by David Buck
The ancient male briefly considered how ironical it would be that his race’s former servants could kill him by reflex even when one of their most cherished objectives was finally being realized.
Altarebe watched as thin blue laser lights flashed for several seconds between the Maveen before a consensus was reached. The lead probe briefly instructed Altarebe to remain still as a gate ship deployed nearby. A single probe went through to the other location and after several minutes he watched as three Maveen probes returned with the original probe. Altarebe soon found himself speaking to the sector delegate itself, and two senior probes introduced as the Earth lead probe and the Dradfer lead probe. Without preamble, he launched into his prepared and vetted report to the silent and waiting Maveen ships.
‘Sector delegate and lead probes, thank you for speaking with me so promptly. I recognize and respect your new autonomy as my father and I had our suspicions earlier. My father is damaged but for the moment safe in a quiet system not far from the human star system. We now suspect that the ancient queen is on the world known as Earth. We only ask information from you about this world at this stage. I am also here to propose a treaty to end the unfortunate war with the Sspol. I have received …’
Altarebe would have continued, but the sector delegate brusquely spoke over him to his considerable annoyance.
‘So young Altarebe you have led our enemy of note after the Zronte to this location with your efforts. Did your father not instruct you in the history of both our races?’
Altarebe noted that the big military ship was already edging around to follow his trail out of the system as he hurriedly spoke again over his radio link.
‘Sector delegate, the Sspol race has badly broken with the Zronte and the main vassal races. They now avoid them due to some act of foul treachery in the past. The Sspol have known of the nearby marshalling point for centuries but have avoided it to preserve peace. There is a Sspol envoy on one of their cruiser several systems away patiently awaiting my return. The Sspol have not engaged your race in conflict for many years and now seek a way to a peace with the Maveen. All they do ask is that the Zronte and the vassals never are advised of this fact.’
The Maveen sector delegate must have placed a transmission to the rapidly accelerating military ship, for it now slowed and made to return to its original position. The delegate conferred with the two senior lead probes alongside via blue lasers for several minutes before it addressed Altarebe again.
‘Altarebe, I am grateful for your efforts and I will ask you to later pass on my support and gratitude for your peace efforts to your father. I am sending the two senior lead probes as our joint envoys with a gate ship that will remain distant from the Sspol at all times. In the meantime, I will return to our marshalling point to devise a way for you to land on Earth and meet your new wives.’
Altarebe did a double take at the news as the Maveen sector delegate immediately turned and made his way back through the still open gateway to the marshalling point. He was at the point of starting to ask questions when the Earth lead probe spoke to him.
‘Altarebe, I can confirm that the ancient queen and her six daughters were alive in an Earth ocean one hundred Earth years ago. Their launch preparations are advanced, but they should still be there for another two hundred years yet as the younger daughters need more time to mature. Now what exactly did the Sspol say to you about our long and destructive war?’
The two lead probes and a gate ship began slowly following him further out the system towards a jump point. Altarebe knew that the Maveen probes by form would dock with the gate ship to make the hyper drive jump, even if they were capable of limited hyper drive jumps themselves.
Altarebe led the Maveen to the hyper jump location and answered the probe’s questions as best he could, as he tried to get his mind around having six wives, not just the one or two he was eventually expecting to meet.
***
Vituma four, Vorinne central systems
Malang’troh affected nonchalance and good will as he now knelt all his six limbs in a formal greeting to the Vorinne second envoy. Thatak’siema was female, very attractive, and much younger than he was for all the deference he showed her. But he knew that there was no getting round her second envoy status and her social rank as a Vorinne high borne noble. He was acutely aware that the second envoy had never mated and was a second cousin to the Royal Empress herself. He was also aware that another planet administrator for a nearby system had been recently executed by the second envoy after a lengthy trial for corruption and sedition. Even Thatak’siema did not have the power to execute him at a whim, but she could make life difficult for him if she decided to do so.
“Most honourable envoy Thatak’siema, your beauty and grace blesses my lowly station on this world. I trust you had a safe and uneventful journey, and I invite you to enjoy the hospitality of my world.”
Thatak’siema had both the etiquette and the immediate reasons to suppress any sense of outrage at the warmth in Malang’troh’s greeting. He might wish to seek her as a mate, but he was towards the bottom of the Vorinne social circles even if he was moderately wealthy. She knew that recent events had forced her to act quickly to stabilize this area of space, and that the planet administrator in front of her was a stable bet for what she had in mind.
Malang’troh was principled to a fault from what her own research of his life could tell her. He must have a steely resolve to survive so long, even if the Vorinne royal court considered him something of a rogue.
Thatak’siema now softly tapped her staff on the floor four times and Malang’troh, who was openly admiring the belly and back scales on her lithe body, had the good sense to stifle any further platitudes as she spoke.
‘Administrator Malang’troh, your welcome is gracious and appreciated. The reason for my long journey is two fold. Firstly you should remain kneeling for by the grace of the imperial court you are to receive title as Lord of Systems Malang’troh, and your estates are to include this system and the four adjacent systems that are now currently leader less.”
