Saurians

by Timothy Manley

  “When do we go?”

  “Whenever,” Kaliif grabbed the comm link. “Commander, prepare three scouts for shift. I'll be in one and Kaliif in the other. Pick Rilgiff to be in the third.”

  “Yes, Reegarf,” the voice spoke back immediately.

  “Reegarf they call you. That powerful already?”

  “I was that powerful before we ran.” Rigaar stood and walked out of the communications room, Kaliif followed.

  “You're a good one to die with, Rig,” Kaliif whispered as they rounded the corner and entered the elevator.

  Rigaar looked to the older reggf. He saw the scars, the drooping left eye, the chipped ear. The reggf was old, but he was the best. He said it with his eyes, and Kaliif nodded.

  “You always talk too much, pirate,” Rigaar said. They rode in silence, the air of escape hovering around them. The lift stopped and the doors opened onto the flight deck. Standing before them was a younger reggf, old enough to have fought in the wars, but young enough to still have the energy of non-direction. Rigaar had known the father of Rilgiff. The younger one worked to become as his father.

  Rigaar looked across the bay to the group of six scout ships. His body ached to sit in the cockpit. He wanted to dive through the heat barrier of Rankin and fly through the cliffs. He yearned to see a horizon that wasn't computer generated. He glanced over at Kaliif and could see the same yearnings in his friend's eyes.

  The three of them walked to the small ships without a word. They climbed into the cabins and pressurized it, powering up. They rode the elevator down to the launch level and turned to face the huge closed doors. Alarms sounded and faded as the air was evacuated from the chamber. The screw doors wound open and let the blackness in, sparkled with a backdrop of the tears of Ever Haven. Rigaar pressed the control stud and grabbed the stick, edging his craft out past the other two.

  They thrust toward the brightest star and then engaged the shift engines. The stars stretched until the white lines crossed through his vision and swirled into a single point that fell into blackness. The emptiness was enormous. A blackness so absolute that the glow of the control panel lights softened the eerie silence. Rigaar knew that at that moment he did not exist and yet existed at every point within a four light year radius. A point of light appeared before his eyes. Space had no depth. It could have been a centimeter or a thousand light years. The white light grew until it filled his very existence and then winked into normal space. He existed once again. He looked around and could see the other two.

  “I've got a ship on scan, Rig,” Kaliif's voice spilled through space carried on a tachyon beam. Rigaar turned his attention to his sensor scope and adjusted so he could see the ship clearly.

  “They've scanned us,” Rilgiff said.

  “Should we power down?”

  “No,” Rigaar said. “Engage gravity wells. They should know we are here.”

  “Now is a good time to see if they have tachyons,” Kaliif said. Rigaar could hear his smile.

  “Do it,” Rigaar grinned. “I'll wager they don't.”

  Kaliif aimed the beam at the approaching ship and sent the message. They waited. The ship headed towards them at a rapid speed, but no response.

  “You win, Rig.” Kaliif's voice seemed ecstatic. Rigaar noticed he was feeling the same.

  “Do it, Reegarf,” Kaliif said.

  Rigaar triggered the translator and sent a radio message. They waited.

  “We receive you. Go ahead.” The sapien's voice came across clearly. Its strange intonations the same as the broadcasts Rigaar had studied. He triggered his mike.

  “Human,” he said and heard the translator alter the sounds almost as fast as he said them, “we are allies.”

  “Understood.” The sapien's voice came back.

  Rigaar grinned, he looked to his starboard and could barely see Kaliif's ship. He wanted to know the expression when the joke was out. A joke from the Sapien's themselves.

  “Take me to your leader.” Rigaar clicked off the mike before he laughed, knowing that the sapiens would take it deadly serious. The circumstance and the stress overcame him. His body heaved with laughter.

  “Hold your position,” the sapien's voice came again. “Our representative is on the way.”

  “Rig,” Kaliif's voice snapped, a heavy edge to it.

  “I see it,” he couldn't believe it. The ship was gigantic. He had only seen reports of a Saurian ship nearing that size and that one of their famed battle cruisers.

