by S. H. Jucha
Jaktook’s small chest puffed out with pride.
“Why share with the Jatouche first?” Patrus asked petulantly.
“Much of what we have to demonstrate are operations that the Messinants utilized as they constructed their domes. Those queries can only be demonstrated in an empty dome. Of course, if you wish, you can stay with us at Triton, while we teach you,” Aurelia offered.
“Your method of transfer is acceptable,” Patrus replied, shuddering at the thought of visiting the Triton dome again. He’d felt isolated from alliance amenities there. “Have we covered the sum of your requests?” he asked. He saw his report to the Tsargit being diminished by the envoy and her companions. It wasn’t that the Tsargit would be concerned by the amount. It’s that he would be viewed as a poor negotiator.
“No,” Harbour replied. “The Jatouche are repairing some of our people, who’ve led harsh lives and suffered serious injuries. To date they’ve repaired or are repairing forty-three individuals and absorbing the costs.”
“How many injured do you have?” Opalus asked.
“Rough guess,” Jessie replied, “close to two thousand.”
“Are you asking the Tsargit to fund all these repairs by the Jatouche?” Opalus asked.
“Is the Tsargit broke?” Aurelia asked tartly.
“Aurelia wishes to know if the Tsargit is limited in their reserve funds,” Tacticnok translated for Opalus. She was having a difficult time preventing chittering in delight at the Veklocks’ consternation over the extent of Pyrean demands.
“The Tsargit is well-funded!” Patrus declared, flying into the trap.
“Excellent,” Jessie replied. “Then the Tsargit won’t have any trouble reimbursing the Jatouche for repairing our citizens.”
Harbour sensed the Veklocks’ growing frustration. She intuited that they were pushing the boundaries of the triumvirate’s authority.
“Is this now the sum of your requests?” Patrus asked again.
“No,” Jessie stated definitively. “We require a launch platform stationed above our planet that can deliver the intravertors to the surface.”
“Accepted,” Patrus replied. He gazed at the Pyreans, expecting the negotiations to end.
“I’ve a requirement,” Devon said. “If we’re going to test the extent of the Colony’s spread, then, of necessity, we will encounter them. If that’s going to happen, we need better weapons.”
Beaks clattered, and Patrus said, “The Tsargit forbids the employment of deadly weapons against sentients. You know this. Word has reached the Tsargit that you took a Jatouche beam weapon with you on your first exploration.”
“We did,” Devon replied, “and it was never used in the Colony’s dome.”
“Then you did use it elsewhere,” Pesart pursued.
“Yes, but only in non-alliance domes, where the Colony intruded, and only in self-defense,” Harbour replied sharply.
“Then why not use the Jatouche beam weapons as you did before?” Opalus inquired.
“Several reasons,” Jessie replied. “First, we don’t want the Jatouche to be complicit in our actions against the Colony.”
“You’d prefer that the Tsargit is responsible?” Patrus asked. He was aghast at the thought.
“Who better?” Jessie shot back with an evil smile. “Second, the type of engagements in the domes necessitate we fire the weapons in all directions. We’re concerned the beam weapons might interfere with a dome’s energy and collapse it. While I’m not concerned about blowing the Colony members into space, I don’t wish us to join them.”
The Veklocks had an ugly image of a fight ending horrendously, and it disturbed them. Their beaks clattered in protest.
“Is there another reason that you wish an alternative to the Jatouche beam weapon?” Opalus asked.
“Yes,” Jessie replied. “We don’t know what we’ll find, and I want us prepared for all options. One of those might be taking the shortcut back to Rissness through a heavily occupied alpha dome and the Colony’s home world dome.”
“Ah, yes, I see your fundamental reason for not employing the Jatouche weapons,” Opalus said. She focused her large orbs along her beak, as she gazed at Jessie. “You wish to insulate the Jatouche from repercussions that might come as a result of your actions against sentients in their home system.”
“There is an alternative,” Harbour interjected.
“Yes?” Patrus quickly queried.
