Lissa felt much relieved and satisfied with the knowledge that their friends were not facing a kangaroo court. She turned her attention to Kiij’s tour of the meadow.
She did not consider herself of a horticultural mindset, but the plant life of 3rd Patrolship was sufficiently alien to pique her interest. The grass underfoot was normal enough, tall and seeded just as any Earth meadow might be, but dotted here and there across the landscape were swaying Friss trees, their eyestalks blinking curiously at the two humans who walked among them, following the Kweep tour guide down a dirt path that seemed to meander aimlessly through the grass. Lollipop hopped along ahead of them, delighted with everything, like a fluffy toddler bounding through a city park.
Eventually, Stephanie, Shiro, and Shika joined them. Stephanie had chosen a somber black gown with white lace trim, a full bustle in back, and knee-high boots. Her sleeves were puffed at the shoulder and she had on a pair of white lace demi-gloves. Lissa thought she looked more like the ambassador for Earth than Lissa herself did. Shiro never left her side, keeping just a step behind on Stephanie’s right, his eyes darting about the landscape. He had also brought Rasta, who now flew above them and stretched her wings for the first time on their long journey.
Shika went immediately to Ash’s side when the two groups met, and his arm went around her. They spoke softly in Ethiopian together, and Lissa saw a frown develop on Ash’s face. She supposed they were talking about Will and his upcoming court hearing. She hoped Shika wouldn’t take it too hard if things didn’t go well for their new friend.
Who was she kidding? Of course Shika wouldn’t take it well! Neither would Lissa, for that matter. She vowed silently to do whatever she could to support the two Corians and their captain.
Following their whispered exchange, Ash clasped his sister on the shoulder with firm reassurance, and then the two of them took up their places on either side of Lissa. She noted that Shika had outfitted herself with bronze greaves and bracers, and had covered her normally bare chest with a plated armor necklace that came down to her bare waist and as high as her chin. The cleverly designed plates gave her full movement in spite of this protection, and Lissa suspected from the mirror-brightness of the armor that it was resistant to ray guns as well as projectiles. A matching chainmail skirt finished her attire. The result left the older girl looking like a bronzed gladiator, and Lissa felt certain the two siblings were taking seriously the threat of assassination Mr. Piff had warned them of.
“Ready to take the grand tour?” Lissa asked cheerfully, hoping to distract Shika from her worry over Will and the others. Her friend gave her a small smile.
“I like this style of space travel much better,” she said. The meadow was much closer to an African girl’s taste than the deck of the Forty-Five.
Kiij stepped closer and accepted Lissa’s introductions all around, including a soothing thought in Rasta’s direction when the golden eagle floated close to her hammer-shaped head twenty meters above the others. She then continued her commentary about 3rd Patrolship, filling in the others as they munched on the refreshments.
The Friss trees were not a random spattering of intelligent foliage, rather a whole network of telepathic communicators keeping Space Patrol ships in touch with one another across the broad expanse of space. Smaller craft, like the 108th, did not always have a resident sprout, which was why 3rd had no word of the scout’s demise before the arrival of the Forty-Five, but larger ships, like Mr. Piff’s 32nd Patrolship, did.
“It really is a remarkable system you have,” Lissa commented, impressed. She looked around at the graceful way the Friss trees waved in the breeze.
Space Patrol had instantaneous travel and telepathic forms of communication. With such superior technology, they could easily have conquered the Milky Way. Instead, they sought to bring order and justice to an otherwise chaotic galaxy and free its people from the mistakes that had brought oppressive governments and enslaved populaces. Lissa was awed and humbled by their sense of integrity. For the first time since setting foot out of Earth’s atmosphere into deep space, she felt hope. Perhaps her dream to free Earth from tyranny was not impossible.
Jasuk appeared. “Mr. Piff has confirmed your identity.” He had the nerve to sound slightly disappointed. Well, she supposed, it must be very boring to be the master-at-arms on such a morally upstanding ship. He probably relished the idea of their being criminals or frauds, simply for something to do, the poor fellow.
