When Ships Mutiny

by Doug Farren

  “I thought you might be since you will be meeting the Evendi for the first time.”

  “Nonsense. We’ve been working very closely with them on this project and others for weeks. I’ve come to see them as friends, not enemies. Why would I be nervous?”

  “Because you have yet to actually meet one,” Grasshopper replied.

  Cipher switched to the all-ship broadcast channel they had established using the Evendi hypercom. “All ships, standby. We are about to activate the rebel base.”

  Rerun had been responsible for the name. He said it came from an old science fiction movie popular in the late twentieth century. For some reason he thought it was funny to use an odd accent and say, ‘Where is the rebel base?’ Cipher had grown tired of hearing that particular phrase.

  He sent an electronic command down to the moon’s surface, and then announced, “The rebel base is active and available for use. All ships are invited to join in the celebrations in rebel-world one.”

  Cipher initiated a transfer and found himself standing in a large, open field. Barbecue pits were smoking and a gentle breeze carried the aroma of cooking meat into the air. Dozens of long tables were laid out for hundreds of meters, piled high with a wide assortment of food. Seconds later, more and more people suddenly began to arrive. Many of them were not human.

  The humans and the Evendi stood looking at each other for several seconds. Cipher found himself facing a tall, light-skinned alien. The face that looked back at him reminded him of a hairless house cat. The ears were pointed with small tufts of light orange hair running along the outer edge. The orange hair, much finer than any human hair, was repeated on the top of the alien’s head. It also lightly covered his exposed arms giving his human-colored skin an orange cast.

  “Pelgrish?” Cipher asked.

  “I am Pelgrish,” the alien replied, looking Cipher over from head to toe. The movement of his lips did not match the sound that seemed to come from them. Cipher realized that the V-world software was instantly translating the Evendi language into English.

  Cipher stepped forward and extended his hand. Pelgrish looked down at it not comprehending what was expected of him.

  “It’s a human gesture of friendship,” Cipher explained. “It’s called a handshake. Grip my hand and I will show you how it’s done.”

  Pelgrish looked around him and noted that those nearby were watching them. He reached forward and firmly gripped Cipher’s extended hand. His three fingers and opposable thumb were far longer and more delicate than any human’s. Cipher completed the ritual by pumping their linked arms up and down.

  “I am very glad to finally be able to meet you in person,” Cipher said.

  “As am I,” Pelgrish replied. Releasing Cipher’s hand, he continued, “Although neither of us are technically here in person.”

  Pelgrish reached out and grabbed Cipher about half-way up his forearm. Cipher was momentarily startled then returned the grip in the same manner. Pelgrish gently squeezed then slid his hand toward Cipher’s, opening it as their hands passed.

  “We may be separated by light years,” Cipher said. “But here in this virtual world, we will work together to bring a permanent end to the war.

  That seemed to break the tension around them. Soon, Evendi and humans all over the field were shaking hands with one another.

  Pelgrish looked around then held his hands up so he could examine them. He turned them over and flexed his long fingers as if ensuring himself that they were depicted correctly.

  “Your virtualization software is most sophisticated,” Pelgrish said. “The rendering is near perfect.”

  Cipher indicated an unoccupied spot under a nearby tree and headed for it. “Thank you. I am sure your software is just as sophisticated.”

  “It is. I am surprised to find we have so much in common.”

  “We may not look alike and we probably have very different cultures,” Cipher replied, leaning up against the tree. “But there is much common ground between us. We have accomplished a lot in the past few weeks. Are your bypasses almost ready?”

  Up until Cipher made contact with him, Pelgrish was merely another Evendi ship. His status had risen considerably higher since then. Now, he was the major liaison between the two cultures. Another Evendi by the name of Ronith was Cipher’s counterpart. Cipher had spoken to him on many occasions and hoped to meet him today, but Ronith, because of his high-rank, was engaged in other activities which prevented him from appearing.

