by Lionel Law
“Just like those damn Quals,” she muttered to herself, reaching for the adjustment knobs on the transmitter. “Well, if they don’t want to listen to me, I’ll just start talking to everyone I can.”
Setting the transmitter on wide band, she knew her next transmission would send her voice to every available communications system in human hands. It was the ultimate signal, a descendant of the old Emergency Broadcast System signals, and on Earth using it without justification was punishable by three years in jail. Not that she had to worry about that here. If she didn’t stop things soon, there wouldn’t be anyone to put her in jail anyway. Taking a deep breath, she reached forward and keyed the transmit button. She was glad the transmitter had been rigged to interface with the Iovan power supply system, as the signal called on a tremendous amount of power, and would probably irreparably damage the transmitter after just a few minutes.
“This is Ambassador Katrina Cole. To any and all humans who can hear my voice, I ask you to lay down your weapons. I repeat, do not start a war that neither side cannot win. We have found a cure for the disease, for both human and Iovan. This same message is being relayed to the Iovans near the border. Please, respond.”
All eyes went to the display, where Doc’s cell cultures had been replaced by the satellite feed from above. The different groups jostled, and were almost within shooting distance of each other when there was a pause, and the humans stopped. Katrina’s data terminal flashed, as someone responded to her message. “This is Katrina Cole.”
The screen flashed to life, and a dirty, partially shaved man’s face appeared on the screen. “You’ve got one minute, Cole.”
“Who am I speaking to?” Katrina asked, quickly adjusting to talk on just the man’s frequency. She might be able to save the transmitter if she did.
“I’m Lieutenant Hawkins, acting head of the human defense forces. Now talk.”
Katrina nodded and took a deep breath. “The Iovans have found a cure. But for it to work, humans and Iovans have to work together. If we start killing each other, we’re committing suicide at the same time. Now stop the advance, and pull back. I have the Iovan Council with me, they are trying to get their people to do the same.”
Hawkins looked unsure. “Why haven’t you told the government about this? You could be trying to trick us.”
Katrina rolled her eyes and sighed. “Lieutenant, I’ve been trying to. My right thumb is still numb from trying to buzz the Iova City government. Last time I talked, I got some woman named Gloria who told me she was a Dirt, but I don’t believe her. Now, I personally don’t care if she’s a Dirt, a Peer, a spy, or the goddamn Queen of Antares Four, but what I do care about is when I tried to talk to her, she didn’t answer. Tell me Hawkins, are your hovercraft nuke armed?”
Hawkins pursed his lips, and nodded his head slowly. “Yes.”
Katrina nodded, her face going pale. “Are there any that are back in Iova City, not under your control?”
Hawkins shook his head, and Katrina let her breath come out in a giant whoosh, not even realizing she had been holding it. “Okay. Hawkins, I don’t trust whoever is supposedly running the civilian side of Iova City right now. I don’t really trust you, but I need to trust someone. I’m asking you, as a military man and supposedly a man of honor, to just give me an hour. I’m coming to your location personally, in a single shuttlecraft.”
Hawkins thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. “Not my current location. I’ll send you coordinates, meet me there. One shuttlecraft, unarmed. No more. My men don’t move without my order until then. On my honor.”
The screen blinked off, and Katrina turned to look at the Council, Brynnda, Doc and Da’al. “Well, this is going to be a conversation I never thought I’d find myself having. Councilor, I’m going to need a few volunteers. Two at least.”
*****
“Human hovercraft, this is Katrina Cole.” She spoke into the microphone, intentionally dropping her ambassador title in order to try and get Hawkins to lower his guard. She was walking a tightrope, and she knew it. The humans had developed a rail gun for their hovercraft that could hit them at this range before Da’al, who was piloting, could even touch his first control to move. “I have myself and five Iovans with me, and one other human. We are going to land.”
“Understood. All parties must exit craft upon landing. We will do the same with our hovercraft once all Iovans are in the open.”
“Negative. One Iovan will remain aboard, but will take off and leave the area once we are dropped off. We can maintain communications with him remotely. Agreed?”
