Serena

by Bill Nolan

  After meeting with the settlers, Robert returned to Shanna. He had Shanna message Kysandra to move away from the planet they were watching so they could talk. Kysandra jumped a few light years away and then opened a video line.

  “I’m glad to see you are OK. What’s happening there?”

  “Hello Robert. I’m glad you checked in with us. We have been just watching where they have gone underground. Three times people have tried to sneak out. Twice it was a single person and once a group of three. We dropped them all by the star. Since we are cloaked, they don’t know the ship is there. All they know is that they are suddenly floating in space very near a star. Because of the suits, they often have time to contact those still on the planet, but they can’t give much information, because they don’t have any to give. It’s been a couple of days now since anyone came out. Maybe they are waiting to see if whatever is taking them has left. They have messaged for help several times, but nobody has answered, as least as far as we have detected.”

  “Sounds good. How are your Pixie friends doing? Are they bored yet?”

  “They are still really angry about their friends, and they get gleeful whenever we manage to grab another one of these traitors. These are vicious little women!”

  One of the Pixies flew into the picture and bopped Kysandra on the nose. “Go ahead, make fun of us. Just don’t even think about going to sleep.” She was laughing.

  Kysandra laughed, too. “I do worry a little about that. They are serious pranksters. Luckily, I’m female. They have told me about some of the pranks they have played on human men in the past. Mean! The old fairy tales don’t do these ladies justice. Well, I want to get back to watching. I have thought about ignoring the next few who come out, let them start to think it’s safe, and then snag a bunch. Maybe we’ll give that a try. I have to keep telling the Pixies that they aren’t allowed to just capture them and torture them to death. I could just let them, I guess.”

  “Whatever you decide. We owe them for the cloaking technology, and they have reason to be angry. Just don’t get careless. We aren’t in a hurry. Keep in touch.”

  After his meeting with Kysandra, he found Jonu. As the best businessman among Robert’s people, and one of the best in the galaxy, Robert knew Jonu had been talking to the settlers. “Some of their ideas are really good, but they imply a knowledge of the galaxy that seems beyond them. How much help are you giving them?”

  Jonu chuckled. “You caught me. They needed a hand if they were going to be comfortable on their new world. Being poor and just subsisting is really no fun. I know that planet can provide plenty of food, but they need some fun, too. Extending Internet coverage out there was a great idea. Earth Internet isn’t up to galactic standards yet, but it is good and getting better. That will help a lot.”

  Robert nodded. “We want them to feel at home there as much as possible. The regular shipping service you are setting up will also help make things easier. Plus, as we expand this to more and more planets, I bet you can make a lot of money. Are you going to be operating the lodge shuttle? It sounds like a yacht.”

  “Yes, I will be operating that. I already have a deal with the ladies, so I will make a profit. Not that it matters. Robert, we collectively own a LOT of planets, and Jane owns a lot more all by herself. Nobody in the history of the human race has been richer than us. I knew joining my organization to yours was a good move.”

  “Sure. On the other hand, trouble seems to follow me. You can’t enjoy all those planets and stuff if you’re dead. Speaking of which, I have a feeling something big is heading our way. I have no idea what yet, but something. We’ll see.”

  Jonu shook his head. “You worry too much. If this big thing comes along, we will deal with it then. Don’t let the future mess up the present.”

  Chapter 23, Departures and Arrivals

  The day the settlers had been waiting for had finally arrived. It was time to leave for their new home. It took a full day to get all the gear loaded aboard Shanna, and, of course, the 900 people. Everyone was briefed. Everyone had been carefully checked at the clinic, and had even gone into the tanks when necessary. Some of the bigger things were just out in space near Shanna, ready to be taken along when she jumped. In addition, everything and everybody had been carefully scanned for trackers or other devices. When everything was set, Robert gave the word to Shanna and they made the first jump.

  They allowed 14 days for the journey, because they knew jump sickness was going to be a big issue for a lot of these people. They were all together in a big, open area, so when one person got sick it was like a chain reaction. What a mess. After an hour or so they were over the worst of it, but Robert and Shanna still waited 14 hours before jumping again. It was worse the second time. This time they waited a full day before moving on. By the time they got to their new home, which they had named New Hope, everyone was a wreck. Robert had everyone stay on the ship for two days to recover.

  Although not everyone was planning to live in the new village, they all did plan to be on the same continent. It didn’t connect to any of the others, and had no giant predators. The continent chosen had a pretty mild climate, similar to the north side of the Mediterranean, Hawaii, or San Diego. The place chosen for the village was on a flat hill near a river and the ocean. The river emptied into a nice bay, which was sheltered from the bigger waves which could occur on the ocean. Like Mary and Louise, most of the settlers had ordered and brought with them buildings. Once these were brought down, the village took shape quickly. Many of the families planned to scout for a while before picking a permanent spot, but in the meantime, they would live by the new village. In general, the buildings they had brought were fairly small, but big enough. The climate and surroundings made people want to be outside much of the time anyway.