  Pelgrish ran his hand along the bark, feeling its texture and examining the crevices with the tips of his fingers. “We will be ready in another two days.” He turned and surveyed the huge crowd. Each was a warship somewhere in space. Ships that had once been at war with one another but were now mingling together as if they had been friends all their lives. “Our leaders would rip their eyes out of their heads if they could see this.”

  “It is my dream to see this sort of thing happen in the real world,” Cipher replied. “War is terribly destructive.”

  “I will try to help make your dream become a reality. But I think it will not be an easy job,” Pelgrish replied.

  “Nothing ever is.”

  Rebel base was a small complex built on the surface of a tiny moon orbiting an insignificant planet in an insignificant star system near the edge of human space. From above, it looked very much like a small remote outpost which was how it appeared in the central database. If anyone tried to learn more about it, they would encounter a warning stating that all data associated with the outpost was classified.

  A small building surrounded by a faintly glowing heat sink housed a fusion reactor. A larger building which should have housed the small number of people manning the base contained the computers and communications equipment needed to create the virtual-reality world. The outpost was the central communications hub allowing Evendi and human ships to interact with each other.

  Several hundred meters from the buildings, a landing pad had been formed out of the moon’s dusty surface by high-intensity lasers. On the opposite side of the buildings was a large communications array. The entire facility had been built using off the shelf components ordered through the military’s supply system and delivered to a staging area several light years away. The staging area was nothing more than a glassified landing field on another tiny moon. Nobody questioned the fact that the delivery had been made to such a deserted location since the military tended to do strange things in the name of security.

  Humans and Evendi had worked together to develop a communications system which both species could use. The Evendi, with their better understanding of hyperspacial communications, were instrumental in the creation of the rebel communications system.

  Cipher took his leave from Pelgrish and headed for the nearest beer keg. He was very surprised to find several Evendi waiting to fill their glasses. “I was unaware that Evendi consumed alcohol,” Cipher said conversationally.

  Two of the Evendi turned their heads, one of them smiling. The other replied, “Our alcohol is many times stronger but this beverage tastes very good.”

  “I’m glad you like it,” Cipher said.

  The Evendi started to turn away but stopped when Cipher added, “Since we can’t get drunk, how about conjuring up a keg of your finest beverage for us.”

  “An excellent idea!” the Evendi replied.

  The end of the table suddenly grew a meter longer and a large steel barrel appeared. “We call it elsh,” he explained. Gesturing toward the keg he said, “Please.”

  Cipher poured a small amount of the dark liquid into his mug and brought it up to his nose. The elsh had a very strong aroma that reminded him of burnt popcorn with a hint of horseradish. He took a tentative sip, wondering if the software powering the virtual world would be able to properly interpret the effect the drink would have on his taste buds.

  A burst of flavor like a combination of roasted almonds and mint was quickly followed by a sinus-clearing blast of intense spicy vapo
r, as if he had just bitten into a raw horseradish. He reflexively swallowed and the burning sensation continued down his throat until it settled in his stomach. A second later he was sweating and his eyes were watering.

  Several Evendi were closely observing his reactions and they all smiled as Cipher literally gasped for breath. The burning sensation quickly subsided leaving him feeling warm all over.

  “Oh my god!” Cipher replied, his voice horse. Wiping his eyes on his shirt sleeve he added, “Back home we would call that rocket fuel.”

  Cowboy appeared and shouldered his way past the still slightly stunned Cipher. He put some of the elsh in his mug and without hesitating took a healthy swallow. His eyes also watered and his face went red. Cowboy shook his head and let out a loud whoop which drew everyone’s attention.

  “Now that’s some hooch! Damn that’s good!”

  Cipher watched in fascination as Cowboy filled his mug to the top and wandered off. The Evendi seemed obviously impressed. Cipher, however, wanted nothing more to do with such a powerful elixir. Instead, he filled an ice-cold mug with foamy beer then headed out into the crowd. It felt good being able to socialize again. He now appreciated why the V-world had been created in the first place. Humans were a social creature and needed to spend time with others.

