The God Wars

Lt. Greer spent the entire day with the woman found in the ocean. He was quickly able to learn that her name was Mina. For someone who survived a shipwreck she was doing remarkably well. When Greer started to talk with her, she became alert and any signs of weariness instantly disappeared.

Greer was able to learn a few words, and he taught her a few words in turn. He could tell that she was very anxious to communicate with him. She would point to the tattered rag that contained the old Minoan script. She even tried writing a message to Greer, but it was still Linear A. Sadly, Greer did not know how to read that.

After hours of learning some basic words, Lt. Greer decided that Mina might want some fresh air. He checked with the doctor. He received the okay as long as she used a wheelchair. The strange device fascinated Mina. Nonetheless, she allowed Greer to push her along the corridors and out onto the deck of the Respite.

The sun had set and the stars were out. Greer was not an astronomer, but he could tell the Big and Little Dipper from the rest of the constellations. He could not find either. The moon also looked slightly different; a little larger in fact. The moon was full in the clear night sky, and it cast its silvery luminescence upon the deck of the hospital ship.

Mina also studied the sky. After a few minutes, she jumped out of the wheelchair and pointed towards the east. The same directions the fleet had been traveling all day.

"Ghie!" she cried as she grabbed Greer's arm and excitedly continued to point east. "Ghie!"

Greer watched bewildered for a couple of minutes. He did not know what 'ghie' meant. It was obviously something very important. Mina frowned at Greer when he shook his head that he did not understand.

Mina began to stamp her feet. With no reaction from Greer, She knelt down and pantomimed picking something up and letting it run through her fingers. She then stood up and pretended to be breaking the ground with some tool.

Greer smiled and asked, "Gaia?"

Mina clapped her hands and nodded. She then pointed east again saying, "Ghie."

Greer became excited. If he had guessed correctly that meant there was land to the east. He had to contact the Pima quickly.

General Crist had finally decided to head back to his quarters and catch some shut-eye. He had not slept since the incident with the machine. Therefore, it was no surprise that as soon as his head hit the pillow he was fast asleep.

"General Crist?" a voice asked in Crist's dream. The voice sounded familiar yet he could not place it. "General Crist?" it asked again a little louder. Crist's mind was slowly starting to coalesce around consciousness. "General Crist?" the voice said again and Crist sat up in bed.

In the doorway of his quarters stood the seaman he met on deck the night before. Crist cleared his throat and swung his legs over the bed planting his feet on the floor.

"Yes," the general finally choked out.

"General, Captain Arnold wants to see you immediately," the sailor stated.

The general climbed out of bed wondering if the captain ever slept himself. General Crist and the escort hurried down the hallway and up stairs until they were in the bridge. Arnold was looking out the window up at the heavens.

"Sorry to wake you general," Arnold said never taking his eyes off the night sky. "Well, it looks like Reno was correct. We are on another world. Those are not our stars," the captain said turning to look at Crist.

"I'm assuming you called me up here for something else," Crist replied. Without his coffee after waking up, he could tend to be a bit short.

"Sorry general, you are correct," Arnold said he looked at the escort. "Ensign, please two coffees." The sailor saluted and left the bridge.

"Your man, Lt. Greer just called," Arnold began. "According to what he has learned from our castaway, land should be somewhere to the east. We still haven't seen anything on radar, but I will make sure some scout planes are sent out in the morning."

Crist nodded his head. This was important and it looked like Greer was eager to learn ancient Minoan. "Did the lieutenant say anything else?"

"Not much. He said he is working on the rag -- whatever that may be. He hopes to have it solved by morning," Arnold said.

"Captain," Crist said. "It looks like morning will reveal many things to us. So if you don't mind I will take a rain check on that coffee."

Crist joined Arnold on the bridge as soon as the sun broke over the eastern horizon. There was hot coffee all ready waiting there with some cinnamon rolls. The general wasted no time and helped himself to both

"Morning, general," Arnold greeted.

"Good morning, do you ever sleep," Crist asked.

"I've been catching some catnaps here and there. My XO has been insisting that I hit my bunk, but I can't do that."

Crist would have sided with the executive officer. However, if he were in charge of the fleet on an unknown world, he too would be close to the bridge.

Before Crist could say anything, a man in an army uniform walked onto the bridge. His eyes were red with lack of sleep and his uniform wrinkled.

"Lieutenant Greer," General Crist said to Captain Arnold, "is our interpreter. I believe you both spoke to each other last night.

Greer saluted both men as Crist held out a steaming cup of Joe for his young officer to drink. Greer nodded his thanks and drained the coffee oblivious to the hot liquid burning down his throat.

"Thanks," Greer said. "You won't believe what I have learned."

"Well, son maybe you should let us in on it," Crist urged.

"I have broken Linear A. Well, at least as much as is on this fabric," Greer said holding up the tattered cloth. "This is a prophecy of some sort. It reads, From Olympus over the sea, men in iron boats shall set us free."

Arnold and Crist continued to stare at Greer. The young lieutenant began to squirm uncomfortably under the gaze of the senior officers.

"Well...well, sirs," Greer stammered. "I believe that is why Mina, that is the castaway's name, sailed out to find us. We must be the men in the iron boats; in addition one of those boats is called the Olympus."