by P F Walsh
“Easy with those guns. You won’t find a need for them. I killed them all.”
“What?” The team leader snapped.
“As we approached the docking station, I activated the fire suppression system in both the passenger and cargo sections.” The team leader looked at her suspiciously and said,
“They could still be alive!” She looked at him, and smiled,
“Not likely. Fire suppression on a space freighter involves dumping all oxygen in the compartment on fire. Fire cannot exist without oxygen. That includes people. They’re all dead. Sorry for the cleanup problem, but I had a big score to settle, and I did. All of their equipment is untouched. I’m sure there are explosives in their packs, be careful. Both compartments are still in vacuum, so don’t open the cockpit door. You can look through the cockpit door peephole. Also, you will have to send a repair technician outside the hull to manually close the purge vents before you can re-pressurize.” She stepped aside, and allowed the crew of men to rush into the cockpit compartment, lift up the cover, on the cockpit door and look through the peephole. The team leader came back out to Svetlana shaking his head,
“Well, I can’t fault you for a nice clean job Ms.....?”
“Colonel Kuznetsov.” She answered. The team leader stiffened up and snapped a salute and said,
“Outstanding job Colonel, may we proceed with cleanup and investigation Ma’am?” She returned his salute and said,
“Carry on, I’m hungry, is there any food on the station?”
“Doytain, another ship approaches. It is huge!” The scanner tech announced to the Doytain, who was sitting in his command chair on the bridge of the Trether Scout ship. The Doytain went to the scanner station,
“Is it armed, can you tell?”
“Yes sir, it has multiple weapons ports and one large set directly in front. That one may be an aimable rail gun or particle cannon.” The scanning technician said. This changed things even more to affect their situation. They were now in an even lower position of strength.
“Contact the shuttle and advise them of this new arrival. Advise to proceed with the mission on a diplomatic basis. Instruct the Sub-Commander to see if he can find out who the new ship is, and their mission.” The Doytain ordered.
“Aye Sir.” The technician began an encrypted message to the Trether Shuttle. The Doytain was now regretting his decision not to go in the shuttle. To be able to see their newly-found deceased Queen was an unexpected opportunity, and he would be sure to make a trip to the Outpost to do so later. But now, with a new, huge armed ship parked nearby, he needed to concentrate on careful diplomacy.
Aboard the Seeker, newly arrived at Caerus, Ambassador Cee and her lady friends were being seated to another of the Seeker’s wonderful meals from the Earth recipes sent to Martin months ago by Allister. Ambassador Cee asked Martin,
“Martin, please contact Allister and ask him to arrange a meeting with Captain Flynn and me on diplomatic business. Let’s set it up for a first-meal meeting. This ship or his.” Martin replied,
“Done. Is there anything else Ambassador?”
“Not now Martin. Ask the bots to serve our meal, we’ve had enough to drink.”
“As you wish Ma’am.”
“’Ma’am?’ What does that mean Martin?”
“It is a contraction of the respectful Earth title ‘Madam.’ I can use your full title if you prefer.”
“No, Martin, that’s fine. In fact, I like it. When in Rome...” She trailed off thinking of the Earth quotations she had become familiar with.
“What are you serving tonight Martin?”
“Chicken filled Tortellini with Alfredo Sauce and Focaccia bread, Ma’am” The Ambassador had no idea what that was, but it smelled heavenly, and she knew it would be wonderful. The ladies that had been served first weren’t waiting for the rest of the group to be served. They were already gulping it down with groans of enjoyment. The dining room display screens showed the space around the Seeker including the brilliantly lit space docking station nearby with its docked ships, the fleet of parked ships, and Caerus below displaying a moonlike surface from its planetary hologram. No one was looking, the service bots were pouring wine.
Back aboard the Discovery from their trip to the mausoleum, the party from the Trether shuttle had been exchanging information in the comfort of the Discovery’s dining cabin with Captain Flynn and his crew. The Sub-Commander was verbally admiring the appointments of Discovery, so much more comfortable that the Trether Scout for long trips. The Sub-Commander did not discuss that those were few for them, except for this one, since the scout could fold space and be anywhere in a very short time. He and his team members were sipping refreshments, urgently hoping to learn more about their new Queen without offending anyone, when Nasht-Mer, returning from the practice room, entered the room with a surprised smile. She had taken off her neck scarf to wipe some perspiration away. Normally, she kept this on to cover the dazzling Necklace of JihnBaar when she practiced with the whip. Both the Necklace and the whip were in full view as she walked into the dining cabin, not expecting it to have guests. All three Trether guests saw her at the same time.