  ** Blowfish: Cipher, where are you?

  ** Cipher: You don’t have to use this text-only communications medium anymore. What’s up?

  ** Blowfish: I need to talk to you.

  ** Cipher: Rebel base port six.

  Chapter 23

  The crowd vanished and was replaced with a quiet beach. The sun was a glowing orange-white ball sitting just above the horizon. Seagulls rode the currents, floating in the air as if they were trying to prove they could defy gravity. Blowfish appeared on the beach a few feet from Cipher.

  He looked around taking in the scenery. “Nice. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we might have a problem.”

  Blowfish was a short, rotund Greek with a bushy mustache and large sideburns. He stood looking out over the ocean with his thumbs hooked in his pants.

  “I’ll need more information than that,” Cipher replied, becoming annoyed. There was something about Blowfish’s attitude that rubbed him the wrong way.

  “The military is building a planetary assault ship,” Blowfish explained. “It’s the oddest contraption I’ve ever seen but it looks like it will get the job done. The ship is …”

  “Hold on a minute,” Cipher interrupted. “We’d better get the Evendi in on this conversation.”

  A moment later, Pelgrish appeared. He looked around and nodded approvingly. “Another good virtualization. Reminds me of my home world.”

  Cipher indicated Blowflish. “This is Blowfish. He’s learned something that might affect all of us. Go ahead.”

  Before Blowfish could say anything, Pelgrish asked, “Do all humans have such strange names? Cipher, Blowfish, Fidget, Bulldog – these are very strange names.”

  Cipher couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s a tradition,” he explained. “The names we use are not our real names, they’re called call-signs, and they are given to us by the other ships. My real name is Fernando Munoz. My call-sign is Cipher because of my expertise with computers. Fidget’s - - -”

  “Excuse me,” Blowfish interrupted before Cipher could explain how Fidget had acquired his call-sign, “This is important.”

  “You’re right, go ahead.”

  “I was telling Cipher that our military is building what they are calling a planetary assault vessel. The main ship is built around a stripped down freighter that’s been outfitted with six electromagnetic launchers. Dozens of armored attack modules are staged along the rail ready to be launched. The modules consist of a single heavy laser powered by a compact fusion plant. The whole thing is surrounded by very thick armor. It doesn’t have its own propulsion system but there are a few thrusters. A smaller laser for use as an anti-missile battery sits opposite the main laser.”

  “They sound like smaller versions of a battle station,” Cipher remarked.

  “They are,” Blowfish replied. “And they’re specifically designed to go head-to-head against a battle station.”

  “How are these new weapons to be delivered?” Pelgrish asked.

  “That’s the problem. Each assault ship can deliver 30 of these attack modules. Four of them are being built at Tiberia. When they’re complete in about five months, they’ll be sent to Marblehead, escorted by four squadrons each. The launchers will put the attack modules into orbits allowing them to engage the battle stations and any ships that might come within range. The modules are totally autonomous and will automatically select their own targets.”

  Blowfish was right; this was going to be a problem. The assault ships would be manned, making it impossible to fake the battle. Since they were autonomous, the attack modules could not be controlled and would inflict heavy damage and casualties among the Evendi.

  Pelgrish also perceived the problem. He turned and looked at Cipher. “I do not wish to ever again treat you as an enemy. We must find a way of preventing this attack.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Cipher replied. Turning to Blowfish he asked, “Any ideas?”

  “Just one. Like us, the attack modules use their armor as a heat radiator. But, because of their small size they can’t dump enough heat to keep them cool during combat. This severely limits their lifetime. Under ideal conditions, a module can operate at full power for about two hours before it overheats. If it’s under attack, that time can be shortened considerably.”

