“I will transmit a list of approved assets, along with our current Empire credit exchange rate for these assets. You will need to transport the goods to the surface yourself. You will be sent coordinates for delivery. Failure to do so immediately will result in additional fines. Is that understood?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Note that any trade conducted on the surface, or in this system, is subject to Dvorkan taxes. I strongly advise that you do not conspire to evade any of these taxes, as punishment is harsh and swift. It is also illegal to carry any sort of firearm in our cities.”
“I understand.”
The official leaned back in his chair. A satisfied expression spread across his face. “Excellent. I hope your stay is a profitable one.” And with that, the official vanished from Jon’s screen.
“Sir, we are receiving a transmission from the surface,” said Henderson.
“It’s their hard goods list. Send it to my console.” The file appeared on Jon’s display. As he looked over it, his amazement grew. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Chapter 13
“The Dvorkan hard goods list is based around precious metals, weapons, and ammunition,” Jon said as he sat in the Freedom’s conference room, in front of a wall screen displaying each of the battle group’s commanders. “Unless I am mistaken, none of our ships are carrying any precious metals, so we have only weapons and ammunition to trade.”
“Why bother trading with these fools?” said Jonas, his long gray unruly hair obscuring part of his scowling face.
“If I may, Admiral?” said Tallos.
Jon nodded.
“We do not know anything of these beings, or this region of space. This is the first step in potential diplomatic relations between this race, the UHSF, and Diakus. Paying their fees shows good will on our part. And is a good position from which to begin dialog. If we begin with aggression and deceit, however, it will forever mark us as hostile and untrustworthy.”
“I agree with General Tallos,” said Bast. “Our fabricators can easily create the weaponry and ammunition required. We lose nothing by paying the fees, and may potentially gain a new friend.”
“Agreed,” said Jon. “I would like to try and arrange a meeting with their leader. The more friends we can cultivate out here the better. Even without a meeting, I want to go down to the surface and look around. More knowledge is always beneficial, and I could stretch my land legs a little.”
“Admiral, I do not think that is wise,” said Bast. “You may put yourself at risk on the surface. My men can easily take the payment down. They are prepared for anything that may come up.”
“I agree with Colonel Bast,” said Tallos. “Although I should be the one taking the shipment to the surface. My men can deal with any hostilities, and I am more than qualified to deal with the diplomatic aspects of the mission.”
“How about you, Jonas?” said Jon. “Don’t you want to throw your hat into the ring?”
“I have no interest in engaging in diplomacy, or in paying these aliens. Let the Chaanisar and Diakans go down to the surface,” said Jonas.
Jon smiled. “I understand each of your positions, but I have made up my mind. I will go down to the surface in person. I will take a combined Chaanisar and Diakan force with me.”
“What about the Reivers?” Jonas said angrily.
“I thought you weren’t interested?”
“I was happy to let the Chaanisar and Diakans deal with payment. But if you are going down yourself, I have to send some of my people with you. If anything happened on the surface and there were no Reivers to protect you, I could never face my daughter again.”
“Then it’s settled. We go down with a combined force of Diakans, Chaanisar, and Reivers. I’ll see about arranging a meeting with their leader.”
Chapter 14
As they flew down to the planet surface, Jon was struck with how desolate the place was, all sand and rock, with no signs of water. Nothing else, as far as the eye could see. Why would anyone live here?
Approaching the main city, great domes came into view, sitting on the ground like floating bubbles. From this altitude, Jon could see that the domes were linked together to create a massive complex that could easily house millions. It was truly a staggering sight.
The immensity of the domes became even more apparent as the shuttles began their descent. They rivaled even the tallest skyscrapers Jon had ever seen. The entire structure a marvel of engineering.
As their shuttles drew nearer, they were instructed to approach one of the smaller domes in the complex. When they did, the exterior lit up, directing the shuttles towards a specific point on the side of the dome. The shuttles flew in as close as possible before hovering in front of the designated location. They waited for further instruction.
“Why are you stopping?” came the voice of the air traffic controller.
“To avoid collision with your structure?” said the pilot.
“Did someone club you over the head?”
“What? No, my head is fine.”
“Then how did you become so stupid?”
The pilot glancing over at Jon, was clearly becoming agitated. Jon gestured with his hands for the man to stay calm.
The pilot took a breath. “Is the structure permeable?”
Laughter came back from the comm. “Of course it is permeable, you fool. Do you think we would open our domes to the poisons of the atmosphere?”
“Understood, requesting permission to enter dome.”
“You already have permission. You are an odd race. It’s a wonder how you ever made it to the stars.”
The pilot simply frowned in response. He began to navigate the shuttle through the dome as indicated. The second shuttle followed close behind.
They entered what seemed to be an immense spaceport. It was a bustle of activity, with ships of varying size coming and going, and more of the blue aliens milling in and around them. The shuttles were guided to their designated landing pad, and came to a stop. The hatch opened, and Jon exited with his contingent.
