by T. D. Wilson
“Yeah, I’m with ya on that, but what does it have to do with the Tiki?”
“The Cilik’ti couldn’t read our thoughts or communicate telepathically with us before, so what if whatever Epherium did to these people unlocked something?” Hood was still trying to piece it together in his head. “It said it couldn’t read any of us and that would make sense since we haven’t spent time in Epherium’s Embrace units.”
“Ya believe what it said, but I don’t. The only way I can be sure it’s not sortin’ through my noggin is to squish him.” McGregor gestured toward the cave. “So what do ya want to do now, Captain?”
Hood knew he wasn’t the most skilled at interrogation and his results thus far were less than fruitful. However, Wells and Jillian seemed to make progress, but at a different level. Perhaps this Cilik’ti was telling the truth, and any information they could gather would be welcome. He absolutely didn’t want to cause any physical harm to the Cilik’ti. If there were any Cilik’ti nearby, Kree’s telepathy would alert them in an instant. Hood led McGregor over to the campsite. “For now, I need something to drink.”
McGregor eyes lit up at Hood’s offer, but his elation faded. “Bugger. I left my bottle back on the ship.”
Hood chuckled. “Coffee will do just fine, Major. Save the good stuff for later, when it counts.”
Hood and McGregor continued to discuss what they’d learned, or rather had failed to learn thus far, from the Cilik’ti over the next hour. Hood made sure to check in on the Cilik’ti a few times. Wells sustained her line of questions, but there seemed to be no big breakthrough on the intelligence front. After his last visit to the cave, he refilled his coffee and joined McGregor near the camp. “I wonder if the door swings both ways and our people can read what it’s thinking?” Hood asked the Marine major. “It could prove to be very valuable in dealing with them, but we’ll need to run tests.”
“My men escorted the medical team down to the planet this morning. Most of that gear was for brain wave scans, wasn’t it?” McGregor said as he turned his head back and forth, watching for any colonists who got too close.
“They have a lot of work to do on the colonists now, and getting them out here unnoticed might be tricky.” Hood closed his eyes and shook his head. “I hate to say it, but I think we’re going to need McCraken’s help on this one. He’s got the most knowledge of anyone out here on the Embrace and its effects.” Hood stood and started to walk back to the cave. He needed to get a better status from Wells.
“This sounds like throwing a gas bottle into a bonfire, Captain,” the Marine major said with a sour tone. He poured his coffee into the campfire, and it hissed and popped. The big Marine followed Hood to the cave. “It won’t be long before it blows up in our faces.”
“I know, Major,” Hood said as he reentered the cave. “But what choice do we have?”
Inside the cave, Wells continued her barrage of questions. Hood wanted to go back to his original line of questions on location and strength, but he let her continue. She seemed to have formed a connection with the Cilik’ti and while it wasn’t the best intelligence, she was getting it to talk.
“Kree, you mentioned before about the lost Shi,” Wells asked while reviewing her notes. “What can you tell me about them?”
“This one has studied the Ku’lan Shi for many cycles. Much of what this one’s people generally speak of the Ku’lan is based on rumor and myth, but the archives of this one’s Shi have several references.” Kree watched Hood and McGregor walk over to where the rest of the people were listening and waited for them to sit down before he continued. “As this one said before, this one’s people believed we were alone in this universe. The Ku’lan were the first of this one’s people to encounter an alien species.”
Jillian walked over and glanced at Wells’s data pad. “What happened to them?”
“The planetary system the Ku’lan scouted was quiet, and only one planet was suitable for their Hal’ta. It was upon this world they encountered the Nelfarren,” Kree said with a slight uneasiness that caused the translation device to hiss as the end of each word. After he finished speaking, his legs almost buckled.
Concerned, Jillian moved closer to the Cilik’ti. “Are you all right?”
The alien recovered its balance and nodded some assurance to Jillian. “This one is fine and there is no cause for concern, Commander Howard. Recalling the images of what the Nelfarren caused was very stressing.”
