by P F Walsh
“Copy that OOW. Negative on the crew ship. Suspect explosives. Take pix and nudge it home if it is not already on the way, and thank you. Outstanding work. Norad out.” Officer Manyuu zoomed in closer and shot photos of each of the packages several times as they tumbled. They were definitely in a fast decaying mode and he didn’t think going back down to nudge them was needed. It was safer to stay where he and the other two ships were. He secured his station to low defense mode and felt hungry.
“Time to head to the galley and get some of that Earth food they sent up.” He thought. “I sure wish I will get a chance to go down and have some fun.”
Lt. Colonel Bossi sat back in his chair satisfied a Chinese ‘sneaky peeky’ was shut down nicely with no evidence for them to analyze what happened.
“All nice and clean. Beautiful. This has been a good day.” He thought, as he reached for his phone to update the White House.
“Mr. President, the Chinese Ambassador is here.” said Elizabeth, the President’s secretary.
“Send him in please.” He answered.
The Ambassador came in to the front of the President’s desk and bowed slightly, “Mr. President.”
“What are you doing here Ambassador Chou” The President asked.
“I am here because you invited me to meet with you at your office, Sir.:” He answered.
“That’s exactly right Mr. Ambassador. What we did not invite was that Chinese assault team you launched into space to board a starship of the United States. That sir, is an act of war. Your nation is totally devoid of honor, about at the level of dog shit. This is your notice to get you and your embassy staff the hell out of my country. You have 24 hours, the same amount of time I gave the Russians who are no better and may actually be less. Now, you tell your stupid superiors they have just ‘screwed the pooch’. That’s an American phrase somebody over there will be able to figure out. We plan to advise our new interplanetary friends your nation is untrustworthy. Let’s see how that works out in interplanetary relations, now get out!” He shouted.
The Ambassador had never seen the President in a rage and ran for the door. The President reached for his phone and called John Lewis Secretary of State.
“John, The Chinese just tried to board one of our new starships with sinister intents, Of course, that is an act of war. I pulled in the Chinese Ambassador and told him he and his country had as much honor as dog shit. I told him that he and his Embassy staff have to leave in 24 hours. Same as the Russians, you know the drill, get ready to close up in Beijing.” he said.
The Secretary started laughing, “I wish I could have been there. Next time call me over.” He said. “Are our ships safe?” He asked
“Yeah, they’re fine. The onboard watch officer was a Denknish war vet, he knew what to do. He spun them all back into re-entry without a capsule and then dumped their hardware too. Never fired a shot, he used the ship’s thrusters. You coming over for ‘after five’?” he asked.
“Yes Sir, be there soon, first I have to tell my people that I am unavailable for Chinese panic calls. Don’t start without me.” He chuckled and said goodbye.
Millie Griggs threw up her hands in frustration!
“There’s no possible way we can meet all these booking requests, we have created a monster!” As she looked over at Maejel who had just completed a pocketcomm with the Hhearn Council Hall Stage manager.
“Millie Griggs, I never thought I would see the day that you declared something undoable.” Sassed Maejel as she fluttered her eyelids.
“Criminy, Mae, here we are twenty-seven light years away from home, how are we going to do this?” She said.
“What is it you usually do when you are socially stymied?” Asked Maejel.
“What? Throw a party?” Answered Millie
“Exactly, now figure it out, I have to meet with the Stage Manager over at the Council Building, they are going to upgrade the Hall for next year’s Ball.”
Maejel picked up her purse and prepared to walk over to the Council Building leaving Millie sitting at her desk in the Attaché’s office.
“Party, party.....what kind of party? What’s the same as a party but bigger?” She thought. “Bloody Hell, a Music Festival! That’s it! We can put on a Music Festival! Maejel, you are sooo on it!” As she reached for her pocketcomm to call Wally to see if he knew anything about tents. Then she would dig out her father’s CD collection she brought with her that was a mostly collection of 40's big band including England’s Ted Heath and some Ballet music, make a list and find out which big bands had touring tribute bands playing the old books.
“This will be perfect. They’re definitely not ready for Rock yet, they’re just learning how to dance. One step at a time.” She mused.
“Wow, this is going to be smashers!” She thought, her enthusiasm totally restored, she began to visualize an outdoor music festival, the first of its kind on Hhearn. Her call with Wally went well, he was delighted with her idea and suggested she needed to talk with the Council Office for a suitable outdoor area or park for the festival.
Later, Wally in a meeting with the Senior Councilor mentioned Millie’s Idea which the Councilor thought might be just the thing to perk the city up again after the broadcast of the Ball, which most Hhearnians knew would not be repeated until next annual.
“An event like Millie’s Music Festival would be open to all, and outdoor too.” He thought. “I have an idea for just the spot. I need to meet with the Works Department and see if it will fit in our budget, and then get somebody to talk to the owner of the land.” Mused the Councilor.
After several meetings with the Council, the Works department, and the land owner, the Councilor was ready to meet with Maejel and Millie again. They were now sitting in the Senior Councilor’s Office.
