by T. R. Harris
“Noslead Vosmin Yon, I must protest the presence of the Human Adam Cain at these proceedings. He is a notorious outlaw to the Klin, having been directly or indirectly implicated in the deaths of two of our Pleabaens, our supreme leaders. I find it very disturbing that he would have found his way to make contact with your expedition.”
“You will refer to me as Noslead, or Noslead Vosmin. Yon is not necessary.” The alien then took a moment to observe the smiling Human. “I was not aware of Adam Cain’s history with the Klin. I, too, find it strange that this particular Human would be among the few with which contact has been made.” With that statement, Vosmin turned his attention to the smaller, pale alien seated down the table to his right. No words passed between the two aliens before Vosmin spoke again.
“I will not allow any more protests at this point. Later, accommodations may be made, yet for now, the Sol-Kor are in command of this meeting. As I just stated, we are known as the Sol-Kor. We have come to your universe from one beyond, having visited many prior to this. We seek the builders of the portal, as is our practice upon entering a new dimension.”
“That would be the Klin, Noslead Vosmin, contrary to what the Humans may have told you.”
Vosmin looked confused. “Do not interrupt unless I address you. And for clarification, the Humans have not made any such claim as being the builders of the portal.”
Dinis Zimfelous opened his mouth to make a further comment, yet Molison stopped him with a grasp of his arm.
The hard stare by Vosmin at the Senior Fellow made Molison believe he had done right by the Senior Fellow.
“Good. Now to continue, the Sol-Kor have noticed a strange dynamic occurring in this universe, one involving the cooperation among many divergent strains, even as now we find there is conflict where none had originally been observed. This is good, since I have been informed I should seek out a partner from among these strains. This is not the way of the Sol-Kor, however, your universe appears unique, so initially I will heed this advice.”
Molison exchanged a glance with Dinis, who display renewed confidence in his expression. This is what the Klin had hoped for when they built the array.
Vosmin was continuing. “Traditionally, we would not consider such a relationship with the builder of the portal.”
Molison saw Dinis tense up visibly.
“As builders as well, we have found that when two strains of equal ability interact, conflicts arise. Both strains seek to dominate the other; therefore we have sought out inferior strains to assist us, creatures who better recognize the superiority of the Sol-Kor.”
“If I may speak, Noslead Vosmin,” the wrinkled Human female spoke up.
“No you may not, not yet. I will conclude my presentation and then allow each of you the opportunity to present yours.”
When no more protests were raised, Vosmin continued. “We seek certain commodities from your universe, the nature of which I have been advised not to reveal at this time. Once a partner—you call them allies—is selected, then the full nature of our demands will become known. I must, however, stress that for the party not selected, the consequences will not be pleasant. That is why it best that each party provide their best case for why they should be selected, and not the other. Again, I must stress that the accommodation being made this day is highly unusual for the Sol-Kor. This is not our way, yet I have been told it would best to moderate our position, at least for the time being. Now, since the Klin have made the claim as to be builders of the array and the Humans have not, I will entertain the position of the Humans first. You may now speak, Ambassador Unis Yellen.”
Molison looked across the way to the Human. She appeared stunned, looking to the others at her table for guidance. No one came to her rescue. Finally she turned her attention to Vosmin.
“I am at a loss as to how to react to what you just said, Noslead Vosmin. My race is known for our ability to negotiate and compromise with most races, yet this doesn’t sound like a negotiation. This sound more like a threat, an ultimatum. Either we agree to be subservient to the Sol-Kor, or else you will choose the Klin and, apparently, then consider Humanity your enemy. Is my assessment correct, Noslead?”
Vosmin stared at the female for a long moment before responding. “I would say you have a good understanding of the situation. Do you wish to add more?”
“Yes I do! The Sol-Kor are strangers to our universe. As such I believe they should come with a more—how should I say it—a demurer presence. Since your arrival you have attacked several starships belonging to a variety of species, killing hundreds, and in our case, taking others prisoner. Oh, don’t think you have us fooled, Vosmin. I know we are still here against our will, and now that the Klin have showed up, I have a pretty good idea why.”
