by Jim Melanson
I’m not that worried about the second ship for now, he continued as though he had never been interrupted, it’s the first one, the one setting up a base of operations out in the open. This concerns me, as it concerned many of our departed House-Brothers.
It worries me as well, added Ochalz, for years the human leaders have known that we will not tolerate their presence on this planet or on their planet’s moon. This flagrant disregard for our warning and instructions must, MUST be replied to.
Do we know what leader put them here?
Does it matter? responded Crequan to Blitowyn.
If we knew which leader it was, we could make our position clear by demonstrating our anger on his people. We could even have him taken and brought here to remind him of who is in charge of this system.
Blitowyn … began Crequan.
What? You have a problem with demonstrating our strength and abilities to these infants?
You don’t think things through Blitowyn! They demonstrated their own commitment and abilities at Dulce! Have you not heard the Vesna stories? Have you not read the historical accounts of our surviving Trigla warriors? Do you not think they have grown in power and ability of their own in the intervening years?
I am not afraid of the puny humans! They take almost a third of a Martian year to get here. We take ten minutes to get there! They can’t match our accessibility!
All the more reason to be wary of how catastrophically they will respond. We are not without defense. but we are also not without our own weaknesses.
I am not afraid of the humans, chimed in Ochalz, but Crequan is making a point. Do we want to risk the Eben Battle Cruisers? Do we want to risk hundreds of nuclear warheads flying here from Earth? Only two or three would have to get through to destroy us. So far we have suffered a little affront from them directly. The loss of our House-Brothers was because of Rillixiwen’s Drone failing to follow its Master’s Order of Action, and the ensuing egoism of eight Masters all thinking they were the prime. As for the politics of confrontation, in addition to the logistical issues, we will lose the regular delivery of biological material. Do we want to go back to the wasted time and workload of night time snatches, stealthily taking test subjects and having to deal with their screaming and raging while our Vesna scientists try and perform the experiments we are here to achieve? We, you and I, have to put up with all of that because only we can erase their memories, and only we can apply the paralysis thoughts. The Vesna have still not been able to learn that skill regardless of years of trying. Crequan and I will have to go on all of those missions again! You’ve never even been on one! You have no idea how difficult it is!
You are happy to work the samples they send us? You are happy to accept their meager offerings? You are happy to work with what they allow us to have, rather than select the stock that we desire? Are you their puppy? sneered Blitowyn to Ochalz.
Ochalz picked up an apple and threw it at Blitowyn, who dodged it expertly. Most of the food on the table was from Earth, it was just simpler than importing everything from Epsilon Eridani.
Blitowyn, adopting a tone of reason over bluster, continued, House-Brothers, if we again establish the might and dominance that we once had, then we will have the samples and test subjects that we require and desire simply by commanding it to be so! If we show the humans we are still very much here, and still very capable of flowing wrath and destruction upon them, they will have no option but to bow before us and be contrite to our will! If we expose ourselves to their populace, their governments will be too busy and distracted to effectively mount a defense against us! If we strike first, fast, and hard against the half-breeds, we can take their base out of operation making them, essentially, insignificant. We all know the council has been displeased that our research is taking so long. We all know that the council is not happy with our détente and that we have not fully mastered the humans. How long will their patience remain with us? How long before they assign another House to this mission? What will become of our House, especially in as weakened a state as it is now, with this morning’s deaths?
Our house is not weak, challenged Crequan, we still have our fighting and defense forces fully intact.
Of course we do, pleaded Blitowyn, but do you think the Council will see it that way, do you really believe Supreme Master Rheaum will see us still as strong without a full house of Voiya?
Ochalz leaned forward, putting his elbows on the lower than normal table and sipped something cold from a large mug. He looked pensive as Crequan looked from Blitowyn to Ochalz. Ochalz raised his eyes and look at Crequan, I’m afraid that our young House-Brother is also making some sense in this matter. I believe he is right about those in the council. Even our House-Brother Rillixiwen himself had to contend with questions and accusations from some on the grand council.
Crequan sighed heavily and sat back in his chair as Blitowyn folded his arms in triumph. I will deal with the human leader, said Blitowyn.
No, you won’t, said Ochalz.
You just said you agreed with me! That we could not appear weak!
Yes, House-Brother, that is mostly correct. However we must approach this smartly. We must play the long game here, and not accelerate our demise through the mistakes of haste.
Blitowyn started to sputter, but Crequan held up his hand, continue Ochalz.
Ochalz stood up and began to pace back and forth behind his chair. The Vesna attendant found things to straighten on that side of the table, and then stepped back against the wall, very close to Ochalz; and watched him closely without being overly obvious about it. The Vesna’s Mahal and his work unit were in the corridor outside of Crequan’s quarters. With them was a group of armed Trigla, just in case. Everything that was being said that the Vesna could pick up from the trio was relayed to his Mahal, and therefore the rest of his pod.
House-Brothers, began Ochalz, notwithstanding our ability to neuter the half-breeds, I think that to attack the human leadership would be a provocation with responses we can’t at present, properly identify. However, I believe there is a way that we can achieve part of our desires, and do it quite legally within the terms of our détente.
