by S. H. Jucha
All eyes turned to Ellie, and she tried to imagine the circumstances at Talus. Miriamette had stressed that most of the superior battleships that had arrived were not accompanied by wedges. That spoke of a desire to negotiate, not destroy. The less-robust races, who had arrived with older battleships in small wedges, represented the unknown.
For Ellie, there didn’t seem to be an easy answer to the question. Her experience told her to step back from the situation and examine it from a distance. When she did, she heard the seasoned voices of Alex, Julien, Tatia, and Reiko. However, the words of one individual stood out from the others. Alex had often said, “There’s what you know about your preparedness, and there’s what you want your adversaries to know. They don’t have to be the same thing.”
Ellie grinned, which was a welcome sight for the table. “The fleet should sail for Talus as soon as the weapon components are aboard and preparations are complete.”
“Understood, Admiral,” Hector replied. “Please organize your ships, Admirals. Lydia and I will prepare the NNEMP components and the necessary supplies for this ship. We’ll synchronize our time tables when more data is gathered.”
Descartes received word from Alphons about the fleet’s mobilization. His orders allowed some leeway in the SADE’s decisions.
Petite briefly wondered about the vagueness of the commodore’s advice. Her thought was to rescue Nata, and then speak with Étienne about what to do with both lieutenants. She had a sick feeling she knew what her senior captain would advise.
* * * * *
“Chona, the guards report that the hairless ones swarm our territory.” Sossfass said. “Unlike Nata, these individuals carry objects on their hips. Occasionally, they’ve been seen to touch the handle of these items. The guards surmise that they’re weapons.”
“My matriarch spoke of these weapons,” Neemtasa said. “They incapacitated the warriors, but they didn’t kill.”
“It’s my hope that these are the same weapons,” Sossfass said. He shuddered, and his body fur ruffled.
“Your concerns are shared,” Neemtasa said sympathetically. “If the hairless ones can fly the skies and between worlds, then it would be within their power to create any type of weapon they wish.”
“I was told by a sub-commander who knew the deserter, Waffala, that the hairless ones called their world Sawa Messa,” Sossfass said.
“I learned from Ceefan that Waffala told Falwass that he was in the company of queens, when he was aboard their ship,” Sossfass said. “We could use a queen’s intervention this time.”
A nail scratched on the hardened tunnel wall outside the queen’s entrance, and Sossfass ducked through the curtain.
Neemtasa could hear an excited exchange, and when Sossfass returned, his tongue lolled outside his muzzle.
“What?” Neemtasa queried. She found her wasat’s humor catching.
“You’ve asked for a queen’s intervention, Chona Neemtasa,” Sossfass stated formally. “Your wish must have been powerful. Four Dischnya stand not far from the hatch where we took Nata. There are the others like Nata, who stand with them. They indicate the nearby sanctuary.”
“Then I shall meet them,” Neemtasa declared. She expected Sossfass to prepare, but her wasat stood there with a furrowed brow. “I suppose you want some sort of strategy?” she asked.
“For a poor wasat such as me, it would be helpful,” Sossfass replied, which resulted in a deep chortle from Neemtasa.
“Then don’t just stand there, my poor wasat,” Neemtasa retorted. “Give me your guidance.”
“The strangers have the power, Chona,” Sossfass elaborated. “We have Nata. It’s critical that we not show her until we’ve received proof of our demands.”
“Agreed,” Neemtasa replied.
“And what are our conditions for Nata’s return?” Sossfass requested.
“I hadn’t gotten that far. I believed we had time,” Neemtasa replied. She deflated at the thought that she was unprepared for this grand opportunity. It didn’t help that she was a young, inexperienced queen.
“Large or small?” Sossfass proffered. “Ask for a little and hope that the strangers are generous, or request a great deal and be prepared to bargain for less?”
Neemtasa knew which way Ceefan would have advised — demand everything and give little away in the negotiations. However, that wasn’t a technique that she had mastered.
Sossfass provided Neemtasa’s inspiration. His gaunt wiry stature was a testament to the Tamassa nest’s dire conditions.
“We’ll invite the strangers into the nest,” Neemtasa declared.
“Chona, that would give away our advantage,” Sossfass said.
“What advantage do we have, Sossfass?” Neemtasa asked, rising on her legs. “Is it our glorious tunnels? Is it our abundance of food? Is it our well-fed soma? Tell me. Other than Nata, what is it that we possess that the strangers could want?”
“Still, Chona, I advise that we move Nata to a distant location within the nest,” Sossfass replied.
