by David Buck
The Trader captain paused for effect and eyed the several video recorders the humans had trained on him, before continuing again in a stronger voice.
‘The Maveen offer the humans of Earth, as one people at peace, another world to immediately colonise over several days only. The world is like your planet, but towards the edge of the galaxy and knowing the Maveen, it will be very suitable to your needs. All you have to do is to assemble all that is going to this new world at agreed marshalling points and the Maveen will take you to this world. The only limitations are that no nuclear weapons are to be taken to this world and the weight limit is ten thousand tonnes per item. To be a viable colony you are entitled to send several million people to this new world.’
As Captain Narindestat paused, Steve took the opportunity to speak.
‘But how are you going to do this lead probe? I see no ship apart from the Trader main ship and yet you said the colonisation of this world would occur very quickly?’
The lead probe now came active, and a thin blue light painted an image of the galaxy on the underneath of the awning as the probe addressed the meeting.
‘We are Maveen, a leading galactic race and we use several forms of advanced transportation. We have hyper gate technology that will allow you to step through one gate and be instantly transferred to another world. The limitations are due to size and power of the gate we can make on the surface of a planet due to gravity. For in space we can make far larger gates. We have brought one gate ship with us and we will then bring through many other gate ships and probes to conduct our end of the deal by forming multiple gates.’
The Trader captain thanked the lead probe for the explanation and continued on again.
‘Now you will need to send through as much as possible at each of the marshalling points to create a self sufficient colony. Your race then must be prepared to have no contact with the colony for at least several hundred years or possibly forever. We will not come back to Earth any time soon as it is too close to the centre of the galaxy for us to safely access frequently. However, I can give you my personal assurance that my ship will be a frequent visitor to the colony world. Finally the Maveen will temporarily be on your world in large numbers and you cannot attack them, as they will use lethal force to defend themselves.’
Steve looked around at the amazed looks on the faces of his mission team as he listed out two more questions.
‘So what is our end of the deal with the Maveen? Also the scale of what you are proposing is immense, and it could take weeks of planning just to get everything organised. Do not think I am refusing the deal because I am not. But then what do you mean by the statement of no contact for several hundred years or forever?’
Now the lead probe made a lengthy reply, and the metallic voice sounded cool and alien to human ears.
‘The main concession we want from your race is a serious commitment to address the ecological damage you are doing to your world. Now even if the best results for the transfer do occur, it could take several hundred years for both planets to obtain the required levels of technology to restore contact with each other. We will help the new colony, but are not planning on returning here to your world. This is because a formal alliance with your species offers the Maveen no benefits and could risk your own survival. The second part of the earlier statement has a dire explanation, in that either or both worlds could be destroyed in the future due to galactic conflict outside our abilities to influence or mitigate. We seek not to alarm you, but our own presence here has added to a risk that began the moment the pandemic engulfed your world. We offer this deal to give the human race two chances at survival rather than one, and we admittedly gain from it ourselves by being able to quickly leave your world.’
Steve looked around again at his both bemused and amazed mission team, as the Maveen finished speaking. Clearly the lead probe had been coldly precise in explaining the galactic state of affairs that Steve had learnt about in the last three days. Ian looked in amazement at both the Maveen and the Trader captain, as Steve looked at Sanjay and Douglas. Steve turned to look at Samantha at his side now, and she gave him a tight, but warm smile as he spoke.
‘We don’t understand the how but we sure understand the why of the deal. I submit that we have a show of hands, though protocol means that I will vote last. Who in the mission team is in support of the Maveen deal?’
Steve felt a wave of relief as all other hands in science mission team shot upwards, and a cheer rose from several people. Steve also raised his hand as he continued to speak.
‘We all agreed and it was not hard to do so either. Now the next part is to work out whom here is going to the new world. I can give each of you some time to consider this carefully. Remember some of us will have to stay behind to ensure the transfer of Trader knowledge proceeds effectively.’
Steve was slightly embarrassed by the muttered looks and glances of consternation that he was given as he led Samantha to one side. She gave him a hug and then looked into his eyes before she quietly spoke.
‘The colonists are going to need medical care and leaders Steve.’
Steve agreed with another hug and a wry comment.
‘Life has taken me from navy commander then to fish exporter, to now a colonist and explorer.’
Steve turned to both Captain Narindestat and the Maveen lead probe, and gave an awkward bow of respect.
‘I thank you for both your deal offers. We will accept the Trader deal and convey both the urgency and secrecy of the second deal from the Maveen to our leaders. I will recommend we accept both deals. Now I will take just the senior mission members back to our ship and hopefully return later in the afternoon.’
In minutes Steve, Douglas and the four team leaders were on board a runabout and motoring back out to the Aurora Discovery. Captain Narindestat conferred quietly with the lead probe, as Emeria led Garendestat off to the sick bay followed by Samantha and Rebecca. As Steve boarded his ship he was going over in his mind the risks of these deals. He was worried on two fronts by the new details of these deals. Either of the deals could be rejected by a number of world leaders, plus he was concerned about how the galactic races would respond after the Traders and Maveen had left Earth.
Steve had the beginning of an idea about how humanity could be defended, but he first needed to talk with his mission team and then with overseas experts. Two questions formed in his mind as he quickly made his way to the bridge to phone Ian Ridge, for he knew that if humanity got the answers wrong the price could prove fatal.
‘How does the human race proceed with this deal, and let the Traders and Maveen safely leave Earth?
After which how do we avoid being punished or attacked, even as we found another colony elsewhere in the galaxy?’
***
The story continues in part three, New Shores……
Table of Contents
Traders’ Scourge
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14