Earthers

by S. H. Jucha

  “Jess, you didn’t need to have your sister here to convince me to accept the position,” Sam said in a mildly accusatory tone.

  “She wasn’t here for that reason,” Jess objected. “Okay, maybe partially, but Kasie is here because I’ve offered her a job too.”

  “In security?” Sam asked dubiously.

  “No,” Kasie replied. “I’ll head a part of the outpost’s medical team. We’ll be offering empath services to support the mental well-being of the troops and the station’s service members.”

  “Then you’ll live here ... on the station, I mean,” Sam said, his smile growing wider.

  “So, it seems,” Kasie replied. “I’ll guess you’ll be seeing a lot of me.”

  When the couple left the suite, Lucia entered soon afterward. She’d tracked Sam’s implant location.

  “I don’t need to ask how the conversation went,” Lucia said entering the salon. “Kasie is beaming happy thoughts down the entire corridor.”

  “Once she officially takes the job, she’ll maintain control,” Jess said. “She’s like that. She’s always had two modes of control. On for business and off for personal. For now, she’s happy, and I think Sam and she make a nice match.”

  “And to think the insectoids brought them together,” Lucia mused, as she sat next to Jess and triggered the holo-vid.

  * * * * *

  “Alex, you’ve a message from Hector,” Julien said.

  Alex indicated the holo-vid on the table, which is where Julien sent the transmission. Renée, Julien, Tatia, Mickey, Miriam, and Luther were in conference with him.

  “Greetings, Alex,” Hector’s voice issued from the holo-vid base. “I hope this message finds you and our Omnians well. It’s been quiet here until recently. Within a course of a short period of time, I’ve been faced with several challenges. It’s my hope that my choice of action embraces your priorities. These are the three challenges.”

  Hector paused, as if needing to order his thoughts. It was unnecessary for a SADE, and Alex presumed Hector was giving his audience an opportunity to prepare for bad news.

  “Locally, events have spiraled out of control for the Dischnya,” Hector continued. “It began with Nata’s adventure on Sawa, which involved Neffess. That, of course, required Queen Nyslara and Pussiro to intervene. I would be devoting my efforts to resolving that problem except for the receipt of two contacts.”

  “Alex, Sargut, the Talusian president, has requested our aid. He tells us that his world is facing political and military pressures. I’ll spare you the details that Miriamette sent us. Suffice it to say, the need is urgent. I’ve ordered the fleet to assemble, and we’re sailing for Talus.”

  Alex requested Julien to pause. “Time?” he inquired of Julien.

  “Hector’s fleet should cross the wall soon,” Julien supplied. “His forces will be engaged at Talus, if that’s necessary, before we reach the region of space occupied by our colonies.”

  At Alex’s signal, Julien continued the message.

  “Alex and Ser, I regret to inform you that the second contact originated from the Ollassa system,” Hector said.

  A small gasp was heard from Renée, but Julien kept the message playing.

  “The probe, which was left behind, recorded the arrival of a ship many times greater in diameter than one of our city-ships,” Hector continued. “I would estimate it contains ten to twelve times a city-ship’s volume. The vessel did not proceed inward. It halted outside the far belt, and the probe recorded the expulsion of a number of small ships, which spread among the belt’s asteroids. That’s the extent of the incursion into the Ollassa system. I judged the Talusian request for help to have the greater urgency. As to the Ollassa, your intervention there would be a matter of first contact. I judge you to be more adept at that than any individual I know.”

  Alex was wondering about the events at Sawa, when Hector said, “I’ve left Commodore Descartes and his squadrons to deal with the Sawa problem. The commodore has orders to join the fleet at Talus, when the issue is resolved.”

  The message ended, and Mickey remarked, “Hector’s particularly vague about the trouble Nata got into on Sawa.”

  “Mickey, I judge that Hector didn’t want to apply blame,” Julien said. “It might be that little was known about how events began. Also, any disciplinary action of the lieutenant would fall within the fleet admiral’s authority.”

  “You were waiting for something like this,” Tatia said, staring at Alex.

  “Yes,” Alex replied quietly.