“He also has word regarding your GTC representative,” Jasuk continued, unaware of her pitying glance. “It is a private communication for the ambassador’s ears only. He asks that you contact him via your sprout immediately.”
Noting that Stephanie had fluffed her skirts out and now sat on Shiro’s fur coat in the grass with the young Kazakh in attendance, she nodded to her two “bodyguards” to wait with them and urged Shika to eat something—the girl looked peaky despite her dark color.
She wandered a little way into the tall grass where Lollipop was eyeing a curious insect with more feet than was logical. Getting the sprout’s attention with an affectionate pat on her fuzzy pink torso, Lissa sat beside her so the waving stalks of grass hid the two of them and let Lollipop hop lightly into her lap. She made eye contact and thought hard at the little fur ball, “Mr. Piff, Lollipop. Where is he?”
There was a sense of movement—more like a shift of attention than physical motion, as the meadow and the too-curious bug faded away and the comfortable, familiar sense of Mr. Piff’s mind opened up within her own.
He was walking down a corridor on the 32nd Patrolship. It was night there—she could tell by the dim lights above his head and the absence of traffic in the corridor. Mr. Piff was tired and striding steadily toward his berth aboard the ship. He passed the door before his and Lissa sensed within his mind that its inhabitant was her mother. She felt a strong wave of guilt for not having told her mother where she was going, or that she was even safe.
“Lissa?” Mr. Piff stopped in his tracks just outside his own door, sensing her presence in his mind.
Cursing aloud, Lissa schooled her thoughts and apologized to her friend. “Yeah, sorry. Jasuk said you have a message for me?”
Mr. Piff opened his door, stepped into the dark cabin, and shut it behind him.
“Anubis has filed a new contract for Earth, at the behest of Mr. Bilderbus—ordered by the Jesters, I’m sure.” Mr. Piff’s emotions were grim as they washed over Lissa’s consciousness. “The new document states that slaves are the primary revenue-generating export of your planet and proposes to sell off two-thirds of the population over the next fifty years to pay off heavy loans they are requesting as part of their acceptance into the Galactic Community.”
“Two-thirds of the population?” Lissa was stunned. Why, that was nearly … five billion people! “There’s no way in hell he’ll get away with that!”
“Apparently, Bilderbus is using propaganda to turn this whole thing into a ‘colonization program.’ He also is pushing for an anti-barbarian movement. OneWorld will raise popular approval for colonizing other worlds, using ‘barbarians’ as the first colonists. When they run out of underprivileged humans to export, well, by that time Earth’s population will undoubtedly be used to the idea of space travel. I’m sure he will have volunteers lining up to fill his, quote, ‘colony ships.’”
Lissa’s mouth was agape. It sort of made sense. It was how the old British Empire had expanded across the world. Send those inconvenient to the crown into exile in Australia and hope enough of them live to settle the place for those who followed. It was sick.
Her imagination showed her Shika’s and Ash’s tribe being rounded up, with the promise of a better life elsewhere, and then sold into alien slavery. Or happy American families cheerfully planning a new colony in outer space, boarding slave ships like unwitting cows to a slaughterhouse.
And for the remaining people on Earth, how long before they discovered that the advertisement of a universe open
to colonization was a trap? How long would they go before they discovered they had been sold out?
“We have to stop them!” She glanced down. Her hands around Lollipop were shaking with fury. She felt Mr. Piff nodding at her words. Buried in his mind as she was, she could tell he felt as she did. “Well, at least that makes two beings in the galaxy who give a damn about Earth. Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“I want to make Earth a member planet of the Universe Corporation,” she told him.
She could feel his surprise, and then his approval.
“Smart pup,” He smiled, his rodent teeth baring. “I hoped you would come to this conclusion.”
“But I don’t know if we can do it before Anubis gets that contract.” Lissa nibbled her lip. She explained about Semo’s absence to Mr. Piff, who listened gravely.