“Oh, yes, the Tsargit could send you three to investigate the domes without deadly weapons. That way you would be acting in accordance with the Tsargit’s protocols,” Harbour replied sweetly.
Jessie turned toward Harbour. “They don’t seem enthused about your suggestion, Envoy. Personally, I like it.” Then he turned toward the Veklocks. The light in his eyes faded, and his expression turned hard. “Some alliance members must have developed weapons to protect their races in the early stages of development,” he urged. “Find those races and bring their weapons to us. No weaponry; no exploration.”
“And now?” Patrus asked with exasperation. His tone intimated that the requests must end.
“Final request,” Harbour said. “I’m unhappy Tacticnok can’t visit Pyre. Her citizens forbid their ruler’s travel to a non-alliance dome.”
“This is a Jatouche matter,” Patrus replied. “Their citizens must rescind their stricture.”
“I don’t want to ask the Jatouche to do that,” Harbour replied. “We’re sitting here, discussing future exploration for the alliance because of the courage of Her Excellency and her master advisor. They’ve done the difficult work to open a relationship with us.”
“What do you suggest?” Opalus asked.
“Have the Tsargit find a way to satisfy the Jatouche citizenry’s concern about Pyre,” Harbour said. “The Tsargit is supposed to have tremendous power. Prove it to us.”
“Our discussion is complete,” Patrus said, rising. His mates followed suit. “We’ll present your terms to the Tsargit. A decision will be made as to the substance of the grant.”
“You mistake our communications, Patrus,” Harbour said with force. “Perhaps, your mates can explain your error to you.”
Patrus’s large orbs blinked, and he regarded Opalus, who clacked her beak in rebuke.
“The Pyreans have stated their requests,” Opalus said icily. “The entirety of their requests must be satisfied if they’re to grant our proposal that they explore the boundaries of the Colony and teach the alliance the new console discoveries. This is an all-or-nothing proposal. Am I correct, Envoy?”
“Perfectly,” Harbour replied, with a dark smile.
After the Veklocks left, Jessie regarded Tacticnok and asked, “What is the likelihood that the Tsargit will grant our requests?”
“Except for your final two points, your demands are nothing to the Tsargit,” Tacticnok replied.
“The weaponry will be a challenge but not insurmountable,” Jaktook interjected.
“Bestowing the status of alliance member on Pyre is against the Tsargit’s most fundamental rules,” Tacticnok said. “However, if their desire for your services is great enough, which I believe it is, then they’ll find a means of circumventing the rules.”
Tacticnok briefly bowed her head. “I’m humbled that you would risk the repair of your citizens and the enormous grants for your planet for a requirement to facilitate my journeying to Pyre.”
“Courage should be rewarded,” Jessie said with sincerity.
Harbour and Aurelia did Jessie one better. While he’d extended words to Tacticnok, they sent their appreciation, and Tacticnok’s eyes fluttered, as the warmth washed through her mind.
Tacticnok expressed her appreciation for the Pyreans’ generous thoughts and ministrations. Then Jaktook and she rose. The ruler nodded to Jaktook, who drew a large silver case from a satchel.
“This is for Mangoth,” Tacticnok said, handing the case to Harbour. “I’ve a suspicion that you’ll be seeing him before we do.”<
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Harbour wondered what Tacticnok was intimating. Nevertheless, to be gracious, she accepted the case from Tacticnok.
While the Jatouche and the Pyreans talked, the Veklocks were led to a sitting room to await the departure of the next shuttle to Rissness.
When the med tech left the triumvirate alone, Patrus said with animosity, “I thought the Pyreans were supposed to be a backward race.”
“Your mistake, Patrus, is that you equate technological prowess to the qualities of sentience and social development,” Opalus remonstrated. “Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with the Pyreans’ mental faculties and their negotiating skills.”
“I think we should ignore the Pyreans’ last two requests,” Patrus declared. “We should present their other requests to the Tsargit, gain their approval, and inform the Pyreans that this was all that was granted.”