  Tatia swung her eyes toward Renée for more details.

  “It was a collection of colors,” Renée said. “Citron, flame, indigo, melon, mist, olive, and others.”

  “The colors of the Ollassa,” Julien remarked.

  “I didn’t make the connection, but Renée did,” Alex explained.

  The table comprised individuals who were within Alex’s close circle. They knew what he meant. Renée had recorded Alex’s dream, and her love of the gentle Ollassa had aided her in recognizing the colors.

  “Mickey, status of the station,” Alex requested.

  Mickey slowly shook his head. “No, Alex,” he said. “I can see you want to sail the fleet for Vinium. That’s something you need to do. For many of us, there’s too much to do here.”

  “Pimbor hasn’t achieved engineering stability,” Luther remarked. “It’ll require another six months.”

  “The outpost will take about the same amount of time to complete,” Miriam added.

  “Then there are two other broader issues,” Julien said. “The first is the spread of Omnian tech within the alliance. That can’t be managed by the outpost. The leaders have their hands full.”

  “And the other is the investigation of the domes,” Alex supplied. He knew that was a priority for the SADEs.

  “Jess is intent on making the alliance support the SADEs’ work on the domes with credits, a workforce, and equipment,” Mickey said. “He wants the SADEs to focus their efforts on two non-alliance domes closer to Pyre.”

  “Jess will be successful in that endeavor,” Renée said resolutely. “He did exceedingly well with the Tsargit membership.”

  “And the Pyrean assembly,” Julien added. “I reviewed Admiral Bellardo’s recording of their presentation.”

  “Well, the commands will be sailing for the Ollassa system,” Alex said, focusing on Tatia.

  “By the time Hector’s forces are engaged, we’ll have months to go to reach Vinium,” Tatia said in frustration. She didn’t like the idea of both fleets facing potential adversaries at the same time.

  “The question remains as to who will remain behind,” Alex said. “Julien, Mickey, I need you to detail that for us.”

  * * * * *

  The following morning, Jess and Lucia were aboard the Freedom, seated across from Alex and Renée.

  “The fleet is sailing,” Alex said. “Situations have developed in two faraway systems. Hector’s fleet is handling one, and we’re headed for Vinium.”

  Lucia sent privately to Jess, which interrupted his question for Alex.

  “Only the Omnian commands and most of the freighters are sailing,” Tatia added. “Mickey’s made it clear that there’s too much to be done in alliance space.”

  Jess and Lucia received a link to data on the outpost’s controller.

  “Don’t bother opening that now,” Alex said. “It details Omnia Ships assets remaining in alliance space. Essentially, work will continue on Pimbor, on the outpost, and on the dome investigation.”

  Jess breathed a sigh of relief at the announcement. “Thank you for these individuals, Alex,” he said.

  Alex smiled, “Don’t thank me,” he said. “The veterans and the young races here have earned our admiration. Omnians have chosen to stay to complete the work they started. I would ask one favor of you, Commander. Protect them well.”

  “Like they are my own,” Jess promised.

  “Admiral
,” Tatia said, addressing Lucia, “You’ll find two OS ships on the list of assets. Captain Lumley and most of his crew volunteered to remain behind. The captain believes the Rêveur can be an asset, transporting individuals between Pyre and Sol.”

  “That would be a great help,” Lucia acknowledged. “I’d hate to have to devote a carrier to those duties.”

  “The other ship is the Judgment, Admiral,” Tatia said, with a fierce grin. “Seems the crew preferred that no one else carry the outpost’s fleet admiral around this part of the galaxy.”

  “Loyal fools,” Lucia commented quietly.

  “How soon will you launch?” Jess asked.

  “The OS commands are in system,” Alex replied. “Personnel have the day to transfer their gear between ships and the outpost. A recall has already been sent. We’ll sail after evening meal.”

  “How long will you be gone?” Lucia asked, “Or should I ask when might we see you again?”

  “I’m planning to be in Sol in an annual or two, holding a galactic conference,” Alex said confidently. “I expect to see the two of you there, and it would be much appreciated if you brought the Tsargit council.”

