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Description
It was the third month after the arrival of the task force. For the science team it was their fourth month. During those four months a considerable amount of information about Gaia was gathered and analyzed. What they found was quite interesting, so much so that a meeting was organized for Admiral Carson and his staff. Held in the holotheatre aboard the Stroud, the meeting began with a 3-D image of the planet Gaia serving as the backdrop in the huge holoprojector.

Dr. Aguila, the head of the scientific expedition, had a presence that would've been familiar to college students centuries earlier. He wore a pair of old-fashion spectacles because he liked the way they enhanced his visage of wisdom. His students back in university disagreed, for they thought Aguila looked like a modern-day warlock with those spectacles and his unkempt shoulder-length hippy hair. His hair was short this time, but instead of a warlock, Aguila looked like a stern elementary school principle. Using an old-fashion wood pointing stick instead of wetware or a light pointer, Aguila started his presentation. "As you know, the biggest question the science team had about the Gaians was how they got to this planet in the first place. By use of minute remotes, we were able to 'sit in' on numerous Gaian classroom discussions as well as monitoring their radio programs. We also were able to obtain some of their discarded printed historical materials by means of stealth remote. According to what we gathered, Gaian history is about 11,000 years old."

A slight murmur of wonder filled the holotheatre. Aguila made a small wave of his pointing stick, acting like he was conducting a class back in school. "That's right, 11,000 years, which places the Gaian's arrival on-planet at the same time the Atlantian civilization on Terra disappeared. From what we gathered of Gaian history, the people below are descendants of Atlantians that escaped the destruction of Atlantis. It wasn't terribly clear, but the texts assert that by means of a stargate utilizing 'crystal' power, a good number of people were transported from Terra to Gaia. The history texts and lectures also state it was the use of crystal power that brought about the destruction of the Neo-Atlantian civilization on Gaia some 400 years later. Devastation was wide-spread, and our surveys have found extensive supporting evidence. There are sections of land on Gaia that had apparently been bombarded from space, and some mountains were actually leveled. A good deal of dust was thrown into the atmosphere, causing a mini ice-age to occur. The survivors were smashed to bedrock in terms of technology, and they didn't really recover until seven thousand years later."

Aguila peered over his glasses at his audience. "I know you're all anxious to know about the second biggest question about Gaia. Trust me and be patient. I will answer that in good time." The holo display behind the man changed to show a progression of Gaian civilization development. Again, like he was in a school lecture, Aguila used his pointing stick for emphasis. "Like civilizations on Terra, the Gaians went through the progression of hunter-gather societies, basic agrarian, kingdom-building, and rudimentary nation-state formation. Religious belief systems centered on the worship of a mother-goddess called Gaia. There may have been other religions on Gaia, but over time the worship of the goddess became universal as the early nation-states fought each other until just one remained and ruled the whole population of the planet. This happened some 1,500 years ago, and technological progress was dramatically slowed afterwards. Almost 1,000 years passed before they advanced to the next significant technological leap, the invention of gunpowder. This," Aguila said with a bit of energy, making some of his audience to sit up and take notice, "is where the English language makes its appearance on Gaia."

The huge hologram display wavered for a moment, then settled on an appropriately old-looking black-and-white photo. At the bottom of the photo was the date of May 19, 1949 written in stylized cursive script. Depicted on the photo itself were two women wearing rugged pants and loose-fitting shirts. Even with the billowing material, one could see that the women were rather well-endowed underneath those shirts. "Our study of Gaian culture has revealed a major turning point in the planet's history. The women on the photo you see behind me are Rebecca Wilcox and Pamela Parlor. Schooled in archeology, Wilcox and Parlor were on an exploratory dig with their professor in southern Egypt in 1949. During their work, they found a smaller version of the stargate the Atlantians used to leave Terra. The Gaian texts we've been able to read aren't detailed as we liked. By some accident or deliberate action, Wilcox and Parlor were able to activate the gate, but were trapped on Gaia when the stargate was destroyed.

