by T. R. Harris
Then the Ambassador had departed the ship.
Once in space, the Human delegation had been escorted to the pilothouse, where they had marveled at the incredible views of faster-than-light space travel. The ship blazed through the solar system, taking a scenic route past Mars, Jupiter and Uranus. Saturn and Neptune were not in position for the tour. But even this temporary distraction did not last long. Soon, the four members of the delegation were all sitting solemnly in the common room, lost in their own thoughts.
Matthew St. Claire rubbed the spot behind his right ear where the translation device had been implanted. Even though he had been aware of the aliens for several months now, he was just now realizing how far advanced their technology was, and what little knowledge they had actually shared with the Humans. The President had been right – what had they been providing to us all these years? Tokens? Trivial items? Now here he sat in an interstellar spacecraft, and he had absolutely no idea how it worked.
They soon reached the point outside the solar system from which the Klin reasoned the Juireans would be the approaching. The second ship was far away, further into the system. The Klin were aboard that ship, but all St. Claire had with him were the three other Humans and a handful of short, hairless creatures. And approaching them was a force of 500 powerful spaceships, capable for destroying an entire world.
If ever a man felt alone and utterly helpless, it was Matthew St. Claire at the moment the alarm sounded, signifying that the Juirean fleet had arrived…
Chapter Twenty-Two
Juireans, for the most part, are very patient beings. They’re calm and methodical in their movements, and this trait carries over into their tactics and strategies. But after two months aboard the UN-444, and heading for a conflict of which he had no sure feeling as to the outcome, Senior Overlord Yan’wal Ra Melk was ready for some action.
His original plan had called for his fleet to receive advanced intelligence from Guard Commander Lod-fin as to the defensives and capabilities of the Humans. Yet no contact had been made with Lod-fin for over a month and a half. His disappearance only added to Yan’wal’s trepidation. It was obvious that the commander had encountered an obstacle that he was ill-prepared to overcome, and to Yan’wal, that only meant one thing. Lod-fin had been confronted by the Humans.
Because of the situation with Lod-fin, the Overlord had proceeded into the Far Arm with extreme caution. He had lost contact with Lod-fin only 200 hundred light years into the Arm, which meant the Humans may have a presence that spread much farther from their homeworld than first anticipated. So for several weeks, his entire fleet had been on high alert, not knowing when the first contact would be made. This heightened state of readiness had placed additional strain on all his personnel, including himself.
But no contact had been made, and now they were fast approaching the system where the planet Earth was located. And they were going in completely blind.
The Overlord was on the bridge of the UN-444, conversing with Overlord Giodol and Fleet Strategist Canel when the advance ships first received the message. It was a simple carrier wave transmission, and his ships were nearly upon the transmission source before they even had a chance to hear it.
Canel ordered the center of the fleet to stop their approach, while the flanks were to continue and encircle the signal’s source. The senior personnel adjourned to the communication center to hear the message.
“The message is being broadcast in Juirean,” Senior Counselor Haden observed. Haden was Yan’wal’s personal counselor and had been with him for over 20 years. He was the most trusted advisor the Overlord had in the room.
“Then let’s hear to it,” Yan’wal commanded, and soon a brassy voice sounded over the speakers.
“To the approaching Juirean forces, we are representatives of the planet Earth. We have come out to greet you and to request a meeting between our two races so that we may resolve any issues between us. We do not intend you any harm. Whatever you have come to believe regarding our race and our intentions toward the Juirean Expansion are false. I repeat: They are false. All we ask is for a meeting before you engage in a course of action from which there is no turning back. Please respond.”
“The message is on a loop,” Haden said.
“It could be a trap, My Lord,” Strategist Canel said. “The fact that they knew of our coming and—” he looked down at the data that was streaming across the screen before him, “the source of the link is a spaceship of very advanced design.”
“Explain,” Yan’wal commanded.
Canel studied the data for a moment longer before responding. “The energy signature of the ship is near perfect. There are harmonic vibrations like I’ve never seen before. For a ship of such advance design to be communicating through such a primitive method is very strange, My Lord.”
“They could be trying to deceive us regarding the level of their technology,” said Giodol. “And they may be underestimating our own level of scanner technology, allowing us to see through their ruse.”
“That may be so. But as of now, we have no reliable intelligence as to their capabilities. Meeting with these creatures might be able to provide us with an insight. Do you see any danger to the fleet from our meeting with them, Canel?”
“None that I can see at this time. There appears to be only one ship. I would suggest we bring whatever delegation they have aboard the UN-444.”
“No,” said Yan’wal firmly. “Send a delegation comprised of Fleet Commander Siegor and Counselor Haden aboard their ship. We must be able to discern all we can of the ships’ abilities and weaponry. We would learn nothing by bringing them aboard here.”
“Very wise decision, My Lord,” Canel replied.
Yan’wal turned to Giodol. “Siegor has interrogated Humans before. I want his assessment as to their state of mind in light of our impending attack.”
