“Will all the others be able to make the trip?” I asked.
“Jon, you’re really smarter than you look,” he responded. “Yes, but several can’t, given their own technology. We will bring them. Some have mastered the folding of space-time, most have not. They all have some form of FTL drive but wouldn’t make it here very quickly.”
“So, they can only be counted on to defend against the Last Nightmare if the enemy comes to them?” Colin Winchester asked astutely.
“True,” Kymee replied. “But they’re as capable in that capacity as most anyone else.”
“For whatever that’s worth,” Colin said sourly.
“Let’s try and remain upbeat, shall we, General Winchester?” asked Bin Li.
“I’ll be as upbeat as the village idiot when those bastards are in their graves. Up until then, I’ll remain pragmatic.”
Glances were exchanged around the room, but no one felt like taking him to task over such a minor point. He sure was a dour fellow.
“Fine,” concluded Kymee. “I’ll see some of you in a few days.” He stood to leave.
“I have a few questions,” said Carlos. “May I walk you back to your vortex?”
“Absolutely,” he said placing a hand on Carlos’s back.
As the rest of us began drifting apart, Alexis buttonholed me. “Jon, can you spare a few minutes?”
“Sure, boss. Your place or mine?”
“You’re positively impossible,” she said with a smile.
“So I’ve been told.”
JJ leaned in. “No, he’s positively revolting.” He mussed my hair. “Pop, call me later, okay?”
“No.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Let's go to my office,” she said, gesturing to the door.
“Can I get you anything,” she asked as we sat down.
“No, I’m good. What’s on your mind, Al?”
She tented her fingers and leaned back in her officer chair, thinking how to best express herself.
“It’s all changing, Jon, isn’t it?”
“All what?”
She wrinkled her forehead. “Everything. The old rules are out the window. Humanity…humanity has just taken that one giant step again.”
“You mean the aliens?”
“Yes,” she said with more certainty, “that’s part of it. But we have the cubes. We have unlimited access to the universe.” There was a look of wonder on her face.
“Assuming there is a universe much longer.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about that. I almost feel sorry for the Last Nightmare.”
“Oh really? How did you noodle that out?”
“We have a worse nightmare of our own—you. You’ll figure something out, pull some big rabbit out of your hat. I just hope I can see the looks on their faces when they realize this was a universe too far.”
“Assuming they have faces.”
“You really don’t struggle to make things easy, do you?” She smiled.
“Never saw the point.” After I was done being cute, I became serious. “Yes. Assuming we survive, things will never be the same. We could shuttle the entire population off the worldships and relocate them anywhere, literally anywhere.”
“That would be tempting. Can you imagine ten thousand empty worldship drifting in space because they were outmoded?”
“No way. We could sell them.”
“No, we won’t need money where we’re going. Plus, we could retrieve all the gold and diamonds our treasuries could hold.”
“Yeah, that’s true. So, Al, assuming we survive, what do you see us doing?”
She took a moment to answer. “Who knows? Right now, I’m just pinching myself and imagining a brave new existence.”
“Funny.”
“What?”
“Welcome to my world. I been doing this for a long time. It’s kind of all right. You’re going to love it.”
“Why do you say it so sadly then? You play so well to a crowd.”
I shrugged. “I’m cool.”
“We all know that, but the coolest dude there appears perturbed.” She snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “Misery may love company, but heroes don’t.”
I shrugged again. “Maybe.”
“It’s kind of all right out there in the future. You’re going to love it. If you don’t, let me know, and we’ll return our new toys to the Deavoriath.”
I perked up more than I’d like to admit. “Really?”
“No, Jon. Get over yourself. We’re keeping the new toys. We’re keeping you too, so try and keep up with the new ways.”
“Aye, aye, boss lady.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
The grand meeting on Oowaoa was a blast. I was sorry it was for such a somber, downer reason. Otherwise it was like the circus hit town and I was the biggest kid around. I’ve met my share of aliens, but those guys took the cake. There were so many totally weird looking sideshow candidates present even I was on overload.
