Galactic Alliance: Translight!

by Doug Farren

  The next day, the Shandarian ambassador was invited to a private meeting with the President of the United States to discuss the issue of the sharing of technology. After the usual amenities, the President said, “I’ve had some long discussions recently with the leaders of the nations making up the American Alliance. These are the nations that have been involved in the development and construction of our advanced warships. We disagree with the open sharing of military technology with nations that have a history of abusing such technology. The theft of the fighter proves our point that such nations will continue to ignore international law and treaties if doing so serves their own purpose.”

  “Officially, the Consortium disagrees. Unofficially, I can appreciate your situation. My people were once divided as yours are now. In our case, we solved our differences out of necessity. Our natural resources were dwindling and our leaders realized that fighting for the control of these limited resources was counter-productive. Nations learned to work cooperatively with each other. At first such cooperation was difficult but as trust was developed the cooperation deepened. It quickly became apparent that the sharing of resources and the open sharing of technology was having a very positive effect. Within three generations the boundaries of most of our nations had dissolved and we were a unified world.

  “It was only after this unification had occurred that we developed our stardrive. Your species is unique in that you have somehow managed to develop stardrive technology while your planet is still deeply divided. There are many in the Consortium who feel that contact with more advanced cultures will only deepen this division between your nations eventually culminating in war. The only possible solution for your world is to follow the path of the other members of the Consortium and adopt a policy of cooperation and open sharing of resources and technology among every nation of your world.”

  The President looked down at the floor for a moment, shook his head, and then took a sip from his drink. “What you’re suggesting is what we on Earth call a pipe dream. You don’t understand the mental makeup of some of our people. The Arab world has, for centuries, had an intense hatred of the West. Oddly enough, it’s not the distribution of natural resources that’s at odds here either. It’s their entire philosophy concerning life itself that’s at the heart of things. If we were to share our military technology with the Arab nations, they would use that technology to try to impose their beliefs on the rest of humanity.”

  “So what you are trying to tell me is that you do not see any hope at all of your world becoming truly united; that the differences between your various peoples are so vast that war is inevitable?”

  “Let me answer that with a question of my own. Do the Tholtarans openly share military technology with the Shandarians?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then the worlds making up the Consortium are no different than the nations of Earth.”

  “Shandarians cooperate with Shandarians because we are all of the same species. Humans should cooperate with Humans for the same reason.”

  “I’m afraid that most Humans would disagree. We don’t see each other as Human, instead, we see each other as Americans, Arabs, Jews, and so forth. We are as different from each other as Shandarians are from Tholtarans. The nations of the Earth are behaving very much like the worlds of the Consortium. If there is no hope for us, then by that line of reasoning there is no hope for the Consortium.”

  “The comparison you are attempting to make is unfair,” the ambassador argued. “Tholtarans and Shandarians are two entirely different species. Humans are of the same species.”

  “You have a lot to learn about Humans,” the President replied through a smile. “We are a very diverse people. I would be willing to bet that if a non-Human were to examine the characteristics of two Human cultures, he could very easily come to the conclusion that he had examined two people from two separate planets.”

  “Then we can only hope,” the ambassador said as he stood up, “that Humans as well as the various members of the Consortium can learn to peacefully coexist despite our differences. The consequences of our failing to do so would be quite unpleasant.”

  30

  The Tholtaran’s Explain Themselves

  ===============================================

  ===== June, 2065 (Terran calendar) =====

  ===============================================

  Base Commander Mernaga sat with his back to the door of his office. His gaze was directed out the window toward the military outpost he now commanded. The bleak, gray, dusty, heavily cratered surface of a moon orbiting a gas giant not far from the edge of Human space stood in stark contrast to the flat, black, smooth metallic structures that jutted out from the surface. A large supply ship and two smaller patrol ships sat unmoving on the flat expanse of the landing field. Months before, an orbiting destroyer had played a high powered laser across the surface of the moon, converting the fine dust into a molten lake. The now hardened surface provided a perfect place to park starships.

  The glint of an orbiting cruiser could be scene just above the horizon. Communication towers, defense installations, repair shops, and berthing for the growing base appeared all around the landing area. From this base of operations, Commander Mernaga continued to monitor the often baffling activities of the Humans. At this very moment though, he was content to let his mind wander in no particular direction as he stared out into the harsh vacuum of space. Even here, so far from home, the stars were beautiful.

  His solitude was interrupted by the sound of the office door opening. Nobody under his command would have ever considered walking unannounced into his office. To do so would have been to invite a reduction in rank and possibly even time in the brig. Mernaga allowed himself to smile. Without turning around he stood up and said, “Fleet Commander Buranoe! I am honored at such an unexpected visit. Please, take my seat.”

