by T. R. Harris
Tobias met the president’s fiery glare with one of his own. “I have hand-selected the members of my task force, Mr. President, so any such orders would also fall on deaf ears. At that point your only option would be to send Union forces up against other Union forces, and this at a time of war and after we have captured a vital enemy asset. Your actions would be seen as political, vindictive, and non-strategic. You should also know, I’ve already placed within the media stories detailing my side of the story, which will be released should any action be directed against us. So be forewarned, Mr. President, Cain and Tarazi—and even myself—are a lot more popular throughout the Union than you are. Watching as you try to justify your actions to the empire would be quite amusing.”
Osbourne’s face was redder than Tobias had ever seen it. He didn’t know why the man hadn’t yet exploded with a heart attack or stroke. “You arrogant son-of-a-bitch! You know this isn’t over. I didn’t make it to where I am by being a lightweight pussy when it comes to a fight. I also have my resources, and I can play just as dirty as you can…even more so. Compared to political in-fighting, military confrontation is nothing. Watch your back, Tobias. Your days are numbered.”
The president blinked several times at the unexpected smile on Andy’s face. “I agree, Mr. President, and in politics the actions of your opponents are seldom advertised or carried out over a vast battlefield for all the galaxy to see. Most times they occur in backrooms and in secret. Even as we speak, your actions—now, and in the past—are most definitely being watched and scrutinized. You say my days are numbered. Well, rest assured, Mr. President, so are yours…so are yours.”
Chapter 15
“We have a hell of a lot to learn,” Riyad said to Adam after an impromptu meeting had been called, which also included Rock Johnson and Warrant Officer Marsh Foster. The four men were in an all-purpose room aboard the stolen beamship, seated around a utilitarian table, the staple of Sol-Kor interior design and décor.
“That’s putting it mildly,” Adam agreed.
Each man had his mini-computer tablet out and was making lists of the things they needed to know in order to carry the mission to the next level. So far the list included such things as portal security, operation and programming, location of said portals, security within convoys, as well as the destination of the current convoy. Other categories included food sources, fuel requirements of the beamship, and atmospheric adjustments.
“Any luck getting the air balanced to sometime we can breathe?” Adam asked the chief. “Our pills won’t last forever.”
“I have every confidence that we can. I just haven’t figured out how. The damn aliens don’t seem to have any manuals lying around. Funny, they must assume anyone working aboard a beamship would know how to operate it.”
“Their simplicity is our challenge,” Riyad said. “They’ve never had to design anything with diversity in mind, or even for the less-qualified of their kind. Either you cut the mustard or you never set foot on a ship.”
“Language is another thing, Captain,” added Lieutenant Johnson. “None of us can read it. So even when we pull up data on their computers, it’s all gibberish. We really need to get the prisoners to cooperate.”
Adam had already met with the four surviving Sol-Kor, but so far he’d been unable to get much out of them. Granted, he’d only spent a few minutes in the interrogation before other matters took priority. But now it was obvious the aliens were a vital resource that had to be tapped. That was the reason for the meeting. Specific intelligence was required, the priority of which was being decided by the four men in the room.
“What if this convoy does transition to another universe, and it’s not ours?” Riyad asked. “Once we get over there, it may take two jumps to get back home, rather than the one we know it takes from here.”
“Can we go directly from another universe to ours, bypassing this one?” Chief Foster added. “We just don’t know.”
“Another thing,” Johnson began, “although we can understand what they’re saying to us over the comm, we can’t keep up with the microphone scratching ploy every time someone tries to contact us. The challenges are becoming more frequent the further we get from Kor. The other convoy ships are getting suspicious. Eventually they’ll send a ship over here to fix our broken comm system.”
“Those are all good questions,” Adam conceded. “What about us separating from the convoy and heading out on our own? Any thoughts on that?”
“That may be an option, if they’ll let us go,” Foster said. “So far, this particular convoy hasn’t had any ships peel off, as far as we can tell from the nav computer. Everyone seems to be of a single mind and with a singular destination.”
“Which is where?” Adam asked.
No one offered an answer.
Adam scanned the long list of unknowns on his screen and then stood up. “Chief, get us some good air, but isolate the aliens’ quarters if you can so we don’t kill them. The way I see it, we need both operational and practical information. We need to know more about this ship, as well as where we’re going and how all that works. I’m going to talk with the prisoners again, this time one at a time. Mr. Johnson, bring the young one—the one with the deformed scales—to my quarters. It’s time to make these bastards talk.”
“Oh, and, Chief…” Riyad began, flashing his trademark smile. “Take an inventory of the body bags aboard. If Adam is going to question prisoners, I’m sure we’re going to need them.”
As Adam left the room, he flipped Riyad the bird.
