Of course, not all of his ideas were adopted. Jeftrick could remember when he thought up the idea of launching mines from the planet’s surface, thereby reducing the need for a minelayer to place them on location. That one was shot down by the Council as impractical because of the risk of passing close by mines already in place and triggering them. He supposed that made sense.
Walking over to the wall chart, he reviewed the Overling’s updates. He wished he was on one of the ships again. Hesitating, he wondered what brought on that thought. He had always felt confined on a ship and could hardly wait to return home. Was it the freedom of being away from the continuous demands of the Council that conjured up that desire? He shook off the question to concentrate on the chart again.
The Tail Whip was nearing the end of its assignment. He wondered if it was wise to increase their workload, being Sinska’s first assignment and all, but did he really have a choice? After a few beats, he returned to his desk and began to review his to-do list. This was going to be another long day, and Jeftrick knew there would be no hope of sneaking off to get in on a hunt.
Chapter Three
Overlord Sinska liked how the overlord chair was positioned in the middle of the control chamber. It offered him easy viewing of the five sections of the pentagon-shaped chamber with the simple rotation of his eyes. When overseeing the operation of the Tail Whip, Sinska liked having that capability.
In front of him, on the first of the five walls, the three main view screens rested. Each monitor offered him whatever view he preferred to see, all controlled from the dials on the arm rest of his backless chair. With both eyes forward, he could focus on two screens at once. Currently, one monitor displayed the activity within the side launch bay, where Underlord Bresk oversaw the launching of another buoy.
He could see the underlings laboring to get the buoy next to the side hatch preparing for launch. This was the most dangerous part of launching a buoy, so he continued to watch, even though Bresk was more than capable of making sure the activities were done right.
The side bay opening had two hatches, an inner hatch to protect the crew, and an outer hatch that exposed them to space. If an Overling made the mistake of opening both hatches at once, every Kracks in the compartment would be sucked out of the ship, and that would not make Sinska very happy.
Pinning both eyes onto the monitor, he watched as an overling worked the controls that opened the inner hatch. Underlings now maneuvered the buoy through the opening and into the holding area between the two hatches. When the underlings stepped back, the Overling closed the inner hatch. So far, so good, he thought.
The Overling now operated controls that worked two mechanical arms with jaw-like clamps on the ends. In reaction to his commands, both arms swung away from opposing walls to slowly approach the buoy and latch onto the handles on each side. With it now ready to be launched, the Overling opened the outer hatch.
Sinska watched as the mechanical arms lifted the buoy and worked it out of the ship. When the clamps released their grip, the buoy slowly floated away as gently as dust drifting along on a soft breeze. When the arms retracted into the ship and the outer hatch closed, Sinska had seen enough. It was a simple matter of cleanup now.
Rotating his right eye to the next wall, he could see the Tracking Overling already working on the commands needed to move the buoy to its assigned location. Once the communication link became established, the commands would be transmitted. Shifting his eye further right and almost behind him, he could see the Communication Overling waiting patiently for the antenna to extend from the buoy.
Rotating his left eye around until it focused on the entry door to the chamber, he expected to see Bresk coming in at any beat now. Shifting his eye forward slightly, he noticed the Navigation Overling sitting idle while waiting for orders to put the ship into motion.
Getting up, Sinska started pacing. An idle ship always made him antsy. It had already been a long day, and once Bresk returned, Sinska planned on relinquishing command to get some rest.
Reaching the back of the bridge, where two walls came to a concave point, Sinska turned around to continue his pacing. He wandered along the outer edge of the chamber, having to follow the constantly angling walls.
The opening of the bridge access door caused Sinska to swing an eye toward it. Bresk walked onto the bridge, where the clicking of his clawed feet, as they made contact with the steel deck, filled the chamber. Turning toward him, Sinska stopped his pacing to watch the Underlord go about his business.
“Overling, is the communication link with the buoy established yet?” Bresk asked after making his way to the communication station.
“Yes, Underlord. The buoy has completed the extension of its positional antenna. I have a link between the ship’s computer and the navigation system on the buoy. It is now ready to have the rotational and positional commands fed in.”
Sinska noticed Bresk rotating his left eye toward the tracking station, and then heard him ask, “Overling, are the commands ready to feed?”
“Yes, Underlord.”
“Feed in the positional coordinates, and then execute the command sequence.”
Sinska returned to his chair and sat. He leaned back in the chair until his large tail provided support as it draped over the back of the chair and leveraged against the floor. Sticking the tip of one claw into the dial that controlled the far-right monitor, he switched the view until he found the image of the buoy. His timing proved perfect, as the buoy had completed rotating sideways and now moved away from the ship using its internal propulsion drive. To save on the limited fuel the buoy carried, the ship was placed as close to the positional coordinates as possible.
Always fascinated with how the buoys worked, he watched it brake to a stop, shed its shell, extend its vital components, and then rotate to align with the rebounder that would pick up its signal and relay them down to the planet’s surface and into the council building where all signals were constantly monitored.
“The buoy is now in position and operational,” the Tracking Overling reported, validating what Sinska had seen on the monitor.