When the Human remained silent for a moment, Vosmin spoke up. “What is your reasoning, Ambassador?”
“It is to pit both the Humans and the Klin against each other, in a sort of bidding war to see which race will survive and which will not. I have to warn you, Noslead Vosmin, the Sol-Kor have only superficially experienced the Human race. You have no idea what we’re capable of. We have defeated the best this galaxy has thrown against us, including devastating attacks on our homeworld by both the Juireans and the Klin.” The Human glared at Senior Fellow Dinis. “And as far as Adam Cain having a seat at this table, he is included as one of our greatest heroes, him and his team. He is personally responsible for saving the Human race on at least two occasions, and against the likes of you, Senior Fellow whatsyourname.” She took a deep breath before turning back to Vosmin and continuing. “So as far as the Human race bowing to your supposed superiority, shove it, Vosmin Yon. This may mean the deaths of every one of us here, but that will only serve to anger the rest of us. And ask the damn Klin over there what happens when the Humans get pissed?”
“So it is my understanding the Humans are not making an argument for partnership with the Sol-Kor.” The alien Vosmin seemed completely unmoved by the Human’s tirade. Molison knew this strengthened the Klin’s position immensely, yet he was also compelled to personally rebel against some of the assertions of the Sol-Kor. Yet he also knew that the Klin would plan while pretending to accommodate the demands of the Sol-Kor. Whatever situation the Klin found themselves in as a result of working with—or under—the Sol-Kor would only be temporary. On that account, the Klin were more pragmatic than the Human race. Once again, the beings from Earth had let their emotions govern their thinking. Now Molison waited patiently for Senior Fellow Dinis Zimfelous to make his case, knowing full well that he would say what he had to in order to convince the Sol-Kor to spare his race.
“Noslead Vosmin, I am terribly sorry you had to witness such an angry, savage and uncivilized outburst as that made by Ambassador Yellen. You will find no such emotional traits present in the Klin. We are an advanced, thoughtful and more civilized race. We are also wise enough to acknowledge our place in the universe—any universe. The Sol-Kor truly are a great and superior race. And even though the Klin have provided this galaxy with the bulk of its scientific progress for the past several thousand years, we do bow to the obvious superior intellect of the Sol-Kor, masters of technology unsurpassed,”
Molison heard the tiny pale creature down the table for Vosmin let out a snicker. He then saw Vosmin appear to become embarrassed, avoiding looking down the table at the interrupting pale alien. The moment quickly passed, however, and Vosmin now addressed the Klin.
“Very well. As long as you defer to the Sol-Kor, you will become our partners. As far as the Humans are concerned, we welcome the opportunity to add the Human strain to our list of commodities, alongside the Juireans and another strains we’ve identified.”
“Noslead Vosmin,” Senior Fellow Dinis spoke up. “Now that the Klin are officially partners with the Sol-Kor, and will be tasked with helping achieve your goals within this universe, for what purpose do the Humans and Juireans serve the Sol-Kor? You mention them as a commodity. What exactly does tha
t mean?”
Vosmin looked down the table at the pale alien. The Sol-Kor leader now appeared defiant as he glared at the other creature. “Since our negotiations are complete, and you have asked, I will tell you. The Juireans and Humans—along with as many other strains as can be located and analyzed—will be used as food for the Colony.”
When the Humans at the table across from Molison suddenly all rose up in protest, several of the Sol-Kor guards pulled their weapons and bathed the rioting aliens in a soft, blue beam. These weapons were very targeted and limited in strength, so the effects on the Klin were barely noticeable, although it was there. The scientist made a note of this. A counter to the hand-held weapons would also have to be found, and since the Klin were to live—at least for a while—Molison felt he would be given the chance to design such a compact countermeasure. It would be needed for the Klin to survive their affiliation with these aliens from another universe.
