by Karl Morgan
Hundreds of waiters worked the tables, bringing bottles of beer and wine and an array of foods to the hungry crowd. The Brewsters and Watsons sat at the end of the main table, with the men on one side and the women across from them. Next to them were a number of senior leaders from Hive 1008. Much of the food was from Tak-Makla, especially the seafood and fresh vegetables. There were large farms and livestock yards inside Hive 1008 as well, but new items and cuisines were always relished.
Dave was getting very full after the main course, and yet more food kept coming. He told the waiter not to bring him anymore and he sat back feeling content. The lighting level had gradually decreased as though there was a sun that was setting. By the time the dessert courses arrived, the sky was dark with artificial stars twinkling above. Dave was resting his eyes and knew he was in danger of falling asleep right here at the table. A massive hand touched him on the shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked up to see Fa-a-Di smiling at him through his breather mask. “Brother, can we talk privately?” the Gallicean said. Fa-a-Di turned and walked away. Dave rose and hurried to catch up to him.
Fa-a-Di found a quiet corner of the balcony fifty yards from the tables. He sat on a small bench, and stretched out his legs. Dave said next to him, but the Gallicean was well over his head. Dave then sat on the rail of the balcony and could more or less look at Fa-a-Di in the eyes. “Is there a problem, brother?” Dave asked.
“Probably not, but all of this seems useless to me,” Fa-a-Di sighed. “We have big problems, like the Maklakar, the Paxran and the Donnaki. All of this love fest is not setting well with my team. I had to force De-o-Nu to leave the Kong-Fa for this dinner. He wants his crew ready to fight at a moment’s notice.”
“We should just write our own defensive pacts and get back to life,” Dave suggested.
“Exactly! Obviously, the opportunity to visit another galaxy is amazing. That’s probably the only reason any Galliceans are here tonight,” Fa-a-Di confided. “If there is to be an alliance, that’s great. We want that too. Like the treaty Darlene made with us for planet sharing. That’s a wonderful opportunity for our cultures. But all of this seems too fake to an old soldier like me.”
“I think this is more about the Society that it is about any of us,” Dave said. “The Society has been around a very long time. I’ve been told that planets drop out every year. Also, they have disintegrated into fifty fairly distinct sub-species that don’t really like each other. Now all they want to do is find an acceptable way to break it into smaller pieces. But they are steeped in billions of years of tradition. And the government for more than a hundred trillion people must be monstrous.”
“So, all the nice talk and cocktails keeps them from tearing each other’s throats out?” Fa-a-Di asked.
“Basically, I think that’s right,” Dave smiled. “But this Free Society thing is the best thing that could have happened for all of us, brother. In their home galaxy, they will end up with many new Free Societies based on regions. So they will still be dealing with the same animosities and resentments they have now. In this galaxy, the largest human group with be the Kalideans. And we both know and trust them, right?”
“Of course, they have always been fair with all of us,” Fa-a-Di said.
“The next biggest group with be Greater Gallia. After that will be the maklans, including the Predaxians, Tak-Makla and No-Makla. The non-Kalidean humans will be far down the list,” Dave replied.
“So, we will pretty much be the same as we are today, except with a few dozen new human planets and Hive technology,” Fa-a-Di reasoned. “You know, Dave, I think you are exactly right. This is going to be very good for us.”
“Whether we love these people or not, they want to be our friends. The tekkans have trusted them for a long time. You will have two Hives in the Nom-Kat-La system alone. If we can put up with a few dinners in our honor, we will be well rewarded,” Dave finished.
“You know, brother, I have some good whisky at my table. After dinner, you, Darlene and the Watsons must come over and toast our good fortune together,” Fa-a-Di smiled.
“It would be our pleasure, brother,” Dave agreed. “I have an odd question, brother. How did you eat with that breather on?”
