Carinae Sector: 01 - Traders' Scourge - Part 1 - Alien Flight

by David Buck

Gindane had cause to question why exactly was Omerio to be sitting on the judicial bench, as the last two days had seen the Barus trader escorted to the trial room by several large female Cephrit soldiers. The honour guard for the Tilmud admiral had studiously avoided eye contact with the fearsome looking Cephrit marines as the trial participants again entered the trial room.

  Omerio for his part, at times looked torn between helping his fellow Barus, and dealing with another matter. Gindane had seen him talk fervently with the two Cephrit judges one evening, once Admiral Biruldesec and the other defendants had left the trial room.

  During the afternoon of the second day, Professor Elysius had taken the stand and answered questions from all the trial judges. Omerio in particular asked several long questions. The Cephrit judges then acknowledged that the Barus research team had followed the galactic edicts governing their research efforts to the letter. However they wanted to know how over three billion humans had died due to an epidemic unleashed by a Barus terrorist.

  Admiral Biruldesec was initially more circumspect and asked questions relating to Gindane’s general study and work performance. He also wanted to know of any previous issues of dissent or discipline lapses throughout the research effort controlled by the professor. At this point one of the Cephrit challenged him on a point of order in that the professor was not on trial. Admiral Biruldesec was visibly angered at this challenge, but gave a mollified response and then withdrew his line of questioning.

  Omerio later continued to yet again to question Professor Elysius, and now the annoyed Tilmud admiral interjected with an objection of his own.

  ‘Station master, our fellow judge Omerio, received transport aid on the professor’s star ship to this star base after his own star ship’s hyper drive engine failed during a high speed transit of a star system. The Tilmud authorities consider our fellow judge to be a sycophant to the independent races and a possible smuggler. Indeed his line of long winded questioning adds no value to these proceedings.’

  The two Cephrit judges looked in askance at one another and hushed chirring discussion took place as they considered the views of the head judge. Admiral Biruldesec for his part, sat back again with the satisfied grin on his muzzle once again making an appearance. Omerio had the sense to abstain from this point of order as the senior Station master once again spoke.

  ‘Lord Admiral, we ourselves ascertained the suitability of Omerio to take part in these proceedings and we are aware of how he arrived at this station. Indeed we checked his credentials with the Barus military attaché, and while we are at a loss as to why he is employed as a freighter pilot with his background we cannot otherwise fault his presence. However we do take your reasoning over his line of questioning must be acceptable, and we ask that Omerio change his line of questions or desist as per our agreed earlier guidelines.’

  The grin then vanished from the muzzle of Admiral Biruldesec, and he idly toyed with the handle of the garrotte as he glanced over at Omerio sitting in silence.

  A further question to one of her crew seated next to Gindane brought her back to the present moment of the trial. She looked over at the judges; and established that little had changed as the trial had progressed during the day. The trial had since ventured through the long formal reports to establish if the mission to Earth had correctly observed galactic protocols and avoided first contact.

  From time to time, the two Cephrit and Omerio would glance up from what they were reading in the reports, the judges would coolly study the defendants and ask for further details. Admiral Biruldesec for his part looked bored and now kept away from asking further questions. But he obviously took a lot of details to one side, and he would leave the trial at the end of each day with a heavy folder.

  The court proctor now walked back towards the judicial bench from meeting a clerk at the main door. The Cephrit Station master saw the proctor approach the bench and asked for the line of questions to be finished, before the proctor quietly spoke to the judges. Suddenly Admiral Biruldesec exploded in fury, his red eyes screamed murder, and his muzzle bared the formidable teeth of his race.

  ‘How dare this trial treat me in this manner? I maintain my honour and dignity in regards to the information supplied by the proctor. If this matter was not under edict I would seek redress via blood feud.’

  Both the Cephrit and Omerio now stood uneasily and backed away from the indignant Tilmud admiral, even as the Cephrit proctor made chirrs of placation. Admiral Biruldesec now stood and glared angrily at the other judges as he now tersely spoke again.

