by David Buck
‘What do you think you are doing?’
Garendestat ignored the pain flaring from his right wrist, as he now dropped the three flare containers overboard.
‘Ship, Dan, Ship. They will see me now.’
He intoned as he went to stand next to the three humans. They in turn looked at the sneak ship and noted that the craft seemed to be turning their way. Garendestat was still feeling sick and very tired, but he was excited now as he knew was in with a real chance of soon returning to his father and to his ship. He looked at the approaching sneak ship with satisfaction evident and decided to use more human words.
‘Garendestat, Radio, Friends.’
The three humans were nonplussed by the recent events though Samantha voiced an opinion.
‘Perhaps it is for the best, as I cannot guarantee we can keep Garendestat alive. I just hope that they don’t turn hostile.’
Steve quickly returned from the bridge, but did not say anything as he looked at the open flare box. Samantha felt that he was not unhappy about the recent turn of events as Garendestat then spoke the same words again.
‘Garendestat, Radio, Friends’
Steve looked at his friends and stated.
‘Their ship will be here shortly and I would like to have them talking rather than shooting.’
Dan looked at Garendestat and observed.
‘Well we cannot change all that now but I can still treat his red spots safely. I will go to my lab and pick up a bottle of dilute Malazin that we can use.’
Dan then left for his lab as Steve motioned Garendestat over to the radio in the runabout.
***
Susan Roberts listened to the boat driver with increasing disgust. The fast boat had been recently forced to drop speed in the rising swell to forty knots and at least the ride was almost bearable. The trip had gone from exhilarating to bearable to painful as the boat tore across the ocean at high speed. It was just not fun any more after nearly three hours of slamming off waves at high speed.
The driver was on the radio to an Australian frigate closing from the north and he had been advised to return to a mainland port. He was talking over the engine noise, and repeatedly mentioned something about the Abrolhos group having just been declared a quarantine zone. From the rear of the fast RIB boat, the two camera men were training their cameras on the still distant, but rapidly converging frigate. The driver powered down his engines and moved to turn the boat to the south, and Susan exploded at him.
‘I have not endured hours of bouncing around in this boat to be turned away from the biggest news story of my life. Well we will go to full speed and get around that frigate. They will not shoot at us surely.’
The driver was not so sure and mentioned that a Navy helicopter could easily catch them even at top speed, and it was armed as well with machine guns. Susan considered that news sourly as the frigate commander spoke again to the driver. He in turn passed his headset to Susan in the front seat next to him
‘Commander Jane Walker, captain of HMAS Sydney. Turn around immediately and go south and you face no charges. If you disobey my lawful commands you will be fired upon, and if you survive the encounter you will be fined and jailed.’
Susan blanched as she handed back the headset, and she decided it was not just the fumes of the now idling large outboard engines getting to her. Her satellite phone then rang and it was her manager. His message was polite but simple, do as the navy tells you and leave, or you have no job.
A now chastened driver turned his fast boat around and began the long journey in the late afternoon back to Dongara at only twenty knots. Despite the now more comfortable ride, the news crew was subdued by the encounter with the frigate. Susan knew that the stakes in the traditional media game had become interesting; even if it appeared that no other news teams had yet made it to the islands.
***
Pilot Marenkestat, fresh from helping the chief engineer, was back flying sneak ship five and watching the human surface ships to the south and the east. The human warship to the south had recently set out after a faster human ship that was well south again of the sneak ship’s current position. By habit, Marenkestat monitored the standard Trader radio frequencies, but the humans for some reason did not use these ranges, and he could not yet understand their language in any case. The humans seemed anxious to prevent their general population from interacting with the Traders. The pilot could well understand that sentiment given the recent pandemic that had decimated the human world.
The planet had a raw beauty about it that Marenkestat really liked and he could handle living planet side if he had to, though he would miss pilot duties. Suddenly there were three bright light sources to the south west from the nearby human ship. Marenkestat turned the sneak ship in the direction of the three light sources, and informed the main ship what he had seen and that he was leaving his patrol sector to investigate. Within moments the main ship confirmed his choice and advised that another sneak ship would cover his patrol.
Marenkestat cautiously started to close with the human ship, which appeared to be a non military vessel heading towards the islands. The radio suddenly sprang to life with the familiar voice of Garendestat, who stated that he had set the light sources and was on the human ship. Garendestat also stated that the humans were helping him with regards to his injuries and illnesses. Marenkestat was amazed and could not wait to hear of his friend’s miraculous survival story. He was certain that Garendestat would be the life of many an evening meal when he recounted his amazing story of survival.
The pilot quickly informed the main ship of Garendestat being very much alive and on a human ship he was now approaching. The captain, sounding strained, spoke directly to him and ordered him to use every care not to frighten the humans with his sneak ship. Garendestat then spoke again in Trader and Marenkestat relayed the radio signal back to the main ship in the Abrolhos islands.
‘Father, I have survived the wild ride out the main cargo hold with the research rig.’