“Agreed. Proceed with landing.”
Katrina patted Da’al on the shoulder. “Go ahead. Then take off, and fall back ten kilometers.”
“You know I won’t be able to help you if I do,” Da’al said tightly, tapping his controls. He wasn’t the best pilot left in New Des Moines, but he had insisted on flying the group over. “What happens then?”
“If everything goes to hell, you get the fuck out of here, get back to New Des Moines, and get Brynnda out of there if you can. You won’t be able to help us.”
The shuttle settled down, and Da’al looked over. “I love you. Please, don’t get yourself killed.”
“I don’t plan on it,” Katrina said with a small smile. She looked back at her passengers, all of whom looked as scared as she felt. “All right everyone, let’s go make peace.”
The landing area was flat dirt, almost sandy, and Katrina was glad Iovan shuttle technology didn’t create a dust cloud the way the human hovercraft did. She watched as Da’al lifted the shuttlecraft off, flying away until he couldn’t be seen on the horizon.
“All right, your turn!” she hollered as loud as she could, not knowing if the humans were able to hear her or not. Regardless, the hovercraft settled down, the turbine whine dropping away until the craft was fully on the ground. Four humans climbed out, three men and a woman, although Katrina suspected that at least one more stayed inside, most likely with his fingers on the fire controls. “Hawkins?”
“That’s me,” a man replied. He was about thirty five, with black hair and a scar running down the left side of his face. She suspected it was a dueling scar, a practice that was still popular in certain circles in what had been Germany. He carried himself with the easy grace of a practiced warrior, but he didn’t seem thuggish. Her hopes lifted, if only infinitesimally. “Cole?”
“Katrina, please. And can I get your first name too, or should we keep up this bullshit of last names and ranks only, like we’re Dirts and Quals instead of two humans trying to prevent a holocaust?”
Her hopes lifted more when the man smirked and nodded, offering his hand. “Okay. Name’s Jean-Paul. Just Jean if you don’t mind. This is my pilot, Yasmin Green, my gunner Hiroshi Petersen, and my radio operator, Robert ibn Al’Amin. Who’s this with you?”
“KC O’Connor, Ross Hunt’s secretary, and the Iovans, well, you can’t pronounce most of their names. However, these two men are the head of the Iovan Council, Tanbur Henchuk. The other, well, I just call him Doc. The other two are volunteers, who want to share with you the cure.”
“What is the cure?” Hawkins asked, cocking his eyebrow. “And what do you mean share it with us?”
“It is better if you just read about it,” Doc spoke up, holding out a data sheet. “I don’t think you’d believe it otherwise.”
Hawkins took the thin sheet, his eyebrow lifting higher. “Nice technology, very thin. How do I change it to English?”
Katrina stepped forward and tapped the appropriate control, stepping back. Hawkins read, his eyebrow lifting higher before his eyes narrowed, his mouth dropping open. After three minutes of reading, he handed it back. “You’re joking.”
“No I’m not, Jean. How do you think I’ve been living among the Iovans for months and haven’t even gotten a sniffle? The Iovans closest to me haven’t either. Meanwhile, thousands on both sides are dying.”
“But actual sex? W
hy not just swap some blood cultures or something? I mean, we’re sharing the same disease, why can’t your antibodies help other humans?”
“Because it isn’t the same disease,” Doc replied. “Although they do share some things in common. It was just pure bad luck, but I suspect at the trading post, a trader came in with a common human infection, something you wouldn’t even notice. Meanwhile, at the same time, an Iovan came in with a similar affliction. These two traders somehow came in close contact. Maybe a shared table, or even a shared toilet. However, what is a minor problem for our respective species jumped across species lines and infected others, and the new disease was carried back to our cities by either these same traders or others. I also suspect there are already other immune humans and Iovans. I doubt Ambassador Cole and Mr. O’Connor are the only humans to have had intimate contact with an Iovan.”
Hawkins snorted and nodded. “For sure. Last patrol I had through the trading post, there was a pretty active little flophouse going. Two humans and one Iovan, I think.”
