Then, Aran and Tarcan’s ships engaged us in battle at Zeta Reticuli, close to their natural wormhole. They attacked us, again for no apparent reason. Except their urge to cleanse any other species from existence. Goodness knows how many planets the Crillons have attacked over the years.
The fact that we had to collapse their wormhole to prevent more Crillon ships coming through was regretful but necessary.”
The star image changed to display Zeta Reticuli and the natural wormhole.
“Later, after much discussion, we helped Arans and Tarcan to get back to their home planet, with the proviso that they would try to change the Crillon’s warring ways.
But then we discovered that the Crillons had also attacked the inhabitants of one of the planets in the Delta Pavonis star system.
We now know that these inhabitants, who call themselves Pavonisiens, are humans, and are descendants of the survivors from a missing settler-ship that we have been searching for.
The ship was sent from our planet Earth, almost 200 years ago, to find a new life. But instead, crash-landed on the planet they know as Pavonis.
The last straw for us was the destruction by the Crillons of the City Atreen on Pavonis.”
The star image changed to display the Delta Pavonis system.
“After much deliberation, and with the Crillon’s assurances that they would continue to try to change their council's agenda for the better. We finally agreed to help send the surviving two ships back to their home planet. Unfortunately, only Tripicac’s ship could get back.
But, this was why the Solverons attacked us. Unbelievably, misreading our actions and thinking that we were working with the Crillons.” Frank paused and looking around again was surprised to find that they were all watching him intently.
“You may wonder why we’ve bothered to come to this star system at all. This star system which we call Kepler.”
Again, the image changed to show the Kepler system.
“We mean to stop all of you Crillons from coming into our space if your only thought is of aggression and planet cleansing.”
He stopped speaking as a murmur went around.
“But, as I said at the start, all three of our alien races can achieve greatness together if we really want it. All that is needed is to be able to trust each other and to work together in trade and co-operation. I am sure that is not beyond our capabilities.”
A murmur went around again.
“Savron, I think the Crillon senate’s Chairman Kasosko has something that needs clarification,” Savron nodded ok.
“I am Senator Kasosko, and this is Senator Xbar,” he said, gathering his thoughts.
“I apologise to everyone here, regarding Bronico. I knew he would try something, but we couldn’t do anything about it. He was still too powerful.
But, I put my trust in Captain Richardson, in the humans, and they didn’t fail us.
We are different now, and I know that the Senate and my three Navy officers here will work for a better future for all of us,” he paused and looked at the Solverons.
“I would like to refer back to when hostilities began between our Crillon race and the Solveron’s, many years ago,” he looked down sadly. Then continued.
“The Senate mediators, who at the time included Bronico, were aghast at the Navy’s assassination of the Solveron delegation. Unfortunately, we now know that Bronico was double-dealing,” he paused then said.
” Tripicac, please continue speaking for me.”
“Yes Senator,” Tripicac answered then continued with the Crillon’s explanation.
“The more I found out about the assassination, the more I hated the Navy, and, in particular, Space Marshal Trendor, whom I was sure, had ordered it.
My wife and son, Zetra, were both killed during a Solveron revenge attack. And I now know that was all it was.
Up until now, there has been nothing any of us could do about it. But, one thing we have always been sure of, is that Marshal Trendor would eventually pay for what he and his subordinates had caused, both to our people and to the Solverons.
Now, Marshal Trendor is dead, his staff are locked up, awaiting trial, and after today, with the last assassin, Bronico, dead. I think we can all relax, just a little.”
“Thank you, Senator, and, of course, Commander Tripicac. Have you or anyone else anything more to tell us, before Savron has his say?”
Kasosko looked around at the other three at his table.
“No senator,” Arans said. “We, at last, have faith in the Senate. And our feeling that the Humans were the key to ending all this seems justified.”
“Then, for now, Commander, we’re done,” Kasosko answered Frank.
“Thank you, Senator,” Frank said, then turned to Savron, who took the hint.
Savron was silent for a moment, pondering the new situation.
“I am what you would call an Admiral of the fleet. So, you could say that apart from losing several of my ships, I was in the right place, at the right time.
I initially misjudged the Humans. I really thought that they couldn’t get us all together. But, today looking around and seeing us all together, I’m impressed.”
He stopped and seemed to be listening to someone.
‘Andromeda. Check the area.’
‘Done, nothing has changed outside, Frank.’
“Senator Kasosko, we accept your explanation of how the hostilities began,” Savron said and paused as if he was composing himself.
“The Crillon’s extermination of other intelligent species like the Varon’s, which happened before the humans came,” he said, and paused again as if it was difficult to continue.
“Their actions are hard to forgive. But, and I speak for all Solveron’s. As far as we are concerned hostilities have ceased from this moment.”
“Excellent, at least, we are now moving in the right direction,” Frank added.