Garendestat then briefly stated what had happened to him, and how the humans had rescued him. Steve, standing next to the runabout, looked at Garendestat and stated in a rough approximation of Trader language.
‘Garendestat, y Steve doreme ka utta choi huine. Steve, Garendestat, Friends?’
And then he pointed at the approaching sneak ship.
Garendestat looked Steve almost in shock, and thought to himself that humans could well be strong in learning other languages as well. He then replied to reassure Steve.
‘Steve, y Garendestat doreme ka utta choi huine. Steve, Garendestat, Friends’ He then patted Steve on the shoulder and repeated.
‘Steve, y Garendestat doreme ka utta choi huine. Steve, Garendestat, Friends’
Captain Narindestat heard the exchange and then added.
‘Steve, y Narindestat doreme ka stat. I Narindestat thank you for my son.’
Captain Narindestat now slumped into his command chair in a mixture of exhaustion and absolute elation. His sole son was alive! From all accounts injured and ill, but alive! Three of the female crew was silently crying when Emeria burst on the bridge.
‘Captain, I have just been told that Garendestat is still alive on a human ship. Is this true?’
The captain was now too emotional for words, so he merely nodded that this was the case. There were then four female crew members silently weeping in relief on the Trader ship bridge.
***
Chapter 5
Commander Jane Walker was perplexed as three flares appeared from Steve’s small ship, which had increased speed to the north east, while Jane and her crew were turning away the fast media boat. A bridge lookout promptly reported that one of the smaller alien ships was now heading directly towards the Aurora Discovery.
‘Just what does Steve think he is playing at now?’
Jane voiced to her concerned bridge crew as she adjusted her cap in annoyance.
Within minutes Jane had Steve on his satellite phone and
he was most apologetic.
‘Jane, I left for the bridge regarding the course change and Garendestat fired three flares. Once I saw one of their ships approaching I let him speak to their main ship. At this stage I don’t think they are hostile.’
Jane bit back the urge to harangue Steve about not following her instructions. She did decide that it is now probably all for the best, and asked another question.
‘So is the space ship now next to your position?’
Steve did not seem nervous as he answered.
‘The ship is flying about two hundred metres off our port side as we slowly head north east. They do not appear to be hostile or too worried about our passenger at the moment.’
Jane thought about the situation for a moment. She did not want to take HMAS Sydney in close proximity to the alien ship just before sunset. However their Seahawk helicopter had now returned and was refuelled.
‘Steve, I will send our Seahawk over for a look, please let them know it is coming. I have just received new orders to let you proceed though there is reluctance in our defence department. Now I need to state how events are unfolding, so what else can you tell me about the encounter so far?’
After a short pause Steve replied.
‘I do not think they are overtly hostile in any way. Garendestat seems approachable and is not prone to violence, though he did destroy the strange rig he was attached to with an energy weapon. He stated that it was dangerous for some reason. At the moment he seems to be learning as much about us as we can tell him.’
On the Aurora Discovery, Steve listened to Jane’s reply that she would forward this information on to the authorities, and then he mentioned his real concern.
‘Jane, we are worried that Garendestat may get sick and die. This would mean our potential relationship with these aliens could become even more compromised. That is also why I am taking him back to their main ship.’
Steve then talked with Jane for several more minutes to further decide on the best way to proceed forward. Jane helped with some observations of her own that she based on his concerns before the conversation finished.
***
Garendestat was looking around the ship as Steve again beckoned to him after returning from the bridge. The spray that Dan had applied to his legs using a spray pack seemed to be working, with the itching diminished and scabs already starting to appear on his legs. Garendestat slowly followed Steve to the rear of the rear deck, almost in line with the gantry he had learnt was dangerous earlier.
Steve pointed at the strange aerial vehicle on the upper rear deck. ‘Helicopter, one.’He stated and held up a single digit as he gestured at the vehicle. He then pointed to the south east holding up another digit, and said ‘Helicopter, two, friend.’
Garendestat made his way back over to the radio in the runabout and now spoke in Trader.
‘Marenkestat, one of their small aerial vehicles, they called it a ‘helicopter’, is coming this way from the south-east. Steve is saying it is a friend, so do not destroy it.’
Marenkestat acknowledge that he had been watching the vehicle for a few minutes already and then asked a question.
‘Garendestat, your rescuers seem reasonable to deal with, are you bringing them to the main ship?’
Garendestat looked at the settling sun and then looked at the humans on the rear deck before he answered again in Trader.
‘Well it is nearly sun set now, and well before sunrise tomorrow they will be close to the main ship. I am feeling better now and will stay here overnight to learn their language. Please pass my plans on to my father.’
The radio then issued another Trader voice, that of Narindestat. ‘I am already listening and I approve of this plan. Try to see how well they trade son.’
Garendestat placed the radio back and stated in English.
‘Friends now safe Steve, I can stay here.’