“These flophouses, they do not keep records of customers?” Doc asked innocently. The humans all laughed, and Doc blushed. “Sorry.”
“No offense Doc, but human culture doesn’t track that sort of thing,” Katrina interjected softly. She turned her attention back to Hawkins. “Jean, I asked for volunteers from the Iovans because I want to make a gesture of good faith. They’ll go with you, back to wherever you want to take them, and have agreed to have sex with up to three humans each. Have your own medical teams check them out afterwards. KC was symptomatic when he had sex with my assistant, and now you can see he’s as healthy as I am. The details are in the data sheet if you read further.”
“What do you want from me?” Hawkins asked, his eyes looking over the two Iovan volunteers. “Not that I don’t mind the offer of some free sex, I’m a single soldier, but I’ve never known an offer like that without conditions.”
“We’d like to swap, three for three. Doc wants to go along, and participate if you want him to, but mostly to share information and talk to your medical teams. You know how doctors are.”
Hawkins nodded. “Yeah, last doctor I slept with was horrible in bed. I hope you’re better than your counterpart, Doc. All right, you got a deal. Crew, you willing to volunteer?”
Green and Petersen nodded, but Al’Amin shook his head. “Sorry Lieutenant, but I need more proof. Think you can find another?”
Hawkins nodded. “Fine. Al’Amin, take the hovercraft back to the lines, I’ll be going with the Iovan delegation. Get on the radio and tell Lieutenant Timmons she’s in charge right now, and tell her to drop the whole Miss Timmons act. Get her on the fucking horn with Ambassador Cole in New Des Moines. And get a medic up here to come with us.”
Hawkins turned to Katrina and spread his hands while Al’Amin jogged back to the hovercraft. “You got what you wanted, Katrina. Now what?”
One of the Iovans, a pretty woman who Katrina thought was about twenty or so, but knowing Iovans could have been anywhere between eighteen and fifty, leaned in and whispered to Doc. Doc whispered back in Iovan, before turning to Lietenant Hawkins. “Lieutenant, how would you like to be cured?”
Hawkins looked the young woman up and down, a smile growing on his face. “I can do that. Green, you want some cure too?”
Green looked at the Iovan man, who Katrina knew was especially tall for an Iovan, even taller than Da’al. Green on the other hand was a bit short, maybe five five, so they matched up well. “Okay, Lieutenant. But…. do you guys have anything to wash up with? No offense, but I’ve been in that hovercraft for ten hours, and I smell like a fucking cow.”
Henchuk nodded, and smiled. “Our shuttle can come back and bring you some fresh water and other supplies. Privacy too if you wish, though you’ll have to take turns.”
Chapter 15
Katrina could barely believe the amount of change that could happen in only a year. The trading post, which was quickly resettled, was given a proper name. At first the humans had wanted to use the term Folkvangr in keeping with the Norse naming of the planet, but it was found that a similar word already existed in Iovan with an unpleasant meaning. Eventually, the city was named Tir Na Nog, and rebuilt near a lake that took on the equally famous name. It was agreed to be a neutral territory, under the jurisdiction of neither Iovan nor human, but instead in an open direct democracy.
Tir Na Nog became a haven for both traders and those wanting a new start. With direct democracy, the elective stranglehold the Peers held over the rest of the human territory was made moot, as Dirts who wanted freedom fled towards Tir Na Nog, where they were welcomed with open arms by the Tirnians. Ross Hunt had threatened action one time, until he realized that Tir Na Nog controlled the one thing he could not bully or bluff his way into, namely Iovans. New Des Moines told Hunt that by the terms of the treaty, he had to respect the wishes of the Tirnians, and let it remain free and open. “Of course, if you wish, we can accept the human refugees ourselves, Governor,” Councilor Henchuk had told him in a private conversation. “I doubt many Iovans will want the same thing with you, although they are free to do so if they wish.”
Hunt’s government crumbled quietly, as the Peers realized most of their servants were fleeing to Tir Na Nog at the nearest opportunity. By agreement of the Iova City government, new rights were given to all Dirts, and Ross Hunt retired quietly to private life. A new government, headed by Jean-Paul Hawkins, took its place.