“Commander, I have just had an update on your question of our involvement in what you call Delta Pavonis,” Savron added.
“We’re all ears,” Susanna said.
“Ah, a saying of listening,” Savron replied, smiling and, unlike the Crillons, his face showed it.
Savron stopped again and seemed to listen intently.
“I have received some information from our, ‘history-records’ I believe you would call them,” he said looking at Frank.
“A long time ago, we placed a monitor on, um, what you call Mars, the red planet. From this, we could observe your scientist Henderson’s attempt to grow a warp-crystal.
It was obvious to us that he was going to fail. But he only required a slight ‘nudge’ in the right direction, so we helped him. This saved your species, at least, fifty earth-years, to generate a functioning warp-field.”
“So,” Hector interjected, "When Henderson said that he had a vision. It was really your species putting pictures in his mind to guide him.”
“Yes. Because we wanted to help the species that we felt, we could eventually have something in common with.
Over the years, one of our ships visited you from time to time, but the only time that we actually interfered with the development of your species was when we helped Henderson.”
Professor Sims held his hand up, wanting to speak.
“One moment,” Savron said, then continued. “Further back in time, we saw the launch of a strange ship from your planet and monitored it a few times, purely to check its progress.”
“That must have been the Acarea,” Frank said.
“Yes, we now know that was your name for it,” Savron replied, then hesitated before continuing.
“It was when we saw this settler-ship approaching a planet at an excessive speed that we became concerned about its safety.”
Savron felt all their eyes locked on him.
“Then our sensors picked up it up again as it crash-landed on the planet that you call DPav4.
The ship was severely damaged and the drive section, which was attached to
a massive metal plate, was dangerously Radioactive.
Let me show you what we picked up.” he said and selected Holo-projection.
Then a holographic image of the Acarea appeared, seeming to ‘float’ in front of everyone.
They could see that the Acarea was laying on the surface of the planet and was stuck between two large rock formations.
A skid-mark on the ground leading up to the Acarea revealed that it had apparently hit the surface then skidded for some distance before ending up between the rock formations.
“We saw that there were survivors and continued watching. When the crew had removed everything they needed, from the wreck, including the materials and equipment they needed to help them, they moved away from the area.
A short time later, when we were sure that they had sufficient materials and wouldn’t be returning. We covered the wreckage that was radioactive, and the surrounding area, with rocks,” he said, then paused as if getting updates.
“We were also able to discretely check the crew members, and found that some of them had what seemed to be a prototype version of a transceiver implant.
But these implants appeared to be poorly made.
So, we put a monitoring system in place that covered the ship and the surrounding area, before we left, purely to enable us to check their progress.”
Many years later, when the cities were being built. Our ‘monitor’ detected that some people had been provided with new implants.
We think these implants were manufactured and then fitted to the inhabitants in an underground complex near their first city which they called Atreen.
However, these implants were more dangerous to them than the originals. So we took a few of the inhabitants into our ship to modify and enhance their implants so that they would survive, and we could still keep an eye on them.
I believe that this was the ‘episode’ to which you were referring Frank?” he said, looking at him as Frank nodded yes.
“We also prevented the rest of these ‘new’ transceiver implants from operating, as they would have eventually caused brain damage and death.”
“What about Hero, their fifth city?”
“It never existed Commander. It was the site where our ship landed to modify the implants. We planted the story of City Hero in their minds when we modified their implants, just to add weight to the story and to protect them and us.”
“So, when Bren and Acarea said they had sensed the settlers coming from Hero. Are you really saying, that Bren and Acarea were actually two of the settlers, and they weren’t coming from Hero they were really coming from your ship?”
“So it would seem, err. Susanna.”
“Then you didn’t actually do any harm to our settlers?” Frank queried.
“Of course not, Commander. At that time, you hadn’t helped the five Crillon ships return to, err, Kepler.
We couldn’t understand that action, by the way. After that, we considered you an enemy.”
“So, because we tried to get the Crillons back to their planet, to hopefully, change their higher-ups destructive path. You decided to attack us?”
“Commander, it was unthinkable to us, that you would help them. It was natural to think that you had begun to work together.”
“I can understand how you misread us,” Hector interjected.
“Exactly,” replied Savron.
“If my ships hadn’t encountered you, and our discussion hadn’t taken place. You would still be our enemy.
But now, I feel ashamed of our actions, you let me return to a waiting ship. You could have destroyed my rescue ship as easily as the rest.”
“Yes Savron, we could have. But then, we’d all still be going down the same path to extinction.”
A chatter of voices filled the room, then Frank put his hand up, and the sounds subsided.
“I’m glad that we’ve got this far. Any questions before we close this session?” He asked.
“Commander, if I may.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’m Professor Sims. Savron, why haven’t you used picturing in our minds more than you have?”
Savron thought a moment before answering. “Many years ago, before our delegates were assassinated, the delegation used it a lot.