  Alex grinned at Jess. Both men knew it would be an enormous challenge to extricate the council from Hyronzy Station, much less entice the councilors to visit a system outside alliance space. But Jess returned Alex’s grin. He was up for the challenge.

  Alex stood, which signaled the meeting’s end. Handshakes, hugs, and wishes to be safe were exchanged.

  A half-day later, Cordelia coordinated the fleet’s departure from the Freedom’s bridge. The ships accelerated, dropping below the ecliptic. Soon after, Crimsa system’s gravitational field was left behind, the fleet transited.

  38: Home World

  Tacnock requested Miriam to calculate the number of shadows that could fit with him on a dome’s platform.

  The SADE’s answer was fourteen, if Tacnock would accept that the shadows folded their legs to reduce their profiles. Otherwise, the count would be nine. The lower number would allow the shadows to operate in optimal combat positions.

  For Tacnock’s purpose, nine it was.

  Before the Freedom departed, crews had hurried to transfer the remaining shadows from the city-ship to the outpost.

  Tacnock visited an outpost’s bay full of shadows and spoke to a Sylian crew chief.

  The chief was a veteran, who’d been injured in the field, and he awaited a visit to the Jatouche medical center to repair his hip. The chief called for a pilot. Then he signaled nine shadows to follow him to another bay, where Tacnock and the shadows boarded a cargo shuttle.

  Soon afterward, Tacnock and his nine exited the traveler within Triton’s surface dome. The shadows dutifully followed their assault leader through the tunnels to the dome level.

  The Triton dome possessed a single gate, and it connected to Rissness, the Jatouche dome. This was why the dome console operator was surprised to see Tacnock and the shadows. He couldn’t think of a good reason why the team would be journeying through the gate network.

  Unfortunately, the operator didn’t get an opportunity to ask his question. Without a word, Tacnock climbed on the platform. The shadows surrounded him, and he signaled for the gate’s activation.

  When Tacnock appeared in the Rissness dome, the initial response was that of amazement at the presence of a uniformed Jatouche and nine shadows. However, as soon as Tacnock was recognized, the astonishment gave way to a hero’s welcome.

  For many years, only Tacnock’s best friends, Jess and Kasie, knew his sibling was the mate of the Jatouche ruler, Tockitak. As Tacnock had requested, the brother and sister had kept the information closely guarded. It wasn’t until Jastitock mentioned it to Alex and his companions at Hyronzy Station that Omnians learned of Tacnock’s relationship to the monarchy.

  However, that neither Tacnock nor Jess had ever mentioned that detail to others, the Omnians presumed it was to be kept private. That meant their knowledge about Tacnock sailed with the fleet, and the twins were now the only ones aboard the outpost who knew it.

  Unfortunately, Tacnock knew it was only a matter of time before the outpost’s Jatouche shared his home world’s standing, and he accepted that. It was just that he relished being treated as Jess’s friend and equal, not someone to be honored for a sibling partnered to Her Highness.

  As the Jatouche surged forward to greet Tacnock, he signaled the shadows to stand down. Otherwise, they would have prevented his fellow citizens from reaching him.

  When the dome administrator could finally speak, he asked, “Are you journeying, Tacnock, or taking a shuttle?”

  “I’m journeying through that gate,” Tacnock replied, pointing at the platform protected by beam weaponry.

  “You journey to the Colony’s home world dome?” the administrator asked in trepidation. He was torn between acquiescing to the request and signaling Jastitock for approval.

  “Perhaps, you and I should talk to the head of security,” Tacnock offered. “I’ll explain my needs to both of you.”

  “The Colony home world?” the security head asked in astonishment.

  The administrator nodded vigorously, as if to say that’s what he’d heard the assault leader say too.

  “Yes,” Tacnock replied patiently. “I’m investigating a theory for the outpost commander, Jess Cinders.”

  Tacnock cut an imposing figure, wearing his black and gold outpost uniform. His Loopah weapon lay on the table. However, it was the nine lethal shadows that moved alongside Tacnock without a word being said that convinced the administrator and the security head to heed his request.