While the human colony went through changes, Tir Na Nog continued to grow by leaps and bounds. As by the treaty, neutral territory between the human territory and Iovan territory, it was the place where the two sides could come together on equal footing. Trading houses were especially popular, as limits on technology were lifted. Human engineers were already working to copy Iovan antigravity technology, while the Iovans worked on producing their own version of jazz. Foods were being worked into new cuisines on both sides, along with hundreds of other minor markets.
Of course the biggest market, and the one that humans had an advantage on, was sex. With Iovans outnumbering humans by a factor of almost two hundred to one, there just weren’t enough humans to go around. Thankfully, third party psychic links did offer some limited protection for Iovans, and for a few months there were whole theaters packed while a human and an Iovan had sex, the audience getting temporary treatment. Iovan children as well were getting limited immunity once their parents had gotten direct treatment, and it was agreed upon on all sides that this would suffice until the Iovan children were of proper age. As the humans had no children yet, the issue was moot temporarily.
Humans, even those with no other skill to their name, soon found themselves in high demand if only for their sexual abilities. Those with an open mindset, both male and female, soon amassed large fortunes for their services. Those who didn’t still were able to almost have their choice of Iovans they wished to become immunized by, and it became a badge of honor and beauty among certain Iovan social circles to have been approached by a human for their immunization sex.
It had created a few shockwaves in Iovan society as well. Due to human preferences, taller Iovan men and women, who for years had found themselves somewhat outcast, were treated as the epitome of beauty. The second tallest Iovan woman at five foot nine went from relative obscurity to being the most desired woman on the planet almost overnight.
“Ready for the Council meeting?”
Katrina was standing in her office, looking over the data terminal on the wall. She looked to the open door, where Brynnda stood, her swollen belly pushing out the front of her tunic even past her breasts. “Of course. But why are you standing there like you’re my assistant still, Sister? You’re the one with senior Council status this month.”
Brynnda came in and gave her a hug, carefully making sure to avoid pressure on her belly. “Only for another few weeks. Then it’s your turn. I’ll be on maternity leave.”
Katrina ran her hands over the smooth curve of Brynnd
a’s belly, comfortable with the now familiar stab of jealousy that Brynnda was the first to have a human-Iovan hybrid baby. Even though she had only had sex with KC that one time, it had been enough. She was now only weeks from delivery, although she hadn’t allowed herself to slow down, taking a Tirnian Council seat by popular demand. “Twins, even. A boy and a girl. Are you excited?”
Brynnda nodded. “Since I have two of my husbands coming in to assist, things will be easy. Even KC has asked if he can come to the delivery. While he isn’t my type, of course I said yes. My house is going to be rather busy for a month or so.”
“I bet. Promise me you’ll let me be at the delivery too?”
Brynnda kissed Katrina’s cheek and smiled. “Of course. There is no one I want more there than you. To be honest, I’ve missed our times together. I’m very happy that Da’al wasn’t jealous or had any objections.”
“Me too. And yes, I miss those times too. I never thought I’d have any attraction to a woman, but to have you with me…. I can’t imagine it any other way. And Da’al feels the same way. He’s an amazing man.”
“He’s at the spaceport in New Des Moines today, giving a lecture to a group of human engineers. He thinks that some of the human ideas on our warp propulsion can advance his own designs. After the lecture he’ll come home. He’s grateful for the new shuttlecraft, by the way.”
“Tell that to Henchuk. He’s the one who pushed it on me. I was the one who told our Council.”
It was a stroke of genius by Henchuk, and one that did more to repair relations than even the establishment of Tir Na Nog. Starting with Da’al, all of those who were innocently targeted by the mobs and riots before the peace were compensated with land, a rebuilt house, or in some other way. Da’al had chosen to take a small house in the new city along with Katrina, and used the rest of his credit to get a small shuttle. With it, Da’al could continue to work in New Des Moines and live in Tir Na Nog without any problems.