Travels of the Orphan (The Space Orphan Book 3)

by Laer Carroll

  "I am equally honored to meet such a distinguished pair of leaders. May I say that my scan of your vessel suggests you've done a very good job of its design?"

  "Thank you," said the Cat. "I noticed the deep scan via gravity occlusion. Thank you for a passive not active scan."

  "Oh, I did an active scan, but only for surface features."

  She turned partway toward Kate. "Let me introduce you to Kate. She is my very capable executive officer."

  The two aliens lifted both hands before them in the Galactic version of a handshake that said "See, no weapons."

  "First," said the Cat, turning away, "let us give you a tour of the ship before meeting our passengers. This I hope will satisfy you that we are not a warship."

  "I already know that, Captain. My scans of you were more detailed than you might suspect. But I'd love a brief tour to see in reality what I saw earlier via scans."

  She popped open her faceplate and took her first breath of the air which Robot had been esoterically sampling. It was Human environmental temperature, slightly warm, and had a complex unobtrusive scent.

  Jane was indeed very interested in the tour of the command, power, life support, and other subsystems of the ball-like craft. It seemed to be one of several standard designs used by Galactics, including Cats, Lizards, Humans, and even Frogs. She'd studied what the Encyclopedia described which included virtual walkarounds, but this was the first time she'd had an actual tour barring that first visit to a Cat ship years ago.

  After more than an hour the Cat Captain led them to a large passenger lounge which also served, apparently, as a cafeteria. Jane was enthusiastically greeted by Susuki, Waymon, and a half-dozen other Confederation humans whom she'd met before. There were another half-dozen who were strangers to her who wanted to shake hands with her and Kate.

  "Well," said Kate. "I'm so happy to meet everybody, but we've still got a lot of work to do before all of you can go down to Earth."

  "Thank you for the reminder," said Jane. "We'd better get back to our ship. Captain, I'll see if I can get you assigned an orbit convenient for you to drop your passengers. I'll send you a precise coordinate for your orbit of Earth when traffic control gets back to me."

  "My passengers want to go to several different countries so a convenient orbit might change depending on that."

  "I'll do what I can to get everyone off to a good start but it will be the United Nations organizations which will do most of the work. So, Goodbye for now."

  <>

  It took a couple months before most of the permissions were granted before the visiting humans could start coming down to Earth. Even then not everyone could travel to the planet at once, for a variety of reasons.

  Earth humans would have been unhappy about the delays but these were Galactics. Each had already lived at least a century and often two or three and expected to live many more. Their ideas of Soon and Late were very different from those of non-Galactics.

  Plus Galactics had been practicing at least a thousand years of gene modifications. Their maturity and mental health had been cleaned of clearly bad tendencies and enhanced. And they'd had the time to learn patience.

  Another factor was the living conditions on the Cat-Lizard spaceship. Rooms were more like what Earth humans would have called suites with all the luxuries of Galactic technology not limited by energy or material considerations. There were also several meeting places where the passengers could play games or do research or just relax in different surroundings other than their cabins.

  Finally it helped that they could visit Earth via virtual and augmented reality tech. Much of this time was spent not only sight-seeing but also planning what they'd do in the actual environments.

  <>

  =============================================

  SING DAO DAILY - Hong Kong

  Video Interview: Galactic Human Psychology Surprises

  ___________________________________________________

  SDD - We are joined today by Esteemed Professor Zhao Ai-Guo on the social psychology faculty at Chinese University of Hong Kong.

  Professor Zhao, you recently republished your book Galactic Humans: A Summary. But you changed the subtitle so that it is now Galactic Humans: Important Observations. Why the change?

  PZAG - The first edition was a compendium of information from the Galactic Encyclopedia. This second one benefits from actual observations over the past year as visitors from another star system travel about the Earth. Most conclusions from the first are still intact, but expanded and on rare occasion reversed.

  SDD - I have a printed version here. As everyone can see it is a fat volume. Can you summarize its main points without over-simplifying?

  PZAG - Umm. Yes, there are a few points that every one of us should keep in mind.

  Most important is to not be fooled by our own everyday expectations. Galactic humans--a misnomer: the Human Interstellar Confederation occupies a tenth of one of four spiral arms--are long lived and very gene-modified.

  Take physical appearance. With few exceptions Galactics appear to be 18 or even younger, thin, and attractive. Unable, we might think, of defending themselves. But quite aside for any technical protections each is on average three times as strong, fast, athletic, and tough as Earth humans. Some are even more exceptional.

  As detailed in the first chapter of my book this appearance can lead to rude awakenings. A quartet of uncultured roughs from outside Hong Kong decided a small female Galactic was a "loose" woman because of her skimpy clothing. They began to take liberties with her person, leading she might expect, to rape.

  They all awoke in a hospital, bruised all over their bodies, bleeding nowhere, very carefully beaten to teach the lesson: Don't fuck with Galactics. (CREAKY CHUCKLES)

  SDD - Oh, dear, Professor. I fear we may have to censor that last sentence!

  Interview continued HERE.

