Chapter 20

I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowering breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
- Joyce Kilmer -

The crew stared at the image of the star system and wondered: this looks familiar, but I can't place it. Is this a case of déjà vu?

"We're one billion kilometers out from the star," Karl said. "This is a G2 V class main sequence orange-white dwarf star with an equatorial radius of 6.955 times ten to the eight meters. It has a luminosity of 3.75 times ten to the twenty eighth lumens. The temperature of the surface is 5778 K. The sidereal rotation period is 25.38 days. This star is approximately 4 billion years old. What you are seeing is an exact duplicate of our sun."

"There are eight planets around this star," George said. "There are four inner planets and four gas giants. The third planet at 1 AU is habitable."

"Take us to the third planet, Delphi."

"Yes, Angie."

"This system looks just like ours," Marty said. "Is this an accident or are we back home?"

"The third planet has an albedo of 0.367," Masai said. "The average bolometric temperature is 287 K."

"That planet has oxygen and water peaks in its spectra," Anna said.

"I cannot detect any enemy vessels in this system," Ninja said.

"We must be going in the wrong direction," Angie said. "We haven't encountered an enemy in the last four systems."

"Maybe that's a good sign," Marty said. "It shows that the Dragons are not everywhere."

"Well, keep alert. I don't trust those bastards." She got up. "I'll take the late shift."

Marty blew a relieved breath when he saw her exit the command deck. He returned to helping Ninja search for enemy.

"We're not detecting any organized signals from the third planet," Brigit said. "There is a 30 millisecond pulse, but it contains no information."

"What's it from: a beacon?" Marty asked.

"Unknown. When we get closer, we may be able to pinpoint its location."

"Keep me informed."

"Yes, Commander."

###

Angie entered the command deck to find Honey talking to Delphi. "Good evening, Honey. How are you?"

"I am fine, ma'am. I am reciting a novel for Delphi."

Angie looked around. "I don't see a book."

"I do not need the book. I remember it."

Angie's right eyebrow shot up. "You can recite complete novels from memory?"

"Yes, ma'am. So far I have committed 526 novels to memory."

Angie wanted to say 'Holy shit!' but she thought better of it. "Have you been able to make out any detail on the third planet?"

"Yes, ma'am. The planet is pristine. There is no evidence of civilization."

"May I see it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

When Honey switched a telescopic view of the third planet onto the main screen, Angie collapsed down into her chair.
"Oh my God!"

"Is it not to your liking?" Honey said.

"What is our present location, Delphi?"

"We are at 123.5 degrees South Galactic longitude and 23.4 degrees South Galactic latitude, Angie."

"I meant relative to Earth, Delphi."

"Earth is in the North Galactic quadrant, Angie."

"How can this planet look exactly the same as Earth, Delphi?"

"That is an interesting question, Angie. The odds are 1.5 times ten to the forty fourth to one."

"In other words, impossible."

"Highly unlikely would be more appropriate, Angie."

"I smell a Dragon trick," Angie said, frowning.

"I cannot detect any new odor, Angie."

"She's employing a metaphor, Delphi," Honey said.

"Yes. Thank you, Honey."

"Is Martin aware of this?"

"No, ma'am."

"I'll be back," Angie said before leaving the command deck.

"She seems agitated, Delphi."

"Angie is often agitated, Honey."

Angie pressed the request button at Marty's quarters. After several tries, the door opened to reveal Marty wearing a towel.

"You rang, Madam."

"I'm sorry about disturbing you," she said. "But, something strange has come up." She looked at the towel. "Were you in the shower?"

"No. A towel was the closest thing I could grab. I am going to shower, however. Would you care to watch?"

"No. I have no business doing that. I just wanted to tell you that the third planet looks like Earth."

"Do you mean that it's an Earth-like planet?"

"No. It is identical to Earth. The continents look the same."

"That's crazy. How could it look just like Earth?"

"I don't know, but it could be a Dragon trick."

"We'll just have to go check it out," Marty said.

"Okay, I'll be on the command deck."

He watched her turn and head for the door. "I'll be there as soon as I finish my shower."