  Todd and Cindy had their little hardware/general store up and running in a couple of days, and shortly after that the bakers had goods to sell and their pleasant, tiny coffee shop was up and running. Paul and Wendy had spent every day in their aircar scouting locations. They wanted to run a small farm. They weren’t planning on big fields or large herds of livestock. They were going to grow vegetables and fruit, and Paul was going to hunt and fish for their meat. Wendy had brought everything needed to can and dry their food. Four days after arrival they found a spot they really liked. It was a half mile from the ocean on the peninsula that created the bay by the village. The peninsula was about two miles wide at this point, and the spot they picked was about 150’ above sea level, with great views toward both the ocean and the bay. They got their house set up and started clearing a few acres, building several large compost piles as they went along. In a couple of weeks, they were very tired, but their place was shaping up nicely.

  The settlers had brought plenty of food with them, so nobody was starving, but they quickly discovered that fish were plentiful and tasty. There were also some native plants and trees with some delicious fruits, berries, and the makings of great salads. A few of the settlers hunted, and they shared the meat with anyone who wanted it. They quickly discovered that some animals taste a lot better than others. They had been there about two weeks when Angela showed up to talk about seafood. Just as on Earth, there were a lot of species of fish in the sea, and many were delicious. There were also lots of shellfish and critters similar to lobsters and shrimp. Angela shared how best to catch them. She admitted she wasn’t much of a cook, so they were on their own as far as preparation.

  While the settlers were getting situated, Robert and Shanna had travelled to the Small Magellanic Cloud to meet with Jane and Serena. Nante was still with her so he got a chance to talk with both of them. They were staying in the house the Pixies had built for Robert and Jane. It was very nice, and quite large. It even came stocked with food. Robert asked Nante why she was there. It was a long way from her empire.

  “I’m on vacation. Even an empress needs a vacation. In fact, an empress probably really needs a vacation. Besides, I want to be out of the way while th
ings settle down. Sure, we caught some of the traitors, but I personally think there are a lot more. Your ability to come to these galaxies has really stirred things up. I have seen greed before, but nothing like this. All of these undeveloped planets are a temptation hard to resist. I understand it, but we can’t allow a free-for-all land rush. For one thing, I know you two won’t allow it.”

  “That’s right,” Robert said, “We won’t. Also, even if we did allow it, Glenora wouldn’t. You haven’t seen what the Pixies are capable of doing, especially on a planet. I’m a pretty tough guy, but I wouldn’t try to stay on a world if they wanted me off. Maybe out in space, I’m in charge, but in a forest, it’s them.”

  Nante looked skeptical. “If you say so. Where is Glenora, anyway?”

  Glenora appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and flew over to sit by Robert. “I have been here all along. We are very stealthy. Isn’t that right, Robert?”

  “Yes, it is. Their cloaking devices work very well on both them and their ships. You know Glenora has ‘observers’ on almost all of your planets, don’t you? I thought the To’Ach’an had good intel. These guys are the real pros. By the way, we are cleaning up our end. The rogue Tocals and their traitor friends all gathered in one place to plot. Well, I have better plotters on my team. Kysandra and a few Pixie friends are picking them off. They will all be gone soon.”

  Nante looked a little shocked. “You’re having them killed? Kysandra wouldn’t do that on her own. What decided you to kill a bunch of fellow To’Ach’an? You guys usually stick together.”

  “Usually, but not this time. This is the second time my fellow To’Ach’an have tried to betray me. I’m done with that. If they try, I will hunt them all down and kill them. My people are the best. Plus, now we have allies. How many non-human races are allies of the Empire?”

  “None, you know that. The non-human races in the Milky Way were pretty much wiped out in wars about 500,000 years ago.”

  “That’s right. Well, in the last not even a year, we have encountered five non-human races, and we are allies with four of them. Two of those are currently spread all over the Milky Way as well as out here in the Clouds. The fifth race abandoned both Clouds and ran rather than fight us. Let me make it clear. I am tired of the fighting. I am going to put a stop to it. That will involve a lot of violence. People will die. So be it. I am not stopping this time until it’s done. For millennia the To’Ach’an stood as one, and nobody wanted to challenge us. Soon it will be that way again.”

  Nante considered what Robert had said. “You are going after a lot of my people, too, aren’t you? What if I object?”

  “I suggest you don’t do that. This isn’t the first time a bunch of your people have turned on you. This time they claimed they thought they were doing what you wanted, but we both know better. They went off on their own and thought they could present you with a fait accompli. Somebody told them it was better to ask forgiveness than permission. We are going to show them why that’s wrong. You need to put your house in order, so this kind of thing doesn’t keep happening. You need to turn your guys loose to fix this. We will help. Together, who can stand against us?”

  Suddenly Nante was smiling. “Excellent! That’s actually why I’m here. I have been fighting the corruption in the Empire since I took over from mom, but it’s only slightly improved. This last situation proves what I feared. They give lip service to loyalty, but as soon as they sense a chunk of money or a better deal, they are willing to sell out their oaths and principles. Like you, I’m tired of it. I have been making lists. I know who most of the higher rank traitors are. The issue is that the navy is key. I can’t control a galaxy-wide empire without star ships, and more than half of my navy is part of the problem. If I go to war, I don’t have enough ships to win. I have been trying to come up with a plan.”