“These humans are pretty clever,” Fa-a-Di replied. “It’s the most amazing thing. When I bring food or drink up to my beak, it passes right through the shield without compromising my atmosphere. I need to talk to them about that technology. It’s a wonderful improvement. If you had one of these on Jupiter, you could have tried that moss like me. It is much better raw, Dave.”
“I’ll take your word for it, brother,” Dave laughed.
Alin Lonk came to join them. “Friends, could both of you join me at the podium? I’d like each of you to say a few words about our new alliance and the trip, if you can?”
“We would be honored, Governor,” Fa-a-Di laughed. “Please lead the way.”
Chapter 28
Dave and Darlene sat in the coffee shop where he had met Alda Nackly the previous day. Dave sipped his cappuccino and looked out at the sunny morning inside Hive 1008. Darlene was sampling the Uluk Zu pastries Alda had recommended to Dave. It was sweet and fruity, tasting of strawberries and orange. It was mid-morning local time, and the jump was scheduled for noon. All non-essential residents had been advised to return to their residences by 1100 hours to prepare for the jump. If all went as planned, the jump would be just another moment in time. At 1200, Hive 1008 would be one hundred thousand miles from Tak-Makla at a key intersection point of Universal Power. A couple seconds later, Hive 1008 would be one million miles from Earth Prime, in an outer arm of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Fola Untor, the shopkeeper of the coffee shop came up to their table. “Just to let you know, I’ll be closing in twenty minutes, folks. I’ve got to get home before the jump, you know.”
“Of course, Fola,” Darlene said. “We understand. Our place is just around the corner, but we’ll get out of here soon.”
“Please come back after the jump though,” Fola replied. “I’ve prepared some special chocolates for the arrival party.”
“Arrival party, what’s that?” Dave asked.
“It’s an old tradition, from the days before there were as many Hives,” Fola replied. “The effort to move this planetoid is huge. If it succeeds, everyone celebrates!”
“If it succeeds? That doesn’t sound very comforting, Fola,” Darlene said.
“There hasn’t been a failure in millions of years, Darlene. Please don’t worry. But it is a great excuse for a party, isn’t it?” Fola laughed.
“We’ll be back,” Darlene said. “Dave and Charlie don’t pass up the opportunity to eat chocolate.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Dave said as he finished his coffee. “We’re headed to our residence now, Fola. You should close early if you can.”
“Thanks you two and I’ll see you in a couple hours. I reopen at 1300,” Fola said as Dave and Darlene headed out into the morning sunshine.
The sidewalks were full of people returning to their homes before the jump. While everyone seemed calm, there was a tension in the air. Even for such an advanced culture, the thought of relocating a seven-thousand mile diameter artificial planet two million light years in the blink of an eye was disconcerting. Dave could remember how nervous he felt when he rode in an airplane back in the twenty-first. The idea of flying thousands of feet over the ground in a metal tube was unnerving. He imagined that was the same anxiety the billions of residents on Hive 1008 felt right now. As they walked up the short stairway to the door of their residence, Dave heard a tone in his ear. He tapped the com-link and said, “Dave Brewster.”
“Admiral, Jon here. I strongly recommend that you and the ambassador return to the Nightsky for the jump,” he said. “In case something bad happens, you will be safer inside the ship. Charlie and Aria are already here.”
“Understood, Jon. I can’t really argue with you. That does seem like a reasonable response to a
truly unbelievable thing that will happen soon. We’re on our way. Out,” Dave replied as he clicked off the com-link. “Darlene, let’s go back to the Nightsky for the jump. Jon recommends that as a precaution.”
“Good. To tell the truth, this whole jump has me on edge,” Darlene said as they went back down the stairs. They hurried to the tube station. A mass of people were flooding the tube station and they had to wait their turn to go down to the entrance. Dave held Darlene’s hand as the crowd pushed them down the steps.
