m waiving that for now. We need a rapid decision and it’s strategic not tactical.”
Every crew member had invested in the Searcher, some more than others maybe, but that gave them all the right to a say in strategic decisions, if not tactical ones.
“It’s been a long haul. and I know you’re all looking forward to home.”
That should have come with a smile, but no, and that worried Sam. He saw the same concern mirrored in the faces around him,. It had been a long haul and Sam, for one, nobody wanted it getting did not want it getting any longer.
“I’m sure rumours have been flying around since we picked up that the remote courier Rumours have been rife since we picked up the remote courier.” A few self-conscious chuckles ran through the assembly. “Well, those nice people at the Interstellar Survey Service have asked us to do a little detour.”
The deep tones of Pat Driscot, the Chief Engineer and oldest member of the crew, rose above the predictable grumble of protest. “No way, Captain. Six months out and they want us to do more. That might be all well and good on one of those luxury liners ISS call survey ships, but the Searcher, she just isn’t big enough for tours this long.” Good
“Pat, I sympathise and agree. However, they have only asked, they cannot command. We decide whether to accept the detour.” He paused. “The ISS astronomers have found an interesting new planet and they want us to take a look.”
“Excuse me, Captain,” Sam put in over the renewed babble of complaints, “we’ve used the last our last remote survey probes, our hold has no space for any more samples and we have no remote couriers left. Exactly what kind of survey do they expect us to achieve?”
“Yes, I know, Sam, and to be fair, so do ISS. They only want a preliminary survey, to establish exactly what’s needed for a full one. I know what you’re capable of with just the shipboard sensors, and the shuttle can be adapted. We’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got.
“They want results fast and we’re the closest.” He paused. “Their analysis suggests that this could be a fertile planet. A very fertile planet. They think it might even hold more life than Earth itself.”
“Oh, come on, Captain.” Smith protested from beside Sam. “How many times have they said that sort of thing? And how many times have they been right? Never. It’ll just be another wild goose chase.” Sam glanced at Smith. He had to agree; life, and indeed hospitable planets, had proved rather more elusive than people had hoped.