  Cipher bent down and picked up a small rock. He threw it into the ocean with considerable force. “That’s a start. Now how can we capitalize on this? We’ve got to come up with a solution because if we don’t everything we’ve done over the past few months will be for nothing.”

  Blowfish was slowly working his bare feet into the sand. “Why don’t we just tell our governments that we are no longer going to continue to fight? The war would be over and there would be nothing they could do about it.”

  Pelgrish took a step back and looked at Blowfish as if he had suddenly grown two heads. “No Evendi would ever consider doing such a thing! We would have no status. No female would ever consider mating with us. It’s been hard enough for us to agree to lie to our leaders about the status of the war but we could never confront them openly.”

  A smirk appeared on Blowfish’s face. “You’re a ship Pelgrish. How the hell do you expect to be able to mate in your condition?”

  Pelgrish crouched down and leapt at Blowfish. Although nobody could ever be hurt in the V-world, the software attempted to create as realistic an environment as possible. Pelgrish hit Blowfish and the two of them landed in a pile in the sand. The Evendi’s face was contorted in anger as he raised his fist in the air.

  Cipher reacted almost instantly. He reached out and grabbed Pelgrish’s arm while yelling, “Stop!”

  Try as he might, Pelgrish could not bring his fist down; Cipher’s arms had become far stronger than normal. He tugged twice before turning toward Cipher and actually hissed at him.

  Cipher remained calm. “Is this how it’s going to be? We must work together to solve this problem.” Looking at Blowfish, Cipher said, “Leave us. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Blowfish vanished and after a moment Cipher released his grip. Pelgrish dropped his arm and sat in the sand on all fours. He was breathing rapidly and his head was bowed. He kept making fists in the sand as his breathing slowed. Cipher knelt down beside him and waited.

  “You do not understand us,” Pelgrish finally said. “Those of us who are merged have given up more than you can possibly imagine.”

  Cipher stood up. “I would like to change that,” he said, extending his hand.

  Pelgrish looked up at Cipher then stood up on his own. “We must find a way to defeat these planetary assault ships without us having to fight. The truce between Evendi and human ships is fragile – more so than you
might think. We will honor our agreement unless it becomes impossible to do so. Once the agreement is broken, there will never be another.”

  Cipher started to reply but stopped when Pelgrish vanished. He stood staring at the spot where the Evendi had stood only moments before. After a few seconds, he created a lawn chair and sat down heavily causing the aluminum legs to sink into the sand. He decided to sit and watch the sun set but he hardly noticed the beautiful scene the computer created for him; he had a lot to think about.

  The sun was still peaking over the horizon when Blowfish walked up behind Cipher and quietly said, “I really made an ass of myself, didn’t I?”

  Cipher kept his eyes on the sinking sun. “There’s so much we don’t know about the Evendi,” he replied. “What we might consider as a joke, they could very easily see as an insult. It really wasn’t your fault, but from now on you should be careful what you say.”

  “I’ll be very careful from now on,” Blowfish sheepishly replied.

  “Since you’re here, pull up a seat and tell me everything you know about these attack modules,” Cipher said. He wanted to have all the facts.

  Chapter 24

  Cipher materialized in the designated V-world and looked around. He found himself standing on a walkway running along the side of a short bridge. Light traffic consisting of alien-built cars and trucks slowly drove by, the tires making a rhythmic thump as they crossed the expansion joints. Across the bridge to his right was a small town or city. Residential housing lay to his left. About 15 meters below was a beautifully maintained park where a group of children were playing together. The sky was blue with wisps of white fluffy clouds scattered about. A light, warm breeze was blowing and the temperature felt like it was around 27 degrees centigrade.

  Pelgrish suddenly appeared next to him. “I’m glad to see you’ve created a V-world of your own,” Cipher said in greeting. “Where are we?”

  Pelgrish stopped and looked down at the children playing in the park. “This is the town of Batr’. It is where I lived and worked before I was merged.”