We convened in a large hall, possibly built for such gatherings. It was as old as everything else on the planet, so the hosts certainly didn’t make any last-minute changes. Long, smooth benches arched around the central stage area. There were also aisles with seats of wildly diverse shapes and sizes. Apparently the Deavoriath were prepared to accommodate many species I couldn’t even picture.
I made it a point to be there early so I could see my new allies arrive. The contingent of Fenptodinians entered first. Man, I’d seen a lot of improbable creatures, but these guy won the blue ribbon. They ranged from around two to three meters tall and about half as wide. The best approximation I could make was they looked like jellyfish out of water. Their bell-shaped heads had fourteen eye stalks rising circumferentially, and their legs, thin filaments really, were too numerous to count. They glided with soft undulations. The main difference from a jelly was their tough hide, clearly a barrier to water loss. Rhinoceros jellyfish, minus a horn. What a trip. One of the back rows of seats conformed to their bodies when they rested down. Can’t say they sat, because they didn’t have butts.
The Churell, pronounced chu-rell, paraded in next. I could catch my breath, so to speak, because they were more humanoid. Well, they looked like abbreviated centaurs. Four legs and two arms, but the horse part of their anatomy was much shorter than the legendary centaur. They were three-meters-tall humanoids with a ninety-degree bend a third of the way down from their round heads. The “C” shape of their neck allowed their center of gravity to ride more forward. They looked like they bounced really well. All wore nasal prongs, presumably to supplement the native atmosphere.
The showstoppers were the Maxwal-Asute. I almost burst out laughing, which, it turned out, would have been my last mistake. These were a tough bunch of aliens. The smallest to attend, they weren’t over a meter tall. I can describe them precisely, however. Fire hydrants with toilet plungers on their heads. No, seriously. It was like their heads were designed to stick underneath a solid surface. Totally bizarre. Three short arms extended from their cylinder-shaped bodies, with three short legs propelling them. Unlike the three-legged Deavoriath who walked with a rolling tumble of their legs, the Maxwal-Asute moved fluidly. If one knew horses, they moved like a Paso Fino. The little guys plopped into the conventional seats in the front row like they fit, which they didn’t at all. I learned later they’d gladly exchanged comfort for making a statement of toughness and self-importance.
The last group to arrive were the Berrillians, specifically Anganctus and Fractor. Turk was sent to fetch them. I worried at first when I assigned him the transport, but he was equipped with the same weapons I was. Plus, the sooner others integrated into those types of roles, the sooner I saw some peace. Once I tapped him, he was super excited. He was contributing at a high level. In the end, that’s what our type loved to do. As soon as he was back, he did make it a point to give me a hard time about their awful smell. That it bothered him put a smile on my face.
Yibitriander, Kymee, and Lornot sat
in the front of the auditorium on a slightly raised stage. Kymee and Lornot waved and pointed to individuals in the crowd, but old Yibitriander just sat there like a statue of a constipated man. Once it became clear the Berrillians were not going to sit, preferring to pace in tight figure eights, Yibitriander spoke.
“We will begin. Thank you all for coming today. We face a great crisis, but it is good to know none of us face it alone. I would…”
One of the Maxwal-Asute hopped off his seat and said loudly, “I question your data, Deavoriath. I would like…”
“Clang-fow Peditit, if you’d allow me to lead this session, I’m certain it would move along move fluidly. I can assure you all questions and input everyone has will be addressed before we adjourn.”
“Fine. As my questions will be addressed, they will be addressed now. You provide us with some data that you claim represents decayed particles from an alternate universe. Have the brains of the Deavoriath not aged as well as their bodies?”
Yibitriander knuckled the podium and closed his eyes. “What aspect of the data concerns you?”
“What aspect? The entire proposition wreaks of Deavoriath treachery.”