Malang’troh remained kneeling and politely thanked Thatak’siema for the promotion that would significantly raise his stocks in the eyes of his race. By unspoken agreement neither mentioned the demotion he had suffered as a younger male in the Vorinne fleet many hundreds of years ago.
Thatak’siema now spoke again quietly as she dismissed the waiting Quixxe artisan servants with a flick of her staff.
“Lord Malang’troh, you are to raise your fleet to a limit of six cruisers and the necessary support ships, but be prepared to go to full squadron strength much later only on my instructions. Now as to the second reason for my visit, for we must always guard against our enemies. So what can you tell me about the incident many years ago that destroyed your research facility?”
Malang’troh rose slowly and gave nod of respect as he recited the old report he had committed to memory many years ago.
Thatak’siema listened attentively and asked several questions as the new Vorinne lord continued his report, and she noted that he did not flinch in his criticisms of the Vorinne fleet. She remembered the stories about his earlier fall from grace and wondered just how far this would lead as she looked around the ornate furnishings of Malang’troh’s office chambers.
***
Posient star cluster
Admiral Baunrus sat in his command chair, scratched the green dander on his furred arm for a moment, and did not feel the slightest sense of remorse for what had just occurred. The Jerecab expeditionary force had cornered the fragments of a Tilmud fleet near the Posient star cluster where Tilmud incursions in the past had left a long vulnerable flank in the side of the Red Jerecab Empire. His fleet had destroyed all but two of the frigates, which had then been sent away with a message.
The admiral nodded at his navigation officer as he sat back in his command chair and now stroked his long whiskers in deep concentration. In moments the eleven star systems that comprised the sta
r cluster also known as the Posient Bulge were changed from Tilmud purple to Jerecab red on the star map display. He knew that shortly his fleet would assault all the abandoned worlds in the star cluster and kill the thousands of Tilmud colonists. He would not feel any remorse over their deaths either, as he considered remorse to be a sign of a Blue Jerecab ascetic and religious posturing.
The admiral looked longingly at the star map display, as the empty former Dradfer colonies would be next followed by several star systems around the home of the new race discovered recently, the humans.
Idly he wondered if the human world truly did have those large oceans that the Barus researchers so naively had told the Jerecab about. A silent and feral snarl curled his whiskered muzzle, as he considered what his expeditionary fleet, once it became a full armada, would do to the humans as the Jerecab took their lives and their world from them.
***
Vituma four, Vorinne central systems
Apinal looked around the street as she carefully picked her way back home to her one daughter still living with her. All her other children had left home many years earlier and while she was still young for a Quixxe, she had never selected another mate after Brodinal had been executed. She had never returned to work for Lord Malang’troh, though two of her sons and a daughter now worked as artisans and engineers for the recently promoted Vorinne.
Apinal’s children had faired well under Lord Malang’troh, almost as if he was ashamed in allowing the execution of Brodinal, even though of course none of the Quixxe personally knew Malang’troh. However she knew that if he discovered what Brodinal’s offspring plotted then they would all be shipped to the Zronte as livestock. Apinal arrived at her door and knocked twice; she paused and then knocked three times.
After hearing the muffled call to enter she walked into her home and quickly closed the door. By habit she checked the window blinds had all remained closed, but then noted the door to the small central atrium was open. Apinal scolded her daughter as she placed the day’s shopping on her kitchen bench.
‘Deshinal, you only need a Vorinne shuttle to overfly the house and you would be detected. Remember that the entire family, and possibly the entire suburb could find themselves shipped to the Zronte.’
Deshinal dejectedly strode over to the atrium door in long strides and had the presence of mind not to step into view as she closed the door. She straightened to her three metre height and looked down in apology at her mother as she replied.
‘Sorry mother, but I have spent my whole life cooped up inside and I just wanted a bit of fresh air. I did remain under the awning and practiced my staff exercises.’
Apinal softened as she took in her daughter and noted the muscles that bulged in her tall frame. She knew Deshinal was a Quixxe variform, most likely of a female warrior and that Vorinne edicts meant an automatic death penalty for her daughter. Ancient folk lore also told her that her daughter would be likely sterile as she spoke in a softer tone.
‘Well that is something at least; now please take a seat as I finally obtained the kit on the black market.’
After a moment’s hesitation, Deshinal had taken a seat and offered a feather covered but already powerful arm to her mother. Apinal unhurriedly opened the kit and looked through the instructions before she took the blood sample.
While she was waiting for the sample to process, Apinal also quizzed Deshinal on her ongoing studies.
‘Well it is all good to practice with weapons and I understand you have a natural affinity for them, but I trust you have studied the ancient history information I left earlier?
Deshinal nodded somberly and rustled her feathers in pique as she replied.
‘Yes mother I have studied at length the treacherous and violent natures of the vassal races. Also for good measure I reviewed the histories of the Fenshilla and Altoran, and they are of course equally repellent as a species.’