  ‘I hereby withdraw from this trial now to maintain common order and the dignity of this trial under galactic edicts.’

  Admiral Biruldesec grabbed his garrotte and folder, and quickly started away from the bench towards the front door. He gave the trial defendants a guttural snarl as he crossed the room towards the main door. When the high admiral reached the door; he slashed the garrotte against the door heavily, and turned to berate his fellow judges.

  ‘Mark my words well, this matter is not ended. A significant number of a new species have died under suspicious circumstances, and I will be filing my complaints with the Tilmud high command and our ambassador.’

  The Cephrit station master paused in silence as Admiral Biruldesec left, possibly to avoid inflaming the departing admiral any further, and then he quietly spoke to the anxious Barus defendants.

  ‘The trial is finished for today as we have to operate the trial with at least four judges on the bench. In the morning the trial will resume with a visiting Vorinne official to replace Admiral Biruldesec, as he has formally withdrawn from the trial. In the meantime Omerio is advised to retain his bodyguards, and the defendants are to be taken into custody for their own safety.’

  Omerio glanced across at Gindane and a small smile played across his face as Gindane wondered what he was up to this time. The other judges walked to the main door and stopped to talk to a hulking female Cephrit platoon commander.

  After they established that the defendant’s protective custody was satisfactory, the judges left the trial room. The powerful platoon commander ambled over to the defendants and politely ordered them to follow her out the trial room. As the defendants left the room there was no sign of the Tilmud military detachment.

  ***

  Captain Narindestat viewed the report again with a mix of distaste and horror. The number of missing Jerecab crew had increased to seven until they had been discovered. The Jerecab freighter repairs now completed a mixed search team of Traders and Jerecab had been formed to find the missing Jerecab crew. The search team had eventually discovered a few remains in one of the Jerecab atmospheric lifters.

  Several of the search team members, especially the Jerecab, had been violently ill as a result of the discovery. The remains of the missing Jerecab crew had been eaten down to scraps of fur and bone. The two captains immediately ordered their respective crew members into armoured spacesuits, and to only travel armed and in pairs or threes.

  The pathology results verified the each captain’s worst fears; the non Jerecab DNA at the site of the discovery was identified as Voorde. The further discovery of several distinctive red Voorde egg cases only confirmed everyone’s worst nightmares. The Jerecab especially had cause for concern as their ship had recently been in pieces and the Voorde would have had plenty of access points to enter their ship.

  Captain Narindestat turned to Lieutenant Garendestat and gave the junior officer specific orders.

  ‘Lieutenant, I want all the sneak ships on the hull searched again, paying particular attention to their own cargo holds. I also want another intensive search of the areas where we had those sensor faults. I am not waiting on your completion; only pause long enough while we get the ship back in space. Also you are to ensure that all crew taking part in the search are suited up, in pairs, and well armed.’

  The captain turned to issue further orders as Garendestat left at a dead run.

  ‘First Lieutenant Kureldestat, you
have one hour to get the Illuria into space. Communications, advise the hyper drive section of our immediate launch. I want no-one to transfer to the orbiting hyper drive module from this ship once we are docked. Illuria’s design allows us a logical quarantine point between the two sections and we will need all the help we can get to survive the scourge. Also I want all bulkhead doors in the side holds closed as well as the doors on deck 2 through to deck 14.’

  The Trader captain accessed the hologram to review the schematics of his massive ship further before continuing his orders.

  ‘As for ship protocol, we are at defence orders for unauthorised boarding, so no-one is to be left alone. I want six additional armed patrols searching the ship. Finally, I want some research on the Voorde, and I want a weakness to exploit.’

  After an hour of frantic preparations done, the Trader ship roared into space in an effortless display of strength. The combined thrust of the Trader ship’s aero spike engines augmented by the thrust of the sneak ships easily overcame the gravity exerted by the smaller planet. The Trader ship reached space and headed for the nearby drive module, with the Jerecab freighter already well into countdown for its own emergency launch.

