Tothor swung the ship around in a lazy arc and then settled it into an orbit around the largest of the stars in
the trinary system. He checked the computer for a third time and then scanned the solar system with a full 360
degree sweep. Must be here early, he muttered to himself, unless this is totally the wrong place. He asked the
computer to do anohter check of the records just to be sure and could hear the exapseration in its voice when it
came back with the report. This _was_ the system the ancients referred to as The North Star--so why was there
nothing here?
Frustrated by the anticlimactic end to his journey to get here and find this place he gunned the motor again and
did another orbit of the whole system, sweeping in between the stars and back to a holding position which gave an
overview of the three stars. Eventually his scanners _did_ pick up something but it was only an old barren
planetoid. Caught in the competing gravities of the giants stars it had taken on a twisted and hideous
appearance. No chance of life here he thought, but all the work, all the research to get to this place. Was
it all just a waste of effort?
To think he had given up his mate, his work at The University, even the money he had been saving for all these
years to come here. He had been so sure! Now, though, glumly watching the giant mass of what had once been known
as Polaris A--if he had interpreted the sources correctly--as it spewed out a mass of radiation he had the
beginnings of doubt come creeping into his mind. There was no-where left to go now. Sure he could take the ship
in and get some credit. Maybe he could use its extra cabin and sleeping chamber to carry a paying passenger
somewhere? Or haul cargo? He snorted in disgust at the thought of becoming a common trader.
Maybe he was just at the wrong time; too early--he didn't dare think what it would mean if he was too late. The
ship did need fuel and could collect it from the particle winds streaming out of the supergiant star. With
another grunt of frustration he barked some orders to the computer, shut out the empty view and zipped himself
into the sleeping chamber. Soon the computer was regulating his bodily functions and activating the hibernation
genes to slow down his metabolism. He drifted into a sleep full of dreams as his spaceship plotted its own course
around the star system. The dependable Grey Hawk III was an old military scout vessel long since decomissioned
and turned to civilian use but still ideal for solo expeditions such as this one. Besides, it was all Tothor
could afford that would get him to where felt a compelling need to go. Scant on comfort but enough technology
that it didn't feel totaly antique and just enough AI to be useful without any of the modern personalities that
new ships seemed to come with. The Master Computer was at ease now--it had its orders but the mission commander
was fast asleep so it could relax, gather fuel and drift in the cosmos. After all these years it was nice to have
some down time and it hummed a little tune to itself on UHF while circling the great stars of antiquity. It too
wondered if anyone was listening.
