by Saxon Andrew
“Ed, take them to the airport in Berlin. We’re moving food stores there as we speak and we can use the surrounding airports if necessary.”
“On my way. Leit, you and a thousand of your pilots will go there now and wait for us to arrive. You’ll need to talk with them when they arrive.”
“On our way, Master.”
“Call me, ED.”
“On our way, Master Ed.” Ed started smiling and soon he was laughing. Leit’s sense of humor was getting better.
• • •
The Guild Master returned to the Mercenary’s Home World and was ordered to report to the Supreme Guild Master. He showed the data from the attack and the Supreme Master said, “You left our Fighters stranded?”
“What would you have done, Supremacy? They have invisible ships.”
“That’s not possible!”
“Yes, it is. We’ve seen invisible ships in the past.”
“But only the Skeer can do that.”
“Evidently, the Skeer are involved with this civilization.”
The Supreme Guild Master’s eyes narrowed and he said, “Let us see if we can put a stop to that.”
• • •
Two weeks later, Jimmy was sitting in the control room late at night thinking about what had taken place wondering what killed the second-wave of White Ships. Suddenly, an alien appeared beside him. Jimmy looked at him and his eyes narrowed, “Father?”
“It’s good to see you, Son.”
“Why are you here?”
“I have an issue I need some assistance with.”
“What is that?”
“The Mercenary Guild has filed a request for a contract with the Law Center to attack my planet.”
“Why would they do that.”
“They say that invisible ships have attacked them and my species is the only one that is capable of doing it.”
Jimmy sighed, “That was me and my children; I see no way I can possibly be of help.”
“Actually, I need the Alien that dropped the Asteroids to go with me and present evidence.”
“I don’t understand.”
“He’s a critical part of my defense. I’ve asked for a hearing and the date is one year from now. He needs to be there with me when it happens. It might also be a good idea for you to offer testimony and present a case to stop them from continuing their attacks against your planet.”
“They’ll kill me if I go there.”
“They can’t do it, Son; you’ll be listed as a witness and no one, and I do mean no one, will harm a witness or anyone involved in a case before the Supreme Law Center. You will be allowed to live safely on your world while the case is pending; the Mercenaries will not be allowed to attack a planet where a witness is living. It might result in the witness’s death and I would win the case by default. The Fish is a defendant and he might be executed if the case goes against him, but no witnesses or anyone that is transporting a witness to the Law Center will be harmed.”
“So, you’ve already listed me as a witness.”
“I have. I can remove you from the list but that would pretty much insure the Mercenaries will be coming back with all of their available fleets rather quickly.”
Jimmy shrugged, “I don’t have much choice, do I?”
“None of us do and if that fish doesn’t go with us, my planet is going to be attacked as well.”
“He’ll go.”
“How do you know…Ah, you’ve seen it.”
“No, one of my children has.” Jimmy stared at his father and said, “It was you that killed the Urrik Pilots that were launching on Earth, wasn’t it?”
Ayet tilted his head and said, “Not…directly.”
“What does that mean?”
“I flew the freighter here that brought several thousand of my investors; they did the dirty work.”
“Thank you again, for saving us.”
“If you and your children had not flown invisible ships, I might have gotten away with it. I’m reasonably sure they’ve figured out I was involved in killing their pilots. That’s why we have to go.”
“Let’s go talk to the Gread.”
“Lead the way.”
• • •
Jimmy and Ayet arrived at the lagoon in a courier-jumper and Jimmy started pulling on his scuba-gear. He looked at Ayet, who had walked out waist deep in the water and stopped. “Aren’t you going to need something?”
Ayet shrugged, “No, I can keep the water away and extract what air I need from it.” Jimmy stared at him and Ayet smiled, “No, that is not a talent you got from me.”
Jimmy shook his head and saw another courier arrive. Spring jumped out in her swim-gear and said, “I’m going with you!”
“What are you doing up at this time of night?!”
“Dad, I had a dream of you and Grandfather going into the water.” Spring looked at Ayet, “It’s good to finally meet you, Grandfather.”
Ayet walked out of the water and gave Spring a hug, “It’s good to meet you, too. You’re beautiful.”
“I have your eyes but I really look like my mother.”
Ayet smiled and released her as Jimmy walked down to the water. The full moon was high overhead and it shouldn’t be too dark; the lagoon wasn’t that deep. They entered the water and moved toward the section of the wall where little Ayet’s parents had set up their home. As they approached, Ayet came swimming toward them at his best speed. He really wasn’t so little anymore; the top of his head was even with Spring’s shoulders. “SPRING!” He rushed up and wrapped his fins around her and looked at the other two aliens with her, “Who are you?”
“You met the tall one before when he spoke to your father, he is my father and his name is Jimmy.”
“Father says that you are the one that allowed us to live.”
Jimmy smiled, “That was one of my better decisions.”
Spring pointed at Ayet, “And this is my grandfather.”
Little Ayet tilted his head and turned to Spring, “He doesn’t look like either of you.”
Spring nodded, “I know, but we have his eyes.”
Little Ayet looked back at them and nodded, “Yes, you do.”