Adam, Sherri and Riyad once again entered into their Academy Award winning performances as just three more helpless Humans, overcome by the alien stupor weapon. Out the corner of his eye, Adam noticed Riyad move ever closer to the addled Ophelia Naidu. Next he shifted his gaze in the direction of Panur and saw the alien staring at the him with his ever-present amused grin.
This was a tense moment: Would Vosmin have them all slaughtered right then and there, or would he herd them out the tent and do the deed outside where there’d be less clean up?
As if reading his mind, Panur spoke up. “Noslead Vosmin, let us confine the Humans to a storage area. If there is indeed a powerful Human force to rise against us, we may be able to use these prisoners as a deterrent to their attack.”
“I would not do that, Noslead Vosmin,” Zimfelous advised. “Even in captivity, Humans are very dangerous.”
Vosmin stared him down. “You mistake prudence for fear, Klin. We do not fear the Humans, or the Juireans, or even you for fact. Panur is right. I have seen the sentimentality of the Humans, and the investment we have made in arriving in this universe and securing this location has been high. We do not wish it harmed through a pointless attack when it can be avoided. The Humans will be kept in their present state and confined. Minlead Dosdor, subdue the other Humans as well. And now, Senior Fellow of the Klin, you wish a more private audience? I will grant it now. Follow me to my chambers. Allow only two of your most-trusted advisors to join us.”
Molison and Druniness Kim were the two other Klin Zimfelous selected to join him at the private meeting. Vosmin’s chambers were in a suite of offices and living quarters made of metal near where a dozen of the black ships now rested. Even during the brief walk to the building, Molison witnessed three more ships descend and land. Far up in the evening sky, tiny flashes of light could be seen. The portal was open—his portal—and the aliens were using it to bring in an armada of their ships into this universe. Doubt was heavy in his mind as he watched the distant sky. Doubt that he had done the right thing in building the array in the first place.
The huge, gray skinned alien had breathing tubes connected to his wide nose, allowing him to shed the heavy metal helmet while in his quarters. The atmosphere of TD-1 was compatible to the Primes of this galaxy, yet it wasn’t for these creatures, having evolved breathing a different mixture. It wasn’t much of a difference, just enough to make survival on Klin-compatible worlds more difficult.
To his surprise, the odd single-entity alien with the impossibly pale skin was in attendance, as well. Molison had gotten the distinct impression that there was no love lost between this creature the Noslead, and yet he seemed to come as he go as he pleased and spoke when he felt like it. It seemed an odd dynamic. As far as he had seen, the Sol-Kor had no other aliens among their ranks, just this one. This made the scientist even more curious as the meeting got underway.
“The Sol-Kor are not in the habit of receiving guests, nor do we align with partners,” Vosmin began. “Yet I am informed that refreshments should be offered at this juncture. Do you wish any?”
To his credit, Dinis Zimfelous declined—graciously—a gesture completely wasted on their oblivious host.
The alien merely grunted and adjusted the breathing tube in his right nostril. “I would like this to be brief. I have been without relief from this atmosphere for too long already.”
“What is it you wish us to do, Noslead Vosmin?”
“As has been revealed, we come here seeking crops for our growing population. The Colony now numbers over a trillion individuals so the need is great for new and plentiful food sources.”
To the small Klin delegation the revelation was stunning. One trillion Sol-Kor, with the implication being that they fed on Prime-like beings, and primarily on the brains, according to the video reports they’d seen. Molison did some quick calculations. If the average Prime world contained five billion beings, then it would take two hundred complete worlds to supply each member of their population with one edible brain per day. He hoped his numbers were wrong, and that they also consumed other parts of the body, as well as other things, including renewable growth crops. However, the alien did refer to the civilizations of the galaxy as crops and strains, so he didn’t hold much hope for a more varied diet.