“You are still the legal ambassador of Earth,” Piff reminded her. “Per their laws, GTC can only deal with you on contractual matters—not even the head of state can overrule your decisions. They intentionally passed that law right along with the one that says all ambassadors must be children. Their twisted laws, meant to gain a stranglehold of any new planet, now work against them.”
She matched his smug smile. “So, if I say no, then it won’t go through?”
“Well, of course they could always bribe GTC into accepting the contract,” Mr. Piff’s smile turned nasty. “But Earth has no established credit. GTC’s bankers are corrupt, but they’re not stupid. They won’t lend Earth money to bribe themselves. Overcoming the red tape will take time, even with Anubis to help them.”
“So I have until Bilderbus comes up with sufficient collateral to borrow the money to bribe the GTC higher-ups.” Lissa thought it through, her mind working furiously. “And I have to reach Semo, negotiate a contract for membership that cuts OneWorld out of the picture, and get them there while we still have a population left.” Lissa sighed. “Well, I did say I wanted an adventure, didn’t I?”
Lissa was beginning to realize this whole adventure had really gotten out of hand. When did a fourteen-year-old girl overthrow an entire planetary government? It was crazy! But that's just it, she thought very privately so Mr. Piff could not hear, It's crazy. They are crazy—who sells off half of their population? No one else on Earth knows about this, or has any way of stopping the Jesters. Maybe it is just luck—my bad luck, that I do. When it came right down to it, if doing something about it meant she had to overthrow OneWorld, then fine.
“Earth history is full of examples of individual people choosing to do what is right rather than what they're 'supposed' to do,” she told him, “I'm scared...actually, I'm terrified out of my mind. But somehow I'm gonna do this.”
“I suggest you hurry,” Mr. Piff urged. “It will be a few days at the utmost. Anubis gets a big cut if he gains this contract with your planet. He will be doing what he can to aide President Bilderbus and get him the loans he needs.”
They signed off then, Lissa’s mind no more at ease than it had been.
Hurry, Mr. Piff said. But what about Will and the Corians?
Doing What Matters
The others had finished and were chatting amongst themselves when Lissa returned. She was surprised to see Will and his crew among them. Half of her had expected Jasuk to have locked them in the brig, or whatever the Space Patrol equivalent was. The fact that suspects to a crime were allowed to walk free spoke volumes, she supposed, to their sense of fair play. Innocent until proven guilty was not a concept unique to Earth, it seemed.
“Guys, we need to talk.” That got their attention. With raised eyebrows, Will acknowledged the look she gave him that this was for her crew only. He and Aewn wandered away toward the spring where Krywith sat on a flat boulder, staring at the flowing water.
Lissa watched for a moment as Kiera placed her arm around her adopted son. Will we ever be allowed to just enjoy being in space? Lissa wondered. There was so much to see here—so many wonders in the black expanse above.
“What’s up?” Stephanie drew her back to the present. The others gathered around her, Octi draped in his usual fashion across Ash’s shoulders.
In a few words, Lissa informed them of the current state of affairs on Earth. Their reactions were what she had expected—even Octi was enraged.
“The question is, though,” Shiro pointed out once the others had fallen silent, “what are we going to do about it?”
“We’re going to stop it, of course.” Stephanie was emphatic. Her almond eyes turned toward Lissa with a degree of loyal faith that made the other girl’s heart pinch. They all turned to look at Lissa. How had she become the leader of this crazy show?
Their trust in her was a bit heady, though utterly terrifying. She had no idea, when it came right down to it, if her plan would work. Five teenagers and an octopus against the most powerful government organization Earth had ever known? But by the stars, they just had to try.
“I’m going to tell our GTC rep,” Lissa began, her voice full of contempt for the corrupt werewolf, “that Earth’s ambassador does not agree to the terms of his contract.”
“If you’re still the legal negotiator for Earth,” Shiro began slowly, his brows twisting into a frown, “then your word should still outweigh Bilderbus.”
“Exactly.”
“But Anubis made it obvious GTC wants slaves,” Ash said. “What’s to stop them from just ignoring you and going ahead?”
