by J W Murison
‘Might do, then again I might not.’
‘You mean it is not your decision to make.’
‘Exactly,’ Charlie put his hand to his ear as though he were listening to something. ‘The Ambassador says that if you cooperate fully, then he will be more than happy to drop you off in your own star system.’
‘He is watching this?’
‘He is.’
‘In that case Charlie, I will tell you the story of my people. We first discovered that there was life on other planets when our domestic livestock, and those who dwelt above ground, all died overnight. You see our race, when we were primitives, lived underground in burrows. Our sun is quite harsh. We live closer to our sun than most life seems to. As such the conditions can be very hard. We live underground by choice.
‘On the surface lived the great herds and the herders. The crops that made-up part of our staple diet also grew above ground, in the more temperate regions of our planet. Over many thousands of years, these regions had been fought over. One great king united us all, and shared out the bounty. Our people thrived, our cities were underground wonders. We had rivers, lakes, seas, all underground. Yet we had never looked to the stars.’
‘You were an advanced race?’ Charlie asked.
‘We had never taken to the skies, but our underground networks were extensive; fast. There was industry, transportation. Our whole world was connected.’
‘Ruled by one king.’
‘No, the great king and his descendants were long gone. A ruling body, elected politicians from all regions. The invaders came and poisoned the great herds, and those that tended them. A few weeks later they landed and began to terraform our planet. They poisoned the crops we grew and planted grass. They must have thought that they had killed all of us. You can imagine their surprise when we leapt from the ground and stormed their ships. Very few got away.
‘We quickly learned to fly the ships, and took to the stars in pursuit. Three times they sent Ambassadors to negotiate peace. Three times they betrayed us. They bombed our planet, they collapsed the roofs over many of our great cities. By then over half our population had starved to death anyway. The fish in our underground seas could not feed all. But we found a different source of protein; the meat from the bones of our enemy. Some of them are quite tasty. We are especially fond of Goodwill Ambassadors.
‘Our people now occupy three different star systems. We still live underground. Most of our technology is stolen from our enemies. We have very little capacity these days for manufacture, although we still do.’
‘Aye, and now you have a little thing going with other meat eating races.’
‘Few have survived the purge by the grass eaters, which begs me to question why you as a race have survived. Tell me a little about your people before you toss me out of the airlock.’
‘We are from across what you call the great barrier.’
Morval gave a small bark of surprise, ‘So that is why you have survived.’
‘It isn’t quite as easy as that. A race from this side discovered our solar system and its resources. A race called the Albany. They abducted some of our people and developed a serum that would allow them to survive on our side of the barrier. Long story short, we wiped them out. We made friends with a race called the Modloch along the way. They helped with our bid to join the federation.’
‘I’m not very big on galactic politics, but I get where you’re coming from. The Albany are actually quite tasty. Never ate a Modloch though. My father did, he said they were a bit tough, hard to digest.’
‘You actually eat them?’
‘You don’t quite get it. We hunt them down, enslave them, and breed them as domestic livestock. They slaughtered all of ours in one night. We have no other source of food. On our home planet there are fish, but that’s about it. The other two solar systems we inhabit have no planets that reside in the sweet zone. We live in caves on planetoids and within asteroids. Oxygen generators from old space ships keep us alive, and our captives keep us fed. Talking about food, do I get a last meal?’
Charlie smiled, ‘Someone is going to fetch some food down for you right now. The Ambassador asks where would you like to be dropped off.’
‘I can’t take you to where I stay.’
Charlie pretended to listen for a moment. ‘No need for that. We are going to put you back into that pod and kick your arse out the door. We aren’t interested in finding out where you come from, or where you are going. Just give us coordinates of somewhere you are bound to be found.’
‘Sounds fair to me.’ Morval reeled off a list of coordinates.
Charlie nodded to himself. ‘It is going to take us a week to get there, but the Ambassador is setting course now.’
Morval snorted, ‘A week? Your ship must be fast. It took us a month to get here.’
‘It is.’
The door opened and Lewis stepped in with a large tray of food. He was wearing a thin vest and his muscles rippled under his ebony skin. Morval reeled back at the sight of him and tumbled back into the escape pod.
Lewis looked down into the pod, ‘You okay there?’
‘I’m fine.’ Morval insisted.
Lewis offered a massive hand. A nervous Morval reached up and took it. Lewis pulled him up and then offered him the tray.
‘Don you worry none if you can’t eat it all. We will find something else for you.’
Morval inclined his head. ‘Thank you for the food.’ He watched, fascinated, as Lewis walked away. When the door closed, he turned to Charlie, ‘Are you not of the same race?’
‘My planet is made up of many different races and colours. Collectively we are known as Humans.’
‘I don’t know much about other races, but that’s quite unusual, isn’t it?’
‘So we are beginning to find out.’
‘So why isn’t he the interrogator? Is he the cook?’
‘Lewis is our armourer; he was just helping out.’
‘I have never seen anyone with such a physique. Is he a warrior?’
‘Yes, a very good and able warrior.’