She paused to give him a warm smile before leaving.

###

"We are now in stable orbit, Angie."

"Good, Delphi. Maintain stealth mode. Launch atmospheric and oceanic probes."

"Yes, Angie."

"This planet has a mean radius of 6763 kilometers," George said. "The aspect ratio is 0.996 and the planet has an axial tilt of 24 degrees."

"The atmosphere has a 21% oxygen concentration and 78% nitrogen," Lucia said. "Carbon dioxide makes up 0.03%."

"The troposphere extends up to 11 kilometers," Masai said. "The winds just under the troposphere blow at around 150 kilometers per hour."

"The oceans have a salinity around 20 to 30 grams per liter," Ferris said. "There are creatures that resemble Earth fish."

"Does the topography match Earth's exactly," Marty asked George.

"That will take some time to evaluate, but water covers 71% of the surface, just like on Earth. A rough measure shows that the distance from east to west on the North American continent is the same as on our Earth."

"For want of a better name, we'll call this planet Shangri-La," Marty said.

"You sound like Adam in Genesis," George said. "You get to name everything."

"Naming them makes it easier to refer to them. In this case we would have to call this planet: the planet that resembles Earth."

"The pressure at ground level is 1080 millibars," Masai said.

"I guess we have no other choice," Angie said. "We'll have to send a landing party down."

"Who goes?" Marty asked her.

"It's your turn. Take Uma, Ferris, Lucia and Anna. They will determine how similar this planet is to Earth."

"Yes, Admiral."

###

The surface appeared as Earth before man despoiled it. Forests extended in all directions, literally covering everything. The grassland plains stretched for a thousand miles unbroken by any manmade barrier. No highways or railroad tracks crossed this unblemished landscape. No farms or cities meant no cleared land. Unfortunately, it provided no good place to land.

"There's a clearing," Marty said, turning and dropping down. "That must be from a lightening-caused fire."
Marty dove to the location using the breaking engines at the last moment to prevent a crash.

When they emerged from the Lander, Marty and his landing party could hardly contain their joy.

"This is wonderful," Uma sang.

"Look at all the sequoias," Ferris said. "They are like those in California."

"Judging by their heights, they've been here for several hundred years," Marty said.

"How could a redwood evolve on a planet on the other side of the galaxy?" Anna asked.

"That's why we're here," Lucia said. "There are many mysteries to unravel."

"Let's get busy, people," Marty said. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to be out here at night."

That spurred them on. Ferris took samples of bark and leaves. Uma went over to an exposed cliff so that she could inspect geological layers. Lucia hunted for small animals and insects and Anna busied herself with taking readings with various instruments.

Marty kept guard over them.

"There's something wrong here," Uma said.

Marty rushed over to her. "What is it, Uma?"

"There's no sedimentary rock layer." She pointed at an exposed cliff. "If this planet is as old as Mr. Taylor says it is, there should be layers of sandstone, limestone, dolomite or shale. All I see is igneous rock."

"You'll have to translate that for me."

"Igneous rock is laid down when magma cools and solidifies. Sedimentary and metamorphic rock layers are laid down later in geological time."

"She is right," Ferris said. "This planet looks like Earth superficially, but it does not hold up to scrutiny. These trees are not as old as they look."

"I am detecting large concentrations of iron oxides," Anna said. "There is an absence of silicon dioxide."

"What does that mean?" Marty asked.

"The chemical composition of this planet is all wrong for Earth."

"Keep in mind that it only looks like Earth," Marty said. "It is not our Earth."

"I have found something," Uma yelled.

Marty looked around and could not see Uma. "Where are you?"

"I am on the other side of the large rock."

Marty, Lucia, and Anna joined him as he rushed around the rock formation. What they saw after going around it startled them.

"What the hell! That looks like an ancient Egyptian obelisk. It's at least 10 meters high."

"That object is radiating a 20 meter pulsed signal," Anna said. "This is the source of Lia's signal."

"Look at all of the symbols," Marty said. "I wonder what they mean."

"That's something that Lia will have to determine," Ferris said.

"Yeah, you're right," Marty said. "Take lots of pictures."