"The Gaians came to see Wilcox and Parlor as messengers sent from the goddess, telling them that Terra still existed and was full of life. It was this event that caused the Gaians to renew their interest in technology. There were clashes within Gaian society as more traditional elements tried to preserve the social order and lifestyle as they believed their goddess wanted them to live by. After 11 years of fighting, the Technologist won, and established a new government based on representative democracy. They've endeavored to create technologies that will enable them to make contact with Terra and be reunited with the rest of the human race." Aguila indicated to Admiral Carson sitting in the front row of the holotheatre. "I do believe the good admiral has some questions to ask."

Carson did indeed have questions that everyone in the room wanted to have answered. "Dr. Aguila, I imagine that Wilcox and Parlor's influence on Gaian culture had to have been profound. English is the Gaian's primary language, after all. Other than that, what did those two women impart on the Gaians?"

"A good deal of information, Admiral. Wilcox and Parlor were quite knowledgeable, and left extensive writings for the Gaians to draw upon. The reference materials they brought with them through the stargate, a handful of magazines and some books, including a dictionary, inspired their inventors. I'm sure some historical aircraft enthusiast will be please to know that facsimiles of DC-3's are flying in Gaian airspace right now." Aguila's smile was shared by some of his audience who understood the reference he made. "Above all other factors, Wilcox and Parlor made their most important contribution to Gaian culture - their genes. Both women were married to Gaian men, and had large families. In the intervening 540 years, their genes spread throughout the Gaian population base." A lazy grin filled Aguila's normally stern face. "In the course of getting background material on Wilcox and Parlor from Terra, we on the science team discovered a rather important fact. The genetic history of those women, as well as their relatives on Terra and elsewhere in the Commonwealth, has a unique trademark. All females that share a genetic background to either a Wilcox or Parlor are imbued with buxomness. What this means is that the average adult Gaian female has a 120 centimeter bust to complement their 158 centimeter stature."

Again the audience murmured when they heard that revelation. A planet where the female population's ampleness was inherited from two of their ancestors would've been at home in a science fiction novel. The only Commonwealth planet that could boast the same level of universal buxomness was Angelica. However, Angelican women made use of nanites to achieve their considerable displacement, whereas the Gaians had naturally large mammaries. Plus the population of Angelica was only 85 million, barely over a third of Gaia's 250 million. With that in mind, it could be rightfully said that Gaia had the most ample female population in known space. Whatever mischievous thoughts the men in the holotheatre had about Gaian women with stretched shirts were put to rest by Aguila's tapping stick pointer. "I do believe the Admiral has another question. A most important one."

"Correct, doctor. Given what we know of them, how will the Gaians react once they learn of our presence?"

"On the whole, I say favorably. Don't misunderstand this, everyone. Those people are human, and there will be those who won't be greeting us with open hearts. Some of them believe that contact with Terra is still a long way off. Others will have their world views shattered and be resentful. But if we're going to make contact, I say we do it now and establish formal relations. News about this world will reach the rest of the Commonwealth, and the last thing we need is the 25th century equivalent of blanket and bead traders showing up to complicate things."

Carson nodded. "Are there any more questions for Dr. Aquila?"

To Carson's right sat Commodore Wilwerding, second in command of the task force. Her blue eyes sparkled like those of a student asking a heartfelt question. "Doctor, if the Gaian's ancestors had this stargate technology, why didn't they use it to return to Terra when they were still able to?"

Aquila waved his stick pointer. "Ah, a very good question. Again, we have to draw upon what we found out from the Gaian texts. There were two gates on Terra, one of which was in the city of Atlantis itself and a much smaller one located in southern Egypt. The first Terran gate was destroyed along with Atlantis. It appears that the second gate was to be used by Atlantians that were unable to reach the mother country in time. For whatever reason, this second gate wasn't activated, and was dormant for over 11,000 years. It was only when Wilcox and Parlor activated the second gate that travel between Gaia and Terra became possible. Then the gate on Gaia was destroyed, stranding both women."

Wilwerding grunted in agreement. "I see, Dr. Aquila. Any theory on how the ancient Atlantians created this stargate technology? Just how did they know about Gaia in the first place?"