“First, I would like to extend my thanks to Millie Griggs for her idea of a Hhearn City Music Festival. The excitement around here has been growing daily and of course the story has leaked to the media and they are demanding more information, dates, times, the whole thing. But what we are about to release today to the media is our long-term plan for a lengthy stretch of old, unused farmland just on the other side of the river.” He got up and moved over to an easel that was covered up. “Millie submitted several photos of outdoor venues on Earth and the one that we liked best resulted in this design. He pulled the cover off and showed a sketch of an outdoor music theater shell that was a close copy of the Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston along the Charles River, a site similar to the one in Hhearn City.
“Of course, we won’t be building the shell for this Festival, we will only be grading the land, putting in a layer of pebble gravel, and installing temporary stage and comfort stations along with landcar parking, but if the Festival is a success, we have preliminary approval to proceed with accepting construction bids. The land owner is the Sisters of Mak’am and they have agreed to all of this as long as the back of the shell faces the Mill to prevent projection of the music toward the Mill and not into their prayer sessions. Their permission of land use adds another positive aspect in integrating the Sisters into our City society, and I am grateful of this added benefit.” he said.
Maejel and Millie were clapping their hands and pleased over being able to bring another new enjoyable resource to Hhearn.
The Seeker was preparing to leave Hhearn for Earth to return the entire contingent brought to Hhearn for a State Ball. The previous two weeks following the Ball had been exhausting for the Musicians, Debutantes, and the Ballet Company. The first week’s schedule turned out to be a few concerts in the evenings and then, during the day, an open call for any ladies and men that wanted to know about the Ball and how to dance. Both the Debs and their escorts equipped with translators, began to teach simple but basic dance steps, soon the Main Dining room in the Seeker was full of dancers and music. The second week continued with a few evening concerts, and the days were open for those Hhearnian young people who wanted to know more about playing a musical instrument an
d Ballet. Each person got to spend an hour or so with a musician wearing a translator who played the instrument of interest. The Ballet dancers demonstrated ballet moves, dress and of course, the ballet shoes that allowed ‘en pointe’ moves. The young children all left with stars in their eyes and new dreams that someday soon there would be Ballet and music instructors on Hhearn.
Martin, the now installed AI for Seeker 18, had carefully reviewed all the video files of the past several months on the Seeker’s accommodation to human travelers and adjusted his behavior and appearance to duplicate as closely as possible Allister’s moves and manners. He was all ready to go.
Liesl Von Woldenburg, was sitting in her cabin resting with a glass of wine reviewing the past few weeks and marveling over what they had accomplished in such a short time.
“The Americans are always in such a hurry.” She thought, “but they were right, it could be done, and we did it! Now, what shall I decide to answer the Hhearn Council about coming back to manage their first State Ball?” She mulled that question over several sips of wine and decided to tell Martin to inform the Council that she would be honored to come back and accept the Ball Manager’s position next annual if they provided transport, accommodations, and her fee. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes with a smile on her lips.
“Two State Balls in one year. Nobody has ever done that, but I just did, and I can do it again!” She thought.
The two Opera Tenors agreed that they would be available for future bookings as did both symphonic orchestras and the Ballet Company. They made sure that Millie knew of their interest.
Sean, Maejel, and a sizable crowd of Hhearnians, many with children, especially girls were there to say goodbye to the whole team. Millie was catching a ride back to start booking bands and dancers for the music festival. There were lots of hugs and some tears of joy with abundant thanks for including them in such an adventure. Millie and some of the Ballet dancers stood on the ramp and waved good bye. After they went inside the ship, the ramp closed up, and several minutes later the gentle hum of the engines began. The Seeker lifted off the City Platza and reached for space.
A courier drone arrived on Hhearn from Denknish. It contained dozens of communications both State and business matters. One communication was directed to Captain Flynn on the Ship Discovery. It was then delivered directly to the ship. It was a request for Captain Flynn to return to Denknish as soon as possible on a critical matter. There was no other information included.
Sean read the message over two or three times like most people who receive cryptic notes.
“It certainly has my curiosity up.” He thought. “I wonder what this could be? I hope it is not a dispute between Denknish and Lotma, they both seemed to be hugely relieved that the war was over.”
He decided to tell the crew at dinner they would be leaving for Denknish tomorrow. With the exception of Rooky-Nab, they were all down on Hhearn but were all planning on being back on the ship for dinner now that Allister was running the food synthesizer. Rooky, as usual was studying law books in his cabin.
Sean thought about his crew, and how they had melded. He was grateful, good flight crews mean a safe ship just like it was in the USAF. Pilots depended on the flight crew to keep the bird flying. The Discovery was far more complicated as he knew from weeks of reading the ops manual every chance he got. There was so much to learn. Now with Allister on board, he had a bulwark of backup for all matters technical. Things could not be better, and yet, here was an urgent call from a new set of friends, a call he would answer. He made sure the crew would be all aboard including the two Sisters of Mak’am assigned to him. Next, he made a pocketcomm call to Nasht-Mer to invite her up for dinner at evenings midst, Hhearn time, which worked out to be about 6:30 PM Earth time, the Discovery’s time set.