“I will summon the Fleet Commander.” Giodol turned to Canel. “Send a response to the link, and prepare a shuttle.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Secretary of State Jonas Lofton was ashamed of himself. After 32 years in government service, and having served in nearly every capacity, he should have had been better prepared for his current assignment. Yes, these were aliens he was supposed to negotiate with, but they were still intelligent beings with wants, needs and desires. And negotiation was what Jonas Lofton did best, at least that was the theory.
But now all he felt was a sickening knot in his stomach, along with a mouth so dry he could hardly form a coherent sentence. He took another drink of water, hoping it would help, but all it did was make his stomach growl, adding another level to his discomfort.
The simple message had been received less than 15 minutes ago, and already a sleek, white shuttle was nearing their ship and maneuvering toward the loading bay under the disk-shaped spacecraft. In mere minutes, Lofton would be face-to-face with another alien species, and one intent on killing every man, woman and child on the Earth. And the scariest part of it all, the Juireans were fully capable of doing so.
So Jonas Lofton, along with Matt St. Claire, Jerrod Llewellyn and that Neanderthal, General Daniels, would soon be opening the most important negotiations in the history of mankind.
As Siegor and Haden stepped out of the shuttlecraft, they were surprised to find that the Human delegation was not there to greet them. Instead, there were just a couple of filthy Jakreans to escort them to the meeting place.
Offended at first, Siegor soon began to take advantage of the situation by slowing his cadence and taking more time to study the makeup and layout of the ship he found himself in. With an official delegation at his elbow, it would have been much harder for him to feel the integrity of the welds, or to peer into the various open rooms they passed on the way to the meeting.
By the time they entered the room where the four Humans waited, Siegor was already feeling anxious. This ship was the most sophisticated spacecraft he’d ever seen. And if the level of weaponry matched the level
of workmanship, then his Juirean brothers may be in for more than they bargained for.
These Humans, for the most part, were heavier and older than the two he’d interrogated aboard his flagship after the battle of Dimloe. As the Juireans entered the room, the four of them shot to their feet and bared their teeth at them. Both Juireans fought to maintain control; after all, these Humans may be of a different breed than the ones he’d met before. But still, if they did not moderate their challenge, this meeting may have to end prematurely.
As with all the Humans he’d seen or met before, these creatures were much shorter than the Juireans, and these particular ones did not seem to possess the muscularity that the others enjoyed. Definitely a different breed, Siegor thought. These may be the administrators, and therefore not in need of such physical conditioning.
And then the one with the grayest hair was speaking.
“I am Jonas Lofton,” he said in a voice much higher than Siegor remembered from his prior encounter with the aliens. “I am what’s called the Secretary of State for the country of the United States of America. I am our top negotiator.” He then turned to the others, introducing them by name and title.
Siegor could care less what their names were, but he followed suit, and introduced himself and Counselor Haden. And then Haden spoke up. “You sent a message requesting this meeting. In it you mentioned a misunderstanding. From what we have learned of your kind, there is no misunderstanding. You intend to invade Juirean space at your earliest opportunity. We cannot allow that.”
Matt St. Claire could feel the blood drain from his head. We intend to invade? That was just what Adam Cain said was in the message he’d attributed to the Klin, and of which the Klin Ambassador had denied existed. He looked over at Jonas and saw him sweating profusely.
“Pardon me, Secretary Lofton, but I need to ask our guests a question.” Lofton seemed relieved by the interruption.
“Please. Go right ahead,” Lofton said, lifting the glass of water that sat on the table before him, and taking another large gulp.
St. Claire took a deep breath, and then looked at the two huge aliens seated across from him. “Pardon me, but we have conflicting information about a message that you may have received regarding this supposed invasion of Juirean space. I can assure you that we Humans sent no such message, and that we have absolutely no intention of engaging in a conflict with your kind.”
“The message was clear, as were the words of the other Humans I have personally encountered prior to this meeting.”
“Can you please indulge me as to the contents of this message?”
The Juirean – Siegor was his name – looked at him from across the table, a dark-eyed, steely stare that sent a chill down St. Claire’s spine. He was hoping that the Juireans were not very proficient at reading Human body language, otherwise they would have known St. Claire was about to have a heart attack.
“The message spoke of your plans to invade Juirean space, and that your timetable for doing so was three years hence. It clearly mentioned the two most recent conflicts we had with your kind in Sector 17. In addition, I have met with two of your race in person. Of course, they were of a younger variety and possibly of a different breed, but they were very adamant regarding your plans to supplant us as leaders of The Expansion.”
St. Claire couldn’t help but slump down in his chair. Could Cain have been right all along? Or did Cain send the message himself? But to what end? St. Clair had read Cain’s service jacket; he was a 4-0 sailor, a dedicated SEAL, as well as a family man. If he was behind the message, all he would succeed in doing is get his family killed – along with himself. Yet if the Klin had sent the message…
“Fleet Commander Siegor,” St. Claire began. “I think I can spread some light on this entire affair. I’m sure you’ve heard of a race called the Klin—”
“The Klin! Of course we have. So you are working with them?” Siegor began to rise from the table.