  “How do you propose to proceed?” the security head asked.

  “I’ll stage the shadows around the Colony gate,” Tacnock explained. “You deactivate the weapons and open the platform. Then you’ll send the shadows and me through the gate.”

  “What about your return?” the administrator asked.

  “Image a shadow,” Tacnock instructed. “After I journey, activate the weapons. When I’m ready to return, I’ll send a shadow through. Send it back to me as proof that you didn’t burn it to ash. If you do destroy it, I’ll leave it to you to explain to the outpost commander why you incinerated one of his valuable troopers.”

  Tacnock ended his instructions with a flash of teeth. Neither the security head nor the administrator was sure how to take his warning about the commander. It occurred to them that Tacnock had spent too many annuals in the company of humans and away from Na-Tikkook.

  The security head called a tech to image a shadow.

  The tech, Kossitik, was an attractive female Jatouche, and Tacnock couldn’t resist posing the shadow in various positions for her. She chittered at Tacnock’s antics.

  Returning to the deck, a carefully orchestrated movement followed.

  Tacnock directed the shadows to guard the platform, and his squad of nine surrounded it. The red warning lights of the beam weapons winked off, and security rolled the curved panels, which supported the armament, away from the platform.

  Journeyers stopped to watch the action. They knew what existed on the other end of that particular Q-gate. If some thought to flee the Rissness dome, curiosity kept their limbs rooted in place.

  Tacnock ascended the platform and signaled the shadows to climb on. He ordered the nine to protect him, and they spun to face outward.

  Dutifully, Tacnock unslung his Loopah weapon, loaded a dart, and checked the breech. As he looked up, he caught the rapt gaze of Kossitik. Then he signaled the console operator.

  Energy from deep within the moon was channeled to the Q-gate and through the dome’s hemisphere. Then Tacnock and the shadows disappeared in a flash of blue light.

  In the Rissness dome, security immediately rolled the panels into place and activated the beam weapons.

  As Tacnock expected, there was a momentary loss of focus while he coalesced in the Colony’s dome. He had the opportunity to lie down to present a smaller target to the
insectoids. Instead, he stood and held his weapon at the ready. It was Jess’s certainty about what Tacnock would find that kept him resolutely upright.

  When Tacnock’s vision cleared, he noticed the shadows hadn’t fired. They had no targets. He leapt over a shadow and raced to the console. Playing the SADEs’ sequence in his implant, he locked out the other gates. Then he secured the dome’s airlock. Now, only a Jatouche could access the airlock’s twin hatches. Finally, he directed the shadows to guard the ramp.

  Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Tacnock eyed the deck and the enormous ring that floated overtop the dome. This ring existed, because the Colony’s home world had been deliberately avoided during the commands’ surveys of alliance space.

  Staring around at the empty deck, Tacnock chittered loud and long. “Jess, my clever, clever friend, you’re going to thoroughly enjoy this recording,” he whispered.

  The next step for Tacnock was to clear the lower levels. He and the shadows performed a sweep.

  Four shadows bracketed Tacnock and five of their kind occupied the sweep’s center. Two of the four faced each end of the corridor, while Tacnock and his five investigated each dorm room.

  Finishing sub-level one, the sweep team descended to sub-level two. It was as deserted as the first.

  “Nobody home,” Tacnock muttered to the vacant corridor.

  Tacnock’s next step was to see if the tunnels were occupied. He didn’t expect to encounter the insectoids, but he didn’t trust the Colony either.

  The shadows led the way through the airlock and into the connecting ring. Tacnock stood there and sent shadows scurrying down every tunnel. They made it to the launch tube airlocks without making contact. Then they returned to the side of their assault leader.

  The question of whether to search the shuttles, which Tacnock suspected were nestled in their tubes, was complicated by two thoughts. The first was that he would need to return to Rissness to obtain an environment suit. However, the more pressing concern was that Tacnock decided not to press his fortune. If the insectoids waited in their shuttles, Tacnock was content to leave them there until a Trident force arrived to burn them or dissolve them with nanites.