  ___________________________________________________

  <>

  At first a few Galactics, then more, then even more, then a flood of Galactics made their way to all parts of the planet. Each or each group was met by various natives. These were government officials, or tour guides, or friends or colleagues made via virtual reality communication while the Galactics were still in orbit.

  At first every visitation was big news videoed and transmitted to every part of the planet. Then visitations became less newsworthy, at least on a global scale. On a local scale each person or group was big news at that level.

  Visits by Galactics quickly became ordinary and expected. Whoop-to-do, locals might say to each other, commenting on some tidbit of gossip about Galactics and then dropping the topic for more chewy gossip.

  This did not mean that attention disappeared; only that it became routine. Some of the Visitors (as they came to be called in the media) made and continued to make splashes. Such as The Beauty, a tall curvy blond little more spectacular than any of the other routinely beautiful female Visitors. But she had a considerable sexual appetite and indulged it with (usually) more than one lover at the same time.

  Inside of a year Galactics were just one more ingredient of daily life even in the most remote parts of Earth.

  To which they traveled, always looking for their idea of treasure: hand-made or primitively made items. An old-fashioned small-sized paperback book might be bought for $10,000 but only if it was Used - Very Good but not New or Used - Like New. Books had to show at least some slight signs of use but be sturdy enough to be readable through ordinary handling. They were not to be locked away in plastic protective cases.

  Galactics loved live performances, the small ones put on by amateur musicians more than mega-productions with spectacular special effects. They liked plays more than videos, dances at family restaurants rather than flashy splashy night clubs, food and drink at diners and off food trucks rather than fancy restaurants. They attended fairs where arts and crafts were sold by the makers themselves.

  Not that they were averse to atte
nding the most expensive and exclusive food and entertainment venues. They did but only as guests of those who liked such.

  They also liked people, the ordinary as much as the elites. They made friends everywhere they went, informally adopting or being adopted by families as varied as single mothers (or fathers) and multigenerational extended families.

  By the end of their first year on Earth Galactics had become an integral part of life on Earth except for political activities which they avoided religiously.

  <>

  Jane spent most weekends in Los Angeles flying with Kate there in her private hypersonic jet, leaving Friday evening and returning Sunday evening. Kate had relatives there and spent most of her time with them while Jane spent her time with Phil and her two families. Klaus occasionally came but usually spent his weekends with his fiancé in Colorado Springs.

  On those Los Angeles weekends at least once a month Jane and Kate had dinner with Anna Prince and Karen Danburn. Kate did not talk a lot then but felt comfortable doing it when she felt like it.

  It was spring a year after the Galactic humans arrived in the Solar System when Anna Prince spoke of a decision she'd made.

  "Jane, if you agree, I think it's time you were officially declared Guardian of the Solar System. The Earth protection fleet will be feared more by the Frogs if a Guardian accompanies it."

  Kate glanced at Karen Danburn who had been Earth's Guardian by her own choice for almost twenty years. The blond looked back.

  "I'm fine with being Earth's Guardian. It's a big job even with my staff. Jane's made protection of everything outside Earth her responsibility. That relieves me of the bother of dealing with aliens and shit like that. In fact, I see it as a partnership, us divvying up the responsibilities."

  Jane said, "I think there might be some concern by my bosses about me being both a Space Force officer and being a Confederation officer."

  "Assuredly some," said Prince. "But I've researched the legalities, of both the Confederation and the United Nations, pertaining to this situation.

  "To the Confederation the fact that you are employed by anyone on Earth is immaterial. Being a member of the military is just a means to an end: protection of the system.

  "The laws of the United Nations were created by people heavily focused on the past and a present when the Confederation was just some words in a possibly fictional document. None of them forbid you being Earth military and also playing war games for a fictional entity."

  Kate said, "So legalities permit Jane having a dual role, OK. But there are plenty of people in the military and in the UN who would have a problem with it."

  Earth's Guardian stabbed a piece of steak and paused to say, "Leave any who gives you serious grief to me. Everybody has something I can leverage to neutralize them."

  She took a bite and chewed the steak with great appreciation.

  Jane knew what Karen meant. To the computer/communicator inside the woman's head even the most highly encrypted web pages were open to her. She could get blackmail dirt on almost anyone. But it didn't even have to be blackmail material. Hobbies, families, friends of "troublemakers" could provide other kinds of leverage such as a favorite charity.

  Jane sometimes thought the Guardian had been effectively above the law a little too long. She was a bit too blasé about bending the rules or breaking laws. Mentally she shrugged.

  A few days later the Regional Zone Guardian proclaimed Jane's new status in a videophone message to the top military brass of the Space Defense Force.

  <>

  Galactic humans had become familiar to everyone if not yet commonplace. Most people were tolerant of them, many happy to have them on Earth. Galactics were not big spenders but they were generous spenders. They often helped needy people, though they never fell victim to scams or lying sob stories. Despite their youthful appearance, they had been around a long time and were very hard to fool.

  There are always exceptions to the general good feelings about anything whatsoever. The July Fourth organizations in the US were such groups of people. They considered aliens abominations and corrupters of The American Way and campaigned and demonstrated against them vigorously.