“Opppss!” The Sub-Commander spewed his mouthful of Zeng Tea as he and his team dropped immediately to one knee facing Nasht-Mer, bowed their heads and muttered a salutation in the language of Treth, surprising all others in the room, most of all Nasht-Mer, who was not wearing a translator. She asked quizzically,
“What is going on?” As she stood there. Allister who was standing nearby spoke up,
“Duchess, when Central took you to see the Treth Queen in her mausoleum, it then fulfilled the last, precise commands of their Queen Mithren, which was to pass on her power and throne to the next woman who had courage enough to come to the disease-ridden Outpost. Central was even more satisfied that you were already a noble of royal bearing. In short, the procedure has indelibly made you the new Queen of the Treth Empire. The Trether military men before you are waiting for your permission for them to rise.”
An astonished Nasht-Mer and Discovery crew were silent for a minute trying to determine if this was real. Allister sensing the disbelief, quietly said,
“Your highness, it is so.” Nasht-Mer blinked, and said,
“Please tell them to rise.” Allister did so, and they stood there at attention. The Sub-Commander said,
“We await your commands Your Majesty.” Nasht-Mer did not understand their words, so once again Allister spoke,
“They await your commands.” Nasht-Mer told Allister to advise them to be at ease. Bearing a confused look on her face, she went to a chair and sat down while asking for someone to bring her a translator. Rookt-Nab quickly handed her his, and went to get another one. She placed it over her neck to rest upon the necklace which the team from Trether could not stop looking at.
“Now, let us all start from the beginning, shall we?” She said.
“Mr. President, I just received an encrypted message from Caerus. Our Russian asylum seeker killed the whole Spetsnaz team singlehandedly without a shot being fired. No mess. The security team on Caerus recovered all their equipment undamaged, and is sending it all to us to examine, minus the explosives and one backpack.” Said Eddie Powers head of the White House Secret Service.
“Really? That’s great. Those bastards never learn. Anything else before I go into another meeting?” President Burke asked.
“Yes sir, The Council of Worlds is sending their Ambassador to have a talk with the Russians about this violation of the charter. She is the same one that dealt with the Chinese. I wouldn’t want to be in their place when she arrives. She was on her way here and stopped at Caerus. She was at Caerus when the Russian assault team was shut down. Nothing like seeing the evidence for yourself, is there?” He said smiling. The President nodded and said,
“Make sure we take good care of that Svetlana or whatever her name is. She certainly held up her part nicely. Find a spot for her.
“Yes sir, I�
��ll take care of it. In the short term, I have an idea. I think she’ll like it.” Said Eddie.
“If the Ambassador needs to see me, let her know I am available. Oh, and let Millie know I’m skipping lunch today. I’ll see her at dinner.” The President said. Eddie nodded, closed his folder, and then left the Oval Office while the President buzzed Elizabeth to send in the next group.
The Seeker slowly settled itself silently down to land in Red Square despite the forceful demands and instructions of Russian Air Traffic Control to land at a remote airfield where the people of Moscow could not see. It boldly sat there with shields up waiting for the requested Diplomatic and Military representatives to catch up with the last-minute unexpected landing location change.
Hundreds of Muscovites came to see it and take pictures on their phones. In seconds those photos were appearing on Russian social media. Police began arriving to surround the ship and keep people away. Martin penetrated their media sites and provided a report, with photos, on why it was there, exposing the sinister Russian attempt to invade Caerus and break their Charter with the Council of Worlds. Attempts to stop the information were ineffective.
Cars came screeching into the square with sirens and flashing lights. The Diplomatic and Military representatives had arrived. Their cars pushed through the police line to stop in front of the Seeker which had its laser ports open. The Russian party exited their cars and stood waiting. The hull shields shut down and the Seeker ramp extended while they waited. The cargo door opening, from which the ramp extended, glowed with a local protective shield quite powerful enough to stop any hostile fire into the ship. They waited and finally could see three blurry figures approaching the shield curtain and passed through it. They stood there elevated above the ground level as hundreds of Russians snapped more photos, despite police attempts to stop it.
The Ambassador, and her companions, strolled down the ramp to its bottom, but did not step off, forcing the Russian delegation to come forward. Once they were close enough, the Russians could see the Ambassador, a short woman of slight figure dressed in a Hhearn robe bearing her diplomatic symbols. She was carrying a black backpack in one hand. With her, a Sister of Mak’am who floated above the ramp floor a few inches, and another woman with a grim countenance in a Caerus Uniform. The Ambassador seized the moment to speak firmly, her voice being amplified and translated by Martin,
“I am Nan-Cee, Duchess of Cee and Ambassador to Earth from the Council of Worlds. Please identify who you are.” Each of the Russian Delegation identified themselves. There was the Russian Secretary of State, the Mayor of Moscow, the Senior Officer of the GRU and aids. The Ambassador nodded as each was identified. The Sister at her side whispered into the Ambassador’s mind as the Ambassador looked them over,
“Each was identified correctly, but their minds are full of hostile, arrogant thoughts. The GRU Officer has thoughts that sending a woman was a huge sign of weakness especially dressed in a silly religious robe.” The Ambassador broke the silence,
“You have undoubtedly heard of my widely reported visit to the Chinese Nation and my reactions to their behaviors. They prefer more subtle dealings of vague intentions and veiled threats. None of which I accommodated. I am told Russians are less so, and prefer direct, clear actions and speech.” She paused and looked at the GRU Officer.