Morval leaned forward and lowered his voice, ‘If I saw him coming at me, I would shoot him first.’
Charlie laughed, ‘He has had that problem in the past.’
Morval barked his own type of laugh, then turned his attention to the food.
He picked up a chunk of loaf. ‘Is this bread?’
‘It is. Can you eat it?’
‘We have pictures of it, I have never tasted it.’
‘Try dipping it in the soup. That’s what I do.’
Charlie found it quite fascinating watching his captive eat. He tasted this, tasted that. Dipped the bread until the liquid was gone from the soup and then tipped the bowl into his mouth. The ribs on his plate were consumed whole; powerful jaws crunched through them. Charlie’s biggest surprise came when Morval was finished the meal. He began to weep. Tears streamed from his eyes and fluid from his muzzle.
He pulled a rag from a pocket and wiped himself clean. ‘I am sorry about that.’
‘Are you alright?’
‘I just realised this must have been what food tasted like before our planet was invaded. It is the finest meal I have ever tasted in my life. Thank you for that.’
Charlie stood. ‘My presence is required elsewhere. I will be back.’
Chapter 18
Komoru, Steven, Colonel Howe and Charlie held a private conference.
‘Was he being truthful about everything Charlie?’
‘Aye, completely honest. As far as he was concerned, he wasn’t telling us anything that wasn’t common knowledge.’
Howe frowned but before he could open his mouth Charlie answered the question that was on his mind, ‘Yes I do know for sure. Because I read his mind. Yes, no, no, yes that’s why Steven always has me hanging around. No it isn’t because he trusts me more than he does you. Really! You are that insecure?’
‘Enough!’ Howe shouted. ‘Holy shit, what the
hell are you?’
‘Yes I can switch it off and on, no I don’t go about reading people’s minds. Would you really want to hear the shit that goes through people’s minds every minute of the day?’
‘Okay Charlie, enough.’ Steven was waiting for a reaction from Howe.
Howe’s jaw was hanging slack, he waggled a finger, ‘I thought he was just good at body language.’
‘This is of the utmost secrecy Colonel.’ Steven replied.
‘Does the President know, do our intelligence services know?’
Charlie growled, ‘No, and they had damn well better never find out Colonel. I shit you not, if…’
‘Charlie,’ Steven snapped.
Howe glared at Charlie.
‘What!’ Charlie responded.
‘You’re out of my head now?’
‘Of course I am.’
Howe sat back and ran his fingers through his hair. ‘This makes so much sense now. Oh wow!’ He turned his attention back to Steven. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t say anything. I’m just a little stunned. Hell, I wish I had known sooner.’
Steven smiled, ‘You are now a part of the select few that do know Colonel.’
‘Right, okay. But what should we do about this guy?’
Steven turned to Charlie, ‘Are we at risk from this Morval?’
‘No I don’t think so. He wants to go home and tell his brass about us. It was the meal more than anything else. It was genuinely the best meal he has ever had in his life. I don’t think he would attack any of us. He is scared shitless of Lewis and me.’
‘That’s because of your abnormal strength Charlie.’ Howe interrupted. ‘He must believe we are all as strong and Lewis, being bigger, is much stronger.’
‘That’s exactly it.’
Howe turned back to Steven, ‘But what is on your mind sir? There has to be a reason behind this.’
Steven mulled it over, ‘While we were at the palace, it became apparent that there was more than one train of thought regarding the meat eating races on this side of the great barrier. Those that have survived, like the Ortea, are a complete pain in the backside to the federation. Since our arrival there is a new train of thought. As you have heard, the Ortea eat their captives. All knew that. What no one seems to know is that the captives aren’t slaughtered on the spot. According to our captive, they are enslaved and put into breeding pairs, in much the way we treat domestic livestock at home.’
‘They are eating the children,’ Komoru interjected.
‘Basically,’ Steven agreed.
‘That is so barbaric.’
‘You think genocide isn’t?’ Charlie asked.
Komoru’s mouth dropped open, ‘That’s not what I meant Charlie, but what are they feeding these people?’
‘Seaweed. I picked it up out of his mind as he was talking.’
‘Of course, they have underground seas.’
‘They don’t like the taste, but it is more nutritious than grass. Seemingly they thrive on it.’
‘Now that is interesting.’
‘That is interesting,’ Steven agreed. ‘We are however getting off topic. Some of the races want us to provide ground troops to wipe them out. The other races are too frightened. Colonel, what are your thoughts on that?’
‘I would say that is an option that we have to put off until we are at least full members of the federation. We certainly didn’t know about vast underground cities and underground network links through the entire planet. Charlie, did you pick up anything else out of his mind about these cities?’
‘I was able to pluck few pictures from his mind. I think old images of what they were once like and what they are like now. He has certainly visited some of them. They were once very grand. On some levels, they are certainly more advanced than we are, or were at our first contact. There are a few that are still amazing, but many are little more than ruins now. I think they are really struggling to keep it all together. Population wise, I think we are talking about population in the billions still, but that’s spread across three solar systems, and their slaves. The cities are now very deep underground. Thermal energy powers them. They also have some kind of shielding to prevent surface ships detecting them.’