"I have no answers for those particular questions at the moment, Commodore. Only research of the Atlantian ruins on Gaia could shed some light on the subject."

Carson stood up. "Thank you, Dr. Aquila. From what we've gathered, there's little more we can gain by remote observation." Turning so that he faced his staff, Carson wore the look of man that has made up his mind. "I have given the subject of contacting the Gaians a great deal of thought for the last two months. Some would say that the Gaians should be left alone and allowed to further develop their culture and technology. That would be true if Wilcox and Parlor hadn't arrived on Gaia. Because of their involvement, the Gaian civilization has irrevocably changed. Establishing relations now, while the Gaians are still committed to advancement, will work for all of those involved. As commander of this task force and of the mission to this planet, I have decided to make contact with this formerly lost world of humanity. Our task now is how to best go about making contact with them."

-------

Harkin checked his hair in the mirror, looking for any stray strands that got past his styling gel. Ensign Nol, Harkin's cabinmate, didn't have to worry about hair styling for he was completely bald. Nol's Buddhist upbringing may have denied him a crown of hair, but his sense of humor was well developed. That was a fact Harkin found annoying at times, especially this one.

"Harkin," said the smiling Nol, "you wouldn't have to worry about hair for inspections if you're bald. Plus there's the added benefit of not needing shampoo and combs." Nol tapped the side of Harkin's head. "Give it a try, friend. A bald head is appealing to sophisticated women. I'm afraid that as long as you have that head of rich hair, you'll be attracting more women than you can possibly handle, even with your inherent skills."

"I'll just have to fend them off as best I can, wouldn't I?" Harkin went back to tending his hair. God, I won't hear the end of this, will I? I bet Nol thinks I'll create a harem on my first shore leave on Gaia. He need not worry, not with Bosun Phoenix hovering nearby like a vulture.

Earlier in the week the crews in the task force attended a series of briefings about Gaian history and society. Harkin recalled the inadvertent looks and glances people gave him when the first photos of Gaian women were displayed on the holo imagers. Somehow, those people expected Harkin's 'attraction' to work on even holographic females. Recalling what he saw, Harkin wouldn't blame himself if real Gaian women found him attractive, if only for the reason that he was an exotic foreigner. The influence of Wilcox and Parlor's genes on the Gaian civilization could be measured by the sizeable number of redheads in the population. Facially, the men had small but strong chins and thick eyebrows. If he didn't knew better, Harkin thought he was looking at a native of New Sardinia.

However, there was no mistaking the looks of a Gaian woman with any other group. Harkin recalled the image of one particular woman from the briefings. The Gaian female had a shade of skin that glowed like warm honey in sunlight. Above her full lips were a cute little nose, and high cheekbones that displayed her unblemished skin to full effect. Framed with shoulder-length red hair, the woman's desirable looks was complemented with a small, feminine chin and large, innocent eyes. The chances of meeting that particular woman were remote, but Harkin wouldn't mind spending some time with her if they did meet.

"Hey, Playboy," said Nol cheekily. "Get your mind out of the gutter. You almost drooled on your uniform." He laughed as he made a final adjustment to his collar tabs. "Once you have privacy with a local woman, you'll be able to make a fool of yourself with no-one else knowing."

"Don't be so quick with your insinuations, Nol. For all we know, baldness may be a symbol of exceptional male vigor in Gaian society. You may have to fight off those buxom women with a stick."

Nol snorted as he closed his locker. "You're the one with the subtle attraction of females, friend." He flashed a wily grin. "But you won't be using a stick to beat back the ladies."

Harkin placed his comb in his back pocket. "Let's see if you can say that again once I pull you free from a mob of topless women." Harkin and Nol went to attention by their bunks as the inspecting officer rang the admittance chime to their cabin.

"Inspection Officer requesting permission to enter the cabin," said the voice over the intercom.

"Permission granted," said Harkin. Face blank of expression, the ensign watched as Commander Capri stepped inside the cabin. In one hand she held an old-fashion checklist; the other a flashlight. Without uttering a word, Capri stooped down and inspected the underside of Harkin's bunk.

That would be the first place they'd inspect, thought the beleaguered ensign.