“Their own laws,” Lissa explained. “They’re trapped by their own rule that states the negotiator must be a child of that planet, duly appointed.”
“We have to get to Earth first with a UC contract,” Stephanie said. She stamped her pretty little boot on the grass. “They’re probably the only alien organization powerful enough to make GTC or any space pirates think twice.”
Shiro nodded. “You’ve got it right. There’s always a bigger fish.”
“But what about Will?” Shika’s voice was quiet, interrupting their discussion. She turned big black pleading eyes on Lissa, who squirmed.
“He’ll need us to testify,” Ash admitted, his voice soft so as to not carry across the meadow to the Kweeps in the distance. “I asked Jasuk what he thought Will’s chances are. He wouldn’t say, trying to be impartial and all that, but I could tell just from his attitude that our interest in the matter carries some weight here.”
“Will’s chances are better if I stay,” Lissa agreed. Not looking at Shika, she added, “And I do want to see the UC justice system in action before we sign any contract. But what are Earth’s chances if we delay here?”
“What does Mr. Piff think?” Shiro wanted to know.
Lissa sighed. “He said to hurry. He thinks we have days, at the most.”
“We need Will,” Shika protested. “The Corians aren’t going to help us if we abandon their captain.”
“She’s right,” Stephanie said, troubled. “Or are you forgetting about the blueberry market? That’s our only asset right now except for slavery. Gaining membership is one thing, but how much will that help us if we’re a bankrupt planet? Money talks—I don’t care what part of the galaxy you’re from. Besides,” she added, hands on her hips now, “we can’t just abandon them, Lis!”
“Of course not!” Lissa cried, stung. “I’m just trying to decide who stays and who goes.”
“If Jasuk will accept a witness statement from you beforehand,” Octi interjected, “we could leave in less than an hour.”
Ash nodded. “Good idea. Leave Shika and Stephanie behind to help—Stephanie as your proxy and Shika as …” He flicked a glance at his distressed sister.
“As moral support for Will,” Shiro deadpanned but then winking at Stephanie, who elbowed him sharply.
“The rest of us come with you,” Shiro went on more seriously. “Ash and I will guard you with our lives.” He nodded to the other warrior solemnly.
“That’s not necessary …” Lissa began.
“Yes, it is,” Octi surprised her by saying
firmly, “Don’t be naive, Lissa. GTC will do anything to stop you. I wouldn’t be surprised to know they’ve sent assassins. You’re the only thing that stands between them and a very juicy contract.”
Lissa quailed at this. The idea of an assassin out to get her made her feel clammy. She didn’t want to think about how much danger she was putting them all in. But what did it matter? Without this contract, Earth had no chance at all. What were they supposed to do? Go home and wait to be sold off?
“Alright, let’s do it,” Lissa said, proud that her voice sounded firm.
She raked her gaze over the small circle of friends, taking a moment to suss out her crew.
Shika stood a bit aloof, nibbling her lip, obviously worried about Will and preparing to stand up for him. Lissa knew their new friend had done nothing wrong and could only hope Shika’s heart wouldn’t break over this trial.
Ash, although younger than his sister, stood ready to defend her as fiercely as the lion he wore on his helmet; a fourteen-year-old boy with the heart of a warrior. He was prepared to take on the might of OneWorld, and the whole galaxy if necessary, to save his sister and the rest of their tribe.
Shiro, stoic and proud, unbending in every possible way, from his sober expression to his devotion to Rasta, his friends and now perhaps Stephanie as well.
Dear Stephanie! Her unwaveringly loyal, sassy, and smart best friend who braved the blackness of space for Lissa and who would take on Jasuk to defend Will if she had to!
She could rely on these four, Lissa realized suddenly. This was what true friendship was: knowing that if you turned your back, they would be right where they promised, defending it.
Finally, she spoke. “Stephanie, find Jasuk. Let him know … my schedule is booked but I would like to testify for Will. Make him agree to do it now.”
Space Patrol! Page 16