“No, Amy, I’m not rejecting you! I’d love to know what it feels like to have you explore my skull. I understand it’s a hundred times better than ASMR. I’m just saying this isn’t the time. Anyway, did you decide on the planet?”
Amy twisted and became a more roundish blob.
Perhaps stretched means disappointed, round means neutral, thought Hogart.
“Yes, it means going a bit closer to the binary stars though, but the next planet has gravity closer to that of Earth, and has a higher oxygen content too.”
“Great! As soon as we get back we’ll head there. Many thanks.”
“There’s something else. I’ve been analyzing the pieces of the queen,” began Amy. “It looks like she’s not what she appears to be.”
“How so?”
“The pieces of her upper shell in the vat on the left. They didn’t break. They separated.”
Hogart used his fingers on the window and it complied by enlarging the image of the vat. He zoomed in on the pieces sticking out of the lid. He could tell that the edges of each of the pieces looked to be able to interlock with the other pieces. He started back from the window in surprise.
“But that means, when she said the other mushbugs were part of her, she wasn’t talking about them being part of her family, she meant that everything was made up of her parts. So, all the mushbugs are really tiny pieces joined together to make larger ones!”
“The creatures are greater than the sum of their parts,” said Amy.
Hogart began pacing in front of the window. “So, even if we speak with the queen, and request first contact, and she agrees, she’s not really representing the planet. She’s just being a composite creature that wouldn’t exist if all the creatures were separated. The real creatures on the planet are those pieces in the vat.”
“Yes, captain. It means that this star system is full of billions of life forms that come together to create greater lifeforms. But they don’t have enough intelligence to have first contact separately.”
“So, it’s impossible for them to agree to terms because, as soon as they separate again, they would forget what they had originally agreed to.”
Amy’s form twisted again. Hogart assumed it meant agreement.
He looked at the gold pieces again and could see them lose balance and fall further into the vat. Then, as the hairs began to rise on the back of his neck before his thoughts fully formed, and knew that he had felt absolutely no vibration.
“Amy,” he said, backing away from the glass, “I think the pieces are on the move. AI, activate a containment force field around the vats. Keep them separate.”
A beam of light enveloped the vats, and the three containers were surrounded by separate force fields.
“That should hold them,” he said. “Well, Amy. It looks like we have another problem. Let’s get back.”
#
Puppy had just completed the scan of the Queen’s trajectory, and had some good news for the captain when he arrived at the Center. “We’ve located your flash band.”
“That’s great!”
Puppy zoomed in on it turning slowly in space, as a drone reached out grasping arms and collected it.
“AI, snapshot that image and zoom it,” ordered Hogart.
The AI complied, and a paused image of the turning underside of the flash band appeared on the forward screen.
“Well, Amy? What do you think?” Hogart pointed at the quite obvious yellow hexagon stuck in the exact center of the underside.
“Interesting,” Amy said.
“Do you think the pieces can store memory, or even consciousness?” asked Hogart.
Just then Puppy clacked his legs and came over from his station. “Captain, you haven’t heard the queen’s conversation!” He called up the previously recorded translation, and replayed it for Hogart, Spiney and Cuddly.
“So, the new queen has all the old queen’s memories, even though they had separated into individuals,” said Hogart, rubbing his chin. “Perhaps each piece stores memories in the DNA?”
“If that’s true,” said Amy, “Then first contact could still happen as others of the race would remember it, even in piece form.”
“Sir, I advise caution,” said Torus. “I suspect that each piece has an urge to join with other pieces until a complete creature is made. Don’t go near any separate pieces. Especially not any pieces deliberately stuck on the underside of your personal flash band.”
“Good point, Torus.”
“And I believe it may be just the queens that can remember,” added Geo. “Otherwise, why have a school for the mushbugs?”
“Another good point. Thank you, Geo.”
Just then an alarm began to sound throughout the ship.
The block of stone flashed red. “Quarantine breach.”
Hogart looked at the AI’s hologram in surprise. “How on Earth…?”
#
One of the analysis robots stood in the empty quarantine room, scanning for any residue of the Queen. This time Hogart had asked Spiney to come with him, and they were both watching through the quarantine window.
“Not a single cell remains,” it said. “We will unpack more androids and continue microscanning.”
It was a hermetically sealed room. There was no way out.
“I think I’m forgetting something,” said Hogart, looking at the empty room. “Even at the microscopic level there was no way that the queen could have got out of there.”
“Unless she phase-shifted.”
Hogart slapped his head. “Of course. She learnt that from us. We were wandering around her school unseen. She must have worked out how to do it.”
“And now she’s on board, wandering around, just outside our frequency. We have no way of knowing where she is and what she’s doing,” said Spiney.
“Well, this is a dynamic ship and she’d be struggling just to stay on board phase-shifted. She could fall through the floor, ceiling or even out the side if we changed direction.” Hogart stopped then and looked at the ceiling. He could sense something, but couldn’t see it. He looked back at Spiney.