  Captain Narindestat then informed the Jerecab captain that the Tilmud military base at Eta Borealis would be the best place to seek assistance in dealing with the Voorde. He then bade the Jerecab captain and crew a hasty goodbye, wishing them luck fighting the Voorde likely to already be on their ship. After docking with the hyper drive module, the Trader ship raced out of the system at high speed. Narindestat was keen both to seek assistance and to inform his mentors of the recent developments relating to the Voorde infestation.

  ***

  The Aurora Discovery led the Lotus Marai through Indonesian waters on the way back to Geraldton in Western Australia. The first trip to export Australian supplied live fish to Malaysian aquaculture ventures had been an un-qualified success. The supplied live fish were to be used as seed stock and Steve’s only residual concern was providing security for his ships when making the transfer. The Australian Navy had given permission for him to arm both vessels with heavy machine guns, and the two ships were to be fitted with pedestal gun mounts when they docked.

  The time would also be used to make further changes to both ships, as Mr Lee senior had been generous in allowing Steve and his partners to continue using the Lotus Marai. The Lee family were in turn grateful of the efforts Steve and his partners had made in providing the seed stock for their aquaculture venture. Steve was also hoping to buy a decent helicopter for the Aurora Discovery and to possibly fit a couple of accommodation modules to the Lotus Marai.

  On their next trip to Malaysia, both ships would drop off medical teams and supplies after the valuable live fish cargo was unloaded. The front hold of the bigger ship held general and heavy cargo, and the foredeck gantry allowed the ship to carry extra cargo and shipping containers on racks above the enclosed aquaculture tanks.

  ***

  The six limbed form of the Vorinne envoy strode into the trial room tall and proud, and all present, even the two Cephrit leaders of Cephrit Star base 31, bowed low and avoided eye contact. The Vorinne was one step below senior family rank, and a member of the senior vassal race as well. To risk her wrath was to invite summary execution with little chance of appeal or recourse.

  An impressive four metres tall, the young Vorinne female walked over on her four rear legs to the place of honour in the trial room, with her front two arms cradling her formal staff. The long energy staff was littered with precious metals and stones, and was both a personal weapon and a badge of rank.

  The members of the other species remained bowed as the Vorinne envoy stood on the sacred seal denoting the place of honour. She adjusted her flowing cape laced in exquisite threads of silver and gold, and looked over the assembled and bowed heads. The envoy stamped her staff three times, and the waiting Cephrit proctor intoned.

  ‘The glorious Thatak’siema, second envoy to the eternal Zronte overlords presides and calls to session this trial. All may rise and take their places.’

  A quiet tone of amazement spread in a very subdued murmur through the trial room, a second envoy to the Zronte Hegemony was a very highly placed Vorinne indeed. Several Barus, and no doubt the Cephrit sitting at the bench, were quietly wondered why she was so far from the action in the centre of the galaxy.

  The two Cephrit Station masters and Omerio rose and resumed their places on the judicial bench. Even when seated down at their high benches, the other judges were hardly level with the massive crouching form of the Vorinne envoy. The envoy glanced at them briefly and turned to consider the Barus defendants who had the presence of mind not to stare directly at her.

  Thatak’siema gave a smile on her broad muzzle, showing even teeth. Her enormous tawny brown eyes illustrated both her compassion and intelligence as she spoke to the defendants.

  ‘You have observed the forms and I thank you for showing me this respect under Vorinne custom. Now by the same custom I ask that you now each met my eyes in return.’

  Gindane, standing in her place in front of the other defendants, slowly turned her head and held her gaze with Thatak’siema. For what seemed an eternity, but must only have been a few moments, the large eyes of the Vorinne seemed to captivate Gindane. Thatak’siema gave a momentary start and spoke again.

  ‘Well Commander Gindane, you are of the Barus line, but this is not mentioned in any of the reports I have read about you. Our galactic society is well served by your contribution.’

