by S. H. Jucha
In fractions of time, which only controllers and computers could track, the UE fighters reached their engagement window and launched their missiles. Ticks in time later, the Haraken fighters swept past the shuttle, targeted the UE fighters, and fired their beams. The travelers’ beams ignited the Earthers’ missiles only moments after they cleared the enemy’s fighters, forcing the UE fighters to fly into masses of hot, expanding shrapnel, which tore their ships apart, adding to the hot balls of expanding gases and metal.
-33-
“Speaker García, we’ve lost all three fighters. The shuttle is undamaged and approaching the Haraken carrier,” Lumley reported.
“Where is Major Barbas?” García demanded. “Hail him, Captain.”
“Apologies, Speaker García, I thought you knew. Major Barbas led the fighters.”
“What?” García exclaimed and stood there in shock.
“There’s more bad news, Speaker García,” Lumley said into the silence. “The guide has registered the acceleration and velocity that the Haraken fighters achieved. There is no means by which we can evade them and exit the system. And you will have noticed their fighters outnumber ours four to one.”
“What are you saying, Captain?” García said, the shock of losing both his prime crony, Major Barbas, and the tremendous prize he coveted in the same moment was too much to allow him to process the captain’s words.
“I’m saying we’re dead, Speaker García,” Lumley replied flatly. “Your hubris has killed us all.”
The captain’s insult flared white hot in García’s mind, and his ego raged at the insubordination. But before he could retort, the comms officer interrupted, urgently signaling the captain.
“Put it on the monitor,” Captain Lumley ordered, and the angry face of President Racine appeared.
“I find it hard to accept that you people are what has become of humankind on Earth,” Alex declared. “Personally, I would forbid you to call yourselves human. You need a category of greater apes by which to be classified. But then again, that might be insulting the apes.”
The comms officer whispered to Captain Lumley and Speaker García that the signal was bouncing through the carrier, and two-way comm was possible without a time lag, which gave impetus to Speaker García’s anger and he drew breath to reply.
“Close your mouth, Speaker García,” Alex warned. “Listen carefully to what I have to say and you might live to see another day.”
García couldn’t resist the temptation to put his enemy in his place, but the words stuck in his throat when the majority of bridge officers rose from their seats and faced him with hands on sidearms.
“Captain Lumley,” Alex called out.
“Here, President Racine,” Lumley replied and stepped into the camera’s view.
“Captain, when I am finished, you will turn your ship around and leave the system on a reverse vector from your entrance,” Alex ordered. “Am I clear?”
“Yes, Mr. President, an opposite vector from our entrance.”
“You will proceed at maximum acceleration, Captain. After exiting the system, you will take whatever actions you need to enter FTL within two hours. Your final course must be for Earth. If you deviate from these instructions in any way, I will have your ship destroyed. Is that understood?”
“Most clearly, Mr. President. I will proceed as you have ordered, and I thank you for the lives of my crew.”
“Now, you, Ser, may speak,” Alex said pointing at Speaker García.
“Be careful, Speaker,” Lumley whispered to García, “or I will shoot you myself.”
Gaining control of his anger in the face of the ire of captain and crew, García glanced briefly at Captain Lumley, imagining the retribution he would bring down on the captain’s head once they regained Sol, before he replied. “President Racine,” García said graciously, “I regret we could not come to terms, but you must know that the final outcome is a foregone conclusion. The next UE expedition will not come to talk.”
“You haven’t done that anyway, Speaker García, but we will deal with those ships in our own way,” Alex replied. “I have a message for the UE Leader, Captain Lumley. Tell him, her, or them that our worlds are off limits to the UE until such time as you can practice civilized behavior. Now go, before I change my mind about destroying your ship.”
Captain Lumley ordered the ship on a return vector. He didn’t bother to specify the exact course as every bridge officer was convinced of the need to be precise. Navigation checked the coordinates twice and confirmed with the captain. The pilot confirmed with engineering that the engines were ready for maximum output, and the second mate ordered the crew to make emergency preparations for full acceleration. Within eight minutes, the ship was ready and the pilot executed navigation settings, pushing the engines to full power.
Speaker García left the bridge, retiring to his cabin, and fumed for the next two days, even refusing meals. When García finally emerged, his mantle of superiority was resumed, and the captain and his officers recognized their imminent danger. They had threatened the speaker with harm in order to maintain his silence in the face of President Racine’s message, and the speaker commanded the loyalty of the militia, who was angry enough at the loss of Major Barbas.
Once the Reunion entered FTL, a few bridge officers put their machinations into play. Zhang Shin was surreptitiously informed that the speaker was an admirer, but chose not to voice his desire due to the major’s infatuation with her. Once Zhang was convinced of the opportunity to garner a new protector, a note was left in her cabin, graciously inviting her to dinner for two in the speaker’s cabin.
That evening the captain’s mess delivered two specially prepared meals to García’s cabin with a note expressing the appreciation of Zhang Shin for an opportunity to talk with the speaker.