Inside the station, long lines led to each shuttle. Many of the lines reached all the way to the stairway into the station. Dave led Darlene over to a monitor on the wall. He touched the panel and said, “Space Port.” A line of light traced the tube to the Space Port, and the words “Shuttle Sixty-Four” appeared above the line. He and Darlene moved through the crowd toward the higher numbered shuttles. It took almost ten minutes to reach a small shuttle numbered sixty-four. Dave glanced at his watch, which read 1110. The tubes would run for another thirty minutes, so they would have no trouble reaching their ship. They entered the small shuttle and buckled themselves in. There were ten seats in the shuttle and only four people on board so far. The shuttles were timed to leave every five minutes or less if they were full. High Consul Zee Gongaleg and Minister Fak Mondoka entered the shuttle and sat behind the Brewsters.
“Dave and Darlene, we are happy to have found you both,” Zee said. “Your Captain Lake suggested we join your crew in case of any emergency.”
“Zee and Fak, it would be our pleasure,” Darlene said. The doors on the shuttle closed and it launched out into the network of tubes. The space port was on the opposite side of the planetoid near the surface, so the shuttle shot upward at incredible speed. The web of tubes was full as shuttles took all the residents to their homes. “Where’s Zak when you need someone to distract you?”
“I wish he was here talking to me now,” Dave replied. “I’m not crazy about tubes and I have no idea what to expect during the jump. It’s like time is racing ahead and I’m powerless to do anything but sit here and wait.” The tube shot through the planet. Now it was above a large sea of water that was completely enclosed. “Alda told me that fifteen percent of the ship’s interior is full of water.”
“That’s why we prefer our external world, Dave,” Zee commented. “It seems much more natural to us. I don’t know why you don’t like tubes. The shuttles here seem quite slow to me.”
The shuttle shuddered as though the entire planet was being shaken by a giant hand. It slowed and stopped with the vast water pool below them. Waves were splashing against the walls of the container. Several more tremors hit the shuttle and the water seemed to be boiling. After several minutes, the tremors stopped and the shuttle began to move again. It increased to full speed, and left the water storage behind. A giant cylindrical shape was directly ahead and the shuttle slowed as it approached. When the shuttle was within fifty feet, a circular door opened and the shuttle entered the Space Port Tube Station and stopped.
As they exited, a Zu soldier approached them. “Admiral, I’m Captain Bol Nessor. Governor Lonk asked me to escort your team to the Nightsky. He also asked me to apologize for the problem in the tube. When each Hive connects to our planetoid, there are waves of Universal Power that flow through. It can feel like an earthquake, but it is normal for this kind of operation.”
“Thanks, Captain,” Dave smiled. “I feel better knowing that! For a second, I thought our shuttle would drop into that giant water tank.”
“That’s very unlikely, sir,” Bol replied. “Follow me to the lift.” They entered a large elevator and the door closed behind them. Bol pushed a button and the elevator lurched upward. After two minutes, it stopped and the door opened. Lieutenant Lia Lawson was standing by the door smiled.
“Thanks, Bol,” Lia said. “I’ve got it from here. Follow me, everyone.” She turned and began to walk down the long tube connecting the Space Port to the Nightsky. After they entered the ship, Lia tapped her com-link and said, “Captain, our last four guests are on board. You may close the doors at your discretion.” After tapping her com-link, she turned to the group and said, “Consul and Minister, would you prefer to go to your quarters or join the Admiral and Ambassador on the bridge?”
“It would be an honor to share the bridge,” Zee said.
“Very well, follow me. We need to step up the pace though. It is now 1145 hours,” she said. They followed her into the lift and it shot upward toward the top of the ship.
“It’s good to be home,” Dave said. “Our residence on Hive 1008 was too nice. It’s great to be inside one of my ships.”
“I don’t know, honey,” Darlene said. “I was getting used to living like I was on a planet again.” The door opened and they entered the bridge. Lia led the tekkans to seats that had been prepared for them. Then she returned to her communications station. Dave and Darlene sat in their command chairs next to Captain Jon Lake. Charlie and Aria sat on the opposite side of the captain. Dave glanced at his watch, which said 1155. He took Darlene’s hand and squeezed it.