“Allister was arranging an Italian feast for dinner tonight.” He told her. He knew she could not resist and would be there. She would not be pleased to learn he was leaving to go to Denknish in response to a message that had no details or projected time of involvement. But she would recognize his role as IRO Senior Field Officer and send him off with a blessing (He hoped).
Dinner was splendid and all believed that Allister was actually improving each time he tinkered with the synthesizer. He received a round of applause after it was all consumed. Nasht-Mer stayed the night, and was there once again watching as Discovery left the Orbital Docking port and slipped into the dark.
“Madam Speaker, it is good to see you again. How is the rebuilding going?” Sean asked as they gently struck palms.
He had brought Doris with him for security. Denknish was in a fledgling post-war recovery and in those reconstructive times, those who did not wish peace were still being sorted out for assimilation. Some were known to be dangerous and in hiding.
“Sean, it is so busy, but it is a different busy than being in wartime footing. Now we are rebuilding our civilian infrastructure and the people of Denknish are so much happier it is hard to measure. We never really knew how burdened we were until it was lifted, and I told you to call me ‘Doreem,’ remember?” She said with a smile.
“Yes Ma’am, it’s just after a life in military service, I respect superior officers and their rank. I’ll try be more casual. You sent me a message that had the feel of some urgency, what is it all about and how can I help?” he asked.
“You see Sean, that is why I contacted you. The first thing you say to people is ‘How can I help?’” She said.
She began to describe to him that another mystery ship had shown up with a representative from a small planet called Mutus Colonium and they were castoffs from the Council of Worlds over honor issues. They had discovered another unknown ship was in their solar system and was pirating freighters from a Council member as they passed through their area of space. They watched the piracy occur and know in what direction the pirates fled. She described that they lead a clandestine life unknown to the Council, and while they wanted to notify them of the activity, they didn’t want the Council to be aware of them and their planet location. They claim a remediated lifestyle on Mutus Colonium.
“You see Sean, they are also the ones who have confiscated some old starships from the Council junkyard in order to survive. That is what they use to pick up any honor breakers who wish to leave a member planet. So, they can’t really show up at Hhearn to talk to them. Besides, he insists they wouldn’t listen to an honor breaker.” She said,
“Would you like to meet him?”
Sean had to take a moment to think on this one but decided that hearing his story would harm no one and Sean had made no commitments to help yet.
“Sure, is he here?” Said Sean
“Yes, he is in the other office waiting, I can call him over.” She said.
“Hold on that for a bit, let’s get the Sisters over here to check his story. Sean made a quick call to Allister who notified the Sisters. They were at the Speaker’s Office in twenty minutes Earth time. The Speaker’s secretary was a bit uncomfortable around the Sisters as they showed up, but had seen the good work they did and brought them into the Speaker’s Office where they stood to the side after bowing slightly to the Speaker and Sean.
“Doreem, let’s have him in now.” Sean said.
She reached for her comm and asked her secretary Mirrana to send Thomak-Vel in.
Chapter Nineteen
Book Two
“Deakma, how many ..”
“I told you call me Captain, or I’ll find someone who can.” Barked Deakma Potl former master chief of the Lotma Corvette Noullk LC87. This Corvette was an armed reconnaissance ship that had seen frequent action in the Denknish /Lotma war, constantly being fired on as it probed the Denknish defense lines. During a severe battle between forces, Deakma and several cohorts seized control of the ship and spaced the Captain and non-cooperative crew members. Following the mutiny, with clever prior planning, they had rigged one of the two small shuttles’ antimatter engines to explode some distance away.
Immediately on activating the explosion, they cut all data links, communications, and went silent. They slipped slowly away in the dark of space. The ship was recorded as lost with all hands. Only one dead crewman was found floating in remarkably good condition despite the explosion. No other bodies were found since the Search and Rescue ship was driven from the field of space by opposing forces.
“‘Captain’ then, how many more freighters do you think we have to steal before we can to leave this section of space and find a place to dump this ship, take our money and disappear?” Asked the crewman, one of seven who had joined with the master chief to escape the endless war.
“We need one more.” He said. “With the war over now, we are flying. around in a warship with no ID, and no logical reason to be out here if sighted. There are now other ships freed up to hunt us. A few freighters don’t get that much attention but four will, and we’ll be gone” he said as he looked over the sector star map. The freighters were avoiding the old routes and had been traveling through another zone. It was longer, but the owners were trying to avoid an easy catch.
“Won’t do them much good.” He thought. “The detection drones we seeded throughout this whole sector will pick up their energy thrust. We have just the right ship for this, a hold full of detection drones and a couple of big guns.” He smiled as he gave course co-ordinates to the helm.
When the Noullk ran away after the mutiny, she ran deep into space for weeks and made contact with an occupied solar system. The main planet was called B’eekan. All previously unknown to Lotma. Captain Deakma, wearing the murdered Captain’s cap, represented themselves as ship venders specializing in used freighters. This system needed the ships badly and was willing to pay highly in precious metals. They never explained why and were unwilling to allow them to land a shuttle on the main planet. Instead, the buyers met in the Buyer’s shuttle just off the bow of the Noullk. They were strange, but they paid, asked no questions, and the transaction was concluded each time under the guns of the Corvette, a situation Deakma thought ideal.