“Huh,” McGregor uttered with contempt. “I live with images all the time from what your people did to us on Mars and the moons of Saturn. I’d say ya could live with a little pain!” He stood, but Hood intercepted the Marine before he could step closer, put his hands on the large man’s chest and shook his head. McGregor growled, but after a few moments the anger on his face faded and he sat back down.
Kree remained unfazed, despite McGregor’s outburst. “You misunderstand, Major. The Nelfarren weren’t just responsible for the destruction of an entire Shi. They’re in most part indirectly responsible for what transpired between our two peoples.”
“I don’t understand.” Wells stretched her legs. “You said the Ku’lan were destroyed hundreds of years ago. How could the Nelfarren be responsible for what happened during the Cilik’ti invasion?”
“Before the Nelfarren, this one’s people had achieved a peaceful coexistence and we had embraced a sense of oneness between all the Shi. The Nelfarren used the Ku’lan and turned them into weapons against the other Shi,” Kree explained. “Many of the Shi refused to fight against their brothers. The N’lan were among those who refused. However, the Chi’tan, the first among the Shi, rallied support from several others and led a campaign to eliminate the threat. The resulting conflict fractured the council and decimated the Ku’lan.” Kree lowered his head. “Ever since that campaign, the Chi’tan and their allies have aggressively sought out new worlds to inhabit, especially those rich in Ulat’tim.”
“Ulat’tim?” Wells asked. “Is it some sort of natural resource?”
“Ulat’tim is a sacred element that was in glorious abundance on J’tan,” Kree explained. “On J’tan and ever since the Great Sundering, the Hal’ta of the Shi were the leaders, the elite. But they are also the parents of the Shi from which all offspring come. Ulat’tim is used in many different forms in our society and technology, but for the Hal’ta, Ulat’tim enhances birth rate and survivability among the young. In many cases, it improves the rate that new Hal’ta are conceived.”
Hood pointed at the device Kree held. “Did you use this Ulat’tim to create that translator?” He walked over to one of the supply packs the Marines had brought into the cave and pulled out a scanner.
“Yes, Captain Hood,” Kree said as Hood began a scan of the device. “Even a small amount can be used to do great things, but it is rare among worlds and the Chi’tan have explored new systems many times for it. They have taken deposits and subsequently, whole worlds by force. It was this search that brought them to your planetary system.”
“But why attack us? If we knew about the mineral, we could have found a way to share it with you,” Jillian said. “I’m sure we could—”
“Pidium,” Hood interrupted. He held the scanner in front of him so everyone could see. The element analysis flashed on its screen. “That’s what we call your Ulat’tim.” He tossed the scanner over to McGregor. “We first encountered the mineral on the Cilik’ti ship that attacked Pluto Station, but that’s what they were doing, wasn’t it? They were looking for that element and found it there, underneath the station.”
“Yes. The scout ship discovered a deposit on that small ice world and chose to extract it. Chi’tan scouts were often given strict orders to evaluate any alien species for potential threats and wait for instructions from their Hal’ta,” Kree explained. “Initial communication was attempted and scans made, but there was no reply from t
he station. An inability to at least read the intentions of species we have encountered had been considered impossible, except by Nelfarren interference. The scouts reported their finding as a possible Nelfarren situation, and an attack and retrieve order was given. Given the level of technology and defenses of the station, the Chi’tan Hal’ta believed the scout ship could overcome any opposition on the station, retrieve a sample of the Ulat’tim and leave before they were discovered.”
“The scout ship had plenty of time to leave if it had wanted,” Hood added. “Why did it stick around to fight?”