“My poor wasat,” Neemtasa said sympathetically, shaking her head slowly. “You spoke of the strangers’ power. Yet, you would see this as a conflict between nests. How can that be? Can we fly between worlds? Do we carry weapons that put our warriors to sleep? More important, if we lost a warrior on another world, could we fly to that world and land forces within a matter of a cycle?”
Neemtasa observed Sossfass’s eyes brighten.
“You could just have given me your advice, wasat,” Neemtasa said sternly. “You didn’t have to make me get there by myself.” When Sossfass didn’t reply, she added, “But it did give me an opportunity to focus my thoughts. I’m ready. Let’s meet them.”
“How do you wish to do that?” Sossfass asked.
“We’ll prepare for Sawa’s winds and sand,” Neemtasa replied. “Then you’ll send a sub-commander out the hatch where we captured Nata. Have the warrior indicate to the foreign Dischnya that the Tamassa chona and wasat will meet with them in the sanctuary.”
“I’ll choose Hasmossa to carry th
e message. He has the seniority and disposition to act with deference to the strangers,” Sossfass volunteered.
“A good choice,” Neemtasa replied. “We’re not looking to antagonize them. They’ll already be annoyed with our capture of their warrior.”
“What if they ask questions of Hasmossa before they comply with our request to meet in the sanctuary?” Sossfass asked.
“Yes, good point. They’ll want to know if we have Nata and if she’s unharmed,” Neemtasa replied, rubbing her muzzle. “He can say that we do have her and she is well, but he’s to say no more.”
“And if they still don’t leave for the sanctuary?” Sossfass pursued.
“Then he’s to abandon them and return to the nest by another hatch,” Neemtasa said.
“A good idea,” Sossfass said approvingly. “With Hasmossa’s speed, he can reach another post and enter the tunnel before the strangers can follow him and breech the hatch.”
Both chona and wasat donned thick cloaks that covered most of their body, including arms and legs. They wrapped coverings around their heads that left slits for their eyes and the tips of their muzzles.
When Neemtasa entered the tunnel from her quarters and made her way toward the target hatch, she could see hope in her soma’s eyes. Sossfass’s message had made its way through the nest. It had set expectations of opportunity. She rose slightly on her hocked legs to emphasize her intent to win the encounter, and she heard muffled chuffs of encouragement and praise as she passed warriors and females.
6: We Invite You
After Alain’s Trident had rendezvoused with the squadrons overtop Sawa, the Omnian Dischnya had dropped planetside in their traveler.
The Dischnya’s pilot was directed to the location of the target hatch. The twins had wanted the nest queen to know that the reason for the increased activity on Sawa was due to the taking of one of their own. Congregating at the same hatch where Nata was taken sent a powerful message. It said: We’ve been observing you.
Environment suits were donned before the Dischnya exited the traveler.
Étienne watched the four Dischnya form a semicircle about three meters from the hatch. He signaled security to take up flanking positions on the wasats. Then everyone settled to wait.
Tanks were down by half before the hatch opened, and a nest warrior leapt out. He was covered in a lengthy cloak and mask.
“Can you understand me?” the warrior asked.
Nyslara released her faceplate, which rolled into her helmet. “Why wouldn’t a queen of Omnia understand you?” she asked, the tone of her voice carrying her authority.
The warrior was startled by the response, and he was reminded of the wasat’s orders. He tipped his head in deference to Nyslara and said, “Chona, I’m Sub-Commander Hasmossa, with a message from my queen, Chona Neemtasa.”
“Speak it, Sub-Commander,” Nyslara commanded.
“Chona Neemtasa invites you to meet with her in the sanctuary,” Hasmossa said. He pointed at the structure to indicate what he meant.
“We will do as your queen requests,” Nyslara replied. “However, we would know two things.”
Hasmossa preempted Nyslara’s questions by replying, “We have Nata, and she is being treated well.”
“See that it remains that way,” Nyslara warned. Then she signaled her faceplate closed.
Hasmossa noticed that not everyone left the vicinity for the sanctuary. Several of the hairless ones kept watch on the hatch.
Returning below, Hasmossa met with Neemtasa and Sossfass.
“Are the strangers agreeable to the meeting?” Neemtasa asked Hasmossa.
“They are, Chona,” Hasmossa replied. “There are four Dischnya. They wear the same coverings as Nata, and I spoke to a queen named Nyslara. She’s a great queen and exudes much power.”
This was something that concerned Neemtasa and Sossfass. Soma imprinted on their nest queen. This biological allegiance could be transferred, and that could happen faster in the presence of a dominant queen.
“What else did you learn?” Sossfass asked.