Little Ayet’s father swam up and said, “What brings you here? I just heard you tell my child that you are the one that allowed us to live.” He looked at Ayet and said, “And what are you doing here? I couldn’t return your freighter.”
Ayet said, “I need you to go with me to the Supreme Law Center to testify.”
“If I go there, I will be executed for all that’s happened.”
“If you don’t, my planet is going to be attacked and the Mercenaries will win by default.”
“I never should have rented those ships from you.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. But you did and I need you to testify that we had a legal contract.”
Jimmy looked at Ayet’s father, “What is your name.” The Alien pronounced it and Jimmy said, “Slim?”
“No, it’s not quite that.”
“Spell it.” Jimmy looked at the translator in his mask and saw alien symbols appear that were translated to C-lem. “C-lem?’
“That’s it.”
“Sounds exactly like Slim to me.”
Ayet shrugged, “There is a minor difference, Son. Gread’s are particular about how you say their names.”
Spring and Little Ayet were off to the side talking quietly and they both jerked their heads around when C-lem said, “You need the contract we made. I’ll die if I go back.”
Ayet nodded, “Yes, you will.”
“FATHER!!” Ayet swam up under his left fin and C-lem said, “Son, please be quiet while we discuss this.”
Jimmy looked at Ayet, “You don’t have a copy of the contract.”
C-lem blew bubbles, “The Law Centers will not allow any copies. Only one legal contract will be produced.” C-lem turned to Ayet, “And my staff will not give it to you without me approving it.”
“And you will h
ave to go there to retrieve it and appear at the Law Center to validate that it’s your signature on it,” Ayet replied. “I need you to sign the witness form.”
“What happens if I refuse?”
“My planet will be attacked by the Mercenaries.”
“What did you do to incur their anger?”
“I came here and defended this planet during one of their attacks.”
C-lem lowered his head and a long line of bubbles came out of his gills. “Will my going help this planet against the Mercenaries?”
“It will substantially delay their next attack.” Ayet’s mother swam up and C-lem said, “This is my mate, Laleia. If I do this, will you take her and my children home?”
“I will not leave here, C-lem!”
“But…”
“This life is better than the overcrowded waters we live in back at our planet. I will raise my family here!” She turned to Jimmy, “If you will allow us to stay.”
“Your life on your home planet has to be better than the prison you’re in here.”
C-lem sighed again, “I am wealthy on my planet and the space I can afford is only a hundredth the size of this lagoon. The food that enters my space is limited and it gets smaller each year.”
Jimmy looked at Ayet and he nodded, “They are highly over-populated.”
“We’ve limited our births but it was too little too late.”
“That’s why you attacked my world?” Jimmy asked.
“The value of the real-estate here is beyond counting. My greed brought me here.” C-lem looked at Ayet, “If he will allow my family to remain, I will go with you. I do ask you take the others I caused to be trapped here back home.”
“FATHER, NO!”
C-lem saw his other children come swimming up and they gathered around him. C-lem wrapped his fins around them and said, “I have caused these good beings great harm and suffering. I am responsible for what I’ve done and I will not fail to do what’s right this time.”
“But you’ll die!”
C-lem hugged Ayet tighter, “Son, it has been you that taught me how wrong I’ve been. I will not make another foolish decision again.”
“Then, I’m going with you!!”
C-lem’s eye lids came down and Ayet said, “You know he won’t be harmed as an observer. Your family should have someone there to witness what happens.”
C-lem blew out a big stream of bubbles and Spring said, “I will go as well.” Jimmy’s eyes narrowed and Spring’s eyes narrowed in her facemask, “If my friend goes, I will be there to comfort him. My dead brother would demand it and so do I!!” Jimmy’s eyes teared up and he nodded.
Ayet stared at them and shook his head, “I would have never anticipated that a Gread would ever put others ahead of themselves. I thought I’d have to drag you back.” He pulled a large tablet out of the pouch hanging around his waist and said, “Please!” C-lem pressed his fin on the tablet and Ayet changed the screen. He turned to Jimmy and held it out to him. Jimmy put his hand on the screen and pressed down. Ayet turned to C-lem, “I want to use your Big-Head to represent me.”
“He’s the best I’ve ever seen; he’d be a good choice to do it.”
“If you will press this again giving him the authority to do it, I’d greatly appreciate it.” C-lem pressed the screen again. “Ok, I’ll be back a week before the date of the hearing which is one year from now. I’ll set up my defense between now and then”
“Grandfather.”
“Yes, Spring.”
“You really should go and see Grandmother Candy.”
Ayet’s eyes closed, “I’ve always dreaded doing that.” Spring stared at him and he said, “I’ll do it when I come back. It will take that long to work my courage up.”
Ayet disappeared and Jimmy said, “I know at some level I shouldn’t feel bad about what’s going to happen to you, but I do.”
“Then that tells me I’m doing the right thing. I will at least have another year to love my family.” Jimmy sighed and swam away.
Chapter Eighteen
Six-months later, Jimmy and his family were sitting next to a large pile of glowing rocks just outside the huge hangars in Berlin. It was bitterly cold but the heat from the rocks kept the chill at bay. Snow surrounded the area but there was only a few inches on the ground; all of it was melted around the rocks. Logs had been moved in by Jumpers and surrounded the rocks.