***
Marenkestat warily eyed the small vehicle the humans called a helicopter paralleling his sneak ship at a safe distance. The helicopter flew with rotary wings as far as he could tell, and it was unusual because no galactic race used anything like it as an atmospheric craft. He wondered if the craft could glide if it lost engine power like the chief engineer maintained they could in theory. He was also mindful of the power of the air jets he had on the sneak ship disturbing the flight abilities of the helicopter. The Trader pilot made a point of lowering the blast cover over the nose of his sleek sneak ship, so he could see the pilot, and when the human waved he waved back as well.
Lieutenant Tom Sawyer looked at the nearby alien ship in awe, as it was fully ten times the mass of the biggest airplane, or twenty times bigger than the former space shuttle. He could not understand how it flew unconcernedly through the air at subsonic speed. Tom also knew that the alien ship looming over the Aurora Discovery was a lot larger than the latest NASA manned and reusable launch booster. Tom now asked his co-pilot Lieutenant Mick Samuels if he was getting a good recording of the alien ship, and Mick replied after a moment.
‘Tom the video camera is set to high definition and you should see the alien ship through the view finder. Every now and again condensation or turbulence from that sheer hull is dislodged, runs inside that strong shield, and seems to vanish down those large side openings. I think it has a powerful turbine driving those ducted jets we can see.’
Tom cautiously brought the Seahawk helicopter in several metres closer to the larger ship, and he noticed that the helicopter started to twitch as it reached the outer boundary of the flow from a powerful air jet. As he turned the helicopter away again it stabilised and Tom turned to a bemused Mick.
‘I would say that it is a given they are using air jets. We will keep recording for another hour or then return to the ship.’
Marenkestat gave a sigh of relief when the helicopter finally left. The human pilot had cautiously explored the exhaust coming from the underneath of the sneak ship, and then eventually returned to the distant human warship on the southern horizon. He now decided that while the helicopter might be interesting to fly, it lacked both the range abilities and the flight recovery aspects of his sneak ship. The Trader knew would have another three hours to wait until sneak ship nine relieved his sneak ship of the aerial patrol along the side of the human ship. As the night continued on, he patiently watched the long range sensors for any signs of problems or threats.
***
Garendestat walked over to a low bench now stocked with food and drink, and sat down alongside on the deck. He then pointedly eyed the food as Steve and now Samantha came over. Steve walked over and picked up another sealed bottle of water to offer to him. Garendestat nodded and took the water to drink, but he was getting hungry.
Steve pointed at the foodstuff assembled on the bench and slowly named them. Garendestat then cautiously smelt and then tasted each of them in turn. Garendestat liked the cooked white fleshed fish, very similar to a ryal, but was not sure of the red meat he could see. Also he worked out that he liked most of human foods that had a non animal background. Something called vegemite was superb in moderation, as was the heated vegetables called potatoes, onions and carrots. A drink called coffee was interesting and so was tea. He also preferred their rye bread to their wheat bread, and found their apple juice to be preferable to the orange juice.
On the negative side he found milk and cheese to be revolting, plus he was not sure about the chocolate. But then once he worked out the food group words he expounded his views on human food according to his Trader tastes. Samantha was a great help here he felt as she patiently grouped and explained the foods for him.
Garendestat hoped that Samantha and Emeria would be friends as well, and he now wanted to move his learning of the human language to concepts. His latest thoughts now led to another question, and taking a deep breath he pointed at both Steve and Samantha. He then held the two fingers alongside one another, he said a word.
‘One?’
Samantha gave a strange flush and Stev
e smiled as he replied.
‘Yes, One.’
Garendestat then pointed in the direction of the Abrolhos islands. ‘My one Emeria, ship.’
He then looked around at several crew members, a few still operating recording devices, and back at Steve and Samantha. He then said the Trader word for humans and pointed around. Steve replied with ‘Humans.’
Garendestat repeated the word a few times. He then pointed to himself and said the Trader word for Trader.
‘Dracil’.
This presented him with a conundrum, for what his species did for a living was also their widely known galactic name, since they were now exiled to the stars.
‘However what was the human term they would use?’
Garendestat wondered, and he then spotted his blaster and his view finder, now both sitting on the end of the bench. He was too careful to ask for the blaster, but in moments he had the view finder in his good hand. He now carefully picked up the container of vegemite in his other hand. Hopefully he could get another view finder when he got back to the ship, as he said ‘Dracil.’
Steve took the view finder from Garendestat’s broad hand as he again stated ‘Dracil’ to reply again and pointed at both items. ‘This would be a good trade for me’ he thought to himself and then he got the concept. Steve then pointed at Garendestat and in English said ‘Trader’ then he said ‘Dracil.’
Garendestat was quietly delighted that his new friends seemed to be intelligent, approachable and reasonable. Other vassal races were known to be prickly on some issues. If he had asked the question about a couple to a Tilmud or a Jerecab on just meeting them like this, the Tilmud would have attacked him, and the Jerecab would have made a point of insulting him and then going away.