The voice of Governor Lonk came over every speaker on Hive 1008 and on all the ships in the port. “Friends, I am pleased to report that all Hives are now locked onto our coordinates. Acting Chief Engineer Loni Arrak is now coordinating the actions of all Hives and she reports everything is progressing according to plan. I apologize for any discomfort during the first part of this process. Please relax and know we will soon be in the home galaxy. The actual jump can be somewhat troubling for some. Any symptoms, such as headache, nausea or the like should be short-lived. If not, please contact your doctor. Thank you and we’ll start our arrival celebration at precisely 1300 hours. I wish you all the best.”
Dave glanced at the ship’s chronograph. It read 1200. A searing pain surged through the back of his head. He could see his vision narrowing into a tunnel and becoming fuzzy. Tremors rocked through the ship and warning lights and buzzers sounded all over the bridge. Ali Bai, the helmsman leaned back and fell to the floor. Lia tried to go to him but could not stand. Dave could feel Darlene pulling on his arm and saying something to him, but he could not understand her words. Her face seemed distorted like an impressionist painting. Jon Lake was shouting to his crew for calm, but everyone seemed to be in their own world.
“Dave, are you okay?” Darlene said. “Dave, wake up!”
Dave opened his eyes and found he was still sitting in the same chair. Darlene was standing over him wiping blood from his nose. “What happened? Where are we?”
“Dave, it looks like you passed out,” Jon Lake said. “Ali, Charlie and Aria all passed out too. But everyone is okay. Ship containment is secure. We’re waiting for confirmation from Hive 1008.”
Dave glanced at his watch, which read 1202. He looked up at Darlene and could see a few tears streaming down her cheeks. He took her head in his hands and kissed her on the lips. “I’m okay now, Darlene. I just hope it’s over. How do you feel, sweetheart?”
“Much better than a minute ago, honey,” she replied. “I felt like I would throw up or pass out, but then it just went away. I’m feeling lucky.”
Dave turned to Lia. “Lia, try to get the Galliceans or Kalideans and find out if they’re okay.”
“Dave, all communications are out,” Lia said. “We were told that would be normal for a few minutes after the jump. We also have no external visual. All sensors are also off-line. We could be floating in space and not know it.”
“Zee and Fak, how are you?” Dave asked.
“Just fine, Dave. Thank you for asking,” Zee said. “The jump doesn’t seem to have affected us at all.”
“You’re lucky. I felt searing pain in my head and passed out. I feel okay now, but I hope I don’t have to do this very often,” Dave replied.
The speakers came alive with Governor Lonk’s voice. “I’m glad to report the jump has been completed safely. Earth Prime sends regards and welcome to the home galaxy. All electronic sy
stems should be back online within the next ten minutes. As with any action of this magnitude, there have been minor issues. Approximately ten percent of our non-Hive personnel report some discomfort during the jump, with symptoms like headaches, nausea and fainting. We also had a hull rupture near the space port. There were no injuries from the incident and the rupture has already been sealed. There have been reports of damage to buildings in the Balthazar neighborhood. Teams will be sent to begin repairs within a few hours. As you can imagine, due to the shaking and movement, there is a lot of dust and debris in many streets. We will begin a heavy rain simulation to clean things up. It will take two days until all areas can be cleaned. Thank you for your help and patience during this exercise. A number of leaders from Earth Prime are already on their way here to join our arrival celebration. Thanks again and good-bye.”
Chapter 29
One hour after the jump, the tube system was fully operational again. Governor Alin Lonk contacted Dave Brewster and asked to meet at the building serving as his residence in the Balthazar community. Traffic in the tube network was very light which was unusual for the lunch hour on Hive 1008. Most non-Hive residents had been given the day off to prepare for the jump and to celebrate the success afterward. The success celebrations tended to be local to each neighborhood, leaving little reason for people to travel around the planetoid. Dave asked Charlie to join him so they could stop at the coffee shop after the meeting.