Description
It was the third month after the arrival of the task force. For the science team it was their fourth month. During those four months a considerable amount of information about Gaia was gathered and analyzed. What they found was quite interesting, so much so that a meeting was organized for Admiral Carson and his staff. Held in the holotheatre aboard the Stroud, the meeting began with a 3-D image of the planet Gaia serving as the backdrop in the huge holoprojector.

Dr. Aguila, the head of the scientific expedition, had a presence that would've been familiar to college students centuries earlier. He wore a pair of old-fashion spectacles because he liked the way they enhanced his visage of wisdom. His students back in university disagreed, for they thought Aguila looked like a modern-day warlock with those spectacles and his unkempt shoulder-length hippy hair. His hair was short this time, but instead of a warlock, Aguila looked like a stern elementary school principle. Using an old-fashion wood pointing stick instead of wetware or a light pointer, Aguila started his presentation. "As you know, the biggest question the science team had about the Gaians was how they got to this planet in the first place. By use of minute remotes, we were able to 'sit in' on numerous Gaian classroom discussions as well as monitoring their radio programs. We also were able to obtain some of their discarded printed historical materials by means of stealth remote. According to what we gathered, Gaian history is about 11,000 years old."

A slight murmur of wonder filled the holotheatre. Aguila made a small wave of his pointing stick, acting like he was conducting a class back in school. "That's right, 11,000 years, which places the Gaian's arrival on-planet at the same time the Atlantian civilization on Terra disappeared. From what we gathered of Gaian history, the people below are descendants of Atlantians that escaped the destruction of Atlantis. It wasn't terribly clear, but the texts assert that by means of a stargate utilizing 'crystal' power, a good number of people were transported from Terra to Gaia. The history texts and lectures also state it was the use of crystal power that brought about the destruction of the Neo-Atlantian civilization on Gaia some 400 years later. Devastation was wide-spread, and our surveys have found extensive supporting evidence. There are sections of land on Gaia that had apparently been bombarded from space, and some mountains were actually leveled. A good deal of dust was thrown into the atmosphere, causing a mini ice-age to occur. The survivors were smashed to bedrock in terms of technology, and they didn't really recover until seven thousand years later."

Aguila peered over his glasses at his audience. "I know you're all anxious to know about the second biggest question about Gaia. Trust me and be patient. I will answer that in good time." The holo display behind the man changed to show a progression of Gaian civilization development. Again, like he was in a school lecture, Aguila used his pointing stick for emphasis. "Like civilizations on Terra, the Gaians went through the progression of hunter-gather societies, basic agrarian, kingdom-building, and rudimentary nation-state formation. Religious belief systems centered on the worship of a mother-goddess called Gaia. There may have been other religions on Gaia, but over time the worship of the goddess became universal as the early nation-states fought each other until just one remained and ruled the whole population of the planet. This happened some 1,500 years ago, and technological progress was dramatically slowed afterwards. Almost 1,000 years passed before they advanced to the next significant technological leap, the invention of gunpowder. This," Aguila said with a bit of energy, making some of his audience to sit up and take notice, "is where the English language makes its appearance on Gaia."

The huge hologram display wavered for a moment, then settled on an appropriately old-looking black-and-white photo. At the bottom of the photo was the date of May 19, 1949 written in stylized cursive script. Depicted on the photo itself were two women wearing rugged pants and loose-fitting shirts. Even with the billowing material, one could see that the women were rather well-endowed underneath those shirts. "Our study of Gaian culture has revealed a major turning point in the planet's history. The women on the photo you see behind me are Rebecca Wilcox and Pamela Parlor. Schooled in archeology, Wilcox and Parlor were on an exploratory dig with their professor in southern Egypt in 1949. During their work, they found a smaller version of the stargate the Atlantians used to leave Terra. The Gaian texts we've been able to read aren't detailed as we liked. By some accident or deliberate action, Wilcox and Parlor were able to activate the gate, but were trapped on Gaia when the stargate was destroyed.