“I believe there are two queens and their wasats,” Hasmossa replied. “The wasat near Chona Nyslara has the gray, scarred muzzle of long experience.”
“Did all the strangers depart for the sanctuary?” Sossfass asked.
“No,” Hasmossa reported. “The foreign Dischnya in the company of hairless ones went that way, but others, like Nata, remained behind. Chona, every hairless one carries the odd device on his or her hip.”
“No choice,” Neemtasa said sternly to Sossfass, to dismiss any objections. “The offer was made and accepted. We must meet with the strangers.”
Sossfass reluctantly nodded.
“No defensive postures, Sossfass,” Neemtasa warned. “This applies to you in this outpost too,” she added, eyeing the warriors. “If we fall, the strangers will have put us to sleep. We won’t be hurt. How do I know this? Whether you’ve learned this or not, this has all happened before. Chona Ceefan and Wasat Falwass kept many secrets from you.”
The warriors emitted low angry growls.
“Now isn’t the time for recriminations,” Sossfass commanded, and the growls ceased. “The strangers represent an opportunity to save the nest. In what manner, we don’t know. This is when we’ll find that out. Whatever happens to the chona and me, you must take care of the one called Nata.” He ended by eyeing Hasmossa, and the sub-commander tipped his muzzle.
In a reversal of standard procedures, Neemtasa climbed the ladder to the hatch first. It drove the point home to Sossfass about the role he was to play.
The young queen struggled to open the hatch. It required her hand, head, and shoulder to wedge the heavy metal cylinder up on its hinge.
When Neemtasa climbed onto Sawa’s dusty surface, she ignored the waiting strangers. She turned and strode toward the sanctuary.
Sossfass exited the hatch and momentarily paused to regard the waiting forces. What he noted was that they weren’t intimidated by his presence. Instead, they coolly eyed him. He would be allowed to make one mistake before he was asleep, lying face down in the sand. Attempting to maintain his composure, he marched after his queen.
Neemtasa was thankful that Sawa’s fierce winds had moderated. She thought it was undignified to arrive in the strangers’ presence huddled against the stinging and blinding sands, especially since the strangers were protected inside their unique coverings.
From the relative shelter of the edifice’s thick stone arch, the Omnians watched the approach of two Sawa nest Dischnya.
The Omnian Dischnya arrayed to meet the two individuals who were climbing the tall row of broad, worn steps. The twins were on either side of the wasats, with the queens in the center.
Étienne and Alain were in their elements. Since birth on Méridien, they were trained as escorts. They were hired by the de Guirnon House to protect Ser. Later, that duty expanded to guard Alex and Renée.
With the appearance of Z and Miranda in their Cedric and Frederica avatars, the twins’ jobs became moot. Despite their skills, the Méri
diens were no match for the speed, power, or sensory capabilities of the two SADEs. Z and Miranda became Alex’s and Renée’s new bodyguards, and the twins chose to train at Omnia’s flight academy.
Now, the twins were linked and prepared to protect their four charges with stun guns.
When the nest members arrived, Nyslara indicated the edifice’s interior. Security had scoped out the most protected aspect of the structure, where the wind and sand were most attenuated.
The Omnian Dischnya and twins faced the Sawa Dischnya. Faceplates were signaled to retract, and the locals removed their leather wraps from their heads.
Nyslara was surprised by the youth of the two Sawa Dischnya.
“Chona Neemtasa, Tamassa Soma,” the young queen stated evenly, rising on her legs. She was answered by Nyslara and Choslora, who identified themselves as queens from Omnia.
“You don’t speak of your nests,” Sossfass stated. It was an error in protocol on his part.
“Forgive Wasat Sossfass,” Neemtasa quickly said to cover the faux pas. “He means no disrespect. He’s merely curious, as am I.”
“Nests are no longer a part of our society,” Nyslara explained. “Four species exist in peace on Omnia, what our ancestors called Sawa Messa.”
Neemtasa indicated the twins with a subtle finger movement.
“Wasat Pussiro, mate to Chona Nyslara,” Pussiro said, with a tip of his head. “These two are humans and are members of the race who lifted the Dischnya from dark tunnels and elevated our status among Omnians.”
Neemtasa’s eyes widened slightly. She couldn’t help it. “You no longer live in tunnels, and you no longer have nests to rule?” she asked Nyslara.
“The tunnels and nests are unnecessary, Chona Neemtasa,” Nyslara responded.
“And good riddance to them,” Choslora added, with a derisive snort.
“What about your soma?” asked Sossfass, with incredulity.
“Wasat Hessmas,” the nest queen and the wasat heard. Then he added, “Omnian technology has freed the somas from the queens’ scents.”