Setting the middle monitor to tracking, Sinska studied it for where the ship would be headed next. That would be in sector two, plot seventy-seven, triangular eight. Rotating an eye left to look at navigation, Sinska ordered, “Ahead, full. Sub-light. Make course for two seven-seven eight.”
Ignoring the repeated orders relayed back from the Overling, Sinska focused on the rumbling the two propulsion drives radiated through the deck. Even though the ship contained two drives, Sinska felt the Tail Whip was underpowered. The drives were slow in getting the Tail Whip moving, and its top speed was limited. He supposed the other minelayers were much the same.
Looking at the tracking view, Sinska calculated in his head how long it would take to reach their next destination. The distance provided him plenty of time to get in a meal and some rest. Sliding out of his chair, Sinska said, “Underlord, the control chamber is yours. I will be in my rest chamber.”
Making his way to the door of the main passageway, Sinska slipped his four long black claws into the matching slots in the access door. He then slid it aside, his massive arm muscles making little work of the effort. After stepping into the passageway beyond, he turned to close the door, but hesitated when the Communication Overling spoke up.
“Underlord, I am picking up a transmission from a tracking buoy. I have started the data capture.”
“Have it displayed on the center monitor, Overling,” Sinska said after stepping back into the chamber.
“At once, Overlord.”
Sinska slid into the control chair as Bresk vacated it. By the time he got comfortable, the center screen was receiving the data flowing from one of the tracking buoys. In that view, he could see a small, barely visible object angling away from the buoy, apparently having just left the orbit of a nearby planet. Behind the object, only darkness and the distant glow of stars presented themselves.
&
nbsp; “Overling, where is this signal originating from?” Sinska asked.
“The buoy signature notes its location as Remp, Overlord.”
Fascinated, Sinska stuck one if his long claws into the dial to bring up the charts on the far-right monitor. Rotating through the various systems, he selected the chart for Remp. Finding it to be a small five planet system, with limited exposure to life-giving sun, he could not figure out why anyone would be interested in a dead place like that.
“Should we notify the Council of this signal, Overlord?” Bresk asked.
Rotating an eye toward Bresk, Sinska responded, “Why? Would they not be receiving this signal too?”
“No, Overlord. We are not in line with the rebounder. The buoy must be drifting and in need of service.”
Realizing the Underlord was right, Sinska knew they needed to be informed immediately. He suspected they would want to send a ship out to retrieve all the data on the strange object, as well as getting the buoy back into alignment. The possibility of being sent to the Remp system to investigate it excited Sinska.
“All stop. Overling, keep the Tail Whip in line with the signal until I get further direction from the Council. Reroute this signal directly to the rebounder.” Sinska rotated an eye toward the Underlord. “Underlord, inform Overlord Jeftrick of our findings and request further instructions.
“At once, Overlord.”
Chapter Four
Council Leader Quiver tapped his long black claws on the half-moon shaped rock table while trying to get the attention of the other Masterlords seated around it. The arguing had gone on long enough. Quiver knew it was time to corral them in again. One by one, the Masterlords went quiet as Quiver looked at each of them in turn.
If there was one thing that Quiver could say about the council members, it was that they proved to be a diverse group. Quiver rotated his right eye over to look at Masterlord Triff. Triff was always the first to argue and the last to agree to anyone else’s ideas. While he forced the Council to see all sides of an issue, he seldom could be convinced to change his viewpoint without a long, tiring argument. Rotating his eye slightly brought Masterlord Rentum into focus. Although usually a free thinker, Rentum tended to side with Triff, and always sat next to him, but he could be swayed toward the majority much easier.
Rotating the opposite eye, he looked at Masterlord Wiskum, who usually took the view opposing Triff. Then there was Masterlord Klickest, a sound Kracks if ever there was one. Klickest always seemed to absorb the issues presented before offering his opinion, but when he did, it always seemed to be logical and well thought out.
“This argument has gone on long enough, Masterlords. We have an opportunity to send a ship out to Remp to investigate this object. The Tail Whip is standing by. I recommend we send Overlord Sinska to see if he can capture it.”
“NO!” Triff yelled out, “I have already said this is a bad idea! We do not know why this object is there. We could send the Tail Whip right into the middle of a major invasion of our space. The buoy tells us all we need to know.”
“How can you say that, Triff?” Klickest asked. “The buoy only tells us the object is there. Overlord Sinska can get close to the object to get a much better look. If he can capture it, would that not be to our advantage?”
“No, you invite disaster to us all, Masterlord Klickest!” Triff yelled back. “What if ships follow into Remp behind this object? The Tail Whip could accidentally lead them right back to Kracks!”
“I find your argument disturbing, Masterlord Triff,” Wiskum said. “I for one do not fear other creatures. We are masters of our planet. I find it a direct insult that you can so easily discount our abilities to fight off intruders.”
“I agree. There is no creature out there that can bring fear to me. They would only be another prey for me to bring back to my gugg to feast on. Let no one say that Masterlord Rentum fears some unknown creature just because he has a high-tech object flying around in space.”