Howe nodded, ‘Logistically, strategically, it would be a nightmare sir. Do you think poison would work Charlie?’
Charlie shook his head, ‘Not a chance. It was the first thing used against their people and is their first line of defence, I read that much out of his mind. I also caught snippets of their other defences. There is now no main entrance to any of their cities. They have all been blocked off and access is by secret tunnels that only a few know about. The image I got was that they link to sidelines, that link to minor stations through which you can then gain access to mainstream stations. It is all protected by codes. You need to know the code to start the engine and the code for the station you are going to, which is a security station that checks your identity when you get there. The tunnels are also lined with explosives. Personally, I think you would have to locate a city and then bore a hole hundreds of feet straight down to gain access.’
Howe was shaking his head, ‘It isn’t any wonder these people haven’t been wiped out. They must have a lot of slaves though. How have they been able to capture so many people?’
‘I can answer that question Colonel.’ Babes interrupted. ‘When the first terra-formers landed on the surface of their planet, there were thousands of them. Technology wasn’t as advanced then as it is today. It is said by the few survivors that the Ortea were somehow able to get between them and their ships and capture thousands. Since then the Ortea have been able to capture many thousands of galactic citizens. They are what you would call modern day space pirates, but instead of loot they abduct people.’
‘I think it is an impossible task sir,’ Howe concluded.
‘There is another option, one that is beginning to take form as we speak. There is word going around the leadership of the galactic federation that it may be possible for Humanity to restock the livestock of some of these races like the Ortea, and gain some form of peace.’
‘You mean meat eating races that have been tenacious, and refuse to die out sir?’
‘Pretty much Colonel. The argument against is that if we do that, then they could become even stronger and begin to lash out at those races that have hurt them in the past.’
Komoru’s worries were a little different. ‘I think the major problem we face at the moment is that, if we submit a report on this first contact like we should do, as the articles declare we should do, then we risk compromising this mission.’
‘That’s a good point,’ Steven agreed.
‘Who is going to tell them?’ Charlie asked. ‘Do you think the Ortea are going to call up the federation and tell them about this? The chances are, if the Ortea get in touch with the federation asking for a Goodwill Ambassador from Humanity to visit; the federation will think it’s because they have heard of a meat eating race joining the federation. I doubt if the Ortea would give away anything else.’
Komoru and Steven exchanged looks and thoughts. ‘I probably agree with you on principle Charlie, but we will never really know.’ Komoru summarised for them both.
‘You were the ones who rolled the dice. Either have the courage to go with it and see where they fall, or toss him out an airlock. Either way don’t prolong it. He is sitting down there right now terrified he is going to die any second.’
Steven took a deep breath. ‘Let’s do it Komoru, let’s meet him.’
She reached out and squeezed his hand. ‘Is there anything else that creature is thinking that we should know Charlie?’
Charlie thought it over before speaking. ‘Hope. Hope for his people, and hope for his children.’
Chapter 19
Morval handed his knife over to the black-skinned giant without argument.
He had appeared in full uniform. ‘You going to see the Ambassadors now. I need to take you weapon.’
; The giant had tucked it inside his tunic out of reach. The door had been opened and Morval followed the Human through a few corridors to another room.
He felt a great sense of relief when he saw the white-robed Ambassadors and their guard standing beside them. He looked around for Charlie, but there was no sign of him.
Steven spoke first. ‘Morval is it?’
Morval decided to observe as much protocol as he knew and swept down onto one knee and bowed his head. He slammed a fist into his chest. ‘Yes Ambassador.’
‘Please stand up Morval. Come over here and take a seat.’
‘It is improper sir.’
‘This an informal meeting Morval. Can you guess why?’
Morval rose to his feet and stood behind the chair. It was something he had given much thought to. ‘Because you aren’t supposed to be here.’
‘That’s right, this is a secret mission.’
‘So rescuing me has compromised that?’
‘Of course it has.’
‘Then why not just kill me?’
‘It is an option, but one we are not considering at the moment. Please sit.’
Morval sat down.
‘Please tell me a little about yourself.’
‘I am, I was the second mate on the freighter that was destroyed. We were running guns to other meat eating races.’
Steven held up his hand, ‘I know all that, tell me about yourself.’
Morval blinked in surprise. ‘Well, I was born to a litter of eight. I am the last survivor of that litter. I also have a mate and we had our first litter last year. Six: four boys, two girls. Because of food shortages, we will only be allowed one more litter in our lifetime. I am a soldier and my mate was also a soldier. Of course, she is at home now looking after the children. They are quite a handful.’ He couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face, although it looked more like a snarl to the Humans.
‘I wasn’t born on our home planet, but I have visited it many times. My parents were also soldiers; they have both passed now. They had a good run before they were caught by an Albany battle group and eradicated. When I was young I got quite good grades. I was earmarked for the military. I was made a junior officer and worked my way up through the service, until I reached the rank of second in command. That is pretty much all there is to know about my life.’