This made both Blitowyn and Crequan curious. How is that? asked Crequan.
We must show the human leaders our power and commitment by destroying the human colony base they are setting up on our planet.
But they will consider that an act of aggression and respond to it as such. The half-breed commander of their base informed us this very day that the human was under their protection. We’ve agreed that right now, that may not be such a great way for things to proceed. Crequan had leaned back again, and folded his arms as he said this.
Yes, that is true. However, if we are merely defending ourselves, then by the terms of the détente, we are well within our rights to take the steps necessary to stop any attack or action against us. If the human attacks us, the half-breeds protection does not apply to our response.
Blitowyn sputtered a noise of disgust. I told them we were defending ourselves when that half-breed brought back the scout ship.
You were blustering Blitowyn, we all know that, sneered Crequan.
Of course I was dear House-Brother, Blitowyn of Chernasai sneered back at him, we always bluster when we don’t know what else to do. It’s our way. Besides, have you not considered that the damaged ship is evidence of an attack on us? Evidence of an aggressive move by the human setting up his precious little base? Are we not within our rights to respond in kind right now?
It wasn’t attacked Blitowyn, and you know it, responded Ochalz. That idiot Drone got in the way of the human’s ship that was landing. All of our advisors have seen the telemetrics, and agree that’s what happened. As well, Blitowyn, that Drone had gone off on its own. It had violated its Master’s Order of Action, and it went to the human site and attacked the human. Anything that the human did or didn’t do, from that point on, was in its own defense, according to the very terms of the détente we are going to
use for our own purposes. According to the recordings of your encounter in the hangar bay, even the half-breed was able to figure it out; and she never believed you gave the kill order. A statement which, had she believed you, could have put us in violation of the détente. Idiot. We can also infer that they don’t believe you gave a kill order, because the Eben ship of war did not turn this base to molten slag and us along with it.
Blitowyn was ramping up to another tirade, Crequan could see it in his eyes. Crequan held up a hand towards Blitowyn and thought very calmly, tell us House-Brother, how is it that we can use the terms of the détente to kill the human by defending ourselves?
Easy, was Ochalz response with a plotting smile, we scare him into attacking us directly.
Mike & Gilda
I was tired from the AtmoGen and the morning’s business. I knocked off the last three items on the Manifest, and declared the work day done. Yeah, right.
I made up a chocolate and peanut butter dinner shake and sipped it slowly as I went through a few Mission Control emails, and then a few pages of public mailbox emails. I answered about 60 of them, including seven news agency emails about the night before. Those were easy; I just directed them to the Communications Office at The Corporation. Jayden had already instructed me to handle them that way. I was happy to, this time.
I sent a longer email to my son, and then decided it was time to relax. I had another combat shower, and then made a cup of Orange Pekoe tea from the supply of tea that was as precious as the supply of coffee. I tucked the K-Bar in my waistband, and then carried the steaming cup of tea and my tablet downstairs in the L-Hab to my quarters. I sat the tea on my fold-out nightstand, and sat down on my bunk. Using the tablet’s carrying case strap, I hung it on the small clothes hook at the end of my bunk, uncoiled the charging cord to plug it in, and then opened the entertainment application. I had brought several Terabytes of TV shows, movies, and music with me. I decided to go for some total escapism, and queued up an old favourite, Sense & Sensibility. I leaned back on two of my pillows, grabbed a colourful afghan (which I had negotiated into my luggage), and pulled it up over my legs and stomach. I sipped a few times from my tea as I watched the unfolding story of the Dashwood ladies, formerly of Norland Park, seeking a permanent place to call home, and someone to pay for it. The irony was lost on me. My eyes grew heavy fairly quickly though, and within thirty minutes I had turned off the movie, turned out the light, and was sound asleep.
If I hadn’t been sound asleep, I would probably have seen the alerts on the tablet screen that my system was being accessed remotely. In the stress, strain, and emotional aftermath of yesterday’s attack, I had completely forgotten to check the local video feeds for footage of the craft that came to the rescue of the attacker. The recordings had sat there waiting to be reviewed and spooled up for delivery on the outgoing server. However, since I had forgotten about them, never viewed them, and no one had asked about them: they never made it to the outgoing server. Ten minutes later I was never going to view them, and would never send them to Terra.
The next morning, all evidence of the intrusion wiped from the computer systems records and screens, I obliviously went through the morning routine I was beginning to establish for myself. Hit the head, have breakfast (while reviewing the morning messages from Mission Control), review the day’s work manifest, and then get on with it.
Number one on the list was an outside job. When I had inspected supply drop #7, the one looking like the Leaning Tower of Pisa; I had ignored supply drop #3, the one that had taken blaster damage from the alien ship. Hans wanted that to be a priority for this morning, so it was item number one on the manifest. They needed to know the extent of the damage, and if the exposed contents would survive the Martian winter. Supply drop #3 was hydroponics equipment; enough for me to set up a test system to see how well it would work prior to the main colony crew arriving. I wasn’t due to set it up until the following Martian spring time.