********
Although the Sol-Kor were all from one mother, they did come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with most able to be distinguished by distinctive facial features. The alien with the series of deformed scales on the left side of his face would probably be considered ugly in Sol-Kor society, if any females existed to make that determination. As it was, except for the Queen they were all males who could care less about such matters. But it did help Adam tell the prisoners apart.
Rank within Sol-Kor society was limited to only a few levels, yet the captain of a beamship did rate his own cabin, and Adam had taken the room for his own. Now he was seated at the cabin’s basic table with the scar-faced alien seated across from him, unshackled, only the two of them present. The last surviving tac visor was resting on the table, ready to broadcast Adam’s words.
Adam could tell this alien was younger than the others. His hair was a darker black, his body more lean, and his scales a richer gray than the others. The eyes were also a giveaway, as they displayed more apprehension, more fear.
“Do you know what has happened to your ship and the remainder of the crew?” Adam asked in a soft voice.
“You have taken control and killed the other members, all except for those who remain aboard.”
“That’s correct,” Adam nodded vigorously. “Now, I imagine you have a lot of questions of your own, so please, interview me—ask me questions—and I will answer them. Would you like that?”
The alien frowned. “I do not know if I would, since I have no experience in such matters, yet it would appear to be a strange request. As those who have control of the ship, would not you be the one to ask the questions?”
“Normally, yes. But I know you must be curious and have a million questions you’d like to ask.”
“I surely cannot imagine a million questions for you. I can barely formulate one or two.”
“Then ask me your one or two questions. I will answer truthfully.”
The Sol-Kor was quiet for several moments, confused by the seemingly illogical turn of events.
“Do you intend to kill me…and my brothers?”
“No, I do not. If I had wanted you dead, I would have done it back on Kor.”
“Who are you? I have never encountered a food stock such as you.”
It was Adam’s turn to frown. “You haven’t? You haven’t seen others like me, either alive or dead?”
“I said I have not.”
&
nbsp; “I am of a race—a food stock—known as Humans. We come from the universe where the Sol-Kor are fighting the inhabitants of the main galaxy.” Adam made this a statement rather than a question. The confusion on the alien’s face spoke volumes.
“Fighting…against food? No, we are not fighting—” Then his eyes grew wide. “You speak of U-5! I have heard the stories of such a conflict taking place, of non-compliant crops which require additional subduing beyond their individual worlds. I have not substantiated these stories, yet they are persistent.”
“Now you know the stories are true. I belong to one of those rebellious food crops fighting against the Sol-Kor.”
“From U-5? How can that be so? What are you doing here?”
“We came to kill your queen.”
Adam learned then that color could drain from Sol-Kor scales. The wide-eyed look of shock also added to the impact of his statement.
“That cannot be true! Why would you want to do that?”
“She has come to our universe and is killing—harvesting—countless intelligent beings. We consider action against the Queen an act of self-defense.”
“Yet the Colony must survive. We must eat to survive.”
“As do we all. But we aren’t destroying entire worlds populated by advanced species to do so. The Sol-Kor have invaded our universe. We are fighting back against this invasion. If your Colony was attacked, you would do the same.”
The young alien was confused. His eyes darted to and fro as his mind tried to work through the strange concept he had never thought of before. “Yet we only seek food…for our survival.”
“And in the process you are killing trillions and trillions of thinking and feeling creatures, beings with homes and families, and with thousands of years of history behind them. Just look at yourself. You are a living, intelligent creature, with a will to live and aspirations for the future, much like the food you consume, but for them all that is now gone. Imagine what it would be like if another species harvested the Sol-Kor? How would you feel about that?”
“Yet my Queen…why would you wish her harm? She is not doing the harvesting.”
“She ordered it. She is the supreme being in the Colony, and as such she is responsible for what’s happening in U-5, as you call it.”
The alien shuddered. “You…you have not killed her already, have you?”
“We did what we had to in order to save our own people from extinction, just as you would. In fact, as you destroy our worlds, you say you’re doing it to survive? We take actions for our survival as well. So you see, Humans and Sol-Kor are a lot alike in that respect.”
“Did you kill her or not!”
“Yes. We did.”
It was a full twenty minutes before the alien regained consciousness. In the interim, Adam placed him on a hard mat resting on a metal platform that served as a couch in the captain’s quarters. His eyes began to flutter open.
“Are you all right?” Adam asked. “Would you like some water…or food?”
Still in a quasi-sleep, the Sol-Kor looked around the room before refocusing on Adam. “I am without need at this moment. What happened?”
“You passed out when I told you we killed your queen.”
The damn creature nearly passed out again, but this time Adam didn’t have the patience to let him slip away completely. He was careful to only lightly slap the alien. Still, it was probably a little too hard.
“Why did you do that? I am posing no threat,” the alien exclaimed while rubbing the scarred side of his face.
“Sorry. I was just trying to keep you from passing out again.”
“By striking me? How would that serve your purpose?”
“Well, you didn’t pass out, did you?”