Opalus stood, faced Patrus, and flexed her wings, indicating her temper. She said, “If we’re fortunate to be appointed emissaries again, either Pesart or I will lead. Obviously, you’re the primitive thinker among us.”
“While I wouldn’t have phrased it as sharply, Patrus, Opalus is right,” Pesart said sadly. “If we return to the Pyreans and tell the envoy that only some of her demands were met, she will walk away from the agreement.”
“While we’re discussing the envoy, did she put you to sleep for your rudeness?” Opalus asked.
“It was strange,” Patrus replied. “I was angry at Aurelia, and then I wasn’t. I was at peace. I had no problems, no stress, and I could relax.”
“The envoy did that,” Pesart stated unequivocally.
“And notice the difference from our earlier encounter with an empath,” Opalus added. “Sasha blanketed the room. In contrast, the envoy focused her ability on a single individual, despite a crowded table.”
“I would expect that’s an indication of training, experience, and focus. I’m fascinated,” Pesart, the scientist, said.
-7-
Allies
On the shuttle ride to Rissness dome, the Pyreans discussed the meeting with the Veklocks.
“Are you serious about exploring the domes again?” Devon asked Harbour.
“You heard the conditions the triumvirate accepted,” Harbour replied.
Jessie interjected, “We get many more intravertors, a launch platform, dome infrastructure, and shuttles. How long would it take Pyreans to build those things? Let’s not mention that this would be alliance-quality construction. Think about what we could learn from their techniques and materials.”
Aurelia placed a hand over Devon’s. “Jaktook said that these things are trifles compared to the Tsargit’s resources. We aren’t asking for much from them, but it means a great deal to us,” she said.
Jessie understood the stress that Devon was under. He felt the same way. If and when they started exploring the domes, they couldn’t ensure the women they loved could be protected. Jessie’s thinking screeched to a halt. He focused on the one word — love. He had finally admitted it to himself. Focusing on the here and now, he said, “This time it will be different. We know what we’re up against. We’ve fought the reds and the grays before.”
Aurelia stilled her tendency to shudder at the mention of the Colony species, the smaller grays, who appeared to be the workers, and the reds, the enormous, five-meter long, fearsome aggressors. “Remember, Devon, we’ve a back door,” she said, trying to reassure Devon and herself. “We can approach the edges of the Colony’s expansion via the unoccupied or less-developed domes.”
“But I agree with Devon’s sentiment,” Jessie stated adamantly. “Nothing happens without adequate weaponry. When we appear in a dome that’s Colony occupied, we have to be able to protect our platform, the console operator, and the path between them.”
The Pyreans were soon within Rissness dome. Their medallions announced their statuses, which granted them the right of immediate transport. In this instance, there was no need for it. Gate two was a lonely platform.
In fact, the console operator was pleased to have something to do. As Aurelia passed his eyeline, he dipped his muzzle low to her. Every alliance console operator knew Aurelia by sight. Her image had been captured by the domes and passed around the alliance by comm cubes. Her skill in discovering the secrets of the Messinants was becoming the stuff of legends.
When the Pyreans appeared on the Triton platform, Jessie remarked, “Someday, this dome will be busy too.”
Harbour sat on the platform’s edge, and the others chose to sit, stand, or lie.
“Devon, Aurelia, what were you showing the Veklocks?” Harbour asked.
“We’d love to demonstrate it, Harbour,” Aurelia replied, “but it needs the aliens here.”
“Physically?” Jessie asked.
“That’s a good question,” Devon replied. “We don’t know whether it was their presence or something like their voices.”
“Set it up,” Jessie requested. He dug into his duffel and pulled out his comm unit. Then he hurried to join Devon and Aurelia at the console. “Let me know when you’re ready,” he said.
Aurelia accessed a panel’s submenu, entered some glyphs, and the dome darkened. The Messinants star field was displayed. She prepared a second menu item. “Ready,” she said.
Jessie triggered an audio recording, and the group heard, “Jessie Cinders, if you ever explore the domes again, I’ll journey with you.”