Kymee rose, placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, and took over. “I can assure you the data is real. I am confident your scientists have told you the implications of the information. Thank you for bringing your reservations to the front, but please understand there is no devious plan below the surface. Why, good Clang-fow Peditit, would we go to all this trouble if it were only to trick you?”
“Because you’re scum. It’s what you do. I came today to look into your eyes when you lie, so I could be certain of it myself. I should kill you all.”
“Thank you for that summary,” said Yibitriander. “Do you care to depart from these proceedings? If not, you must trust us and allow others to speak.”
I leaned over to Toño and whispered, “I can’t believe the fire hydrant is talking like that to Yibitriander, and I really can’t believe he’s taking it so casually.”
“No, I’ve read a lot about the Maxwal-Asute. They’re like this. They are aggressive, pugnacious, and completely insensitive. Apparently, everyone knows it and cuts them considerable slack.”
“If he addresses me like that, I’ll have my dog pee on him.”
“You don’t have a dog,” Toño said.
“I’m getting one today. A big one.”
Clang-fow Peditit touched plungers with one of the two others in his group. After a second, he turned to the podium. “Your answer does not force me to kill you now. I will remain as long as my patience holds. You may proceed.”
“The representatives of the Fenptodinian Federation will sleep well tonight knowing the Clang is wondrously tolerant,” said one of the jellyfish. Its name, which I say because it turned out they were an hermaphroditic species, was Wo-woo-loll. It was their leader, sort of a first among equals.
It was so cool. When I flipped my translator off, I could hear its actual voice. It was a mix of a baritone saxophone played in short soft bursts mixed with a piccolo. It was beautiful and eerie at the same time. I wanted immediately to learn to speak their tongue, assuming, I guess, they had tongues and I lived that long. Hey, it was good to have goals.
“If I might continue?” said an annoyed Yibitriander.
There was no response. That was good. I don’t think he was in a very tolerant mood.
“I want to know if any of you have heard of the Last Nightmare or have any new insights to share with the alliance.”
A Fenptodinian rose and spoke. “We have legends that likely anticipate them. The stories are very ancient and have undoubtedly evolved over time. They are known as the Final Ill Wills. Perhaps the translation loses something. To me, the names are all but synonymous,” said Wo-woo-loll.
“Do the tales provide us any potential insight as to who they are and how they act?” asked Kymee.
“Possibly. The stories say the Final Ill Will comes not to punish but to destroy. They will be merciless, and no mortal species will stop them. Perhaps I mean to say can stop them. Your thought process is challenging for my comprehension.”
“But in twelve destroyed universes, surely there have been immortals like us. If it is a riddle, it has an answer,” responded Yibitriander.
“I only pass along the tale. As with stories older than accurate recording, their exact content is impossible to determine,” replied Wo-woo-loll.
“Thank you. Perhaps that will prove to be useful information,” said Kymee.
“I have never heard of an enemy who cannot be ripped apart,” said Anganctus. “I do not fear them, whoever they are.”
“There is an unconventionality suggested in the little we know of them. If typical tactics were effective, I doubt they would have been so legendary,” replied Wo-woo-loll.
“We will see,” said Cabbray, one of the two Churell ambassadors.
I wasn’t going to claim the Churell sounded like horses when they spoke unless asked. I know, how convenient that centaurs sounded like horses. Hey, I make no attempt to alter the facts, just relate them. And, no, I didn’t ask him to count and stomp his hoof at the same time. I never even learned what their foot anatomy was.
“I fear we will,” replied Kymee.
“Do we have a notion as to when we might face them?” asked Chulang-fow Crush, one of the six Maxwal-Asute present despite the Deavoriath specifying that only one or two representatives per species should attend.
“No,” replied Yibitriander.
“Then even if we believed your lies, our great grandchildren might die of extreme age before these imaginary creatures arrive,” spat Chichal-fow Eloden, another of the easygoing fire hydrant guys.