  Gindane sweated in alarm, but knew she had not been given leave to speak, so how did the Vorinne envoy know this bit of information? Gindane had arrived at the crèche world where she later met Omerio when she was very young, and her often absent parents had reminded her of the need for silence frequently. Thatak’siema grinned at her discomfort and spoke again.

  ‘Gindane, your parents served me well until their untimely deaths one hundred years ago. However if you or your officers have broken any edicts you will still be executed. You have permission to speak.’

  Gindane again looked into the Vorinne’s eyes and mustered every bit of calm she could find as she replied.

  ‘Thank you high lady Thatak’siema of the Vorinne for your kind words of my late parents. I choose to serve our glorious society in the depths of space rather than the courts of the Barus home world. I also maintain the innocence of myself and my assembled officers here in regards to the tragic events of Sol 3.’

  The demeanour of the Vorinne envoy instantly changed, with Thatak’siema reared skywards in rage. Gindane wondered if she had gone too far as the envoy berated her.

  ‘Gindane you presume too much as the trial is not yet complete and not flawed. You must consider what you impute. Make no mistake; the senior bureaucracy throughout the galaxy is highly alarmed by these deaths. The one omission I have seen that I am rectifying is that technically Professor Elysius is a defendant as well. There have been several calls for you and your crew to be summarily executed as an object lesson, and indeed I am well within my authority to order this if I chose.’

  Gindane quickly and respectfully bowed low in apology, as the envoy began to calm down and to speak again.

  ‘However I can find no errors in the procedures you followed during my initial examination of your reports. I wish to continue the trial and will now inspect the crew. You may withdraw and stand to one side.’

  As Gindane stood to one side between the bench and the door, she got a quizzical look from Omerio, but both wisely did not speak. Professor Elysius rose, made a formal bow and went over to join the rest of the defendants. The Vorinne envoy made eye contact with the Professor, then each of the crew in turn, and as they were released they made their way over to Gindane.

  The envoy paused only to not allow two young female Barus to leave after she had locked their gazes longer than the rest of the crew. ‘The junior technicians who assisted in the launch of the probes…’ thought Gindane so
mbrely. Thatak’siema turned her full attention to the two female junior technicians, who for their part huddled nervously together and stared at the floor.

  ‘Well we will resume the trial by questioning these two technicians at length.’ The envoy turned to regard her fellow judges and gave Omerio a long look in particular, with the look responded to by a subservient nod on the part of Omerio. ‘Now my fellow judges will assist me were necessary to meet the intent of Cephrit law, whereas I alone will define the punishment.’

  The trial continued for several hours with the bulk of the questions being delivered to the two technicians, Gindane and Professor Elysius. The autopsy report of the dead technician and the analysis of the vials were again reviewed, as the Tilmud admiral had suppressed that line of inquiry during the previous days of the trial. The specifics relating to the autopsy and the vial contents grabbed the envoy’s attention, and she called a halt to the trial by asking the Cephrit trial proctor to come forward.

  The Cephrit proctor spoke quietly to the envoy and then turned to the defendants to speak.

  ‘All defendants except Gindane and Professor Elysius are excused from deliberations and sentencing by the judges. The Commander and Professor will deliver the verdict to the other defendants later, but are required to remain as the envoy wishes to discuss this matter further with the both of them.’

  The trial now paused for deliberation; the remaining defendants bowed to the judges and quietly made their way out into the front corridor, with the two junior technicians looking especially shaken by the ordeal. Gindane looked at Professor Elysius quickly and he gave her a cool look in reply, no doubt they were to be severely reprimanded at the very least. As the doors closed, the envoy turned to the other judges and approached the bench, a muted buzz rose between them as they conferred between themselves for several minutes.

  Omerio sat back relieved after a few minutes, but then leaned forward with more concern as the envoy discussed matters with the two Cephrit judges. As the Vorinne envoy returned to the position of honour, the Cephrit station master looked at the two Barus standing in front of the bench and began using the deep formal chirrs of his race.