“This one is unsure of the Chi’tan scout’s motivations, but it was some time before the Hal’ta of the Chi’tan learned of its destruction by human hands,” answered the alien. He walked over to one of the standing lights and raised his head to almost bask in the light it offered. “The Chi’tan called a Shi council meeting to rally support for an assault on your system and a full-scale quest for any of the Ulat’tim present on its worlds. They presented the council with information that humans were under the influence of the Nelfarren. If the Nelfarren could assert their dominion over humanity, they could be used as a weapon against the Shi, just like the Ku’lan. The Chi’tan also claimed humans had captured one of their warriors and interrogated him. The Chi’tan and their allies argued that all the Shi were in danger until this threat could be eliminated.”
Kree left the light and walked over to Wells. He studied her as she continued to write notes on her data pad. Wells peered upward and returned his curious stare with a halfhearted smile, looking a little uncomfortable with the alien being this close to her. “The N’lan and many of the Shi on the council saw through the Chi’tan deception and refused to support them, but without evidence they could not openly oppose any action taken by the Chi’tan and their supporters.”
Hood couldn’t help it; he started pacing again. “So your leaders knew what they had planned and still refused to stop it?”
“Yes, Captain Hood,” Kree acknowledged. Regret echoed in the words that issued from the translator device, but Hood didn’t soften. The echoes of the fallen still calling to him in his head wouldn’t let him. “The Shi are bound by honor, and any one Shi cannot disgrace another without proof, especially the Chi’tan. In all its previous transgressions against other worlds, the Chi’tan had acted with honor, and hostilities were generated from those whom they encountered. With your people, Captain Hood, it is this one’s belief that the Chi’tan have falsified the actions of the scout ship to protect their honor. Their explanation of the incident allowed them due cause to conquer any world in your system with an adequate supply of Ulat’tim.”
“Adequate enough to support a home for a Shi’s Hal’ta? A place where they could thrive?” Jillian asked, joining Kree at Wells’s side.
“Yes, Commander Howard. The fourth planet in your system was deemed suitable for a new home for the Bri’lan Shi, one of the allies of the Chi’tan. The atmosphere and levels of Ulat’tim detected made this world the obvious choice for a thriving Shi home world. The Bri’lan had not been able to establish a long-term home for their Shi since the Sundering and had migrated from world to world using up any of the Ulat’tim they found in order to survive.”
“Earth has almost no pidium resources at all. Mars was their target all along,” Hood said and stopped his pacing. “That’s why we encountered the mother ship there. Their leadership must have deemed that we were beaten and had come to inspect their new home world.”
Kree’s voice translator flared again. “That is correct, Captain Hood. Many of the forces you encountered in your battles were from the Bri’lan Shi. It was their Hal’ta that was decimated in your world’s surprise attack on their transports headed to that planet.” Kree’s pace was slow as he walked back to his original spot in the bright lights, the tips of his legs clicking on the cave’s stone floor. “The few Bri’lan Hal’ta survivors ordered their forces to abandon their campaign and leave your system, leaving the remaining Chi’tan unsupported. The Chi’tan allies had already grown weary of the war with the humans. The latest setback to the Bri’lan proved to the rest of them that a prolonged conflict could be dire. Without the support of the other Shi, the Chi’tan had no choice but to leave your system.” Kree lowered his head for a moment then turned back toward Hood and the others. “But make no mistake. The ire of the Chi’tan is not something to underestimate. The N’lan believe in the right for all beings to thrive in this universe, but we have seen what the Chi’tan and those who follow them are capable of. Crossing the Chi’tan again, Captain, may be disastrous for both our peoples.”
Chapter Six
EDF Armstrong
Cygni 4 Orbit
Wednesday, January 29
Earth Year 2155
“Admiral Grant and I are in complete agreement with you on this one, James. We don’t always see eye to eye on these things, but you made the right call bringing in McCraken on the discovery of that Cilik’ti worker. McCraken may be an ass, but he knows that technology. Maybe he can help discover how these things talk and how we can tap into it.” Admiral Tramp cracked a smile. “I just wish I could have seen him in person when you gave him the news. I bet that weasel pissed his pants.