"The Gaians came to see Wilcox and Parlor as messengers sent from the goddess, telling them that Terra still existed and was full of life. It was this event that caused the Gaians to renew their interest in technology. There were clashes within Gaian society as more traditional elements tried to preserve the social order and lifestyle as they believed their goddess wanted them to live by. After 11 years of fighting, the Technologist won, and established a new government based on representative democracy. They've endeavored to create technologies that will enable them to make contact with Terra and be reunited with the rest of the human race." Aguila indicated to Admiral Carson sitting in the front row of the holotheatre. "I do believe the good admiral has some questions to ask."

Carson did indeed have questions that everyone in the room wanted to have answered. "Dr. Aguila, I imagine that Wilcox and Parlor's influence on Gaian culture had to have been profound. English is the Gaian's primary language, after all. Other than that, what did those two women impart on the Gaians?"

"A good deal of information, Admiral. Wilcox and Parlor were quite knowledgeable, and left extensive writings for the Gaians to draw upon. The reference materials they brought with them through the stargate, a handful of magazines and some books, including a dictionary, inspired their inventors. I'm sure some historical aircraft enthusiast will be please to know that facsimiles of DC-3's are flying in Gaian airspace right now." Aguila's smile was shared by some of his audience who understood the reference he made. "Above all other factors, Wilcox and Parlor made their most important contribution to Gaian culture - their genes. Both women were married to Gaian men, and had large families. In the intervening 540 years, their genes spread throughout the Gaian population base." A lazy grin filled Aguila's normally stern face. "In the course of getting background material on Wilcox and Parlor from Terra, we on the science team discovered a rather important fact. The genetic history of those women, as well as their relatives on Terra and elsewhere in the Commonwealth, has a unique trademark. All females that share a genetic background to either a Wilcox or Parlor are imbued with buxomness. What this means is that the average adult Gaian female has a 120 centimeter bust to complement their 158 centimeter stature."

Again the audience murmured when they heard that revelation. A planet where the female population's ampleness was inherited from two of their ancestors would've been at home in a science fiction novel. The only Commonwealth planet that could boast the same level of universal buxomness was Angelica. However, Angelican women made use of nanites to achieve their considerable displacement, whereas the Gaians had naturally large mammaries. Plus the population of Angelica was only 85 million, barely over a third of Gaia's 250 million. With that in mind, it could be rightfully said that Gaia had the most ample female population in known space. Whatever mischievous thoughts the men in the holotheatre had about Gaian women with stretched shirts were put to rest by Aguila's tapping stick pointer. "I do believe the Admiral has another question. A most important one."

"Correct, doctor. Given what we know of them, how will the Gaians react once they learn of our presence?"

"On the whole, I say favorably. Don't misunderstand this, everyone. Those people are human, and there will be those who won't be greeting us with open hearts. Some of them believe that contact with Terra is still a long way off. Others will have their world views shattered and be resentful. But if we're going to make contact, I say we do it now and establish formal relations. News about this world will reach the rest of the Commonwealth, and the last thing we need is the 25th century equivalent of blanket and bead traders showing up to complicate things."

Carson nodded. "Are there any more questions for Dr. Aquila?"

To Carson's right sat Commodore Wilwerding, second in command of the task force. Her blue eyes sparkled like those of a student asking a heartfelt question. "Doctor, if the Gaian's ancestors had this stargate technology, why didn't they use it to return to Terra when they were still able to?"

Aquila waved his stick pointer. "Ah, a very good question. Again, we have to draw upon what we found out from the Gaian texts. There were two gates on Terra, one of which was in the city of Atlantis itself and a much smaller one located in southern Egypt. The first Terran gate was destroyed along with Atlantis. It appears that the second gate was to be used by Atlantians that were unable to reach the mother country in time. For whatever reason, this second gate wasn't activated, and was dormant for over 11,000 years. It was only when Wilcox and Parlor activated the second gate that travel between Gaia and Terra became possible. Then the gate on Gaia was destroyed, stranding both women."

Wilwerding grunted in agreement. "I see, Dr. Aquila. Any theory on how the ancient Atlantians created this stargate technology? Just how did they know about Gaia in the first place?"