“So, what do you suggest, captain?”
“I suggest we let her follow us until we can work out her plan, and let’s give her some information so that she doesn’t feel completely left out.”
“Are you planning another role play?” asked Spiney.
Hogart showed his teeth in a huge grin, suddenly understanding that Spiney had guessed their introduction ceremony had had a little play acting. His respect for his first officer increased.
“That look means smile, and happiness, doesn’t it?” said Spiney. “You’re not about to attack me?”
“Well, I’m not a lion!” laughed Hogart. “Let’s get started.”
As Hogart and Spiney moved away, a faint outline appeared along the ceiling, floating outside the quarantine room window.
The outline became stronger and then a gold creature appeared, floating upside down, its antennae flicking and twisting, its body undulating silently. It slowly disappeared again, leaving a faint warped outline in the air.
Hogart was at the end of the corridor as a Floran guard, its dark green leaves held wide, made its way towards the quarantine room. Hogart pointed to the corridor, making some hand movements, and the guard lifted a leaf in confirmation, then headed towards the area.
The creature watched all this, seeing the movements of the aliens below it as waves of energy. Some waves were larger, some smaller. Two waves headed away from it, while one headed towards it.
It would investigate the single wave.
It materialized again, its gold form filling the entire space of the ceiling. It flicked its antennae as the plant alien got closer.
The plant alien began waving its fronds and leaves in surprise as it began to float off the floor. Leaves and branches snaked out from its body as it attempted to grab the walls to stop itself floating higher. It looked up, finally realizing it was in danger, then began screaming.
The quarantine room glass splashed with green, and the screaming stopped.
#
Hogart and Spiney heard the scream and rushed back down the corridor, but Hogart held his arm out to prevent Spiney from going further. "Florans don't just randomly explode for no reason, do they?" he asked.
"No, sir. They do not."
Hogart lifted his flash band. "Attention all crew members. Hostile intruder alert. Activate nanite suit protocol 1."
#
The message reverberated up and down corridors around the ship.
Alien crew members in various areas of the ship looked at each other in surprise, then quickly moved away from wherever they were sitting or standing and began hitting, slapping or otherwise activating their flash bands.
#
Hydroponics Lab 12, a Floran and a sphere activated their suits, and they began growing around them.
#
Robot Repair Workshop 8. Three humanoid researchers and one hairy bear-like creature with six arms stood, and their nanite suits began growing.
#
In the food hall, several crew members of various sizes and shapes had their suits almost complete, with bubble helmets appearing over their heads.
#
In the Center, the crew were watching their spacesuits grow around them, though protocol 1 meant one slight difference. Along the side of the suit, a firearm also grew. A mini plasma cannon.
#
Across the Stellar Flash, the crew grew their armaments and got ready to protect themselves.
#
In a small egg-shaped room that looked a bit like a library, Jorjarar was reviewing reports and committing them to memory, pacing back and forth, his massive bulk swinging almost like a pendulum. “And then the captain discovered that the creature had escaped the quarantine area. And then the captain discovered that the creature had escaped the quarantine area,” he said, then referred to the screen again.
Then he saw it. A flashing light on his console.
“What?” he muttered, annoyed. “I’m never to be disturbed! I’m not to be involved. How can I do my work with all these constant interruptions?!”
Grumpily, he pressed a button and the captain’s voice came through. “Jorjarar. The AI has advised me you haven’t activated your suit yet. You must activate nanite suit protocol 1.”
A faint oval shape shifted through the wall behind him, and moved up, while Jorjarar’s attention was focused on the communications system.
Jorjarar was getting upset. “But, I’m the Storyteller. I can’t get caught up in any fights. I’m just here to observe, and you’re going to protect me. I’ve got to memorize everything! Otherwise, you won’t have proper records in Frequency Zero!”
A gold antenna began to curl down from the ceiling. Then more antennae, and finally the first section of the queen appeared.
“Jorjarar, the creature could be anywhere,” said Hogart’s voice. “If you don’t put your suit on then there’ll definitely be no records in Zero!”
Just then the Storyteller noticed that his feet were off the ground. He turned his head up, saw what was there, and screamed.
“Jorjarar? Jorjarar? Are you there? Shit.”
As the light from the communications console disappeared, blue blood dripped onto the surface.
#
In Astrophysics Research Bay 4, a small yellowish insect-like humanoid with big black eyes hit his flash band several times, but the nanite suit wouldn't activate. He was getting agitated.
He clicked, and his translator said, "What is this?"
Behind him, an outline began to appear in the wall and the shape slid upwards.
"Of course!" he said, not seeing the intruder, and put his hand on the screen. "Pause project. Disable EM field block."
He happily hit his arm buttons again and was pleased to see his suit begin to grow from his feet.