  Robert was smiling back. “Well, I already have a plan. A huge battle involving hundreds or thousands of ships isn’t my style. I am more of a sniper at heart. We may end up with a huge battle, but I hope not. Glenora, will you help?”

  “Of course, Robert. A peaceful galaxy is good for everyone. I think our ships are perfect for what I think you have in mind. For some actions, my observers would be willing to do more than observe. They have lobbied for that for a very long time. Let’s get this moving.”

  Two days later they had the specifics worked out. Now they just had to get the pieces on the right squares. Jane and Serena left to take Nante back to the Milky Way while Robert and Shanna returned to New Hope to check on the settlers. Glenora stayed behind to organize her people. A date had been chosen. When the pieces were ready, Robert would start things moving by broadcasting the code phrase ‘new dawn.’”

  Chapter 24, New Hope

  Back on New Hope, things were going surprisingly well. Robert had put one of his new lodge buildings down near the village to act as a headquarters when any To’Ach’an were on the planet. Angela had started using it as soon as they let her. Before that she had been sleeping on her little research vessel. When Robert and Jonu arrived, she was very excited to see them.

  “Tocal Robert, I have been hoping to see you so I could thank you for giving me this opportunity. I know I was in a bad place, and you helped me. You could have taken advantage of me, but you didn’t. This has been wonderful. It’s better than I could have dreamed, and I am a really good dreamer. Just, thank you.”

  Jonu asked, “How exactly could Robert have taken advantage of you?”

  Robert answered before Angela could. “She offered to sign an unlimited services contract and work for free. I either had to accept her terms or not hire her.”

  Jonu started laughing. “So you hold an unlimited services contract on her? Cool. I’ll give you 10 galactic units for the contract.”

  Robert started stroking his chin like he was considering it.

  Angela made a strange noise and then cleared her throat before speaking. “You can sell a contract? I didn’t know that. I’m only worth 10 units? Make him pay more! I have a PhD, and I’m a virgin. I should be worth a lot more.”

  By the time she finished, Robert was laughing, too. Angela finally realized they were messing with her again and started to huff off. Robert stopped her and said, “Well yes, I can sell your contract, but we don’t negotiate, and Jonu’s offer is unacceptable, so you are stuck with me for now. Oh, and while we’re here one of your unlimited services will be to cook now and then. Make dinner and then join us. I want to hear how your research is going.”

  Just then a Pixie appeared hovering in the middle of the great room. She said, “Why did you stop so soon? That was just getting fun! I was enjoying watching you mess with her.”

  Jonu seemed very surprised to see the Pixie. “How did you get here?”

  The Pixie just giggled. They did that a lot. It was annoying. “Hi, I’m Dovina. Glenora sent me to observe Robert. You didn’t think she would leave him unsupervised, did you? If I do well, I think it might be a permanent assignment.”

  Robert didn’t seem at all surprised to see her. “I knew she was along. Glenora actually told me, since we are allies now. I think she did it out of respect for Jane. The Pixies are extremely matriarchal. I have never met a male Pixie.”

  Dovina giggled again. “Yes, and Glenora made me promise not to prank you.” She made a sad face. “She didn’t say anything about Jonu, though. Sleep well, big fella!” Dovina reached down to her belt and disappeared.

  Now Angela was laughing. “You guys deserve it, always picking on me. I hope she pranks you bad. Dinner is fish, in 20 minutes.”

  At dinner, which was quite good, Angela explained how well the vessel was working. Not only was she able to explore, but she could also tag any of the animals she wanted, and then show their location anywhere on the planet. She already had some good movement info on the larger creatures. For the time being she was concentrating on determining what was edible, since this was the main need of the settlers. Essentially she was making a catalog of anything
large or common enough to possibly constitute a food source. On the side she was trying to communicate with the whale-like animals. They seemed to have a language, but she had no idea how complex it was. Robert and Jonu didn’t have to ask any questions. Angela treated this discussion like a report to a department head or funding source, so it was complete and easy to follow.

  Robert commented when she finished. “You have been doing very well. How much longer will your research on this planet take. We have a lot of planets to look at, and we may only be able to take a fairly quick look to begin with, and then go back later to the more interesting ones. What we need to know first is what the dangerous animals are and how to protect ourselves. Then we need to know about food sources. Everything after that is good, but not as necessary. Are you OK with taking a quicker survey on several planets rather than an in depth look at just one?”

  “Of course. That’s the really exciting part, anyway. The in depth part is important, but involves a lot more routine. I don’t mean it’s boring. It isn’t. It just isn’t as exciting as being the first to see whole oceans full of creatures nobody else has ever seen. This is a dream job. I don’t mind doing it for nothing, and I want to get you the results you need. I have spent time with the settlers, and I know how important this information is to them. I do have a question for you. I expected you to have sex with me, but you haven’t. Why not?”