Masterlord Triff’s tongue flashed out and tested the air. The long, red appendage seemed to taste the mood of those around him. After a quick swipe of his nostrils, the tongue disappeared between the two long, fang-like tusks protruding downward from the upper jaw.
Quiver saw his chance. He rotated one eye left and the other right, studying each member in turn. Triff had made a huge mistake in suggesting that a Kracks needed to fear an unknown creature. That mistake had not only alienated him from the other council members but had pulled Rentum over to the opposite side of the argument. That was something that rarely happened easily.
“I am proposing that we approve the redirecting of the Tail Whip to the Remp system, and direct Overlord Sinska to capture the object to return here for study. All in favor of this directive tap your claws,” Quiver said, quickly drawing on a vote while he had their favor.
All but Triff tapped their claws on the table. Not until after making sure that Quiver knew he was not in agreement did Triff finally tap his approval. The way that Triff had flashed his tongue at Quiver left little doubt of his disapproval that his concerns had been ignored.
“That will be all for today, Masterlords,” Quiver said.
When the others left, Quiver ran his palm over the smooth marble that made up the arched table the council members sat around. Always sitting in the middle, the table arched away from him toward the chamber entrance. It was designed, he supposed, to allow a council leader to easily look over the other members of the council. The table had been carved and placed in the chamber long before Quiver was ever hatched.
“Orders, Council Leader?” Overlord Ridnig asked.
Spinning an eye into his trusted Aide, Quiver replied, “Yes. Have Overlord Jeftrick assign the Tail Whip to enter the Remp system and capture the object.”
.
◆◆◆
While Sinska waited for a response from Jeftrick, he took advantage of the lull to feast. Now with a full stomach, he longed for rest. Returning to his chambers, he turned on the heat lamps above his cot, climbed in, and curled into a ball. Sinska shut his eyes while enjoying the wonderful heat radiating down upon his hide.
“Overlord, a message has been received from the Council.”
The voice coming from the speaker next to his cot startled Sinska awake. Surprised to find he had fallen asleep so quickly, he looked at the running beat count presented on the wall-mounted status board opposite his cot. From the beats that had elapsed, he had gotten in a nice long nap.
Pushing in the communication button next to his head with one claw, Sinska replied, “I will come to the control chamber shortly. Have the message ready to view on the monitor when I arrive.”
“At once, Overlord.”
Swinging his meaty tail to one side, Sinska sat up. Looking at the beat display again, he could see that nearly a quarter of a planet cycle had been wasted waiting for the Masterlords to come to a decision. Sinska wondered how anything ever got done with such chaos, but he knew it was not his place to question such things. He only hoped the delay had not allowed the object to exit the system already.
Heading out of his chamber, Sinska tried to imagine how anyone could waste so many beats in making a single decision. At twenty-two segments to a planet cycle, and two thousand-eight hundred beats per segment, that amounted to sixty-one thousand, six hundred beats to each planet cycle. The Council had just wasted fifteen thousand, four hundred of those beats.
Reaching the control chamber, Sinska slid into the command chair. In front of him, he could see the Council’s response on the screen waiting for his review.
#overlord sinska—by direction of the kracks council—you are to proceed to the remp system—once there you are directed to stop and take on board the object—return to kracks immediately upon completion of this assignment#
Plunging a single claw into the control dial on the armrest, he flipped through the display options until the monitor once again projected what lay ahead of the ship. Swinging an eye over at Bresk, he sa
id, “Underlord, I will take it from here. You are free to feast and rest.”
“Yes, Overlord.”
Ignoring Bresk’s departure, Sinska ordered, “Overling, ahead full. Plot a course for the Remp system and take the Tail Whip to the closest jump point to reach it.”
“At once, Overlord.”
Sinska wondered just what he would find when he got his claws on that strange object.
Chapter Five
Sinska walked into the control chamber as the beats counted down for the Tail Whip to drop out of light speed. It had taken nearly a planet cycle to get this far. Bresk vacated the chair, and Sinska took ownership of it. The ship finally dropped into normal space, presenting him with the results on the forward view screen.
He took in all the Remp system had to offer. It appeared just as he expected—dark and lifeless. If not for the dim reflection of light off the distant planets, the place would offer nothing for his eyes to see. He failed to see how any creature could be interested in such a desolate place.
“Begin braking. Maintain present course,” Sinska ordered.
“Yes, Overlord,” Bresk responded. He was already standing by the navigation station to oversee any course corrections.
“Overling, begin scanning. Find that object,” Sinska ordered, swinging one eye toward the scanning station when the Overling acknowledged the command.
“I am picking up the object on an intersecting course almost directly onto our current heading,” the Overling reported.
“Excellent,” Sinska said aloud.
Rotating one of the dials on the control arm, he brought up the tracking display on another screen that afforded him a simulated 360-degree overhead view, with the Tail Whip in the center. A new tracking line appeared indicating the object and its travel line. The white line of the object’s current position changed to yellow where it projected outward. It was clear by the yellow line that the object was heading away from any more planets and seeking open space, and that told him that it was heading back out of the system. A blinking purple circle showed where the object and his ship would intersect if they both stayed their course.
The Chance Encounter: The Linda Eccles Series - Book One Page 2