Both García and Zhang approached the dinner with an air of expectation for an eventful evening, which they did receive. Halfway through dinner, García began choking and died within minutes from a deadly poison lacing his food, which would be undetectable within hours.
When crew began pounding on the cabin door, responding to García’s emergency comm, Zhang knew she was set up and that no one would believe she hadn’t perpetrated this heinous act. Her opportunity to gain a new protector was lost, and her role as a UE collaborator would place her in a precarious position with the crew. The pounding ceased, which meant the crew was using an override signal to open the cabin door. Panicking, Zhang ran to the speaker’s desk and ransacked through the drawers, finding his sidearm.
The cabin door slid aside and the crew rushed in to the sound of a sidearm’s arc and sizzle and the smell of Zhang Shin’s burning flesh.
* * *
Alex’s first act when Miko informed him that the shuttle carrying the UE scientists was approaching the Haraken carrier under Cordelia’s control was to call Terese.
Alex replied with a short vid of Terese’s red hair in flames. In return, Terese displayed her head crowned in shimmering fire.
Terese laughed at the thought, hastily packing a bag, and raced through the corridors to her waiting shuttle.
* * *
Chief
medical officer Darrin Hesterly, a former New Terran TSF surgeon who immigrated to Haraken seven years ago, received Terese’s list of instructions and a transfer of the entire procedure onboard the Rêveur during the capture of the first silver ship.
Darrin lost his wife and child in a horrible accident on the winter slopes of the Corona Mountains. A year later, battling depression, Darrin came to the conclusion that without a major change in his life, he would soon be dead by his own hand. One early morning, he resigned his commission in the Terran Security Forces and submitted an application for immigration to Haraken. It required two years of training to become competent in Méridien medical techniques, but with his skills and experience he soon became a valuable asset to the Haraken military forces. Much of his introduction to Méridien medicine came at the hands of Terese, and she did more than anyone to give him a new outlook on life.
At one point, early in his training, Darrin was asked to analyze a severely injured accident victim and suggest a procedure. Terese laughed at his unlikely suggestion, saying, “Ser, it is advisable to save the patient when practicing our medical techniques. The family would be most appreciative.”
Darrin was flabbergasted when Terese explained the likely outcome of his choice of treatment. That she explained his error with a smile and a laugh stunned him. “How can you keep your sense of humor in light of what would have been a tragic mistake at my hand?” Darrin asked.
“When you have slept for seventy years and been woken to find everything you know has passed you by, you have two choices: embrace your new life or give up on it,” Terese replied. “In my case, I was fortunate enough to have a reason to embrace life … a huge reason.”
When Darrin inquired as to her reason, Terese said, “That would be our president, Ser. He represents one of the biggest reasons I know.” Then she let loose one of the longest and heartiest laughs he had heard in a while.
* * *
Wombo and his associates sat in their shuttle for several hours, doing little else but discussing the possible ramifications of having defected to an unknown civilization. It was the general consensus of the group that whatever was to happen, it was preferable to remaining with the UE.
The shuttle’s comm monitor emitted a triple tone, and Olawale hurried to the cockpit with Yoram and Priita right behind him. Onscreen appeared the young miss they first saw when they were contacted by the carrier and a man who was as massive as President Racine.
“Good day, young miss,” Olawale said.
“You may call me Cordelia, Administrator Wombo. This is Chief Medical Officer Darrin Hesterly.”
“And good day to you, Doctor Hesterly,” Olawale replied. “These are my compatriots, Yoram Penzig and Priita Ranta. If it pleases you, Cordelia, I am no longer a member of United Earth, and I would prefer that the term ‘administrator’ never be applied to my name again.”
“Then I am pleased to greet you, Ser Wombo,” Cordelia said and gave him a beatific smile.
“Wonderfully appearing people,” Priita whispered into Yoram’s ear, who nodded his agreement.
“Ser Wombo, we have a plan to bring you aboard, but it will require the cooperation of all of you,” Hesterly said.
“While there is no reason to trust us, Doctor Hesterly, you have our word that we are unarmed, and this shuttle has no weapons,” Priita said.
“The danger that we are concerned about is medical,” Hesterly replied.
“But, Sir, we have already met your people,” Priita added.
“Yes, you did, Ser Ranta,” Hesterly replied. “We have no concerns on our behalf, but we must protect your people. Your first encounter would have been managed by medical nanites, predicated on New Terran physiology … that would be my physiology, Sers.”
“May I ask how you introduced these medical nanites, Sir … Ser?” Olawale asked.
“According to Ser Terese Lechaux, who is our premier authority on both Méridien and New Terran physiology, the nanites were introduced into your bodies as you passed through the Le Jardin airlock for the first time and again when our people boarded your explorer vessel … aerosol delivery, Sers.”
“Doctor Hesterly, would you say that the pain reduction in my arthritic knees was due to these medical nanites?” Olawale asked.
“Yes, Ser Wombo, that’s their primary purpose,” Hesterly replied.