“No, Commander. We are not working with them in any capacity to wage war against your kind. In fact, we now have reason to believe that the Klin may have maneuvered both of our races into this potential conflict.”
Siegor sat back down. “Continue.”
“The Klin have been on Earth for over eight years now, but they have been only helping us with small technological advances in the areas of manufacturing and energy. The Human race is very primitive compared to both the Juireans and the Klin. We do not possess space travel beyond chemical rockets to our nearby moon. In fact, it was only today that I, and my colleagues here, have ever been aboard a spaceship.”
The Juirean stared at him for several seconds, and then glanced at the other Juirean at the table. The other creature leaned forward. “I am Counselor Haden. I am the personal advisor to Senior Overlord Yan’wal Ra Melk. What do you know of the Klin and their association with the Juirean race?”
“I have read a report. It was prepared several years ago, but it does speak of the time when the Juireans attacked the Klin homeworld.” St. Claire paused, so he could see the reaction on the faces of the Juireans. There was none.
“That is correct. The Klin committed a grave injustice on the Juirean race. We were justified in our actions.”
“I am not here to judge,” St. Claire quickly said. “All I’m trying to convey is that the Klin may have a motive for wanting our two races to war. But I must assure you both, the Humans of Earth mean you no harm or ill will whatsoever. There is no reason for you to attack us. We are not a threat to you.”
“And what of this ship?” the Juirean named Siegor asked. “The sophistication of its design is beyond even what we can manage.”
“It is a Klin ship. They provided it to us for our meeting today.”
The two Juireans looked at each other quickly, their eyes growing wide. “The Klin know of this meeting? Did they encourage it?” Haden asked.
“Yes they did.”
“Oh shit!” General Daniels said for the first time.
“What’s wrong?” Llewellyn asked, turning to face the general.
Daniels looked at the scientist with a wry expression. “Why would the Klin set up this whole war scenario, just to turn around and help us diffuse the situation?”
Just then, the occupants of the room could hear a low, steady hum suddenly grow louder throughout the ship. And then the spacecraft suddenly jerked sideways slightly, once, then twice.
“What was that?” Lofton asked.
“Those are bolt shots.” said Siegor, rising from his seat.
“Are we being fired upon?”
“No. This ship is doing the firing.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“My Lord!” a tech called out from the left side of the bridge. “The Human ship just released two bolts!”
The Juireans all rushed to their screens just in time to see an almost pure white ball of energy easily penetrate through the first diffusion screen of the battlecruiser closest to the Human spaceship. Even though the UN-444 was over 500 kilometers away, the intensity of the bolts still lit up the bridge through the forward viewport. Then immediately after the first bolt, a second one lashed out toward the cruiser. The white hot ball of electricity easily passed through the hole in the diffusion shield and struck the outer hull of the ship. Milliseconds later, the bolt penetrated the hull and ignited with the atmosphere inside. The ship suddenly blew outward, just a sudden bright flash, and then a billion pieces of debris spreading out in all directions.
“Return fire!” Strategist Canel cried out.
Blue-white bolts of energy erupted from no fewer than eight cruisers in the immediate vicinity of the Human ship. Each bolt almost simultaneously impacted the surface hull; if there had been a diffusion screen, the intensity of the charges was enough to overload it in an instance. The smooth and sleek, disk-shape spaceship simply disintegrated.
From where he stood behind Canel, Yan’wal felt the anger well up inside him. He had been tricked, and in the process had lost a heavy
battlecruiser, as well as two of his most trusted aides.
“Strategist Canel,” he called out in a voice that could be heard throughout the expansive bridge of the UN-444, “proceed with the attack!”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Captain Nat Allen was a man of power and prestige, and well-known within the halls of the Pentagon. As one of the highest ranking officers in the SEALs, he carried incredible clout, so he had no difficulty being invited to join the other brass in the main war room to watch the progress of the negotiations taking place at the very edge of the solar system.
He had learned that another Klin ship was on station about three hundred thousand kilometers from the negotiator’s ship, and that they were channeling a running commentary of the negotiations through their special communication relays. As he was told, the delay from what was happening nearly a light year away was only about two seconds. The Klin technology was truly amazing.
But what Allen had been most disappointed to learn was that the actual negotiations were not being broadcast. Instead, an emotionless and obvious alien voice was narrating a static picture of the Klin negotiating ship.
“The Juireans have agreed to the meeting,” the voice had announced about an hour ago, as the room had exploded into cheers. This was a good start. So many people in the room had been afraid the Klin ship would simply be vaporized as the Juireans streaked by on their way to Earth. Agreeing to a meeting at least gave Humanity a slim chance at salvation.