They were immediately approached by a blue alien wearing the same uniform as the one they’d encountered on the ship’s viewscreen. Following close behind, carrying side arms, were several more of the blue creatures. These donned different uniforms, and eyed Jon’s group warily.
“I am here to verify payment. You must remain here until verification is complete.”
Jon was struck by how large these Dvorkans were in person. Jon was not a small man, but these creatures towered over him. Each one easily surpassing seven, if not eight feet. They were giants.
“Payment is in that shuttle.” Jon pointed to the second craft. “We will submit ammunition as payment. Go ahead and have a look.”
The official scrutinized Jon with a look of disdain, then walked into the shuttle without another word. Jon wondered if it was its physical size, or its office that caused the air of superiority. Probably a mix of both.
He sized up the group with the sidearms accompanying the official. Their uniforms were completely black, and in a clear military style. They must be some sort of police force, authorized to carry firearms, which were otherwise illegal it seemed.
Sending a surface team without even a sidearm was a risk, but in the interest of diplomacy they had no real choice but to comply. But the official had not prohibited other types of weaponry. So he and his men had loaded up on as many blades as they could carry.
Jon considered his team’s chances against these giants, if they had to fight. The Dvorkans could be taken by surprise at first, not anticipating the augmented strength, and speed, that Jon and the Chaanisar possessed. Without firearms, though, how far would they get on ability alone? He decided he didn’t want to find out. This would be a peaceful first encounter. No drama. No firefights.
“Payment is in order,” said the official. “You are now permitted to enter the city. These men will take you to your meeting with the Dvorkan Consul.”
&n
bsp; “Thank you,” said Jon.
The official sneered and waved his long arm to the armed Dvorkans. The armed men turned and walked away with an effortless speed, their long limbs taking great strides. By Jon’s estimation, he needed to take two steps to match each one taken by the Dvorkans, leaving him and his group trotting just to keep up.
Jon was a little surprised at the ease with which he had arranged a meeting with the Dvorkan leader. Word had travelled fast and inquiries into his ships had already been made. It seemed new races weren’t common in the Dvorkan system. He wondered how often they encountered alien battleships, though his concern appeared not to be shared by the Dvorkans he’d met so far. They seemed solely concerned with getting paid.
Outside the space port, they piled into a waiting craft. Its spacious interior easily carried both the Drvokans and Jon’s team. The craft quietly powered up and lifted off the ground. They crossed into what seemed to be the main dome, and sailed over a dynamic, sprawling city.
This planet had clearly been colonized at some point, but where had these blue aliens come from, and how did they get here? Early scans had indicated that there were no other habitable planets in this system. So they had to have come from somewhere else. They seemed unrattled by the strange appearances of the Humans and Diakans in their team. They had no qualms about interacting with foreign species which Jon found even more puzzling.
Their craft came to rest on a landing pad behind an ornate building. When they’d all stepped on the tarmac, the armed Dvorkans headed toward the structure without a word. Shrugging, Jon followed, with his escort in tow. Inside the building everything was larger than life, ornate and expensive. Whoever this Consul was, he, or she, liked to live in style.
They passed a group of Dvorkans, this time not in uniform. They stared at his group with a mix of curiosity and confusion. Jon found them just as interesting, despite their differences. Their anatomy appeared very much like humans.
“Wait here,” said one of the armed Dvorkans, gesturing to some large chairs and couches.
“Thanks,” said Jon, choosing to remain standing. He did not relish the idea of sitting like a child, feet dangling in the air. He imagined this was also the reason his team chose to remain on their feet.
They didn’t need to wait long. A door slid open and a Dvorkan woman stepped out. “Who is your leader?” she said.
“That would be me,” said Jon, stepping forward.
“Your name?”
“Admiral Jon Pike.”
She tilted her head to the side, as if she found his name odd. Eyes like black opal looked down at him in scrutiny. “You will follow me. The rest must stay here.”
“Admiral, I do not think you should proceed alone,” said Lieutenant Jarvi, the Chaanisar security team leader. Jon could see the concern in the eyes of most of his team.
“It’s okay,” said Jon. “I’ll be fine. Just wait here.” He looked up at the blue woman, something he wasn’t yet used to. “After you.” Her head tilted again for a moment, but she said nothing, and stepped into the adjoining room.
Inside Jon found another Dvorkan woman seated behind a large desk. His escort directed Jon to stand in front of the desk. Oddly there was nowhere to sit. Apparently, you were expected to stand in the presence of the Dvorkan Consul.
“This is Admiral Jon Pike, leader of the strange ships that have arrived in our system.”
The Consul nodded, and the first woman left Jon to stand alone. “What planet are you from?” the Consul said flatly.
“My race is from a planet known as Earth. My companions are from the planet Diakus.”
“I do not know either of these planets. Why is that?”
“Your race has not traveled to our region of the galaxy.”
“The Empire spans thousands of light years. It is possible I have not learned of your races. When did your people ascend?”