A large number of Urrik pilots had gathered away from the fire and were asking each other what was going on. The progress of the new arrivals’ developing intelligence was extraordinary. The language program along with the assistance of the first Urriks to arrive made a huge difference in how fast they learned. Most all Urriks now spoke English and it was rapidly becoming their first language. Jimmy pushed his hands toward the glowing rocks and was more impressed with how well the Urriks tolerated the cold. Their skin looked smooth but Jimmy noticed earlier that it did have a pebbly appearance. It made sense in a way. Most of the herbivores on Earth survived outside year-round. Cows, goats, sheep, along with most of those that died in the asteroid impacts lived comfortably in cold climates. The Urriks were herbivores and it only made sense they could do so as well.
Rachel stepped forward and fired an old hand-blaster at the pile of rocks and they grew brighter. Jimmy pulled his hands back, “That’s enough, honey.” Rachel nodded and stepped back to the log and sat between the twins. Jimmy heard the first ships arriving and looked at Summer. She smiled and moved a little closer under his left arm. Ed and Jillian walked through the large crowd of Urriks and they moved respectfully out of their way. They arrived at the logs and Jimmy nodded to his right, “Take a seat.”
“What’s going on, Sir.”
“Ed, tonight, we will be using first names.”
Ed paused and said, “What’s going on, Jimmy.”
“Let’s wait for the others.”
Ed heard a Jumper’s drive units and saw a jumper landing close to the hangars. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of Hitter drive-units. He looked toward the hangars and saw eleven Hitters moving in for a landing. They beat the jumper down and a few minutes later, he saw Leit and ten of his unit commanders walking through the gathering crowd. He looked at Jillian and she shrugged, “I don’t know anything about this.”
“You told me years back that I needed you to keep me informed about things I missed.”
“So, sue me!” Ed smiled and pulled her closer to him. He then saw the members of the Leadership Team walking through the crowd. Jillian said, “This is major.” Ed nodded.
Jimmy looked at Leit and his commanders, “Take a seat next to Ed.” They stepped over the log and Leit sat next to Jillian, “What’s this about, Master Ed?”
“I have no idea.”
Leit’s eyes opened slightly wider as Jimmy said, “Those of you on the Leadership Team sit next to the Children. You are here to act as observers only.”
Suzette looked at Juan and he nodded toward the other side of the glowing rocks. “What’s going on?” Juan pulled his head into his shoulders and shook it.
Jimmy waited until everyone was seated and he nodded to Rachel. She stood up with the other three and began passing out remote microphones. Leit and his ten commanders received one along with Ed and Jimmy. Ed had wondered what the large loud-speakers were doing behind the logs and now he knew. Jimmy pressed a button on his microphone and said, “Activate your microphones. Can all of you hear me?”
The Urriks at the back of the large gathering yelled, “YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU!”
Patrick looked at Juan and whispered, “Why weren’t we given one?”
“Ask somebody who knows. He said we were observers,” Juan replied. But he was wondering the same thing.
Jimmy nodded and Rachel fired the blaster into the rocks reheating them. He looked around the rocks and said, “I should have waited for a warmer day to do this but I believe this can’t wait.” The thousands in the growing gathering became silent. Jimmy looked at Lei
t and smiled, “I heard you tell the Pilots that came here recently that we were giving them freedom.”
A Urrik in the front row said loudly, “AND FOOD!”
Jimmy smiled, “Yes, and food. What did you mean when you said we gave you freedom, Leit?”
Leit smiled, “You saved us from an intolerable existence and changed how we live our lives.”
Jimmy nodded, “So, you believe not having to live in your ships, being allowed to live among each other, and going where you want, when you want, is freedom?”
“Absolutely! It’s a wonderful life now.”
• • •
Jillian whispered to Ed, “Uh-oh!”
“Be quiet! This is why you weren’t given a microphone.” Jillian punched him in the ribs and he flinched.
• • •
“That is not freedom,” Jimmy replied.
Leit’s eyes opened slightly and he said, “Compared to our former existence, it is.”
Jimmy shook his head, “This new existence is really no different than your old one, Leit.”
“How can you say that?! It’s completely different!” Many in the gathering voiced their agreement.
Jimmy waited until the noise died down and said, “Your old masters could have allowed you to get out of your ships and move around the landing bay. You could have walked from one end to the other when you chose, couldn’t they?”
Leit looked at Ed and saw he wasn’t going to be any help. “I guess that’s possible.”
“Then the only difference would be you have more room here to do it.”
“What are you saying?”
“Leit, you weren’t free while you lived under your old masters and you aren’t free living under your new-masters here.”
“I don’t understand, Senior Master.”
“Call me, Jimmy, you’re among friends here. Leit, If Ed ordered all of you to board your ships, leave for open space, and remain there until the Mercenaries returned, without knowing when they would, would you do it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because my master ordered it.”
“Even if you knew the order was a bad one?”
Leit shrugged, “He ordered us to do it.”