“But the pain has been returning,” Olawale said.
“Yes, Ser. The medical nanites were timed to cease their activity and exit the body as waste after twenty days.”
“So we would receive new injections of these medical nanites?” Yoram asked.
“Negative, Ser Penzig,” Hesterly replied, noting the crestfallen faces on his vid screen. One step at a time, my friends, he thought. You have so much to learn. “We will be replacing the medical nanites with what we refer to as cell-gen injection, which will be augmented on a yearly basis after the first injection. But these nanites must be programmed to suit your UE physiology.”
While the UE scientists were absorbing that information, they witnessed Cordelia step into the background and Hesterly partially turned his head in her direction. The two remained in that state for several moments before Hesterly resumed conversation with them.
“They were conversing without speech, Yoram. Did you notice?” Priita whispered, and Yoram’s balding pate bobbed in response.
“When would all this begin, Ser?” Olawale asked. In response, the scientists felt their shuttle shudder and slip sideways. “I take it the procedures are beginning now.” On their shuttle’s monitor, Darrin Hesterly’s smile was their reply.
The UE shuttle was drawn into the carrier by the bay’s beams. Once the bay was pressurized, an environment-suited support specialist joined the scientists and used a laser tool to take their measurements. The scientists consumed their shuttle’s water and packaged food meals while they waited, surprised that within hours two specialists returned with environment suits for each of them.
Ensconced in their suits, the scientists were led to the carrier’s medical bay, which had been readied for them. Medically isolated, it allowed the Earthers to strip off their environment suits and don medical wraps. Soon after the scientists settled in, Olawale’s associates were able to partake of their first Haraken meal and were still raving about the food when Terese and Hesterly entered wearing environment suits to conduct medical tests that would initiate the cell-gen programming.
Peppered with questions from the scientists, Terese and Darrin skillfully evaded answering until Terese decided to put an end to their guests’ growing frustration.
“Sers, I understand you are curious about us and our society, but we have questions for you.”
“We are happy to answer any questions you have, Ser Lechaux,” Olawale replied.
“And we appreciate your openness, Ser Wombo. The person who will be asking the questions will be here soon. You met him aboard the Le Jardin station. He’s Haraken’s president, Ser Alex Racine.”
* * *
The scientists waited alone in a conference room aboard the No Retreat. They had received their newly programmed cell-gen injections and were attired in comfortable Haraken ship suits. Nema and Priita were in love with the softness and the manner in which the material accommodated their movements. “If only my figure displayed this suit as admirably as the crew is able to do,” Nema confided to Priita.
Olawale rose and the others imitated him as six individuals entered their conference room. He recognized President Racine, Ser Tachenko, Ser Julien, and two individuals he saw at Le Jardin but who never mixed with his people. Also accompanying them was Cordelia.
“Good day, President Racine,” Olawale said, nodding his head. “Is there a proper way to greet someone in your position?”
Alex smiled and extended his hand. Olawale smiled in returned, and the two men shook hands, establishing the first honest Haraken-Earther relationship. Olawale introduced his scientist friends, and, in turn, Alex introduced Admiral Tache
nko, Julien, Cordelia, and the twins, Étienne and Alain.
“Please take a seat, Sers,” Alex instructed. “I have several questions for you before we take any steps with regard to your immigration.”
Olawale’s friends didn’t miss the small points of the introductions. Tatia Tachenko was wearing an admiral’s uniform. The twins only nodded when introduced and remained standing, occupying protective positions behind their charges, eyes constantly scanning the room. The façade of the amicable voyagers Olawale first described to them was absent. From their viewpoint, Julien and Cordelia appeared to be members of the president’s party, but their use of single names without an honorific was another small mystery to solve among the many great unknowns.
Julien and Cordelia were prepared to monitor the conversation, but it would require only a minimum of their crystal powers. The remainder of their capacity was involved in a twining — a mental merging that only the SADEs and one human pair could manage. Cordelia immersed the two of them in her art, but it bore little resemblance to a human’s concept of pleasure. Using imagery collected through the ages, Cordelia traveled the stars with Julien — shooting through galaxies, diving through a red giant star, swirling down into the pinpoint that was the bottom of a black hole, and riding the quasar’s stream back out. Music accompanied the pair as they made their voyages, and Julien shared his pleasure with Cordelia.
“May I ask, President Racine, what has become of our two ships?” Olawale asked.
“We’ve ordered the Reunion back to Earth, Ser Wombo. The Hand of Justice exited the Méridien system for New Terra, my home world. High Judge Bunaldi would have encountered two Haraken ships, both of which are fighter-carriers. In those circumstances, what would the high judge do?” Alex asked.
“The high judge is a man of conviction, Mr. President,” Yoram said, “and he would particularly dislike anyone challenging his authority.”
“So, he wouldn’t choose to retreat?” Tatia asked.
“It sounds as if your forces would not appear overwhelming, Admiral,” Edward volunteered. “In which case, I imagine the high judge would endeavor to prove his battleship’s superiority.”