“But seriously, we’ve got to bring in more assets to glean all the intelligence we can from that Cilik’ti. I understand what you’ve said about it being part of some group of Cilik’ti who are not our enemy, but there are plenty of them out there who are. We need to know more about them and if they plan to start something. Don’t get me wrong. All this stuff about Shi and Hal’ta, as you call it, is good to know, but it’s vital we learn more ground-level tactical information to support you and those colonists.
“Admiral Grant has people in Spec-Ops division looking into their best interrogation techniques, but they’re unsure if they’ll work. We’ve never had a live Cilik’ti in custody before, not even during the war, so we’re treading new ground here. The news of a Cilik’ti on planet has really sent the head honchos into a tizzy. Against Admiral Grant’s direct advice, the chancellor was prepared to announce Cygni as a viable world for colonization next week in a live broadcast. All of that is on hold until we hear from you. And trust me, those guys are sitting on pins and needles right now.
“Listen, James, I’m working on some fleet support for you if things get hot out there. With our forces put in active defense zones and protecting key supply convoys against possible attack, there isn’t much available. And I agree with you—we don’t want to come in heavy now and give any of the Cilik’ti, be they so-called friend or foe, a reason to get twitchy. I’ll keep you informed of what I can come up with, but it’s going to take time to get any reinforcements en route.
“On a different note, Command has made some quiet but stiff inquiries around some of the major corporations involved in that stealth frigate design. Nobody is talking. And if everyone’s playing CYA games, then that’s not a good sign. That ship is a major piece of hardware. If someone has managed to take that prototype and make it operational, it’s going to mean trouble.
“Keep your wits, James, and stay frosty out there. Message delay estimated at forty-five minutes. Tramp out.”
* * *
Hood’s morning coffee felt warm and inviting with each sip. While he sat in his chair at the Command Station, Admiral Tramp’s words from his message only an hour previous still echoed in his mind. Earth was getting desperate. If the chancellor was willing to announce the viability of Cygni to the masses, he already had a clear timetable in mind to counter the growing dissent about the lack of new worlds to colonize. Humanity’s own bickering over nationality, religion and countless other differences was coming to a head. If viable worlds for colonization and a safe method to get people to them weren’t found soon, any small spark could light the powder keg and plunge Earth into chaos. People didn’t want to live in domes on worlds with a hostile environment on thei
r doorstep. They wanted to walk outside and breathe clean air. They wanted a chance at real life, not something artificial. Not a test-tube community that could never grow and thrive on its own.
The politicians back home had to be scrambling to find a stopgap to all the infighting. Backdoor deals and shady compromises would be rampant for sure. Hood thanked God he didn’t have the skills to be a politician. He wouldn’t do it no matter how many times they asked. After another sip of his coffee, he changed his focus to Wells’s latest update from the planet. Wells had stayed planet-side with Jillian, and from her report this morning, she’d continued her same line of questioning throughout the night. From his first cursory read, he could tell the Cilik’ti worker had been more than helpful in explaining facts related to Cilik’ti culture and society, but as expected, Kree had refused to deliver details of any additional Cilik’ti presence or strength in or near the Cygni system.
Hood was surprised Wells had taken it upon herself to ask Kree if an audience could be granted between the EDF leadership and the Hal’ta of his Shi. Going that far out on a limb in such a brief time since she’d begun questioning Kree was one thing, but the fact that the Cilik’ti didn’t immediately say no offered some hope. Wells mentioned that Kree often stopped moving and went quiet for a few moments during some of the interview. After her question about an audience with the leaders of the N’lan, the pause had been longer, but when Kree responded, he told her humans had not yet earned the right to speak to the Hal’ta of the N’lan.
It was her opinion that the Hal’ta were in communication with Kree and that any attempts to forcibly coerce information from him would bring repercussions against the colony and even Earth, as well. That level of constant contact also explained the lack of Cilik’ti prisoners during the war. Some fought to the death, but those who were captured just collapsed. Almost as if something had flipped a switch and turned them off. Caution was paramount. The Cilik’ti was an asset and one he didn’t intend to lose.