I stood up and stretched, then rinsed out my mug. As I picked up my tablet and K-Bar and headed for the stairs, the desktop beeped. I looked over my shoulder and saw the MillChatSecure application open. I turned around, and with two steps was seated in the chair again.
User538: good morning mike, sleep well?
MARCOL1: I did, thank you. What time is it there?
User538: o’dark thirty
I chuckled.
MARCOL1: What do you want today?
User538: straight to the point. a man after my own heart
MARCOL1: Stop flirting General.
User538: ha ha.
User538: there are some things you need to know
MARCOL1: You mean like aliens might be trying to kill me? We covered that. Didn’t help.
User538: you have ray guns asshole, why didnt you have one with you?
MARCOL1: Touché
There was a pause in her response, and I started to wonder if I had gone too far with my glib comment.
User538: there is a lot that i didnt tell you. there is a lot i wont tell you. there are things, however, i need to tell you.
I thought about that a moment. The day was suddenly getting serious again. Why can’t I just have an easy day here? Just once?
MARCOL1: Okay. Go ahead. I’m all ears as it were.
User538: this system wont let me use smiley faces dammit
Another pause.
User538: i cant tell you over this. it would take too long and some of it would be lost without the face to face component
I furrowed my brow at that one, she was coming here???
User538: NO Im not coming there if thats what you were wondering.
MARCOL1: You had me going for a moment. We have secure video software here, Jayden can give you an encoder.
User538: put it in a recording? AS IF.
MARCOL1: Okay General, you got me. Tell me how you are going to impart the secret information without using chat, without using video and without coming here yourself.
User538: i am sending my representatives.
MARCOL1: Sending them?
User538: yes. two of them
It was my turn to think before typing. Good heavens, was she going to send Men In Black? Finally I typed:
MARCOL1: It won’t take them eight and a half months will it.
It was a statement. Not a question.
User538: no
MARCOL1: You’re going to make me work for this aren’t you?
User538: later today
I sat back and started to think about that, and then realized it was too much to think about. I’d think about it later. I had a more pressing concern to challenge her with.
MARCOL1: There seems to be an awful lot of people I don’t know flying around here and trying to kill me and break all my stuff. How will I know this is your person and that they are not one of the ones trying to kill me.
User538: you will know
MARCOL1: HOW??
User538: I have to go now. you better go check that supply drop 3.
The chat window greyed out and I couldn’t type anything else in it.
Frak.
I closed the application, then went down to the airlock and got suited up. Last piece being, of course, a fully charged energy weapon and two spare clips. I headed out to supply drop #3. Big Dawg followed me.
Mother & Daughters
Hlef took quick steps towards the commissary, trying to make sense of the turmoil inside her. This was maddening. I’m the party girl, not a mommy type, she thought to herself. I don’t want to be tied down with just one guy and with a … a … she stopped so suddenly Achael ran right into the back of her. Hlef caught herself but didn’t even seem to notice.
The baby was all she could see, all she could smell. She could still feel it against her. It’s breathing and it’s coos were echoing faintly in her head. Her breasts were aching where it snuggled her. She stood there not even hearing her sister.
“Hlef … Hlef … HLEF…”
Finally s
he looked up at Achael’s wide and concerned eyes. She didn’t have her sunglasses on, her wide dreamy blue eyes were filled with questions, and the passion and all the feelings of love she had for her sister.
Hlef gave a weak smile and said, “It’s okay sis, just going insane over here.” Then she stepped off and continued walking down the hall. “Tra-lala la-la, Insanityville, party of one, here I come.” She put on her sunglasses again, and so did Achael.
Moments later she turned through the double doors of the commissary, Achael right at her heels.
“C’mon crazy girl, let’s get a table,” Achael said with one hand on Hlef’s shoulder, propelling her gently forward.
Habit was habit though. They were in the commissary, and a promise had been made concerning pudding of the chocolate persuasion. Hlef pulled out from under Hlef’s hand and walked over to the dessert table. Then she just stood there, staring down at it. The table lay before her, devoid of chocolate pudding, devoid of chocolate anything. Well, not completely devoid. She saw a crumb that suspiciously looked like chocolate. She placed her finger on it, and put her finger to her lips. She didn’t see Achael behind her giving a panicked looked to the commissary staff. They all stood at their stations, eyes wide in fear they had missed something; eyes even wider in fear that this time Hlef might actually hurt someone. Last time she had arrived to find no chocolate she had only broken dishes. It was always a possibility one of the hybrids might snap and break heads. They were aliens after all; well, mostly aliens. They all stood there holding their breath and watching Hlef.
Hlef just stood there. She was staring down at the table, finger still resting on her lip. They were waiting for the screaming and finger pointing but she just … stood there. The few other diners sat there not knowing what the drama was, that was unfolding on either side of the serving line. They could tell something was up though. The air was filled with something that could be cut with a knife. They could see that the woman with the freakishly long arms and sunglasses looked upset.