  “How big are these sapiens, anyway?” Rilgiff's voice echoed across the tachyon channel.

  “Rill,” Rigaar ordered, “give yourself a heavy fall and then power down. Set course for shift in case they go on us.”

  “Yes, Reegarf.”

  “Don't shift directly back to the group,” Kaliif said. “Go deep space and then back.”

  “Yes, Commander.” Rilgiff engaged the reverse gravity well and his ship went dark, silently falling toward the crystal blue planet that gleamed as a large star in the distance.

  “This is the Earth ship, Exeter. We are here to meet you after your long journey.” The sapien voice crackled in over the high power radio frequencies. “Please respond.”

  “Yes, human,” the translator's voice echoed Rigaar's own, “we can understand you. We wish to meet with you. I am representative of the Reggf people.”

  “You're doing very well, Rig.” Kaliif's grin could be heard over the tachyon link.

  “Shut up, Kal.”

  “Please thrust toward us on an interception course.” The sapien voice continued. “We can match your course and velocity. Your ship is small enough to fit within our boat bay. We must know what environmental requirements you have.”

  “Kal,” Rigaar triggered the tachyon channel, “what is it in sapien?”

  “How should I know, you watched all the broadcasts.”

  “Cha.” Rigaar spat and changed the communicator's channel back to radio. “Human, we will enter your ship and determine the safety of your environment for ourselves. We cannot translate our needs.”

  “Understood.”

  “What do you think they'll look like,” the young ensign asked as the captain stood, stretching his back after leaning over the communication's panel.

  “Maybe they're green with antennae, sir,” the petty officer radioman said with a grin.

  “Tell the boat bay to prepare to receive the aliens.” Captain Hobson, a greying man with thick sideburns and a heavy mustache, stood dwarfed by the younger men around him. He looked to the four giant screens that dominated part of the oval shaped room. They showed graphic representation of their surrounding environment. He looked at the two numbers moving closer to their ship, crossing the orbital line, and a third shaded number moving back.

  “Aye, sir.”

  “Message sent back to base, sir,” a younger man said, walking in, wearing gold cloverleaf on his collar. “It will be some time before they arrive.

  “In the meantime, Commander,” Hobson walked back to the large chair set near the aft end of the oval and sat down, “we will entertain our guests.”

  Her name was Asia. Her crew was a mix of peoples, evenly divided by all the ethnic variants of the world. Her commander was Admiral Nelson, an American. She was the largest single vessel ever built by mankind, stretching up to five kilometers in length. At her base she was three kilometers wide, narrowing to a mere one hundred meters at her bow. She was a full kilometer thick. Out of her aft shot three gigantic columns, each a pulse engine, null field coil and antimatter reactor. With all three in maximum thrust they could push the ship up to an acceleration curve of two point three C, topping off at a cruising speed of one hundred fifty thousand C.

  She was science fiction herself. The engineers gathered and created a dream ship. Asia was born. Plans were laid for nine others, three already under construction. The warships were expected to be able to destroy planets, a fact the designers did not advertise.

  Below the orbit of Asia
things had changed drastically in fifty years. Instead of the United Nations there was the Earth Union, whose offices floated in orbit above the planet she administered. It was the Union that engineered the building of the Space Force.

  Many complained of the Union’s domination by the Americans. It was, to an extent, but not wholly. The number of votes each nation had was determined by the economic level of that nation. The Union definitely represented the needs of the few. But the remaining nations joined for the incentives if not for the representation, unlimited power to every member nation, Union schools built in major cities with free and automatic education to all allowing any who pass the admissions entry into the Space Academy.

  For the first time in Human history no war was fought on the planet. All militaries were destroyed, member or not. It was an enforced peace that few argued with.

  The most devastating restriction of the Union, some say the saving grace, were the dues, set in stone fifty years earlier at the its inception. It had become a permanent budget feature of every member.

  The message came in. A tight tachyon beam that carried the scrambled code: “the aliens have come.”

  Admiral Carson's ship received the Union Council Leaders aboard Asia and thrust out of orbit, accelerating at point three C.