  A group in Washington State did more. On a wealthy donor's land they built a compound surrounded by a wooden wall of felled trees relieved of branches and with their tops sharpened. They built a military arsenal skirting a number of laws but were not bothered by local law enforcement, which let them be as long as they kept the weapons in the compound or the forest and meadows of the surrounding privately owned land.

  They periodically held "resistance" exercises in that surrounding land, firing blanks at each other and skirmishing against "alien foes."

  On July 4th of the year Jane was made Stellar Guardian for Earth they made a big mistake.

  One of the many Galactics who had a prominent place in everyday media was a woman named Fancy but whom everyone called Princess. She was small, slender, appeared sixteen, and was beautiful even among Galactics. She also liked children and was prominent in causes relating to children. This included fund raising, visiting hospitals and games of school sports, especially soccer.

  On that holiday she disappeared after one such night-time game. The next day she appeared on national and eventually world TV sitting at a table behind which was a wall displaying a large American flag.

  "Hello. This is Fancy. I have taken time to visit some friends and chat with them to hear their complaints. See you soon!"

  The image then switched to the same table. A ski-masked individual sat at it flanked by two standing masked men. All three wore military camouflage and bore automatic weapons. He spoke through a voice-disguising computer app.

  "We true patriots have taken hostage the alien whore called Princess. If the alien abominations do not immediately begin returning to their ship we will start to relieve Fancy of parts of her body. Be warned!"

  The three began firing their weapons at the ceiling. The video feed immediately blanked.

  Jane was amused. She'd bet almost anything that the ceiling of the room from which the video had been made had started raining fragments and caused the sudden cessation of the video recording.

  She called Karen Danburn.

  "Did you see the July 4th video just now?"

  "Yeah. I'm tracking them as we speak. I'm going to pay these assholes a little visit."

  "Do me a favor. Let me visit them."

  The woman looked at her for several seconds.

  "OK. But promise me you will deliver a lesson about not fucking with Visitors."

  "Don't worry. Such a lesson will be delivered. But by Fancy. I know her better than you do."

  The Guardian stared at Jane for several more seconds. Then the video feed blanked.

  Within an hour Jane received a text. The video had been made in the Washington State compound of the July 4th Resistance Group. This despite the signal being relayed through several dozen net servers.

  The next morning Jane took up her hypersonic plane and flew to a forest clearing a couple of miles outside the compound. She grounded it, sealed it up, went outside and invisible, and took to the air via Robot's lift system.

  Skimming the forest and meadows Jane enjoyed the view. Summer in central Washington was a good time for such viewing. Everywhere was greenery and the sky was blue with only scattered puffy white clouds.

  She came down a football field's length from the compound's front gate, went visible, and walked leisurely toward it.

  She was halfway from the gate before she was noticed. A loudspeaker blasted out.

  "This is private property! Leave or die!"

  Jane ignored the command. A machine gun began to fire toward her and to one side. She kept walking. The firing continued for a minute then ceased.

  At the video camera beside the front gate she said, "I'm not leaving. My name in case you don't know who I am is Jane Kuznetsov. I'm here to discuss the alien embarkation which you demand."

  A few seconds later o
ne leaf of the big double-leaved door was opened to reveal a big bearded young man dressed in camouflage uniform and carrying an assault rifle. He stared at her, then his face broke into a smile.

  "It's really you! Come in, come in!"

  Jane did so feeling a bit bemused. This was hardly the welcome she'd expected by this group, especially now that her Galactic origin was widely known.

  "The Boss," he said as he led her down a long wide hallway, "was not expecting a response so quickly. He'll be delighted."

  The bearded little stout man in camo clothing behind a big desk in a big room did not look delighted. He looked angry.

  So did two big men similarly dressed and cradling assault rifles to their chests who stood on each side of him. Jane couldn't be sure but all three men seemed to be the three in the ultimatum video.

  "What do you want, bitch?"

  "To discuss your demand, of course. Are you really ready to carry out your threats on the body of Fancy?"

  "Of a verity. And on you if you try to stand in our way."

  "Uh, Boss," said the young door opener, sounding almost tearful. "This is GENERAL JANE KUZNETSOV. You know what she did in Venezuela. In China. She's on our side. And she's DANGEROUS!"

  By now Jane's military history was public knowledge and old news.

  "She's just a little jumped-up alien with a big probably fake reputation, Billy. Shut up."

  "Be nice, Mr. Freeman," said Jane. "Interesting name you have, by the way. I have big news about your demands. What I have to say should be heard by more of your membership. I'm sure they will be very interested. Shall we retire to a larger space and call some of them in it?"

  After a pause the little man stood up and walked around his desk toward Jane and the door behind her. He called back to Billy as he passed the young man. "Alert the company, Burke. Assembly in the briefing room."

  Jane followed the leader and his two guards followed her. Behind her she heard the young doorman talking on a public address system.

  The so-called briefing room was big and could seat perhaps two hundred people on folding chairs. At the side opposite the door was a two-foot high dais supporting a lectern topped by a microphone on a stem and behind it several chairs.