Empire? thought Jon. Thousands of light years? What did we stumble into?
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” said Jon.
“My staff mentioned that you were odd. Now I understand what they meant.”
“My translator may be having some difficulty. What did you mean when you said ‘ascend’?”
“When did your race rise up and enter the Empire?”
“I understand now. The thing is, we are not part of the Empire. In fact, this is the first encounter we’ve had with your people, and your Empire.”
“That is impossible,” said the Consul. “How were you permitted to travel between our systems?”
“Yours is the first populated system we’ve encountered since we left our own.”
“The first? Impossible. You cannot travel through the transit points without encountering the many Empire worlds.”
“I apologize for my confusion, but what is a transit point?”
The Consul’s cold eyes narrowed. “You dare ridicule me?”
“No! I’m not ridiculing you. I’m being sincere. I don’t know what a transit point is. I’m sure it’s just my translator having problems again. Believe me, I mean no offense.”
Jon waited quietly as the Consul studied him with those ghoulish black eyes. “I believe you.” She said finally. “Transit points are the basis of interstellar travel. Without them traveling between the stars would take years, if not centuries. By using the transit points, you can travel hundreds of light years instantly.”
“You have jump gates,” Jon said in astonishment.
“What is a jump gate?”
“It’s what you call a transit point. We refer to them as jump gates.”
“Clearly the problem is with your translator. Still, the question remains, how could you travel between the transit points without being part of the Empire? Non-citizens are not permitted to use the transit network.”
Jon became uncomfortable, even concerned. He knew little about this race, less about its Empire. How much should he reveal to them? At this point he had to mention their jump gate network, or he might face some sort of trespassing charge.
“There are transit points that you are not aware of,” he said finally. “Our races have used them to travel the galaxy. It seems that your transit point network, and ours, are not connected. That is why we each have no knowledge of the other.”
The Consul looked stunned. She leaned back in her chair, quiet, as if trying to grasp the immensity of what she just learned. “If what you’re saying is true,” she said finally. “How did you get here?”
“We have been traveling for a very long time,” Jon lied. He wasn’t about to reveal that they had a jump system. “None of our kind have ever been this far. In fact, I’m hoping you can help us. We are looking for a race known as the Antikitheri. The Builders. The ancient ones who built the transit points.”
The Consul burst into laughter. “You can’t be serious. You are chasing ghosts.”
“Then you have heard of them?”
“There are many legends about the Builders. Every Dvorkan has heard them. But they are legends. If the Builders did ever exist, they don’t anymore.”
The Consul seemed to notice Jon’s disappointment. “You are serious?” she said. “Truly, you are an odd race. Why do you seek these beings?”
Again, Jon struggled with how much he should reveal. “We have some problems, and we have reason to believe that the Builders can help us.”
“What type of problems are you facing that you seek the help of ghosts?”
“I’m sorry. I’m not authorized to share that information.”
The Consul’s eyes narrowed once more. “You must face a major calamity to be this desperate.”
“Yes, you could say that.”
The Consul seemed to soften. “I understand. We Dvorkans have faced many calamities throughout our history. Each has made us stronger, but only after great struggle and hardship. My advice to you and your race is to persevere, whether you find these Builders or not. Our history has taught us the virtue of tenacity.”
&nb
sp; “I would love to learn of your history one day.”
The Consul smiled, surprising him. “Perhaps I have misjudged your race. You may not have our stature, or our royal blue skin, but there is something about you….” The Consul became quiet in her contemplation and Jon felt as if he was under a microscope. “I will help you,” she said finally. “I do not know much of the Builders, just the same stories as everyone else. But I do know someone who does. She is a great scholar. The Builders are something of an obsession for her. Nobody knows more about them. If anybody can help you find them, she can.”
“That’s great. When can we meet her?”
“That is the tricky part. She lives on another world. The only way to reach her is through the transit network.”
“And we’re not allowed to travel through your transit network. I guess that settles that.”
“No, not necessarily. I can issue you a transit permit. For a fee, of course.” The Consul smiled again.
“Of course,” said Jon, returning her smile. “Can we pay with hard goods?”
“Indeed you can.”
Jon thought for a moment. If they were going to go to the trouble of speaking to this scholar, they would need some actual currency. “Can we exchange more hard goods for Empire credits?”
“Yes. That would be wise. The permit will allow travel through the transit points, but it does not exempt you from paying the Empire’s tolls. You must pay more fees when you reach the scholar’s planet.”
“I get the impression that your Empire charges a fee for most things.”
“Of course it does. It is the price we pay for the honor of citizenship.”
“I see.” Jon had a feeling that they were going to be fabricating a hell of a lot of ammunition in the coming days. “I will make arrangements to bring more hard goods to the surface.”
“Excellent. I will have the permit issued, and will create an Empire account for your credits. Your account will be valid throughout the Empire. How long will you be staying in our system?”
“Not very long. We really need to keep moving.”
The Pike Chronicles - Books 1 - 10 Page 140