Since then, we’ve realised that not everyone sees this ‘ability’ in a positive light. It is also quite tiring generating the pictures.
But today, for example, showing the Earth settler ship made it easier for us to explain what the situation was at that time.
The Crillon language is also very challenging for us. So, picturing, as you call it, was a great help then, and still is now, in getting our meaning and thoughts over to you all.”
“I see, thank you, sir.”
‘That shows a bit of respect, calling him sir,’ Frank thought.
Then asked. “Any more questions?”
This time, all was quiet, with everyone waiting to see what the Humans would do next?
“Well, I think we’ll close this session?” He waited a moment for anyone to speak. But no one did.
He pushed a button and the Holoprojector sank into the floor and was gone.
“OK, Hector?” he prompted.
“When you’re ready to go, we will return you to your ships, the same way as we brought you here,” Hector said his smile beaming across his face. “Including the Marines.”
They all seemed to think that was meant to be amusing, so they smiled too.
Frank added. “If things continue as well as this, we may decide to leave for our home planet Earth, in four to five days. But it would be helpful to have a separate meeting with each of your races before then.”
Nodding in agreement, the Crillons and Solverons then got up and came across to Frank’s party.
The Crillons giving their usual hug while the Solverons gave a firm handclasp.
“Contact us when you want to meet, Commander.” Both species said and left, accompanied by the Marines.
As they went out through the room’s wide door. Frank thought, ‘like father and son.’ Seeing that as they walked out side by side, the Crillons looked very tall against the one-metre high Solverons.
Chapter 24
Meetings.
The de-briefing took just a few minutes.
“Well Hector, it seems most of our questions have been answered. What do you think?”
“Agreed. The rotten core’s been eliminated from the Crillons. The Solverons have stopped their attacks, and we now know what happened to the Acarea and its settlers. I call that good going for one day.”
“I’m with you Hector,” Susanna said. “We’re kind of, out of it now.”
“Yes, the Crillons and Solverons need to develop trust between themselves.”
Then Frank sent a question to Susanna ‘Are we going to be together tonight Sues?’
‘Of course,’ she replied
“There you go again,” Hector snapped. ”Don’t tell me the implants are working again because I know they’re not.”
“Well, there you go Hector.”
“Well?”
“Well, we’ll sort out a trip to the Crillons tomorrow morning. Then Savron’s ship the next day.”
“You still didn’t answer my question, Frank?”
“It’s the only answer you’re going to get.”
“Yeah. I suppose so.”
“Hector, send a copy of the conference’s recording to all ships captains.”
“Will do.”
The next day two force-craft headed for the planet Crilla’s surface, using the co-ordinates supplied by Commander Tripicac.
One force-craft contained Hector, Professor Sims and one other from his science team. The Marine Captain Reece and a Marine Sergeant were assigned to fly the craft and guard all of them. The Marines were dressed in battle armour, more as a show of strength than anything else.
The other craft carried Frank, Susanna, Tom from Geo, and Jim Pickering from Computer Science. Marine Captain Je
nny Moore and another Marine Sergeant, both in battle armour, were also assigned to them.
What no one noticed, however, was the two ‘special’ stealth-drones, accompanying their force-craft.
The crafts levelled out at one and a half kilometres above the planet Crilla, and started their final approach, skimming over lush green vegetation at the edge of a vast blue ocean. The planet, being almost the opposite of Brendereen and Acarea's world, in that, the planet’s water content was four and a half times the land mass, making it look and feel very humid.
Five minutes later they were on the ground and sitting next to two empty Crillon Navy shuttles.
A large rectangle shaped vehicle drew up and stopped next to them. The vehicle had no wheels. Instead, it used six pusher-type force field emitters to enable the vehicle to float about six centimetres off the ground.
The door opened, and a Crillon beckoned them. They piled into the transport vehicle, all except the Marine sergeants who remained behind to protect the force-crafts. Then they departed, rapidly heading towards the principal city.
The Crillon driver pressed a button on a small box that looked as if it had just been added. Then spoke for the first time. “I am Akon, your guide. Please raise a hand if this translator box is working?”
“They all did. “Can you understand us,” Frank asked.
“Oh, yes. You are here for one cycle, yes?”
“That’s a bit more than one Earth day,” Tom informed the others.
“Yes Tom, we all know.”
“Sorry Susanna, it’s force of habit.”
“That’s all right Tom.”
“Akon, where are we going first?” Frank asked.
“The Senate offices, in City Prime. The rest of the senators would like to see what you look like.”
“At least, we'll all look different,” Hector joked.
But Akon picked up his meaning. “Commander Tripicac keeps saying that. Sometimes, he says we’re clones, but I don’t know what he means. I’m only a driver.”
The Definitive SpaceFed Trilogy (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy).: A thrilling, action-packed Sci-fi space adventure. (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 8) Page 59