ABLE (Jim Able: Offworld Book 1) by Ed Charlton (the first e reader .TXT) 📕

from a land-based voice communicator.

After several tries, he heard a steady tone over his headset. He entered the number for the Gornna Finance special offer. He heard several tones and, then, a Turcanian voice.

“You are using a voice-only unit. Please call again with a voice-text unit.”

“Oh...okay,” said Jim, quietly. “How do I do that?”

It took an entire day—and two more children’s programs—to discover the kind of machine he needed. The VTU was a hybrid telephone and keyboard. Jim cannibalized one of the flier’s internal diagnostic units that had a keypad, but he had little confidence that the communication protocols were similar. After several hours of poring over data streams, he had finally tricked the diagnostic unit into talking somewhat like the Turcanian system. He again entered the number for his special offer.

The information required was brief: name, address, age, and political party.

He entered james able, arturn 53 latsin trofa, 33, meblish nrc.

Then he filled out a form he didn’t understand. He made up some answers and hoped for the best.

#

Thank you for doing business with Gornna Finance.

Your credit account number is 15-344-1296-43569.

Your account expires on Mak 24 Orlat.

Your credit is MP20.000,0.

Your identifier is 565692. Do not disclose your identifier to any unauthorized persons.

A representative will call to complete the legally required documentation. Please ask the representative any questions you have about your account or other Gornna Finance services.

#

“Thank you,” said Jim, smiling in relief. “How very trusting of you.”

Part two of the plan involved spending, or at least promising to spend, some Turcanian currency.

TMV-I was awash with electronic communication. The TV commercials revealed a fierce marketplace for an increasingly overserved customer base. FooStur was Jim’s chosen target. The name was a pun on the words for “fast” and “commune.” He only needed a few days of electronic text transmission. FooStur specialized in helping travelers temporarily away from their regular communication providers. Just like me, Jim thought.

He called FooStur’s number. The temporary VTU came to life again. This time both voice and text were used. It was Jim’s first conversation with a real Turcanian. She said he had a Multoaf accent and asked if he knew her sister in Trell.

All he had to do was type in his credit account number. She did the rest. He was now jimVableVfoosturVaxVgam.

He had one difficult moment when she thought his name was strange and asked him to repeat it a couple of times. She said something he didn’t catch, and he let it pass. He made a mental note to replay the conversation and listen more closely to what she had said.

Part three of the plan was simply to send Madhar Nect an electronic message.

#

madharVnectVlatsinVux

Greetings, Madhar Nect.

I enjoyed your recent TV appearance.

I wish to meet you.

I am not from your planet.

Please indicate a private place where we can meet without publicity.

jimVableVfoosturVaxVgam

#

The reply was simple.

#

jimVableVfoosturVaxVgam

Don’t waste my time. The fake ID doesn’t impress. Who are you really?

madharVnectVlatsinVux

#

madharVnectVlatsinVux

I understand your suspicion.

When it is midnight tonight at the Latsin Institute, watch the position five miles above the northern pole of the planet you orbit. I will signal three times in quick succession.

jimVableVfoosturVaxVgam

#

Jim programmed the thrusters to flare, front and back, three times—bright enough for Nect to see, but not strong enough to knock his small flier out of position. Jim’s fears that Nect would not be watching were relieved within two minutes.

#

jimVableVfoosturVaxVgam

Neat trick.

I’m interested to know how you did it. Rockets? Mirrors? For that, I’ll meet you.

Tomorrow I’m going to my retreat. It’s in Martorn, the last house on the peninsula. Take the dirt road on the right after the mall. Arrive in the evening.

madharVnectVlatsinVux

#

madharVnectVlatsinVux

I won’t be driving. I’ve found Martorn and its peninsula on a map. I’ll need a flat area about 25 by 25 partel. Please advise.

Expect me after sunset. Thank you.

jimVableVfoosturVaxVgam

#

jimVableVfoosturVaxVgam

Okay, persist in your nonsense.

The western field by the dock is larger. Don’t hit the power lines, spaceman.

madharVnectVlatsinVux

#

Jim thought he would make up part four of the plan when he got to Martorn.

Chapter Two

He watched night roll over the edge of the continent where the community of Martorn was located and waited until the last possible moment to move toward the moon from his vantage point above the planet.

Avoiding two satellites, he descended into the atmosphere of TMV-I. For part of the journey, a weather system shielded him from view. For the last part, it was clear sky all the way. He was painfully conscious of leaving a visible entry path through the atmosphere.

Madhar Nect sat on her dock, listening to the warblers calling each other over the quiet, black water of the bay. She listened for the vehicle that she knew was coming. She had even guessed which student was playing games with fake messages. Something flickered in the sky, out to sea beyond the bay, but it didn’t last long enough for her to be sure she had seen it.

For many minutes nothing changed. The warblers fell silent. The gentle lapping of small waves seemed to grow louder. A faint hissing sound grew in the air. She looked up to see that a vapor trail had formed over the water. Its leading edge boiled the damp air. It was coming lower toward her.

Her face rigid in astonishment, Madhar Nect saw the hissing cloud dissolve, leaving a black shape hovering over her field. Bright lights turned everything monochrome for a few seconds. Then, with a cough of power, a craft settled onto the ground amid a shimmer of smoke and vapor.

Jim stepped out of the flier’s decontamination unit, opened the hatch, and lowered the ramp. The air was thick with moisture and strongly scented by Turcanian flowers. He let his eyes adjust to the dark.

He saw Madhar Nect standing out on the dock. He moved forward slowly toward her. “Good evening, Madhar Nect. I am Jim Able. Thank you for allowing this meeting.”

The scientist gave a formal reply. “Good evening, Jim Able. Welcome to my home. You traveled well?”

“My travel was good. I thank you.”

They paused after the formula was exhausted. The two