Unfortunately, it was far too late. Before his suit had even reached half way, he was pulled into the air, screaming.
As his scream was abruptly cut off, a splash of yellow hit his monitor.
#
Hogart and Spiney rushed back to the Center. "Situation?" yelled Hogart.
"A third crew member's life signs have been terminated. Astrobiology research room. Everyone else has their nanite suits protecting them now."
"If the queen continues in a straight line, she will end up here," said Torus.
"Not if I can help it," said Hogart. "Are there any large rooms between here and the Quarantine room?"
"There's the scout craft hangar bay," said Geo. "We've got force fields and guns. We could force it there."
"It can phase shift. We need it to want to go there," said Hogart. "I have a plan."
#
The creature floated over the alien’s body, twitching its antennae and moving pieces about with its thoughts. It floated an arm and put it against its underside, but it wouldn’t stick. It fell to the ground again. The creature then lifted the head and placed it against her shell, but that didn't stay either. Its antennae flicked and the pieces fell to the floor, hard.
The creature was angry.
It phase-shifted and disappeared, floating through the doorway and into corridor three. It would find the leader.
#
"So, Cuddly, are you ready?" Hogart had taken his position, as others had taken theirs.
"Yes, sir."
"AI?"
"Cameras will project Cuddly's translations to every screen on the ship," said the AI.
"Alright, let's start."
Cuddly’s nanite antennae had grown again and had begun to translate.
"Well, team, I'm really sorry that this has happened," began Hogart. "I had no idea that the Queen would have been hurt when I gave her my flash band. I really want to see her again. I think I might have upset her."
"Yes, we must make amends. We should give her the technology." said Spiney, playing along. "She seemed a very nice alien. We should help her."
"I will go to the largest room here, and I will go by myself so that the queen will feel safe. I will wait for her. We can talk there," said Hogart.
"By yourself?" asked Torus. "Are you sure?"
"Oh, yes, Torus. I am sure. I will go and wait for the queen there by myself. I trust her."
Hogart then made a cutting movement with his hand, and Cuddly knew this meant that he should turn off the translation. His antennae retracted.
"Alright, team, do you think that will work?" asked Hogart.
"Captain," began Amy. "Do you think the queen would have pulled apart those three crew members if she could be trusted? I'm not even sure she is the same queen."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she's the confrontational type. She's not going to hunt in shadows. I think she's not all there."
"You think she's gone crazy?"
"No, I think she's missing a piece. That piece that is stuck to the flash band. I think we need to give it to her."
Hogart thought about this for a moment. "Then there are two possibilities. One: Restore the queen and offer a first contact contract, or Two: vaporize her as soon as the opportunity arises."
"I don't like option two," said Amy.
"Neither do I," said Hogart.
#
The Queen watched the antennae of Cuddly moving, and heard the noises that the other aliens were making. The leader wanted to meet her nearby. She reached out with her sensors and detected various areas of atmosphere of different temperatures. One area had more temperature fluctuations than most, and contained a lot more atmosphere. She phase shifted and moved through the walls towards the location.
She would wait for the leader there. Perhaps this one had the knowledge she needed.
#
Hogart checked his tubular firearm, pressing buttons on it with his left hand, making sure it was fully charged.
He looked at the flash band in his right hand. It had been disabled, and surrounded by a crackling forcefie
ld. The gold hexagonal shape was still attached to the base. If that gold piece was still alive, he didn't want it trying to merge with him. He held it out carefully as he headed for the scout hangar.
“Captain,” transmitted Puppy. “Amy has analyzed the medical reports and confirms the queen wanted the victims brains.”
Hogart stopped and shuddered. “Are you kidding me? Surely brain sucking aliens are a myth?”
“Everything checks out. The queen pulled them apart to get to their brains.”
Hogart thought for a moment. “Okay, let’s think logically. Do any of the aliens have anything in common? What if she was looking for something specifically?”
There was silence as Puppy scanned the reports of the victims.
“Captain, they’ve all had pilot training.”
Hogart closed his eyes and opened them. So much for pilot of the week. The queen must have wanted the knowledge so that she could take the ship.
“Puppy, assign extra security to anyone with pilot training, and contact me the moment you know where the queen is. If she doesn’t turn up at the hangar, we might need a few pilots as bait.”
“Yes, captain.”
Spiney and Torus stood on guard outside the entrance to the scout hangar, while Hogart carefully entered, his nanite suit humming at full strength. He quickly looked about the metallic area. A section opened onto space enclosed by a forcefield, walls a few minutes’ walk to either side. Similar to the main hanger on X-1a where the Stellar Flash was built, but a little smaller.
Even so, the area was quite large. Big enough for an emergency scout ship. They didn’t need them as they had flash bands, but perhaps a short-range ship would be useful to have. Especially for situations where drones couldn't do the work. He'll speak with Heartness about it when he got back.
Stellar Flash: Alien Frequency Page 10