“I see your thoughts as clear as I can see the Kremlin. You will find my power in these matters unlimited, as the Chinese learned to their very deep dismay. I am here because you have gravely breached the charter agreement which you signed with the Council of Worlds. We do not accept any breeches without prompt reaction. You have sent an assault team of Spetsnaz to attack Caerus, a Council Member in good standing. That team were all struck dead before they even had a chance to leave the transport ship.” She threw the black knapsack of the Spetsnaz team leader at the feet of the GRU Officer.
“I was there and saw it. I waste no time with charter signers who plan death and intimidation. As my ship descended today, it destroyed the GRU headquarters building, all its contents and all its staff. It is now a melted pool of slag. That is where this offensive operation was planned. I considered destroying more but was prevailed not to do so by my companion here, Colonel Svetlana Kuznetsov formerly of the GRU.
She is the Officer whose dying daughter you used so callously to induce her to function as a spy and assassin. She uncovered your ugly deceptions after you denied her daughter life-saving treatments and watched her die. She is the Officer that personally put your entire, vaunted Spetsnaz team to death singlehandedly, and settled that score. You foolishly have made powerful and intrepid enemies with your behaviors.” She said to a stunned group.
Svetlana said nothing, but stood there stoic, and unafraid. The three of them stepped to the side. Ambassador Cee raised her hand in a slight gesture and a series of cargo bots began to come down the ramp. As each one got to the bottom, it dumped three Spetsnaz bodies on the ground at the end of the ramp. This went on for a few minutes and the pile of bodies got larger. When they were done the Ambassador said,
“I believe these belong to you. You can explain to their families why they are dead.” All of this was being broadcast on Russian media, now hacked by Martin.
The GRU Officer gritted his teeth and thought furiously,
“I will have that Colonel killed slowly for this, a few years in torture, then slow death. I will watch at the end.” The Sister relayed his thoughts to the Ambassador. Nan-Cee stared straight at him and said,
“You will never kill her, and she will not be tortured. I can see your thoughts, and if you do so, everything within one mile of this spot will be destroyed immediately. Do not mistake this as an idle threat. Even now you can hear the sirens of fire equipment and ambulances rushing to the slag pit that was your headquarters.” The very upset Secretary of State began to speak, but was cut off by the Ambassador,
“I am done here, and declare Russia quarantined from trade and technology with the other worlds for three annuals from today. You have only yourselves to blame.” She turned with the others and went back up the ramp and through the shield curtain. The ramp drew up into the ship and the ship rose to two hundred feet and stayed there.
Inside the Seeker,
“I’ve asked Martin to let us hover here for a day as the people of Russia see the reality of this ship, their inability to do anything about it, and raise awareness with its leaders that things have changed. They may even be foolish enough to fire some weapon at us. It will not get through the shields.” Said the Ambassador. Then,
“Let’s have something to eat.”
The emotionless Sister of Mak’am thought the meeting efficient, and conclusive. The Colonel thought,
“This is one tough lady. She never blinked at any of it. I would definitely not mess with her. It’s evident though, that I am on the right team. I wonder what she meant when she said after we get done, we’re going shopping?”
An Earth-month had passed, Nasht-Mer turned to Sean and spoke near his ear,
“Sean, you get me into the most demanding situations. We are going to have a talk about this later!” She said with a touch of exasperation. Sean replied,
“Not now dear! Wave to the crowds!”
The procession, bearing the new Queen Nasht-Mer and the Duke of Mer, moved slowly down the main boulevard of Trether, through Mook’n Square, and past The Great Column of Honors where on the base plinth, Nasht-Mer’s name was engraved for all to see. The huge crowd screamed in joy as they passed by.
Thank you for reading this book. All errors, if any, are mine. I am always grateful to hear from readers. If you liked this book series, please leave a Customer Review on the book’s Amazon page. It really helps! Please?
You can reach me directly at:
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Information about the Author follows on the next page.
he Author
After an active business career as owner of several companies, active in mergers an
d, acquisitions, and corporate turnarounds, in 1994, Mr. Walsh retired early to Palm Springs, Ca. to build a new life. He still lives in that desert resort community. Mr. Walsh has had business writing published by The Wall Street Journal Publications,
He has an ongoing passion for Art, Music, Formal events, and Egyptian antiquity. This is the complete set of three books of his first Sci Fi trilogy novel, and is releasing all the ideas he collected while reading hundreds of science fiction books over the past 20 years. Mr. Walsh, at this writing was 81 Years young. And yes, he has been to the Vienna State Opera Ball several times. The above photo was taken there.
You can see the Vienna Ball Info here:
https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/vienna-opera-ball/
If you have no dreams, they can never come true!