  Commander Mernaga executed a snappy left-face, took three steps from his chair, performed a second left-face and remained at attention. Mernaga caught a brief glimpse of the fleet commander’s aid as he closed the door for his superior. Fleet Commander Buranoe made a small grunting noise and took one of the seats in front of Mernaga’s desk. “Unexpected indeed,” Buranoe said. “Please sit. This is not an official visit. No doubt you are aware of the fact that I am on my way to Earth. I decided to stop here to see how you were doing and to visit an old family friend.”

  Mernaga retook his seat now that it had been made clear to him that the visit was more social than official. The fleet commander was getting quite old and rumor had it that he would be retiring soon. It had also been noted that as Buranoe had aged, his expectations of maintaining strict military protocol had become more relaxed.

  Mernaga had in fact been very aware of Buranoe’s impending visit. He was also aware of the fact that Buranoe had been sent to Earth to discuss the very base he now commanded. The government of Earth had complained about the presence of a military base so close to their space. They had claimed that it represented an intolerable threat to the peace and security of the region. Try as he might, Mernaga still could not fathom the meaning behind the statement.

  “Are we ever going to understand these Humans?” Mernaga said as he settled into his chair. “I get reports of their activities every day, and every day I scratch my head in wonder.”

  “We are not the only ones. Humans have spread throughout the Consortium like some sort of plague. They are shrewd businessmen and adapt quickly to almost any challenge. They are bold, obnoxious, daring, and sometimes downright rude. On the other hand, I have seen reports of whole groups of Humans banning together to help others in need. One of the most bizarre events I know of was a Human business owner who offered a Rouldian competitor the free use of part of his shop when the Rouldian’s business was damaged by fire.”

  “I couldn’t agree more sir. It’s almost as if Humans don’t really know who they are so they try to be everyone at once. They seem to change their behavior on a
moment by moment basis depending upon what is happening at any particular point in time.”

  “You seem to understand them better than I.”

  “I don’t really understand them at all. I’m not sure any of us can.”

  Buranoe got up, walked over to the refreshment center, and poured himself a stiff drink. “I put you in charge of this base because of your experience in dealing with the Human military. You have accomplished a great deal since your assignment and it is why you are coming with me to Earth.”

  Mernaga felt his blood pressure drop. “I…I…Uh…When do we leave sir?” Mernaga had come very close to committing the almost unforgivable act of questioning his superior officer.

  Buranoe returned to his seat. “Tomorrow morning. I want you there strictly as an observer. I was selected for this meeting because I authorized the construction of this base and I selected you as its commander.”

  “Thank you for your continuing confidence in my abilities.”

  “There is another reason why I am here Commander Mernaga. I have been asked to convey central command's thanks for your efforts in regards to the Human offworld shipyard. Your discovery of their hidden shipyard and the subsequent complete report of its exact location and size has been recognized as a great achievement. I am authorized to inform you that command will be honoring you with a red cluster during an awards presentation in the near future. Congratulations commander!”

  Mernaga was shocked. The red cluster was one of the highest honors that a field commander could earn. It was normally given to a commander who had won a significant battle, but since no wars had been fought in recent years the award was rarely given out. Mernaga’s achievement had not only been the discovery of the exact location of the Olympus base, but he had also managed to take pictures of many of the bases facilities.

  Through multiple contacts, Mernaga had managed to bribe a worker at a space station orbiting a remote planet to attach a small innocuous device to the hulls of as many Human freighters as possible. The beauty of the whole thing was that the worker was Human. His main job was to perform an external examination of every ship that docked at the station – part of the normal upkeep of any starship. Over a period of several months, the worker would install the devices and remove them the next time the ship visited the station. The device took a very wide angle, high resolution photograph once every 5 seconds.

  After patiently waiting for nearly five months and reviewing countless hours of pictures, the effort had finally paid off. A video record of most of the Olympus base was finally recovered. Mernaga still had no idea what the mysterious Human weapon was because even on their remote base, the weapons were kept behind shielded enclosures. The expanse of the facility had surprised him and the Tholtaran central governing council.

  “I am honored beyond words,” Mernaga replied.

  The trip to Earth required four days. A shuttle ferried Mernaga and Buranoe down to the Richmond spaceport. From there they were taken by air directly to the White House. President Trent greeted them upon their arrival and personally escorted them to the conference room where they were introduced to Grand Admiral Hayes, commander of the Earth defense forces.

  “Thank you for coming to Earth to discuss this important matter,” the President began. “We are quite concerned about the presence of a Tholtaran military base just outside our space. To be quite honest, it’s making a lot of people nervous.”

  Buranoe glanced at the Grand Admiral then addressed the President directly. “You must be referring to outpost 418. The treaty you have signed with Tholta clearly states that all space not specifically designated as belonging to a particular race is open and available to all races. The base you are referring to is located twelve light years from Earth. This is two light years beyond the recognized boundary of Human space. I don’t see where this is a problem.”

  “I don’t mean to be provocative fleet commander,” Hayes said. “But, how would your government react if we decided to construct a large military base twelve light years from your home world?”

  “As long as the base did not violate any terms of the treaty then there would be nothing we could do about it.”