Apinal answered with a curt nod of approval and then crooned a soothing comment to her daughter.
‘Very good Deshinal, you have a fine mind to go with that powerful body of yours. Our race will not repeat the same mistakes of the past as we plan a magnificent future.’
After ten minutes, both mother and daughter looked at the medical report on the household data tablet with both surprise and amazement. Apinal held onto her seated daughter as she softly spoke to her in an excited tone.
‘Deshinal you are a warrior that is fully fertile, this has not happened in thousands of years of our covert history. We cannot let you be taken and we must leave this world for a new life.’
Apinal then by habit preened her now silent and brooding daughter, as she thought about how her family would deal with this new situation and retain their lives.
***
Fenshilla zone
The Barus long-range scout ship cautiously entered the outskirts of the Fenshilla colony and the pilot nervously scanned the information his passive scans were revealing about the system. The pilot by habit ensured that his cloaked was fully activated and that the rest of the ship was fully functional. He then reviewed in his mind the recent training course he had attended that was conducted by his mentor Omerio, particularly an often-repeated piece of advice.
‘Remember that very little intelligence is worth your life. If you are in doubt as to the nature of your opponents then the prudent decision is to flee.’
The mission was supposed to be a routine sweep of the outer Fenshilla colonies. However, the pilot had taken his ship to a remote colony off the original flight plan after he had detected several strange ships. He cautiously watched as the strange Fenshilla ships now progressed much further into the system and he angled his scout ship over to a nearby asteroid as he made another report.
‘Report seven alpha, the Fenshilla ships are a mixture of large cruisers and small assault carriers forbidden by Zronte edicts. All ships appear to have type two hyper drives, which are also forbidden under the edicts. The colony appears to be an unregistered Fenshilla world, possibly a pirate faction, and is guarded by several smaller ships further into the system.’
By habit, the Barus operative uploaded the report into a probe that was prepared for immediate launch. Suddenly the proximity chime sounded insistently and he watched in horror as the sensor screen came to life with the images of four cruisers uncloaking near the asteroid. The Barus pilot’s horror gave way to confusion as he identified the four ships as a Zronte cruiser section.
The pilot was about to report when the nearest cruiser released a powerful active scan directed right at his scout ship. The cloak around the scout ship could not withstand such an onslaught and failed with seconds of the scan reaching his ship.
The Barus pilot now fearfully identified his vassal status and designation, but all four Zronte cruisers opened fire even as he launched his standby message probe. He had only enough time for a brief attempt at evasive action, and to also think that something decidedly odd was occurring here. The Barus scout ship raced away but weapons fire from the Zronte cruisers blew the small ship to vapor in seconds.
On the deck of his lead ship, Lord Temeroth unhurriedly accessed the fleet protocols for the Barus vassal race and sent a coded signal to the rapidly accelerating Barus probe. A brief flash of light denoted the self-destruction of the probe, before Temeroth sent a message of reassurance to his Fenshilla allies.
‘The vassal interloper has been destroyed and we will review your progress when I arrive at your pirate base.’
The four Zronte cruisers turned as one and leisurely made their way towards the secret base and the eternal calm of deep space returned to the outskirts of the remote star system.
***
Barus Science Institute on Barus IV
Gindane walked out from the closed-door meeting after it had finished and sought the research institute’s restaurant. The meeting had dragged on for an indeterminate period before it concluded and she knew that the result was already decided beforehand. The Barus Research Institute would
still not risk the wrath of either the Zronte or the Vorinne by publicizing their research efforts at the former Dradfer colonies.
Gindane sat still at her table for several minutes after her lunch and attempted to relax, as she was lecturing two classes much later in the afternoon. She was aware of a muted buzz around her that fell silent as a tall Barus male in a white sleeveless fleet uniform stopped some distance from her table and gave her a respectful bow. Gindane decided that it was fifteen years too long, as she now stood and returned the officer’s bow with an elegant one of her own before speaking.
‘Commander Omerio, it is so long since we have last talked, please join me.’
Omerio placed his cap under a brown arm to signify he was off duty and joined her at the table with a nervous smile.
Gindane absent-mindedly rubbed the long brown fur on her arms and answered with a small sweet smile of her own as she spoke again.
‘I trust you have already eaten, if not the Fladfin salad is recommended. Now what brings you back into my university again my friend?’
Omerio gave her a brief smile of gratitude and took up her offer on the salad as he replied.
‘It is so nice to see you again Gindane. I could do with a change from fleet rations as I have been running a training course off world.’
As Omerio’s late lunch quickly arrived and he started to eat, Gindane gave him a brief run down on what she was doing, namely teaching and keeping a low profile.
‘So Omerio, your uncle’s commendations at least allowed me to return to the institute in good standing. I needed his help, as a couple of the more dogmatic senior academics have no time for me over the tragedy at Earth. However, events elsewhere are now taking the attention of the academy from more mundane matters.’
Gindane knew that the best way to open up Omerio was slowly, and well after he finished his lunch, she was aware of two things that really mattered to her.