If he was right then the Sol-Kor were worse than any deadly plague to spread throughout the galaxy. Granted, there were literally billions of inhabited worlds in the galaxy, with tens of thousands classified as Prime worlds, with the vast majority of these primitive and still in the early stages of evolution. If the Sol-Kor had their way, they would harvest entire planets, leaving no chance for life to advance. And as for the advanced cultures, well it seemed these were the delicacies the Sol-Kor most preferred.
He looked at Dinis and Druniness Kim. From their expressions, they, too, had done the math.
“It would seem that your need is indeed great,” Dinis said. “How is it that you can supply such a population? That would involve an undertaking of…well, galactic proportions.”
“It does indeed. That is why harvesting crops from multiple universes has become such a necessity. During most of our hunting expeditions, worlds fall beneath us quite simply, being undeveloped or offering only cursory technology to impede our progress. The reapers find no issue with these harvests. They are usually done before the population even knows they have been selected.”
“How do you accomplish that?” Molison finally spoke, his curiosity getting the better of him. “It is with your suppressor beam?”
Vosmin frowned at him. “You know of the pulse beam?”
Molison had to do some quick thinking. “Forgive me, Noslead Vosmin, yet as you are aware by now, we have monitoring devices throughout the region, so you must realize we have observed your activities here, and in space. So to answer your question, yes, we know of your beam.”
Again the alien grunted. “Yes, it is with the assistance of our beam.”
“That would involve a much larger projector, multiple projectors—”
“Who are you?” Vosmin asked, interrupting.
“Forgive me, Noslead,” said Dinis Zimfelous quickly. “This is our Senior Scientist, Molison Jons. He is the Klin who devised and supervised the building of the portal.”
Both Vosmin and the pale alien focused their large eyes on him.
“So it was you who built the array,” said the pale alien. “Was it not a collaborative effort on the part of your race?”
“Prior to this, I helped develop the Continuous Wormhole communication system, and as you know, the trans-dimensional portal is just an extension of that technology.”
“Or so it is in your universe,” said the alien, with a trace of sarcasm in his tone.
When Vosmin noticed the three Klin now focused on the pale alien he placed a palm up in the creature’s direction. “This is Panur. He is what you could call the lead scientist for the Colony.” Vosmin seemed almost pained by the statement. “He is also the inventor of the trans-dimensional portals found in our universe.”
“As
well as three successively more-efficient star-drive technologies, along with your so-called wormhole communications, several radical new building techniques, a variety of advanced weaponry, as well as the suppressor pulse beam, as you call it. I believe I rather like that terminology.”
Molison’s jaw fell open. Even though he was familiar with nearly all modern technologies, he could never image one creature being responsible for so many revolutionary breakthroughs. Perhaps that was why he was allowed such free reign? For without these advances, modern society couldn’t exist, here or in any universe. For the first time in his life, the Klin scientist was humbled by another creature’s intellect.
“I am very impressed, Panur. Perhaps when you find the time, we can share knowledge and tales of our work.”
“I don’t have time to discuss matters which you would not understand. Your technological level, so far as this universe is concerned, would rank among the top. Yet to me, you are still like children playing with blocks.”
“I do not see the need for insults,” Molison shot back. “I, too, developed the dimension portal, the same as you.”
“The difference is I know my device, and I know yours. The portal you’ve created is of such a poor design that it is a miracle it works at all. My devices can link any universe with us. The opposite is not true. Do you not admit that once you built your portal you were at a loss as to what to do with it? You could not travel to other dimensions, even if another portal existed. Your device could not link with mine because of its primitive design, whereas mine can mate with yours with ease, making possible two-way transfers. My device has made yours better simply by being linked to it. I admit that the basis for the invention came from thinking beyond what you call wormholes, yet my portals are not based on that, and never have been. There is a much better way to accomplish inter-dimensional travel, and so far, you have not found it. That tells me what level of intellect I’m dealing with. So no, we will not be bonding as scientists and inventors.”