Then Aurelia initiated the query.
“You recorded Mangoth?” Harbour asked, smiling brightly in surprise.
“He is —” Jessie started to say.
“A magnificent fellow,” everyone finished.
“Look up,” Aurelia directed the others. “The star with the light circle is Pyre. The line is the shortest route to reach the dome of the speaker, Mangoth. His star has the bright circle around it.”
“Looks like voice will do,” Devon said, placing an arm around Aurelia’s waist and kissing her cheek.
Harbour sensed the contentment emanating from Aurelia. She was happy for the young woman, who’d endured such a calamitous start in life.
“What are you looking at, Jessie?” Aurelia asked. She still found it difficult not to refer to Jessie as captain in the company of others.
“I’m wondering how we can use this,” Jessie said. “Do you have any other discoveries?”
“A few,” Aurelia replied with a grin.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Harbour said. “We have to wait for the Tsargit’s response, and there’s plenty to do in the meantime.”
“One question,” Devon requested. “If the Tsargit grants our requests, who will be going?”
“Volunteers,” Harbour replied, “after they’re accepted.”
“Are you going?” Aurelia asked Harbour.
“Yes,” Harbour replied.
“Why?” Jessie asked. “You’re the envoy. You’ve important duties here, and we’ve seen that empath power is only partially effective against the Colony members, especially the reds.”
“You plan to go, don’t you?” Harbour challenged Jessie.
“Yes,” Jessie replied guardedly.
“Then I’m going,” Harbour stated definitively, “and I don’t recommend arguing and annoying an empath.”
Devon regarded Aurelia, and she stared evenly at him. “You’re going too, aren’t you?” he asked.
“Yes,” Aurelia replied.
Devon and Jessie exchanged perturbed expressions.
“The weapons we acquire better be substantial,” Devon declared, and Jessie nodded affirmatively.
The empaths could feel the flood of fierce emotions emanating from Devon and Jessie.
“So, that’s four of us,” Aurelia said. “Who else?”
“No Jatouche,” Harbour stated unequivocally.
“Agreed,” Jessie said. “They’ll hate us for excluding them, but we waste resources protecting them.”
“Just don’t phrase it that way,” Harbour cautioned.
“Certainly, we can leave Kractik behind,” Aurelia said. “However, if we take two teams, Devon and I will be separated. There’ll be no backup console operator for each team.”
“I’m thinking of taking only one team,” Harbour replied.
“I like that,” Jessie said. “We move faster and don’t have to coordinate with the other team.”
Harbour regarded the dome’s display. “Anyone feel like taking a journey to another part of the galaxy?” she asked.
“Mangoth,” Jessie announced with a wide grin.
“Yes,” Devon and Aurelia cheered.
They left their duffels on the platform. Aurelia set the transfer to Rissness, while the others climbed on. A few moments later, they appeared in the Jatouche dome.
The gate-two console operator looked expectantly at Harbour, when the envoy didn’t descend.
“The Crocian home world,” Harbour requested.
The trainee console operator glanced at the senior operator.
“Gate three,” the senior instructed, and the trainee indicated the nearby platform to Harbour.
After each subsequent journey, Harbour repeated her request, and the operator directed the Pyreans to the proper platform, sending them on.
The foursome passed through many domes. Aliens of all shapes tipped their heads and stepped aside to allow the Pyreans express journeying.
Following a series of transfers, the Pyreans saw console operators who resembled Mangoth. Their medallions announced their statuses, and the Crocian dome administrator waddled over to their platform in response to the messages.
“Envoy, where do you need to journey?” the administrator asked solicitously.
“Here,” Harbour replied. “We seek Mangoth of the Logar.”
“Prepare a cube,” the Crocian bellowed, and a console operator set a message cube on a console panel.
The administrator recorded a priority request for Mangoth to return home immediately to meet with the Pyrean envoy. He interrupted the line at another platform and signaled the operator after he’d placed the cube. Immediately, it was sent on its way.