The alien blinked. “No, I did not. This is so strange—”
“What’s your name?”
Without thinking, the alien answered. “Harix Disen 33428.”
“Nice to meet you, Harix. I’m Adam Cain.”
Harix suddenly pushed himself up until he was seated on the couch, with his back against the metal wall. “You killed my Queen! How could this have happened? She has been the leader of the Colony for…forever.”
“Let me present you with an uncomfortable fact, Harix, something the Sol-Kor obviously haven’t learned yet: There will always be someone stronger and more dangerous than you. Until now, the Colony has never encountered such a species—such a food stock—with these traits and abilities. Now they have, and you have just suffered the consequences for challenging us. And this is only the beginning. If the Sol-Kor continue to invade my universe, we will destroy the entire Colony. Do not doubt me when I say this, Harix. If we can come into your universe and kill your queen, then be assured, we can destroy everything you know…here and everywhere.”
“But the Colony is…is large. I have many brothers.”
“That’s true. But look at us. We are few, just a handful of alien invaders to your universe. Yet we have killed your most precious queen. Imagine what an entire galaxy of creatures like me could do? No, Harix, we can and will destroy the Colony…unless you help us.”
Again, the alien was taken aback by Adam’s sudden shift in the conversation.
“Help…you? And you will spare the Colony?”
“That’s right, Harix. Just think, by helping us you will be known as the Sol-Kor who saved your entire race. You will be a hero.”
“What is a hero?”
“Someone who’s revered and honored for doing a great and noble deed.”
“Yet you killed my Queen. I cannot possibly help you. You are my enemy.”
“That’s also true. But if you don’t help us, we will proceed with our plans to attack the Colony.”
“Yet you will forgo such action if I help you?”
“Correct.”
“What sort of help do you seek?”
“Information mainly, such as how to operate this ship more efficiently, and where it’s headed.”
“I do not know where it’s headed. I can tell you we were preparing to leave in a convoy when you came aboard. I do not know if you have joined that convoy or not, not without seeing the charts.”
“If you help us, you’ll see the charts. Just think, Harix, by helping us you help the Sol-Kor. How difficult of a decision can this be to make?”
“Information…all you seek is information?”
“Information, and your guidance. We seek your wisdom, knowledge, and experience. Creatures like us, Harix Disen, with the capability to kill your queen and destroy the entire Colony, will now defer to you.”
“Harix Disen 33428.”
“Yes, of course. Will you save your Colony by helping us?”
The alien studied Adam’s eyes for several moments before answering. “I will help, unless I see where my actions could cause harm to the Colony.”
“Fair enough.” Adam walked over to the table and picked up his tablet computer. “First of all, how do we control the chemical mixture of the atmosphere aboard the ship?”
Chapter 16
Harix used his influence to get two of the other prisoners to cooperate. The one who refused was locked away in a box in the supply room, with a small opening for food and water, and allowed bathroom breaks every five hours. Adam would have preferred to throw him out an airlock, but that would not have gone over very well with the other Sol-Kor.
“The ship is headed for Master Portal Two, and then U-3.”
Adam grimaced. “Once we get to U-3, can we take a portal from there to U-5 directly, or do we have to come back to this one?”
“I do not understand.”
“What don’t you understand?”
“Your question. I do not understand your question.”
Adam stared at the alien, trying to figure out a clearer way to get his message across. “Once we are in U-3, can we get to U-5? Isn’t that clear enough for you?”
“Master Portal Two is tuned only to U-3.”
“And the portals
in U-3, where are they tuned to?”
“To the Kor universe. We refer to it as Home, but it is U-1 on the charts.”
Chief Foster was listening. “So each master portal is linked to only one universe?”
“That is correct.”
“And how many master portals are linking to each universe?”
Again, the look of confusion on the alien’s gray face. “I do not understand your question. Master portals are just that, master portals.”
“So only one master portal for each universe?”
“That is why they are called master portals.”
Prior to the meeting, Adam and the rest of the Humans had taken turns showering and dressing in modified Sol-Kor uniforms. They smelled better, if their outfits did fall baggy and unkempt on their bodies.
Adam took a small tablet computer from a utility pocket in the Sol-Kor uniform. It had a small stylus that could be used to draw lines on the screen. He held it so that Harix could see the screen and began to draw. He drew a vertical line, and then placed a circle on the left side of the line. Then on the right side he drew several circles and connected all of these to the one on the left side of the line.
“All these circles represent the Sol-Kor portals in my universe,” he said, tapping the screen on the right side of the line. “Are you saying all these portals are linked to only one master portal in your universe?”
“That is correct. It would be inefficient to have several portals all tuned to the same universe, each requiring staffing, maintenance, and dividing up the transit fleets. It is better to enter and exit a universe from a central location.”
A startling realization came to Adam, and from the looks on the faces of the other Humans in the room, they saw it, too.