"I have a theory," Anna said. "I believe that this planet had been terraformed from a planet that was not habitable."

"That's a good possibility," Ferris said. "The evidence points to that. I have not been able to find any large animals here. There are some basic bird species and a few rodents and insects, but that's it. There should be many more species of animals."

"So the consensus is that this is a well designed fake," Marty said. "The big question is: does it belong to the Dragons?"

"That is a possibility," Ferris said. "But we have found no evidence to back it up."

"I think that we had better get out of here. If this is a Dragon trap, we don't want to fall victim to it."

Nobody argued with that idea.

"We're coming back up," Marty said.

"Good. I don't like hanging around here for anymore time than we have to. Oh, and Onuki says that you'll have to go through decon."

"I guessed as much," Marty said.

When the landing party got back to the ship, they disembarked and passed through jet-sprays of disinfectant. Then they paused to remove all of their clothing so that they could pass through more sprays of disinfectant. After this, they gathered in a common shower room to scrub up with special antibacterial and antiviral, antifungal soap.

"You seem to be teamed up with us quite often, signore," Lucia said. "Do you enjoy these communal showers?"

Marty smiled as he looked at her large breasts. "I would be lying if I said I didn't, but I don't make the calls as to who goes on these landing missions. However, I could think of nobody better to shower with. You ladies are incredibly beautiful, but what I love about all of you is that you are the bravest and the most intelligent women that I have ever known. I consider it an honor to be showering with you."

"You are unlike any man I've ever known," Ferris said. "You are both brave and kind, an unusual combination."

"Plus, we like your generous compliments," Lucia said.

"Thank you, but I am not being generous. You are all very beautiful."

As is his custom, Marty hugged and kissed all four women before they dressed, patting their bottoms. All four of them kissed him passionately and patted his bottom.

When Marty and the four women came back on the command deck, Angie ordered Delphi to break orbit and move up to jump speed.

"That planet is a fake," Marty said. "But, we don't know if it's a Dragon trap. I would have to say that it isn't. I believe that it's a ancient pseudo-human effort to terraform an inhabitable planet."

"Why does it look like Earth?" Angie asked.

"Perhaps, these pseudo-humans were familiar with Earth. We'll probably never know, unless Lia can translate those symbols on the obelisk."

"How long to jump, Delphi?"

"We should be able to jump in twenty minutes, Angie."

"Honey, take over."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Come with me," Angie said to Marty.

He followed her to the common room of their quarters. When she entered the room, she sat down on the couch.

"I want to apologize," she said, frowning. "I'm sorry about the fact that I've been teaming you up with women on these landing missions. I've been forcing you to go through decon with them. I never intended that."

He held up a hand. "You have nothing to apologize about. I don't mind it. In fact, I confess that I enjoy it."

She smiled. "I can't imagine why that is. Could it be that the four of them have the largest breasts among the human females on this ship."

"I hadn't noticed."

"The hell you haven't. You like big tits."

"Tits do not have to be humongous to be beautiful."

"Are you inferring that my tits are small?"

He frowned as if offended. "Not at all. I was just trying to make a point."

She teased him with a smile. "As in a nipple?"

"Where is this leading?" Marty said.

"I'm just teasing you, but I must confess that I'm jealous."

"I appreciate that," Marty said, grinning. His face relaxed. "However, you've gone through decon with Tyler and Jean-Michel. Maybe I should be jealous."

"If I thought that you were genuinely jealous, I would faint."

"I don't know why you say that. You're the only woman that I really love. The others are just eye candy."

She kissed him, and he retaliated by taking her in his arms and kissing her like he meant it. She reciprocated by unlatching her jacket, inciting him to kiss her more violently. She backed off so that she could unbutton her shirt and remove it. He unbuckled her skirt and it fell. She fumbled with her bra strap connector, but just after she managed to unlatch it . . .

"Jump will commence in ten minutes," Honey's voice announced.

"I've always wondered what it would be like to do it while in a singularity," Marty said, grinning.

"I doubt that I would survive it," Angie said, pulling her skirt back up. "We had better get back."

"Yes, Admiral."