"I have no answers for those particular questions at the moment, Commodore. Only research of the Atlantian ruins on Gaia could shed some light on the subject."

Carson stood up. "Thank you, Dr. Aquila. From what we've gathered, there's little more we can gain by remote observation." Turning so that he faced his staff, Carson wore the look of man that has made up his mind. "I have given the subject of contacting the Gaians a great deal of thought for the last two months. Some would say that the Gaians should be left alone and allowed to further develop their culture and technology. That would be true if Wilcox and Parlor hadn't arrived on Gaia. Because of their involvement, the Gaian civilization has irrevocably changed. Establishing relations now, while the Gaians are still committed to advancement, will work for all of those involved. As commander of this task force and of the mission to this planet, I have decided to make contact with this formerly lost world of humanity. Our task now is how to best go about making contact with them."

-------

Harkin checked his hair in the mirror, looking for any stray strands that got past his styling gel. Ensign Nol, Harkin's cabinmate, didn't have to worry about hair styling for he was completely bald. Nol's Buddhist upbringing may have denied him a crown of hair, but his sense of humor was well developed. That was a fact Harkin found annoying at times, especially this one.

"Harkin," said the smiling Nol, "you wouldn't have to worry about hair for inspections if you're bald. Plus there's the added benefit of not needing shampoo and combs." Nol tapped the side of Harkin's head. "Give it a try, friend. A bald head is appealing to sophisticated women. I'm afraid that as long as you have that head of rich hair, you'll be attracting more women than you can possibly handle, even with your inherent skills."

"I'll just have to fend them off as best I can, wouldn't I?" Harkin went back to tending his hair. God, I won't hear the end of this, will I? I bet Nol thinks I'll create a harem on my first shore leave on Gaia. He need not worry, not with Bosun Phoenix hovering nearby like a vulture.

Earlier in the week the crews in the task force attended a series of briefings about Gaian history and society. Harkin recalled the inadvertent looks and glances people gave him when the first photos of Gaian women were displayed on the holo imagers. Somehow, those people expected Harkin's 'attraction' to work on even holographic females. Recalling what he saw, Harkin wouldn't blame himself if real Gaian women found him attractive, if only for the reason that he was an exotic foreigner. The influence of Wilcox and Parlor's genes on the Gaian civilization could be measured by the sizeable number of redheads in the population. Facially, the men had small but strong chins and thick eyebrows. If he didn't knew better, Harkin thought he was looking at a native of New Sardinia.

However, there was no mistaking the looks of a Gaian woman with any other group. Harkin recalled the image of one particular woman from the briefings. The Gaian female had a shade of skin that glowed like warm honey in sunlight. Above her full lips were a cute little nose, and high cheekbones that displayed her unblemished skin to full effect. Framed with shoulder-length red hair, the woman's desirable looks was complemented with a small, feminine chin and large, innocent eyes. The chances of meeting that particular woman were remote, but Harkin wouldn't mind spending some time with her if they did meet.

"Hey, Playboy," said Nol cheekily. "Get your mind out of the gutter. You almost drooled on your uniform." He laughed as he made a final adjustment to his collar tabs. "Once you have privacy with a local woman, you'll be able to make a fool of yourself with no-one else knowing."

"Don't be so quick with your insinuations, Nol. For all we know, baldness may be a symbol of exceptional male vigor in Gaian society. You may have to fight off those buxom women with a stick."

Nol snorted as he closed his locker. "You're the one with the subtle attraction of females, friend." He flashed a wily grin. "But you won't be using a stick to beat back the ladies."

Harkin placed his comb in his back pocket. "Let's see if you can say that again once I pull you free from a mob of topless women." Harkin and Nol went to attention by their bunks as the inspecting officer rang the admittance chime to their cabin.

"Inspection Officer requesting permission to enter the cabin," said the voice over the intercom.

"Permission granted," said Harkin. Face blank of expression, the ensign watched as Commander Capri stepped inside the cabin. In one hand she held an old-fashion checklist; the other a flashlight. Without uttering a word, Capri stooped down and inspected the underside of Harkin's bunk.

That would be the first place they'd inspect, thought the beleaguered ensign.