  “That’s a political answer sir, and one I won’t accept,” Hayes shot back. “I want to know what you would do.”

  Mernaga felt anger rising inside him. How dare these Humans speak to the fleet commander like that! But, he kept his emotions under control and obeyed the orders of his superior by remaining quiet and attentive.

  Buranoe did not seem to be offended as he replied, “If you had started to build such a base prior to the treaty we would have prevented such a base from ever being constructed so close to our home world. But those days are long behind us. Let us assume that you did build such a base. My response would be to construct a similar base as close as possible to yours in order to keep an eye on your base.”

  “In other words,” the President summarized. “You would feel threatened by such a base and you would react by countering that threat with a base of your own.”

  “If we ever felt that such a base represented a threat to the security of the Tholtaran people then that base would not be allowed to remain. If any race desires to build a military facility near our space we would offer no objections as long as it remains non-threatening. The Rouldians and the Shandarians each have several bases in close proximity to our space yet we have not complained. Relations between our various races remain calm and productive. I fail to see why our base near your space is any different.”

  “Earth is a relatively new member of the Consortium,” the President replied in a conciliatory tone of voice. “Because of our own past history of wars between nations it is only natural for us to feel threatened when a more powerful member of the Consortium decides to build a military facility just outside what is considered as Human space. May I ask why you decided to put a military base this close to our space?”

  Buranoe leaned back in his chair and seemed to be considering something of great importance. After a moment of silence he looked at Mernaga then back at Admiral Hayes. “Perhaps it is best for us to be completely honest with each other. Base Commander Mernaga, tell them what my orders were to you concerning Humans the day I promoted you to group commander.”

  For a moment, Mernaga lost his composure and actually frowned at his commander. He opened his mouth but he was unable to speak. Had his commander lost his mind?

  Buranoe turned and gave Mernaga a stern look. “Tell them,” he ordered in Tholtaran.

  Mernaga cleared his throat, swallowed, then replied, “My primary mission was to locate a suspected off-planet shipyard and, if found, to ascertain its capabilities and defensive installations. My secondary mission was to report on all Human military activity.”

  Admiral Hayes pulled an object from his briefcase and threw it on the table. “Then I’m assuming that this belongs to you.”

  Buranoe retrieved the object, looked it over, then set it back down. “A programmable security recorder,” he said matter-of-factly. “They can be found almost anywhere, and can be purchased by anyone from a number of manufacturers.”

  “It was found attached to the hull of one of our freighters. I would like to know how it got there and why.”

  “We are responsible,” Buranoe replied. “In fact, Base Commander Mernaga has been honored for his ingenious use of such a common device.”

  Admiral Hayes started to reply but President Trent put his hand on his arm and said, “Fleet Commander Buranoe, considering what you have just told us, I would be inclined to believe that the Tholtarans are preparing for a military strike against Earth. At least that is how the evidence stacks up.”

  A smile appeared on Buranoe’s face and a chuckle escaped him. “Mr. President, if the Tholtaran Republic wanted to engage in military action against Earth, we would do so without hesitation. Your entire fleet of warships would be destroyed within a matter of days and the battle would be over. But, we have no interest in conquest or in starting a
war with anyone. We are, however, very concerned about the activities of Humans which is why outpost 418 was constructed and why I put Mernaga in charge.”

  Admiral Hayes could no longer contain himself. Red-faced, he blurted out, “You have no idea how far we have advanced militarily. I think you will find our ships to be a more formidable threat than you think.”

  Mernaga was enraged. This was an unpardonable threat against the entire Tholtaran Republic—practically a declaration of war. He clinched his jaw and started to rise but stopped when Buranoe, in their native Tholtaran language, hissed, “SIT!”

  At the same time, President Trent turned to Admiral Hayes and said, “That will be enough Admiral.”

  The tension in the room was so heavy it could almost be photographed. Hayes and Mernaga glared at each other across the table. “I don’t believe the Tholtaran Republic is actually planning a military strike against us,” President Trent said in as calming a voice as possible. “I merely said that it appeared as if you were. I don’t think you would have told us the true purpose of your base or admitted to putting the recorder on one of our ships if your government was planning an attack. So please tell me Commander Buranoe why the Tholtaran Republic is concerned about us Humans.”

  “It’s not just the Tholtaran Republic that is concerned,” Buranoe replied. “The majority of the members of the Consortium share the same fear. Earth appears to be united but in fact it is not. The nations of your planet have been engaged in an escalating arms race. Tension between your various regional governments has been increasing. It is our fear that this will eventually lead to open warfare. If this happens, it could affect the peace that now exists between all members of the Consortium.

  “We are not worried about a Human war sparking any sort of conflict between other races. Rather, we are concerned that Human warships may mistakenly attack non-Human ships. Since the Tholtaran Republic lies close to Human space, we have been tasked with the job of keeping an eye on Human military activities. Perhaps it would make you feel more comfortable if you were to station an observer at our base.”