  The giant ship blotted out the system's sun, even at this distance a bright, giant star.

  “You have your kinetic screen, Rig?” Kaliif asked, not expecting an answer.

  The ship slowed to a stop. A portion of its black belly opened. Bright light streamed out, glowing in the darkness. Kaliif engaged his wells and fell toward the gleaming maw. As they approached it they began to appreciate its size. They disengaged their wells, after an aft fall to slow their progression, and continued in on thrusters.

  The small craft coasted into the bay of the starship. Kaliif stared in awe as he saw a stretch of window circling the bay. In them crowded the strange, flat faced, sapiens. Their ugliness fascinated him. How could they smell?

  The bay door closed beneath them and Rigaar felt gravity return. It stopped at a little over one and a half times normal. He checked the sensors. The atmosphere showed a Nitrogen - Oxygen mix. Too much of both at about double the normal pressure.

  “Think it'll fry us, Rig?” Kaliif's voice popped across the tachyon channel.

  Rigaar looked over at the cockpit and the helmeted Kaliif. The sapiens were starting to come into the bay. They were very tall, taller than their broadcasts had made them seem to be. They weren't nearly as big as the saurians. They seemed vulnerable as they walked, too easy, too much like prey. His fear of them began to subside. He slowly equalized his cabin with the ambient atmosphere.

  “Let's go, Kal,” Rigaar opened his canopy. “History awaits.” The crowds of sapiens jumped back. Kaliif smiled. He dropped from his craft, followed by Rigaar, both still wearing their flight suits and helmets. The gravity weighed on them both, making them weak. Kaliif looked at them. He knew that, although they didn't look it, the sapiens would be strong. He didn't care. They had the teeth of an herbivore.

  “Welcome,” one of the sapiens said.

  Rigaar could tell this one was male. Its mane was white and thin and it carried itself with authority.

  “Hunan,” Rigaar touched his throat, switching his internal mike to speaker, “I an Rigaar, retresentatith oth the Council oth Law. I dring you word thron our teotle.”

  “We are in route to meet with the leaders of our government,” the sapien said. “It will not be very long. We have a lounge in which you may wait.”

  “That will de accetadle,” Rigaar said, wincing at the sound of his words.

  “At least they don't was to eat us,” Kaliif smiled, his voice coming across the tachyon link.

  The sapien motioned with his fat, hairless hand and they followed.

  “Rilgiff,” Rigaar touched his throat again, changing channels, “give status.”

  “The ship is moving at point 1 C. I see a gigantic vessel heading toward you. It's even bigger than Haven was.”

  “Record this transmission. If it stops shift back.”

  “Understood, Reegarf. My position seems safe for the moment.”

  “You shouldn't obviously use the communicator, Rig,” Kaliif's voice penetrated into his ear

  “The sapien's cannot hear me. I will take that risk.”

  “We have a waiting area, if you could follow me, please?” The sapien held out his hand and bared his teeth. Rigaar and Kaliif stepped forward and followed the group of sapiens before them.

  Sky spread everywhere, almost completely white. Spots of whiter clouds flew past. A breeze picked up, swaying the tall green grass. Kalkar watched the ocean of green dance in the wind. He missed his home. He raised a lip and sniffed the air. The scent was still there. Kalkar adjusted the mike next to his mouth and said one word. His beamer rifle hung slung casually across his shoulders. It was too casual. The forced relaxation threatened to burst out and cause him to explode. His ears twitched, slightly.

  Kalkar didn't see the movement, it was too slight. These creatures were good. He dropped his hand to the grip and pressed the trigger stud. A beam of intense blue erupted from the end of the weapon with a deafening roar, the tearing of air. He swung it across the grass. Everywhere the beam touched superheated and then exploded. Kalkar thought he heard shrieks wail under the roar of his weapon.

  Puffs of smoke appeared off in the distance. Kalkar dropped, a slug hit his chest and imbedded itself into his armor. He aimed down his legs and fired again. The smoke and fire began to grow.