“They will come soon,” replied Kymee. “I wish we knew if they will come in force or spread out over space-time.”
“We would be better prepared to join with you side by side, our new and valued allies, if you supplied us your warp-space technology,” said Anganctus. He was trying his best to sound non-threatening and helpful. Never having practiced that approach, he failed miserably and wasn’t convincing at all.
“We will defer any such sharing pending a greater demonstration of your trustworthiness,” responded Yibitriander coolly.
“You gave it to those insects,” Anganctus roared, pointing at me.
“As I said, in desperate times we are willing to share with reliable individuals.”
Anganctus was not pleased. He growled and stepped toward Yibitriander. Fractor grabbed his elbow and whispered in his ear. Reluctantly, Anganctus retreated.
“We are able to defend Maxwal-Asute space against any attack. We are not able to quickly bail out the others in this room as our craft are limited to FTL speeds. You will all be tolerated if you join in our defense, should our territory come under threat,” said Clang-fow Peditit. I think he intentionally tried to sound like a jerk. He sure did a good job of it.
“I would like to hear formally from each species that they will rally to the mutual defense of all the other species present when the attack comes,” said Yibitriander.
“We are devoted to mutual defense,” responded Wo-woo-loll quickly.
“The Maxwal-Asute look forward to smiting these wretches and will do so anywhere, anytime,” replied Clang-fow Peditit. That was apparently as close as he could come to saying yes.
“The Churell stand ready to defend the existence of all.”
All eyes turned to the big cats.
“Why would we come if we were not committed to help our new friends?” said Anganctus.
“How very different that statement is from agreeing to help,” said Yibitriander pointedly.
“Do you doubt us?” said Fractor. “That would signal a poor beginning to a possible long term alliance.
“I will stop doubting you when you pledge that you will come to anyone else’s aide and once you’ve actually done so,” said Yibitriander.
“You question my word, my integrity?” replied A
nganctus.
“I do.”
Boy that Yibitriander wasn’t shy in the least about confronting someone.
“I have killed for much lesser insults,” howled Anganctus.
“So have I,” said a very serious looking Yibitriander.
“The humans will support all our allies without reservation or hesitation,” I said to break the tension.
“As do the Faxel. There, is that good enough for the prissy Deavoriath?” asked an angry Anganctus.
“For now, yes,” said Yibitriander.
“Then I move we adjourn but remain in close contact,” said Kymee.
No one answered him. The meeting simply dispersed. The two big cats dashed out like their tails were on fire, making Turk sprint after them to catch up. Hopefully the return trip would be as uneventful as their shuttle here, but I was beginning to believe there was no predicting what the cantankerous Faxel would do.
The Fenptodinians glided to the front of the room and spoke privately with Kymee. Everyone else left quietly.
Yibitriander came over to me. “I think that went as well as it could,” he said in a low tone.
Wow. I was becoming his trusted confidant. Could BFFs be far behind?
“I have no idea. Toño told me the Maxwal-Asute are tough to handle, but I still can’t say if they’re on board.”
“Oh, I’ve seen them much worse. If they’re mad or have something to be mad about, they’re absolutely intolerable.”
“I think I’m not a big fan of Clang-fow Peditit and his clan.”
“No one is, not even the Maxwal-Asute.”
“Are you serious? They don’t even like themselves?”
“No, Jon, I’m making a joke,” Yibitriander with what might have been a hurt look.
Yibitriander making jokes? Dude, the world was about to end. Yikes.
“Okay. Got it. I just didn’t expect one coming in this direction.” I drew the line from him to me.
“I’ll have you know I’m quite funny.”
“Never doubted it, Yib. Not for one second.”
“Hum,” he enunciated clearly. “But, I think, for what it’s worth, whenever our enemy comes, we’ll be somewhat ready.”
Forever Series 5: The Forever Alliance Page 16