  Kalkar stood and began running in a low crouch. He smelled the rest of his team moving upwind.

  “Potential hostiles moving into your sector. Possibly attempting to flank me.”

  “Understood, Leader,” the voice answered back.

  Kalkar stopped. He almost heard movement. Instead of waiting he swung his rifle quickly, hitting the ground ten meters away. The dirt and grass erupted, sending flying debris into the air. He began to run, holding his beamer on the area until the battery power registered yellow. He then dropped and waited, the sound of flames growing around him. His right hand dropped to his belt, disconnecting the cord that ran from the grip of his rifle to a box at his waist. He moved the cord to another box and plugged it in. The charge on his weapon glowed white.

  The screech of his team's beamers came to him. He heard the rupturing ground move closer to him. They were flushing. He lifted his weapon and waited.

  He was not prepared for the sight that met his gaze. Out of the smoke ran three small creatures. They stood no more than a meter tall. Their fur was heavy and black. They wore no clothing, except belts and tools taken from the Empire's dead. His eyes locked with theirs. He saw burning intelligence. He felt related in some way. They, too, were fighting for their home, as his people had done. His people had lost and were in a better place for it. Kalkar pressed the trigger stud as the three levelled their weapons. He drew the howling beam across their bodies. They popped with a deep sound and a bursting of heavy red blood. Their blackened internal organs and deep yellow intestines spread across the tall grass.

  “Cease fire,” Kalkar said into his microphone. “Pull back. We'll burn the whole area.”

  Kaliif sniffed at the tiny bowl. The scent was strong and heavy. It was unusual in its color, like black water. The sapiens handed him cubes of white crystal and a glass bowl filled with a heavy white liquid.

  “Do you think it's safe?” he asked Rigaar.

  “The old one said it was the best.”

  “The best what?” Kaliif looked up across the table. There were three sapiens baring their teeth at him, two male and one female. Kaliif raised his lip. Waves of shock swarmed across the sapien's faces, except one. His skin was of a darker tint, and his eyes narrower. He wore what they recognized as human uniforms, his sense of internal power was great. Kaliif knew this one had won many duels and held much power, possibly as a Reegarf.

  “Don't do that,” R
igaar snapped.

  “They are.”

  “They are glad. It's not a challenge.”

  Kaliif looked away and back to the small bowl. He held it to his lips. The steam danced across the surface of the liquid. He put the edge of the bowl to the side of his mouth and sucked a drink. He almost dropped the bowl, his lips and tongue scalded.

  Anger swelled in him. He carefully set the bowl back onto the table and stared at the sapiens across from him. They were sipping the same liquid. Had they no nerve endings left in their mouths?

  A bolt of adrenaline shot through his spine. His strength rose until he felt he could rip open the table with his teeth. He felt incredible. The small pain in his left shoulder that was always with him had gone, his aching knees ceased to moan and his headache that had come on due to the high pressure left. Yet he also felt clear. His mind was sharper, his perception heightened. This had to be the greatest drug ever.

  “Rig,” Kaliif touched the arm of his friend, “drink it.”

  “I don't want it.”

  “Quit being a cusp and drink it.” Kaliif put the bowl in Rigaar's hand.

  Rigaar put the bowl to his lips and sipped deeply. He shook his head and pushed the bowl away, almost toppling it.

  “Cha,” he snarled, his lips scorched.

  “Wait for it,” Kaliif grinned.

  The adrenaline shock hit Rigaar just as it had come in Kaliif. The pain went away and was replaced with waves of pleasure washing over his body. Even this could remove the Lust.

  “Gentlemen,” the older female spoke. “Let us begin the discussions. I present to you Admiral Walker and Admiral Matsuotso Commander In Chief of the Earth Union Space Forces. And I,” she touched her chest, “am Prime Minister Iniki.”

  “I concur,” Rigaar spoke into the mike next to his mouth, his words echoed through the translator setting on the table. He took another sip as the machine worked. “Let us begin our time of meeting.”

  “We have known about your arrival for almost five decades. Yet we know nothing about you, nor why you chose us,” Iniki said.